Pushing Unequal Protection
Statement by AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka on the Citizens United Supreme Court Decision
January 21, 2010
Today, the Supreme Court further tilted the playing field in favor of business corporations in public elections. By allowing unlimited corporate treasury expenditures that explicitly support or oppose particular candidates, the Court has increased the already excessive influence that corporations exert in our electoral system. And we believe the Court wrongly treated corporate expenditures the same as union expenditures, contrary to the arguments we made in our brief in this case. Unions, unlike businesses, are democratically-controlled, nonprofit membership organizations representing working men and women across the country, and their independent speech should accordingly be given greater protection.
The AFL-CIO supports a system of campaign finance regulation that promotes democratic participation in elections by individuals and their associations; protects legitimate independent speech rights; offers public financing to candidates while firmly regulating contributions to them; and guarantees effective disclosure of who is paying for what.
For Information Call: (202) 637-5018
The line that really gets under my skin here is , "should accordingly be given GREATER protection." Not equal, but GREATER. Reeks of 'two legs good, four legs BETTER' to my nose, and we all know what that stench resembles.
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written by Sequel , March 09, 2010
The unions say that they should be able to pour hundreds of millions of dollars into elections and evil management and everyone else should shut up.
Not a surprising position for the unions, just don't blow smoke up our butts and argue that it's fair.
written by Odin , March 09, 2010
" Unions, unlike businesses, are democratically-controlled, nonprofit membership organizations representing working men and women across the country, and their independent speech should accordingly be given greater protection."
In theory this makes sense. Businesses tend to be hierarchal organizations with the CEO/owner(s) making the decisions, including which candidate(s) the business will support.
It's been a couple decades since I was a Teamster, but I don't remember them asking me which candidates the union should get behind. That may have changed for the current membership though. Do unions typically poll their members to decide which candidates to support?
written by Kermit , March 09, 2010
Unions, unlike businesses, are democratically-controlled
Now that's some first class bullshit right there. I can't wait until these thugs push "card check" through. Then the world will see how "democratically-controlled" unions really are.
written by Nobody , March 09, 2010
Traded bidness's are democratic too. I can go to the share holders meeting and vote. Does "proxy war" ring a bell ?
written by Sequel , March 09, 2010
The teamsters ask the rank and file who the unions should back?
That's hilarious!
written by Harlan , March 09, 2010
It's like them asking the rank and file which trunk and which junk yard they want to be stuffed in for not voting for the candidate the Union is backing.
written by Hans , March 09, 2010
Everything they touch they soil...
No wonder WalMart would rather close a store and lose millions than lose the entire company...
written by Sequel , March 10, 2010
Could you imagine Walmart being able to politically fight the unions slurs?
Wow. No wonder they are concerned.
written by Odin , March 10, 2010
Bring back the good 'ol days of no OSHA or EPA, no minimum wage, and child labor. When Walmart and other companies start buying pols, those happy days could be back again. If the prospect of foreigners owning our pols doesn't bother you, it should.
written by Nobody , March 10, 2010
I'm good to go with no OSHA or EPA. Child labor, fine with me.
written by Kermit , March 10, 2010
Yeah, cause AFSME and SEIU don't "own" any pols. Nope. Not a single one.
written by Nobody , March 10, 2010
No sarcasm, I'm down with un-doing all FDR and LBJ's laws. We were fine before all of them. Let us return to some common sense. The "New Deal" and "Great socitey" are the reason we are facing the things that we are.
written by Fred , March 10, 2010
"I'm down with un-doing all FDR and LBJ's laws"
That's quite the little utopia there Nobody. I think I'll pass however.
written by Nobody , March 10, 2010
No Fred, not utopia, freedom. To quote Justice Thomas "The dirty little secret of freedom is that it means sometimes you're on your own".
written by Fred , March 10, 2010
Well put a pubic hair in my Coke Nobody. Freedom. And that would be the end result of undoing all of FDR's and LBJ's laws? Interesting outlook to say the least. Ya know I love freedom too but it has different meanings to different people.
written by Kermit , March 10, 2010
Yup. Totalitarian liberals see freedom as the opportunity to put people into forced labor camps.
written by Nobody , March 10, 2010
Freedom to kill babies, is not my idea. Freedom to choose how warm I keep my house. Freedom to paint my house any color I want. Freedom to water my grass anytime I want to. Freedom to fail. Freedom to give to any charity not to drug soaked crack heads.
written by Hans , March 10, 2010
written by Kermit , March 10, 2010
Yeah, cause AFSME and SEIU don't "own" any pols. Nope. Not a single one.
