Why the hell is Bustamante sabotaging Davis, Labor & the 2004 Elections?

[Tinoire]

Yes, Bustamante, that one, the same power-hungry man who previously tried to sabotage Davis with the farm labor vote when Davis was running against Bill Simon and is sabotaging him now (see Ref 1). The same Bustamante who is Lieberman's top supporter with their cute little pact of mutual endorsement. Bustamante who is to the right of Centrist Davis. The same Bustamante who has Ritchie Ross, Republican lobbyist as his spokesperson. The same Bustamante who is putting Labor in a position where they have to spend some of the precious little money they have for the Democratic Primaries and Presidential elections to support Davis who has been pretty good to California (ref 1). The same racist Bustamante who can't prevent himself from using words like "Nigger" in his speeches when speaking to a room full of Black people. see Ref 3

I am distressed that a bunch of 'smart' people aren't smelling the right-wing arm of the Democratic Party when it rears it's ugly head. The DLC is NOT letting go and too few are seeing their brilliantly engineered ploys to either remain in power or just give it to the Republicans. That's how much the DLC hates anything progressive and will stoop to ANY dirty trick to include parading its members as Liberals knowing full well that most people won't, don't have the time to, dig deeply enough to catch on.

Another BRILLIANTLY engineeredDLC/Republican coup and Dems not even seeing it coming. Let's just keep empowering the DLC! Cruz Bustamante, presented as one of the 100 To Watch DLC New Democrats http://www.ndol.org/ndol_ci.cfm?contentid=1848&kaid=104&subid=210

Posting this and going to work. Will check back in the evening. If I'm out of line SAY SO but as a California resident, who was never even particualrly enamoured of Davis, this is REALLY important to me.
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Ref 1- Nigger ref is Ref 3 below

With the recall movement against his ally Governor Gray Davis on the verge of success, Bustamante shocked fellow Democrats by proposing that he would allow a statewide vote to recall the Governor - but, by ignoring what the state constitution clearly requires, would forbid any vote to replace Davis.

By this de facto coup d'etat, boasted Bustamante, the Governor's office would become vacant and he as Lt. Governor then would automatically become the new Governor. All that would be needed to guarantee continued Democratic control of this office, said Bustamante, was approval by an obscure, Democrat-dominated panel called the Commission on the Governorship.

Fellow Democrats apparently sat Bustamante down and explained that California was not yet Mexico, that the voters would not accept such an obvious banana republic coup d'etat or his shredding and burning of the constitution in front of their eyes. What he advocated was blatantly illegal, much like Gray Davis' demand that his name be allowed on the ballot of candidates who could succeed him.

http://countrystore.blogspot.com/

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Ref 2

Big labor opposes Davis recall
The AFL-CIO's leaders urge Democrats to stay off the ballot.

By Margaret Talev -- Bee Capitol Bureau
Published 2:15 a.m. PDT Wednesday, August 6, 2003

<snip>

Bringing to bear its political influence on wayward Democrats in California, leaders of the nation's largest labor federation Tuesday voted unanimously to defend Gov. Gray Davis against an "unwise and dangerous" recall. The AFL-CIO represents four in five unionized workers nationally -- about 13 million people in the United States and 2 million in California -- and carries significant political clout.

<snip>

Under Davis' administration, unions have flourished, with the implementation of state employee raises, a new paid family leave policy, and injured-worker benefit increases.

<snip>

"We call on all state leaders in the Democratic Party to stand united with the governor and stay off the recall ballot," said the statement of support for Davis approved by the federation's national executive council.

Separately, the California Labor Federation executive council formally voted over the weekend to support Davis and sent a letter to each of the state's Democratic constitutional officers, congressional delegates and members of the Legislature, asking them to stay off the recall ballot and work in lockstep with unions through the election. The California Labor Federation is the state arm of the AFL-CIO.

<snip>

Labor leaders admit resources could be tight as they plan for next year's presidential election; a federation spokeswoman said the typical budget for all national voter education and mobilization efforts in a presidential campaign year is $30 million to $40 million.

