SEIU ad buy

Posted: Monday, July 02, 2007 4:29 PM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under: Democrats

From NBC’s Domenico Montanaro
The Service Employees International Union made an ad buy of more than $400,000, targeting 12 congressional districts. The ads go up Tuesday, will run through the weekend and focus on minimum wage, increasing funding for veterans’ health care, and giving the federal government the ability to negotiate lower drug prices for Medicare recipients.

One ad supports Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY-20), but the SEIU won’t say in which other districts the ad will run. The ads will all have the same script and images, except for the name and picture of each different candidate.

“At this point, we think it’s a good time to look back at the last six months to see where the elected officials have been on the issues that matter to people,” said SEIU spokeswoman Stephanie Mueller. “There’s still a lot more that can be done. We’d like to urge them to do more.”

Script:
“Last year, we sent Kirsten Gillbrand to start cleaning up the mess in Washington. Already, she’s been able to raise the minimum wage, provide expanded health care for children, and to fully fund veterans health care, so no veteran will go uncared for. And now Kirsten Gillibrand is working to force the federal government to negotiate for lower prescription drug prices.

"It’s hard to change Washington, and there’s a lot more to do, but Kirsten Gillibrand is off to a good start.”

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Comments

Is this what union dues are all about? Union dues are SUPPOSED to help their members, not be part of some political machine. I refuse to even discuss unions in my workplace and my workplace is one of only two places that does not have any union representation, simply because everyone feels that unions are full of crooked and useless people. I think unions need to go back to what they were supposed to do, to help support their members, not be used for some political shenanigans. $400,000 to buy ads, just goes to show that unions are no different then the mobs that ran the waterfront in the 20th century. If you don't join the union, they use fear tactics and intimidation to force you to pay your dues. There should be a federal investigation into this S.E.I.U., they are misusing union funding.

jerry/corpus christi texas (Sent Monday, July 02, 2007 9:09 PM)

Domenico, keep us informed of the politicians who really want to do something for the people instead of themselves. I detest politicians who are self servent rather than civil servants.

Ralph Montanaro (Sent Monday, July 02, 2007 9:12 PM)

Jerry in Corpus - Isn't helping to get rid of anti-worker politicians helpful to workers? It is more cost efficient than adding organizers to their payroll. What do you consider "helping" workers?

I think you were just looking for a reason to bash unions. As a fellow worker in Texas I can tell you that there are few, if any places in TX where a union could intimidate that way, assuming it needed or wanted to. I'm calling bullsh*t. I don't think you've had any encounters with unions like the ones you described. I think you watch too many movies. Prove me wrong.

David, Austin, TX (Sent Tuesday, July 03, 2007 9:30 PM)

It is worth noting that political and dues money are collected separately and kept separately at all times. Political money is kept in a "separate segregated fund", which is exactly what it sounds like. Going after politicians who are hostile to pro-worker legislation is a cost efficient way of advancing their membership's interests. Furthermore, $400,000 between 12 districts is less than $35,000 each, assuming it is distributed evenly. This is a very small buy and expressing astonishment at this number betrays a lack of understanding of the costs and methods of political persuasion in today's media environment.

David, Austin, TX (Sent Wednesday, July 04, 2007 5:16 AM)

As a union member, nothing infuriates me more than when my money goes to a politician that I do nto support. I am forced (in Illinois) to join the teachers' union. Every year, 700 dollars is taken from my check. The teachers' union does nothing for us. All of our benefits come from our own contributions or from the district and the state. I am tired of the union manipulating elections. My money ends up supporting high salaries for union officials and getting politicians elected.

Mike Aurora, IL (Sent Tuesday, July 10, 2007 3:55 PM)

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