Hoffa Isn't Apologizing

[WillyT]

HOFFA: CORPORATE-FUNDED CONSERVATIVE POLITICIANS OUT TO DESTROY MIDDLE CLASS
September 6, 2011
'This Fight Is About The Economy, It's About Jobs And It's About Rebuilding America'

<snip>

(WASHINGTON) – Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa today said he stands by his criticism of corporate-funded conservative politicians who are out to destroy the middle class.

“We didn’t start this war – the right wing did. My comments on Labor Day in Detroit echo the anger and frustration of American workers who are under attack by corporate-funded politicians who want to destroy the middle class,” Hoffa said. “We’re tired of seeing good-paying jobs shipped overseas. This fight is about the economy, it’s about jobs and it’s about rebuilding America. As I said yesterday in Detroit, we all have to vote in order to take these anti-worker politicians out of office.”

Hoffa said the battle began when anti-worker politicians, funded by billionaires and CEOs such as the Koch brothers, were elected last fall. Instead of focusing on voter priorities such as restoring the U.S. economy and job creation, the first act of these newly elected politicians was an attempt to gut the middle class. They launched a coordinated, well-financed war on workers in states such as Wisconsin and Ohio, where they stripped workers’ collective bargaining rights. They also filed right-to-work-for-less legislation in 14 states, which workers successfully fought and defeated.

“We’re fighting back. That’s what Teamsters do – we stand up for what is right,” Hoffa said. “I will never apologize for standing up for my fellow Teamsters and all American workers.”

<snip>

More: http://www.teamster.org/content/hoffa-corporate-funded-conservative-politicians-out-destroy-middle-class

:patriot:

:kick:

[TheKentuckian]

1. Keep on rockin Mr Hoffa!

[roguevalley]

27. hoffas are old school. they don't apologize for dick. its a man thing.

[sulphurdunn]

39. I'm old school.

And I apologize when I'm wrong. Hoffa isn't wrong, and you're right.

[DCKit]

97. +1 What you said. nt

[whathehell]

116. I'd say it's a gender neutral "guts" thing and I'm glad he won't apologize. n/t

[GTurck]

98. If every union....

member who lost their jobs to out-sourcing over the past 30 years voted against the right wingers the country might have a chance. Staying home in protest is no longer an option.

[kentuck]

2. Bravo!

:-)

[notGaryOldman]

3. Amen!

:applause:

[lpbk2713]

4. Shame on him if he does.

The other side deserves this and more, much more.

[Snotcicles]

70. Facebook would be a good place to tell James P Hoffa thank you

Check out the trolls posting if you want a laugh.

[Hutzpa]

5. Perfect, like the sound of that

the fight just got started.

Enough is enough!

K&R :kick:


We need more of this.

[DocMac]

6. highly recc'd

[SpiralHawk]

7. Fox (R) twisting of his words will bite the Republicon ass

Americans are sick of having Republicons & their overpaid Propaganda Pimps lie and distort the truth.

[Liberal_in_LA]

8. excellent.

[rurallib]

9. show Obama how it's done, will ya?

[politicasista]

74. Yep. Teach him a lesson

:sarcasm:

[Kurmudgeon]

100. Mr. Hoffa didn't mention Obama, quit doing the GOP's work for them.

[City Lights]

10. Keep it up! Don't back down!

:bounce: :applause: :toast:

Rec'd!

[spanone]

11. k&r...

[sabrina 1]

12. Good for him.

In fact he should demand an apology from all politicians who are bought and paid for by the Corporate enemies of America's working class. Throw that apology ball back in their court.

As he said, they started the war, and all they are are tools of the Corporate monsters who will not stop until they level America's workers' wages to the wages of the Third World and eliminate all Unions leaving workers with no protection. Any American who take their money, like Ryan, Walker et al, are traitors to this country.

[notadmblnd]

13. And to think, my grandpa used to eat lunch with his daddy

[reACTIONary]

68. Does your daddy know where his daddy is?

[notadmblnd]

69. no, my grandfather died a few years before his daddy disappeared.

[Erose999]

126. Natural causes I hope...

[spin]

138. He fell down a set of stairs at a neighbor's house and broke his hip ...

he had it replaced and the replacement caused an infection. He had the hip repaired again and was well on his way to recovery when he went to visit his mother's grave in the winter. The snow had covered up a hole that had contained a potted plant. His cane dropped into the hole and he fell again and broke his other hip.

