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Health Care Tops List of Issues You Want Candidates to Discuss |
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We asked, “What Do YOU Want to Ask the Candidates,” and you’ve responded. Our contest to pick the questions you want asked at the AFL-CIO’s Presidential Candidates Forum has sparked great interest: As of noon today, when we ended the first round, we have more than 1,500 questions, and we’ve received more than 17,000 votes.
It’s clear you’re concerned about the future of the country and excited to take part in the process of picking the next president.
The issue you cared the most about? Health care, with 240 questions. Freedom to form unions was close behind with 179 questions. The war in Iraq drew 123 questions. Trade, outsourcing, immigration and impeachment all are on your minds. We’ve picked the most-voted-for questions in the most popular categories. Some of the top questions will be asked by moderator Keith Olbermann at the Aug. 7 forum in Chicago, which will be broadcast live on MSNBC television and XM Satellite Radio.
Here’s the first set of finalists:
“Lindsay,” an AFT member from Illinois, asked:
Why can’t all Americans have the same excellent health care that Congress has?
“Charlie,” a Sheet Metal Worker from Maryland, asked:
What will each candidate do to rebalance the anti-labor slant of the NLRB [National Labor Relations Board], and will they promise to fully fund the regional offices of the board as a working entity?
“Jim,” a New York State Public Employee, asked:
The current administration has entangled the United States in a war in Iraq that seems to have no end. At the same time, domestic programs that receive federal funding are being cut. How will you end the conflict in Iraq, at what cost, and when?
“Katja,” an AFSCME member from Washington state, asked:
What are you going to do to end the outsourcing of our jobs and the closing of our factories, and what are you going to do about the H-1B visas that allow foreign workers to take American jobs for less pay?
“George Fred,” an AFM member from California, asked:
Bush and Cheney have broken multiple laws, such as illegally wiretapping, sanctioning torture, doing secret extraditions. They consistently thumb their noses at Congress, refusing to yield information that belongs to the public. They deliberately lied to start this war. Why have impeachment proceedings not started long ago? Is it OK for them to break laws?
Remember, we’ll be picking five more finalists next Monday, so keep submitting and voting on questions. Only members of AFL-CIO affiliate unions can submit questions, but anyone can vote.
Be sure to watch the AFL-CIO’s Presidential Candidates Forum, which will be broadcast in full on MSNBC and XM Radio from 7-8:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
8 Comments
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When will congress quit taxing Social Secuirty income. We already have paid taxes once why again and again? If a senior citizen works which many have to in order tp live with inflation, health care and food, and gas, it goes in one pocket and out the other for taxes. Also there are notch victims that do not get their full share due of Social Security being born at the wrong time even though they have paid the sane amount into it as others.
George Fred’s question really doesn’t belong here. What Bush and Cheney have or haven’t done is purely conjecture, no matter how clear it is to some people. Democrats and Republicans alike are guilty for the problems we face, be it healthcare, job outsourcing, anti-union sentiment, etc. Whenever I talk to people who are against unions and collective bargaining, the first thing they talk about more than anything is the idea that unions are democratic, liberal, political operations that don’t have the real worker’s problems in mind. Right now, I would have to agree with that. It needs to change. Whether I am a republican, democrat, liberal or conservative, unions need to remember that their strength is dependent on the people they help protect from the crimes big business commits against them. When this happens, unions once again will be the strong force they once were, and not the insufficient, weak, concession making “organizations” they are now.
Another question: When will Congress pay back to OUR Social Security Trust Fund the $1.9 Trillion they took issuing worthless IOUs to cover theri crimes. What about stopping the $173 Billion they are planning on pilfering this year from OUR Social Secuirty Trust Fund? We need answers!
George Fred’s question is at the top of many workers’ agenda. I truly hope we can extract from Democratic hopefuls the promise that they will not remain the “loyal” opposition to such lawbreaking which endangers our country at its core.
George Fred’s question really doesn’t belong here. What Bush and Cheney have or haven’t done is purely conjecture, no matter how clear it is to some people. Democrats and Republicans alike are guilty for the problems we face, be it healthcare, job outsourcing, anti-union sentiment, etc. Whenever I talk to people who are against unions and collective bargaining, the first thing they talk about more than anything is the idea that unions are democratic, liberal, political operations that don’t have the real worker’s problems in mind. Right now, I would have to agree with that. It needs to change. Whether I am a republican, democrat, liberal or conservative, unions need to remember that their strength is dependent on the people they help protect from the crimes big business commits against them. When this happens, unions once again will be the strong force they once were, and not the insufficient, weak, concession making “organizations” they are now.
