In some past posts I had associated Senator Obama with thuggish union bosses, of being a puppet of the unions, and basically a person with a past of supporting and defending thugs like slum lords of Chicago.
I based this information on new articles from sources around the world - and no, not one was from Fox News. So I decided to go directly to the source - to Senator Obama's own website.
As an advocate for facts I wanted to read for myself his view on unions, businesses, and employment. What I found changed my mind.
The Jim Jones of 2008,
Senator Obama is far worse than had been previously thought.
Exact words from his site (
my notes in light blue),
scroll down to "Labor" from this link:Ensure Freedom to Unionize: Obama believes that workers should have the freedom to choose whether to join a union without harassment or intimidation from their employers.
(freedoms removed from business to offer other options)Fight Attacks on Workers' Right to Organize: Obama has fought the Bush National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) efforts to strip workers of their right to organize.
(government employees can strike and shut down the country and Obama will support them)Protect Striking Workers: Obama supports the right of workers to bargain collectively and strike if necessary. He will work to ban the permanent replacement of striking workers, so workers can stand up for themselves without worrying about losing their livelihoods.
(business will loose their right to hire replacement workers to keep their business alive)Raise the Minimum Wage: Barack Obama will raise the minimum wage, index it to inflation and increase the Earned Income Tax Credit to make sure that full-time workers earn a living wage that allows them to raise their families and pay for basic needs.
(thus forcing business to fire some workers to pay the forced higher government mandated fee and charge more to consumers)
Yes,
union bosses love and endorse Obama, and you can see why. The problem comes when unions strengthen and businesses loose more rights of their own. Guess what happens then?
- More outsourcing than ever before
- More business leave the USA and reestablish in another country
- Can you say GOODBYE JOBS?
So let's see what some of Barak's friends and supporters have been up to for the first 5 weeks of 2008 (especially the one of Battaglia, former President of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1181 extorting bus company owners):
February 8, 2008,
Betty Illig, former Secretary-Treasurer for Graphic Communications Workers Local 638-S and the Tri-State District Joint Council, pled guilty to
embezzling $145,675 in union funds and
submitting false Form LM-3 reports.
February 8, 2008,
Carolyn M. Wallace, former President of Steelworkers Local 02-356, pled guilty to
embezzling union funds in the amount of $25,200. On December 13, 2007, Wallace was charged with one count of
embezzling union funds in the same amount.
February 7, 2008,
Bridgett Cardall Hooks, former Secretary-Treasurer of Postal Workers Local 332, pled guilty to one count of
embezzling union funds in the amount of $10,820.17.
February 7, 2008, information was filed charging
Brian Dolney, former President of Machinists Lodge 2333, with one count of
bank fraud totaling $11,565. Donley fraudulently negotiated union checks at the Security National Bank in Springfield, Ohio.
February 6, 2008, information was filed against
Francis Pagan, former President of Boilermakers Local Lodge 3M, charging him with
embezzling $17,415 in union funds.
February 6, 2008,
Chad Mowery, former Secretary-Treasurer of BLE Division 282, was charged with
embezzling $2,537 in union funds.
February 4, 2008, information was filed against
Pauline M. Gibson, former President of the Drivers, Warehousemen, Maintenance and Allied Workers of America, Local 1, charging her with making a
false statement and representation of a material fact, knowing it to be false, on the local's annual financial report.
February 4, 2008,
John Sigafus, former Secretary-Treasurer of Machinists Local W-335, pled no contest to
theft of union funds in the amount of $2,500 or less. Subsequently, Sigafus was sentenced to one year probation and ordered to make restitution in the amount of $5,363.91.
January 30, 2008,
Timothy A. Wilson, former employee of the Stage and Picture Operators Local 271, was sentenced to two years probation for
forgery. On November 16, 2007, Wilson pled guilty to a one count felony charge of
forgery in the amount of $168. Prior to the investigation, Wilson paid restitution in the amount of $16,750.
