The SEIU's Evil Health Care Empire

Like the Borg on Star Trek, the Purple People Eaters Union, otherwise known as the Service Employees International Union (or SEIU) has much to gain with the nationalization of America's health care.

As guest columnist Kevin Troutman noted on Friday in the Houston Chronicle:

The House resolution establishes a scenario that would effectively exclude non-union employers from eligibility to work on program-funded contracts. It also requires participating health care providers to pay wages and benefits that have been collectively bargained or that union-friendly appointees determine are competitive. This is plainly a move toward coerced unionization. With guaranteed seats at the table, unions are poised to control many newly formed oversight posts and/or committees, formed in connection with new employer mandates and cooperative health care associations.

Yet another provision would establish lucrative state training partnerships that contain little or no opportunities for non-union employee organizations. Provisions in Senate proposals would exempt union-negotiated health care plans from taxes on “Cadillac” health plans.

The Ultimate Political Payback?

According to Big Government's Liberty Chick, it would appear that the SEIU is reaping its reward for the dollars it has poluted the political landscape with.

From 2000 to current, SEIU has spent at least $187,500,000 through combined lobbying, PAC and 527s group donations and expenses on candidates and policy issues – nearly 100% of which went to Democrats and to liberal policy initiatives. Much has been focused on influencing universal health care, as well as other indirectly related health legislation, such as public nutrition, food safety, research, and environmental health – all part of SEIU’s supposed plan for Building a New American Health Care System. Because, in their words, they “will not stop until every man, woman and child has quality, affordable care they can count on.”

...And, of course, every health care worker is unionized.

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AFL-CIO Boss Says You're Not a 'Real American' Unless You Support Pelosicare

The AFL-CIO's 'narcissistic, lazy, self-indulgent new boss' Richard Trumka held a rally yesterday afternoon at the AFL-CIO's multi-million dollar headquarters to give a speech about health care.

During the video (see below), Trumka aligned himself with today's neo-socialists (aka "progressives"), House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and calling for a "robust" public option (that slippery slope to socialized medicine in three to five years).

While that, in itself is not all that surprising given the AFL-CIO's rush to the left since the 1995 ascendency of DSA-member John Sweeney to labor's top spot, what is rather surprising is Trumka's comment toward the end when he said [at 2:15]:

"Let's go let (inaudible) hear the voices of the real American people...people who stand for real reform."

So, let's get this straight, Mr. Trumka, Americans aren't what you consider "real Americans" unless they support a government take over of health care? Are these the same unreal Americans who "cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them"? [Ooops...wrong 'progressive.']

AFL-CIO BOSS STILL BACKS SOCIALIZED MEDICINE, THREATENS POLS (AGAIN) & INSULTS THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS...

If politicians don't back AFL-CIO boss Rich Trumka's ideals for socialized medicine, they should expect to incur the wrath of he and his unions.

According to ABC News, Trumka spoke on Tuesday, warning fellow Democrats to get behind the creation of a government insurance option or face political "peril" in 2010.

"We will continue to push it and say to them: 'Do so at your peril,"
AFL-CIO secretary treasurer Richard Trumka told ABC News. "If you're not willing to do what you promised to do, you'll have a tough time convincing our members at election time."

Asked to elaborate on what kind of "peril" these Democrats would face, Trumka added, "We're going to tell our members the truth: 'Who stood with them. Who stood for health insurance reform. Who wanted to make the insurance
companies happy versus those who wanted to make Americans healthy. And at election time, I think it will be a tough sell for any politician who is a part of killing health insurance reform to get the support of working Americans."

It should be noted that, by "working Americans," Trumka is talking about union members and, since union members only account for 7.5 percent of the private-sector (and falling), Trumka is insultingly implying that the other 92.5% of Americans don't work.

Trumka said that a public insurance option is one of three "absolute musts" for the AFL-CIO. "It's an absolute must," said Trumka when asked if the AFL-CIO could compromise on the issue. "We won't support the bill if it doesn't have a public option in it."

"There are three absolute musts," he added. "You have to have an employer mandate; you can't tax the benefits of workers to pay for it; and it has to have a public option. Otherwise, you don't get health insurance reform, you don't break the stranglehold of the insurance companies, and the system goes on and on and on as it has. Costs go up, quality of care goes down."

Asked if that means that the AFL-CIO was prepared to work against a bill that does not include a public option, Trumka sidestepped the question, saying, "That means we won't support the bill if it doesn't' have a public option."

Comrade Trumka, perhaps not having your support is a good thing for America.

COMMUNIST LEADER PRAISED BY DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSWOMAN

In her own words...



Thanks, Congresswoman, for showing your true colors...

