U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, from our lovely sister state of South Carolina, claims to be a staunch defender of freedom, fiscal responsibility and, above all, America’s national security. So why is he playing games with the one government agency that could make a big difference in combating airline terror attacks? The answer is ideological purity – American conservatives’ biggest weakness. In an excellent article from McClatchy, Margaret Talev revealed that DeMint is holding up the nomination of Erroll Southers, Pres. Obama’s choice for administrator of the Transportation Security Administration, all because Democrats want TSA employees to have the right to unionize. DeMint may be undecided about his hair color (although he’s favored black dye lately — maybe a new “Elvis” phase?), but he’s firm on anti-unionism. So now we have Southers, who is a respected counter-terrorism expert, having to put his expertise is on hold while DeMint rails against one of the far right’s favorite boogeymen, unions.
OK, Jim, we get it. You and your cohorts don’t like unions. Now, will you please get out of the friggin’ way while the grown-ups try to improve the TSA’s miserable past performance under your great, union-hating former leader, George W. Bush? The right’s increased clutching at “ideological purity” to guide them through a new century is stupid enough from a political standpoint, but at least that’s their problem. Now, though, it’s America’s problem, as DeMint and his DeMinted fellow wingnuts would rather let the TSA remain leaderless – even after the bungled Christmas Day airline attack – than give up one iota of political advantage to labor unions or the TSA’s workers. How much crazier is the American right wing gonna get before someone starts talking about straitjackets?
This article appears in Dec 29, 2009 – Jan 4, 2010.
Good for DeMint holding up the nomination of the TSA takeover by a stooge and a bunch of union thugs.
Hell, all of the Obama appointees are out to lunch anyway so it can’t matter if the post is empty. If the head of that organization had been on the job, do you honestly think it would have made a difference?
The TSA nor Homeland Security require these incompatents to show them what they already know they have to do…
Did you get paid for that stupid article?
And there I go thinking that Demint was the biggest clown on the planet while all along it was Mr. Marksberry. 5 sentences from Mr. Marksberry and not one of them coherent. This is what happens when you tune in to Rush for 4 hrs everyday.
Are unions unpatriotic?
Police Officers are usually union members. Maybe if airport security workers had some one to represent them, higher-quality applicants would vie for positions.
Most of the 911 responders were union members. How about the unionized Flight Attendants who have foiled terrorist attacks?
This union-baiting is a red herring to advance a political agenda that does not make us safer.
The TSA has been operating without a union so far. Most First Responders, most Federal Employees and most Airline Industry employees however are union members. The recent failures at airports, as well as 911, were leadership failures, not union-related. Conversely they were not caused because there was not a union in place either. For the most part, the status of unionization is not the critical factor in how we respond to terrorist threats.
Senator DeMint knows that the top tier of the Obama Administration will make the key decisions about this unionization issue, regardless of who ultimately is the TSA Director. This Senate “hold” is merely a move to “stick his thumb” in the Administration’s eye and as such is a red herring. DeMint thought this would make good press, because there is a lot of hostility to unions in this country, regardless of what the facts are.
Putting a hold on this appointment, for specious reasons, deflects attention from resolving the real leadership failures.
Dear Frank,
My comments were directed not at your reflections, but at DeMint’s disengenuous remarks about unions. The blog article, although critical of DeMint’s position, did not mention the positive contributions of many first responders, which I took as an unpatriotic swipe by DeMint at those members.
As a veterans counselor, I have had a lot of contact with Reservists who were also first responders. I must say that I do not share your broad condemnation of unions, especially in national security roles, nor do most of my clients. Arguments can be made by reasonable people, pro or con as to unions in say, the auto industry for example. Heavily unionized European auto producers were the first to press General Motors to the ropes in the 1950’s and ’60s. Rather than being suffocated by unions, GM suffered from a short-term-profits, management-by-accounting model; a leadership failure that was not matched by Ford who was generally more innovative in the car models that it developed than GM’s bland offerings. Yes there are lots of foreign-owned car factories in this country now that are non-union. Their pay is competative with Detroits’s but probably would not be, if not for the unions.
Now you are raising the issue of the President’s poor choice in past appointments. In this case however, Mr. Souther seems to be eminently qualified for the position. If Senator DeMint does not think so, he should vigorously fight the nomination on the merits, not a bogus side issue.
Demint has a strong opponent in 2010, Chad McGowan. Local guy too. Look him up.
http://www.actblue.com/page/deminted
“Due to Obama’s past leadership appointments it is a good idea to stop or slow down his current and future appointments.”
Sorry, Frank, there was an election and there are consequences of his winning. He gets to appont who he wants. Republicans can obstruct since they lack vision, but leaving seats empty is pure politics and putting party over country.
“What I am saying is that the TSA would be less effective if it was union controlled.”
You offer no examples. The whole government is unionized and so are first responders. TSA is underpaid and, therefor, has a high turnover. They are treated like crap and quit. The good ones have to take BS from people who have never flown before and don’t even bother to check the rules or read a paper.
“Companies like GM were run into the ground due to union bullying.”
The Big 3 were run into the ground by inferior product, exectutive salaries and the fact that healthcare costs more than steel. They were around longer than their competition, so they had higher salaries and pensions to pay for. They were mismanaged and too big to compete with the Japanese.
My fellow readers, I think in 2010 we should all resolve to turn the other cheek instead of bashing Frank Griffin no matter how hateful he turns towards everyone else. I noticed that in the last few hours on New Years Eve when the rest of us were spending time with family and friends, Frank was spending his time writing several posts on this blog. This tells me that while the rest of us were with loved ones he was all alone and bitter, friendless and with a family that doesn’t want him around. Such a man should be pitied, not hated. Let’s do our best to tolerate him in the new year. Peace and God bless.
Thats an intersting idea yea got there Clyde. Usually ideas like this come from the very people that are suffering so. Do not try too hard to imagine that everyone must be suffering the way you are Clyde.
Clyde has been offended emotionally so he strikes back the only way he knows how. Maybe Cylde should quit feeling sorry for himself and instead educate himself and then respond in an intelligent way, instead of this silly emotional way to serious topics.
Many of you should be thankful a teacher is willing to take a few minutes out of his day to correct the insanity that is called the left.