Hey AFT leadership: Here is all the data you need to make an endorsement....

[Playinghardball]

FeelTheBern

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

1. Got to be at least a tiny bit embarrassing that the AFT is among Bernie's top contributors

But didn't make it into Hillary's top group.

Although I note his 'top' cuts off at 35k and hers at $265k.

[Gman]

2. As teachers that's not part of their endorsement process

Nor should it be. Their priority is education. And doing everything they can for teachers.

[BrotherIvan]

4. Which is why they should have let them vote

Which is why they should have gotten the candidate they planned to endorse to commit to ending NCLB, opposing vouchers and charters, ending high stakes testing, and drawing a line in the sand on tenure. Hillary Clinton is on record on ONE of those issues. Now they have no leverage to get those things. That's why AFT members are pissed.

[Gman]

6. I'm not one to tell the AFT how to run their business as a union

I don't pay dues to them. It's none of my, or yours or anyone else who doesn't pay dues to AFT's business.

[BrotherIvan]

8. I guess that's the new line as I've heard that a few times

The teachers are sorting it out. They are giving the people in charge a real earful.

[Gman]

13. I was once on a couple of executive boards

In organized labor. Nothing pisses them off worse than someone that doesn't pay dues telling them what to do. They need unity and outsiders stirring crap don't help.

Frankly, I seriously doubt Sanders would approve.

[BrotherIvan]

14. It is the members who raised the issue in the first place

And it just keeps adding to the narrative that not being completely honest, transparent, or winning on her merits is the plan.

[Gman]

18. according to the survey it was 19% supporting Sanders

so I'm not putting a lot of stock in discontented members. They're just pissed off that they did not endorse Sanders. When less than a fifth of your membership is complaining it's not good reason to change everything.

[BrotherIvan]

19. The poll was .04% of the membership

So the rest who were not allowed to vote are very angry.

[Gman]

20. That matters not

It wasn't an election. It was a poll. Done scientifically by the sane me firm that does Sanders' polling. I don't know where this got started about asking every member. It's an impractical waste of dues money to ask every member. I don't believe any said they would ask every member. Now maybe somebody read something that way. Something like "We're going to be asking the members..." Well, frankly if they're that dumb they shouldn't be teaching school anyway.

[BrotherIvan]

22. Well, at least we know where you stand

[roguevalley]

25. I'm, AFT amd fuck the board for this.

[BrotherIvan]

27. Well, apparently the poster above doesn't have the highest opinion of your

dissent. Have you received the fundraising email for Clinton? I saw a few teachers mention that on twitter and were upset about it.

[roguevalley]

32. no, not yet. I expect it. Nothing pisses union teachers off more than boards doing unilateral

I know. I was president, vp and secretary for AFT and state sec over since forever.

[BrotherIvan]

34. And you were out of the loop?

I have seen similar statements on blogs like Diane Ravitch where highly involved members were completely blindsided. The fairest request is that they should have waited and they should have consulted with members. If your convention is in July, why did they do the endorsement first? It will be interesting to see how it goes.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

31. I wasn't asked to vote

Hillary voted for No Child Left Behind.

[BrotherIvan]

35. She also supports charters, testing and the reform movement

I used to be a teacher (NEA) and my mother was a teacher for 40 years. I have been up with the problems with education all my life and still speak with friends who are teachers daily. To say this is just partisan on the part of those who are questioning the move is false.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

36. Teachers are on the front line. Politicians decide

We have had to endure that NCLB and all this evaluation of students and teachers.

[roguevalley]

24. they're making NEA look good. :D (Its a long personal story in my area)

[elleng]

3. HIGHLY informative response to AFT's questionaire from MARTIN O'MALLEY:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251441938

[brooklynite]

5. I see...and the survey showing support for Hillary among AFT members...

...means they're too stupid to take this "smoking gun" into account?

[JaneyVee]

7. Just a tip regarding the primaries:

Trying to turn everyone who supports Hillary into the "enemy" is absolutely NOT a winning strategy. For the most part, nearly every Hillary supporter would vote for Bernie if he wins nomination, but not if non-supporters keep pissing off her supporters. If people can't lift up their candidate without tearing others down, they will not have solidarity. And solidarity is the only way to win elections.

[BrotherIvan]

9. That road goes both ways

[JaneyVee]

10. Yet, you probably can't find 3 posts here that...

Say they won't vote for Bernie if he wins nomination, but plenty of Bernie supporters here brag about not voting for Hillary.

[BrotherIvan]

15. Sanders supporters are routinely demonized, attacked from right and left

I have personally been called a racist and now a union basher. So the only honest assessment is that no group's hands are clean.

[JaneyVee]

16. Mmm hmm.

[BrotherIvan]

17. Is that agreement or disagreement?

This is the internet so nuances are lost.

[Fumesucker]

11. I don't see how that can be true and yet still argue Bernie is unelectable

If every Hillary voter will vote for Bernie if he wins the primaries then Bernie is every bit as electable as Hillary.

[JaneyVee]

12. Of course. That's how elections work.

[DanTex]

21. Not only is Hillary a much better fundraiser than Bernie, but his largest totals come from PACs,

whereas her largest totals come from individuals.

[kenfrequed]

23. Source please.

Qualify that comment.

[roguevalley]

26. How about Citibank being a person now. Does that qualify as an 'individual' for Hillary?

[DanTex]

29. The Citibank money listed in that chart is in the "individuals" column. It is money

that Hillary raised from individuals who work at Citibank. Not particularly surprising, since Citibank is one of the largest employers in her home state of New York.

[kenfrequed]

30. Hah

Citibank is a person. That is a riot.

[DanTex]

33. The persons who work for Citibank are persons. Citibank doesn't have an all-robotic workforce.

Many of those persons who work for Citibank contributed to Hillary's campaign. The total amount is shown in the "Individuals" column in that chart.

You didn't actually think that Citibank just cut her campaign a check, did you? You do realize that's against the law: corporations can't contribute directly to campaigns for national office.

[kenfrequed]

37. Yup

I agree. Banks are run by banksters.

[DanTex]

28. The source is the OP.

First, you can see that Hillary's numbers are much larger. Second, you can see that Hillary's big numbers fall under the "Individuals" column, while Sanders's big numbers fall under the "PACs" column.