Could it be the unions that elect a Republican president?
In 2012, it was a laughable notion. In this wild and unpredictable 2016 election, it’s a very real possibility.
While it seems unthinkable for most Democrats, union bosses are openly worrying — presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton is on the verge of losing a massive chunk of the union vote to GOP candidate Donald Trump, a stunning turn of events that could cost her the crucial swing states of Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Both states have been a solid blue in recent elections, thanks in no small part to the reliable union vote.
And both states have played a key role in sealing the deal, with Ohio voting for the winner in 10 straight presidential elections and Pennsylvania doing so eight out of 10 times.
Win one, and odds are you’ll win the White House. Win both and there’s almost no stopping you.
Lose both, and you’re in big trouble.
That’s the new reality facing Clinton. It’s because union voters have a huge problem with her: She has supported the free-trade agreements that have had devastating consequences on the American worker – and her husband created the biggest labor catastrophe of all.
President Bill Clinton signed the NAFTA deal into law in 1993, then followed that up by granting “most favored nation” status to China and paving the way for Beijing to enter the World Trade Organization in 2001.
The American worker has suffered ever since.
Since 2000, American manufacturing jobs have fallen by nearly a third, from 17.1 million in 2000 to just 12 million by the end of 2013, according to Newsweek.
Now, it’s about the get even worse.
President Barack Obama is trying to rush approval of the Trans Pacific Partnership, which would be the death knell for U.S. manufacturing and millions of union jobs.
Although Hillary Clinton now claims she is opposed to it, TPP was negotiated while she was Secretary of State – and at the time, she called this job-killing deal the “gold standard in trade agreements.”
As a result, the hard-working voters who depend on those jobs are abandoning Clinton – and while their ever-loyal union bosses continue to push hard for the Democrats, these leaders are openly worried that their rank-and-file will flee the party and vote for Trump.
“He’s tapped into the real and understandable frustration that’s felt among working people,” Richard Trumka, president of the Clinton-backing AFL-CIO, told USA Today.
The AFL-CIO hasn’t made a primary endorsement, but it’s a slam-dunk that its leaders will back Clinton if she’s the Democratic nominee.
However, the newspaper paper reported that the union is terrified that millions of members could defect to Trump. In fact, they’re so worried that they’ve announced plans to track members using “social media algorithms” to seemingly try and tamper down public support of the billionaire.
The AFL-CIO isn’t alone. Other unions are just as worried.
“There is deep economic anxiety among our members and the people we’re trying to organize that I believe Donald Trump’s message is tapping into,” Mary Kay Henry, president of the Clinton-supporting Service Employees International Union (SEIU) told The New York Times.
“They feel (Trump is) the one guy who’s saying what’s on people’s minds,” Thomas Hanify, president of the Indiana state firefighters union, told the newspaper.
Many Teamsters have also defected, with thousands of members joining a “Teamsters for Trump” Facebook page.
“Donald is a brash and loud man, there is no denying that,” Joshua Clontz, a Teamster who drives for the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, told The Daily Beast. “He creates controversy anywhere he goes for his take on current events and the state of America. That said, his ideas line up with the viewpoints of many Americans who feel their jobs have been hindered and pay frozen (or worse) in the name of free trade.”
Even the Democrat-heavy United Auto Workers, which has already endorsed Clinton, is worried their members won’t toe the line and pull the lever for Hillary.
One internal survey found 28 percent of the union’s members – a shockingly high level for this normally reliable Democratic voting bloc – plan to vote for Trump.
If the trend holds, it could shake-up the entire presidential race.
If Trump wins all of Mitt Romney’s states from 2008 – a safe bet –the union vote could push him over the top in battleground states like Ohio and Pennsylvania.
That means, all Trump would need to win the presidency is Florida — a state he’s gaining fast in. The latest CBS News poll shows Clinton ahead by just 1 point.
Could it be the unions that elect a Republican president? In 2012, it was a laughable notion. In this wild 2016 election, it’s a very real possibility.
