WKSU News: Labor gets out the vote

Sunday, August 26, 2012 Labor gets out the vote AFL-CIO SuperPAC combining efforts with MoveOn.org by WKSU's KABIR BHATIA This story is part of a special series.	Reporter Kabir Bhatia

In The Region:

More than two months before the election, Ohio’s unions are gearing up to swing voters in the swing state. And that means a first-time partnership with the non-profit MoveOn.org to canvas neighborhoods. WKSU’s Kabir Bhatia reports.

Labor gets out the vote

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John and Mary Krogness canvassed near Case Western Reserve University to talk to voters about their favorite candidates

John and Mary Krogness spent the weekend on the streets of Cleveland Heights. He's a retired social worker who once taught English to Russian refugees. She's a retired English teacher who once wrote children's television. The pair spent the day under a blazing sun, trying to convince voters to say yes to Obama, Brown and Issue 2 – which would put Congressional re-districting in the hands of an independent committee. Mary Krogness is working with many groups this year to “get out the vote,” and for one simple reason.

“We’re really worried about our country if the Republicans get in. Not just economically, but socially. Social programs will be taken away, and I think that’s of great concern because there are so many people of such need in such a rich country.”

Hitting the streets
The Krogness’ were just one of a dozen teams sent out by AFL-CIO Local 310 in downtown Cleveland. It’s a larger-scale version of the effort last fall to defeat a state law curtailing collective bargaining. For the first time, the effort combines MoveOn.org’s 7 million members with volunteers from Workers’ Voice, the SuperPAC arm of the 12-million-member AFL-CIO. MoveOn grew from a grassroots Iraq War protest group, to one that can stand as a complement to traditional labor, which wants to target voters beyond its usual union universe.

AFL-CIO spokesman Mike Gillis.
“We have the union members and MoveOn members, collaborating as they cover targeted precincts. We’re talking about the differences between the candidates in the Presidential election, between President Obama and Mitt Romney. We talk about things like job outsourcing, issues of tax fairness. Huge differences between two candidates and that’s what we want to talk about here.”

Back in Cleveland Heights
The Krogness’ found most of their route empty -- registered voters were apparently out enjoying a Saturday afternoon. Before knocking on the door of one well-kept home with a huge veranda and interesting yard sculptures, Mary Krogness theorized on the voters inside.

“They’re a little more expansive than others and are willing to take chances, so maybe they’re more willing to take chances in voting.”

Recent Massachusetts-transplant Jill Hawkins was happy to talk to the couple… especially since she’s already leaning away from her former Governor.

“I escaped Mitt Romney one time, so I’d like to do it again if possible.”

Statewide effort
Throughout the state, in seven other cities, volunteers like the Krogness’ will canvass with flyers, and make phone calls, to registered voters until election day, hitting anti-Romney talking points like Bain capital and Medicare. Nationally, the two groups say they have already mobilized 14,000 volunteers.

Listener Comments:

“We’re really worried about our country if the Republicans get in. Not just economically, but socially. Social programs will be taken away, and I think that’s of great concern because there are so many people of such need in such a rich country.” - this quote is wrong in many ways – the social programs are making this country poor – Obamacare is a huge tax, taken from your check in 2014, by the IRS, like Social Security – you are allowed to refuse, and suffer a huge fine that progressively gets larger over the years.
People care about jobs, not putting future generations in debt – this administration has spent more per month than previous administrations spend in a year – trillions of unaccountable debt should be important, not social programs, that will not be able to deliver/you will be denied care because the funds will not be there - because the far left is more focused on special interests/EPA, unions, false promises for votes than jobs/economy.
Type AFL-CIO corruption in search box – also compare MoveOn.org, SEIU, Socialists of America, with the Chamber of Commerce,which includes many of the “rich” millionaires/small businesses, owned by overworked people that make around 50k from their millions. Also Heritage, and Hillsdale College, support traditional American values, and not Socialism(social programs)/Communism.

Posted by: Socialists oppose Capitalism on August 29, 2012 2:08AM

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