The LA Times story is about that protest.
The screening [Won't Back Down] was not an official convention event, but required approval from the highest levels of the White House and the Democratic Party, according to the Huffington Post. In a measure of blessing, convention chairman and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa stopped by to speak briefly to the attendees.
When a leader of the overhaul [deform] movement was hired to be Obama's spokeswoman for California, the California Federation of Teachers told state Democratic officials that if she was not fired, the union might not "participate" in Obama's reelection effort. The spokeswoman remains on the Obama team.Wow, "might not participate" -- fighting words. The Obama people must have laughed themselves silly.
Think Chicago --- if Rahm Emanuel smashes the teacher strike while Obama is of course silent, how many Chicago teachers do you think "might not participate." Does anyone think it possible that Obama loses his home state? Remember how Adrian Fenty, an up and coming Washington DC politician, has his career ruined by Michelle Rhee's stewardship of the DC schools. If that should happen to Obama I will have mixed feelings because I despise the Republicans so much. But then there are plenty of Dems to despise too.
I know one thing. I won't be giving money to Obama or get up at 6AM to go to Allentown as a volunteer. Multiply me by thousands of teachers who might vote for Obama but won't be getting out the vote and there may very well be some chickens coming home to roost despite the absolutely awful lying Republican candidates who will lead us into a Greater Depression than the Great Depression.
How can you acknowledge the disaster that Romney-Ryan would be for education and our country then say that you will vote for Obama but not work to defeat Romney? Please reconsider. At least with the Democrats we share a philosophy and have a voice at the table. With Republicans we are dinosaurs needed to be phased out in favor of corporate schools.
ReplyDeleteOops! I meant to say "With Republicans we are dinosaurs needing to be phased out in favor of corporate schools."
ReplyDeleteI can acknowledge the disaster of Romney-Ryan for education -- a shade more than the disaster Obama has been. We don't have a voice at the table -- unless you mean Randi and assume her voice is our voice (it isn't). But given the other issues beyond education certainly Romney will be a disaster -- maybe a worse depression than the big one. There is a perverse view that the bigger the disaster for unions the sooner they will be reformed --- like Chicago. It is not acceptable for the unions to function the way they have been --- tear down that wall, Mr. Mulgrew. So as RBE has pointed out do we go along with slow strangulation or the quick chop? I look at it from the point of view of what brings forth the greatest resistance. Obama divides democrats from the progressives. Romney might unite them.
ReplyDeleteThe republicans became big spenders and lost their base and thus the Tea Party was born. I believe that our party has abandoned those of us in labor in favor
ReplyDeleteOf hedge fund limitless cash... I believe they need to get their ass kicked and then maybe they will come back to their roots in labor. Thus perhaps we can have our own COFFEE PARTY. Obama is a dud on every level...He is Romney light....I am voting green. I feel a Romney presidency might help us in the long run better than a slow death by Obama....Stepping back to take two steps forward.
Yes, you may be thinking long-term and may be right. At some point progressives have to send a message to Democrats. I didn't think much of Clinton too -- and in the 2nd term didn't vote for him. Clinton took the party and turned it into a moderate Republican Party. We need the party of FDR.
ReplyDeleteStill waiting for the slightest sign from Obama and/or the nat'l party that term #2 will be different w. respect to education.
ReplyDeleteI'm not seeing anything. What do they *expect* us to do?
I'm voting Green. The Democrats have made it clear that they will continue to move right until they are heldaccountable. Today's Democrats keep pushing 90's GOP policies, Romney Care, and race to the top being prime examples. Dr. Jill Stein stands with unions, I've seen her walking shoes in action, and I'm giving my vote to her so she can keep doing it.
ReplyDelete