by Katie Fretland
"Good evening. I'm from Chicago, the hometown of the next president of the United States, Barack Obama," Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) said last night to a cheering crowd at the Democratic National Convention.
"In the 2006 election, Democrats, independents and even some Republicans scored a victory that President Bush himself called a 'thumpin.' Well, Mr. President, as Ronald Reagan used to say, 'You ain't seen nothing yet,'" Emanuel continued. "The truth is, the Bush crowd has been giving the middle class a thumpin'. And this November, the middle class is going to give it right back."
Emanuel went on to draw comparisons between presumptive GOP nominee John McCain and President Bush, and to pitch Obama and his newly-announced running mate Joe Biden (D-Del.) as a needed alternative to improve the country's economy.
"A strong economy depends on a strong middle class, but George Bush has put the middle class in a hole, and John McCain has a plan to keep digging that hole with George Bush's shovel," Emanuel said.
"When it comes to the economy, when it comes to job creation, when it comes to health care reform our deficit reduction, there are three words to describe the Bush-McCain record: mission not accomplished."
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Comments
Don't fall for the union line that the salvation of the middle class depends on sacrificing secret-ballot elections for or against unionization. If they wanted a level playing field, they would be calling for instant elections, not card-check. Top-down organizing is undemocratic. A house of cards will not stand long. Secret-ballot elections are the foundation of true employee choice.
Posted by: Bill J. Bryan | August 27, 2008 11:05 AM
Rahm is really testing and expanding his abilties as a fence-straddler.
As a former acolyte of Bill&Hill, wouldn't you think it would be hard for him to pump up Barack??
Not really. He wants Barack to win, now, because then he can make the big move for Barack's senate seat.
Posted by: ornery | August 27, 2008 11:05 AM
Logic and common sense link Rahm Emanuel to Chicago and Cook County corruption and graft.
Posted by: Jeff | August 27, 2008 11:23 AM
Boy the employers are really scared stiff of making it easier fror employees to unionize aren't they? They want to put every impediment in the path of that employee choice possible. They want to retain every bit of power over their employees they can. They want to call the shots on unionizing. They want to decide when there is a secret ballot, they don't want that to be an employee or union decision. They're here in every thread beating this same drum. I wonder how many management workers are getting paid to post this stuff on company time? The stink of their fear is really strong, isn't it?
Posted by: Union Yes! | August 27, 2008 11:41 AM
How, exactly, is having a private ballot - the same kind you use when you vote for president - an "impediment to the path to employee choice?" I bet you're one of the people who thought the caucuses that decided this year's democratic nominee were fair, too.
Posted by: Jeff | August 27, 2008 12:36 PM
Jeff- How is giving employers control of the employees decision making process not an impediment? This bill takes power over the process out of the hands of the employers and gives it back to the employees. There is no legitimate role for the company in the employees decision to unionize. They should not have the legal power to make any decsion about that process.
The option for a private ballot remains, squarely in the employees control. If there is any evidence of employees being cooerced, then the secret ballot may still be required. But management is removed from a decision making process they should have no involvement in. It's not about management. It's about the workers, deciding what they want to do, and how they want to do it, free of outside control. That's democracy.
Posted by: Union Yes! | August 27, 2008 1:04 PM
Although the petitioning union will really make that decision, it will be made "on behalf of" ONLY the employees who would vote, "UNION, YES!" Since that could result in an election loss, IT WON'T HAPPEN!
Posted by: EVERY VOTE COUNTS! | August 27, 2008 1:35 PM
Democrats are now more ethical
The democrats have suddenly developed a keen sense of morality.
John Edwards has been banned from making a speech at the democratic convention
for having an affair and lying about it.
In his place Bill Clinton will be speaking.
What am I missing?????
Posted by: Independent Illinois Voter | August 27, 2008 1:46 PM