UNION BOSS BOOED OUT OF TOWN HALL MEETING LEAVING CWA 'RED SHIRTS' POWERLESS

THIS IS A MUST-SEE VIDEO:

The red-shirted union goons from the Communications Workers of America were out in full force at New York Congressman Tim Bishop's town hall meeting. Unfortunately for the CWA goon squad, however, they were outnumbered by ordinary citizens who did not appreciate a union boss from outside their district taking the mic.

The fun begins at about 2 1/2 minutes into the video.




Hat-tip to MAinfo who writes: "Red is SUCH an appropriate color. They stand together for Obama's Red Communist Agenda."

"THE PLAIN AND SIMPLE TRUTH": HOWARD DEAN ON WHY TORT REFORM ISN'T INCLUDED IN THE DEMOCRATS' HEALTH PLAN

Why isn't tort reform in the Democrats' bill to nationalize health care?

Well, let Howard Dean explain it to you:




Now, you've heard the "plain and simple truth."

JOB-DESTROYING EMPLOYEE FREE CHOICE ACT IS LYING IN REPOSE

A call came in late last night, a voice mail left by fellow freedom-fighter Tom W:

SENATE MAJORITY LEADER HARRY REID IS DECLARING EFCA DEAD FOR THIS LEGISLATIVE SEASON.

Yesterday, at a Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce meeting, according to Roll Call, Senate Majority Leader stated that the Senate's calendar is too full this year to consider the hallucinogenically-named Employee Free Choice Act.

“We have too many other things on our plate,” Reid said.

But even if the Senate’s schedule was freed up later this year, it is unlikely Reid would bring the bill to the floor short of major changes to the legislation. Republicans have universally panned the bill — as have a few Democrats — making it impossible for Reid to break a Republican filibuster.

While this is not entirely surprising given the statement earlier this week from AFL-CIO's Top Boss Richard Trumka that EFCA would follow health care reform.

Since nationalization of health care has blown up in Democrats' faces (for reasons that are too numerous to list here) it will be hard to get enough Blue Dog Democrats to take any more fire from their constituents on controversial legislation.

[Besides, President Obama has also said he wants to take up Immigration Reform (amnesty) this year as well.]

That said, here's our prognosis and advice on the job-destroying and delusionally-dubbed EFCA:

• Don't let your guard down and don't let up. With any given crisis, political winds shift in Washington and the nation's capitol is filled with sleazy politicians with low morals and even less character (on both sides of the aisle, by the way). Whenever possible, these pols like to pass legislation in the middle of the night. [Arlen Specter comes to mind, does he not?] The unions are not going to let up pressure on the politicians, nor should you.
• For now, however, EFCA will hinge on the mid-term elections in 2010.
• We give it a slightly better than 60% chance that EFCA will be dead until the results of 2010 mid-terms are in. If the voter storm over nationalizing health care creates a back lash and there are fewer Democrats left standing after the mid-terms, then EFCA (as written) will go down in flames. HOWEVER…
• Watch for unions to:
• Use the union-controlled NLRB (not-so affectionately known as Wacky Wilma's Union Tribunal) to do all it can to help unions press their case for enactment of EFCA while, in the meantime, making employers' lives living hell.
• Get shorter elections through the NLRB's administrative procedures. It is not unrealistic to expect to see 21-28 day elections under Wacky Wilma's Union Tribunal.
• Use the recession and high unemployment (especially in the unions) as an excuse to further lay false blame on employers "union-busting"
• Not give up on EFCA…
• Be prepared. Unions really don't need EFCA's card-check to expand their membership at your expense. If you're not in tune with your employee relations, you can still get knocked out with a union campaign. And, since unions already win more than 66% of campaigns nationwide, with a union-controlled NLRB, this number will likely increase.
• We're already seeing unions, after resting on their electoral laurels for almost an entire year, get more aggressive in the targeting of companies and expect this to significantly increase under a new leadership at the AFL-CIO.
• Bottom line: With or without EFCA, unions need to act quickly or they'll be relegated to 5% membership in the private sector and no more important that a flea on a hound dog. [Don't ask…]
  

ON TO OTHER NEWS:

We've been discovering quite a few things this week that, like us, may make you feel a bit uncomfortable with the direction nation is heading. For example:

ANOTHER REASON WHY DEMOCRATS' SOCIALIZED MEDICINE PLAN SUCKS: PRYING EYES UP YOUR FISCAL RECTUM...

As though "end-of-life-choices" (aka Death Panels), "cost-containment" (aka rationing), and the "public option" (aka socialized medicine) were not bad enough, CBS News has uncovered yet another pitfall with the 1,000 page+ Obama-Pelosi-Reid health care plan (HR 3200) and that is the provision that states that the Internal Revenue Service must divulge your tax records to the "Health Choice Commissioner" (aka Health Czar). [Read more here]

WHY ARE UNIONIZED WORKERS OPTING FOR MASS INDUSTRIAL SUICIDE & UNEMPLOYMENT?