It was replaced but he never recovered. He spent his last three months in a coma.

I miss him. He was one very old cranky Irishman but he was well loved by his neighbors. He loved sports and when you visited his home, you would find him watching games on two TV sets and listening to one on a radio.

He had been the coach of the Jones and Laughlin Steel Company baseball team and had an in depth knowledge of baseball and football. He once was attending a spring training game for the Pittsburgh Pirates in St. Pete Florida and the sports editor for the St. Pete times was sitting beside him. The sports editor was amazed at my uncle's knowledge.

He was a life long Democrat and I learned a lot by listening to him talk about union strikes and the fight to get fair pay and benefits for steel workers. He was also very knowledgeable about politics as was my father, which explains my views on the subject.

He had a good life and had married a wonderful woman who was an immigrant from Sicily. Unfortunately, he never had any children.

[Slit Skirt]

108. Jimmy Hoffa is part of the pavement

That's what they do with bad boys in Detroit

[TeamsterDem]

14. And he won't because Hoffa isn't a name synonymous with weasel

Jim is not a perfect man nor does he claim to be. But he is not a sniveling coward. He was 100% right in what he said and he knows he was right. But more than that, he's paid to defend our interests. The baggers want to destroy us, so we want to (politically) destroy them. They're just pissed because they've now torched off a guy who tells it like it is and isn't a wimp about having said it. Best of luck on getting that "apology," assholes, because it ain't comin', nor are you owed one.


GO HOFFA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[kentuck]

21. Well said!

+1

[arbusto_baboso]

29. Agreed. We need more labor leaders who actually lead.

I'd follow Mr. Hoffa anywhere he'd ask. Too bad my union isn't the Teamsters and has little to nothing in the way of leadership.

[gordianot]

33. Leaders who lead is what we need, without falling for post partisan dreams.

Honesty is so refreshing!

[quakerboy]

51. Post partisan is not the problem

Bipartisan is the problem. Trying to meld the views of both parties into a policy acceptable to both. Its frustrating, painful, and doomed to failure.

Post partisan would be stepping past what the parties want, figuring out what the people want, and going after that.

Post partisan is populism. Bipartisan is elitism. I leave you to decide what we have now.

[Starry Messenger]

42. +

[Waiting For Everyman]

15. Way to go, Jim Hoffa!

He's accepting no diversion from the point, and repeating what he said about it is another chance to get out the facts the public needs to hear.

That's how to use the RW's lies against them.

[malaise]

16. Brave Mr Hoffa

:yourock:

[Sherman A1]

17. I'm okay with it

seems perfectly reasonable to me..

They have been trying (and succeeding) to take the working class out for some 30 or so years. :toast:

[SusanaMontana41]

18. waaaa hoo!

:applause:

[woo me with science]

19. God, this is refreshing. nt

[harun]

53. +1

[gordianot]

20. Labor still has the brass to fight back and NOT back down I hope this infection spreads.

[SusanaMontana41]

22. You speak for just about all of us. nt

[rhett o rick]

31. It's up to us to keep it spreading. nm

[Tom Ripley]

23. Yes!!!

[Sheepshank]

24. A very reasonable, well stated heartfelt rebuttal by Hoffa

and a big "Fuck You" was implied in every word :)

[TwilightGardener]

25. No retreat, no backing down. Good.

[lady lib]

26. Sounds like he has enough backbone to share with with a certain someone.

nt

[amborin]

28. Good! Nor should he!

[Little Star]

30. It is nice to finally hear a strong voice for American workers. k&r

He said it out loud in public where it would make tv & newspapers!!! Haven't seen many with the power to do so do that in a while!

[pam4water]

32. Never been a fan of Hoffa but anyone the tea party hates can't be all bad. K&R

[Myrina]

34. Interesting isn't it, that now the US Post Office wants to kill union rights too?

Their excuse being (drumroll, please) ... that they have an insurmountable budget deficit and the only way to make it right is to renegotiate unionized employees salary and benefit packages.

:puke: :puke: When is this Administration going to stand WITH the workers instead of against us? :puke: :puke:


Rock On, Mr. Hoffa!! :patriot: :applause:

[newspeak]

122. I think that graph showing how much

the worker actually increased in wages, something like .1%, while cost of living has gone way up and corporations are enjoying an 88% increase in profits. Everyone needs to look at it and finally say "enough is enough." The corporations have made quite the killing on the backs of labor. We refuse to go back to the 1890's with the robber barons. We've already done that and some of our families paid the price in blood.

