The Stout Republican

I am not a pro union guy. I have stated here in the past that unions once served as vessel for positive change, but those times are long since past, and along with the Beta and Vinyl, there are a few that feverishly hold on to the ideal and long for the old days. Collective bargaining has been replaced with choice. The job market is much more fluid today…living…breathing. As unions try to keep their heads above water with the threats of new markets (Walmart as an example) they’ve turned their attention to paying the political machine, and internal intimidation.

In a classic “we’re watching you” move, the Democrats have agreed to continue to push legislation that would require that workers voting to unionize not be allowed to cast secret ballots. From Captain’s Quarters:

How will it restore labor’s position? Through intimidation and fear. Rather than conducting elections by secret ballot, the workers would be forced to fill out union cards instead, identifying them and their vote on unionization It doesn’t take a genius to understand that people opposed to unionizing their workplace might feel a little intimidated if they knew that the union could identify everyone who voted against them. The unions aren’t exactly known for a history of milquetoast tactics, and putting that kind of information into their hands will win them elections just from fear of retaliation.

In fact, that’s the reason America uses secret ballots for elections. We have seen the results of elections where voters have to identify their ballots, rather than just their registration. People like Saddam Hussein win 99.8% of votes in elections under those conditions. Secret ballots allow voters in any kind of election to vote without fear of retribution — and we should treat demands to eliminate the secret-ballot system with great skepticism.

The dying dinosaur in the embodiment of unions has adopted intimidation as their technique. If you’re not with us, we’ll know. It’s a last gasp for membership and power in a changing, evolving workplace where unions are becoming more and more obsolete. Workers of the world unite?

The unions feed off of the same “Us vs. Them” mentality that drives the Decmocratic party in general. No…not the “Us vs. Them” in regards to terrorism or international enemies, that would be silly. The “them” of the rich, the white collar, the Republicans. “Them” is the managers, the corporations…”Us” is the Worker…abused and under appreciated. The Unions fight for you, like it or not, and you better be willing to have them fight for you, because you as the worker, can’t do it yourself.

Unions dare you to disagree, and they want your name and address attached if you speak up. So to me it doesn’t seem that legislation like this helps the worker, as much as it helps the politcal machine of the Union itself. So why aren’t Democrats fighting for the little people? Easy…follow the money.

Democrats, Senate

The Democrats are sending a bill through to President Bush filled with pork. Lots of Pork. Juicy meaty pork.

Thank to Chuck Hagel for getting it through the Senate…or “Fredo” as some pundits endearingly call him. So it seems they’re dead set for defeat…or are they?

I propose a new timetable. Since General Pelosi has sworn that she will not give up in pursuing…well…surrender, I suggest that the Republicans provide a bill that has a time-table for the bill that is being pursued. If the bill cannot get through the proper constitutional steps (pass house/senate, veto, pass a much more difficult house/senate) within a preordained amount of time…let’s say…three weeks (”this congress” has been already trying for weeks…that’s plenty of time), then the pursuit of the bill should be abandoned, and the congress shamed.

They’ve said that they’ll never give up trying to give up…but never is such an abstract word. In a world with so much grays, I’m sure their constituents want results…and with the “American Mandate”, I don’t think it’s unreasonable that they let the general public know exactly when their noble endeavor should be abandoned. Pay no mind to the fact that the Republicans would know exactly how long they have to hold out until they get their way…that’s just a ridiculous line of thought. Telling the Republican “freedom fighter” (that’s what they opposition party lieks to be known as) when they’re going to surrender their aspirations of yellow-doggery only puts more pressure on those aides who work for the House and the Senate to draft a quick, concise bill that everyone can get behind…it does nothing to comfort and aide those on the right…

Hmmm…it’s not like they’ve got better things to do:

President Bush’s request for $103 billion to fund the Global War on Terror and hurricane relief efforts has ballooned into a $124 billion measure stuffed full of pork! Much of the additional $21 billion is aimed at projects that have nothing to do with the War or hurricane relief, such $283 million for the Milk Income Loss Contract program, $74 million for peanut storage costs, $60.4 million for salmon fisheries, $50 million for asbestos mitigation at the U.S. Capitol Plant, and $25 million for spinach growers.

Shoot…what’s with this “buying” of favors. Sounds…well…Clintonian.

