Yesterday, The Hill reported that another Senate Democrat has expressed reluctance to support Card Check, and this one will sting. Dianne Feinstein’s opinions carry significant weight within her caucus, and her apparent rejection of Big Labor’s prime directive will create more political cover for dissidents in her own caucus — as well as give moderate Republicans room to appease conservatives:
California Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D) on Tuesday told Capitol Hill reporters that she is skeptical of the Employee Free Choice Act, possibly dealing another deadly blow to the legislation.
Feinstein’s skepticism, coming a week after Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) announced his opposition, means Democratic leaders might find themselves in an even deeper hole as they search for 60 votes to move the so-called “card-check” bill.
“I think in this economy that what has to happen is that the unions and management get together and try to see if they can work out something,” Feinstein said. “The card-check bill, as drafted, in this economy, is extraordinarily difficult and I think almost a lightning rod to dissent. I think there are some things that can be done. I’ve talked with both sides and continue to talk to both sides to see if it isn’t possible to work something out.”
Feinstein hedged when asked if she was definitely opposed.
“I’m not on the bill, and I said what I said,” she said.
Ironically, Feinstein’s retreat came as Hollywood charged Capitol Hill. The cast of The West Wing reassembled in Washington to lobby for Card Check’s passage. Martin Sheen and Bradley Whitford criticized Arlen Specter’s reversal on the bill, calling it the “easy way out” for Specter, who has lost a tremendous amount of support among his constituents for his vote on Porkulus. Of course, that also used to be called “listening to your constituents,” but obviously living in the political fanstasyland of The West Wing, Sheen and Whitford only had to listen to themselves and the people who wrote their dialogue for them.
I’m curious as to whether they think Feinstein took the “easy way out,” considering that she represents their state and will easily win re-election regardless of how she votes on Card Check? Or maybe that she has more principle than they do about protecting workers from union intimidation by keeping the secret ballot as a mandatory part of union organizing elections?
Update: No, that’s not Sarah Palin in that pic. I think I’ve had enough fun for the day. Hope you all enjoyed the AFD fun!
Previous posts on Card Check:
- Voinovich: Card Check a bad idea
- Video: Another cautionary Card Check tale
- Card Check: A cautionary tale
- Breaking: Specter commits to opposing Card Check
- Card Check backers: For us, it’s all, or nothing
- Retailers offer compromise on Card Check
- Audio: Mitt Romney on Card Check
- Union employees go on strike … against the union
- Video: SEIU accuses Card Check opponent of wanting workers to die
- Johnson against Card Check, too?
- Video: Murkowski tells AK legislature she’ll oppose Card Check
- Video: Warren Buffett on Card Check
- Video: Blue Dog speaks out against Card Check
- Conference call: Rep. John Kline on Card Check
- The Ed Morrissey Show: Dr. Anne Layne-Farrar, Card Check; John Taylor, Getting Off Track
- Three Dems wavering on Card Check in the Senate?
- Obama tells unions that Card Check will pass this year
- CPAC Interview: Card Check
- Obama moving away from fear-based politics?
- Secret ballots for workers in Mexico, but not the US?
- Will Stern strong-arm unions to join the SEIU?
- Video: Labor officials can’t explain why they need to dump the secret ballot
- Card check a dead letter?
- Audio: Sharpton opposing Card Check?
- Card Check loses a vote? Perhaps
- 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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