Union Workers Should be for Lamont Over Lieberman........

[louis c]

I just saw on Mathews a firefighter for lieberman explaining why he was for Joe.

First off, my credentials are that I have served as a President and Business Manager of an IBEW local in Boston for five years. I am a member of the AFL-CIO committee on Political Education (COPE). that's no big deal, but it does give some union credentials.

I respect my brothers and sisters in the IAFF (AFL-CIO). They are truly a credit to organized labor. However, I disagree with their stand on this one.

First off, Lieberman betrayed unions when he voted for NAFTA. I know a lot of Dems did, also, but Gephart led the fight and a majority of Dems saw the handwriting on the wall, but to no avail. That disaster is plain as day now. And it was when ass-kissing Joe joined only 12 other Dems to support CAFTA. At that point, he didn't even support labor when there was no excuse left. Why do we as union members vilify Wal-Mart and then support Joe Lieberman when he supported the WTO treaty with China? In february of this year, the Longshoreman and Teamsters joined Left-wing and right-wing elected officials to denounce the Dubai Port Deal. You couldn't find a Bush supporter on that one, anywhere. Except Asshole Joe, Bush's lap-dog, making excuses for him once again. Horrifying. Add to that his support on Gonzales, an Atorney general that refuses to enforce labor laws and Joe's refusing to filibuster Supreme Court nominees that will vote to gut labor laws. Add Schiavo to the list and Lieberman's support of stricter bankruptcy laws that hurt the middle-class, and I certainly don't see a friend of working men and women in Joe Lieberman.

That's before we get to his support on Iraq for that lying, coward, black-hearted piece of shit we have in the White House. I know, a lot of Dems were fooled with the lies in March, 2003. But Joe has literally stood alone as a Democrat and literally kissed up to President Bush, right up to this very day. Nearly 3,000 Americans (from mostly working class families) have died for a lie and $250 million a day is squandered in a senseless war in Iraq that only benefits the ultra-rich at home our enemies abroad. Money that could be spent right here at home making us more secure and creating jobs and providing better health care and education. All of these mistakes by Bush were supported by Lieberman to the detriment of working families.

Finally, a firefighter for Lieberman asked rhetorically about Lamont, "Do you think a man worth $250 million cares about you?". Well, I don't know, but I'll take my chances just as my grandfather and father did. You see, my grandfather supported FDR and my dad supported JFK. They didn't vote against them because they were rich but for them because of what they stood for and voted against their opponents because of what Hoover and Nixon stood for. I think history proved them both correct and I think history will be on my side, too. I'm for Lamont

[readmoreoften]

1. This is good information. Lamont's wealth made me suspicious.

But it's not like Lieberman is exactly working class.

But sometimes that doesn't matter, especially with spitshined executives and politicians. The CEO-- I mean the President-- of NYU, John Sexton boasts about his "humble" Brooklyn origins but he has dedicated millions of dollars to fighting a union recognition campaign on the part of "teaching assistants" who comprise 50% of the teaching staff at NYU.

On the other hand, one of the strikers, who was born into great wealth dedicated a massive amount of time and effort-- and risked losing her job, something that she may not have needed for immediate financial reasons, but certainly for career strategy reasons-- to the union and social justice.

You just can't tell.

While I really wish that we could revamp the system so that politics isn't a playground for millionaires, I don't think that a candidate worth 2 million is going to be any more "down to earth" than a candidate worth 250 million. None of them are digging ditches, teaching kids, or typing office memos.

[louis c]

2. Let me list some rich Americans who made this country great

1. George Washington
2. Thomas Jefferson
3. John Adams
4. Teddy Roosevelt
5. FDR
6. JFK
7. Bobby Kennedy
8. John Kerry. Well, he tried. I worked my ass off for him, right along side all the IAFF members that were the first to endorse Kerry in the primaries. Wealth didn't scare them off then. You see, wealth is only relevant when you want it to be.

[louis c]

3. Kick and bookmark for General election

[readmoreoften]

5. I agree, I try not to assume things about people because of wealth.

I do think that the process should be changed so that non-wealthy potential statesmen can run for office without massive lobbyist support, but a rich man is just as likely to be concerned about social justice as a poor man.

Now an upper middle management man.... eh.

[louis c]

6. kick

[KingFlorez]

4. There has to be something about Lamont they don't trust

[Hubert Flottz]

7. Joe was for Fast Track too.

Joe trusted Bush...even after Bush stole the election in 2000. The man is either a fool or a tool, I ain't figured it out!

[Libby2]

8. I would say both.