After the healthcare vote, Big Labor talked long and loud about “holding accountable” those Senators and Congressmen who didn’t quite toe the “union” line (and we’re talking Democrats here). However, as push comes to shove in the upcoming midterm elections, the AFSCME is spending a record $90 million, much of it devoted to candidates that had been previously blackballed by the union for being too conservative (meaning they didn’t support Obama-style healthcare reform). In Big Labor’s eyes, any Democrat is better than the best Republican. Former pariahs Frank Kratovil Jr. of Maryland, Betsy Markey of Colorado, and Zack Space of Ohio are receiving a huge boost in their struggles for electoral survival. The SEIU had originally put up a web site to encourage voters to oppose Space in the general election! Democrats are walking a tightrope. Big Labor’s reputation has plummeted in the eyes of most Americans, but the special interest group is still one of the largest cash cows for liberal politics. As conservative Dems have attempted to retain the support of their constituencies, they have often found themselves at odds with Big Labor objectives. As we have discussed several times in the last few months, the lame duck session activity will be interesting to watch, as Democrats may attempt to use their what possibly may be their last window in quite some time to keep their Daddy Warbucks happy.
