AFL-CIO and Howard Dean meet in Las Vegas, plan strategy.

[madfloridian]

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/nevada/2005/mar/01/030110061.html

AFL-CIO leaders, Howard Dean plan political strategy in Las Vegas
By CHRISTINA ALMEIDA
ASSOCIATED PRESS

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Democratic Party Chair Howard Dean met Tuesday with top union leaders to discuss labor's political strategy, including a campaign to oppose President Bush's plan for Social Security reform.

"The fate of the Democratic Party and the fate of labor are intertwined," Dean said after his closed-door meeting with the AFL-CIO's Executive Council. "It's in both of our interests to work together, and that's what we're going to do."

The AFL-CIO plans a massive campaign against privatization of Social Security, hoping to defeat the proposal and boost the union's political strength in future elections.

President Bush plan has proposed allowing workers under age 55 to divert 4 percent of their pay into personal accounts. Workers could then choose among a handful of investment choices, including government bonds, stock index and other mutual funds.

"We know that we have to organize a response that is bigger and better to turn the unity and the participation of our 2004 political operation into a permanent culture of mobilization in local unions," AFL-CIO President John Sweeney said...."

[msongs]

1. ....and that's what we are going to do.......I like it when he says that..

cuz he means it, unlike many other politicians.

Msongs
www.msongs.com/political-shirts.htm

[madfloridian]

2. And he says it a lot. And means it.

This is a great strategy. I like the fact they are organizing to fight the privatization of Social Security.

[Cha]

4. LOL!

Please read my sig line!:7

[Cha]

3. I don't know why they would

have to spend trillions to change Social Security when people could just take their own SS money and invest wherever they see fit?

[madfloridian]

5. Are you saying you are for privatization?

I am confused. You do know that money out of the system means payments will be cut almost at once. Maybe I misunderstood.

[Cha]

8. NO, Sorry!

I'm asking why would the government have to be involved with the overhauling of SS when anyone can take their own money and do what they want with it.

[msongs]

7. spending trillions is not required, thats just scare tactics.

but I am all in favor of telling people who want to think about privatization that if they LOSE their money in the bush scheme, they will NOT get any government hand outs of ANY kind when they get old.

now that is what privatization is really all about (the wealthy corporate wall street crowd gets your money and lives it up; when things crash, they still live it up and you just..........)

Msongs
www.msongs.com/political-shirts.htm

[madfloridian]

12. Not really scare tactics, here are a couple of sites with figures.

They tell what cost could be entailed.
http://www.americanprogress.org/site/pp.asp?c=biJRJ8OVF&b=327473

http://www.socsec.org/publications.asp?pubid=503

[madfloridian]

6. Dean's statement on Social Security

"Dean said he supported the AFL-CIO's efforts on Social Security and ridiculed Bush's support for personal investment accounts. "We can do better than turning over one of the most successful social programs in the history of America to Wall Street," Dean said.

The mobilization effort by Democrats and the AFL-CIO will be essential to winning elections, Dean said.

"We not only need to link carefully and closely at the Washington level, but more importantly we need to have close links between labor and state parties," Dean said. The key, Dean said, will be boosting Democratic presence in traditionally Republican areas.

"There's not one county in America where there's no Democrat. Not one," Dean said. "We have to make those folks proud to be Democrats and have them say so."

[Cha]

9. Yes, and I agree with what Dean

is saying..sorry for the confusion.

:hi:

[madfloridian]

14. Thanks, got it.

:hi:

[ultraist]

10. Dean's a straight shooter!

"Dean said he supported the AFL-CIO's efforts on Social Security and ridiculed Bush's support for personal investment accounts. "We can do better than turning over one of the most successful social programs in the history of America to Wall Street," Dean said.

No one can accuse him of being wishy washy.

:bounce:

[FreedomAngel82]

15. Yes

I agree too. All Bush wants to do is "borrow" more money from SS. :grr:

[TankLV]

19. The dems should be constantly reminding everyone what a great job that

"stock market" did just a short while ago when it wiped out everyone's "savings". Boy do we have a short memory.

Enron
Ken Lay
Wall Street

All repukes.

All Thieves who made millions while millions lost EVERYTHING!

Harp on this day and nite!

[DemocracyInaction]

11. This meeting is more important than you think & Dean's bright to

get to it right away. Apparently, from the accounts I have read, the unions did not want Dean has head of the DNC. I can't remember which guy they were backing. If he can make peace with them, enlist them, and get them as a real big part of grassroots activism, it will be a major boost to the Dem Party both in the midterms and the '08 elections. I was wondering what was going to happen. He's bright enough to know that you don't ignore them because they weren't a backer of yours; but instead you get right to building all the bridges immediately.

[madfloridian]

13. Actually some of the leaders did, some weren't gung-ho

Mixed bag. Stern has been pretty much with Dean, McEntee off and on.

[AlCzervik]

16. please check out this article i posted early today

that no one seemed to give a shit about.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=3200584&mesg_id=3200584

[madfloridian]

17. Don't feel bad. Most of my posts in GD just drop like a rock.

Looks like a good article, I need to register to view it. Will check it out now.

[AlCzervik]

18. sorry, it's well worth it, i was thrilled to see a positve

article about the unions and i'm oh so glad Howard is heading there!!

[madfloridian]

21. Good article....without unions we lose our middle class.

I know people have mixed feelings on this, but without them there is rich and poor and not much in between.

[fishwax]

20. That's what we brought him on board for

I still get a little energized just seeing his name in the news, and I know I'm not alone. Keep shoring up that base, Dean! :D