January 30, 2008,
William Sargent, former Treasurer of AFGE Local 704, was indicted on one count of
mail fraud involving a scheme to
defraud the union of approximately $31,015.
January 29, 2008, former
Treasurer of AFGE Local 1629, was sentenced to 14 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release, ordered to pay a special assessment of $100, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $75,069.49. Harper pled guilty to one count of
making materially false statements on the local's annual financial report.
January 29, 2008, an information was filed against
Kristen Swint, former Vice President and Secretary-Treasurer of Machinists Local 2339-C, charging her with one count of
falsifying union records.
January 23, 2008,
Timothy C. Ferrucci, former President of Northeast Emergency Services Union, was sentenced to one year probation, which includes six months of home confinement, and ordered to pay a $2,000 fine and make restitution of $27,347. On November 2, 2007, Ferrucci pled guilty to
four counts of filing a false report.
January 19, 2008,
Jamie Solis, former President of Steelworkers Local 594, was charged with one count of
theft of union funds in the amount of $500 or more, but less than $15,000,
by threat or deception.
January 18, 2008,
Michael Rutowski, former Treasurer of AFGE Local 2913, pled guilty to one count of
making a false and fraudulent representation to a federal agency.
January 18, 2008,
Salvatore Battaglia, former President of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1181, the primary union that represents drivers and escorts for school bus companies in New York City, pled guilty to participating in the conduct of the affairs of a
racketeering enterprise in violation of 18 USC 1962 (c). Battaglia's act
included the extortion of bus company owners.
January 16, 2008,
Clarence Morgan, President of Steelworkers Local 2948, was indicted on one count of
embezzling union funds in the approximate amount of $20,499.
January 16, 2008,
James Eric Kay, former President of Boilermakers Local Lodge 523, was indicted on 43 counts of
embezzling union funds in the approximate amount of $16,979.
January 16, 2008, information was filed against
Fredrick W. Jones, former Vice President of Glass, Molders, and Plastic Union Local 285, charging him with one count of
embezzling union funds in an amount over $10,000. Subsequently, Jones pled guilty to the offense.
January 15, 2008,
Kim M. Van Handel, former President and acting Treasurer of Steelworkers Local 1980, was indicted on one count of
embezzling union funds in the amount of $11,500.
January 14, 2008,
Terry Howell, former President of Steelworkers Local 8-505, was sentenced to three years supervised probation, including six months of house arrest, ordered to pay restitution, and fined $2,000 for
embezzling $13,210 in union funds. On October 26, 2007, Howell pled guilty to one count of
embezzling union funds in the same amount.
January 11, 2008,
Charyle Emel, former President of American Postal Workers Local 2013, was sentenced to one year probation and ordered to make restitution, pay $60 to the United States Postal Service, and a $25 special assessment. On February 23, 2007, Emel pled guilty to one count of
falsifying union financial records by willfully making or causing to be made a
false loan agreement between her and the local totaling $12,864.10.
January 9, 2008,
Graham Paul Vane, former President of the National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 1280, pled guilty to one count of
embezzling over $170,000 in union funds, and four counts of making false statements to a government agency. The final
embezzlement amount will be determined at Vane's sentencing hearing. On May 24, 2007, Vane was indicted on one count of
embezzling union funds in the same approximate amount, and four counts of
false statements to a government agency.
January 8, 2008,
Kurt Swanstrom, former Financial Secretary and Treasurer of PACE/USW Local 5-1560, was indicted on one count of
embezzling union funds in the amount of $12,327, one count of
falsification of union records, and one count of
filing a false labor organization report.
January 8, 2008,
Kathleen Drake, former Secretary-Treasurer of Machinists Local 2339-C, pled guilty to one count of
falsification of union records, and agreed to make restitution in the amount of $17,035.
January 7, 2008,
Glenroy Richards, former President of AFGE Local 2440, was charged with
grand larceny in the third degree.
Yes, I really do believe Barack Obama wants to change America.