I as a union member I am insulted by this comment. I suppose you would call the arrest, trial, conviction, sentencing and then commuting of that sentence (by his partners in crime) for Scooter Libby conjecture as well. Do you not understand why the sentence was commuted? Because Scooter Libby would of told America about everything he knows about the illegal activities of the BUSH/CHENEY military industrial complex. If you can not see what this current administration is ILLEGALLY doing to this country you are not only blind you are an idiot.
If unions don’t have the workers real issues in mind then what are they doing? Do you even have a clue how unions work? They are about collective bargaining. The power to demand a fair wage and working conditions from GREEDY CORPORATIONS. If you don’t agree with that then you are anti-union. Workers real problems lie with greedy corporations. We read about it every day. More jobs and benefits cut, and another executive drawing a multimillion dollar salary exercising a multimillion dollar stock option, that is the real workers problem. Since you don’t have a clue what the real problem is I will give you several examples. American Airlines, Qwest, United Airlines and all the other CORPORATIONS where the CEO’s have taken more than the annual salaries of it’s entire work force combined as a bonus before slashing jobs, cutting wages and benefits.
THE ONLY WAY UNIONS WILL BE STRONG AGAIN IS BY THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY PROVIDING THE NECESSARY EVIDENSE FOR THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM TO ARREST, TRY, CONVICT, SENTENCE AND MAKE SURE THE SENTENCE IS SERVED, OF ANYONE INVOLVED IN ILLEGAL ACTIVITY IN OUR GOVERNMENT. STARTING WITH BUSH/CHENEY SETTING AN EXAMPLE FOR ALL CORPORATIONS. Not only does George Freds question belong here, it is the basis of what our government is established on, HONESTY AND INTEGRITY. Sounds like something you have forgot.
Our society, through the media and our political process seems to encourage polarization on issues; issues are presented as though there are only 2 sides to every question and they are obviously the right side and the wrong side. How would you as a leader help the American people find common ground with each other and then with other nations and peoples?
Happycampster, I was not trying to insult you or any other union member. I am not in anyway trying to defend Bush, Cheney, or Scooter Libby. I am a third generation Teamster that will fight to the death for those things we both hold so dear. But, your comments clearly confirm what I implied in my last comment. And that is change is needed. When you and I are fighting over the ridiculous administration that is in power now, people see the divisiveness and don’t want to be part of collective bargaining. They don’t see unions helping them better the workplace, they see a political organization that only cares about getting certain people elected, not helping the workers. Why can’t republicans help the worker? Once democrats get in office, why don’t they push legislation to help the worker? Because, and I hope I don’t offend you again, they don’t care about the worker, they only care about themselves. You can gripe all you want about Dick Cheney, George Bush, and Scooter Libby until you’re blue in the face. That doesn’t change a darn thing. Until we get people in office that care about the workers, be they democrat, republican, liberal or conservative, workers like ourselves will be put on the back burner and snubbed until hell freezes over.
As for calling me a blind idiot, I will forgive you. But, for the past twenty years, I have fought for worker’s rights, bled and cried through union campaigns, and never once been called dishonest, or had my integrity questioned. I am a law-abiding, gun toting, anti-abortion zealot that knows where I come from. If you don’t like that, sorry. Deal with it. Just don’t ever call me “ANTI_UNION” That is when the gloves come off.
Warrior, Looks like MoveOn.org and there continuous griping and complaining about Bush/ Cheney and Scooter Libby have paid off. Of course presenting hard evidence of there criminal activities had something to do with it as well. It still amazes me that there are people stupid enough to think that there criminal activity is still conjecture. Finally republican politicians who are afraid of the democratic grass roots movement that is going to change our government. By the way can you tell me any republican who has ever established any benefit for the AMERICAN worker? No because there isn’t one. Have you ever heard of the Family Medical Leave act? Established by guess who……..a Democrat!!! So don’t tell me they all don’t care. I’m just so glad to finally see the American Democratic people wake up and realize together we have the power to get the criminals like Bush out of office. Typical of most republicans you have not only not done your homework you don’t have the capability of understanding the issues or the facts.