Posted on 08/24/2009 3:13:29 PM PDT by kozanne
Why unions are “Astroturfing” health-care town halls posted at 2:18 pm on August 24, 2009 by Ed Morrissey Share on Facebook | regular view
After enraged constituents started showing up at Congressional town-hall forums to oppose ObamaCare, the unions acted quickly to counterdemonstrate on behalf of the Democratic agenda item. In at least one case, union representatives used violence to intimidate and harrass ObamaCare opponents. The same union, which represents a large percentage of government workers and would be presumably immune from any health-care reform action, issued memos demanding volunteers to “drown out” opposition to ObamaCare. But why?
This report from the Detroit Free Press explains that the unions have a good reason — actually, ten billion good reasons:
Antilabor forces say it’s welfare for the UAW and Democrats’ union allies. Labor supporters say it falls short of what’s needed as tens of thousands of union members are pushed into early retirement as employers cut back health care coverage.
They’re both talking about a $10-billion provision tucked deep inside thousands of pages of health care overhaul bills that could help the UAW’s retiree health-care plan and other union-backed plans.
It would see the government — at least temporarily — pay 80 cents on the dollar to corporate and union insurance plans for claims between $15,000 and $90,000 for retirees age 55 to 64. …
Greg Mourad of the National Right to Work Committee called it “a shameless case of political payback,” saying Democrats and President Barack Obama are trying “to force the rest of us to pay billions to cover those unions’ health care.”
The money will be yet another bailout of Detroit, although the Obama administration and the Democrats have it flying under the radar, buried in HR3200: Thanks to Detroit’s twin auto bankruptcies and other concessions, the UAW’s voluntary employee benefit association, or VEBA, had to take stock of unknown value for $24 billion in claims, while adding thousands of early retirees to its rolls.
Outside experts estimate the funds have about 30 cents in cash for every dollar of future claims, with no guarantee of what its stock assets will be worth. Lance Wallach, a New York-based VEBA expert, says if the funds “don’t get something, they’re out of business in 12 years.” …
Key provisions in House and Senate proposals set aside $10 billion to pay some claims for early retirees covered by employers and VEBAs, before other cost-saving measures kick in. Critics call it a union giveaway, but the union says the money would keep companies from further slashing coverage.
That’s explicitly a bailout. It comes on the heels of tens of billions of dollars committed to GM and Chrysler, as well as politically-motivated bankruptcies that violated the rights of senior creditors in favor of the unions.
The unions have overcommitted and underresourced their health plans, and now Congress wants to surreptitiously bail them out from bankruptcy — all while making them more or less immune from the restrictions in the rest of the bill.
That $10,000,000,000 bailout certainly gives the unions a big incentive to crack heads and intimidate people into retreat on ObamaCare, doesn’t it? That’s the granddaddy of all Astroturfing efforts.
Update: My friend Warner Todd Huston wrote about this almost two weeks ago — be sure to read it.
Maybe this on a protest sign along with the page and number: UNION PENSIONS GETTING BIG PAYOFF FROM OBAMACARE
If I did my job like that, I’d be fired. They obviously have absolutely no respect for there constituents or the constitution. And THEY want to know how much CEO’s of insurance company’s make? At least there stock holders are making some money back on there investments. What do we get? Less freedom, more of our money fleeced from our pockets?
And THEY want to know how much CEO’s of insurance company’s make?
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Right! Who’s holding THEM accountable?? Soon...11/2010.
11/2010 can’t come soon enough. God only knows just how much damage will be done between now and then. I pray it’s just enough to destroy the left wing of the democratic party. I can live with the blue dogs, old school dems.
bump
So most of us are working until well into our 60’s and end up subsidizing health care benefits for union workers who have retired in this mid-50’s? Sounds fair to me.
One more reason not to buy anything made by Government Motors.
Something like, “No way am I going to pay for union healthcare!”
Good stuff. Keep up the good work.
We did have fun with that song back in the day.
I sure wish you had t shirts and magnetic truck signs for sale with the “cure” for good healthcare picture....:)
holy cow
WAKE UP AMERICA!!!!
“Makes me wonder if he’s even running the show. Who’s behind all these ginormous bills? Who’s writing them? How did they make them all up so fast.”
Remember something...
The DC Cabal and the Radical Socialist Left has been planning for this ever since Dean took over the DNC.
And Kerry’s defeat of Bush in 2004 was being called “The Great Payday!” by lobbyists and groups like MoveOn, because they intended to RAPE the taxpayers when (not if) they won in 2004.
FOLLOW THE MONEY...
A binch of well connected Dems are getting FILTHY STINKIN’ RICH off of Obama, and Obama doesn’t care, as long as that helps him achieve the Socialist goals he and his Radical buddies (who he said he doesn’t know, but he has surrounded himself with) set years ago at Bill Ayres house.
You are probably correct. They’ve had years to plan all of this. I don’t think the dems have had this kind of power since before Reagan. I mean, they have the house the senate, the WH and a super majority to boot. Thank God the sleeping giant is awakening and I hope can’t be lulled back to sleep.
11/2010 can’t come soon enough. God only knows just how much damage will be done between now and then. I pray it’s just enough to destroy the left wing of the democratic party. I can live with the blue dogs, old school dems.
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We must diligently prepare between now and then.
—Do you have precinct meetings you can attend?
—Can you volunteer for your favorite candidates?
—Can you donate to the local campaigns of conservatives?
—Attend Tea Parties and Town Halls all the way up to next November!
Let’s roll folks!! Let’s not let up...
I can attend our local tea party. I think that’s about it. I live so far north, you wouldn’t believe. There is nothing but, nature and a wal-mart here...lol I have to drive 5 hours just to get to an average size city.
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