These anti-labor sycophants worship at the altar of predatory capitalism and they love their sociopathic masters. I can't imagine anyone wanting to be "screwed", while asking "may I have some more please."

[the_chinuk]

35. He said what had to be said. I hope it actually COMES to something. n/t k/r

[MoonRiver]

36. GOOD!

Somebody needs to stand up for workers! Hoffa :yourock: !!!

[Bluenorthwest]

37. Of course he's not apologizing.

He's a leader not a political wind sniffer.

[Mendocino]

38. Well he's got it,

far more so than the occupant of a big white house in DC.

[sandyj999]

40. Apologize For What? n/t

[jwirr]

41. It should be faux apologizing for cutting his quote and making it look

like something it was not. Hoffa did not do anything wrong.

[PufPuf23]

43. The WH was foolish to other than ignore the bait for a response.

The Carney response was rude and stupid and derogatory toward a Labor Union that showed strong support at a Labor Day event.

[mother earth]

44. K & R for solidarity! No apologies!!!

[Cass]

45. The republicans want to distract the public from Hoffa's message with their manufactured outrage

about his comments which they conveniently edited to play head games.

You go, Jimmy Hoffa - keep telling it like it is!!

[w0nderer]

46. k&r n/t

[DesertFlower]

47. he spoke the truth. no need to apologize.

[swilton]

48. Good for him!

Until we define what is truth we can't get on the road to recovery - we cannot let the GOP/corporations define our truth.

[GoCubsGo]

49. Never apologize for speaking the truth. n/t

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

50. Nor should he

Especially when the asswipes at Faux News edit his comments to make them say something different.

[CrispyQ]

52. Bumper sticker:

“I will never apologize for standing up for my fellow
Teamsters and all American workers.” ~Jim Hoffa


k&r

on edit: I want one!

[sasha031]

54. Hoffa rocks

:applause:
nothing sexier than someone who stands by their principles and knows how to fight.

[October]

55. Do NOT apologize, Mr. Hoffa.

/nt

[WinkyDink]

56. OMG, there IS a real Democrat extant! Go, Jimbo, GO!

[StarsInHerHair]

57. K&R 126

[Eyerish]

58. K&R

[cwydro]

59. Obama will apologize for him.

Just wait.

[Taverner]

60. HOFFA!!!!

[RoccoR5955]

61. RIOT ON Mr. Hoffa!

No surrender, no retreat.
Kick ass, and take names!

[WinkyDink]

105. "RIOT ON"? The expression is "Right on."

[RoccoR5955]

119. I know that, but the only thing that gets people's attention

is a riot, and in order to change things in this country, I believe it will take many riots. I only hope that Mr. Trumpka will stand with us when push comes to shove.

[HappyMe]

62. There is no need for him to apologize.

I don't give a crap if they didn't like what he said.

[OwnedByFerrets]

63. WOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOO BOUT TIME

[totodeinhere]

64. I just wish that a few Democrats in Washington would grow a pair and

echo's Hoffa's comments. We didn't start this war but I'll be damned if I'll lie down and take anymore.

[paparush]

65. Shame our President chooses not to speak so directly.

[PSzymeczek]

66. Never apologize, Mr. Hoffa,

for speaking the truth.

[Odin2005]

67. GIVE 'EM HELL, JIMMY!!!

[Deep13]

71. And someone steps up to fill the power vacuum on the left. nt

[Zax2me]

72. Wouldn't matter if he did. you think MSM and the right would forgive?!

Fuck no.

[Yon_Yonson]

73. "Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!"

:yourock: Mr. Hoffa

[politicasista]

75. Faux news is a joke

Truth spoken by Mister Hoffa.

[marasinghe]

76. thank the stars for Union guys to tell the fascist assholes where to shove it.

marching songs:

http://www.commondreams.org/video/2011/09/05
YouTube direct:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AGQgk4fFR4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8P38VM7IwCI

[SHRED]

77. I AM A TEAMSTER

And I approve of this message!


---

[Doremus]

78. Show 'em how it's done Mr. Hoffa! And thank you! nt

[russspeakeasy]

79. are you schoolin on this Mr. Prez...I hope so..