Gee, come on Kermit, they just represent the "working man."
The real difference between enterprise (Wally World) and the Labor Gangs, is the former save you money and the other cost you money...
If one looks at the consumers vote, Wally World wins by a landslide..
Just look at Sweden and Grease, out of a dozen or more cases and see what BIG GOV and BIG UNIONS results in...
History, an unbiased refection of the past and its truths.
For those that find that difficult, at tutor is available upon request..
written by Kermit , March 10, 2010
That's some wild stuff there!
Yup. It was Onan on this very site that advocated not only forced labor camps, but also forced sterilization. It always seems to be folks on the left who are enthusiastic about stripping away human rights while pretending to champion them.
written by Nobody , March 10, 2010
Thats because liberalism is so fundimentaly flawed people have forced into it. What if I don't want CFL's?
written by Kermit , March 10, 2010
Why? Are you serious? This person advocates forced labor camps and sterilization and you ask why I fear him? How many people did Stalin kill? Mao? Castro?
People like Onan are the enemy of freedom, and should be treated as a virus. They spread death and destruction.
written by tswift , March 10, 2010
I hope everyone is enjoying the stinking unions squirming around like a slug in salt as much as I am.
Peebo has pretty much shafted them on their "card check" scam, and they are drying up faster than a mud puddle in the desert.
Talk about "greening the environment", just think how nice and fresh the air will be when the knacker finally drags off the last union carcas.
written by Fred , March 10, 2010
"Odin spreads death and destruction". I'm sorry, you'll have to clarify. I seem to have missed a day or two. I'm not defending Odin but just trying to understand your statement. Also, how are people forced into "Liberalism". Political party affiliation is a choice last time I checked.
written by Nobody , March 10, 2010
Hard core liberals always force thier belief system on the rest of us by law. I don't believe in a minimum wage but I must pay it. I don't believe in welfare but I must fund it. I don't believe in the public schools but I must fund them. The half of us that pull the waggon grow weary.
written by Sequel , March 10, 2010
just trying to understand
I missed it too Fred, but it seems Odim may have endorsed forced labor camps.
I guess Odie's down with the gulag.
written by Kermit , March 10, 2010
Yes, he advocated both forced labor camps and forced sterilization. Fred, I suggest you pick up a copy of One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich and read it. Then tackle The Gulag Archipelago. You might gain some insight into how dangerous idiots like Onan really are.
written by Odin , March 10, 2010
The "New Deal" and "Great socitey" are the reason we are facing the things that we are.
Voodoo economics and deregulation are primarily why we're facing fiscal disaster.
may have endorsed forced labor camps.
Yes, for those who irresponsibly have children they don't provide for. Seems to me that's a lot more moral than the typical rightwinger position of wanting to force pregnant women who don't want to have children to give birth anyway, turning maternity wards into forced labor camps.
As for "forced sterilization," as I've already said, Norplant isn't sterilization. Only the ignorant would confuse the two.
written by Fred , March 10, 2010
Odin you are evil and an idiot. At least that is what I am led to believe.
written by Kermit , March 10, 2010
Yes Fred. He is. People that think like him have murdered hundreds of millions of people. In the 20th century alone.
Pure evil.
written by Fred , March 10, 2010
Don't you have a policy that allows you to ban individuals that think like mass murderers at this site? I should revisit the terms and conditions and reconsider my participation here as I do not feel safe with the likes of Odin amongst us.
written by Kermit , March 10, 2010
No Fred. He doesn't have any personal power, thank God. But he represents the absolute worst aspects of the left, and as such is great for illustrating why that ideology is so very, very dangerous.
The last person banned from this site was decidedly rightwing.
written by Odin , March 10, 2010
but I don't want to live rent-free in your empty head.
Odin you are evil and an idiot. At least that is what I am led to believe.
They'd also like to lead you to believe that Obama is ignorant, stupid and lazy, so it's not like they have any credibility. Near as I can tell, their basic philosophy is "Rightwinger propaganda good, Ahmadinejad propaganda bad."
Judges have long offered some miscreants the choice between prison and military service, so offering irresponsible procreators the choice between hard labor and birth control (like Norplant) isn't that much of a stretch. When people have shown they're not able to procreate responsibly, they should lose that right, kinda like people who show they're not able to drive responsibly
lose the right to drive.
written by Nobody , March 10, 2010
Strawman
Cartoon
Strawman
Huff po talking point
Strawman
Cheeze Odie, grab yer shinebox and move on.
(Hows that reading list coming?)
written by Odin , March 10, 2010
When I see some evidence you've read the couple of books I've already suggested, then I'll make up a list for you.
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