— The Horn editorial team
I buy a UAW built car. I buy union made appliances. I’m voting for Trump. Millions of American jobs lost because of NAFTA. Millions more because of illegal aliens and other trade agreements. Yet the union leaders endorse the creeps that vote for these unbalanced trade agreements. Most new jobs created in the past 5 years are low wage, non-benefit ones. Pension plans are being cut. Yet, our political leaders care more about transgender bathrooms and illegal aliens.
couldn’t be said any better
I am with you.
YOU ARE SO HIGHT.
Anyone, above Kindergarten, that has at least 1 brain cell still firing correctly, knows or at least should have known NAFTA was a shitty-deal. If all things were equal, i.e., a flat playing field so to say, then Free Trade is a viable option. But, for gawd sakes man, when you have an insane EPA finding new ways everyday to add costs to your business to meet their idiotic contrived or otherwise outrageous laws that burden our society coupled with a communist president then you don’t have the situation of “all things being equal”. For instance, on the Mexican side of the border they pay their laborers say 70 cents per hour on this side of the border we pay our laborers 25 bucks an hour. I swear to gawd it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to do this math. American’s can’t compete with a 70 cent per hour labor wage, end of story. But wait for it…, …, Lawyers can’t do math any better than a Donkey, so quite naturally Attorneys can’t see anything wrong with this tactic, because they all are dumb as a rock. DO THE MATH!
Union’s vote against Trump, will cost them.
It sure will. And after watching President Obama on the media last night, he was telling the Vietnamese that the TPP has already been passed and what a great trade deal that is for them and 12 other countries. He also told the Vietnamese that they will get to go to college for free in the U.S. Our children are not going to college for free. And I get e-mails from the Democrat committees and supporters asking for donations to stop the TPP. Obama is talking like the Treaty deal has already been done and passed. I will never vote for Clinton and I use to work for a corporation that had a union. They still do. I strongly believe in unions so the working man can have a 40 hour a week work week with benefits to include medical dental paid vacations and retirement plans. Both parties have no respect for the unions. Only lip service. And Bernie Sanders walked with Verizon workers while they were out on strike. If Bernie doesn’t get the nomination I will be voting for Donald Trump. Never Hillary Clinton.
Former Figurehead Sleazeball, draft dodger, sugar coated racist white trash Bill Clinton is, alway has been and always will be
anti Union. That damned POS B@$CH Hitlery Killery ROTTON Clinton is also anti Union. The Clinton’s have always looked
down on the American working class, always acted like the working class doesn’t exist at all. Many unions are supporting
Donald Trump, the AFGE(American Federation of Government Employees) that represent the border patrol are endorsing
Donald Trump. I’m a member of the AFGE and my local is endorsing Donald Trump. The Clinton’s have betrayed many
Labor Unions, stabbed them in the back. Sleazeball, draft Dodger Bill Clinton was an anti Union governor of right to work state
of Arkansas, and that damned POS B@&CH wife of his-Hitlery Killery ROTTON Clinton lived in a non working class suburb of
Chicago before she went to Wellsley College, endorsed Goldwater in 1964. Goldwater became a Democrat the day before election
day in November of 1996. Hitlery Killery ROTTON Clinton’s own father turned his back on his working class roots when he made it
into the true & real middle class.
Christopher, thank you for your comment. Ronald Reagan started breaking the unions and that is how he made his millions as an actor. He belonged to a union and screwed the traffic control operators. Bill Clinton welcomed Rohr Industries an aerospace corporation to move their Riverside, CA plant to Arkansas so the corporation could destroy the workers union leaving the people without a job. And Magic Chef stove company in Tennessee broke their union when they went on strike all following Ronald Reagan. And Clinton gives us stinking NAFTA and she wants to push the Trans Pacific Partnership. Both parties in congress are polluted and they stink worse than the environment. I hope Trump makes life better if he does win but in all honesty I really doubt it. That is why I want Bernie Sanders to beat Hillary Clinton. She is the worse of the three candidates.
