CALIFORNIA YANKEE

Obama hides his union label

Democrats are wondering why President Obama isn't speaking out in support of the public workers' unions in Wisconsin, Indiana and Ohio. Several, including Representatives Keith Ellison of Minnesota, Chellie Pingree of Maine, and Judy Chu of California have urged Obama to do more to stand by public employees.

They have a point.

Obama did accuse Gov. Walker of an "assault" on unions and it was widely reported that the White House political operation -- Organizing for America and the Democratic National Committee, got involved to build crowds for demonstrations at the Wisconsin Capital and elsewhere.

When it became clear how unpopular supporting the public unions had become, Obama slinked away from the Wisconsin union fight. Obama wasn't always so reticent to display his union label.

Presidential candidate Obama specifically promised to walk the picket line if workers' collective bargaining rights are denied when he's in the White House. Not only that, presidential candidate Obama told the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) membership that they share a common agenda -- "your [SEIU] agenda's been my agenda." On another occasion presidential candidate Barack Obama reminded a campaign crowd that he is firmly tied to the SEIU.

Obama's Press Secretary Jay Carney was asked about the "Wisconsin situation," the calls of  Ellison and others for Obama to stand with the Wisconsin public workers' unions and Obama's promise to walk the picket line at the February 25, 2010 press briefing. Carney didn't want anything to do with the questions. Especially after polls found Obama’s leadership rating fell to a new record low and two-thirds of likely voters disapprove of Wisconsin legislators fleeing the state to avoid their duty to vote on Governor Walker's plan to restrict certain bargaining rights of public workers' unions.

All Carney would offer, in an effort to hide Obama's previously proudly-worn union label, was a more politically acceptable call for the parties to come together and reach a solution.

 

Obama and SEIU Flashback - Obama Leads SEIU Chant

Addressing Service Employees International Union (SEIU) members on January 5, 2008, presidential candidate Barack Obama reminded the crowd that he is firmly tied to the SEIU:

I come from an organizing background. I've been working with the SEIU before I was elected to anything. When I was a community organizer SEIU Local 880 and myself we organized people ... we organized voter registration drives. That's how we developed political power on the South side of Chicago.... And now the time has come for us to do it all across this country. We are going to paint the nation purple with SEIU.

SEIU I'm glad you are with me. Let's together change the country.

Then Obama leads the crowd in an SEIU chant, SEIU, SEIU, SEIU ....

Watch the video:

Obama Flashback - Obama promised to 'walk on that picket line'

In a November 3, 2007 speech in Spartanburg, South Carolina, presidential candidate Barack Obama promised to walk the "picket line":

"And understand this: If American workers are being denied their right to organize and collectively bargain when I'm in the White House, I'll put on a comfortable pair of shoes myself, I'll will walk on that picket line with you as President of the United States of America. Because workers deserve to know that somebody is standing in their corner."

Watch the video:

So why isn't Obama in Madison instead of tyring to back away from the demonstrations he and his campaign organizations supported?

Obama and SEIU Flashback - Obama: SEIU's agenda is my agenda

In a September 17, 2007 speech to the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) membership, presidential candidate Barack Obama revealed more than solidarity with the SEIU admitting they share a common agenda -- "your [SEIU] agenda's been my agenda," and that he consults with Union before debating health care and immigration issues. 

Obama makes those admissions at the about the 3:16 mark in the following video:

Paul Ryan shames the Wisconsin fleebaggers

Congressman Paul Ryan gets it exactly right concerning the Wisconsin legislators fleeing the state to avoid their duty to vote.

I didn't like the legislation that was moving through Washington the last two years -- I didn't like cap and trade, I didn't like ObamaCare, I didn't like the stimulus. But I didn't walk out. We stayed and did our jobs. We voted, we tried to amend, we made our debates . . . Elections have consequences. They won, we lost. That's the way it works. So I just don't understand this lack of respect for the rule of law." -- Congressman Paul Ryan

I have nothing to add but Congressman Ryan went on to talk about how achieving fiscal responsibility does not have to be a partisan issue.

Watch the video:

The Democrats are making a huge mistake here. They are taking another very unpopular stand just like they did with ObamaCare.

67% disapprove of legislators fleeing Wisconsin to avoid vote

Two-thirds of likely voters disapprove of Wisconsin legislators fleeing the stat to avoid their duty to vote.

New Rasmussen Reports polling finds America’s voters strongly oppose Wisconsin state senators fleebagging tactics to avoid a vote that would restrict collective bargaining rights for government workers' unions.

Only 25% of likely U.S. Voters approve of this failed 2003-vintage Democrat tactic.

Sizable majorities of Republicans and Independents reject legislators shirking their duty in this obstructionist manner. But Democrats are divided, with 48% approving and 44% disapproving.

Based on Zogby's "Red State/Blue State/Green State" poll, Brad O'Leary argues that Wisconsin and Indiana union protests could spell trouble for Democrats:

The union riots in Wisconsin and Indiana might be good business for the likes of Jesse Jackson, but should the unions prevail, it would almost certainly spell trouble for Democrats in the next election cycle. 

This is further evidence of why the Obama regime tried to claim it did not encourage the massive union protests as Obama's leadership rating fell to a record low.

