March 12, 2009
Provocation of the Day
In recent years there have been grumblings in some Democratic circles that arms of the organized labor community were becoming too strident. Whether it was hardball tactics by the WEA, opposing reform uber alles, or SEIU trying to take out then-Appropriations Committee Chair Helen Sommers, eyebrows were being raised.
Will the incident of top Democratic leaders turning in the Washington State Labor Council for potentially illegal lobbying tactics cross the Rubicon of fellow Democrats finally saying enough is enough?
Sure, organized labor and most Democrats will continue to agree on many issues. Yet, is this a "we're not going to take it anymore!" moment in objecting to the obnoxious stridency of recent political memory?
Posted by Eric Earling at March 12, 2009
09:37 AM | Email This
1. No. The money is just too good and the power of government that allows them to shove their particular moral code down the throats of the citizens that goes along with the money is just too enticing.
They will have meetings about new regulations that specifically instruct lobbyists/special interest groups on what they can put in emails.
Then they will hold a press meeting to say that ethics rules have been enhanced and that all is well again.
Then, in the next, non-election year session, they will revive the bill and try to pass it.
2. Good try, Eric. No, the Ds may be agrumbling, but they will astumblin' when they go begging for that union campaign cash- both over and under the table.
3. The Democrap party is the bitch of labor. SOmetimes the whore gets tired and wants a 15 minute break for a smoke.
4. As the Democrat party is a subsidiary of Organized Labor just as surely as Saturn is a subsidiary of GM, this pretend protest will be very short lived.
5. Democrats could never resist the lure of cold, hard cash under the table. Ask William Jefferson about that and his freezer.
6. Eric - I should point out that your server time is incorrect. It's more then 20 minutes behind the real time.
7. You gotta remember who appoints the head of the WSP.
This will be swept away quickly and quietly, Just watch.
8. "Will the incident of top Democratic leaders turning in the Washington State Labor Council for potentially illegal lobbying tactics cross the Rubicon of fellow Democrats finally saying enough is enough?"
Not... even... close.
Democrat concern has nothing to do with a concern over corruption.
Had that email been delivered in hard copy to the legislative democrat leadership, there is little doubt we'd not have heard a peep.
This has to do with the possibility of such a letter getting out... and the leg d's getting in front of it first. They can now say, "See? WE'RE not corrupt!"
In reality, this will change nothing, except to drive the corruption deeper... making it harder for all to see.
Now... if Bender is arrested, tried and convicted (If he sent it or had it sent.) then that would be one thing.
But what are chances of that?
This is a minor setback to the greater glory of the left. Like jbm said... we'll hear little more about it.
9. Sounds like the union thugs were reminding the ethically challenged democrats that they were bought and paid for. Nothing new here except the thugs were stupid enough this time to put their arm twisting in writing. Pay to play is not a game for the overconfident. Ask the former Governor Blago of Illinois. I would enjoy seeing some heads roll over this one, but I am not holding my breath.
10. Eric--
Don't be foolish son.
The only reason the Dem Leaders (Gregoire, Brown & Chopp) went public was because THEY HAD TO!
Why? Because someone gave the e-mail to the Seattle Times.
If you think for one second this was done out of nobility, you have no business in politics.
Don't be a sucker Eric.
Connect the dots.
11. Tomorrow your child is going to spend 7 hours in a classroom under the complete control of a...thats right... a dues paying union member.
12. I kind of agree with #10 -- the Democratic Leadership in Olympia needed a way out of this bill mess not because the e-mail was leaked to the Times (although it might have been), but because this bill is really bad for business. Union membership has steadily been declining since the 1950s (with a small uptick in 2008) and the unions believe they'll have a stronger chance of unionizing worksites if employers can't talk to their employees about the impacts of unionization. The Democrats had to get out of this, believing they owe the labor community for big contributinos and grassroots assistance, but couldn't pass the bills because of potential impacts on job retention and creation. This gave them a graceful way out while appearing to be on the side of truth, justice and the American way by whistle-blowing on the Washington State Labor Council who, let there be no mistake, will live to fight another day.
13. The bill is yet another example of the left wanting to silence any kind of disagreement. The tap dance of elected officials is just for show.
14. #11: Not my kid. And they haven't sat in such for 9 years. Thank goodness.
16. I am glad that when SEIU came into my work place and wanted to recrute me I threw him out. Well, I did not just kick him out. I called him a Marsist-Heathon. I told him if he did not leave I will have him arrested for tresspassing on private property. I can fight the Unions. They come against me they will be sorry. The only way I will join a Union is if I need to join to keep my job. If that happens that I will show up at the loval headquarters every payday. I will not leave until they show me how 100% of the money they are taking in dues is spent (if any of it is spent on political causes I will be calling lawyers) or they have me arrested.