President Obama Missing In Action on Labor Issues

[Better Believe It]

Weekend Edition
March 18 - 20, 2011

Obama Goes Missing on Labor Issues
President MIA
By WALTER BRASCH

But, while the masses protested the shredding of their rights, not at any rally anywhere in Wisconsin were several people who should have been there. Senate minority leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), House minority leader Nancy Pelosi (R-Calif.), Vice-President Joe Biden, and Labor Secretary Hilda Solis have been conspicuously absent. So are almost all major national Democratic political leaders, obviously afraid to publicly support their largest constituency, the American working class.

One person, more than any other, needed to be there, if only to prove that campaign rhetoric and one's promises mean something after the election.

There are dozens of reasons and excuses why President Obama is not in Wisconsin. The one that seems to be most probable is that going into a re-election campaign he doesn't want to alienate any of his constituencies. It's doubtful, however, that anyone on the extreme right wing will vote for him, no matter what he does or doesn't do. It's also probable that the core of the Democratic party—the unions and workers, the youth, the alienated and disenfranchised, and those who believe in social justice, who awakened in 2008 to give him a mandate for change—may give him only lukewarm approval or, worse, be silent in 2012. They have every reason to believe they had been betrayed.

Good presidents do what is best for the country. Great presidents, however, do not only what is best for the people, but are also willing to speak to the courage of their beliefs, of their principles, even if it may be unpopular among many of their constituencies. They don't put their "finger in the air" to judge what's popular. Republican Theodore Roosevelt, and Democrats Franklin Delano Roosevelt and "Give 'em Hell, Harry" Truman were among the great presidents. If Barack Obama doesn't soon speak out on behalf of the working class, he may find his legacy mired in the struggle to become even a good president.

Read the full article at:

http://www.counterpunch.org/brasch03182011.html

[PeaceNikki]

1. I'm glad he's staying out of Wisconsin.

And I am not alone in that opinion.

[murielm99]

3. I am glad, too.

I think by the time the campaign rolls around, Biden should show up first. Then, when the time is right, Obama should make an appearance. But Wisconsin needs to keep rolling on their recalls and court actions at the state level for now. And currently, they need our support, support from the bottom up. This is a people power issue after all.

Obama has his hands full with foreign policy.

[tallahasseedem]

4. It's a double-edged sword for him...

No matter what he does he'll be criticized from both sides.

[Better Believe It]

7. What other states do you think Obama should stay out of?

Do you really think President Obama would do that much damage to working people and the labor movement by supporting us rather than Wall Street?

If so, perhaps you also think he should just stay in the White House and not comment on issues impacting working people.

[PeaceNikki]

13. You're so dramatic. I'm glad he's staying out of this issue.

I've told you before:

I have an opinion on this matter since it's close to my heart. Literally and figuratively. Me, my fiends, my neighbors and the "fab 14" are all directly impacted by the bullshit that is this reform bill and budget. Directly. All of us. We have a vested interest, a very solid understanding, a relentless passion and deep concern in this fight. It's personal.

This isn't about Obama and I appreciate him not making it. I suspect that if he were knee-deep in it, the same people screaming for his involvement would hate him for sticking his nose in it. This isn't about the DNC and how they feel about it. Our Democratic Senators showed the rest of Democrats how to take a principled stance even in the face of great criticism. They spent weeks away from their families and were called cowards and runaways when they were standing with the people of Wisconsin against this bullshit. The Republicans pushed it through without quorum and there are lawsuits pending - and I refer you back to the April 5 Wisconsin Supreme Court race that we can win and tip in our favor. We have a real chance of getting the 3 seats we need via recalls and bringing Walker to his knees until we recall him in January.

If the DNC isn't interested and the rest of the Democrats aren't inspired by their actions, then at least maybe we'll make the teabaggers and rest of the right-wing monsters think twice before fucking with the Badgers.

Watch us.

[Better Believe It]

18. Does Governor Walker now have a quorum to pass his proposed budget cuts?

[PeaceNikki]

21. lol. Not a fan of talking to walls.

[Better Believe It]

28. Or answering embarassing questions.

[PeaceNikki]

30. We've had this "talk". It's not embarassing. You misunderstood why the WI14 left the state.

[Bandit]

12. I am not glad and I am not alone in that opinion

When he makes a campaign pledge he should stick to it. It is getting to the point he is no longer believable.. Credibility is not easy to regain once squandered.

[PeaceNikki]

16. Noted.

[Better Believe It]

20. Did ya organize a party to celebrate President Obama's refusal to take a strong stand for labor?

[PeaceNikki]

23. No, did you?

You seem to get off of crticizing him at every opportunity, so I can see why you might.

WTF kind of question is that? I am CELEBRATING the fact that this recall effort is going well. I am CELEBRATING the fact that this is not (D) vs (R). I am CELEBRATING the fact that Republicans and independent moderates are orgainzing WITH us to recall these assholes.

I am glad that Obama and the White House haven't stolen the "thunder". There's magic brewing here.

[Shiver]

24. Exactly. This is one of the big reasons I don't ant Obama to come here.

He and his administration and the national Democrats have done enough for me on this issue. As Nikki said, this is not (D) vs (R), and it shouldn't be. I have many friends who have been at the protests since day one who are Independent or Republican, and while they haven't said it, I know they would not like having the president interject himself on this. Some of them, I know for a fact, would not be with us if he did it.

It's not about Obama. It's about us. And we're winning. If he wants to come to the victory party to tell us what a great job we did, then he's welcome, but this is our fight. If Ohio or Indiana or Florida want him there, he's free to go. But this is a strong movement when it comes from the grassroots.

