Democrats counting on unions to counter Whitman's millions

Sacramento Bee ^ | 4/22/10 | Jack Chang

[SmithL]

With Republican Meg Whitman poised to spend a record $150 million on her gubernatorial bid this election year, Democrats will be counting more than ever on a reliable and powerful ally to pull them through what promises to be a bruising campaign.

The state's unions promise to jump into the election with extra gusto this year, as tens of thousands of members get set to knock on voters' doors, work phone banks and otherwise attempt to neutralize the flood of TV and radio ads Whitman will unleash if she wins the Republican nomination.

In other words, "It's people vs. money," as Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jerry Brown put it at the state Democratic Party convention this past weekend.

That's certainly the plan of union leaders, who say they will use their strength in numbers to counteract Whitman's financial edge.

On Monday, the California Labor Federation will unveil its plan to deploy 25,000 volunteers to campaign against Whitman, with the effort first hitting businesses around the state, said federation spokesman Steve Smith.

The federation will be coordinating with the teachers and correctional officers unions, which represent three-quarters of the state's roughly 4 million union members.

[ansel12]

Tom McClintock endorsed Steve Poizner.

Mitt Romney endorsed Meg Whitman.

[CIB-173RDABN]

It's people vs. money," as Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jerry Brown

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I know it is a rhetorical question, but if Jerry Brown wins with Union support, who will he be loyal to, the people of California, or the Union Bosses?

Being how it is uncontrolled public employee unions that is part of California's financial mess, how will he fixed the problem?

[SmithL]

Jerry Brown is the reason that there are public-sector unions.

[clintonh8r]

I guess Moonbeam counts union money as “people.”

[piytar]

“In other words, “It’s people vs. money,” as Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jerry Brown put it at the state Democratic Party convention this past weekend.”

No bias there. Nope. None at all. HURL!

[celtic gal]

There is so much slop going on about both Whitman and Poizner that it makes it hard to know who would be the best candidate. There is a big part of me that says just don't vote for either and write in someone else. I am so disgusted with California politics. We vote on a measure and before ou know it some judge decided it is against the constitution or they keep bringing the cause up again ( gay marriage for one) over and over..Makes me sick.

[Bitsy]

Being how it is uncontrolled public employee unions that is part of California’s financial mess, how will he fixed the problem?

Union bosses and mobsters suck! I wish they would start investigating large unions just on general principle.

[CIB-173RDABN]

Which is why he is not the person to be elected Governor.

[highlander_UW]

If an organization arranges for people to work on a campaign does that need to be identified as a “donation” with a value attached? I assume not, but I’m wondering why that is. Why isn’t gifts, rather they are monetary or labor not treated equally as donations and declared as such?

[budwiesest]

Will it matter? With the state houses full of collectivist/liberal/marxists what difference can a governor make? Can't spell Union of Soviet Socialists' Republic without 'union'.

They're killing capitalism and replacing it with socialism (a parasitic system that feeds off a host)- and they have the numbers.

[j.havenfarm]

Please don’t do that, Gal. That’s the attitude that got us Obama. I’d heard rumors about Brown starting to lose his mental acuity, which may well be true if his state convention speech I saw on YouTube is any indication. Poizner’s more conservative; Whitman’s $$$ will swamp Brown. Either one is light years ahead of a 3rd Brown term with Gavin Newsom in the wings as Lt. Gov. My heart’s with the former and my head with the latter. I don’t know which I’ll vote for, but there’s a choice here. “A pox on both their houses” is just the easy way out.

[ansel12]

There is so much slop going on about both Whitman and Poizner that it makes it hard to know who would be the best candidate.

Tom McClintock endorsed Poizner.

video-Meg Whitman: Romney handpicked me and "I'm A Huge Fan Of Van Jones"

[ansel12]

Jerry Brown is the reason that there are public-sector unions.

Brown did not become Governor until 1975, how did he create them?

"In California, a more politically conservative environment at the time, public employees remained without negotiating power through most of the sixties, though they could join labor associations. In 1968, however, the state legislature passed the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act, extending bargaining rights to local government workers."