:evilgrin:

[madrchsod]

80. god dam right we don`t back down...

[orbitalman]

81. K & R x 1000 n/t

[spin]

82. My uncle, who was a steel worker in Pittsburgh would have said far worse ...

He spent many months striking against Jones and Laughlin Steel Company in order to have a good salary and benefits. He retired at 62 and died at 89. He lived fairly well on his pension and social security and he had excellent healthcare. He hated Republicans with a passion and like many people from Pittsburgh he had mastered the art of swearing and often used his skill to express his heart felt views.

[demosincebirth]

131. That's the only way some of us can express anger and frustration. He should

have used the word "fuckers" instead of SOBs

[Lucian]

83. K&R!

[DirkGently]

84. A tone of angry defiance is appropriate. I didn't hear a call for violence. No gun strapped to leg.

[Skip Intro]

85. K&R! nt

[libodem]

86. Good

Damn good!

[PatrynXX]

87. no teamsters fan but....

tea party sure is making them look good and the harder they try to shut them up the louder it gets.

[Name removed]

88. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[samsingh]

89. Good for him. He's speaking the truth

and fighting for the dwindling, under siege, middle-class.

[Skittles]

90. he is a LEADER

:thumbsup:

[Ignis]

91. K&R. The genteel approach ain't working.

:kick:

[chill_wind]

92. very gratified by the news that he isn't. Mountains out of molehills

by Winger speech Nazis and all their associated wingnut media.

[Enthusiast]

93. Kicked and recommended!

Way to go, Hoffa!

[PuffedMica]

94. I hope there is more on the way

Go Mr. Hoffa.

[PuffedMica]

95. K&R

[ScottLand]

96. K&R

[Amimnoch]

99. I refuse to be a hypocrite. I strongly disagree with what Mr. Hoffa said.

In January through February, I strongly condemned Sarah Palin's ad that had the targets printed on it from the 2010 elections as being part of the virulent rhetoric that lead up to the Arizona murders, and the assassination attempt on Rep. Giffords.

Palin's reference was to voting out Democrats, Hoffa's reference was to voting out Republicans (in particular Teabag backed ones). His choice of words is NO DIFFERENT than Palins choice of graphic reference.

If you see nothing wrong with Palin's advertisement, and Mr. Hoffa's statement, then I disagree with you on both counts, but I can at least respect your consistency.

If you disagree with Palin's advertisement, and Mr. Hoffa's statement, then you and I are in the same boat. Virulent rhetoric should have no place in modern politics. It is hateful, dividing, and has already proven fatal in some extreme instances. There is a better way to drive home the point other than painting targets on people, or using virulent language like wanting to take down the son of a bitches.

However, if you can reconcile yourself to condemn Palin's ad, yet support Mr. Hoffa's statement, then I name you a hypocrite, and I have no respect for hypocrites regardless of their party affiliation, or political inclination.

[disillusioned73]

104. Your concern for hypocrisy has been noted..

although you are standing on thin ice with that false equivalency, I see no cross hairs in Hoffas rhetoric - in comparison to ACTUAL cross-hairs.

[FreedomVoice]

124. just to be fair on the Target / map issue

(I am new here so if this link to the graphic doesn't post please be understanding)

I agree that the cross-hairs were of a higher level of rhetoric, but here are targets used on a map by the DNC in the 2004 election to show target states:

?w=525&h=556

I am just adding information, that is all.

[Erose999]

132. Archery taget (or dartboard bullseye) v/s scope crosshairs. One of those images is solely a sports

metaphor. The other one could be sports or it could be assassination, either way it specifically references the use of firearms.

Also, as I understand it that "archery target" was used by the DLC and not the DNC. The DLC is not very highly regarded around these parts anyway.

[disillusioned73]

135. Well, we can quibble back & forth...

whether bulls-eyes or cross-hairs are more inciting than the other - personally I think cross-hairs are pretty specific and there was an actual assassination attempt. That whole issue though was more pertaining to her attitude when she was criticized about it, all she had to do was admit it was in bad taste and be done with it.. but no sister Sarah along with all cons can not admit mistakes.

I didn't follow politics in 2004 like I do now, but I don't recall back then the heated rhetoric that we have heard since 2008. Was there a major stink about these bulls-eye maps back then??

[Yon_Yonson]

107. You are misusing the word hypocrisy

I am confused by you statement because I do not associate the definition with Mr. Hoffa’s Labor Day speech.

