The Netroots/Labor Alliance Is Kicking Ass!

( – promoted by buhdydharma )

We are beginning to see a labor/netroots alliance.  Jane Hamsher is announcing that Richard Trumka, who likely will be leader of the AFL-CIO and is now Secretary-Treasurer, will be on firedoglake on Monday to talk with us.  

Along with Howard Dean, Trumka is one of the only leading figures to defy Rahm Emanuel’s decree that “f&!ing liberals” leave Blue Dogs and ConservaDems alone on health care.

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We’re excited to have Richard Trumka on FDL on Monday at 4pm ET/1pm PT to discuss health care reform.

Richard Trumka of AFL-CIO On FDL To Talk Health Care, Monday August 24 at 4pm ET

This week, Trumka said no support for those who vote against public option.

More, after the fold

Earlier this week, Trumka laid it out on Rachel Maddow’s show and AFL-CIO health care policy lead Gerry Shea reiterated it on Dr. Nancy’s show:

MADDOW: Sam Stein of “The Huffington Post” today posted an interview with you in which you said that Democrats who vote against a public option for health care reform shouldn’t necessarily count on any support from labor when they were up for re-election. Is the public option a do or die for labor?

TRUMKA: Absolutely. Without the public option, this bill instead of being health insurance reform, it will become health insurance company grab number two.

TRUMKA: Without a public option in this bill, it’s no longer health insurance reform.

TRUMKA: Republicans are out to protect the insurance industry. They’re not standing with the American worker, the American public. The American public is demanding this bill, and any politician I think that votes against the public option does so at his or her own peril.

TRUMKA: And the public option, by the way, will allow people to vote with their feet. When these companies keep increasing prices and the quality goes down, they’ll be able to walk away and go somewhere where they can get quality health care.

TRUMKA: We’re only going to get one bite at this apple. And if we pass a weak bill that’s not going to break the stranglehold that those insurance companies have over the health care industry, we’re not going to get another shot at it for a number of years.

TRUMKA: The American public, Democrat, independent and Republican, wants action now and that must include a public option because without it, health insurance reform becomes a health insurance company grab for the insurance companies.

DR. NANCY: Joining us now is Gerry Shea, who is the AFL-CIO’s lead health care advocate. Strong words from the AFL-CIO, not only what you’re putting out there publicly, but also on your web site.

SHEA: Dr. Snyderman, health care cost control is the do or die issue for us. Public plan is the current only policy proposal in Congress that would give us short-term cost-containtment. That’s the issue. It’s not some holy cow question about a public plan – if somebody else had a better idea, they should come forward with it, but nobody has. This co-op, no one takes seriously, the idea that the co-op would control costs.

DR. NANCY: Would you follow up with your threat against Democrats who don’t vote for a public option, assuming this co-op idea still floats?

SHEA: You know, our decisions on who to endorse are made locally not nationally, and those endorsements are based on people’s policy record. Our people feel very strongly, because, I said, this is a do or die issue…we need comprehensive action. So yes, it will be a big issue in how people decide who to endorse at the local level.

Today on the AFL-CIO website:

Health Care ‘Co-Ops’: Strategy for Killing Real Health Care Reform

We at the AFL-CIO have come out strongly for a public health care option. Sweeney said this week that a public option is the only way to force real competition on the insurance companies is a strong public plan option.

Appearing on the Rachel Maddow show, the Ed Schultz radio show and CNBC this week, AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Richard Trumka warned members of Congress that if they want workers’ votes, they need to support a public option.

We have carrots and sticks.

Blue dogs WILL be brought to heel.  No more do these corporate sell outs rule our party.  The days of blue dog power are numbered.  They are on the way out.  They may bark, but they have no bite.

Working men and women won’t put up with it anymore.

Please give what you can.  Our sticks are important, but so are our carrrots very important:

Standing Up For The Public Option

These are the progressive members of Congress with the guts to stand up to Big Insurance, Big Pharma and to the pressure from their own party bosses.

Up to $338,000.  That’s 338,000 FUs to the blue dogs who rolled over for Bush and now want to f.ck America for insurance company profits.

The blood of the murder by spreadsheet crowd is on their hands.  Show the blue dogs that “WE ARE THE CHANGE WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR.”

Finally, I want to thank Jane Hamsher, nyceve, and slinkerwink for their leadership and tireless efforts.  They are GREAT!

Don’t forget.  Be at firedoglake on Monday at 1 p.m, eastern to talk with Richard Trumka.  Real solidarity.