Jim Wasser served in Navy combat during the Vietnam War. His father fought in World War II, a veteran of the Pacific theater.
Wasser, a member of the Electrical Workers (IBEW) union, respects Sen. John McCain’s military service—but not his record in the Senate. Wasser puts it this way:
He wants us to keep spending $10 billion a month in Iraq, just like Bush. We could use that money to build schools, and roads, and create jobs with livable wages and benefits and insurance. He even took sides with Bush against increasing health care benefits for veterans.
People should let John McCain know: His agenda is not what we need, not now.
Wasser is taking his message to union members and union vets across the nation. He’s featured in a TV ad (see video above) the AFL-CIO is launching today in several communities across the nation that have been hard hit by the Bush-fueled recession. We have pulled together an AFL-CIO Union Veterans Council, made up of members from multiple unions who are taking part in roundtables with union vets around the nation today. They will continue to get out the message throughout the election season that there’s a big difference between McCain’s war record and the anti-working family policies he’d pursue as president.
More than 2.1 million union members are military veterans. They want to be respected for risking their lives for their country and rightly believe others who have served should similarly be honored. So our job is to highlight how McCain’s Senate voting record and the Bush-clone stands he’s taking on the campaign trail contrast with those of Sen. Barack Obama—and to pressure McCain to promise a different course as president than he has followed in the Senate.
In fact, unlike McCain, Obama supported the 21st Century GI Bill that finally passed Congress. Obama, a member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, says one of his first acts as president would be reversing the 2003 ban on enrolling modest-income
veterans for Veterans Affairs care. The ban, he says, has denied assistance to 1 million veterans. We’ve posted fact sheets on the positions of Obama and McCain on issues key to union vets—and a quick comparison shows clearly that, while McCain is willing to use his service to sell his candidacy, he’s not willing to extend support for today’s vets.
That’s what union vets—and all U.S. veterans—need to know.
Related posts:
- What Have We Done? Single Mothers Among New Homeless Vets
- Chocolate, Whiskey and More at the Union Store
- AFL-CIO President Trumka: Union-Blue Dog Relationship Changing, Filibustering Health Care Un-American
- Stickin’ with the Union: The Republic Window Saga
- A Union Man Ponders the Democrats’ Collapse in the Virginia Elections
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ZED
Way to go, Jim Wasser! That’s a truly excellent ad. Having McSame’s frightful voting record in the Senate rightfully trashed by people with impressive military backgrounds is a very smart thing to do. Effective too, I hope…
Countdown to an assertion from a media figure that this is an attack on McCain’s military service: 3… 2… 1…
He’s running on his Vietnam war record so he should be open to criticism about his treatment of vets — the worst thing he did for vets is help start the Iraq war.
CNN reporting McCain has thrown Phil Gramm under the bus….
Stay at home wives looking 4 FUN
I know money is money but pr0n on FDL? I thought this was a fucking family site.
Sounds like a fuckin family to me!
Only after having first jumped under it with him—”Hey- it’s dark and dirty down here- think I’ll just leave ol Phil and head fer the light.”
funny how that turned out, eh?
We’re working to get that ad pulled. Thanks for the heads up.
Don’t pull the “I’m kind of a big deal” tee shirt ad. Cracks me up every time I see it.
all well and good. But what about the 50% of voters who are true sheeple, those who get their info on the candidates by osmosis, thru 527 ads, sound bites, and the 30 sec ad. Lies rule! the truth, and corrections are never heard. and the sheeple continue to graze on popcorn and beer. As long as they got their sports, they don give a flyin f*k about warshinton dc, cause what they do don mean nottin to me. Those are the people who will elect our next president, and they will pick someone like gwb-not too smart, but a good ol boy you can sit and have a beer with-course ol georgie better be drinkin a o’dooles(non alki beer) stead of a bud.
Thank you Tula -
firedogs – I spent part of the 4th campaigning with local congressional candidate – and found myself focusing in on the various veteran contingents
they were genuinely shocked to hear the truth about ol Gafferick’s record on veterans benefits, especially about fighting against the New GI Bill . . . and then really, really pissed off about the chicken shit move to take credit for it
strange bedfellows indeed – after months of fighting, lobbying and flat out pestering the VFW, am now working with some local VFW Post Commanders to get a guest op-ed about his execrable record in the Austin, Dallas, Houston papers
Thank you Tula.
With apologies, I’d like to bring up a link concerning a discussion that dragged on into EPUland downstairs, regarding candidates’ stances on issues, warts & all.
Just wanted to get some feedback on how others feel about reasons why…
Thanks for indulging me. *blush*
http://firedoglake.com/2008/07…..nt-1535543
Jane a couple of lfights up talking about the Defiant Dozen on FISA
eaglesnest-2 (dot )net/eagles
CLICK HERE TO DO SOMETHIMG: Visit Patriots Revolt On one side of the isle, we have the all returned crew, who, no matter what evidence is presented ( even from their golden boy John McCain see below ) they go into immediate denial that any one was left behind,. then character assassinate any one who disagrees. They throw their medals around as a way to intimidate those who would go against their grain.
Freedom of speech and expression is something I appreciate and I will not allow any one, no matter where they been or what they have done rob me of that freedom through intimidation. PERIOD
On the other side of the isle we have the nuts… good men who believe in the promise that “No Man will ever be intentionally left behind”. The Nuts and weirdo’s are a persistent lot and will not relent until all are home or in American soil. This miffs the all returned crew to the point that they will even try and disparage their own, other Nam PoW’s who broke away from the circle and investigated. Col. Ted W. Guy was one of the nuts with guts, and this site is dedicated to his mission, a mission he started before he died, “Just say NO to John McCain”. In items immediately following you will see the attempt to brand Col. Ted Guy a nut. These messages below were written between Nam PoWs and I. I have the originals with header information in tact .
But first…………
Lets Talk about
Medal Thumpers and Fear Mongers
vs.
Heroes
Medal Thumpers & Fear Mongers:
Once again a group of foolish Americans has been resurrected that I call medal thumpers and fear mongers who want you to pay attention to them. According to some, unless you were where they have been, you have no right to be vocal with your opinion and they raise their medals that proclaim their honor and hero status to intimidate.
WRONG!
The freedom of speech is the single most important political right of ALL American citizens.
~~~ModNote: Edited for content – truncated for length. In future comments, please segment this much material into multiple comments, and link to the original.
And Welcome.~~~