Workers Star at AFL-CIO Presidential Candidates Forum

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2007/08/07/workers-star-at-afl-cio-presidential-candidates-forum/

by Payson Schwin, Aug 7, 2007

The forum is over, and its clear who the stars of the night were–working families.

There was Steve Skvara from Union Township, Ind., who, during an emotional part of the debate, said his pension is too small to pay for health insurance for his wife. The audience gave Mr. Skvara a sustained applause in support.

Deborah Hamner, whose husband, George Junior Hamner, was one of those killed in the Sago mine disaster. She asked the candidates what they would do to improve mine safety.

Shirley Brown of Chicago, Ill., discussed the four-year effort by her and her co-workers to form a union with AFSCME at Resurrection Health Care in Chicago, and asked what the candidates would do to support the freedom to form unions.

On Iraq, a question came from Jim McGovern. McGovern served in Iraq, but returned home to find his job at Maytag had been outsourced. He wondered what would be done to help veterans return home to good jobs.

These kinds of questions from real working men and women rarely get asked during the presidential debates.

But tonight, the candidates answered them, making for the most interesting debate yet.

[texpatriot2004]

1. Indeed they did and it is about time they were given this forum.

Thank you ACLU

[pinto]

2. I only could catch the last 40 minutes, sure wish I saw it all.

What I saw, I loved. Real world questions.

[Olney Blue]

3. Are the Republicans going to submit to this group in a debate?

[Omaha Steve]

4. They were invited!

Republicans were invited to participate, but none filled out the required AFL-CIO questionnaire -- nor did the eighth Democratic candidate, former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel, a long shot.

[Olney Blue]

6. This group would chew up the Republicans and spit them out!

[monmouth]

5. None of the Repuke candidates could survive this forum. Evah!!