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DEL.ICIO.USThe strategic warning from Senate Republicans: Let Democrats win big, and unions will flourish
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Any military strategist will tell you that the most difficult maneuver to pull off is the organized retreat — to do the things that, when faced with overwhelming opposition, prevent a total rout and preserve the core of one’s forces to fight another day.
John Ensign of Nevada, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, is in that position now. He rolled through Atlanta this afternoon for a fund-raiser aimed at stemming the anticipated Democratic surge.
The event at the Capital City Club was closed, but Ensign — plus Sens. Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss — held a short session with reporters (in the Cigar Room) before guests began arriving.
First the bad news from the man in charge of the effort to elect more Republicans to the U.S. Senate: “This sets up to be a very, very tough year for Republicans. I’m pretty straight with people about that.”
“We don’t expect to take the majority back. It’d be an extraordinary night if we were able to sneak back into the majority,” Ensign said. “Having said that, the number we get to is really, really important.”
If Democrats pick up more than six seats, their control of the chamber tilts toward the absolute.
What issues are at stake? Health care for one. Domestic energy exploration for another, according to Ensign. But the Nevada senator chose to emphasize another issue with reporters — and the guess here is that he said the same thing behind closed doors.
He spoke of unions and “the right to a secret ballot in a union election.”
“This will be a major national issue. For one thing, it will change politics for the next 50 to 100 years,” Ensign said. “If you take away a secret ballot, unions use intimidation. All you have to do, instead of a secret ballot, is get 50 percent of the employees plus one to sign a card saying they want a union.
“It’s an automatic union. Then within 60 days, it’s binding arbitration for the contract. Unionization rates would skyrocket in this country,” he said.
Sounds like an argument that might shake a few much-needed purse strings loose for Republicans.
Ensign addressed a number of other topics as well:
On John McCain’s vice presidential choice:
“I think it’s a year for Republicans not to play safe, personally. In other words, don’t take a conventional choice. Take a risk,” Ensign said. “Somebody who can broaden the base of the party. It’d be nice to find a woman, or somebody who wasn’t a white male. And who was really, really competent.”
On Libertarian presidential candidate Bob Barr:
“The minor party candidates can only be significant if they’re well-funded, and those don’t come around very often,” Ensign said. “Even Ralph nader was getting national attention, but after a while he became insignificant….You may here about [Barr] in Georgia, but you’re certainly not hearing about him in other places.”
On Chambliss and the farm bill:
“Saxby showed great leadership there. The way that he brokered, between Rrepublicans and Democrats, that bill does not happen without Saxby Chambliss. Many times that bill was dead. As a matter of fact, I can’t actually believe that bill came back to life,” Ensign said.
Chambliss’ race looks strong enough, the NRSC chairman said, that his group doesn’t anticipate spending any of its funds in Georgia this fall.
Photo credit: Associated Press
Comments
By RJ
June 2, 2008 4:33 PM | Link to this
I fail to understand why the Republicans think scare tactics will work 100% of the time. The only plausible explanation is that they rely primarily on blind loyalty and an inattentive base not holding them accountable. Pains of the current times, which largely result from policies of Republican dominance for six or seven years, have awaken a sleeping giant, the electorate. People are sick and tired of being played for suckers, regardless of which party does it.
Poor performance is why the Republican party is in its current predicament. If the Democrats take the Whitehouse, strengthen their position in Congress and do not perform they will be kicked out.
America’s electorate is in the infancy stage of transformation. More reasoned voting will be coming of age.
By flip wilson
June 2, 2008 4:47 PM | Link to this
Yes, our economy was really bad for working people back in the 50s and 60s when more people belonged to unions. Things are much better today …
By ThinkAboutIt
June 2, 2008 4:55 PM | Link to this
True signs of desperation from the Republicans. I have given up on the Republican party. Bush was enough to last me a lifetime. If the Republicans lose more seats in the Senate and House and even lose the White House, then they get what they deserve.
By Tom Ga Hunter
June 2, 2008 5:02 PM | Link to this
Saxby showed great leadership there. The way that he brokered, between Rrepublicans and Democrats, that bill does not happen without Saxby Chambliss. Many times that bill was dead. As a matter of fact, I can’t actually believe that bill came back to life,” Ensign said.
Is this double speak for screwing the small farmers & georgia taxpayers?
By Tom Ga Hunter
June 2, 2008 5:06 PM | Link to this
“Chambliss’ race looks strong enough, the NRSC chairman said, that his group doesn’t anticipate spending any of its funds in Georgia this fall.”
Doublespeak for Saxby’s shaking down special interest.. How much do you think the sugar industry paid for their $3,300,000,000.00 welth distribution at the cost of the tax[ayer
By PLeHardi
June 2, 2008 5:11 PM | Link to this
“you take away a secret ballot, unions use intimidation. All you have to do, instead of a secret ballot, is get 50 percent of the employees plus one to sign a card saying they want a union”
Sounds terrible. After all, this is the system used in fascist dictatorships like Ontario and England.
By Young Republican
June 2, 2008 9:26 PM | Link to this
I totally agree. Republicans need to campaign on a platform of sticking it to the American worker. I’d take it a step further and threaten the American people with more outsourcing. This is not the time to be abandoning the Party or the corporate base. Get on board or else.
By Old Democrat
June 2, 2008 10:57 PM | Link to this
YR,
When you stop sucking off your mommies teet and pay your own bills I will care what you think
By Copyleft
June 3, 2008 7:49 AM | Link to this
What a great way to scare Republicans—“If ‘they’ win, there might be UNIONS!”
Nothing terrifies right-wing stooges like the thought of workers actually having some rights.
By Craig
June 3, 2008 7:19 PM | Link to this
Yes. Workers having rights…whatever. Because workers have NO rights in this country. Note the industries that typically are unionized and where the industries are now. Many fled to other countries. Education and unions? Yeah, boy. Schools are churning out high quality workers. More unions are the last thing our country needs. It would actually be the last thing this country would see before completely imploding.
By Bitter EX democrackkk
June 4, 2008 7:20 AM | Link to this
UNIONS are OBSOLETE and ANTI American. ANY official courting UNIONS should be considered an ignorant fool.
Hey Ensign, maybe McCaint should pick Dr. Ron Paul for that needed diversity on the ticket, whaddya say?
RON PAUL is smarter than ALL of them!! Thats the part that has them scared!
the rEVOLution is JUST beginning!
By Me
June 4, 2008 7:01 PM | Link to this
The rise of the Republican Party was due to Ronald Reagan. When working people lined up behind Reagan they never did buy into the big business way of looking at things. That is why the Republican Coalition is falling apart. Not since Reagan have understood how to appeal to the working people. And by the way if it weren’t for Unions we would all still be working for $1 a day.