Guest commentary - Union Presidents Slam Republicans (Not Democrats or the President)

[TomCADem]

I am sure you have read one of hundreds of headlines that heavily paraphrase or editorialize comments by union leaders to try to paint a picture that Unions are abandoning the President and Democrats, and may even be open to supporting Republicans who are not so anti-union (as if there are any). Yet, the corporate media is not trying to frame the narrative, the fact of the matter is that unions have been supportive of Democrats and Obama, and Democrats and President Obama have been supportive of unions.

Also, what is often censored in these articles pushing the narrative that unions are abandoning Democrats is the fact that unions have been absolutely opposed to efforts by the right wing to attack labor. Yet, you do not see this. So, here are unions taking their message directly to the people, which is a refreshing respite from the corporate media narrative.

http://www.freep.com/article/20110905/OPINION05/110903027/Guest-commentary-Honor-Labor-Day-by-putting-America-back-work?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE%7Cs

Our citizens are hungry for jobs, they are eager to see America prosperous again, and they expect our elected officials to take action. But too often, the American people are left waiting while a small group of right-wing politicians in Congress holds our country hostage in the name of tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy and incentives for reckless corporations. It’s time for members of Congress to make a different choice this fall. It’s time to prioritize the needs of the American people.

Congress’s inaction is certainly not on account of lacking ideas. It certainly isn’t about a lack of Americans wanting good jobs. And despite what some politicians want you to believe, it isn’t about a lack of money. There are plenty of ideas out there — with plenty of ways to pay for them without increasing our national debt.

Requiring hedge fund managers to pay the same tax rate as nurses and teachers would generate $21 billion, and if combined with Warren Buffett’s plan to forces millionaires to pay their fair share in taxes, we could put more than 2 million Americans back to work fixing parks and schools, teaching children and delivering health care. Ending the $139 billion in assorted giveaways to big oil could fund relief for the unemployed and job training programs that would create another 2 million jobs. And a small tax on dangerous Wall Street speculation could generate more than enough revenue to put more than 2.5 million Americans to work fixing our crumbling infrastructure.

The American people know that building a stronger, more robust economy is possible, they just cannot understand why the politicians they sent to Washington are talking about anything but jobs.

[drm604]

1. K&R

:kick:

[mfcorey1]

2. I am glad that it exposes the brainwashing lie that labor has abandoned the dems. nt

[greenman3610]

3. about damn time

[boston bean]

4. Of course they don't like Republicans. They ALSO don't like Republican Policies

that chip away at workers rights, no matter where it emanates from.

It's no suprise they don't like Republicans and fight agains them. That doesn't mean they are all happy with Republican policies emanating from the White House and Dem Leadership.

[TomCADem]

5. If it is so obvious, then why don't you see union heads on TV...

...bashing Republicans? Why does Candy Crowley feel the need to frame her questions in a way designed to try to create a conflict between Democrats and Unions? The fact of the matter is that Democrats were fighting tooth and nail to prevent Governor Walker from stripping public employees of their collective bargaining rights to the point that they went out of State. But, you don't hear this. Instead, you hear this repeated narrative over and over again that ignores what Union leaders are actually saying.

President Obama's appointees have been extremely pro-union to the point that Republicans are asking the last remaining Republican NLRB appointees to resign in order to prevent the NLRB from forming a quorum. You don't hear this in the mainstream meda, because it is not consistent with the narrative of schism between Democrats and Unions.

There were death panels, then Obama's birth certificate, and now Unions flirting with Republicans over Democrats as the latest corporate media fiction.

[NNN0LHI]

6. Read their tweets, right?

:rofl: