AFL-CIO Cope political endorsements Missouri

This is the AFL political endorsements for Saint Louis area in Missouri. Please remember your vote is important and please take time to look at all the canidates

Political
Candidate Endorsements

Each AFL-CIO Central Labor Council has a Committee on Political Education (COPE). The COPE Committee interviews all candidates for public office within the jurisdiction of the CLC. The Committee then makes recommendations to the delegate body at a regular monthly meeting of the Central Labor Council. The delegates either approve or disapprove the recommendations. Approved recommendations for local offices such as counties, cities, school boards, fire districts, sewer districts, etc. then become the formal endorsement.

Recommendations for state and federal offices are forwarded to the State AFL-CIO for their consideration. The State AFL-CIO Executive Board then votes on these recommendations. The approved recommendations are presented to the delegates at the next State AFL-CIO convention for formal endorsement.

The National AFL-CIO makes endorsements for United States Presidential candidates.

MISSOURI AFL-CIO COPE ENDORSEMENT PRIMARY ELECTION 2008AUGUST 5, 2008
U.S. PRESIDENTBarack Obama (D)

GOVERNOR:Jeremiah (Jay) Nixon (D)
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR:Sam Page (D)
SECRETARY OF STATE:Robin Carnahan (D)*
TREASURER:Clint Zweifel (D)
ATTORNEY GENERAL:OPEN

U.S. REPRESENTATIVE:1 Wm. Lacy Clay (D)*2 Mike Garman (D)3 Russ Carnahan (D)*4 Ike Skelton (D)*5 Emanuel Cleaver II (D)*6 Kay Barnes (D)7 NO ENDORSEMENT8 Jo Ann Emerson (R)* 9 OPEN

STATE SENATE:1 Joan Barry (D)3 Dennis Riche (D) Kevin Engler (R)*5 Robin Wright-Jones (D)7 Neal St. Onge (R)9 Yvonne Wilson (D)*11 Victor Callahan (D)*13 Timothy Green (D)*15 OPEN17 Sandra Aust (D)19 Chuck Graham (D)*21 OPEN23 Tom Dempsey (R)*25 OPEN27 Linda Sanders (D)29 NO ENDORSEMENT31 Chris Benjamin (D)33 Eric Reeve (D)

House of Representatives:1 Keri Cottrell (D)2 Rebecca McClanahan (D)*3 Mike Hepler (D)4 Rick Oswald (D)5 Mike Waltemath (D)6 Rachel Bringer (D)*7 Harry Wyse (D)8 Tom Shively (D)*9 Paul Quinn (D)* 10 Terry Witte (D)*11 Ed Schieffer (D)*12 OPEN13 David Hurst (D)14 OPEN15 Michael Niemeyer (D)16 Kristy Manning (D)17 OPEN18 OPEN19 OPEN20 OPEN21 Kelly Schultz (D)22 Gail Brown (D)23 Stephen Webber (D)24 Chris Kelly (D)25 OPEN26 Joe Aull (D)*27 Ed Wildberger (D)*28 Mark Sheehan (D)29 Martin Rucker (D)*30 OPEN31 Trent Skaggs (D)*32 Jason Grill (D)*33 Terry Stone (D)34 OPEN35 OPEN36 OPEN37 Mike Talboy (D)*38 Ryan Silvey (R)*39 Beth Low (D)*40 John Patrick Burnett (D)*41 Shalonn (Kiki) Curls (D)*42 Leonard (Jonas) Hughes IV (D)*43 Roman Lee LeBlanc (D)44 Amy Coffman (D)45 Jason Holsman (D)*46 Kate Meiners (D)*47 OPEN48 Will Kraus (R)*49 Tom McDonald (D)50 Michael Brown (D)*51 Ray Salva (D)*52 Paul LeVota (D)*53 Curt Dougherty (D)*54 Gary Dusenberg (R)*55 OPEN56 Brian Yates (R)*57 Talibdin (TD) El-Amin (D)*58 James Morris (D)59 Jeanette Mott Oxford (D)*60 Jamilah Nasheed (D)*61 Chris Carter (D)62 Peter Tsahiridis (D)63 Tishaura Jones (D)64 Rachel Storch (D)*65 Michele Kratky (D)*66 Michael Vogt (D)*67 OPEN68 NO ENDORSEMENT69 Gina Walsh (D)* 70 Sharon Pace (D)71 Vernon Harlan (D)72 Maria Chappelle-Nadal (D)*73 Steve Brown (D)74 Tony George (D)*75 Bert Atkins (D)76 Michael Spreng (D)*77 Michael Corcoran (D)*78 Margo McNeil (D)79 Albert (Al) Liese (D)*80 NO ENDORSEMENT81 Donald Krank (D)82 Jill Schupp (D)83 Jake Zimmerman (D)*84 NO ENDORSEMENT 85 Vicki Lorenz Englund (D)86 Joseph Gambino (D) 87 Mark Zoole (D)88 NO ENDORSEMENT 89 OPEN 90 Sam Komo (D)*91 Jeanne Kirkton (D) 92 OPEN 93 OPEN 94 OPEN 95 OPEN 96 Patricia (Pat) Yaeger (D)*97 OPEN98 Jim Mense (D)99 Mike Sutherland (R)* 100 Sue Schoemehl (D)* 101 Tim Meadows (D)*102 Jeff Roorda (D)* 103 Ron Casey (D)* 104 Joseph Fallert Jr. (D)*105 Michael Frame (D)*106 Steven Tilley (R)*107 Archie Camden (D)108 Jacob Hummel (D)109 OPEN 110 Belinda Harris (D)*111 Tod DeVeydt (D) 112 OPEN113 Al Mueller (D) 114 NO ENDORSEMENT 115 NO ENDORSEMENT 116 NO ENDORSEMENT 117 NO ENDORSEMENT 118 OPEN 119 NO ENDORSEMENT 120 Kristi Kenney (D) 121 Jim Jackson (D)122 Mike McGhee (R)* 123 Juan Alonzo (D)124 Luke Scavuzzo (D)*125 Carla Keough (D)126 Linda Marie Crane (D)127 NO ENDORSEMENT128 NO ENDORSEMENT 129 NO ENDORSEMENT 130 NO ENDORSEMENT131 NO ENDORSEMENT 132 Charles Dake (D) 133 NO ENDORSEMENT134 NO ENDORSEMENT135 Nancy Hagan (D)136 Nick Beatty (D)137 Charlie Norr (D)*138 Sara Lampe (D)*139 OPEN 140 NO ENDORSEMENT 141 Ron Shawgo (D)142 NO ENDORSEMENT 143 Cathy Hilliard (D)144 OPEN 145 NO ENDORSEMENT 146 NO ENDORSEMENT147 NO ENDORSEMENT148 NO ENDORSEMENT149 Wayne Bledsoe (D) 150 OPEN 151 NO ENDORSEMENT152 J.C. Kuessner (D)*153 NO ENDORSEMENT 154 NO ENDORSEMENT 155 Nancy Pope (D) 156 Michael Winder (D) 157 Scott Lipke (R)* 158 NO ENDORSEMENT 159 Billy Pat Wright (R)* 160 NO ENDORSEMENT 161 Steve Hodges (D)* 162 Terry Swinger (D)* 163 Tom Todd (D)* 6/20/08

new credit card bill passes house

New credit card rules passed the house this last week. This still has to pass the Senate and get signed by number one to become law.

Law improves situation, but still long way from justice to consumers. Clay and Carnahan were co-sponsors of this bill. Akin from north county voted against the bill and Kenny H. did not vote.




H.R.5244 Title: To amend the Truth in Lending Act to establish fair and transparent practices relating to the extension of credit under an open end consumer credit plan, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Rep Maloney, Carolyn B. [NY-14] (introduced 2/7/2008) Cosponsors (155) Related Bills: H.RES.1476 Latest Major Action: 9/24/2008 Received in the Senate. House

SUMMARY AS OF: 2/7/2008--Introduced.
Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights Act of 2008 - Amends the Truth in Lending Act to prohibit a creditor from using certain adverse information, including information in a consumer report or any change in a consumer's credit score, as the basis for increasing any annual percentage rate (APR) of interest on the consumer's outstanding balance under an open end consumer credit plan, except for actions or omissions of the consumer directly related to such account. (Thus eliminates the universal default for credit already outstanding.)
Bars a creditor from changing any term of the contract or agreement of an open end consumer credit plan until contract renewal, except for specific material reasons already contained in the contract or agreement.
Requires advance notice of credit card account rate increases.
Authorizes a consumer who receives such notice to: (1) cancel the credit card without penalty or the imposition of any fee; and (2) pay any outstanding balance that accrued before the effective date of the increase at the APR and in the repayment period in effect before notice was received.
Prohibits a creditor from imposing interest on credit repaid within the interest-free repayment time period. (Thus prohibits double cycle billing).
Prohibits the imposition of fees on any outstanding balance on a credit card account attributable only to accrued interest on previously repaid credit.
Requires each periodic statement of account to provide specified information on obtaining the payoff balance.
Prohibits a creditor from furnishing information to a consumer reporting agency concerning a newly opened credit card account until the consumer has used or activated the credit card.
Details mandatory pro rata payment allocations by a creditor.
Authorizes a consumer to opt-out of creditor authorization of over-the-limit transactions if fees are imposed.
Restricts the frequency of over-the-limit fees.
Specifies the contents of credit card price and availability information the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System must collect and make public semiannually.
Prescribes a standard for the initial issuance of subprime or "fee harvester" cards (accounts requiring first-year fee payments in excess of 25% of the total amount of credit authorized).

