Another Union Abandons Obama
Posted on August 8, 2014 by Dave Jolly Filed under 2014 Election, Energy, Politics, Unions
For decades, most labor unions have sided with Democratic politicians. They believe the rhetoric that the Democratic Party is the party of the working class and the Republican Party is the party of the rich. They fail to realize that the Democrats were the ones that supported slavery and segregation more so than Republicans. They also fail to realize that over the past 50 years, the American economy declined more under Democratic leadership than it did under Republican leadership.
Nevertheless, unions helped to elect one Democrat after another, including Barack Obama. But Obama’s union support has been wavering in the past couple of years.
Now the United Mine Workers of America is protesting against Obama after supporting him in 2008 and 2012. Union President Cecil Roberts was arrested in Pittsburgh for his protesting against Obama’s energy runner.
The reason for the protesting comes from the coal miners who belong to the union and are in fear of losing their jobs and livelihood due to Obama’s anti-coal policies. Most of these miners are second, third and fourth generation coal miners and this is the only profession and way of life they know. If Obama gets his way, their jobs and way of life will disappear, leaving them unemployed, destitute and hopeless.
By limiting carbon emissions from coal burning power plants, Obama’s energy policies will have a huge negative impact on coal mining, electrical workers, boilermakers and other union oriented jobs. As Roberts was being arrested, he stated:
“This was an expression by the leadership of the union and the solidarity for our members when our jobs are on the line … it’s what it’s all about.”
Mike Caputo, Vice President of UMWA District 31 said that the Pittsburgh protest was just the first shot in their battle against Obama’s anti-coal agenda. He told the media:
“We were willing to go to jail to show the government that this is a serious issue within our union and the jobs that it affects. We painted a vivid picture of who this rule is going to affect.”
Ironically, in 2008, Roberts endorsed Obama saying:
“Senator Obama shares the values of UMWA members and our families. He understands and will fight for the needs our members have today and the hopes our members have for a secure future for themselves and their families.”
“Senator Obama will fight to preserve American jobs, not ship them overseas in greater and greater numbers. Senator Obama will make sure that the nation’s mine safety and health enforcement agency actually enforces the law, instead of coddling mine operators who repeatedly and willfully violate the law.”
That was before Roberts and his union members realized what Obama had in mind for them. Since that endorsement, Obama turned on the coal miners and related industries when he stated:
“So, if somebody wants to build a coal plant, they can — it’s just that it will bankrupt them, because they are going to be charged a huge sum for all that greenhouse gas that’s being emitted.”
“Under my plan of a cap-and-trade system, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket, regardless of what I say about whether coal is good or bad, because I’m capping greenhouse gases. Coal power plants, natural gas, whatever the industry was, they would have to retrofit their operations. That will cost money. They will pass that money onto consumers.”
Five and half years later, Roberts is regretting that endorsement and is now fighting against the man who betrayed them. Instead of sending their jobs overseas, Obama just wants to eliminate them all together and that is the worst kind of betrayal after he wooed their votes.
I’ve never been a fan of unions in the first place and how they blindly support Democratic candidates without realizing the consequences. Perhaps in the future they’ll think twice about repeating that mistake and throw their support to the candidate that truly has their best interest in mind.
Read more at
http://godfatherpolitics.com/16575/another-union-abandons-obama/#bLFEBEdSmEmugaYa.99
