AFL-CIO Delays Making Endorsement in Dem Primaries

[speaktruthtopower]

Feeling the Bern?

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/afl-cio-vote-endorsement

[DefenseLawyer]

1. Trumka would be quite an ally.

Pretty interesting.

[virtualobserver]

6. Team Hillary is pissed. This is almost as bad as endorsing Bernie in terms of optics

looking good

[merrily]

2. I don't know. Maybe the delay itself is saying a lot about the Party.

I suspect the AFL-CIO will endorse whoever the AFL-CIO believes will win. However, unions are making clearer and clearer that they no longer view the Democratic Party as they once did, especially Trumka.

[dogman]

3. Triangulation often leaves them out of the equation.

The membership is ready for revolution. Sadly many will see Trump as the alternative to the establishment. Bernie can make huge inroads if Union leadership realizes this may be their last best hope.

[merrily]

4. So-called triangulation often leaves most Americans out of the equation, but isn't "triangulation"

a misnomer very often? If you pass DOMA, the Commodities Futures Modernization Act, the Telecommunications Act and even get Poppy's NAFTA through a Democratic Congress and also repeal Glass Steagall and "end welfare as we know it," is that really triangulation or agreeing with Republicans as to which legislation should become the law of the land? Unions are about bread and butter issues.

[dogman]

7. It's trading your Party's left for the other Party's left.

You just have to excel at finding the balance point so you can still claim you represent your Party. This can be seen as a Third way or centrist. That system requires status quo, no revolution talk allowed. As far as Unions are concerned, their membership is declining and they lack political support within their own organizations. They are more easily marginalized today than ever. Their value lies in GOTV.

[merrily]

10. I'm not sure how much left the other Party has left.

"This can be seen as a Third way or centrist." Yes, I know it can be seen that way and it's certainly been sold to us that way. However, I think both those terms are inaccurate. We have extremes on some issues, like reproductive choice, although the "extreme" on the Democratic side may be moving right. And we have enough agreement on other issues that the IWR and repeal of Glass Steagall pass--and pass with large margins. That's not center and it's not a triangle. It's a lot of agreement, except as to a few issues--and we may be getting too close for comfort on the remaining few areas of disagreement.

[Punkingal]

5. Good for them.

[Karma13612]

8. agree. eom

[Karma13612]

9. Well, I'm glad to see at least one Union not jump

on board for Hillary and piss off a good portion of their membership.

SEIU 1199 endorsed Hillary, and lately, I have been seen countless comments about how the membership does not agree with management.

Their slogan is about fighting for $15/hr but they endorsed Hillary who has not fully supported $15/hr. Bernie does, but they blew him off.

Take all the time you need AFL-CIO.

Make the decision that represents the real working class in this country.