Specter deals blow to card check

Posted: Tuesday, March 24, 2009 4:19 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: Congress, Republicans, 2010

From NBC's Mark Murray
Did the campaign for the Employee Free Choice Act (a.k.a. "card check") end before it truly began?

It looks like it after Sen. Arlen Specter (R) signaled today that he would vote against cloture on the measure, denying Democrats 60 votes to break a GOP filibuster on the legislation -- even if Al Franken gives Democrats a 59th vote. Specter was the only Republican to vote for cloture on the legislation in 2007.

"The problems of the recession make this a particularly bad time to enact Employees Free Choice legislation. Employers understandably complain that adding a burden would result in further job losses," Specter said on the Senate floor. "If efforts are unsuccessful to give Labor sufficient bargaining power through amendments to the [National Labor Relations Act], then I would be willing to reconsider Employees' Free Choice legislation when the economy returns to normalcy."

Politics, of course, hovered over Specter's decision, especially since he's up for re-election in 2010. Organized labor floated the idea that it would back the Republican in a general election if he supported card check. But supporting the legislation would also potentially hurt him in a GOP primary.

Specter, in fact, referred to the political speculation over his vote in his Senate floor speech. "This announcement should end the rumor mill that I have made some deal for my political advantage. I have not traded my vote in the past and I would not do so now."

Big business cheered Specter's decision. "We applaud the Senator for taking a principled stand to support Main Street employers and workers in Pennsylvania," the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said in a statement. (Organized labor has yet to officially react to the news.)

Conservative Pat Toomey, a potential GOP primary challenger to Specter, issued this response: “The difference between Specter’s vote on the big government stimulus bill and Specter’s vote on card check: a threat in the Republican primary. It’s nice to see Sen. Specter reverse his position in a positive direction on card check, but I wish it didn’t take primary opposition to get him to do it.”

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Comments

I say call Specter's bluff. Make him filibuster. I'm tired of the Senate Democrats "needing 60 votes." Specter is like 109 years old; how long could he possibly filibuster before he wears out? Drag in the cots, show up in basketball shorts and your alma mater's sweatshirt, take a bathroom break before he gets started and dig in your heels.

Card check is pretty important legislation and is probably the least-understood bill I've seen in a long time. It doesn't remove the ability to have a secret ballot, it just gives the power to make that decision to the workers instead of to the management. When the management controls the secret ballot, they also control when the election is to take place and can hold mandatory (illegal) conferences to scare employees away from unionizing. With as many union workers as there are in PA, for Specter to filibuster could really hurt his re-election chances. CALL HIS BLUFF!

Brian Crooks, Naperville, IL (Sent Tuesday, March 24, 2009 4:28 PM)

Enjoy your retirement, Senator Specter.

Kent, Harrisburg, PA (Sent Tuesday, March 24, 2009 4:33 PM)

I think you said at one time you would help small business with lower interest on existing loans is that a possible we expanded three years ago after waiting almost twenty years and know we are struggling to keep all of us working thanks

Randy Rolfe Rigby Idaho (Sent Tuesday, March 24, 2009 4:37 PM)

Hopefully a democrat can beat specter!

Angela, NJ (Sent Tuesday, March 24, 2009 4:39 PM)

Specter looks like he finally sobered up.

PA in PA (Sent Tuesday, March 24, 2009 4:39 PM)

Some Republican finally convinced Arlen that going through life fat, drunk, and stupid wasn't in his best interest.

TT Manning, Texas (Sent Tuesday, March 24, 2009 4:40 PM)

It's about time someone is willing to put their political neck on the line to do what's right. He is in a tough position with Democrats trying to take his seat. For him to do that makes him a larger target. KUDOS for doing what's best for the nation, instead of what's best for your career.
Card check takes away the very democratic process on which our contry is based, free and fair secret-ballot elections.

John Plumber (Sent Tuesday, March 24, 2009 4:41 PM)

Speaker Nancy Pelosi says that if AIG folks are really coughing up their bonuses, "then we have accomplished what we set out to do."

------------

Threatening law abiding people into coughing up their money? If Pelosi thinks that's her job, then maybe she should go to work for the mafia.