MAJOR ACTIONS:
2/7/2008
Introduced in House
9/16/2008
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Financial Services. H. Rept. 110-857.
9/23/2008
Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by recorded vote: 312 - 112 (Roll no. 623).
9/24/2008
Received in the Senate.

Illinois vote on Economic bailout

Morning:

This is how the fearless ones voted in Illinois on yesterday's bailout package.


How the U.S. House from Illinois voted:
voted
• Rep. Melissa Bean (D-8)
Y
• Rep. Judy Biggert (R-13)
N
• Rep. Jerry Costello (D-12)
N
• Rep. Danny Davis (D-7)
Y
• Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-5)
Y
• Rep. Bill Foster (D-14)
Y
• Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-4)
Y
• Rep. Phil Hare (D-17)
Y
• Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-2)
N
• Rep. Timothy Johnson (R-15)
N
• Rep. Mark Kirk (R-10)
Y
• Rep. Ray LaHood (R-18)
Y
• Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-3)
N
• Rep. Donald Manzullo (R-16)
N
• Rep. Peter Roskam (R-6)
N
• Rep. Bobby Rush (D-1)
N
• Rep. Janice Schakowsky (D-9)
Y
• Rep. John Shimkus (R-19)
N
• Rep. Jerry Weller (R-11)
NV
(NV is no vote)

How Missouri voted on bailout

Morning:

This is how our fearless leaders in Missouri voted on the proposed bailout yesterday:


How the U.S. House from Missouri voted:
voted
• Rep. Todd Akin (R-2)
N
• Rep. Roy Blunt (R-7)
Y
• Rep. Russ Carnahan (D-3)
Y
• Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay (D-1)
N
• Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-5)
N
• Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R-8)
Y
• Rep. Sam Graves (R-6)
N
• Rep. Kenny Hulshof (R-9)
N
• Rep. Ike Skelton (D-4)
Y
-------------------
note: liberals voted the same as conservatives.

debate schedule 08

This is a tenative timetable for the presidential debates (and VP as well)

Debate schedule:

Sept 26th - Domestic Policy - Univ of Mississippi, Oxford, MS
Oct 2nd - VP Debate - Washington University, St. Louis, MO
Oct 7th - Townhall format - Belmont Univ, Nashville, TN
Oct 15th - Foreign policy - Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY

All 4 debates will begin at 8pm CT, and last for 90 minutes. All 4 debates will be broadcast on the major broadcast networks, including CBS, NBC, ABC, and FOX. They will also be aired on cable news channels such as CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, and C-SPAN. PBS will also televise some of the debates and it is not known how many.

PBS is probably the best to watch for they limit talking heads comments during the discussions. If one watched the conventions, talking heads regularly interrupted and folks missed critical speeches and information.

Perhaps we shall have a treat and the folks finally discuss positions instead of nonsense, half truths and general waste of time.

Michael Moore's new movie "Slacker"

Michael Moore is releasing his "update" on Farenheit 911 this month and it is free on the internet. The title is "Slacker"

http://slackeruprising.com/ is the site to contact.

Will try to "show" bits of this at the next meeting for comments for it will have useful information for next election.

Moore is supporting Obama. Moore is a political activist and filmaker noted for his "troublemaking" efforts. Most right wing pundits hate the man. Moore produced the movies Sicko and Farenheit 9-11 among other works.

I am proud to say that most of the members of SOAR 11-3 have seen the movie Sicko. Many have seen other Moore movies as well.

Certainly a topic to be reviewed at our next meeting On Wendesday, October 1st.

Politics update and analysis

Within our merry little band (Soar 11-3), democrats would win both the govenor's race in Missouri and Obama would be president. However, polls indicate that outside our group in a general election, McCain would win Missouri substantially (average 5 to 7 percent) and Nixon would win gov with about 3% (latest statewide polling). Still too early to even project a winner, but trends are that Missouri will still be a red state in the presidential elections.

Our group will have a good turnout and polls throughout state will have a good turnout (if political pundits and polls are to be believed).

If folks wish to help more: last day to register to vote in upcoming November 08 election is Oct 8th. The sad truth is that only about half the folks that can vote actully are registerd and do so in an election. Every time there is an election, folks proclaim what a good turn-out, but the sad truth is that a good portion of the public does not vote.