Seems the democrats forgot about us working people. Obama and the boys/girls in the band will see the fury of furious working people. Remember their are more of us than them Seems the higher level folks must have amnesia. Add the fact that media has no credibility. Voter show how much they matter. Republicans better drop support for the latest trade sellout.
They haven’t forgotten about you. They just take you for granted, and say what they need to in order to get your vote. To the limousine elitist liberals in Washington, you are a vote machine and nothing more. Same with the black vote. They honestly believe you are that stupid. How does it feel to know you’ve been voting for people who despise you, yet still feel entitled to your vote?
Democrats have NEVER been for the working man. I was visiting my parents in early ’60’s and coming down from the bedroom I heard my mother say “GD those Democrats. They tell us they are for the working man, but all we get is shafted.” Next day they became Republicans. I am an Independent because for years our family were devout
Democrats – picnics, rallies, even bused to doings, etc. Since the DNC corporation changed their name from Tories (the English who wanted the monarch to rule), they still want the government to rule and if we don’t let them have it all, then with either of the DNC evil twins we get communism (our family has been there and done that) and America is sold down to Heidi Cruz’s One World Government/New World Order and our lifestyle will be the peons of the Middle Ages or literally slaves. Even my Democrat family in MO are changing over to vote for Trump because they are tired of the same old, same old, the same we who are voting for Trump – enough with politicians who rip us off: http://personalliberty.com/anonymous-lawmaker-reveals-how-your-congressman-really-feels/
As a Christian I cannot vote Democrat; there are no shared values; you cannot be for abortion, same sex marriage, my kids sharing bathrooms with sexually incompatible individuals and be a catholic christian, As a worker I cannot vote for exporting manufacturing and service jobs and as an American I do not want to be an American by name only and eating, driving, sleeping, and living 98% with foreign goods and leave me with only American air, sun, and water.
I agree 100%, too bad Trump is such a liar to tell you what you want to hear. How pathetic the republican has become with this candidate …… Vote for Alfred E. Neuman.
Go back to native land you bozo.
We certainly don’t need bleeped-bleeps like you in our country for sure, James Greer!! If you can’t sound intelligent, then shut your pie hole!!
Go back to native land you bozo.
I am a redneck from NYC, that is my native land …………..
Don’t know where you derived that from……Trump is very clear, quick to retort, and that is getting Union respect. This campaign year is far from over, but Hillary is sounding more and more sarcastic and angry. Not sure if she realizes how bad she is coming across these days. As an old Alfred E. Newman fan I resent your retro comment. That was then,this is now!
I love all of the hostility, it is really refreshing to see all the anger. Trump will win, but it will not be because he has the respect of any nation. None of these candidates are the least bit viable and all are lairs, cheaters, crackpots and haters. The future president of our great nation will be in the hole from day one and coated with lawsuits…………. Live on Trump University!
I hope we can all live thru Trumps destruction .
you should have said reconstruction. Obama has been taking care of all the destruction we need.
jwb – I have news for you – no country has any respect for Obama, and all consider him to be a weak leader. Just because you see him on TV with these leaders, doesn’t mean they respect him … it’s just being “pc”. We don’t need the respect of other nations, we want them to be afraid of what Trump will do if they keep taking advantage of OUR country. Oh yes, they will respect Trump, count on it.
IDIOT
I agree with WITH THAT SAID. Obama is a sissy weakling and all he does is go apologizing to other Nations just like he just did to Japan….. he thinks doing so will make other world leaders respect him yet they say he is a weak leader and is a laughable idiot. so WEST HUNT, Who is the idiot? It must be the democrat loving voters. Trump is the only one with the wit and skill to get this Nation back to its greatness and save people’s jobs, protect our borders and undo the destructions that obumer has done.
YOUR THE IDIOT WE NEED A ASS KICKER WE HAVE A ASS KISSER IN THE WH.
