Sen. Blanche Lincoln opposes Employee Free Choice

By GottaLaff

I want to shake her by the shoulders and yell, "Wake up!":

[Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), who is running for reelection in 2010, is the first Democratic Senator to openly oppose the legislation. The AP reports:

“I cannot support that bill. I cannot support it in its current form,” Lincoln told those gathered for the luncheon at the governor’s mansion. “I may not have said that as clearly before, but I’m saying it now.” … “It is one of those issues that creates great division, as well as distraction, at a time when we need all hands on deck,” Lincoln said. […]

The Arkansas-based Wal-Mart corporation had hired a former Blanche Lincoln staffer to lobby against the Employee Free Choice Act. Notably, Lincoln waited until after Vice President Biden helped her raise $800,000 before announcing her opposition to a piece of legislation that both Biden and Obama strongly support.

"The West Wing" Cast Comes to Washington to Lobby Card Check

By GottaLaff

Mmmm, I can almost hear strains of the W.W. theme song now:

If Congress won't listen to the real president push for the pro-union Employee Free Choice Act, maybe the popular fake president from TV's West Wing can win passage of the bill. Cast members of The West Wing, including Martin Sheen, Bradley Whitford, and Richard Schiff, will hit Capitol Hill Tuesday to debut a new grass-roots campaign to boost support for the controversial "card check" labor legislation. It was dealt a blow last week when Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter, most likely the deciding Senate vote, said he wouldn't vote for the bill. "I think it couldn't be a more appropriate time for them to be coming to town to help draw focus to this issue and draw focus to the workers," says Josh Goldstein, a spokesperson for American Rights at Work, which is hosting the event. [...]

Allison Janney, who played Press Secretary C. J. Cregg, now does work for EMILY's List, while Whitford is on the board of directors of American Rights at Work and was instrumental in bringing part of the cast back to Washington to fight for this bill. "He has been highly involved in activist work for fighting for the rights of America's workers," Goldstein says.

Anything that will help the cause is fine by me. I wonder if this campaign will make a difference. I sure hope so.

Real plumbers rip Joe the Plumber for shilling against the Employee Free Choice Act

By GottaLaff

First off, Joe (Sam) the un-licensed Not Plumber should not, I repeat, should not, be anyone's role model... ever. But if someone is that desperate, then that someone most likely resembles this person or this... whatever it is.

Next, Worser-bacher, shut the hell up. And finally, shut the hell up about this in particular:

Greg Sargent reports that Joe the Plumber by the anti-labor Americans for Prosperity to do “a series of events throughout Pennsylvania rallying opposition to the Employee Free Choice Act.” Here’s why Americans for Prosperity spokesperson Mary Ellen Burke said Joe was chosen:

“The public loves Joe the Plumber,” the spokesperson, Mary Ellen Burke, claimed to me. “They see him as a role model.”

Asked whether Joe the Plumber had any particular knowledge or expertise about EFCA that might explain the decision to enlist him, Burke said that he was being enlisted to provide a “grassroots perspective” and “the working perspective” on the measure.

Pressed on whether Joe the Plumber has any particular claim to being a spokesperson on the issue, Burke replied that “he represents the American worker.”

United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry (UA) political and legislative director Rick Terven:

“Real plumbers want and need the Employee Free Choice Act as a way to empower themselves to join a union, without fear of intimidation or losing their jobs. Joe the Plumber doesn’t speak for real plumbers.”

Joe the Fraud speaks? I recall a few grunts and even some feeble attempts at political grandstanding, but actual intelligible speech? Uh-uh.

So much for independence: Arlen Specter to Vote Against "Card Check"

By GottaLaff

Did anyone really believe he would switch to Independent?

Congress Daily reports that Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) will vote against a cloture motion to limit debate on the Employee Free Choice Act. "Specter's opposition could doom the legislation because to pass the bill organized labor needs 60 votes to overcome a Republican filibuster."

It also likely means Specter has chosen to make his re-election run as a Republican and not as an independent. He had already ruled out switching parties.

Coming tomorrow: A new Quinnipiac in Pennsylvania tests Specter's chances.

President Obama Committed to Employee Free Choice

By GottaLaff

Via Oliver Willis:

From a video [Prez O] sent to AFL-CIO

And as we confront this crisis and work to provide health care to every American, rebuild our nation’s infrastructure, move toward a clean energy economy, and pass the Employee Free Choice Act, I want you to know that you will always have a seat at the table.