Posts Tagged ‘Sen. Blanche Lincoln’
AR: Card Check and Union Power
In close races things can get ugly. Just ask the Democrats in the primary for the Arkansas Senate seat. And as races get closer, and uglier, important issues take on a starring role. In this case, the fight is over card check — as with its legislative embodiment, the Employee Free Choice Act — is turning into a proxy over how much power union officials should have to shape the work lives of Americans and our economy.
Indeed, the New York Times and its top labor reporter writes, “The unions have made the race here the centerpiece of a new effort to hold union-backed candidates accountable for their votes after they are elected.”
Union officials claim Sen. Blanche Lincoln has not shown enough support for the measure, which is one reason unions are spending millions and millions of their members dues dollars to try to run her out of office. Meanwhile, her challenger and union favorite, Bill Halter, is doing his best just not to answer any questions about his stance on card check. Who can blame him? It’s a no-win situation: either do right by Americans and condemn card check or get booted from the Big Labor gravy train.
Somehow the fight has turned into one of Bill Halter and President Obama on one side and Sen. Lincoln and former President (and Arkansas governor) Bill Clinton on the other. Here’s the former president’s thoughts, which have been turned into a TV ad:
Card Check: Roundup
- Getting litmus testy in Arkansas: Politico reports, “Sen. Blanche Lincoln said Wednesday she would not agree to a fourth debate with Lt. Gov. Bill Halter until he takes a clear position on controversial card check legislation.” Local columnist Brummett says, “Ask him in a debate, senator.”
- More litmus test: It’s card check and education for unions in Florida
- FYI: Judge upholds secret ballot measure for SD ballot
Employee Free Choice Act: No In Its Current Form, No Compromise On Key Issues
Arkansas Sen. Blanche Lincoln, a Democrat, is saying no to the Employee Free Choice Act:
“I cannot support that bill,” Lincoln said, according to one attendee. “Cannot support that bill in its current form. Cannot support and will not support moving it forward in its current form.”
But organized labor isn’t giving up on EFCA in its current form, according to Politico:
AFL-CIO spokesman Eddie Vale just sent us a statement taking issue with the idea that this is the “final nail” for EFCA, noting that Lincoln says she can’t support the bill in its current form.
Sen. Lincoln is right to note the bill is unacceptable as is — but as Associated Builders and Contractors members will tell you, there can’t be any compromise that involves the effective elimination of a well-considered election period (read: no shifty quickie elections) and government interference in private contracts.