There's a disturbing trend occurring across America. It seems as though there is a move toward mass industrial suicide being executed by unions and their members these days. Despite unemployment being around 9.5% nationwide and likely to see double digits, more and more often it appears that unions and their members are
opting for pink slips and plant closures rather than agreeing to concessions that just might save their jobs. [Read more here]

ANOTHER UNION BAILOUT? THE CWA WANTS HIGH SPEED INTERNET TO BE AN AMERICAN RIGHT

The Communications Workers of America, of which we're all too familiar, is looking for a bailout of sorts. That is, the CWA (that old dinosaur union from the old Ma Bell days) wants to convince America that high-speed internet is an American birthright (something akin to Life, Liberty, the Pursuit of Happiness and, of late, Nationalized Health Care). [Read more here]

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Dear readers, we hope you have a GREAT WEEKEND.

Best wishes
LaborUnionReport.com

ANOTHER REASON WHY DEMOCRATS' SOCIALIZED MEDICINE PLAN SUCKS: PRYING EYES UP YOUR FISCAL RECTUM...

As though "end-of-life-choices" (aka Death Panels), "cost-containment" (aka rationing), and the "public option" (aka socialized medicine) were not bad enough, CBS News has uncovered yet another pitfall with the 1,000 page+ Obama-Pelosi-Reid health care plan (HR 3200) and that is the provision that states that the Internal Revenue Service must divulge your tax records to the "Health Choice Commissioner" (aka Health Czar). According to CBS News:

Section 431(a) of the bill says that the IRS must divulge taxpayer identity information, including the filing status, the modified adjusted gross income, the number of dependents, and "other information as is prescribed by" regulation. That information will be provided to the new Health Choices Commissioner and state health programs and used to determine who qualifies for "affordability credits."

Section 245(b)(2)(A) says the IRS must divulge tax return details -- there's no specified limit on what's available or unavailable -- to the Health Choices Commissioner. The purpose, again, is to verify "affordability credits."

Section 1801(a) says that the Social Security Administration can obtain tax return data on anyone who may be eligible for a "low-income prescription drug subsidy" but has not applied for it.

Over at the Institute for Policy Innovation (a free-market think tank and resumably no fan of Obamacare), Tom Giovanetti argues that: "How many thousands of federal employees will have access to your records? The privacy of your health records will be only as good as the most nosy, most dishonest and most malcontented federal employee.... So say good-bye to privacy from the federal government. It was fun while it lasted for 233 years."

Yes. America was fun for most of 233 years. Too bad "change" is trying to control it.

On a lighter note...

Political Cartoon: Pat Bagley - Kaiser Health News

SOCIALIST HEALTH CARE GOON SQUAD VISITS 'UN-AMERICAN' FATHER IN MIDDLE OF NIGHT...

A father and his son with cerebral palsy who are, according to Nancy Pelosi, "un-American" had a visit in the night from the socialist health care goon squad.



So much for Free Speech...

SOCIALISM UPDATE: AS OBAMA VIDEO SURFACES, JOKER POSTERS APPEAR & AMERICANS SHOUT AT CONGRESS, WHY AREN'T MORE AMERICANS EMBRACING CHANGE?

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR: IF IT QUACKS LIKE A DUCK...

Let there be no mistake, the current President of the United States favors socialized medicine.

If Americans were listening carefully to the rhetoric during last year's campaign, they would have heard that the plan that was being pushed by then-candidate Obama is, in fact, socialized medicine. Regardless of whether it is called "single-payer," "universal coverage," or, now, [the buzzword of the day] the "public option," it is socialized medicine.

As more Americans have started to realize over these past few weeks, the current majority (and a few in the minority) party in Washington wants to the government to control health care. The only debate left open is not the principle, but the cost. In other words, comrades, do you want the Red pill or the Pinko pill?

Lest there be any remaining doubt, Breitbart has posted a video wherein the President specifically advocates for a government takeover of health care.



JOKER POTUS POSTERS APPEARING ACROSS THE COUNTRY?

...And while the White House may wonder why posters like this are mysteriously popping up, we suspect there will be many more appearing over the weeks and months ahead. [So far, these posters have appeared in Los Angeles and Atlanta, according to NewsBusters.]

SHOUTING DOWN GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRATS

In the meantime, as the videos below illustrate, Americans opposed to the government takeover are becomimg more vocal and, in some cases, shouting down their elected representatives.






Meanwhile, as unions and their fellow pushers of the government healthcare takeover spend up to $20 million on advertising and canvassing in August [see our Saturday post on the 10.2 billion reasons the AFL-CIO, SEIU, et al, are spending other people's money are sending ACORN squads out to neighborhoods].

WHY UNHAPPY?

We close this post with just one question:

As America moves closer to the socialist ideal that many on the left have preached, pushed, and mandated, why are not more Americans happy?