Union chief rips Bean (D-IL8th) for backing trade pact (CAFTA)

Union chief rips Bean for backing trade pact

July 29, 2005

BY SCOTT FORNEK Political Reporter

Freshman Democrat Melissa Bean will "pay a serious price" for voting for the Central American Free Trade Agreement in the U.S. House, a top labor leader said Thursday, predicting that unions will deny her crucial support in her effort to hold on to her northwest suburban congressional seat.

"Almost all the unions in this particular area supported her both with mobilization -- knocking on doors -- and with money, and up comes what is a true test in terms of a vote, and she can't stand with us?" said Gerald McEntee, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the largest union in the AFL-CIO.

"She'll certainly feel an effect in terms of contributions and resources," McEntee said. "She'll pay a serious price with the workers in her area."

(snip)

Illinois AFL-CIO President Margaret Blackshere said one local labor leader told her he was considering looking for a candidate to challenge Bean in the Democratic primary in the 8th Congressional District.

(snip)

Bean said she voted for CAFTA, even though it "is not perfect," because it will eliminate foreign taxes paid by Baxter Healthcare, Abbott Labs, Boeing, Motorola and other companies in or near her district, allowing them to broaden their markets and create jobs.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/elect/cst-nws-bean29.html

http://www.house.gov/bean/

Here's mine:


CAFTA vote is extremely discouraging.
I hope I can continue to support you, but this tests my allegiance and puts into play the entire Democratic Party in Illinois and the nation.
Please abandon the DLC. They are the road to defeat in this pro-labor state. Think of the death squads in Central America and the Sugar industry which are the worst in the world. I'm flabbergasted and without hope. Global warming, energy crisis, Wal Mart and the destruction of the American Middle Class have all accelerated under NAFTA. Now this scourge expands.
Please vote with the party in the future, its a disgrace that our new representative abandoned us in a clutch situation. Be like Dick Durbin, he's the best. Don't be like Liebermann, he's the worst.
Sincerely,

What was she thinking? Unbelievable.

That's what the problem was.

And are going back to supporting working americans again. With so many voting against Cafta and for the gun bill we might stand a decent chance in 06.

We just have to have some accountability sometime, damn it!

I don't even bother anymore with letters to my rep, Judy Biggert. Shs's a pug all the way and never responded to any of them. She totally does not give a crap about the few Dems in her district because she doesn't have to.

<MSG>
Utter disappointment. I feel you have betrayed us. Sending off more
jobs
and dollars to foreign countries when under and unemployment is such a
large problem in this country. I think your job should be the next on
farmed out to a foreign institution. Congresswoman Bean you have
received
your last votes from this household. We thought that you were a true
Democrat not a aisle washer.
</MSG>

</APP>

"...allowing them to broaden their markets and create jobs."

Sure. Create jobs in Costa Rica.

She REALLY doesn't get it.

Maybe she can get a job at the GAP when she's thrown out of office next year.

It will also create jobs in Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaraugua, as well as Costa Rica. All of these countries were waiting for CAFTA to be passed by the Senate, which means that there is a very good chance that the governments are already calling their legislatures to their capitals.

Does anyone want to guess where it won't be creating any jobs, the good old USofA.

We have just been sold out, not only by the Repukes, who it's expected, but by the Democrats as well, not all of them but most of them.

DON'T pay taxes

That is a myth

Corporations/Businesses collect taxes from consumers and build taxes into the price of the goods and services that are paid by consumers.

I have worked for a few corporations and when a product price is set it has nothing to do with how much taxes the corporation might pay at the end of the year.

Competitors prices, product differentiation, supply and demand and monopoly power determine prices. Not taxes.

be looking for another job soon-maybe she can outsource herself.

That she's partially right, it will eliminate foreign taxes and help to broaden their markets. But the only jobs that will be created are the ones in Central America.

But I still don't see how a family in Costa Rica that makes about $2300.00 a year is going to be able to buy that Motorola HDTV?

Perhaps someone from Rep. Bean District can ask her this question.

Rep Bean.

I've started talking with a third party candidate in the district already to see if he will run again in 06. I'm VERY glad to see that the union is going to look for another candidate as well. I'll be barking up their tree as to see what their thoughts are.

This is something that every Democrat, no, every American worker needs to ask, "why did you betray us, yet again"?

I ended with you are making me pine for the days of Phil Crane, he would have voted against this. At least, I think he would have.

did so because they think workers and other working class people have nowhere to go when election day comes around. Come 2006 they will march in Labor Day parades and claim to be friends of the worker, unions will soak it up and still support these traitors to working Americans.