P.S. Never Forget

House, Senate

What If The Democrats had taken a more decisive majority of the Senate? What if they actually enacted their agenda?

Congress, Democrats, House, Senate, Video Cast

Googlebomb? Ethically is it fair to level the playing field using the same tools as the enemy? The information is out there…push it to the top of the list right…

Senate

Connecticut: Ned Lamont
Maryland: Ben Cardin
Michigan: Debbie Stanbenow
Missouri: Claire McCaskill
Montana: Jon Tester
New Jersey: Bob Menendez
Tennessee: Harold Ford
Virginia: James Webb

Democrat Held Seats

(CO-03): John Salazar
(GA-03): Jim Marshall
(GA-12): John Barrow
(IA-03): Leonard Boswell
(IL-08): Melissa Bean
(IL-17): Phil Hare
(IN-07): Julia Carson
(NC-13): Brad Miller
(PA-12): John Murtha
(WV-01): Alan Mollohan

Republican Held Seats

(AZ-08): Gabrielle Giffords
(CT-04): Diane Farrell
(CT-05): Chris Murphy
(CO-07): Ed Perlmutter
(IA-01): Bruce Braley
(IL-06): Tammy Duckworth
(IN-02): Joe Donnelly
(IN-08): Brad Ellsworth
(IN-09): Baron Hill
(FL-13): Christine Jennings
(FL-16): Tim Mahoney
(FL-22): Ron Klein
(KY-03): John Yarmuth
(NC-01): Heath Shuler
(MN-06): Patty Wetterling
(NM-01): Patricia Madrid
(NY-20): Kirsten Gillibrand
(NY-24): Michael Arcuri
(NY-26): Jack Davis
(OH-15): Mary Jo Kilroy
(OH-18): Zack Space
(PA-06): Lois Murphy
(PA-08): Patrick Murphy
(PA-07): Joe Sestak
(PA-10): Chris Carney
(VA-02): Phil Kellam
(WI-08): Steve Kagen

MUAHAHAH

Blogs and Alternative Media, Congress, Democrats, House, Senate

They can’t really make a stance, and Maryland’s Michael Steele articulates it very well.

Click through to Hot Air to view the Video…

From Lovely Miss Mary Katherine Ham:

If the surge keeps up, get ready for some really nasty racist attacks from liberals. After all, it’s kinda their M.O. Act like racists (click through for more liberal blackfacing!), project that racism on conservatives, and race-bait like all get-out to solidify the black vote. Men like Steele make that much harder, which makes liberals nastier. It could get ugly.

I love the fact that Steele points out Cardin’s plan, is to have a plan. I think he’s probably from the Kerry School of Thought…where a plan is just an abstract refence to a possible future absolute…maybe. If it’s truly about the best man for the job, then Steele is that man, and as of today he has the backing of Prince George Counties local black leaders. It’s really quite amazing to see that the Democrats might not be able to hold the black vote so solidly and unquestioningly as they have in the past…

The Senate will hold ladies and gentlemen, as will the House, now hopefully the fat happy Republicans will eek this out just enough to straighten up…time to start your wagers.

Senate

First Clinton, now Harry….boo freakin hoo…hard questions sure get their rich white panties in a knot.

The right wing conspiracy machine Associated Press (bwahaha) keeps on cranking out…(*gasp*)…facts about Mr. Reid’s shady land dealings in Nevada…”Culture of Corruption” comes to mind, but I don’t want to be banal.

The complex dealings allowed Reid to transfer ownership, legal liability and some tax consequences to Brown’s company without public knowledge, but still collect a seven-figure payoff nearly three years later.

Reid hung up the phone when questioned about the deal during an AP interview last week.

Mature…real mature…

Is this a real big deal? As Allah (PBUH) points out…probably not. Complex, and involves congressional ethics details that would probably put Robert Byrd in a-kkk-oma. Besides…Democrats are morally above the fray right?

When I grow up, I want to be a Bergler? And what the F ever happened to Joe Biden…has he pulled himself out of the spotlight?

Congress, Democrats, Senate

In a political move that left them with Red Bellies, not to be confused with Pork Bellies, the Democrats tried to garner support for a useless no confidence vote today in the Senate:

Even Democrats acknowledged that the Rumsfeld resolution, which is nonbinding in the first place, would be struck down on a point of order anyway since it is not germane to the pending legislation, the Pentagon spending bill.

