MINORITY LEADER PELOSI makes a different excuse for Blue Dog Democrats, because she won’t stand up for unions any more than Pres. Obama and the Democratic Party will. We saw that in Wisconsin, where even Democrats didn’t choose the union candidate to take on Scott Walker.
Of course, that hasn’t kept unions from being the Democratic Party’s whipping post. If you don’t have to earn a vote because it’s in the bag, why work for it?
But why should any Democrat attend this year’s convention?
It’s supporting right-to-work over unions, as well as the Democratic Party’s continued shift to economic austerity and corporatism over organizations that helped build and make the middle class possible.
Why Democrats need labor unions, By Julian Zelizer
[...] Union leaders frequently complain that they have second-class status in the party compared with other groups such as environmentalists or suburban voters. During the battle over public employee unions in Wisconsin, most national Democrats were noticeably absent from the debate. Before the Wisconsin gubernatorial election that followed the recall, President Obama was willing to tweet his support for Gov. Scott Walker’s opponent, Tom Barrett, but unwilling to actually visit.
This fissure has high costs for the Democrats and for liberalism more generally. Organized labor has been integral to the organizational strength of liberalism throughout the 20th century, as the most reliable and powerful force to get out the vote in elections and to help build congressional coalitions behind progressive legislation.
The alliance, which formed when the AFL helped President Woodrow Wilson during the early stages of World War I, flourished during the New Deal. Democrats won the support of workers as a result of the surge of legislation that helped working- and middle-class Americans find economic security.
The Wagner Act (1935) cemented this marriage as the federal government legitimated the right of workers to organize in unions. Labor leaders like Sidney Hillman from the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America, who helped found the CIO, established the first political action committee to help FDR win re-election in 1944. During World War II, most of the major unions were a key part of the homeland effort, assisting the administration as it moved to convert factories to wartime production.
In 1948, President Harry Truman would not have won re-election had it not been for organized labor, which in the final weeks of the campaign mobilized its troops to defeat New York Gov. Thomas Dewey. “Labor did it!” cried Truman, who won the vote of 89% of the automobile workers, recounted historian Nelson Lichtenstein. [...]
This piece has been updated.
Why Should Any Democrat Attend a Convention in an Anti-Union State?
For access and power, the same reason they do anything else these days.
In the 1960′s Lyndon Johnson shocked a southern crowd by saying, “Wouldn’t it be nice to have just one election without hearing nigra, nigra, nigra?” He got a standing ovation, but richard Nixon took note. His “Southern Strategy” was nothing more than transfering the racism from the Democrats to the Republicans. And it worked marvelously for the Republicans; not so well for the nation. The political chants have changed over the years, but the results are the same.
I live in western North Carolina, although I’m not from here originally. In most conversations with a native here I patiently try to explain that they can look around at all the deserted mills and furniture factories here and will not find one union involved. There are no public service unions to speak of; the “right to work” i.e. “the right to indentured servitiude” law makes sure of that. It makes no difference because the conversation will morph into the old “the American worker has priced himself out of a job.”
You feel like you’re trying to slay a T-Rex with a BB gun. When people are so proud of their ignorance, with a worship of the rich that defies description, there is nothing that will jog them into facing reality save a total economic and social collapse. Liberalism is a filthy word, not to be used in polite company. Prior to the election of 2010 I might have said give North Carolina a shot at the convention. But now this state is caught up in the fever to Teabaggerism, with rich crooks fighting to give us crooked government.
There are many who will vote Democratic in the election but having the convention in Charlotte isn’t going to make any difference. For one thing, the DNC and Barack Obama himself have ignored the working class for so long that all any progressive southerner gets is rhetoric. Perhaps the Democratic convention should be held in a place that is more centered to its true constituents. Like say, lower Manhatten.
The United states has more low wage jobs than any other industrialzed country with the exception of South Korea. This has been made possible by four decades of outsourcing and high quality job destruction. The democrats have been williing collaborators in this undeclared war on the American worker. Any worker who thinks the democratic party has his or her back is a fool . Americans will pay a high price for their lack of attention, for their inability to see what was being stolen from them. The democrats used their supporters good will against them, stabbing them in the back with a big smile on their face. Trumka showed his true colors when, after attacking the democrats for their treachery, threw his support behind them anyway. If he had any guts he would have forsaken them and urged all of his members to support the Green Party; a party that truly stands for what labor says they want.
Therein lies the problem and why unions shouldn’t be taken seriously and aren’t anymore.
It goes well beyond globalization, which automatically causes unions to be more competitive and change their purpose, as well as their bargaining power, no doubt about it.
It’s not easy anymore for unions, that’s for sure. With the American middle class squeezed, everyone wants those cheap pants made in China!
But unions must still organize workers and push for better wages, fairer benefits and more equity. If their leaders don’t know how they should step aside.
I firmly beleve that globalization is the death of unions. I believe this was the goal all along. It was sold to the American people as their saviour. They were told that this country needed to be more export oriented; we spent to much time selling things to ourselves, we were missing out on the worldwide export boom. But it was a lie. It was nothing more than a creative way to steal from the poor and give to the rich. It is Marx’s race to the bottom in carnate. Globalization combined with technology will eventually eliminate millions of jobs around the world. What will we do with all those people ?Kurt Vonnecgut’s first or second book, ” Player Piano ” invisioned a world where the elites ( with jobs ) lived on one side of the river in Illium, N.Y., and the people without jobs ( grunts ) lived on the other. It doesn’t look that far fetched.
Yes, the union problem as outlined by fangio and then taylor is a huge part of the Dem malpractice or is it malfesance. Either way, all of us Dems or erstwhile Dems and the American people who benefited from the great ideas that became the brilliant programs that came out of the New Deal and the Great Society which lifted millions of people from poverty to the working classes and the working classes into the middle class have been sold out by the Dem party. The American dream had teeth. Now, it can barely chew.
