The President makes a STRONG statement supporting UNIONS!!!

[bvar22]

In addressing the Nation, the President removed all doubt about his unqualified support for Organized LABOR,
and rights of workers to Collectively Bargain with their employers.

<Direct Quote>
*"Workers have a right to organize into unions and to bargain collectively with their employers. And a strong, free labor movement is an invigorating and necessary part of our industrial society."


*"Only a fool would try to deprive working men and women of their right to join the union of their choice."


*Should any political party attempt to abolish Social Security, unemployment insurance, and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history. There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes you can do these things, but their number is negligible and they are stupid."

:patriot:


WOW.
Nothing Wishy-Washy, "Centrist", or ambiguous about those statements!
The President made it crystal clear that he STANDS with Organized LABOR.
That is the kind of Stand Up Leadership the people in the streets in Wisconsin (and elsewhere),
and the Working Class Base of the Democratic Party NEEDS to hear from the White House.



Unfortunately, I can't post this in Latest Breaking News because these statement were not made today,
and they weren't made by President Obama.
They were made by Republican President Dwight Eisenhower.

http://www.alternet.org/news/149700
(Thanks, Rachel)

How far we have fallen. :cry:


Who will STAND UP for THIS American Majority?
Rhetoric, Empty Promises, and Excuses are meaningless now.
"By their WORKS you will know them."

[Lucinda]

1. He did quite a few things right.

:hi:

[Matariki]

2. I know you mean well, but deliberately misleading posts like this are annoying.

Especially given the gravity of what's going on right now.

[gkhouston]

18. No, what's annoying is that I *knew* the OP was false before I read beyond the title. n/t

[Matariki]

26. True enough. But I was hoping for the best.

Sort of a theme of this administration perhaps.

[bvar22]

36. The OP was not "false".

Everything in the OP is 100% TRUE.
It IS intentionally misleading in the current context,
but that device was used to illustrate a point.
In that respect, it is successful.

I wish I could take creative credit,
but I can't.
I borrowed it from Rachel Maddow.

http://www.alternet.org/news/149700

[Hell Hath No Fury]

3. Yikes, can HE be President?

Please? :(

[Chisox08]

11. Nope he is too far to the left for either party to elect him

[JuniperLea]

39. LOL!

I am as to the left as it gets, and he's not here... he really isn't.

[Cattledog]

4. Obama's no IKE

He's more Gerald Ford.

[mike_c]

5. oh FUCK that made me do a double take....

DAMN DAMN DAMN. I thought Obama had finally stood up. Damn.

:spank:

[Cali_Democrat]

10. Same here

Then reality strikes :(

[pacalo]

6. I knew there would be a punchline at the end. My guess was that the quotes came from

Obama's campaign speeches.

[bluestateguy]

7. I would have voted for IKE in '56

Not sure about '52.

[originalpckelly]

8. Just shows you how bad it is.

Honestly, I don't think you could ever see a Democratic president make such a speech without being called a communist/socialist these days!

[Exultant Democracy]

9. If the republicans ran men like Ike we would all be lucky.

[NeoConsSuck]

23. Considering the current crop of Democrats

we would still be fortunate to have Ike back as president. Read my sig line. Could you imagine Obama making a statement like that?

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

12. And, Ike didn't have to find his walking shoes when he said it.

[ProSense]

13. President Obama:

<...>

So let us never forget: much of what we take for granted -- the 40-hour work week, the minimum wage, health insurance, paid leave, pensions, Social Security, Medicare -- they all bear the union label. (Applause.) It was the American worker -- men and women just like you -- who returned from World War II to make our economy the envy of the world. It was labor that helped build the largest middle class in history. Even if you're not a union member, every American owes something to America's labor movement. (Applause.)

link

<...>

Number two -- I believe this with every fiber of my being: America cannot have a strong, growing economy without a strong, growing middle class, and the chance for everybody, no matter how humble their beginnings, to join that middle class -- (applause) -- a middle class built on the idea that if you work hard, if you live up to your responsibilities, then you can get ahead; that you can enjoy some basic guarantees in life. A good job that pays a good wage. Health care that will be there when you get sick. (Applause.) A secure retirement even if you’re not rich. (Applause.) An education that will give your children a better life than we had. (Applause.) These are simple ideas. These are American ideas. These are union ideas. That’s what we’re fighting for. (Applause.)