Alberto, Thank you for speaking your convictions. Being from the border area of South Texas You represent the majority of thought. Unfortunately most folks that are descended from immigrants from our southern regions don’t vote that way. Why is it so hard to see the damage done TODAY from illegal immigration? 200 years ago we were all illegal immigrants. Times have changed. People that have the ways and means to kill us most find a barrier to getting at us.
Thank you for your highly intelligent stance and how I wish more of my fellow Catholics and/or Christians plus fellow Americans thought like this. These are all the reasons that I have been such a fervent Trump supporter since the beginning. Maybe he’s not “polished” and shoots from the hip more than he needs to but he’s not incorrect in what he says. I’m sick & tired of having to hide in the closet as a Trump supporter since I’m an Hispanic and a woman. Go Trump 2016!!!
Tell it like it is sister. TRUMP for president
Communication of Workers Former Vice President will not be voting for Hillary. Tired of the union telling me who to vote for and the after the Obama mess never will vote Democratic again. Nafta was the beginning, downhill since then.
Whatever it takes to get MrTrump elected is fair game…if it keeps jobs in the United States and products within our Shores we should be voting for Trump …if the unions are smart they’ll vote for Trump too , didn’t they learn from the Clintons the last time? Come on they’re smarter than that … Aren’t they????
Mr Trump was right when he stated that “we have not won a war sense the civil war.” And we never will, because we as a nation have turned our backs on GOD, GOD has no choice but to turn his back on us, The UK is in the same boat.
Well I thought they were. One thing that is really going to hurt the democrats this round, is the LGBT garbage that they have passed. Marriage is between a man and a woman. Not Adam and Steve. Transgender bathrooms just another distraction. They can put in a third bathroom for transgenders only. Problem solved. Abortion people are dreaming. The Republicans under Richard Nixon wanted abortion and got the law passed. Then Republicans say they are all against abortion. No they are not! They are just as dirty as the democrats on this one. I studied law and I know who did what. Abortion is a lost cause. Gays will be the same soon. Those new laws will never be overturned. However, I can live with Trump as President! And he can continue to shoot from the hip. I hope he puts both parties under subjection with a swift kick right in their arse! Go Trump!
Trump 2016 and forever.
This is a definite No $hitter!
As a ONCE proud life long Democrat I abandoned them when THEY abandoned me!
I AM A NOW PROUD unENENROLLED VETERAN WHO VOTES . . .
This Veteran and retired, Elected “E” board member, Chapel Chairman, International and
Greater Boston Labor Council Delegate is SOLIDLY for The Donald and anyone with the
slightest LOVE and RESPECT for OUR America will vote Donald TRUMP president 2017!
Good morning all, I am going for Mr Donald Trump all the way to the white house. He has my vote and support for Mr Donald Trump. As long I’m still around I will continue to support Mr Donald Trump. He is very proud man. I wish I could join or work for him. Mr Trump, don’t give up. God Bless you all American country. Let make our American Country Rose greatest. Remember, our American country belongs to the Indian and foundin father. Go Trump.
Union leadership is out of touch with their rank and file membership. Most union leaders have never actually labored a day in their lives and have no idea what is like to be working person. All they care about is collecting the membership dues and promoting their own agendas. They try to tell their members how to vote but when someone enters the privacy of the voting booth no one know how they voted unless they choose t share that information. The Obama administration put people out of work when they regulated the munitions plant in Missouri out of business. People lost their jobs when our space program was cut back. (We now have to rely on Russia to get our people to the International Space Station.) People lost their jobs when they put a halt to domestic exploration for oil and gas. And the list goes on. Now Hillary proclaims that she would put coal miners out of work. She has not presented any plan to stimulate the economy and put people back to work in the private sector. Obama has put our nation on the road to becoming a banana republic and Hillary would finish the job. Why would any working person want to put their job in jeopardy?
