Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS)
Sen. Pat Roberts is
bragging about being named a "Champion of the Worker." The Virginia-dwelling, Kansas-representing Republican was so dubbed by the Competitive Enterprise Institute. So what's the Competitive Enterprise Institute and exactly what does it think makes a legislator a champion of the worker? With Pat Roberts getting that title, you know the answer is going to be good.
The Competitive Enterprise Institute is cagey about its funders, but the Washington Post looked into the sponsors of its 2013 fundraising dinner. At the top of the list was Google, violating its "Don't be evil" slogan; Facebook joined in, too. But sponsors also included not one, not two, but three Koch brothers foundations or groups, Murray Energy (that would be this guy) and a bunch of other energy companies, Rudy Giuliani's law firm, the pharmaceutical industry, and more along those lines.
While CEI is cagey about its funders, it's very open about what goes into its congressional scorecard. Here are a few of the votes CEI wanted members of Congress to take as part of its mission to "support worker freedom and the elimination of Big Labor’s privileges across the country." Pat Roberts, it should be noted got a perfect score.
Paycheck Fairness Act: No
Minimum Wage Fairness Act: No
Emergency Unemployment Compensation Act: No
Employment Non-Discrimination Act: No
Just about every nomination President Obama has made in any way pertaining to economic or labor policy: No
So there you have it: Pat Roberts is a "champion of the worker" for voting against raising the minimum wage, voting against ending workplace discrimination against LGBT workers, voting against strengthening enforcement of equal pay laws, and voting against an emergency unemployment insurance extension.