National Card Check Fight Goes Local, Again
Monday, March 22nd, 2010 by AdminWhere have we seen this kind of play calling?
LITTLE ROCK – Jim Keet isn’t running against Mike Beebe in the Arkansas governor’s race. He’s running against Barack Obama.
Squaring off against a popular Democratic governor who’s so far been immune to his national party’s woes, Keet and Republicans are trying to nationalize the race for the state’s top elected position.
From calling on the state Legislature to reject any health insurance mandates issued by the federal government to opposing key union organizing legislation, Keet has made it clear his main target in this year’s gubernatorial election – Washington.
That was evident when Keet – a soft-spoken restaurant owner and former legislator who says he considers Beebe a friend – announced his run for governor earlier this month. Speaking at the state Capitol, Keet held up a copy of Obama’s book “The Audacity of Hope” as he laid out his campaign plans.
He complained about so-called “card check” legislation that’s stalled in Congress that would make it easier for workers to unionize, and said he was worried about the nation’s spiraling debt.
“I absolutely think that we, as a minority party, need to offer constructive ideas which address the challenges we face rather than participate in the usual political games and divisiveness we find in Washington,” Keet said.
Virginia, most notable. That’s where Gov. Bob McDonnell used his opposition to card check and cap and trade as a crucial piece of rallying the public against those measures and to his side. It was successful there, and we’ve seen several important Congressional fights across the country where the same conversation is occurring.
Tags: Arkansas
