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Arlen Specter shows how much power wealthy interests have, even over "moderate" Republicans. (Politico 3/24/09)
Saying he is the “decisive vote,” Pennsylvania Republican Sen. Arlen Specter has announced he will oppose the divisive Employee Free Choice Act, delivering a major blow to one of organized labor's top priorities.
Specter was the lone Republican in the last Congress to vote to advance the Employee Free Choice Act, which would make it easier for unions to organize. The business community – which calls the legislation the “card check” bill — is strongly opposed to the bill and has been lobbying Specter hard to oppose the measure. Both Big Labor and business interests have plunged significant money into lobbying on the legislation, which has stalled in the Senate.
“It appears that 59 Democrats will vote to proceed with 40 Republicans in opposition. The decisive vote will be mine,” Specter said. “In a highly polarized Senate, many decisive votes are left to those who are willing to listen, reject ideology ... and resist the party line.”
Note the extreme right bias at the Politico, which refers to the EFCA as "divisive."
Specter's official statement contains an outright lie about the EFCA.
On the merits, the issue which has emerged at the top of the list for me is the elimination of the secret ballot which is the cornerstone of how contests are decided in a democratic society.
The Employee Free Choice Act does not eliminated the secret ballot. It lets the employees decide whether they want card check or a secret ballot, instead of letting the employers decides as is the case with the current system. Specter's rather blatant lying about this shows that nothing he says on labor issues can be trusted.
We desperately need public financing of elections. The only reason why Specter is opposing the Employee Free Choice Act (and lying about it) is that he has been bought and paid for by wealthy donors. We need to end the situation where votes and positions in the Senate are auctioned off to the highest bidders.
Unions are one of the most important means that middle class and poor Americans have to fight back against mistreatment by corporations and the rich. Specter's donor base is made up of the same rich people who want the rest of us as powerless as possible. We know what side Specter is on.
If you live in Pennsylvania, please contact Specter and let him know that you want him to support the Employee Free Choice Act.
If they could get that Minnesota senate race resolved and get Franken seated, we would be seeing a different outcome to this and other progressive legislation.
I can't stand this guy, and it's not just because he looks like Uncle Fester. One of these days the ole farts like him will be gone...and the world will be a better place.
it certainly doesn't help that Chris Matthews said, earlier this week, that the bill does away with the secret ballot. he even said -- BEFORE Obama's press conference -- that if he got the question, Obama would duck it.
I wrote him a nasty note that night asking him to at least have his staff do some fact checking [if he's too lazy to do it himself] before spouting off on national tv about something he knows nothing about.
rrrrrrrrrrggghhhhhhhh!!!