The growing rift between labor and their Democratic allies was on full display Thursday, as AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka told reporters that labor groups are planning to scale back their involvement with the Democratic Party in advance of the 2012 elections.Maybe you missed that because I didn't think it was worth mentioning. I'd love to see some real signs that the career progressives are telling Obama to take a hike, but as you can see from my comment here I was more than a little skeptical.
Going forward, Trumka said, the labor movement will build up its own political structures and organizations rather than contribute to and depend on the Democratic Party’s political operation.
AFL-CIO head: Labor to ditch Democrats
Well, here's Richard Trumka yesterday on President Fierce Advocate's latest history making, awe inspiring jobs speech:
The president took an important and necessary step tonight: He started a serious national conversation about how to solve our jobs crisis. He showed working people that he is willing to go to the mat to create new jobs on a substantial scale. Tonight's speech should energize the nation to come together, work hard and get serious about jobs. — AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka.I added that emphasis, because that sentence is just plain crazy. As I pointed out, this bill wouldn't be a tenth the size it needs to be to be effective, even if it was all aimed at saving or creating jobs. But, as I hinted at, and Hugh has discussed at length, not even half of this proposed bill will do that. It's a pitiful attempt by Obama to cover his ass for O-Twelve. Anyone in Trumka's position, if he has even half the brains I have (a pathetically low bar for a national labor leader, really) should know this, too.
Quotes in response to Obama's jobs speech
Potential employers know this, as a recent New York Times article points out:
“You still need to have the business need to hire,” said Jeffery Braverman, owner of Nutsonline, an e-commerce company in Cranford, N.J., that sells nuts and dried fruit. While a $4,000 credit could offset the cost of the company’s lowest-cost health insurance plan, he said, it would not spur him to hire someone. “Business demand is what drives hiring,” he said.Yet here Trumka is, just lovin' him some history makin'.
Indeed, the industries that are hiring workers now — like technology and energy — are those where business is strong, in contrast to the overall economy.
Employers Say Jobs Plan Won’t Lead to Hiring Spur
To say I'm not surprised by this is an understatement, but somehow it still saddens me. Progressive solutions are what are needed here, and we're not going to get any as long as the folks who run the big "progressive" organizations like the AFL-CIO act like this, and the members of those organizations let them.
2 comments:
Trumka was a heavy duty supporter Obama, at least in the general.
I cannot understand people who talk about "The Speech" as if it is some sort of big deal. As if he hasn't done the same thing before and nothing real has come out of it. I guess there is the stopped clock theory, he just has to be right some time.
Although for him to be right now would require that he completely change everything he believes in to their polar opposites. Short of the gypsies stealing him in the night and exchanging him, I don't see it happening.
Yes, it's not like we haven't seen this play out before. The most obvious time was Iraq, where nothing changed despite that wonderful speech Obama gave all those years ago.
It's why I keep repeating that it's a politician's actions that are what's important, not his words. We're living in a time when this has never been more obvious.
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