Mr. Texan, I watched most of Mr. Trump’s speech yesterday in Bismark, ND. I know that oil jobs are as important in Texas as in North Dakota. Mr. Trump gave a detailed account of what he wants to do to help oil/natural gas drilling industry. He also concentrated on the coal industry. With the use of new scrubbers modern clean coal pollutes a lot less than a few years ago. And it’s plain stupid to idle all of the coal-fired power plants. This will drastically increase electricity costs. Getting the greatest majority of our energy here in the US is also a major national security issue. Mr. Trump gave us lots of good reasons to vote for him yesterday.
As a former Union member I am beginning to think we might get America back Have been watching Band of Brothers…….wow we have started so far from a country that could undertake and achieve difficult things…..fir years I have been saying we need more work for young people…..never meant myself, Trump stands for what we used to stand for, and despite all the mud slinging, his family comes across as workers. I. Know many of you do not like to see your hard work going down the drain. When I buy anything I like to see that made or grown in the USA……Good luck to us all! I am goingt I its for Trump, and for getting us back to work!
I am not part of any union, but reading about those who back clinton, make me curious.
How is it that if you support Clinton you would expect every one of your members to do the same? Isn’t that more like communism?
Whatever happen to free rights?
Do they actually think that Clinton give a crap about them once the election is over?
I think that is terrible to demand all workers to vote the way the head honchos of the Unions do.
If Clinton wins all unions will be wishing they had not backed her.
I’m voting for Trump 100 % . I am a retierd workeholik . I’m still working @ 76 just like my Father did . I’m a proud American .
Considering the number of retirement funds that have lost money investing by direction of the Clintons, it’s hard to believe any Union, private or not, would endose a Clinton. The Chicago Teachers funds didn’t make any money for almost two decades, one lost a lot. Even worse for anything Pelosi touched, but that is for another time.
If these Unions want some consolations from Politicians they have to, and their rank and file have to, understand just why these retirement funds haven’t anywhere near the returns Non- Union retirement funds have had.. and the reason is the Dems have believed they will get the ‘union’ vote every time, that Union Retirement Funds are theirs for making commissions on as advisers to the Retirement Funds.
The Dems EXPECT your dues and commissions, essentially, on the monies earned in retirement pay in the union contracts.
The Dems haven’t done the Unions any favors for decades, but drain retirement Fund growth rates.
Wake up Union workers, you are working for politicians, they are not working for you!
I’m in business for myself and am also a 50 year continuous member of one of the large construction unions. I received a letter from the international union headquarters a while back suggesting that I vote for Hillary. I do a lot of work in mines, including coal mines. Hillary has stated that she plans to close a lot of coal mines and put a lot of miners out of jobs. I have to ask my union brothers; just how stupid would I have to be to vote for someone who has said they will take away some of my livelyhood? Sorry guys but a vote for her is absolutely out of the question.
Trump is giving American workers hope and those without jobs hope, Clintons never gave anything but stole your money, and jobs and will continue to sell you out, she has no soul. Trump is giving answers to how we restart the country get the working class back their jobs. Building our highways, repairing the damage by using American labor not China nor India, our only chance to stop the attack started by Clintons and Obama has just about is to finish us off by making us a third world country, and at ever turn is doing something to destroy, wants little girls in men’s bathrooms like the trips he takes to the countries that furnish little boys and young 10/12 year old girls for sex he is a sick bastard, stated he was out to change and destroy our America and replace it with his sick goes both ways life style just as wife does. Low energy loser has possible damaged America for ever already but as good American’s we can elect a non politician and begin to clean up the trash elephant ears has left us. Look at our politicians Trump turned the light on them and they scurried into the darkness they created to hide. The real scared ones like S. Carolina’s idiot is so scared he is going to lose his payoff money he has gone off his rocker. I say through all the bums out and start all over.
I’m going with Mr. Trump. I have read all of the statements and all of you have good reasons for voting Trump. I learned alot from all of you. I remember my mother was in the union and she couldn’t buy cigarettes from a store that was not union. This was back in the 50s. I don’t know if things are different now. Please vote for Mr. Trump and pray for our great country too.
