Do unions have the oomph to stop Obama's trade agenda

[Vigilante]

Union THUGERY, getting THUGGED???? I'd bet fat ass here isn't smiling! BUT HE has NO BALLS to back up his threats!!!!

Politico ^
The AFL-CIO’s bold announcement that it would withhold contributions to congressional Democrats in advance of votes on fast-track trade protection authority thrilled labor supporters and annoyed many Democrats. But it remains to be seen whether the move will impede the Obama administration’s trade agenda — or merely become the latest illustration of unions’ declining clout. The AFL-CIO has tried such moves in the past — including during the 1993 fight over the North American Free Trade Agreement — only to be defeated and then resume funding Democrats again. Now, with a wide margin of pro-trade Republicans in the House and...

 

[Sonny Clark]

Union THUGERY, getting THUGGED???? I'd bet fat ass here isn't smiling! BUT HE has NO BALLS to back up his threats!!!!

Politico ^
The AFL-CIO’s bold announcement that it would withhold contributions to congressional Democrats in advance of votes on fast-track trade protection authority thrilled labor supporters and annoyed many Democrats. But it remains to be seen whether the move will impede the Obama administration’s trade agenda — or merely become the latest illustration of unions’ declining clout. The AFL-CIO has tried such moves in the past — including during the 1993 fight over the North American Free Trade Agreement — only to be defeated and then resume funding Democrats again. Now, with a wide margin of pro-trade Republicans in the House and...

Our foreign trade agreements and policies are unfair, unjust, and one-sided. All Americans, not just unions, should be screaming and protesting any foreign trade agreements that aren't fair, equal, and balanced. We've lost way too many industries and jobs due to our foreign trade agreements and policies. It's common knowledge that we can't compete with child labor working in sweat shops, nor can we work for $5.00 a day wages. While we've supported foreign economies, we've sacrificed ours. Instead of putting our work force to work, producing what we use and consume, we import most of what we buy. Our store shelves are filled with foreign made goods, while our work force stands in long unemployment lines and survives off of government assistance programs and unemployment checks.

Over the years, foreign trade agreements and polices have cost us the steel, textile, furniture, appliance, electronics, tool, toy, farm equipment, and housewares industries. Those industries provided living wages and self-supporting jobs that covered all education and skill levels. Those skills and trades were passed down from generation to generation, and now many of those skills are lost and forgotten. There was a time, back in the 50's and 60's, that plants and factories were on almost every street corner in America. Now, some of those towns and communities have become ghost towns with old run down buildings that once ran 24 hours a day.

When unions kept demanding higher pay and more company paid benefits, they didn't realize that they were pricing themselves out of a job. But, when foreign trade agreements made is easy for cheap foreign imports to flood our markets, union made products became too expensive for non-union workers to afford. The results were closed steel mills, then the textile mills closed, then we lost the electronics industry, and others soon followed. Unrestricted foreign trade agreements basically put America out of work. And, we can add high union wages as a direct cause also.

During this time, our population was rapidly growing, and people were living longer. In addition, advances in technology, innovation, and automation were allowing employers to produce more with less employees. It became a job-killing combination, and we're feeling the socioeconomic pains as we speak. We have way more workers than jobs, and people are working passed the age of 60 and up. And, to add insult to injury, we're off-shore out-sourcing jobs, importing labor, and have millions of illegal immigrants living and working in this country.

One effect of all of this, is that we have been forced to lower our standard of living. We have a disappearing Middle Class, and the ranks of the poor grow each day. Wages are creeping up at a snail's pace, the cost of living is rising, and employers are offering less company paid benefits. We have 47 million on food stamps, and half of our children are living at or below the poverty line. We're moving backwards economically, and have become import dependent to the point of way less jobs than can meet the demand. America no longer produces what America uses and consumes. We've become consumers and not producers. Until America once again produces what America uses and consumes, what we're seeing and experiencing now is about the best we can hope for.

Remember, we have college grads living with parents and flipping burgers to make a little spending money. A college degree doesn't mean much when there are no jobs. In many cases, workers aren't making enough money to support the retail businesses. We see malls closing, and many mom and pop stores have gone under. We have large retail chains such as Radio Shack closing doors, and others have closed before them. Consumers don't have enough spendable income in their pockets to support the retail stores. The stores that are doing great, such as Wal-Mart, are selling cheap foreign imports, and not American made products. We do NOT need more foreign trade agreements, period. And, if we do enter into additional foreign trade agreements, we should demand that they be fair, equal, and balanced foreign trade agreements, and not the unfair, unjust, and one-sided ones we have now. Also, unions should realize that they are partially to blame for some of our lost industries.

 

[2aguy]

The funny thing...these unions supported obama...who fully plans on giving other countries the advantage over our companies....and unions.......

Hey union membership...you guys who voted in droves for obama.......

 

[gallantwarrior]

The funny thing...these unions supported obama...who fully plans on giving other countries the advantage over our companies....and unions.......

Hey union membership...you guys who voted in droves for obama.......

Equally amusing is the fact that union thuggery and increasingly unreasonable demands have done nothing to encourage industry/manufacturers to stay here.

 

[Hossfly]

The funny thing...these unions supported obama...who fully plans on giving other countries the advantage over our companies....and unions.......

Hey union membership...you guys who voted in droves for obama.......

Every time you look around, Obama is burning bridges, He uses people, has no loyalty and cares about nothing except the "Holy" Koran. Six years and people have their eyes shut tight.

 

[hipeter924]

The funny thing...these unions supported obama...who fully plans on giving other countries the advantage over our companies....and unions.......

Hey union membership...you guys who voted in droves for obama.......

Equally amusing is the fact that union thuggery and increasingly unreasonable demands have done nothing to encourage industry/manufacturers to stay here.

What I find ironic is that Obama tried to fast track major trade agreements with other countries.

This would have denied America's elected representatives the right to debate, view, and discuss them (since the trade agreements are conducted in total secrecy with no public input).
But Congress refused, and sent Obama packing.

 

[HenryBHough]

When one who hates America is positioned to harm America is it fair to expect Him not to do as much harm as possible?