Pay Less - Vote Republican (Sent Tuesday, March 24, 2009 4:46 PM)

Ditto what Brian Crooks from Naperville, IL said!

Make 'em put up or shut up!

Nashville_fan (Sent Tuesday, March 24, 2009 4:48 PM)

I say call his bluff, too! What's so scary about a filibuster? How long can some of these old Republican goats go? McCain will be asleep before the first sentence is spoken and I doubt Specter's bladder will hold out much longer than an hour or two. Call Specter's bluff!

Diane from Illinois (Sent Tuesday, March 24, 2009 4:51 PM)

Wnen is the President, Congress and the House going to wake up, the only way a bail out is going to work is to put the bail out money in the pockets of the AMERICAN public. No matter how much money you give the big 3, banks, or Insurance Co's. it does not help the AMERICAN people. They just raise car prices, build cars for car shows, or raise our rates. Give me 250,000.00 and I will pay off my debt. and make purchases, that will stimulate the economy.

Gary, Sevierville, TN. (Sent Tuesday, March 24, 2009 4:53 PM)

We need more money for the children, is there any?

Lysandra Maddox Birmingham,AL (Sent Tuesday, March 24, 2009 4:59 PM)

What is President Obama doing for the senior citizens living on their taxed Social Security income? (Please remove the tax and help these retired people)

Gladys B. Hayes, 10045 Majestic Ave., Fort Myers, Fl 33913 (Sent Tuesday, March 24, 2009 5:02 PM)

[Abolish the Fillibuster.
GP NW Indiana]
--I remember not too long ago when I was in college that the liberals on campus were enraged at the notion of abolishing the filibuster, had protests, rallies and people writing Sen. Norm Coleman. It's funny to me now that the shoe is on the other foot. I simply cannot understand why certain issues depend on who is in charge, why people cannot stand on principle--even if that principle works against what they want. I could hypothetically see liberals now abolishing the filibuster only to complain that they don't have it when the Republicans are in charge--that would be rich, that would be how our political system works.

If they wanted caa'd check, then they should have compromised, somethey they were unwilling to do. I feel about as bad for big labor as I do for the pro-life movement.

Nicholas: Minnesota (Sent Tuesday, March 24, 2009 5:02 PM)

This:

I say call Specter's bluff. Make him filibuster. I'm tired of the Senate Democrats "needing 60 votes." Specter is like 109 years old. - Brian Crooks from Naperville, IL

And then this:

Ditto what Brian Crooks from Naperville, IL said!

Make 'em put up or shut up!
Nashville_fan

You really don't know how filibusters work now in days do you? You two blather here all day, but you don't even have the basic knowledge in civics on how the government works. I really pity you two.

PL Tomms, Nj (Sent Tuesday, March 24, 2009 5:06 PM)

Maybe it would help if we all call our own congressmen and women and senators and raise a ruccus.

Daniel DeGrandore, Vancouver, Wash. (Sent Tuesday, March 24, 2009 5:06 PM)

Also, I think people are confused or ignorant about voting against cloture. 60 votes are needed to end discussion and vote on a bill (cloture). If those 60 votes are not obtained, then debate on the bill would continue as well as amendment after amendment; thereby effectively killing it. It doesn't have to be one guy filibustering. Voting against cloture doesn't mean Sen. Specter would filibuster anything. I seriously doubt Sen. Specter would filibuster anything, he just wouldn't stop others.

My goodness, it's mob rule in this world we live in now, today. Can't we just feel a little better?

Nicholas: Minnesota (Sent Tuesday, March 24, 2009 5:07 PM)

Go ahead be ignorant and pass "card check". You think companies are leaving the U.S. now.....wait and see. They'll all leave if this gets past. Does anyone really think that individuals go into business to be told what to do? They go into business to run it the way they see fit, to maximize they're products and profit and this in-turn employs more people. This bill is completely anti-American and is a direct payback by the dems for the 50 million in contributions by the unions. Didn't they get payed-back already with all this wasted bail-out money? Listen-up....if you let them they will drive this country into the ground just like they did GM!

Rocco: San Francisco, CA (Sent Wednesday, March 25, 2009 12:20 PM)

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