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OBAMA ON THE EFCA.
Yesterday, I wrote about how liberals would view the selection of labor activist Mary Beth Maxwell as a sign that Obama is serious about pushing the Employee Free Choice Act, or "card check." Dana believes that while that might be true, Maxwell might not be the most effective choice for Obama's "celebrity cabinet" where media savvy might end up being a more important asset for getting things done than other qualifications. But no matter who Obama ends up picking, he has said he will sign the EFCA:
An aide to Barack Obama reaffirmed the President-elect's support for the labor movement's chief legislative priority in a one-word statement issued to the Huffington Post on late Tuesday.This is probably reassuring to labor advocates, Rahm Emanuel's "throw long" appearance in front of business leaders nonwithstanding.Asked if Obama's support for the Employee Free Choice Act remained as strong as his public proclamations suggested on the campaign trail, transition spokesman Dan Pfeiffer responded, succinctly, "Yes."
The reaffirmation may not seem like a political breakthrough on its surface. But in the current political climate, in which the Obama team has steadfastly refused to comment on various legislative priorities, it does signal that the President-elect is not shying away from progressive pledges made during his campaign.
-- A. Serwer
COMMENTS (1)
With all due respect, there's nothing "liberal" about unionism. Unionism limits individual liberty and thus is inherently opposed to liberalism in principle.
Unionism certainly is a core value of socialism and/or 'progressivism'.
Pretending that liberalism is the same as socialism or progressivism is normally a rightwing attack meme. Odd to see it coming so much from the left these days.
That being said, some liberals may favor unionism as public policy and some may oppose it. But insisting that unionism is liberalism just plain absurd.
Unionism may contribute to policy outcomes that liberals generally favor, but that doesn't mean liberals favor unions, qua unions.
Posted by: michael | December 3, 2008 4:19 PM