Comments

1

Excellent questions and article, Rich. I'm just as stunned.

2

Where is it written that Unions must only give to Democrats? It's also called Free Speech. Unless you're against that.

3

The macho Union boys I used to work with (some of them anyway) would be pleased as punch to vote for politicians who'd just LOVE take away their right to organize, in a heartbeat, were they able. With this far-alt-right Supreme Court seizing power (thanks, McMitch McConnell for STEALING a Supreme Court appointment from a sitting President), maybe they'll soon get their chance.

You don't have to be Stupid to vote for someone who'll use their power to take away shit you need to support a decent, AMERICAN lifestyle -- but it really helps.

4

Not all members of all unions are Democrats or Liberals. Sometimes people are union members because they have no choice (they must be to hold the job). So yes, there are Republicans among union members. I expect there are union leaders who feel membership pressure to support both political parties because the membership is politically divided. This might be the case with SEIU. Besides, if you want the other side to listen to what you have to say, you gotta pay something to get its ear. That's how our system works.

5

I'm pretty sure Rich is a reincarnation of the General that ordered the Charge of the Light Brigade. We can't win every seat, but we can influence even those who we disagree with.

6

I like it. Many media outlets would have considered reaching out to the legislators (or at least checking their committee assignments) before running a piece like this. The Stranger, however, has its own approach.

7

I am a union member (PTE Local 17), as was Mother Vel-DuRay (CWA Local 7400) and her father, Grandfather Vel-DuRay (IBEW Local 1483), so i am not exactly a newcomer to this scene.

Unions are agents for workers, same as the AMA and the ABA. They represent what the members regard as their interests. That doesn't always align with progressive politics.

If one does not understand that, one does not understand labor politics.

8

Because Democrats are dumb-fucks?

9

Gonna guess they're not paying as activists to influence the outcome, they're paying for access and influence to a legislator. And you want to buy a politician, not buy a failed challenger.

If they think both have a shot, they quite often send money to both sides. Utterly irrational? Not for its purpose.

You cover politics, Rich, you've seen this before? Or text a political scientist you know.

10

I’d say healthcare workers are not so enamored with Obamacare anymore when hospitals are treating more homeless, poor and addicted than before its implementation. Even frontline healthcare workers wages are starting to stagnate forcing a total turn from the liberal policies it thought was such a money maker and only turned out to be a bust. (This is from someone who is very familiar with front line healthcare). Contributing to the Republican party is the least of anyones issues, so much as being able to find a nurse, or get needed healthcare quick enough in an emergency situation where the staff is short, and the homeless addict who was there first is getting priority (to which there are a great many). I figure once the liberal-induced war, pestilence and famine have finished, the only thing we’ll need is “Major 7.8” earthquake for everyone to get a glimpse of how woefully unprepared healthcare, the liberal agenda, Washington politics and Seattle residents truly are.

11

Democrats would have more success if they did anything to convince people to vote for them, rather than just assume that someone literally has to vote Democrat if they belong to certain demographics, and then throwing tantrums when these people vote "incorrectly."

12

"Democrats would have more success if they did anything to convince people to vote for them, rather than just assume that someone literally has to vote Democrat if they belong to certain demographics... " --Teddy

Excellent advice. Thanks.
In the words of President Clinton, "Well, where else they gonna go?"
The so-called Democratic Party has long passed its useful shelf life.
They lose any more Elections, nobody's even gonna remember who they were.
Sad.

13

"Unions are agents for workers, same as the AMA and the ABA. They represent what the members regard as their interests." --Catalina [my first car! Freedom!]

Ideally, perhaps. But I thought unions were all about workers’ rights, and justice for workers and, by extension, social justice. Right dead center in workers’ interests, I’d wager.

Yet now certain members are unwilling to financially support that same union in its attempt to represent its members. For higher pay and benes.They love having the good shit unions can and do get for them -- but they HATE having Government pay for Socialist-type shit like free education, free healthcare, childcare, allowing abortion to exist and so on and so forth.

So they claim union dues are 'onerous.' Meanwhile, they typically make MORE money with union representation (even minus dues!) than non-unionized workers, doing essentially the same work, but they don't wanna support their union’s ‘Leftist Agenda.’

Until WE the people supply what actual Industrialized nations supply their Citizens, workers will continue getting screwed.

WE are the Wealthiest country on the Planet. You certainly wouldn’t know it, to hear the right wing whine. Damn shame we’re forced to spend more -- than the next ten countries – combined -- fucking spend on War.
W.T.F.

14

Paragraph 2 redo: I thought unions were all about workers’ rights, and justice for workers and, by extension, social justice. Right dead center in Union Member's interests, I’d wager.

15

"I thought unions were all about workers’ rights, and justice for workers and, by extension, social justice. Right dead center in Union Member's interests, I’d wager."

That may be "dead center" in union member's interests, but in reality you'd lose that wager. While every union (with the possible exception of the police unions) talk a good talk about stuff like that, at the end of the day it's all about what's in it for me?

And that's not a bad thing. You pay your dues with the expectation that the union will make your personal situation better (maybe along with some social justice & political advocacy work). You vote for candidates with the expectation that they will make society better.

As Dorothy Parker said "Union is not a four letter word". But unions alone are not the blueprint for a Utopian society, either.


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