This is a f'ing shame.

If the Republicans (and their faux-Democrat friends) want to filibuster, I say let 'em. The longer they go, the more time we have to say to working people "Oh, look how committed they are to making it as difficult as possible for you to organize and have a say in how you're treated. Okay, that's enough, back to Walmart now."

If the Club for Growth and the GOP doesn't back down, he'll bolt from the GOP and caucus with the Democrats. With Franken coming in it will be a 60 vote senate for the Dems.

Hey it worked for Lieberman.

Or he's done. I'm a left-leaning Democrat who has twice voted for Arlen Specter. The closed primary (although maybe he can blame Rush's antics on not being able to get that changed) and the lack of an Indy path are very unfortunate for him.

So many Republicans left the party and registered Democrat over the last few years - especially in his sweet spot, Philly's western Suburbs.

The PA GOP is pretty much that old bag whining about flag pins, and a band of yahoos from the mountains.

Toomey will get destroyed by any Democrat of note, so looks like that seat is going to be in the fold in the near future. The whacko GOP base couldn't prevent their boy - Rick Santorum - from almost getting shut out a few years back.

Can someone explain exactly how taking the secret ballot away from the unionization process helps anything? The Card Check concept actually worsens the whole union situation by leaving people open to union intimidation that can be much nastier than corporate bullying, as well as passive aggressive retaliation from employers.

The secret ballot is absolutely vital to employees feeling protected from both sides of this argument. Sure regulate the anti-union measures that a company can take, but at the same time you must be able to control the strong arm tactics used by the unions themselves.

Ultimately, companies with horrific track records of employee relations should not be able to unilaterally block out organized labor, but getting rid of the secret ballot appeals primarily to the worst elements in a labor movement that has long since lost track of its original ideals.

the Democrats pick up a Pennsylvania Senate seat in 2010. Either Specter switches party and wins as a Democrat, or Toomey wins the primary and gets chrushed in the general.

The bill doesn't eliminate the secret ballot. It makes it so the workers get to decide if they want a secret ballot or not and gives them an equal chance to communicate to the other employees without management intimidation.

It changes the decision on whether to have a secret ballot by giving the choice to the people who will vote in the election and not to management.

More info here - http://www.slate.com/id/2213352/

Specter switches parties now and becomes a Democrat then runs as an unopposed Democrat in the primaries with the full support of the party!

He's choosing the latter, but in the process he's making sure everyone else loses. To anyone who wanted Specter to be a swing vote, this should be a wake-up call. He's going to vote with the worst of the conservative ideas, just so he can ensure making it to the general (and losing).

Outstanding.

great. filibuster it, i can't WAIT for the labor uprising. that will be the best thing to happen to america in 160 years.

but he really should think about retiring. This way he can keep his integrity intact and go out on a high note.

Secret ballot elections are wonderful. Provided there's a level playing field and the rules are both effective and enforced.

Employers faced with an organizing campaign routinely attempt to actively and often illegally coerce their employees to discourage unionization. The laws against such coercion are weak.

Employers threaten to shut down operations, they fire union organizers, they hire outside consultants who distort the law (i.e., lie) and use mass psychology to deter organizing. If worse comes to worst and they lose the election, they will stall contract negotiations for years and then move (using handpicked employees as their catspaws) to decertify the union for nonperformance.

Yeah, secret ballots are great, assuming they're free of the intimidation that employers are oh-so concerned the unions might be practicing, but in reality oh-so actively and openly utilize themselves.

Make them do it, for God's sake! For them to repeatedly say they will filibuster and have the Democrats fold in fear is not enough. Let them face the wrath of working people by actually talking for days on end about how they are 'protecting' the American people by removing the alternative of the EFCA.

This is not Jimmy Stewart working to help the American people. This is a bunch of thugs trying to keep the right of union membership much more difficult for millions of workers. Let them put their mouths to it and then let the world see how ugly their wishes are.

It all reminds me of seeing a spoiled child who repeatedly says he will hold his breath 'til he's blue in the face. Good, I've never seen a child hold his breath 'til he's blue in the face. I've also never seen a Republican filibuster even though they have said they will do it nearly 100 times. It is about time they do.

Exactly. Why the threat of a filibuster is enough to dramatically alter the choices Democrats make is a total mystery to me. We should be forcing Republicans to show themselves as the real impediment to progress they are, not fleeing in terror at the notion of a real fight. *disgust*

Can someone explain exactly how taking the secret ballot away from the unionization process helps anything?

Uh, because it doesn't? How's that?

EFCA gives employees total control over whether the ballot should be secret or not. They still can chose a secret ballot. Tell me, why should the employer have anything to say on how workers decide to organize? After all without a union employees have nothing to say on how a board of directors conducts its business. This bill just evens the playing field (not enough, IMHO).