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Holland | D.R.I.V.E. Contributions

lumpersam said:
Correct me if I am wrong, didn't Junior support the Republican party, I think it was in the late 80's or middle 90's, I am almost positive I read a whole page article about this, and I remember thinking (yes I said thinking ) why is he doing this since historically unions have been on the side of the Democrats. Can somebody help me out?


GBA:USA:
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From the year 2002: The whole story can be found at FOXNews.com - Labor Union Supports Bush TIPS Plan - Politics | Republican Party | Democratic Party | Political Spectrum

The Teamsters' support of TIPS, however, is not attributable solely to its Good Samaritanism. The union, which has traditionally leaned more Democratic, wants to demonstrate that the labor group should not be written off as only supportive of Democratic initiatives.

"The fact is that since Mr. Hoffa took office, he's made it extremely clear that on the legislative and political strategy, that the Teamsters will have no permanent friends, only permanent interests," Black said. "With regards to the Bush administration, that is exactly what we have done."

The Teamsters are doing more than supporting TIPS to show they should not be taken advantage of as a Democratic union.

The group has supported a mixed bag of political priorities. It has gone from supporting Bush's idea to drill for oil in Alaska, to opposing Bush's pet priority: fast-track trade negotiating authority. The group also fought the administration over safety standards for trucks crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.

"Our approach is not to buddy up to one party or the other, but it's to build a Teamster majority at all levels of government," Black said.

It is building its majority in part by donating more to Republican campaigns than it has done in the past. During the 2000 election cycle, the group donated $2.9 million to various candidates; 93 percent went to Democratic candidates and only 7 percent went to Republicans.

But so far in the 2002 election cycle, Teamsters have donated $1.2 million -- 85 percent of which has gone toward Democratic candidates and 15 percent to Republicans.
 
I'm glad to see that the union has raised the percentage of donations up to 15% towards Republicans. The 7% going to the Republicans (from the past) was a total joke. However, I would think that 85% of donations going to the Dems. should have gotten us better results from the Dem. party. I'm not into lip service, I expect results. Maybe if the Dems. notice that their donations are starting to get balanced out a little more equally, they will start to show us some results for our lobbying.:1036316054: Thanks for the percentages Benny, I always wondered what they were.
 
Great background work Benny thanks!!!!!

That is still a heck of a lot of money given to politicians from both sides for very little results. That is not a great return on OUR investments.
 
If I'm not mistaken, Sr. did this also so this is nothing new. In the end, the Left got most of the donations in every election. Shopping our money around before endorsing a candidate may keep them on their heels and not expect something from us every time. Instead, they have to accomplish things with it or face losing it.
The Right is heavily influenced and funded by big business. They do not want Labor Unions.
Anyone listen to today's press event by the GOP concerning add-ons to the bailout package? The Dems INCLUDED in the bill and clause that INCLUDED Labor Bosses input (protecting their interests) in the whole bailout process. The GOP, in a news conference, are adamantly against this and said so and are going to fight to remove that from the language it tooth and nail.
So you say the DRIVE contributons do nothing for you? This a prime example of what it does do.
This bailout package could be the nail in our coffin without our interests protected. Let me remind all that JR. is a labor lawyer by profession and has represented both sides of the fence. He's a little too cozy with BZ for my tastes. He cannot, however, deviate from DRIVE's goals.
In the end, no matter who recieves our $$, even if its both sides, they do help us. We are not in a Labor friendly era being in a global economy. Imagine how things would be without and lobbying? We are still in existance which shows our money and our voice are still being noticed.

Also, let us keep the DRIVE fund and the Strike Fund issues apart. I'm not happy about the strike fund issue. I'm all for DRIVE.
 
Respectively Loon Captains of industry are not Republicans exclusively like many would like to make it out to be. And what needs to be understood is that it is a election year and both sides are playing to the constituents, if it was not a election year we would see what is currently going on drag for months on end , do not be fooled for one minute that it would be otherwise.

If you take the time to research who was involved in this mess you will find that it was heavily brought upon by policies from both parties and that the ones who are making out on this deal are the same ones we are supposed to believe are pro labor.

Not all these funds are exclusively being allocated in the best interest of the Teamsters and the vision we were built upon. As you have read in these posts it is to send a message to leadership that we no longer trust their judgment any longer , it is not a call to end contributions indefinitely.

When have we become a Brotherhood that forgot the basic principles of Questioning Leadership in whatever form or affiliation that Leadership might be? Many questionable practices and decisions were made with the NMFA and questionable practices and direction has occurred with the emergence of what Hoffa has recently pulled in Chicago. The Trust factor has escaped when Hoffa and company emerged to show the rest of the International his true colors with how he pushed through a contract that has only benefited those captains of industry we are all led to believe our DRIVE funds are supposed to lobby against for us.
 
Drive

Loon said:
If I'm not mistaken, Sr. did this also so this is nothing new. In the end, the Left got most of the donations in every election. Shopping our money around before endorsing a candidate may keep them on their heels and not expect something from us every time. Instead, they have to accomplish things with it or face losing it.
The Right is heavily influenced and funded by big business. They do not want Labor Unions.
Anyone listen to today's press event by the GOP concerning add-ons to the bailout package? The Dems INCLUDED in the bill and clause that INCLUDED Labor Bosses input (protecting their interests) in the whole bailout process. The GOP, in a news conference, are adamantly against this and said so and are going to fight to remove that from the language it tooth and nail.
So you say the DRIVE contributons do nothing for you? This a prime example of what it does do.
This bailout package could be the nail in our coffin without our interests protected. Let me remind all that JR. is a labor lawyer by profession and has represented both sides of the fence. He's a little too cozy with BZ for my tastes. He cannot, however, deviate from DRIVE's goals.
In the end, no matter who recieves our $$, even if its both sides, they do help us. We are not in a Labor friendly era being in a global economy. Imagine how things would be without and lobbying? We are still in existance which shows our money and our voice are still being noticed.

Also, let us keep the DRIVE fund and the Strike Fund issues apart. I'm not happy about the strike fund issue. I'm all for DRIVE.
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Please, Please, We do not advocate elimanating contributions FOREVER.

So please stop writing to the issue as though that is whats being said.

But a message must be sent to the International,

"You are NOT doing what you are supposed to be doing on our behalf"

"We see it and we are not happy"

"The election is coming".


This message is much like a local taking a strike authorization vote,

it is a forewarning of possible things to come, a tap on the shoulder,

"Make it better we are watching"

"We do not want to have to act, but we will if necessary"

Because the power we all hold is there we only need to excersize it.

WE ARE THE UNION, not the leadership!

You are a good Teamster no doubt about it, so are the rest of us.

If we do not stand up when the sh*t is hitting the fan,

WHO SHOULD? WHO WILL?
 
I know I am done giving until I can see political results from our money. All I have seen is lip service without true results.
 
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