[Cincinatus' Wife]

TEACHERS BACK GORE WITH MONEY, MUSCLE

[noutopia]

Nany Nany Poo Poo.

[goldstategop]

Good. Its time to send the GOP's enemies a message that they can't fund political campaigns with taxpayer dollars. No wonder it sticks up the craw of the Florida teachers' unions. That should neuter em big time.

[kcvl]

President Maureen Dinnen's remarks before the Senate Governmental Oversight and Productivity Committee --

3.11.03

Posted March 11, 2003 - 03:14 PM

http://www.feaweb.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=2430

---

SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE ALERT!
Lawmakers have introduced a "paycheck deception" bill that targets only the teachers and would severely restrict their ability to collecting dues through paycheck deduction. Here's what you can do to take action!


Paycheck Deception is Back and We Can Stop it!

On Tuesday, the Senate Governmental Oversight and Productivity Committee is scheduled to hear a new incarnation of Paycheck Deception.

Senate Bill 1652 by Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey, targets only the teachers and would severely restrict their ability to collecting dues through paycheck deduction. The bill would also prohibit the use of dues collected for any political purposes including legislative research and lobbying and would greatly increase current reporting requirements and fees.

Proponents are blaming the teachers union for the teacher shortage crisis and are claiming that unions violate people's first amendment rights!

This bill is nothing but political retribution for union activity in the last election. Supporters have stated that these measures should eventually be imposed on all unions!

This legislation is illegal, unfair and absolutely unnecessary:

* Florida is a right-to-work state meaning union membership is absolutely positively voluntary. Union dues are deducted from paychecks because people want them to be.

* Unions operate democratically, if their members vote to use money for political activities it is their right to do so.

* The bill only applies to our teachers, raising U.S. Constitutional questions of "equal protection."

CALL, FAX, OR EMAIL THESE SENATORS TODAY - ASK THEM TO OPPOSE THIS BAD BILL
WHO: Senate Governmental Oversight and Productivity Committee
WHAT: SB 1652 by Sen. Mike Fasano, R-New Port Richey
WHEN: 9 a.m., Tuesday, March 11, 2003
WHERE: 110 Senate Office Building

Bill Sponsor
SEN. MIKE FASANO, R-NEW PORT RICHEY
E-mail: fasano.mike.web@flsenate.gov
Capitol Phone: 850.487.5062 Statewide Phone: 1.800.948.5885

Bill Co-sponsor
SEN. NANCY ARGENZIANO, R-CRYSTAL RIVER
E-mail: argenziano.nancy.web@flsenate.gov
Capitol Phone: 850.487.5017

Bill Co-sponsor
SEN. CHARLIE CLARY, R-DESTIN
E-mail: clary.charlie.web@flsenate.gov
Capitol Phone: 850.487.5009

Senate Governmental Oversight and Productivity Committee
Committee Chairman
SEN. STEVE WISE, R-JACKSONVILLE
E-mail: wise.stephen.web@flsenate.gov
Capitol Phone: 850.487.5027

Committee Vice Chairman
SEN. LES MILLER, D-TAMPA
E-mail: miller.lesley.web@flsenate.gov
Capitol Phone: 850.487.5059/ FAX: 888.263.7871

SEN. DAVE ARONBERG, D-GREENACRES
E-mail: aronberg.dave.web@flsenate.gov
Capitol Phone: 850.487.5356/ Statewide Phone: 1.800.444.9747

SEN. JEFF ATWATER, R-NORTH PALM BEACH
E-mail: atwater.jeffrey.web@flsenate.gov
Capitol Phone: 850.487.5100

SEN. ANNA COWIN, R-LEESBURG
E-mail: cowin.anna.web@flsenate.gov
Capitol Phone: 850.487.5014

SEN. LEE CONSTATINE, R-ALTAMONTE SPRINGS
E-mail: constantine.lee.web@flsenate.gov
Capitol Phone: 850.487.5050

SEN. AL LAWSON, D-TALLAHASSEE
E-mail: lawson.alfred.web@flsenate.gov
Capitol Phone: 850.487.5004

SEN. BILL POSEY, R-ROCKLEDGE
E-mail: posey.bill.web@flsenate.gov
Capitol Phone: 850.487.5053

[friendly]

If only the pubbies in DC were this sane. DEFUND THE LEFT! DEFUND THE ENEMIES OF OUR NATION!

