Posted on 05/21/2010 7:53:29 AM PDT by markomalley
At least two influential unions will spend close to $100 million on the 2010 election, with most of those funds going to protect incumbents.
Union officials told The Hill they plan to help endangered members — particularly freshmen — who made politically difficult votes in a year during which an anti-incumbent mood has filled the country.
And the number will be even higher since the AFL-CIO declined to give its figures.
While the labor movement has displayed an aggressive tack in Democratic primaries, including supporting some challengers over incumbents, it remains concerned about the party retaining its congressional majorities.
As a result, it plans an enormous spending spree to help ensure Democratic control of Congress.
The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) plans to spend in excess of $50 million during the 2010 campaign, part of which will fund “a massive incumbent protection program,” according to Gerry McEntee, president of the union.
AFSCME spent roughly $67 million on its political activities in 2008. But the $50 million slated for the 2010 elections is the largest expenditure the union will make in a midterm election, according to union officials. The money will go to help defend the union’s top tier of eight Senate seats and 34 House members.
“We have got to protect the incumbency in the House. We have got to protect the incumbency in the Senate,” McEntee said. “It is going to be hard. Those tea-baggers are out there. There is an anti-incumbency mood out there.”
After the top tier, there will be a second tier of House candidates AFSCME will be monitoring and will step in to help defend if they become endangered by GOP challengers.
>Where will they get the $100 Million? From the Democrats in Washington? From Obama?
*****
I believe it was part of the stimulus package as a gift to andy stern’s SEIU.
We need to outspend the SOBs and repeal ANY civil service protection for pubic employee union members.
Join the pubic employee union ? Immediately lose your civil service !
The two are utterly incompatible.
You just have to love it when a public employee union uses taxpayer money to support enemies of the taxpayers.
Unions will come to our house and intimidate our children or beat us up in public if we don’t like it.”
Another reason to be an armed citizen.
Just as I want Obama to fail, at this rate, I also want the unions to fail.
Sorry to you rank-and-file out there, but your bosses are ruining this republic with their fanatical support of the Democratic Party.
The Union Pensions are UNSUSTAINABLE yet they are spending MILLIONS on Democrats! FOOLS!
Not fools! If they succeed, they will be repaid tenfold with bailouts.
Hrrumph...
Should read “Unions to spend $100M in 2010 campaign to save the Communists”
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