SEIU chief Andy Stern laid down the gauntlet to Democrats. He doesn’t want them to pass a scaled down version of ObamaCare.
“It’s gonna be incredibly difficult to stay focused on national politics if by the end of 2010 we have minimal health care and minimal changes on what’s important to our members,” he said in an interview, ridiculing the emerging Dem approach as “fear masquerading as a strategy.”
Stern unloaded on Dem leaders in resonse to reports today that they’re mulling either a scaled down bill to win GOPers or a broken up bill passed in pieces. His anger suggests Dems risk paying a big price with labor if they fail to figure out how to pass the Senate bill and fix it later, as labor wants.
Stern hinted that if House and Senate members don’t move forward with the Senate bill and some kind of fix, they could see union members spending more time on races for governor, perhaps at the expense of their reelection campaigns. “If something significant doesn’t happen in Congress, I hope the legislators appreciate that there are 37 governors races important to our members,” Stern said suggestively.
I am not too sure just how credible that threat is going to be considering there were SEIU members rallying for Scott Brown in Massachusetts. One lesson that I think will become very apparent in 2010 and beyond is that the little guy is through being told what to do. With each passing day, Americans are waking up to the fact that WE actually run the show around here.
At any rate, in the aftermath of Scott Brown it is finally becoming clear to Democrats that ObamaCare is election poison. No matter how many threats are made, there just aren’t enough Democrats willing to stick their necks out anymore.
Via: Memeorandum
Via: The Plum Line
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7 comments:
Well if true to their word I will be happy cause it ain't gonna happen.
I guess they see expanded membership by the huge bureaucracy it creates, eh? It's just rediculous cause you know they have good benefits.
I hope they keep their promise and are not there in the next election cycle.
Christopher:
You are right, it is an empty threat. Does SEIU really want a Republican controlled Congress?
Bungalow Bill:
They may also want this bill to pass so that they can get some of their members on the public dole. They know their expensive Cadillac plans are bleeding the companies dry.
Ron B:
I hope too, but you just know they will cave.
@BBill
Exactly.
It's clear that SEIU membership is stalled at the municipal level because of the recession -- who's got spare cash anywhere in the US? But if the Feds pick up the tab for their health benefits, the SEIU will be right there to grow right into the budget vacuum.
In fact, in Obama's speeches you can practically hear him say this to them. "Health care costs are killing us" etc etc etc.
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