Obama finally breaks silence on violence in Libya

President Obama condemned the violence in Libya, dispatched Secretary of State Clinton to Geneva for talks aimed at stopping the bloodshed, and said he directed his administration to prepare a full range of options to respond.

Obama also said the suffering and bloodshed is outrageous and unacceptable.

Obama made these profound announcements Wednesday evening -- his first public comments on the violent unrest sweeping Libya.

After being asked several questions about Obama's silence on the violence in Libya, an exasperated Press Secretary Jay Carney finally stated it was a scheduling problem: 

MR. CARNEY:  Just one second.  This is just a scheduling issue.

That's right, because of "scheduling" Obama was not able to speak out on Libya. Not on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday nor Tuesday.

112th Congress critter departure watch

So far, 11 members of the 112th Congress -- 4  Senate and 2 House Democrats and 2 Senate and 3 House Republicans, have announced plans to leave Congress on or before the January 3, 2013 end of the 112th Congress:

SENATE

Democrats

1. Jeff Bingaman (NM) Retiring
2. Kent Conrad (ND) Retiring
3. Joe Lieberman (Independent Democrat - CT) Retiring
4. Jim Webb (VA) Retiring

Republicans

1. Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX) Retiring
2. Jon Kyl (AZ) Retiring

HOUSE

Democrats

1. Jane Harman (CA) Resigning
2. Christopher Murphy (CT) Running for Senate

Republicans

1. Jeff Flake (AZ) Running for Senate
2. Chris Lee (NY) Resigned
3. Denny Rehberg (MT) Running for Senate

We will do our best to keep the 112th Congress Departure Watch updated as we learn about of additional depatures.

From Right Side Politics.

Obama’s leadership rating fall to a new record low

New Rasmussen Reports polling finds only 37% of likely voters think President Obama is doing a good or excellent job as a leader. Forty percent rate his performance as poor.

The poll's finding represents a huge shift in opinion from just a month ago after Obama delivered his State of the Union speech. Back then, 47% of voters viewed Obama's leadership positively.

Other interesting findings from the poll Include:

• Twenty-seven percent view Obama's leadership style as too confrontational.

• Female voters think the president is doing a better job than do male voters.

• Only 35% of those who work in the private sector say Obama is doing a good or excellent job, compared to 50% of government employees.

• Sixty-five percent  of GOP voters and 43% of Independents rate Obama’s leadership as poor.

• And of course 70% of Democrats view Obama's performance as good or excellent.

I'm sure Obama's incitement of labor unrest in Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin contributed to the sudden turn around in voters' approval of his leadership style.

Obama slinks away from Wisconsin union fight

After throwing the weight of the presidency and its campaign apparatus behind the Wisconsin public workers' unions, the Obama regime is now backing away. The New York Times reports the regime claims it did "nothing to encourage the demonstrations in Wisconsin."

This latest bit of Obama trying to have it both ways can only mean someone has read the polls and knows Obama blew it.

Last week President Obama and his reelection organs -- Organizing for America and the Democratic National Committee, went all in with support for the Wisconsin public workers' unions in the kerfuffle with Governor Scott Walker over the state's budget.

The Washington Post reported on Friday that Obama "thrust himself and his political operation this week into Wisconsin's broiling budget battle, mobilizing opposition to legislation that would curb public-worker benefits and planning similar protests in other state capitals." According to the Post:

• Obama accused went so far as to accuse Gov. Walker of an "assault" on unions.

• The president's political machine worked in close coordination with state and national union officials to get thousands of protesters to gather in Madison and to plan similar demonstrations in other state capitals.

• Democrat Party officials were organizing additional demonstrations in Ohio and Indiana, where an effort is underway to trim benefits for public workers.

• The White House political operation, Organizing for America, got involved Monday, after Democratic National Committee Chairman Kaine spoke to union leaders in Madison. The group made phone calls, distributed messages via Twitter and Facebook, and sent e-mails to state and national lists to try to build crowds for rallies Wednesday and Thursday, a party official said.

The OFA's involvement is highlighted on it's website. Evidence of the Twitter support can be seen here.

Politico's Ben Smith and Glenn Thrush also separately reported the Involvement of Obama and his political operation, as did ABC's Devin Dwyer.

Now Obama is trying to disown his support for the Wisconsin public unions because it is as monumental a political blunder as was the Obamacrats cramming the unpopular ObamaCare down our throats in the face strong public opposition. Like the ObamaCare, Public workers' unions are not popular.

Last week Rasmussen Reports released a poll that found 70% of likely voters think voters are more willing to make the hard choices needed to reduce federal spending than elected politicians are.  Fifty-five percent (55%) don’t think President Obama’s proposed $3.7 trillion 2012 budget includes enough spending cuts, and 40% of don’t think the GOP spending cuts go far enough either.

Also, A poll from the Clarus Group found that 64% do not think that government employees should be represented by labor unions.

Perhaps more important, Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll finds Obama's popularity has returned to pre-tax deal levels. Obama's Strongly Disapprove numbers are back in 40% range, giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -18. These are similar to disapproval ratings Obama had during the midterms when the Democrats got shellacked.