The Hill - "Romney puts anti-union politics front and center"

[TomCADem]

Why is Wall Street so strongly behind Romney even though he cannot mobilize the evangelical right like most Republicans? Is it because he is perhaps the most virulently anti-union, pro-Wall Street candidate in decades?

http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/presidential-campaign/185651-romney-puts-anti-union-politics-front-and-center

With Chris Christie now officially out of the running, Mitt Romney has once again emerged as the GOP Presidential candidate to beat. It is hardly surprising that the former Massachusetts governor has reclaimed the frontrunner mantle. Despite a lack of enthusiasm for his candidacy among Republican activists, Romney has qualities that would serve him well in a contest with President Obama — he is intelligent and articulate, he has embraced fewer extreme social policies than his GOP rivals, and he can appeal to independent voters.

And despite his claims about having the interests of American workers at heart, he is virulently anti-union. At Republican gatherings, Romney frequently proclaims his anti-labor positions, especially with regard to public sector collective bargaining, right-to-work laws, and the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) complaint against Boeing.

Romney has embraced the state-level GOP crusade against public sector bargaining. When Wisconsin governor Scott Walker signed into law a bill outlawing public sector bargaining, Romney applauded his effort to "do what's necessary to rein in out-of-control public sector pay and benefits." He also supports Ohio’s sweeping anti-bargaining legislation, which is now on hold until a referendum in November. Yet the Wisconsin and Ohio legislation has nothing to do with financial prudence – lawmakers in other states have negotiated lower costs without eliminating basic labor rights– and everything to do with a power grab against one of the Democrats’ key constituencies.

Romney also supports anti-union legislation in the private sector. Last week the National Right to Work Committee reported that he had endorsed a national right-to-work (RTW) law, which would bar union security agreements requiring non-members to pay for representational services, and a recent Romney campaign ad focuses on RTW. During his 2008 presidential bid, Romney opposed national RTW legislation, but now he supports it and has encouraged states to pass right-to-work legislation. This has gone down well with GOP activists in New Hampshire – site of one of the first Republican primaries – where the Republican-controlled state legislature voted for RTW earlier this year, which was later vetoed by the state’s Democratic governor. Romney believes the issue fits well with his self-proclaimed “job-creator” title, but most reputable studies find no evidence that RTW either lowers unemployment or stimulates economic activity.

[OHdem10]

1. Good -- He will cut the numbers of blue collars who might

cross over and vote for him. Of course, Democrats
must fight back on this issue, but he is hurting
himself.

Union Busting in the states is causing a backlash.

Keep it up Republicans. We Dems need all the votes
you are kicking under the bus.

[TomCADem]

2. I Dunno - Many Republicans and Independents Are Convinced That Democrats Are Wrong

To Demand taxes on the rich, i.e., the job creators. Republicans say that talking point on TV all the time, and they are rarely challenged.

[OHdem10]

4. I am not saying Dems do not have to work but the Republicans

have and continue to overreach.

Romney is doing a Pander to SC voters. He has to
make wome kind of showing there to get the nomination.

Right to work and Boeing. He is pandering. While other
large states Ohio Wisconisn etc the Union Support has
grown.

[mdmc]

3. that will win him the nomination