Kurt Schrader is an Oregon "democratic" Congressman, and he also the co-chairman of the Blue Dog Coalition. So even though there is a D behind his title, Kurt quite often votes with the R's. He's kind of a "democrat" in name only when it's "convenient" to be.
Congressmen Schrader, was among the 28 "Dems" -- who voted with the R's, to authorize Fast Track yesterday.
Without those Democratic Labor-turncoats, the R's would have lost on the TPA Vote [Fast Track], like they lost on the TAA Vote. The TPA Margin of Victory on Fast Track was only 8 Votes. It only passed 219-211.
Despite helping the R's win this partial Victory, Kurt Schrader made it clear that he doesn't appreciate Labor Unions meddling in the Vote.
As if Labor, has no rights in expressing their opinions, regarding this major legislation -- that directly impacts Labor.
Oh the nerve of those Union Organizers ... What's the word for their audacity ...?
Oregon Congressman Kurt Schrader calls AFL-CIO president a 'bully'
Jun 12, 2015 -- nwlaborpress.org
[...]
Fast track is legislation to make it easier to pass more NAFTA-style trade deals, and its defeat has been the AFL-CIO’s top priority for months. In March, the labor federation declared a moratorium on political campaign contributions until the issue is settled, and in June, the AFL-CIO began running television and online ads criticizing Democrats who support fast track. Trumka has even threatened to withhold support from Democrats who vote for fast track.
Apparently, Schrader considers that bullying. [Schrader announced May 8 that he supports fast track, and voted for it on June 12.]
“We’re solid on labor issues,” Schrader told CQ Roll Call, a publication for Washington DC insiders. “To have this become a litmus test for one individual issue, I think that’s demeaning.… To actively campaign against you when you’re with them 80 percent of the time -- I don’t take kindly to bullying. That gets my dander up. And I hope it gets the dander up of most every single member of my party.”
Well how about that, Kurt Schrader got a 'dander problem' over
Labor's meddling. Nevermind that Labor's got a few problems of their own, with the
same old broken promises of the Blue Dog's
Out-sourcing Coalition.
Nevermind that we've heard the unproven Free-Trade promises far too many times before. It's the annoying 'monitoring' of their "Labor" voting records, that is of utmost importance!
Can't Labor just let this one slide ...?
Luckily for Labor, not ALL Dems agree with Schrader's weak-tea assessment of Labor's best interests.
[...]
But not every Democrat thinks withholding contributions is bullying.
“Here’s the deal,” Congressman Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) told the blog. “Everybody goes to the well of labor when they’re running for office in terms of contributions. … Early on in this process, anybody around in the last session knew that with [trade] coming up, that was going to be a litmus test, and so to say now that labor is being mean or over the top in terms of their criticisms of Democrats who are going to vote for [TPA] is kind of like a late realization when you’ve already taken the money and the support.”
But Blue Dog Kurt Schrader sees all this Labor 'meddling' as intrusive interference ...
Because we all know holding Politicians to account for their Voting records -- is the hallmark of 'Bullying' behavior ...
AFL-CIO: Which Kathleen Rice? (Stop Fast Track)
link
And trying to inform the Public about the so-called "benefits" of this secret TPP Deal -- amounts to 'underhanded sleight-of-hand' too ...
AFL-CIO: Stop Fast Track (TPP)
link
And breaking down the inevitable "TPP Fallout" into everyday language -- that Workers can understand and get motivated about -- well 'more demeaning behavior' than that, we've rarely seen ...
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka Explains Fast Track
link
That's it. It can be explained. American Workers aren't idiots.
"Fast Track means ... Lost Jobs, and Lower Wages.
That's it."
If only those Blue Dog "Dems" could explain their rationales so clearly, well then we might have an 'open and honest' Debate about Trade; one worthy of the once hallowed-Institution, that they are now trying to bum-rush these unread Bills through, with as little 'interference' as possible.