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MCDC Endorsement Convention

Submitted by Lee Nelson on March 12, 2010 - 1:46pm

Health Care

Last night the Montgomery County Democratic Committee held its endorsement convention. Although many people were most concerned about the senatorial endorsement, I was eager to see what the results would be for the race in the 6th Congressional District or more specifically how Dr. Manan Trivedi would fare, who was the candidate for whom I was rooting. There are so many reasons I like Manan. He’s a progressive without ambiguity, a physician, Iraq War veteran, healthcare advisor during the run up to Obama’s election, and he’s a grassroots believer. Since Manan was still in the navy, he had to enter the race months later than his opponent. He also didn’t have the personal wealth of the other guy. Thus, the other guy had advantages that Manan didn’t enjoy.

The vote was taken by secret ballot, and it took some time to count the votes. I was on the edge of my seat waiting. Frankly, I was hoping that Manan would at least have a decent showing – something that wasn’t an embarrassment. Finally, the results were announced. Manan won over 70% of the vote. A blowout!

Beverly Hahn

Freedom Obviously Means Something Different to Republicans

When they talk about Freedom®, Senate Republicans must have a different meaning than the rest of us. It seems Freedom® to them means the ability of selected corporations to be free of the laws that govern the rest of us. It certainly doesn't mean the freedom of association as guaranteed by the First Amendment to the Constitution. To wit:

This week, Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) slammed the brakes on a Senate bill reauthorizing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), objecting to a change in the House version of the bill that fixes an inequity in labor law that makes it more difficult for truck drivers at Memphis-based Federal Express to unionize than drivers at other shipping companies. Fellow Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander (R) applauded Corker's effort, pledging to "use every right or privilege I have as a senator to make sure that in the end of the process, the legislation does not include the unfair provisions singling out FedEx that's in the House bill." The senators' effort to prevent what they call an "unfair" provision singling out FedEx labor workers is itself a contradiction because, as Jim Berard, a spokesman for House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Jim Oberstar (D-MN) noted, the House language seeks to "treat people who have the same type of job equally under federal labor laws." FedEx has successfully lobbied for years to remain classified as an airline subject to Railway Labor Act (RLA), a law that is technically supposed to apply only to airlines and railroad companies and stipulates that workers can't form local unions. CEO Fred Smith -- "who raised more than $100,000 for 2008 Republican presidential nominee John McCain and was George W. Bush's fraternity brother" -- defends this exception, adding, "I don't intend to recognize any unions at Federal Express." The language that Corker objects to would bring FedEx under the National Labor Relations Act like other shipping companies, such as UPS. Corker announced Wednesday that he will release his hold on the bill after receiving assurances from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) that the FedEx provisions would not appear in the Senate bill. - CAP's Progress Report

It would seem that to their minds, the greatest threat to Freedom® is a group of workers standing together for their family's economic security and their rights as Americans. Canada is looking better all the time.

Montgomery County Democracy for America

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Joe Hoeffel (PA-Gov)	$