In cleaning off its desk this afternoon, KC Buzz Blog came across a threatening letter sent in July 2005 by 20 union presidents to House Democratic leaders.
The leaders vowed that any House Democrat who voted for the Central American Free Trade Agreement would see their union support dry up: They specifically named Rep. Dennis Moore of Kansas in the letter.
"There must be real and measurable consequences for opposing labor on this issue...we cannot and will not give any Democrat a pass on CAFTA," the unions heads thundered.
Moore voted for CAFTA anyway.
And here we are, a little over a year later. And since then, Moore has raked in $13,500 from four unions whose leaders signed the letter: $5,000 each from AFSCME and the Electrical Workers; $2,500 from the American Federation of Teachers; and $1,000 from the Transportation-Communications Union.
Another object lesson in the decline of the American union?
Posted by Matt Stearns
Matt,
That post almost had a point to it. Nice job. A couple more months and you will actually be writing about news.
Posted by: FarRight | October 04, 2006 at 04:33 PM
As a past union president, I could have told you this years ago. AFSCME, SEIU, AFL-CIO would back anything with a D behind it no matter what. They are becoming what they were formed to fight against, big business. All they care about is recruitment for dues money, and lobbying washington for favors.
Posted by: craig | October 04, 2006 at 04:41 PM
MANY BILLIONS MISSING IN IRAQ? (EVEN FOX NEWS ACKNOWLEDGES: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,129489,00.html)
MANY BILLIONS MISSING FROM US INDIAN TRUST FUND: monitor.net/monitor/free/biatrustfund.html
BILLIONS MISSING FROM US-CONTROLLED DEVELOPMENT FUND:pages.zdnet.com/trimb/id190.html
BILLIONS MISSING FROM EDUCATION DEPARTMENT: http://www.aim.org/media_monitor/A967_0_2_0_C/
BILLIONS MISSING FROM HUD: www.whereisthemoney.org
A TRILLION MISSING FROM DOD: ID.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT CHECKS AND BALANCES OR OVERSIGHT MEAN?
PLEASE VOTE FOR DENNIS MOORE, AND HELP RESTORE OUR COUNTRY.
PEOPLE LOSE THE CHILDISH PARTISANSHIP FOR ONCE. ANYONE WHO CONTINUES TO BLINDLY SUPPORT THIS PARTY WHO TAKES THEIR MONEY AND POCKETS IT, IS A PLAIN DUMB A$$!
WHY DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT ONE PARTY RULE IS DANGEROUS.
LET'S GO BACK TO THE 90'S UNDER CLINTON/GINGRICH.
ONE LOVE. INDEPENDENT AND PROUD!
Posted by: Engawyer | October 04, 2006 at 04:43 PM
Eng,
go to the proper threads.
Posted by: craig | October 04, 2006 at 04:52 PM
does moore have to deal with this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvZ6BWuT_f8
Posted by: rightandwrong | October 04, 2006 at 05:02 PM
Dennis Moore wouldn't even be in office had Phill Kline been able to mount a better campaign in 2000.
For example, if he had been able to harness the internets, as he is in his current AG race:
http://hadouphill.blogspot.com
Posted by: HadOurPhill | October 04, 2006 at 06:53 PM
Matt, "...object lesson" or abject lesson?
And I agree with craig, the unions may be weak on follow-through but they're not stupid. They'll put their money on the percieved winner.
Posted by: Dennis | October 04, 2006 at 07:56 PM
CRAIG, ANYWHERE I MIGHT BE ABLE TO INFLUENCE A FEW VOTES TOWARDS THE DEMS THIS TIME AROUND (AS YOU CAN SEE BY MY POSTS FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS), I AM TRYING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.
I JUST REALLY FEEL THAT ONE PARTY GOVERNMENT IS SO DANGEROUS (REALLY IF THEY ARE IN LOCK STEP IT IS AUTOCRATIC).
IF I WHERE PRESIDENT I'D HIRE CLINTON AND GINGRICH TO BE CO-PRESIDENTIAL CONSULTANTS, AND ESSENTIALLY HAND OVER THE KEYS TO THOSE TWO.
TAKE CARE, BUD
ONE LOVE. INDEPENDENT AND PROUD!
Posted by: Engawyer | October 05, 2006 at 05:22 AM
Sorry, wrong address. It's http://hadourphill.blogspot.com
I was so excited by Phill's daring stunts that I misspelled the URL!
Posted by: HadOurPhill | October 05, 2006 at 07:04 AM
Not quite so bad as a Congressional caucus which told Americans over and over and over that they'd "protect the country" all the while refusing to protect teenagers from the kid-touchers in their midst.
This post is more illustrative of the decline of the American newspaper, in my view.
Posted by: Pope Benedict XVI | October 05, 2006 at 07:16 AM
Dennis Moore lost my vote when he voted for torture. Yes, CAFTA was bad too. The unions need to keep their word and not support these DINOS (Dems In Name Only).
It sure would be nice to have a real Democrat representing the 3rd district in Kansas. I can't see how a right wing republican would be much different from Moore.
Posted by: | October 05, 2006 at 11:02 AM
Wow,
The unions JUST NOW realized that.
Incredible.
Posted by: plattecohighschooler | October 05, 2006 at 05:57 PM
the unions haven't been changing to meet the needs of its members and expanding into new markets. Look at the recent split off of the service workers to form their own union.
Posted by: ern | October 10, 2006 at 09:39 AM