Democratic Talk Radio 2008 Villain & Hero Awards
December 23, 2008
by Stephen Crockett
Political villains were rampant in 2008. It was impossible to give a single award for the injustices committed for solely political reasons this past year. For the first time ever, Democratic Talk Radio was unable to even narrow the infamous winners to just two. We have selected three “Villains of 2008” to share the award.
Our first choice is obvious. Fox News wins the first 2008 villain slot for their disinformation campaign against ACORN. The efforts of Fox News to provide political cover for Republican efforts at voter suppression during the 2008 elections were, in the opinion of Democratic Talk Radio, the lowest thing ever done by Fox News.
The second winner for 2008 political villain is George McGovern. Fans of Democratic Talk Radio may be surprised by this choice. Frankly, we never expected to be giving a former Democratic Presidential candidate a villain of the year award. However, McGovern has lent his name to the Right-Wing, corporate effort to undermine workers’ right to unionize. George McGovern has allied himself with the anti-worker efforts to defeat the Employee Free Choice Act.
His TV commercials are frankly an open act on working Americans. McGovern has disgraced himself by joining with the most anti-working class political forces in America and misleading the American public on the nature of the Employee Free Choice Act.
The Senate Republicans out to destroy the American auto industry and the United Auto Workers union are our third villainous winners. Senator Corker of Tennessee, Senator Shelby of Alabama, Senator McConnell of Kentucky, Senator Vitter of Louisiana and their fellow Senate Republicans put the interests of foreign corporations over the interests of the American economy. Since all were opposed by the United Auto Workers in previous elections because of their militantly anti-worker voting records, their efforts are obviously motivated by personal political considerations that directly undermine the national interest. These Senate Republicans have sided with foreign companies to drive down the wages and healthcare benefits of American workers.
The hero of the year selected by Democratic Talk Radio is Al Franken. The American nation should be delighted at his political courage and determination. By insisting that all the votes be counted in the 2008 Minnesota Senate race, Franken has set a good example for all candidates running for office and for American voters. American Democracy has been strengthened by his resolve.
Al Franken will be a great asset should he eventually prevail when all the votes are finally counted. Norm Coleman has been very aggressive in his attempts to undermine a free and fair counting of the ballots.
Comments
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Bob's Bail Out Plan by bobl-tlm
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How Do You Like Deregulation Now? graphic politics by Dicky Neely
Of all the possibilities you pick George McGovern? His criticism of EFCA is that it ends workers ability to vote by secret ballot. Is that a big deal? Seems so to me. EFCA supporters will claim that under this law, the “workers” still can decide to vote by secret ballot. If a union organizer gets over 50% of the workers to sign union cards, is it realistic to think that they will then suggest that a secret ballot be held, when they can get instant unionization by providing the signed cards to the labor board? I don’t believe that the ends justify the means.
The current union election system is absolutely rigged against workers. You could often cast “secret ballots” in dictatorships like Nazi Germany, Saddam’s Iraq, the Soviet Union, etc. but those elections were not free or fair.
The current system is marked by illegal actions by corporations because penalties are a joke. Union organizers are not able to campaign in the place of employment but employers can force employees to listen to their anti-union arguments. One on one pressure can be placed on workers by management and almost always does happen. Workers are often fired by employers to stop union drives.
The Employee Choice Act actually removes employer intimidation from the process. It actually promotes workplace democracy.
Polling data routinely shows that 55% to 67% of workers want to be union members. Only 13% are union members because the process is rigged against real workplace democracy.
Employers should have zero say in the decision of their workers to unionize or not. Employers are not subject to worker pressure when they decide to join business associations! It is like having China or France directly involved in the conduct of American elections. It is simply wrong. The Employee Free Choice Act changes the process so workers get to make a free choice without outside involvement by those who would directly profit from workers being denied a free choice.
George McGovern disgraced himself.
Workers made their choice when they signed the union cards. Why should employers get an opportunity to reverse that decision by using pressure, intimidation and illegal activities?