Make sure folks in your household are registered to vote, perhaps some of your neighbors. Make sure they can get to the polls in November. Stand up and be counted.

Our group has had a proud turnout in elections.

Personal note: I do like John McCain and believe him a patriot. However, every time he opens his mouth, I find I cannot vote for him. Taxing my meager insurance benefits, 100 year war in MidEast, private Social Security, continuing Bush economic legacy and more makes this boy not on my most favored political list.

Same can be said of Kenny boy. Kenny would keep Blunt agenda alive and well in Jefferson City and that would keep Missouri as a third world enity. Personally speaking, Blunt should not even been a dogcatcher in this state much less the current occupent of the mansion in Jefferson City. Same can be said of Kenny.

Unemployment for Blunt and Kenny should begin next January if voters have any sense.

If you doubt this, look up voting records of both.

Major woe

The number one woe of our retirees and other I have talked with is insurance.

In talking with varied retirees from other organizations and unions, folks on medicare/medicaid, our people, insurance is not as good and far more expensive and complicated than during their working careers. In fact, it is a disaster for many.

Most of our folks on medicare for instance are expected to do more reading and work than an average congressman does in a year. "Paperwork reduction" is they do less paperwork and you do more work.

One solution is rapid passage of HB 676, Medicare for All American's Act. Currently this bill is stalled in committee. It will die in that committee is my belief as have versions of this bill has died in committee since the Truman administration.

Perhaps next administration will pass it, but elements of this bill was proposed by the "bull Moose Party" in 1913. Do not hold your breath.

I have found out that many "union folks" do not know of this proposal. That is sad, very sad for health care is one of the top issues of America. Yes, AFL-CIO and SOAR has endorsed this, but somehow that info did not filter to the "rank and file" of many union families.

Such a bill as 676 is long overdue. SOAR 11-3 after the elections will redouble our efforts to spred the word and we call for all union and social folks to do the same. Force the next congress and president to address this critical issue. Soar (both our little band and national) has been a leader in this area for a long time. Soar 11-3 signed onto this over three years ago.

Time for a little justice in the land.

plans and info for upcoming meeting September

Morning folks:

At meeting in September, we have on agenda:

1. discussion of upcoming Soar elections for 11-3 in detail

2. discussion of "pending projects"

3. Any new information of lawsuits, insurance changes and the like.

4. State and national election updates. Note: We have endorsed for governor of Missouri Mr. Jay Nixon; a vastly superior canidate than others.

5. Next mega-project after elections.

6. time permitting, further discussion of Hb 676 and the varied stands of canidates on the topic of national health care insurance.

HELLO

I am trying this format to help further electronic communications for the group in St. Louis and other places. A relative novice at this, please forgive any gaffs and errors on my part.

SOAR 11-3 has been around for five years and we have tried varied formats and means to effect communications. Hopefully folks will find this a better format.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/slsoarpac/ has been the main page for St. Louis Soar 11-3 activities and we shall keep those pages.

From main yahoo page (shortened version):


This is a group dedicated to getting out information to retired labor and family in the St. Louis, Missouri area. We are SOAR; St. Louis chapter (retired United Steelworkers of America, AFL-CIO) and our organization represents retired steelworkers in several counties on both sides of the river including Jefferson, St. Louis city, county, Franklin counties (Mexico, Missouri group pending). We invite retirees to share information and ideas.

The official meeting time and place of Soar 11-3 is at the Bridgeton Community Center4201 Fee Fee RoadBridgeton, MO at 9:00 Am; the first Wendesday of month. We also have three varied breakfasts located in three seperate locations on different dates during the month. This includes the South group meeting on the second Thursday of month at Gingham's at 7333 S Lindburg (second Tuesday some of exAmerican Can Company meet in seperate meeting) both breakfasts about 9 AM. The far south group in Farmington meets at Ryan's on the second Thursday at 11 to noon. North group has breakfast at the old country kitchen after the meeting at about 11 on the 1st.Retirees from Can industry are the primary members, but all retirees are welcome.

Members of PACE and Alliance are welcome to join. Retirees across the land are getting some very shabby treatment and our leaders do little or nothing to solve the problems except talk. Companies are looking for ways to get out of paying benefits and the list of companies doing wrong to their retirees is growing. This group does not intend to go "quietly into the night" if you know what I mean.

Note: that was written some time ago and remains current. Note, our leaders or still talking and little real action although they did raise minimum wage since this posting.


We most certainly will post information about meeting. Politics are our cup of tea and we are very active in state and local politics.