The other bit of malpractice by the Dem Party on us Dems or former Dems who still hold to the Dem Party principles and those in the American public who voted for Dem candidates was that done by Howard Dean when he was Dem Party Chair.
His ludicrous plan put into action to fight in every one of the 50 states. I was against it when he first announced it because I felt it was a recipe for disaster which it turned out to be. It’s near on impossible to run liberal candidates in deep south states and expect them to win so you are left with candidates who might as well be Republicans who win those contests. And, these blue dogs have been poison for the party, for Dem Party Principies and for the country as a whole.
Those three congressmen from North Carolina that are boycotting the Dem Convention in their own state and representatives and Senator’s like them and have criticized the President for his policies while serving in the congress with a “D” after their name are being tolerated by Dem party leadership as evidenced by Pelosi’s ridiculous comments about how important and valuable they are to the party is a huge part of the PROBLEM. This is a DISASTER! These dogs continue to growl, nip and bite at the hand that feeds them. And, the hand that feeds them has no control over them and just behaves in a way that encourages this bad and destructive behavior.
They vote and act like Republicans and hurt not only the Dem party brand, they hurt and belittle the hard fought for principles that the Dem party has proudly stood up for for over 70 years. They are actively working with the Republicans to dismantle the New Deal and Great Society programs that have made Americans lives better and more prosperous so they can maintain their blue dog seats in congress and feast off of the benefits and generous salary they receive (FOR LIFE no matter how long they serve) while trying to severely reduce or do away with altogether these things for the rest of us.
Thank you Howard Dean for the blue dogs and thank you Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama for not reigning them in as FDR or LBJ would have done.
In this regard, these three have been a disaster for the Dem Party and a deathknell for Dem Party principles.
Perhaps it is the ‘Dem Party principles’ that have been the disaster for the party? If liberals can’t get elected, why bemoan the election of blue-dogs? They are better than Republicans, if only mildly. If the liberal agenda causes politicians to not win elections, wouldn’t it be the agenda that is wrong and not the politicians?
Yes, the majority is inevitably right, isn’t it?
Liberals can’t get elected in the South for obvious reasons. I never said they couldn’t get elected in other regions. Don’t put words in my mouth.
The majority of the American public supports New Deal and Great Society programs because they have benefited directly from them.
Even tea party members don’t want their social security and medicare touched even if some of them don’t realize these are government programs.
What do you think the reaction will be by the American public if and when the Ryan budget is legislated into law. Talk to me then about whose principles the American public will prefer between New Deal and Great Society programs and the draconian Ryan budget.
And, most Americans don’t know from principles, they just know what has worked for them and what is working for them and these great liberal ideas turned into real programs that have helped millions have and are working for them. These are concrete results that have made millions of American lives better.
And, that’s the name of that tune.
I think what passes for leadership is part of the problem here. At some point, they had to be willing to tell Blue Dogs that they were part of the party, and on at least some occasions they would have to vote for things they didn’t like, or they weren’t part of the party anymore. Instead, that’s what they did to progressives.
Why? Because progressives keep telling the Democrats they have nowhere else to go.
Of course, that’s the reason that the “leadership” is only part of the problem. The real problem is that progressives have not taken their support elsewhere, nor will they. Until they do, the leaders will continue to act like politicians, which is to say they will pander to the portion of their power base that is willing to take its support elsewhere.
I think what passes for leadership is part of the problem here.
Yes, I agree and that was part of my point when I noted that neither FDR nor LBJ would have let the blue dogs get away wth this crap they pull all the time.
At some point, they had to be willing to tell Blue Dogs that they were part of the party, and on at least some occasions they would have to vote for things they didn’t like, or they weren’t part of the party anymore. Instead, that’s what they did to progressives.
Yes, they coddled the blue dogs who turned on them every chance they got and spit in the faces of liberals who were supposed to be their natural base. It was an abusive relationship from the get go because it’s in human nature and therefore in some human beings to take for granted those who support them and then try to win over to their side those who don’t. That typified so many in the Dem leadership towards the blue dogs and liberals, it was not only difficult to watch this debacle, it turned me away even further from the party.
Of course, that’s the reason that the “leadership” is only part of the problem. The real problem is that progressives have not taken their support elsewhere, nor will they. Until they do, the leaders will continue to act like politicians, which is to say they will pander to the portion of their power base that is willing to take its support elsewhere.
You’ll get no argument from me about this great point you made. It’s one reason I decided to vote Green again in the POTUS election as I did in 2008. I would like to claim bravery for that Green vote in 2008 and the Green vote I will cast for POTUS in 2012 but I live in NY and NY is a safe state for Obama/Biden. In 2008, my Green vote for POTUS was a protest vote. This time, my Green vote for Dr. Jill Stein will be because I believe in the princilpes she does. It will feel good to vote FOR someone once again because I believe in that person and what they will bring to the office instead of voting for the lessor of two evils.
I agree with much you have said, but I come to a different conclusion then you.
I’m glad you will feel so good voting for Dr. Stein and the Green Party, and are happy to vote for someone who will bring to the office what you believe in, but the fact of the matter is Dr. Stein will never set foot in that office.
The system is rigged to a two party system, and has been that way since day one. Unless we in this country change to a parliamentary system we will never see a third party that does anything more then make a few people feel good. Outside of you and a few people feeling good, your vote will be no different then the ones who stay home and not vote at all.
If you vote for a third party, you are telling the other parties that this is what you want. Staying home, on the other hand, just says you weren’t interested in voting. Those are different messages, and it’s an important difference.
You don’t understand enough about politics to so arrogantly assert that doing either is only going to make us “feel so good” about ourselves.