I guess that would make it…useless…moot…liberal…stupid…(they’re all synonyms)

“What CEO of a company could ultimately perform the way that Secretary Rumsfeld has performed and still be at the head of that company? None,” said Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J.

Wait a second, is that a thinly veiled pro-business mentality…I’m confused here…the CEO of Walmart has performed pretty well, and they want him punished.

“It must be discouraging to our troops and to our generals when all of their work is second-guessed by this kind of ploy,” said Senate Majority Whip Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. “The Democrat amendment may rile up the liberal base, but it won’t kill a single terrorist or prevent a single attack.”

Good point Sir…good point. But why would Democrats want to kill or prevent. They’re pacifists for God’s sake! I mean…for non-descript-mother-earth’s sake! And even though the Democrats still waves their hankies in front of their eyes, and played for the cameras, the whole thing went down in flames…somewhere, Nancy Pelosi’s soul turned over in it’s grave, and Ted Kennedy had a Martini…extra dry…neither shaken, nor stirred, but directly from the bottle’s teet (long eeeee).

At the end of the day…all we have is Hot Air to coddle us, and send us to bed with smiles on our faces…praise Allah (pundit that is).

Democrats, Senate

Are you for the environment?
Are you homosexual, or related to someone homosexual?
Are you an atheist?
Are you a minority?
Are you a teacher?
Are you in a union?
Do you care about children?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then you must register as a Democrat…right? While there may be no room for dissenting opinions in the higher echelons of party management, they still play off the idea that they are a party of intellectual inclusion…but…:

Throughout the past year, Pelosi has demanded that Democrats unanimously oppose G.O.P. bills. By denying the G.O.P votes from across the aisle, Democrats have forced moderate Republicans to back bills like those cutting Medicaid and other social programs that fiscally conservative Republicans have insisted on, votes for which Democrats have then attacked moderate Republicans in television ads. Pelosi has also ordered Democrats not to work on bills or even hold press conferences with Republicans whom the party is trying to defeat in November.

And yet, through all of this, the non-inclusive one mind Democratic party that refuses to debate ideas among themselves continues to market (very effectively) to people who feel very passionate about one subject…if you can stigmatize the other side as hate filled, then you can unite people against them. I think the Democrats have done a fine job of making people dislike and distrust Republicans, but have done very little to make people like Democrats. Republicans do have a wide variety of issues they believe in, or will stand against, and the entire congress is not united behind the President (remember Harriet Myers…remember the Ports Deal) 100% of the time, and that’s a good thing…but heaven forbid Democrats emulate honesty, or truly wish to reflect the diversity of opinion that their party has…and I know exists, but the Democrats refuse to publicly embrace and debate.

As the party of hotbutton issues, they have been able to effectively unite against people, but behind their front lines, is very little that they stand for. For example, where do the Democrats stand on Social Security?

When Bush announced his Social Security plan last year, Pelosi told House Democrats they could never beat him in a straight-ahead, policy-against-policy debate because he had the megaphone of the presidency and was just coming off re-election. So the Democrats would thunderously attack Bush and argue there was no Social Security crisis and therefore no need for them to put out their own proposal. Some members were leery, concerned that Pelosi would make the Democrats look like the Party of No. As the spring of 2005 wore on, some pestered her every week, asking when they were going to release a rival plan. “Never. Is never good enough for you?” Pelosi defiantly said to one member.

The Democrats have been aggressive enough against the weak legged conservatives in congress, and have managed to back them into a corner over and over again, defending themselves against any number of issues…but never calling the Democrats out for their lack of a tangible “plan” (they talk about the plan an awful lot…it’s still somewhere locked away with Al Gore and John Kerry’s personalities).

The best part…if you argue with a liberal about this, they truly believe that they don’t need to have a plan…they don’t need to have the answers…but they don’t need any. Try it…ask a liberal how they would solve social security, the war on Iraq, or how they believe they can out do the presidents booming economy…chances are they’ll say they don’t need to prove anything, Bush is already doing it bad enough…and they truly believe that’s a intellectually sound position to take.

Moonbats, Senate