Last week, OR-Sen candidate Jeff Merkley was chosen by Oregon voters to take on Republican Gordon Smith. Within days of Merkley winning the nomination an anti-union group calling themselves, "Employee Freedom" issued a haphazard attack on Merkley's work in passing the Employee Free Choice Act, aka the card check. Here's a snippet of what they had to say:
Jeff Merkley is doing labor union bosses dirty work.
While campaigning to protect American workers jobs, Merkley is also supporting a law to strip workers of their fundamental right to a private ballot vote on the job.
Pretty ridiculous huh?
What would the Employee Free Choice Act have done for workers? Here's a snippet from the AFL-CIO:
Establish stronger penalties for violation of employee rights when workers seek to form a union and during first-contract negotiations.
Provide mediation and arbitration for first-contract disputes.
Allow employees to form unions by signing cards authorizing union representation.
Making sure American workers are treated fairly is a very scary thing to Republicans. The founders of the sham anti-union group and Republican Gordon Smith don't want workers to have any control over their jobs. They don't want workers to be able to join a union if they desire to. Allowing workers to join a union by signing their name on card would mean...wait for it.....fair wages and employee protection!! Oh the horror!
Gordon Smith will fight for the rich and against the working class
Many of you know that Republican Gordon Smith was instrumental in blocking the Employee Free Choice Act in the Senate in 2007. Maybe Gordon Smith just doesn't know what it's like to work a job with no benefits or protection? After all, he does have a million dollar golf putter. I wonder if he believes the caddy deserves a fair wage for driving Gordon Smith around all day? Smith did vote against raising the minimum wage back in 2005 and helped kill an increase back in 1999.
In 2005, Gordon Smith had a chance to show compassion for working Oregonians. Instead he chose to support billions in tax breaks for the wealthy and voted against raising the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour. I want to see Gordon Smith work full time on the minimum wage he voted against. I want to see him flip burgers at McDonalds or pump gas at gas stations in Oregon. I want him to understand what a dollar increase can mean to working families struggling. I'll never get a chance to see Gordon Smith work hard for a decent wage, but I sure hope I get to see him retire early.
Gordon Flip Floppy Smith
Whenever election season nears, Republican Gordon Smith puts on his moderate poser suit and fools Oregonians into believing he's independent minded. He'll cherry pick a vote or two where he crossed party lines to join the Democrats and proclaim that's the kind of legislator he is. Heck, he'll probably pull out his trusty election flannel to try and appear like he's just one of the guys. I'm sure someone will make sure his suit is nicely pressed and waiting for him once he's done electioneering. I'm sure we'll all see pictures of Gordon Smith dawning a construction hat or wearing hiking boots when he's down in southern Oregon amidst the timber workers trying to get their votes. Will he be able to pull the wool over our eyes again this election? Not if House Speaker Jeff Merkley has anything to say about it.
Jeff Merkley IS the working Oregonian's candidate
House Speaker Jeff Merkley will fight for the rights of workers to organize. He championed the card check in the Oregon House and helped aid its passage. He championed payday lending regulation which resulted in 2/3 predatory lenders leaving the state. Merkley worked to lower prescription drug prices by allowing small businesses to purchase in bulk. Merkley helped pass a bill that allows families to use paid sick days as part of medical leave while they care for a loved one or recover from an illness. Merkley also passed an 18% education funding increase and created a savings account for public schools. Merkley also helped pass a car title lending law to cap high interest rates and fees for car title loans. Jeff Merkley grew up in a working family and was the first in his family to go to college. Merkley has proven that he values work over wealth. Gordon Smith otoh.....
What will Gordon Smith do for working families? Smith will work to cut taxes for the rich and big oil and fight against the rights of working Oregonians. Gordon Smith will not fight for fair wages or protection for employees in the workplace. Gordon Smith will fight against lowering prescription drug prices, like he has in the Senate. Gordon Smith is another anti-working family Republican and he needs to go!
Join Me in Supporting Jeff Merkley!
I've been supporting Jeff Merkley for months now and have been very happy to advocate on his behalf. I believe wholeheartedly that he'll be one of the strongest and most talented progressive Senators if we help elect him. We're going to need volunteers to help ensure that Oregonians get to know the real Gordon Smith. We're going to need donations to help send fightin' progressive Jeff Merkley to the Senate. I set up an Act Blue Page for Jeff Merkley, if you can afford to, please considering throwing some change to very deserving progressive Democrat.