That’s because McCain’s campaign swing through Michigan the week of May 5-9 was dogged by the state AFL-CIO, and labor activists in St. Paul, Minn., held a mass rally focusing on McCain’s stands outside the city’s main post office on April 15.
McCain spent much of April and May, since he clinched the Republican presidential nomination, re-introducing himself to voters, notably in swing states such as Michigan, and raising money. He also outlined a health care plan to strip businesses of the right to write off health insurance expenses, force individuals into the health care market to battle the health insurance companies, and arm individuals with tax credits of up to $5,000 per family to pay for their care.
He’s also started laying out his economic plans, including extending President George W. Bush’s tax cuts for the rich, enacting further tax cuts for business and opposing mortgage relief.
But given the Arizonan’s reputation for “straight talk” and his occasional differences with the GOP mainstream, the AFL-CIO wants to define him--especially to unionists and their families and allies--before he defines himself.
“McCain’s economic path would lead to disaster for working families,” AFL-CIO President John Sweeney said in a statement. “He wants to tax health care benefits and supports unfair trade policies that send family-supporting jobs overseas. It’s time for McCain to tune out the corporate and insurance industry lobbyists who hold sway in his campaign and start listening to the real concerns of working people.”
The fed estimates some 6,200 union volunteers will fan out in 125 cities on May 10 and May 17 to try to reach 200,000 unionists with the McCain revealed message. Health care will be a key, as the federation calculates McCain’s plan will lead thousands of employers who now provide health care coverage--however skimpy or expensive--to simply drop it. The first weekend will have leafleting in only two cities, including Detroit. But the May 17 weekend, which coincides with the federation’s planned nationwide marches and rallies for universal health care, will include events in St. Louis, the Twin Cities, Indianapolis and Cleveland.
Besides the city demonstrations, the AFL-CIO mailed tens of thousands of flyers about McCain’s health care proposals to voters in six swing states, including Michigan and Minnesota. And it will canvass voters in 22 states overall on May 10 and May 17.
Michigan already got the jump on the national effort, state fed President Mark Gaffney said. So did Minnesota, according to the St. Paul Union Advocate.
Speakers at the April 15 rally in the Minnesota state capital ripped McCain’s market-driven health care plans, notably his proposal to eliminate the tax exemption for employer-paid health care coverage. McCain’s $5,000-per-family health care tax credit would cover less than half of the average cost of a family’s health insurance premiums, they noted.
“McCain’s proposed new tax on health care benefits would take money out of the pockets of middle-class families at a time when they are struggling just to hold on,” Postal Workers St. Paul local President Pat McCann told the crowd in the Twin Cities. “He’d also cut the tax advantages employers now get for providing health benefits. And you know what that would mean: No more benefits on the job.”
McCain decries what he called “gold-plated” health care, but Working America Minnesota director David Wehde shot back there is no such thing any more. “Even our members who have coverage tell us they are worried about losing it or keeping up with costs,” he declared. “Taking their benefits would only hurt their economic situation even worse. Shouldn’t we be making things better for working families?” Wehde asked.
Mark Gruenberg is Editor of PRESS ASSOCIATES UNION NEWS SERVICE
Story used by permission.
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That’s because McCain’s campaign swing through Michigan the week of May 5-9 was dogged by the state AFL-CIO, and labor activists in St. Paul, Minn., held a mass rally focusing on McCain’s stands outside the city’s main post office on April 15.
McCain spent much of April and May, since he clinched the Republican presidential nomination, re-introducing himself to voters, notably in swing states such as Michigan, and raising money. He also outlined a health care plan to strip businesses of the right to write off health insurance expenses, force individuals into the health care market to battle the health insurance companies, and arm individuals with tax credits of up to $5,000 per family to pay for their care.
He’s also started laying out his economic plans, including extending President George W. Bush’s tax cuts for the rich, enacting further tax cuts for business and opposing mortgage relief.
But given the Arizonan’s reputation for “straight talk” and his occasional differences with the GOP mainstream, the AFL-CIO wants to define him–especially to unionists and their families and allies–before he defines himself.
“McCain’s economic path would lead to disaster for working families,” AFL-CIO President John Sweeney said in a statement. “He wants to tax health care benefits and supports unfair trade policies that send family-supporting jobs overseas. It’s time for McCain to tune out the corporate and insurance industry lobbyists who hold sway in his campaign and start listening to the real concerns of working people.”
The fed estimates some 6,200 union volunteers will fan out in 125 cities on May 10 and May 17 to try to reach 200,000 unionists with the McCain revealed message. Health care will be a key, as the federation calculates McCain’s plan will lead thousands of employers who now provide health care coverage–however skimpy or expensive–to simply drop it. The first weekend will have leafleting in only two cities, including Detroit. But the May 17 weekend, which coincides with the federation’s planned nationwide marches and rallies for universal health care, will include events in St. Louis, the Twin Cities, Indianapolis and Cleveland.
Besides the city demonstrations, the AFL-CIO mailed tens of thousands of flyers about McCain’s health care proposals to voters in six swing states, including Michigan and Minnesota. And it will canvass voters in 22 states overall on May 10 and May 17.
Michigan already got the jump on the national effort, state fed President Mark Gaffney said. So did Minnesota, according to the St. Paul Union Advocate.
Speakers at the April 15 rally in the Minnesota state capital ripped McCain’s market-driven health care plans, notably his proposal to eliminate the tax exemption for employer-paid health care coverage. McCain’s $5,000-per-family health care tax credit would cover less than half of the average cost of a family’s health insurance premiums, they noted.
“McCain’s proposed new tax on health care benefits would take money out of the pockets of middle-class families at a time when they are struggling just to hold on,” Postal Workers St. Paul local President Pat McCann told the crowd in the Twin Cities. “He’d also cut the tax advantages employers now get for providing health benefits. And you know what that would mean: No more benefits on the job.”
McCain decries what he called “gold-plated” health care, but Working America Minnesota director David Wehde shot back there is no such thing any more. “Even our members who have coverage tell us they are worried about losing it or keeping up with costs,” he declared. “Taking their benefits would only hurt their economic situation even worse. Shouldn’t we be making things better for working families?” Wehde asked.
Mark Gruenberg is Editor of PRESS ASSOCIATES UNION NEWS SERVICE
Story used by permission.