A What’ll You Do for Us Forum
While the topic of grassroots activism is in the air, I’d like to register my opinion that this doesn’t really appear to be an “open candidates forum”:
The largest state and municipal employees’ union has invited three of the candidates for governor to what has morphed in recent days into one of the first open forums of the gubernatorial campaign season.
Council 94, American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees had initially planned to close all its March 20 convention, including the candidates’ forum, to media coverage.
The three invited candidates (in case you couldn’t guess) are Linc Chafee, Patrick Lynch, and Frank Caprio. Why only those three?
[Council 94 spokesman James] Cenerini said the invitations were limited to those candidates who “the membership has indicated have the higher potential for support.”
Voters should take note of the union three. Voters should also take note that neither Chafee nor Lynch has bothered to appear before the truly open candidate forums that the Rhode Island Voter Coalition has organized.
ADDENDUM:
Also of interest is that the only other candidate meeting the union’s standard for an invitation was General Treasurer candidate Tom Sgouros — on the grounds that he was such a big hit at last year’s meeting. Guess we know what to expect with the likes of Sgouros in office…
ADDENDUM II:
According to Rhody in the comments, the union has canceled this forum and is scheduling one for all candidates in June. Interesting turn of events; wonder what changed.
Given the Marxist leanings of union leadership (e.g., Andy “workers of the world unite isn’t just a slogan” Stern of SEIU; Democrat Socialists of America member and until recently AFL-CIO President John Sweeney), and …
The fact that the union movement is now mostly a public sector movement, engaged in what economists call “rent seeking” to maximally exploit the taxpayers, then …
Any patriot, and any rational voter, will look at who the unions are supporting, and default to the other candidate.
Just a little out of date. The union canceled the forum at midweek and announced it’ll hold one in June, with all candidates invited…just what you wanted.
Then again, I’d bet you knew that, and figured we rubes would enjoy a shot at a union using knowingly outdated information, right?
I totally support your point of view! Keep it up that way!
Standing before Council 94 in a closed forum, I’d bet that all current Candidates for Governor would make bed buddies of the Union. If they were to have an open forum, the candidates would be very sweaty.