Card Check loses a vote? Perhaps
posted at 3:35 pm on December 17, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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Marc Ambinder believes Arkansas Senator Blanche Lincoln has announced her opposition to Card Check, the legislation that would remove the secret ballot from union organizing elections. The report to which Marc links seems less conclusive than suggestive, though any wiggle room on this point means troubles for backers of the EFCA:
Sen. Blanche Lincoln says she doesn’t think federal legislation that would allow labor organizations to unionize workplaces without secret-ballot elections is necessary. But in an interview with The Associated Press today, Lincoln gave herself room to support the measure if it’s brought up later.
I’d be a lot more sanguine about this if Lincoln had expressed principled opposition to the idea of forcing workers to vote publicly and lose the protection of the secret ballot. George McGovern had no problem making that argument on two different occasions this year (see links below). Lincoln’s argument that the unions don’t need Card Check leave open the possibility that she can be convinced otherwise. Expect the SEIU, AFL-CIO, and AFSCME to amp up the pressure on Lincoln in the next few weeks to get her on the Card Check bandwagon.
Hopefully, though, Lincoln will stick to her guns. She has shown remarkable independence from the unions already, joining Max Baucus and Jon Tester as the only three Democrats to oppose the Big 3 Bailout last week by supporting the Republican filibuster. If she sticks to her skepticism about Card Check, the measure will probably not come up in the 111th Congress — and perhaps Baucus and Tester might join her on this as well.
Previous posts on Card Check:
- Video: Blago, SEIU, and Card Check
- DeMint conference call: Card Check, bailouts
- Card Check: A direct pipeline to corruption and abuse
- Can Obama get Democrats to support Card Check?
- Video: The Card Check ad CBS doesn’t want you to see
- Irony escapes the House Democratic Caucus
- Guess who used the secret ballot … again?
- Video: Meet Union Boss Bill
- USA Today: Stop Card Check …
- Video: McGovern on Card Check
- George McGovern to fight Card Check in debate ad
- Video: What if Congress passed Card Check for all elections?
- FRC Action Summit: Barbara Comstock on EFCA
- George McGovern: Stop Card Check
- Where did the SEIU get $150 million for politics?
- Right Online Conference: John Fund
- Maybe this is why they need Card Check?
- Video: “I Hate Heroes”
- Johnny Sac takes on the unions
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This isn’t about principle with her, it’s about political pressure and reelection. She’s walking a very fine line here and her decision will have repercussions. She is very vulnerable for 2010.
CP on December 17, 2008 at 3:41 PM
Heresy!
Akzed on December 17, 2008 at 3:41 PM
When GM is finally dead, and the UAW decides that Tennesee, Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi auto plants need to be unionized, Blanche will decide to protect her political health, and vote accordingly on card check. Fortunately for her, the current bailouts may allow GM to survive until her vote is after the 2010 election cycle.
Vashta.Nerada on December 17, 2008 at 3:43 PM
Card check as envisioned by the Democrats is just a return to the bad old days of Union Mob Racketeering.
Snake307 on December 17, 2008 at 3:46 PM
Arkansas Senator Blanche Lincoln
Wal-Mart probably told her it’d be a shame about all those campaign contributions drying up. I doubt she’s opposing simply because it’s the wrong thing.
rbj on December 17, 2008 at 3:48 PM
hopefully, there is another possibility that might reduce the chances of card check, the criminal relations many unions have with elected Democrats might just put some fear into Congress, we shall see.
rob verdi on December 17, 2008 at 3:50 PM
That’s my senator!!!
Seriously, unions & Arkansas mix about as well as prop 8 & west hollywood.
as a “right to work” state, unions are a bad word.
she’d be CRAZY to vote for the card check. she’s up for re-election in 2010.
wanna know the best thing? she’s an intelligent woman, cares about the state, and yet, in 2004, she won 54%-46% against some guy that absolutely no one had ever heard of. NO ONE. his entire campaign consisted of ZERO tv ads, the only thing he had going for him were lawn signs that said his name…………and a Jesus fish.
For real. NObody knew him, everybody ’sorta’ liked Blanche, but seeing a JEsus fish on a sign got him 46%.
Yeah, I’d say she’s vulnerable. as much as i can stand Huck-a-sham, he could win that seat in a cakewalk
battleoflepanto1571 on December 17, 2008 at 4:15 PM
Oh, this is a very safe bet. A friend who works in their Labor Relations group said that they’re ready to go to war on this issue.
Nekulturny on December 17, 2008 at 4:16 PM
There should never be a card check post or story that does not mention the amount of $$ donated by unions (especially the SEIU) to those considering voting on it.
MayBee on December 17, 2008 at 4:24 PM
Arkansas has low unemployment and a low cost of living rate. People don’t need unions to have a good standard of living there.
MayBee on December 17, 2008 at 4:27 PM
Harry might not be able to count on Tim Johnson (D-SD), either. I think Johnson was ill when the vote last came up. SD is a right-to-work state (with no corporate/personal income tax, too) that has been stealing jobs for years from the People’s Socialist Republic of Minnesota.
Johnson just won re-election, so he might think it would be a long time before he’d be accountable. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, the Rep, would be up in two years again, though, and is head of the Blue Dog caucus.
Wethal on December 17, 2008 at 4:30 PM
Bingo.
She probably got the call from Tyson Foods, too.
Venusian Visitor on December 17, 2008 at 4:48 PM
Sooner or later, any “Lincoln” comes around. Except for that overpriced crap Ford makes and passes off as a luxury vehicle. Have you seen the new MKZs? GOD!
Apologetic California on December 17, 2008 at 4:50 PM
You guys making the Wal-Mart comments are spot-on. Lincoln’s true master is the Wal-Mart
grdred944 on December 17, 2008 at 5:14 PM
I hope Wal-Mart flexes every muscle they have to prevent Card Check.
Done That on December 17, 2008 at 5:25 PM
Unions are champions of inefficiency. Plus, you’d be a fool to stand near the exit at 5:00.
perroviejo on December 17, 2008 at 6:03 PM
Blanche Lincoln, aka Blank Stare, is my Senator as well and I happen to work in the Wal-Mart Home Office. She knows she’s a Dem in a Red state and can be defeated. Voting for card check would be a loser for her.
DerKrieger on December 17, 2008 at 6:27 PM
Arkansas, the state where Wal-Mart, the biggest retailer in the U.S. and a consistent opponent of unionization, is headquartered.
I don’t think there’s much likelihood of her voting for card check. Re-election is everything.
theregoestheneighborhood on December 18, 2008 at 12:37 AM