Unions say their message to moderate Democrats came through despite failure to oust Lincoln

http://blog.taragana.com/politics/2010/06/09/unions-say-their-message-to-moderate-democrats-came-through-despite-failure-to-oust-lincoln-42483/

By Sam Hananel, AP
June 9th, 2010

Unions defend failed gambit to topple Lincoln

WASHINGTON — Labor hoped to send a powerful message by taking down a centrist Democrat who strayed from its agenda. Instead, it was forced to justify the estimated $10 million unions spent in a high-stakes gambit that failed when Sen. Blanche Lincoln narrowly defeated Lt. Gov. Bill Halter — labor’s hand-picked candidate — in a primary runoff.

But those victories took place in decidedly union-friendly territory. Arkansas is a right to work state that ranks 49th among all states in the percentage of workers who are union members.

Still, unions felt betrayed by Lincoln’s decision to oppose card check legislation that would make it easier for unions to organize workers. She also angered labor by working to kill a government insurance option in health care legislation and voting against labor lawyer Craig Becker’s nomination for the National Labor Relations Board.

Lincoln’s turnabout on the card check bill was particularly damaging because unions thought she might have been the 60th vote needed to defeat a GOP filibuster. Unions see the legislation as crucial to ending the steady decline of union members, which fell to a new low of 7.2 percent in the private sector last year.

“We’ll see if Blanche Lincoln is made a better senator for having to answer to working Arkansans over these past few weeks,” said SEIU political director Jon Youngdahl.

Youngdahl also named a string of other Democrats who could see labor’s wrath, including North Carolina Rep. Larry Kissell, Ohio Rep. Zach Space and New York Reps. Mike McMahon and Michael Arcuri. All voted against President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul.

Space campaign manager Danny Friedman said the AFL-CIO continues to support the Ohio Democrat.

Leon Fink, a labor historian at the University of Illinois at Chicago, said the heavy investment in Arkansas shows other Democrats that labor “will bite back if necessary.” But he questioned whether it was the best use of union resources.

FULL story at link.

'Leon Fink, a labor historian at the University of Illinois at Chicago, said the heavy investment in Arkansas shows other Democrats that labor “will bite back if necessary.” But he questioned whether it was the best use of union resources.'

everything is political -- if you don't push -- then none of the things you want to get done will get done.

if the arkansas election helps to solidify and create power momentum -- then it's win.

apparently they have now created and are maintaining a network.

it keeps happeneing over and over ..it keeps letting me rec it and goes to 5 then it reverts back to 4 and lets me keep rec'ing it..weird............

now it is registered as 5 recs but it has not gone to greatest..still weird..

Probably some DLC hacks here paid to unrec anything that questions their authority over the party.