Solis is Obama's Labor pick

beverly in Chicago — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 18:42:26 GMT

It's so good to see a Latina in the Administration. Once a qualified gay person is chosen; perhaps the circle will be complete. But, it remains to be seen. Some people will whine about anything; even a hang nail.

Solis is Obama's Labor pick

Jay Harris — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 18:46:48 GMT

This is great news! Hilda Solis was the chief sponsor of the Green Jobs Act of 2007. She knows how to build a green economy with good jobs.

Solis is Obama's Labor pick

jbentley — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 18:46:58 GMT

Well, how about giving a little more. Who is she? Does she have a background working on Labor issues? What do the unions think?

Solis is Obama's Labor pick

Scooter — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 18:54:59 GMT

Ok, but when will he appoint the war crimes tribunal for Bush.

Solis is Obama's Labor pick

Richard, Washington State — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 19:35:29 GMT

It's too bad Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg can't replace both NY senators. She's better than either one.

She would have had an easier road establishing residence in Massachusetts, though.

Who's Hilda Solis?

Solis is Obama's Labor pick

T. Gebre, Orange, CA — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 19:42:00 GMT

Can't find a better person than Hilda Solis. It will be good to see working people filnally will have a voice. Rep. Solis is as passionate as anyone about workers rights.

Solis is Obama's Labor pick

No Kool-Aide Here — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 19:47:43 GMT

I guess we'll be subjected to the Obama-nuts praise of the pick, who twenty minutes ago they never heard of. Do you people get pom-poms for all the cheerleading you do?

Solis is Obama's Labor pick

MSierra, SF — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 20:15:08 GMT

This sounds like a good pick...

From Washington Monthly:

'..HILDA SOLIS TO LABOR.... Various names have been rumored, but it appears that our next Labor Secretary will be Rep. Hilda Solis.

A labor official says Rep. Hilda Solis of California will be nominated as labor secretary by President-elect Barack Obama.

The Democratic congresswoman was just elected to her fifth term representing heavily Hispanic portions of eastern Los Angeles County and east L.A. She is the daughter of Mexican and Nicaraguan immigrants and has been the only member of Congress of Central American descent.

I'm only vaguely familiar with Solis' background, but a quick look around the tubes suggests she's well suited for the job, and her nomination will be a big win for unions. (The transition office was, by the way, under increasing pressure on increased cabinet diversity, and Holis, as a Latina woman, helps. If my count is right, she's the fifth woman and the third Hispanic official to join Obama's team.)

Seyward Darby notes, for example, that Holis has described herself as a "daughter of a union family," co-sponsored the Employee Free Choice Act in the 110th Congress, and earned a 100% rating from the AFL-CIO last year.

For more, take a look at Holis' EFCA speech on the House floor, and her position page on labor issues from her campaign website, which shows her taking a strong pro-union message on pretty much every issue important to labor.

We haven't heard too much lately about the lack of genuine, unapologetic liberals in Obama's cabinet, but for those who've been worried about ideological diversity on the president-elect's team, Holis should make progressives feel pretty good...'

Solis is Obama's Labor pick

jawillie, Philadelphia, PA. — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 20:15:22 GMT

>>>I guess we'll be subjected to the Obama-nuts praise of the pick, who twenty minutes ago they never heard of. Do you people get pom-poms for all the cheerleading you do?
No Kool-Aide Here (Sent Thursday, December 18, 2008 2:47 PM)
==========
Have you considered that the people of CA may have heard of her, since she represents that state? And for those of us who haven't heard of her, theres this little game that's very popular among those of us who are addicted to independent thought. It's called RESEARCH!

33 Days Until Inauguration Day!
http://jawillie.blog.com

Solis is Obama's Labor pick

jawillie, Philadelphia, PA. — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 20:15:33 GMT

Solis is Obama's Labor pick

Kathy, Charlotte — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 20:15:55 GMT

"I guess we'll be subjected to the Obama-nuts praise of the pick, who twenty minutes ago they never heard of. Do you people get pom-poms for all the cheerleading you do?
No Kool-Aide Here (Sent Thursday, December 18, 2008 2:47 PM)"

YES, THEY'RE BLUE. WANT ONE?

Solis is Obama's Labor pick

Jenny Swartz — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 20:17:02 GMT

This is great news! Hilda Solis was the chief sponsor of the Green Jobs Act of 2007. She knows how to build a green economy with good jobs.

Jay Harris (Sent Thursday, December 18, 2008 1:46 PM)

Her economy building has worked so well, that California is $30 billion in the hole.

Solis is Obama's Labor pick

ColoDem — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 20:19:09 GMT

Gee what a concept. Picking a labor Sec who isn't anti-labor! Picking a Labor Sec with a Labor background! Apparently Bush thought that every Dept should be headed by someone as hostile as possible to the dept's purported aims.

Bush replaced the traditional conservative aim of shrinking government with the aim of making government huge, stupendous, but so inept as to be absolutely powerless to accomplish anything besides further enriching the already rich and powerful. All the benefits of shrinking it to bathtub size only thousands of cronies could make even more money, tons of it courtesy of the meaningless little tax payer, in the process.

And now, we all hope, for something completely different; government by people who believe that good government is possible and have the smarts, talent and experience to make it work.

Solis is Obama's Labor pick

Frank Allan — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 20:19:26 GMT

When in Obama going to appoint a one-eyed gay Baptist teacher with one short leg and a bad rash?

Solis is Obama's Labor pick

A.Brocco,Albuquerque,NM — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 20:22:32 GMT

Scooter...a very clever and appropriate point. Keep going with it.

Solis is Obama's Labor pick

T. Gebre, Orange, CA — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 20:49:57 GMT

jbentley: Trust me when I say she is a great choice. If you want to findout about her background, simple look her up. She served in the California State Legislatur, where is led the fight to raise the minimume wage and thougher worker saftey laws. She also has a 100% voting recored with the AFL-CIO, which means, she has always voted with workers instead of corporations.

Solis is Obama's Labor pick

TeresaE - Elk Grove, CA — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 21:03:39 GMT

Awseome. She will be a great addition to the team.

Solis is Obama's Labor pick

Maine Jim — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 21:09:13 GMT

Odd but one only has to have the various news channels on in the back ground or take a minute to do a little Googling while your on hold with a call to know that she isn't a bad pick. The best pick? Who knows. But she does seem to come with some level of knowledge and experience. Does seem to be a fresh practice to have some one named for a particular position that might actually be an advocate for the position for which they were named or at least seems to like working people. I can take that all day long.

Solis is Obama's Labor pick

Dee, College Park, MD — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 21:15:14 GMT

Dear Beverly in Chicago,
A qualified gay person was already chosen yesterday. Per CNN: He also picked Nancy Sutley, the Los Angeles deputy mayor for energy and environment, to lead the White House Council on Environmental Quality.

Sutley, a prominent supporter of Sen. Hillary Clinton's bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, is the first high-ranking gay appointee to the Obama administration.

Solis is Obama's Labor pick

Linda, Washington D.C. — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 21:17:13 GMT

Dear No Kool-Aide Here,
Most Obama supporters know Hilda Solis very well, and we've been waiting for Obama to draw from the House Progressive caucus for months now. Our dreams have been answered. She has both the demeanor and the experience to be a great labor secretary. You're clearly a know-nothing fool.