Amen… I was a long time union member (CWA) , AND FOREVER, they endorsed Democrats, including Barack. I have never been afraid to speak up about that! I am a well informed voter, but apparently, they are NOT!! The union was always good for me but they need to stay out of politics.
Don’t believe everything u read! All of Trumps hotel employees are not allowed to be union like the hotel in Vegas.
These trade deals are often bad for working class Americans. Rather than creating more welfare programs to assist those who lose their jobs, we need to make deals that will benefit working class Americans. I’m tired of government debt and the welfare state. Hillary or Bernie will drive our nation further into debt and chase away more good-paying jobs.
We need to change direction. Our best hope is to toss the Democrats out of the White House and bring a businessman in. America can be great again, but it is not going to happen under a Democrat president. Most of the readers on this forum know that. It appears the rank-and-file union workers are aware of the same truth.
Ill believe when I see one Union ad thats Pro Trump.
& all Unions are involved.
But Trump is also business, & wont take to Unions abusing workers.
OK Unions.
Change your tone toward members or Trump can sic the FBI etc IF elected on Unions for worker abuses.
Like to see Pro Trump Union types deter this paid protesters at Trump events alone for Visible stand with Trump.
Esp Union bosses.
Show me some Action.
& then Unions sign pledge to DUMP DNC & Dems forever.
Hillary is anti Jobs.
Several years ago i watched an AFL CIO program on tv about a plan to expand the rail system in the north east to go west. It involved building more stations , passenger cars. I loved it, even though i am not a union supporter. The plan was brilliant. I actually thought that since the AFL CIO had strongly backed Obama that this would happen. It didnt. Here was a chance for the administration to actually do something good and get both sides of the isle together to really do something great. But instead, the unions just got screwed. And i really had high hopes to see a modernized passenger rail system expand in this country, as it would have been beneficial to all Americans.
If I was old enough to vote I would vote for Trump. Every year, I would watch him on the apprentice and he has donated millions of dollars to charity, unlike the Clintons. He is the best candidate and I hope he wins my state of New York
One last comment here. I know that Mr. Trump is pushing his agenda of changing corporate tax rates and returning manufacturing and capital investment to the US. There is one major problem. If-hopefully when-they rebuild this manufacturing base, it will require 50% less workers. Modern technology will allow better work with fewer employees. They’re even building robots to cook burgers in fast food joints for gosh sakes!! And this modern generation is walking around with sagging jeans, caps on backwards, buds in ears completely oblivious to the surrounding world. Mr. D Trump will be the greatest President of all time if he can solve these problems. But everything is impossible until it happens.
I read an interesting article last night by a man who believes that Hillary was never intended to win the presidency. This man thinks that she will be offered a deal to escape punishment for what we might well find out was selling state secrets to enemies (communicating via an email account that she would want to remain hidden).
He thinks that about three months before the election, she will bow out, probably citing health reasons.
At that point, it will be too late to vet whoever the Democrats put up as her replacement.
I wish there were a way to get Trump to investigate the most likely Hillary replacements, just in case.
I for one have been for Mr Trump since day one. He doesn’t need to steal everything not nailed down in the WH. Remember when the Clinton’s left, they stole all they could, China etc & had to return it. No telling what the Obama’s have done to the people’s house in eight years. Of course, nothing will be good enough for them to steal. Just hope they take their Arbaric flag with them that flies along side OUR flag. Hillary & Bill are rotten to the core. Just hope whomever is elected prosecutes her along with the God that is running our government. If Bernie is elected, he will finish giving away all the free stuff ( everyone then will have FREE everything) does anyone wonder how the government can function with no one contributing. This country is in a complete chaotic mess. Regardless of who is elected, this country is on a very slippery slope. Too bad for our children, grandchildren & future generations to come. Just don’t know if America can survive. We all need to be on our knees at night praying to God about this, I know I am.