Today we got mixed messages on the progress of the Employee Free Choice Act. First, as if hot off the presses, at the ALF-CIO we learn:
With successful passage of the $787 billion stimulus package in their rearview mirror, organized labor is returning to their top political priority: convincing Congress and the President to pass and sign the Employee Free Choice Act, or card check, which would remove significant barriers to unionizing. Labor’s working with a coalition of Democratic allies, including the Center for American Progress Action Fund, which will release a report tomorrow on the benefits of unionization for the U.S. economy. The grassroots field campaign of the unions continues to be gradually ratcheted up; events will be held in 16 states. And labor is working nicely together: the state-based events are being done in complete coordination between AFL-CIO, Change to Win, and SEIU, who will be working in total coordination to pass the Employee Free Choice Act.
That “barrier” to unionization is the secret ballot, in case it wasn’t crystal clear from that bit of propaganda. But it’s always nice when Big Labor works “nicely” with others. Oh, and ACORN is on it too.
But wait. There is trouble afoot in the fight to “remove significant barriers” (this really sounds like the Soviet Union, not the AFL-CIO to be honest). It seems the Blue Dogs in the House prevailed upon the Democratic House leadership not to hold a vote until the Senate does. You have to love the creative explanation:
“Their concern is that the House will pass something, then the Senate will take up the bill and do something different,” the senior leadership aide tells me. “The Blue Dogs don’t want to end up voting on something that won’t even become law. They’re saying, ‘See what can get through the Senate first, and then we’ll vote on it.’”
Translation: they don’t want to vote on this ever. You recall when last we heard from Harry Reid he wasn’t going to bring this to a vote until he had 60 votes. But with Blanche Lincoln, Mark Pryor, Arlen Specter, (don’t count on that vote) and even Susan Collins (who beat back a heavily union-backed campaign to hold her senate seat) Reid doesn’t have the 60 votes.
So those “significant barriers” — that is, the right of workers to decide by secret ballot whether they want a union — don’t seem in danger of crumbling anytime soon. But there’s no telling what can happen with all those Democratic allies playing so nicely.
We are so !@#$-ed.
She probably realized that she would take a pay cut.
Besides, most of the financials are now trying to lose their TARP money so they can keep those bonuses.
Mission Accomplished!
H/T: The Anchoress
has anyone seen this:
http://www.deepcapture.com/the-story-of-deep-capture-by-mark-mitchell/
it looks like a bunch of conpsiratorial nonsense to me but it’s fascinating nonetheless. it desribes the criminal elements associated with the financial media.
It’s getting increasingly difficult not to conclude that Obama is deliberately destroying wealth.
We’re seeing too many actions, all of which only lead to a single predictable result, the eradication of wealth, the eradication of savings, the eradication of portfolios, the eradication of stock value.
It’s getting so bad that even bonds are getting shaky.
When a hard core Democrat like Jim Cramer comes out and tosses around the L word, {Lenninst} and does so because he feels he has no other descriptive that fits, ———————————— that means we’ve got real fricken problems with this Kenyan/Indonesian in The White House!
Good people/staff are hard to come by – even with so many applicants now seeking jobs. Without a doubt, Treasury is a big shop to run alone – but there must be plenty of residual employees in the department that can keep the boat afloat while team Treasury is under construction. I’ve been here, though in a much reduced capacity. I’ve worked in an administrative capacity having to do way too much with a survicng few staff persons while the politics of picking a new chair and Business Administrator were on-going. It went on far too long in my case, but I doubt that this will occur for Treasury. Aside from the national crisis that necesitates the filling of this position as rapidly as possible, the position of being deputy to the Sec of Treasury is quite prestigious. Many qualified people want to do this job. I’m absolutely certain that Treasury is currently staffed by thousands of competent people that can keep the agency functioning properly. They’ll have to do their jobs and give extra effort to achieve the daily tasks, even though the big picture is still a void. As I said, I’ve been there. We did it as best we could and accomplished roughly 80% of our priority objectives. Some stuff gets kicked to the curb while there is a vacuum of leadership, but… that’s life. We’ll get through this. I like Geithner and I believe that he is the right man at the right moment. Criticize all that you want for standard partisan bickery, but we’ll get through this crisis with Geithner’s guidance – and we won’t end up becoming the USSA in the process.
lester: I’ve seen this stuff about “naked short selling” before, but they indicated that the SEC, until last fall, allowed it.
5
Dan Says:
March 6th, 2009 at 11:58 AM
It’s getting increasingly difficult not to conclude that Obama is deliberately destroying wealth.
A more popular perception is that Wall Street destroyed the economy after looting it. Since Wall Street represents Capitalism;who’s considered the bad guy,Obama or Richard Fuld?
#7, Naked Short selling
It’s still going on,Big Time. Geithner is uncomfortable stopping any of the games that went on under his watch.
Geithner is my pick for first resignation from Obama team. I give him under a year.
Anyone who had faith in Obama before 20 January 2009 (and I was not one of them), has seen enough of his “leadership” and motivation to know his primary purpose to to turn the United States into a people’s republic of Kenya or its equal. The stock market has lost 1/3 of its value since the election: does this tell you something?
Obama is disconnected from reality. While Rome burns, he is busy speaking in Ohio how the “stimulus” funds helped recruit 25 new police officers (this is highly suspect. Are we to believe that the stimulus funds “helped” recruit 25 new police officers or did it prevent 25 new police officers from getting employment?). His first charge should be the financial system.
Actually this is very scary. There are a lot of smart, able, patriotic people who could serve at Treasury. But many must be making the calculation already that the ship is not just listing and taking on water, but much worse. So why get on board and be held responsible for the coming disaster.
Even now, poorly thought out government actions are worse than none at all. If the Treasury Secretary lacks sidekicks, he can still consult with wiser heads outside DC who might understand ways to help the system. That is, if Obama doesn’t want to destroy the system.