It's time we stop swallowing the line that "this is not the time for a third party." When will it be the time, when the Dems and Pugs have completely merged into one party?

vote 3rd party next time. More jobs gone.

The area is full of union carpenters, plumbers, and laborers. She made a mistake.

... in one of the most heavily unionized towns in the most heavily organized region of the country. This is completely unfathomable according to any ordinary political calculus--why on earth would a Chicagoland Democrat vote to send good jobs top Central America?

The only thing I can think of is corruption. She must have been bought. either that, or she votes randomly. Democratic voters and activists need to be as clear on the need to keep jobs in America as we are on a host of culture war issues.

I don't know if there's a good Democrat running, but if not, you folks up in Chicago need to get one to run in the primary pretty quick, because there's no room in this party for elected officials such as Bean.

That the economy of Costa Rica depends on tourism, agriculture, and
ELECTRONICS EXPORTS(Motorola is moving soon). The GDP-per capita is $9600.00 and 18% of the population is below the poverty line.

For more information on Costa Rica go to www.cia.gov, The World Fact Book.

I would look for Motorola to moving from the Cogresswoman's district as soon as the Central American governments ratify this treaty.

whispering in her ear. If I was in IL (instead of WI) I'd vote her ass out. One of the most important defeats we should have been able to hand Chimpy and she helped blow it! Here's a "piece" that ran in the Trib.

There may be a D behind her name, but she won over a worthless Repug (by nearly everyone's standard, rep or dem) in a heaily Repug district. She's Rep-lite from what I've been reading.


http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-0507110124jul11,1,5704896.story?ctrack=1&cset=true

:eyes:

She received A LOT of phone calls about CAFTA in the days before the vote.

She chose not only to turn her backs on those who supported her and got her elected, which is beyond belief, but she also GAVE A VICTORY to Dubya. She elected to PASS on a CHANCE to STICK IT TO HIM.

She is politically dead.

right?

Traitors, lately!

People here are talking about finding a 3rd party candidate to run against Bean. Why aren't they instead talking about finding a true-Blue Democrat who can beat Bean in a primary?

Good, solid Democrat vs. Republican = good chance of Democrat win

3rd party candidate vs. Republican in a conservative district =

certain Republican win

unions are saying they will look for a candidate as well. I'm going to check in with them and see what their thoughts are. I didn't think they'd run a Dem candidate here against her, the party is pretty much throwing their hands up and saying we can't win in a conservative district, but I'm starting to get the feeling that things are going to change.

If they cannot win in a Rep district what in the
hell is she doing there then? Forget third party
candidate, she needs primary opposition in the
worst way. A tough primary does not necessarily
equate to a loss in November. Dividing the vote
with third party candidate will most assuredly
result in loss.

:)

we need to stop cringing at the thought of the democratic process. a good clean primary fight is where people learn about the issues, and how they get in the papers. or should anyway.
all these turncoats need a good race.

if not unseat them.

After years of Phil Crane, a Democrat is finally elected, and then she pulls this shit. :grr:

That's what the problem is, our elected officials believe that
their term in DC is an all expenses paid trip on the lobbyist's ship
of state, whatever happened to government of the people, for the people,
by the people. I am sure that CAFTA will eliminate foreign taxes paid by Baxter Healthcare, Abbott Labs, Boeing, and Motorola but what about
the jobs that it will eliminate for her constituents, it pays to have
priorities.

on '06 and '08. There were, Senators who also voted for this shit.

I hit her office on Thursday, wanting to know why she'd voted for CAFTA. Her "labor" representative in the office couldn't do more than provide me with a prepared statement on her position, and promising that she and her staff had "worked hard" and that the decision process was very "difficult." The rep couldn't provide me with any specific data provided by corporations because there were "stacks."

I've asked for her post-vote memo to be posted on her website, but have yet to hear back from her office -- or to see the memo posted. (See "Press Room" here)

What makes her CAFTA vote painful, of course, is that "Democrat" implies a certain position relative to the corporate/labor struggles, and that her pre-election stance appeared to be pro-labor.

From a pre-election bio posted on USA Today's website...

http://asp.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/CandidateProfile.aspx?ci=1273&oi=H

Melissa Bean supports incentives that encourage companies to create quality jobs and invest in job training programs, and wants to close loopholes that encourage companies to send American jobs to other countries.

I was further dismayed to learn that she'd also voted to pass the bankruptcy bill.

Bean must go.

Please write, call, email or hit one of her offices; and get others within her constituency to do the same. Also, get in touch w/ the labor reps mentioned in the thread's main article, to get started finding a new candidate for 2006.