<...>

Whenever times have seemed at their worst, Americans have been at their best. That’s when we roll up our sleeves. That’s when we remember we rise or fall together –- as one nation and as one people. (Applause.) That’s the spirit that started the labor movement, the idea that alone, we may be weak. Divided, we may fall. But we are united, we are strong. That’s why they call them unions. That’s why we call this the United States of America. (Applause.)

link:

Still, actions speak louder than words: Historic union vote for airport officers begins

[Cattledog]

15. All talk...no walk.

[JuniperLea]

40. I guess you didn't click on that last link...eom

[Rex]

14. Ah yes, the last person to actually serve directly in a war and then become POTUS.

Well, besides JFK...not really a good comparison since one was a patrol boat capitan in Vietnam and the other was the commander of the European theater in WWII. Ike saw firsthand the total devastation of WWII and warned us about letting corporation run/control the military (MIC). Sadly we didn't listen and will fall just like the Roman Empire.

[dflprincess]

16. You're confusing JFKs

John Kennedy was the captain of a PT boat in the Pacific theater during WWII. PT109 - look it up.

John Kerry was the patrol boat captain in Vietnam.

[Rex]

17. Youre right, thanks I am.

[Poboy]

19. R'd

[leftstreet]

20. K&R

[BzaDem]

21. Oh yeah -- as if Obama would disagree with any of that.

Ya know, when Ike said

"There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes you can do these things, but their number is negligible"

that statement is true in more than one context.

[WillyT]

22. HUGE K & R !!!

:yourock:

:hi:

[undeterred]

24. He said ONIONS.

[DirkGently]

25. Ike would be a radical lefty in today's terms.

[Shagbark Hickory]

27. Deceptive title, wouldn't you say? You've taken a jab at Obama whilst using foxnews tactics.

Un rec.

[cleanhippie]

31. counter rec for being unable to see the bigger point being made.

[Shagbark Hickory]

33. I guess I'm not wearing the necessary special x-ray goggles to see the point being made.

All I know is I have zero tolerance for bullshite.

[cleanhippie]

35. I guess not.

[Bandit]

28. Stupid yes, but their number is no longer negligible

And today's America is not the same America when Ike was President. Back then we prosecuted "War Criminals" and we did not torture people or remove all their Constitutional Rights on the word of one person, The Decider.

[JokerAllstar]

29. This is classic bait and switch

Obama says he supports unions, but dispatched his "No Drama" people to make sure the Party didn't go to Wisconsin.

[femrap]

41. The picture of those

5 dudes is etched in my brain....Daley, Carney, a SS dude, and 2 ugly dudes who said, 'We will have no drama.' I just couldn't believe it.

And then the next day, Obama gives a speech about bullies in junior and senior high schools. Walker can bully, but not kids.

Geez, dude. Stand up and walk the talk. Just incredibly hypocritical....just like the rethugs.

[Edweird]

30. I see what you did there.

And I like it. K&R

[readmoreoften]

32. Funny, most people won't read through and they'll actually think Obama supports unions.

[abelenkpe]

34. Me pops uncle

Was a speech writer for president eisenhower. Eisenhower may have been a republican in his day but he wouldn't be allowed in the party today.

I know the right likes to make much of their victories in the last election, but they are not the majority. We need to work harder to make sure democrats and liberals turn up at all elections to make sure the nut cases on the right make no more gains.

[BrklynLiberal]

37. wow...Got my hopes up there for a minute...........

[nilram]

38. I LIKE IKE!