Hypocrisy is the state of pretending to have beliefs, opinions, virtues, ideals, thoughts, feelings, qualities, or standards that one does not actually have. Hypocrisy involves the deception of others and is thus a kind of lie.

[B Calm]

130. Palin: "take back the country" and exercise their second amendment rights.

Sarah Palin also had cross-hairs over Democrats she wanted to target. ...

and you compare that to Hoffa's remark about voting!!!!!

COME ON, GET REAL!!!

[trotsky]

101. You speak for me, Mr. Hoffa. NEVER APOLOGIZE. n/t

[workinclasszero]

102. Give em HELL Mr Hoffa!

Just like Harry S. Truman! :toast: :thumbsup: :kick: :pals: :fistbump: :yourock: :woohoo: :applause: :applause: :applause: :patriot:

[disillusioned73]

103. I love it.. keep it up Mr Hoffa,

help make this image irrelevant;

[janet118]

106. At last . . . a fightin' liberal!!!

Go, Jimmy! Let's go get the SOBs!

[liberal N proud]

109. Excellent - Someone who will stand up to the monster

[Bolo Boffin]

110. It's come to light that Michele Bachman said "take them out" back in April.

Same dealybob. Thunderous applause from the same nutcases that are shitting bricks over "union thuggery."

[Yon_Yonson]

117. It’s A-OK for bat crazy NEOCONS to talk like that ...

... have a progressive, Democrate or liberal talk as such and we have to apologize! Read my lips you NEOCON SLUGS .... FUCK YOU!

:yourock: Mr. Hoffa

[myrna minx]

111. K&R n/t

[bvar22]

112. "his criticism of corporate-funded conservative politicians"

I LIKE it!
Conservative Corporate Backed Blue Dog "Centrists" are included.
I'll STAND for that!


Who will STAND and FIGHT for THIS American Majority?
Jim Hoffa and the UNIONS WILL!!


Solidarity!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Tuesday Afternoon]

113. I really don't see a need for an apology. He said Nothing out of the way.

:patriot:

[hifiguy]

114. Now that's what I expect to hear

from people standing up for the middle class. Too bad the WH couldn't care less about the middle class, much less the poor.

Bravo, Mr. Hoffa!! :patriot::applause:

[bigwillq]

115. Good for him.

We need more fighters like Mr. Hoffa. K and R

[Guilded Lilly]

118. Good. The media and the whiners of ALL varieties waste valuable airtime

with shallow nonsense.

[la la]

120. ^ 5. mr hoffa! just what we need right now--thanks~ n/t

[Hubert Flottz]

121. Good for him...

A man shouldn't be a god damned bit sorry for telling the truth. The scumbags can't handle the truth.

[defendandprotect]

123. It is time to fight back ...

but we'd be fooling ourselves if we didn't understand that Koch Bros./DLC

was directing the Democratic Party -- that Clinton shipped most of those jobs

overseas with NAFTA and CAFTA -- and Obama has now pushed thru three new trade

agreements started by W Bush -- Colombia, Korea, Panama --


It is a war -- but we better understand that the battle has to include those

within our own party who are also shipping out jobs -- and ignoring the will

of the people.

[Cheap_Trick]

125. Maybe HE should run for president.

He'd get my vote.

[B Calm]

127. Be nice if Obama would talk like Hoffa

[Fire Walk With Me]

128. Bravo! K&R!

[KansDem]

129. k&r

Kick ass, Mr. Hoffa! And since there are so many "asses" in the plutocracy, it'll be easy to find one!

[hamsterjill]

133. Apologize for telling the truth?

I don't think so!

[davidwparker]

134. Right on, man. Nothing to be apologize about.

Need more of it.

[november3rd]

136. It's a Sad Day.

It's a Sad Day in the USA when we have to rely on the likes of James Hoffa Jr. to rally the people for the public good. Our government has been taken away from us, so we can't use it anymore as an instrument of our self-improvement and progress.

So we the people have to do it OUTSIDE of government, and that's where voices like Hoffa's come in and keep us from falling through the sieve.

How much worse do things have to get before we throw the Corporate Chiefs and their stooges out of government?

[Bluzmann57]

137. "I will never apologize..."

He has nothing to apologize for. He's right and everyone knows it, including the teabaggers. Well maybe not the teabaggers. They aren't known for perceptiveness.