Eddie Murphy had a routine about a wife who would divorce him, because despite all the great things he had done in the past for her, she always asked “what have you done for me lately”
Unions answered this question in Ohio, unfortunately not yet in Wisconsin.
I’ve been watching the coverage over the last few days after the loss and some of it has been thoughtful but a lot has been negative. Rachel Maddow has been especially bad in the handwringing (HuffPo was bad, but they’ve been going down for the last 2 years), at least Ed has tempered his loss with knowing to keep punching back,
Yes, the Right has the corporate money, but let’s face it they always had it and they always will. They will spend 7 to 1 to win, but they cannot (not yet at least) buy votes and there lies the rub.
7 months ago, Ohio unions and voters voted against the SB5 bill. What does that tell you?
You can win, and the media did not hype that victory as a victory for unions as much as the reverse in Wisc to claim doom for unions.
But not every state is made equal and a strong union base and support for it is different. Ohio/Michigan many voters there can trace their immediate benefits and livelihoods to both private and public sector unions.
But Wisconsion is not the same. Unfortunately, Wisc has less union representation and it is mostly in the Public sector. So private sector people take their resentments out on those unions, maybe even the households who have some union members in their family, because they don’t see a direct connection to the success of the union with their success.
Now ask that question regarding unions, what have you done for me lately?
The key to winning in states like Wisc will be the answer to that million (or billion dollar) question. What can the union offer to private workers that is tangible?
Don’t tell me how 50 years ago, they gave us the 8 hr work week, Sunday’s off, health standards, what have they done for me lately? Most voters are voting for their own self interest, or to actively undermine your interest as long they perceive it to cost them (but if union fate was directly connected to theirs then they would think twice before voting for the Republican… see SB5 and Michigan, even states like W. Virginia/Kentucky which still vote democrat at the state level).
What idea do you have for increasing support for unions?
Maybe a lower cost insurance based on union memebership (union can be part of the health exchanges and bring ever more buying power)
What is your idea?
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And stop conflating victory for Dem’s with powerful unions. This will not be true for all states. The nation is only 10% unions. Obama still won 54% in 2008. Yes, unions are important, but they cannot be the only source of money and man-power, and unfortunately Dem leaders are too easily willing to sacrifice them for short term gain.
There is a reason why Obama leads in the polls, and it is because people have seen him for the last 4 years fight for them. Even Repub voters know he is on the side of the worker. He might have watered down stuff and not been full thoated in his support, but he has done more than anyone else (and people trust him because he will fight, unfortunately they know that the Dem politicians are not always fighting for them, because they can tell bullshit with Corporatist democrats like a Cory Booker helicoptering in to save companies reputations). More dem politician need to learn to stand with all workers and give them a leg up against the corporation, that was the key to success for Roosevelt and will be for Obama and any future Dem.
(remember Reagan/Nixon may have won in landslides but most of the years, Democrats won the House and Senate and Governors were elected because people trusted them at the state level.
To quote a great line from The Rock (Sean Connery/Nick Cage)
Mason: Are you sure you're ready for this? [walks up staircase]
Goodspeed: I'll do my best.
Mason: [stops and motions back to Goodspeed] Your best? Losers always whine about their best. Winners go home and f**k the prom queen!