Big banks trying to crush Credit Unions through influencing Congress.

[bvar22]

40. THIS is "How Direct & Certain" I (we) have been.

I am a resident of Arkansas, and until 2010, DINO Blanche Lincoln was "our" Senator.

We "contacted" her long and often,
and told her that IF she didn't start supporting Democratic legislation
we WOULD organize a Primary Challenge against her
and replace her with a "Democrat" who would.
(Is THAT "Direct & certain" enough for you?)
...and THAT we DID, in the Arkansas Democratic Primary of 2010.

We did everything RIGHT to give Obama a Good Democrat who would support Democratic initiatives.

*We had the financial support of Organized LABOR Nationwide to the tune of over $10MILLION Dollars for a "Primary" contest. (Thats a LOT in Arkansas)

*We had a Pro-LABOR/Pro-HealthCare Moderate Democrat with a proven track record of Winning Elections and state wide name recognition, Lt Governor Bill Halter

*An Up & Running network of enthusiastic Grass Roots Democratic Party Activists,

*Nationwide support among Progressive Activists for replacing the Wicked Witch of Arkansas with a "Democrat"

*All polls showed that Blanche Lincoln, who CROWED about killing the Public Option
Had ZERO chance of winning the General Election against the Republican.

We did EVERYTHING RIGHT to give Obama The Democrats he had asked us to give him,
and to send a message to other DINO Obstructionists of The People's Will.
AND....We were WINNING.....UNTIL...

Guess What Happened?
Our BIGGEST obstruction was not the Republicans, or Conservatives.
Our BIGGEST obstruction was the Obama White House.
The Obama WHite House stepped in and RESCUED DINO Blanche Lincoln's FAILING Primary Campaign.

Obama gave the Witch Who Killed the Public Option an Oval Office Endorsement that played 24/7 in Arkansas, and even sent the Big Blue Dog (Bill Clinton) back to Arkansas to rescue Lincoln's failing Primary campaign.

The Big Business Power Brokers in the Democratic Party Leadership don't want ANYONE rocking their nice little boat,
and couldn't car less What YOU want.

"The Arkansas primary fight illuminates some unpleasant though vital truths about the Democratic establishment "

"So what did the Democratic Party establishment do when a Senator who allegedly impedes their agenda faced a primary challenger who would be more supportive of that agenda? They engaged in full-scale efforts to support Blanche Lincoln. Bill Clinton traveled to Arkansas to urge loyal Democrats to vote for her, bashing liberal groups for good measure. Obama recorded an ad for Lincoln which, among other things, were used to tell African-American primary voters that they should vote for her because she works for their interests. The entire Party infrastructure lent its support and resources to Lincoln — a Senator who supposedly prevents Democrats from doing all sorts of Wonderful, Progressive Things which they so wish they could do but just don’t have the votes for.

<snip>

What happened in this race also gives the lie to the insufferable excuse we’ve been hearing for the last 18 months from countless Obama defenders: namely, if the Senate doesn’t have 60 votes to pass good legislation, it’s not Obama’s fault because he has no leverage over these conservative Senators. It was always obvious what an absurd joke that claim was; the very idea of The Impotent, Helpless President, presiding over a vast government and party apparatus, was laughable. But now, in light of Arkansas, nobody should ever be willing to utter that again with a straight face. Back when Lincoln was threatening to filibuster health care if it included a public option, the White House could obviously have said to her: if you don’t support a public option, not only will we not support your re-election bid, but we’ll support a primary challenger against you. Obama’s support for Lincoln did not merely help; it was arguably decisive, as The Washington Post documented today:"

<snip>
What’s going on here couldn’t be clearer if the DNC produced neon signs explaining it. Blanche Lincoln and her corporatist/centrist Senate-friends aren’t some unfortunate outliers in the Democratic Party. They are the Democratic Party. The outliers are the progressives. The reason the Obama White House did nothing when Lincoln sabotaged the public option isn’t because they had no leverage to punish her if she was doing things they disliked. It was because she was doing exactly what the White House and the Party wanted. The same is true when she voted for Bush/Cheney Terrorism policies, serves every corporate interest around, and impedes progressive legislation. Lincoln doesn’t prevent the Democratic Party from doing and being what it wishes it could do and be. She enables the Party to do and be exactly what it is, what it wants to be, what serves its interests most. That’s why they support her so vigorously and ensured her victory: the Blanche Lincolns of the world are the heart, soul and face of the national Democratic Party.


<much more>

http://www.salon.com/2010/06/10/lincoln_6/

Ed Schultz on Obama support for Lincoln
http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/ed-schultz-if-it-wasnt-labor-barack-obama-



So, What have YOU done in the War?
How "direct & certain" have YOU been?

If I sound bitter, you are correct.
As a Union Thug, I HATE getting Sucker Punched,
and it will be a long time before we forget WHO Sucker Punched us.



[font color=firebrick][center]"There are forces within the Democratic Party who want us to sound like kinder, gentler Republicans.
I want a party that will STAND UP for Working Americans."
---Paul Wellstone [/font][/center]
[center][/font]
[font size=1]photo by bvar22
Shortly before Sen Wellstone was killed[/center][/font]