You can find her contact info here, via the "Contact My Office" tab on the left.

Contact Rep. Bean

... scanned from a printed copy I picked-up at her office on Thursday.

(sorry that it's a JPEG; don't currently have any OCR software installed.)

She's gotta go.

(Not verified, but no reason to believe this is not authentic)

Message from Christine Cegelis

It is important for me to state that I would have voted against CAFTA and will continue to work for trade agreements that are fair to the American workers and to the workers of other countries. CAFTA was neither. I agree that we need to make sure we are electing people that will take these issues to heart. I hope I can count on you continued support. (NOTE: Christine is running for Henry Hyde's seat in the 6th district. GRD held a fund raiser for her several weeks ago. )

Sincerely,

Christine Cegelis

Christine is running for the seat in the House that will be vacated by Henry Hyde of Illinois


from Majority Report Blog

http://www.majorityreportradio.com/weblog/archives/002591.php#comments

a camp wellstone grad, who stands up for choice, and progressive values.

Congresswoman Bean:

While I am not in your district, or even your state, I cannot help but comment on your vote to pass CAFTA and the Bankruptcy bill.

In these days of government of, by, and for the neocon radical right, those of us who voted for Democrats have the strange, and offbeat opinion that those Democrats should vote for the best interests of their constituents. Your votes on both of these issues were against the interests of those who voted for you; one will take away their jobs, and the other is intended to force them debt slavery to huge corporations.

This may not be the best way to guarantee your re-election. I have seen commentary about your votes on these issues on several politically oriented web sites. These commentaries are almost universally negative. You are probably already aware that in all likelyhood you will face a primary opponent for the '06 election, a well financed and labor backed opponent.

I realize that, once in D.C., one falls under the siren spell of the lobbyists who, like potential lovers, promise to be loyal forever and promise riches beyond imagining. But you should be aware that lobbyists, like lovers, can be fickle. Spurn their wants once and their largesse dries up. At that point all you have to count on is the loyalty of your constituents. If you have already dumped them, your political life is over.

I don't know if you are aware of this, but there is a large amount of anger among the Democrat grass roots at the way some Democrat representatives have taken the 'republican lite' views of the Democratic Leadership Council to heart. If I may be so forward as to predict the future, one of these days real soon the DLC will find they are talking to nothing but air, and maybe some shaky republicans. I would not tie my wagon to their snake-hiss reasoning.

In closing let me just remind you that the ancient Greeks defined Political Corruption as putting the benefits of special intersts above the benefits to the general public.

'Nuff said.

He also had a fundraiser for her. She's a backstabbin' *itch and hell will freeze over before she gets a DIME from me. :grr: I'm going to email her and tell her so too.

Christine Cegelis
(not a wench at all, very smart liberal Democrat with common sense)

http://www.cegelisforcongress.org/

Candidate IL 6th (Henry Hyde's open seat)


She is against NAFTA and CAFTA and was an early opponent of Iraq War.

She will definitely get my support. Bean can kiss my ass.

... and get his view on the vote. (To make sure he doesn't back her the next time around.)

It would likely have swung Republican next time around anyway, so there was no good reason for Bean to vote this way.

Fuck the lot of them.

and ensure she loses- even if it's to a Republican.

The American people clearly did NOT want CAFTA!

I'm in local 251, Omaha. Go Gerald McEntee! I met him at a Kerry Edwards rally in Iowa last October.

I am working for Melissa to a point. I just donated to her campaign. She has to win in her right-wing district and she can't vote against her constituents' wishes too often. Republicans are going to pay the price for supporting it in marginal districts, but her district was owned by Phil Crane for 36 years. She's walking a very thin line, and sometimes you have to hold your nose and vote. If she had voted against, the GOP would have just found another poor sucker to threaten with disaster.

I understand the unions being unhappy, but one GOP talking point is correct. Central America has the economy of New Haven, total. Yeah, some nasty things are going to happen, but it is also good for a lot of small businesses. This was mainly about Bush winning a bill. There are about 40 GOP types who are going to go home and admit they knuckled under. We can pick up seats in Iowa, Nebraska, downstate Illinois, Missouri, Minnesota, etc. because of this vote. Melissa is going to make a few unpopular votes, because she is a dem in a hard right district. Cut her some slack.

She needs to abandon the DLC! That doesn't work in Illinois.

to vote yea or nay for!

"Bean said she voted for CAFTA, even though it "is not perfect," because it will eliminate foreign taxes paid by Baxter Healthcare, Abbott Labs, Boeing, Motorola and other companies in or near her district, allowing them to broaden their markets and create jobs."

What an idiot or getting money from said companies!