[PeaceNikki]

25. mmm hmm.

I agree.

[Better Believe It]

27. It's not a question of "stealing the thunder". It's about taking sides, our side.

[PeaceNikki]

29. He has. Just not as extravagantly as you claim to want.

[ClarkUSA]

2. lol! According to Counterpunch, every president who ever lived was/is a POS

Counterpunch is full of empty hateful rhetoric that pleases any president's opponents to no end. Much as I detested Bush, I stopped reading them soon after the turn of this century, because their journalistic standards are nil.

[PeaceNikki]

5. How many of the people bitching about his being "missing" would be bitching

if he were involved that he stuck his nose and made it all about him?

My guess... ALL of them.

[Better Believe It]

9. Wrong guess. The answer is none.

[PeaceNikki]

15. HA!

[ClarkUSA]

10. You got that right.

Thanks for always trying to explain the wisdom of how the WH has handled the events in WI.

[undeterred]

6. Obama gets a C- in Domestic Policy Issues, B- in Foreign Policy Issues

[JaneQPublic]

8. Grassroots Politics or Top-Down Politics

If Obama presided at these labor rallies, it would no longer be a grassroots movement of, by, and for the working people; it would become a presidential campaign stop, or at least that's how it would be perceived.

By all accounts, the people of Wisconsin are doing everything that can be done. And they should be very proud. Having Obama on the scene would accomplish nothing more, except to make the story about him rather than about the teachers, nurses, and firemen at the heart of the matter.

If you believe in "people power," then let them run the movement.

[Better Believe It]

14. So you're opposed to any Democratic politicians speaking at pro-labor rallies ....

or is it just President Obama that gets an exemption .... because he didn't want to take a stand in support of labor and working people.

[JaneQPublic]

36. When has any sitting U.S. President ever spoken to a labor rally?

I just looked through a couple of historical timelines of the U.S. labor movement.

A search on the word "president" showed U.S. Presidents signing legislation or executive orders and, in the case of Reagan, firing the air traffic controllers. However, I found not a single mention of a sitting president addressing a labor rally.

Presumably if one did speak at a rally or political march, the appearance did not make an impact sufficient enough to warrant a listing in the timeline.

No doubt presidents have spoken at annual meetings and conferences, but a march as politically charged as the ones in WI, MI, OH, etc? I'd sure like to know which president appeared at something like that.

http://www.shmoop.com/history-labor-unions/timeline.html

[ProSense]

11. Hmmm?

"Senate minority leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), House minority leader Nancy Pelosi (R-Calif.), Vice-President Joe Biden, and Labor Secretary Hilda Solis have been conspicuously absent."

"There are dozens of reasons and excuses why President Obama is not in Wisconsin. The one that seems to be most probable is that going into a re-election campaign he doesn't want to alienate any of his constituencies."

Leave it to Counterpuke to distort.

Biden, Solis Tell Workers: ‘We Need Collective Bargaining’

Reid: Republicans Scapegoating Teachers, Public Employees To Launch Ideological Attack On Rights Of Working People

National Dems enter Wisconsin fray with new ad targeting GOP state senator

more

[ClarkUSA]

17. "Wisconsin-14: President Obama was very supportive and we’re glad he didn’t come here"

Well, well, well, what do you know. Not that I expect the kids to actually understand this, but the adults always knew he was doing the right – and especially the SMART thing here. From the fab-14 press conference yesterday:

Q: Obama disappointing you?

Erpenbach: No not at all. He was very supportive, a couple of different times, of public employees. He has a nation to sail through some rough waters right now. He was briefed 1-2 times a day, I don’t doubt him at all. Had he come here, it would have been more chaotic. I’m glad he didn’t come here.

Lena: I agree. It would have been about him, instead of the workers of WI. It would’ve been politicized, it would have been about the 2012 election.

http://blackwaterdog.wordpress.com/2011/03/13/wisconsin-14-president-obama-was-very-supportive-and-were-glad-he-didnt-come-here/

[PeaceNikki]

19. They're gonna say the WI14 were just saying that to kiss Obama's ass.

I've had this discussoin with the OP who has posted this OP in many forms.

[ClarkUSA]

22. They can kiss our asses.

;)

Just wanted to get the facts out there again for those who are coming to this garbage and missed the facts. BTW, Wisconsin Democrats rock! But you knew that. Like so many there, I can't wait for Walker's recall to begin... if the WI Democratic Party needs any money, please let us know here. I will be happy to give. :party:

[PeaceNikki]

26. Thanks, it's exciting here.

The mood is electric and I have never been so motivated as I am now. It's amazing because my soul was crushed in Novemeber and I was ready to stop caring about politics altogether.

[ClarkUSA]

31. I'll bet it is.

I am glad to hear you're back to fighting trim, too. You can't keep a good soul down. :hug:

[grahamhgreen]

33. ...even though we lost

[PeaceNikki]

35. "We" who? "Lost" what?

[grahamhgreen]

37. I take it back! Keep fighting!

[Brickbat]

32. I'm fine with him staying out of Wisconsin. The total lack of leadership when it comes to EFCA,

public employees, attitudes toward teachers, and other union concerns has been a huge disappointment.

[Little Star]

34. I'm glad he stayed out of WI. However,

He has been AWOL on labor issues since day one. If he had taken the lead on labor before these new Repug Governor's came into power it would be a different situation. But corporations/corporatists are his base.