George McGovern is no right-wing puppet; in fact I consider him a founding father of the 'crash the gate' movement. Maine Congressman Tom Allen has tried to ride the coattails of the re-emergence of Progressive Politics during his Senate run, but has really not done the job. He's been beat up relentlessly on TV in Maine for his support of the EFCA, and has done a horrible job explaining his position. Now George McGovern is in the Wall Street Journal with an opinion piece that is spreading rapidly through Democratic circles in Maine. He basically dissects the EFCA bill and shows why Tom Allen's support of the measure is becoming a significant campaign liability.
My Party Should Respect Secret Union Ballots
By GEORGE MCGOVERN
As a congressman, senator and one-time Democratic nominee for the presidency, I've participated in my share of vigorous public debates over issues of great consequence. And the public has been free to accept or reject the decisions I made when they walked into a ballot booth, drew the curtain and cast their vote. I didn't always win, but I always respected the process.
Voting is an immense privilege.
Under EFCA, workers could lose the freedom to express their will in private, the right to make a decision without anyone peering over their shoulder, free from fear of reprisal.
I've seen Tom Allen try to explain his position in public, and it's terrible. The folks behind these anti-union ads actually took a radio interview of his and used it on their website to show how un-defendable his position is.
This is a wound that is starting to fester for Tom Allen, and McGovern's piece does a great job explaining why. We'll see how this plays out in a race that seems by the day to slip away from hope.