Posts Tagged ‘Lobbying’
Card Check: Big Labor Makes It Rain For Congress
OK, by now most of us know the deal: Union officials have poured hundreds of millions of dollars into lobbying and supporting politicians who will cram the horrifyingly misnamed Employee Free Choice Act down America’s throat. One union official even openly declared EFCA was the “payback” Big Labor sought for its investment, even though the issue has become toxic for politicians.
So it’s noteworthy that CQToday reports (behind a password) that “Unions top the list of biggest campaign contributors in first half of 2009″. Consider these facts and figures from the report: In just 6 months Big Labor spent more than $10 million of their members’ money. That is a staggering figure, given that there are just 545 elected officials in the legislative branch.
Those numbers are even more shocking given the industries Big Labor outspent during a time when the legislature and president are haggling over economy-changing bills on health care and energy. Union officials managed to out-cash Health care, finance/insurance, transportation, energy/natural resources, ideological groups, communication/technology, retail/services, defense, real estate/construction, law, and manufacturing.
The spending spree is also telling for where the money’s coming from. Major union groups — including the AFL-CIO and SEIU — have reportedly already spent themselves into deficits or near deficits. That means they are fighting for the whole enchilada on EFCA.
Click here to learn more about Big Labor’s lobbying from OpenSecrets.org.
