Sunday, March 16, 2008

Colorado labor shows how to handle GOP tactics

There's Dick Wadhams to the left. The best name ever for a Republican I'd offer! After managing George "Macaca" Allen to ruin, Dick headed back home to lead the Colorado GOP. His buddy Karl Rove helped pave the way. He's helping out the Bob Schaffer for Senate effort. Dick believes in campaigning on offense. His approach to the media has been called "slash and burn" even. That's perhaps due to Rove's influence? So how do you handle a Dick?

You fight back! David Sirota reports how Colorado's Labor community is handling the effort of some right wingers to use a “right to work” ballot initiative to bolster the GOP's numbers come November. David writes
... Adding to conservatives’ troubles is Colorado’s emboldened labor movement. Rather than crouching in a defensive posture, unions are preparing two initiatives that could drive up turnout for Democrats and serve as a model for other states across the nation. ...
Labor is dealing with Dick via an "initiative would make a corporate executive personally liable under the law if he or she 'engages in, authorizes, solicits, requests, commands or knowingly tolerates the business’s criminal conduct.' Also, they are pushing an "initiative which would require employers to have a 'just cause' when laying off an employee."

When Progressives show backbone we often win. And regardless of a loss in the immediate election, the long view must always be part of our strategy. I've written previously of jujitsu (the principle of using an attacker's energy against him, rather than directly opposing it) politics. While I'd much prefer advocating for Progressive beliefs, the reality is that we lefty types are often dealing with the Roves and Wadhams and ... of the modern GOP. Being ready and able to respond to their stunts is necessary. Karl Rove was often able to get away with his bag of tricks as our team didn't have people willing and/or able to flip his aggressive methods to our benefit. Let's hope people can learn from examples such as the above. A tip of the tam to "Colorado’s emboldened labor movement." John Gunn

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