[majordivit]

I thought the campaign reform legislation signed last year eliminated soft money contributions from corporations and union dues. Don't tell me unions were left out of the legislation?

[aynrandfreak]

Couldn't have happened to a nicer bunch of people trying to brainwash our kids.

[political1]

The article said that 2 million out of their 17 million budget went to fund the campaign. That is above 11.76% of their total budget. How can anyone blow that much out of their budget. Bill McBride couldn't give them anything more than they already had. He could just help maintain the status quo. That's a lot of money to pay in order to stay the same way as one already happens to be. Someone was quoted as saying they contributed to the candidates who thought the same way as they did about education. Teachers unions have never been, and are not now about education. They are about teachers positions and jobs.

[Just another Joe]

"This bill is telling me to shut my mouth," said Maureen Dinnen, president of the teachers union, who was visibly shaking with anger after the vote.

From what I read it's not telling her to shut her mouth, it's telling her to not use dues money to back any political candidate.
Not all the people paying dues want to back the same candidate.

[sphinx]

Take away union dues politicking and the Democrat Party would shrivel. One more small-but-current example: here in D.C. -- perhaps elsewhere as well, but I don't know about that -- there has a recent radio ad campaign featuring Sandra Feldman of the AFT. The ad says America has a serious healthcare crisis, that "we don't have the answers to all the tough questions," but that America surely can't afford a tax cut before everybody gets health insurance.

Now, we can debate health care policy until the cows come home. The point is, this was a pure anti-tax cut ad -- remember, Sandra gives no opinion on what to do about health care -- and I'd bet the farm it was paid for by union dues, not union PAC money (which would be ok because PAC money consists of voluntary contributions). Par for the course.

[Grit]

The union spent about $2 million out of its $17 million budget on the campaign.

"The state will be spending money to defend this bill if it becomes law and that's money that could well be put into education instead," [Sen. Les Miller, D-Tampa] said.

Physician, heal thyself.

[The Wizard]

if the teachers hate the bill it's good for the country

[ImpBill]

Excellent. Get unions out of the pac game. If members wish to endorse or donate money to a candidate, no one is stopping them. What the shrew at the FEA doesn't like is that she can no longer dictate, steal, and donate other peoples money to the DemocRATs.

[trebb]

"This bill is telling me to shut my mouth," said Maureen Dinnen, president of the teachers union, who was visibly shaking with anger after the vote. "We voted to support candidates who were chosen based on their educational positions. "

Interpretation: "We like getting paid for being incompetent and turning your children's education into a freakin' joke."

[Tom Bombadil]

"We voted to support candidates who were chosen based on their educational positions.

Using extorted money.

[Aquinasfan]

"This bill is telling me to shut my mouth," said Maureen Dinnen, president of the teachers union, who was visibly shaking with anger after the vote.

It's for the children.

“When school children start paying union dues, that’s when I’ll start representing the interests of school children.”

Al Shanker
Former President
American Federation of Teachers

[glory]

This bill is telling me to shut my mouth," said Maureen Dinnen, president of the teachers union, who was visibly shaking with anger after the vote. "We voted to support candidates who were chosen based on their educational positions. ">>

Big wah!
Teachers unions should not be involved in politics imo. If an individual inside of the union wishes to support a candidate with their own $$, fine. Hey Maureen, how about you at least give your members a choice of where that portion of their dollars will go! If a teacher who wishes to vote republican wants to do so, their funds should be alloted towards that--if they wish not to be involved in politics at all, they should be allowed to opt out that portion or donate it to a charity of their choice. My guess is that Ms. Maureen would like to "shut up" those voices in her union who support republican candidates--she's the usual liberal hypocrit.

[G Larry]

>"This bill is telling me to shut my mouth,"<

Gee dear, what part of campain finance reform don't you like?

[Real Cynic No More]

summer

I didn't see where you had weighed in on this one, but it looks like something that would interest you!

[skinkinthegrass]

Didn't the USSC ('90s) rule teachers' union could not force a teacher to support a pol. & recieve the rebate in dues (PAC fees).

[auggy]

The GOP should push to privatize the public school system. More money than ever is being paid to the public school system to indoctrinize our children to be a generation of sociaists.

This has to be stopped. The only answer I can think of is privatization. It could be back by the government by our tax dollars as it is now, with less money and less left slant