<snip>
http://www.sacbee.com/content/politics/recall/story/7171731p-8118813c.html

Ref 3

But if Bustamante wants to win over the state's African-American voters, he'd better hope they don't remember an embarrassing incident from two years ago when the gubernatorial hopeful blurted out the "N" word during a tribute to Black History Month.

"This word comes out of my mouth, and I didn't know what to do," Bustamante told the San Francisco Chronicle the next day. "I kept going on with my speech - when I got done, I just stood there. I couldn't believe what came out of my mouth." ((Oh yeah, I guess evil Republicans just put it there!))

Bustamante, whose popularity among Latinos could make him the state's next governor, was addressing an annual awards dinner and scholarship fund raiser for the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists. After the anti-black gaffe, about 100 people - 25 percent of the audience - got up and left.

"I was appalled that he would even say it as a slip," one audience member told the Chronicle. "You don't make a slip like that unless you use it normally."

<snip>

http://countrystore.blogspot.com/

And this guy says he makes "improving race relations the cornerstone of his career"! I wonder what Barbara Lee, who was in the audience thought of this! I wonder what Black Democrats who are taken so much for granted by the Democratic Party will think of this.
Kiss California good-bye. Kiss any 2004 Democratic win good-bye now. We are fucked, fucked, fucked. The fucking Trojan Horse is at the Gates of Troy and Democrats are opening the gate.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. I hate to say this because I don't want to lose (sigh)

Every concern you raised esp ROSS is my concern about Bustamante...not exactly a TEAM player but the one that CAN get the votes.

he isn't to the right of Davis though. The issue he made was of collective bargaining rights for farm workers where a loophole had precluded them from maintining their bargaining status at corporately owned farms.

I don't have a HUGE problem with the DLC calling him one of the top 100 to watch...that is guilt by association...but Ritchie Ross is a whore who gets his bread buttered on both sides...which causes me to wonder about his involvement with Bustamante's campaign and the statements made yesterday.

[On the Road]

2. Well, I Do Think Bustamente Waited

until the recall looked destined to succeed (whether in fact it actually does). I also think he carries the most legitimacy as Lt Gov.

As long the campaign is Vote "NO" then "Bustamente", I have no problem with that. I do have a problem if he begins to campaign to have the recall succeed.

[JackSwift]

3. Tinoire

that's quite a diatribe. But if you want me to vote no on the recall, you won't do it ever again. You've almost convinced me to vote yes on the recall. I'm tired of Davis' backstabbing.

Given the choice between trusting Davis or Bustamante, the Davis well ran dry a long time ago. Do I believe Davis is stabbing Bustamante in the back? Yes. Davis has a long history of back stabbing fellow Democrats for the gain of his own career.

Between the two, I don't trust Davis, I won't anymore, and I expect him to stop slamming Bustamante through proxies. Bustamante speaks for me. I'll vote no on the recall and yes on Bustamante, but the instant Cruz asks me to vote yes on the recall, I will. I am so sick of Davis. He is like the vomit of dogs spewed forth on the earth.

There is an old saying, that the devil you know is better than the devil you don't. Well, that's not true. I will take anyone over Davis. And if Cruz said the "n" word in public at a speaking engagement once upon a time, I'm prepared to accept his apology and that it was a mistake. I am not prepared to accept any more backstabbing from Davis. Not one bit of it. Davis is a shitty, shitty governor.

As for the DLC right wing democrat argument, Davis is the right winger. He has been absolutely zero help to the liberal activists of the party. In fact, he regularly uses us as a whipping boy to show the republican right wing how not liberal he is.

[Trajan]

4. As much as I despise the vicious broadsides from the GOP against Davis ...

Its Davis's responsibility to LOUDLY refute their false assertions, and to do so vigorously and regularly ....

Davis could have ALL ALONG defended BOTH his own record AND the democratic stewardship of the state economy by coming out DAY in and DAY out: .. placing the blame WHERE ITS SHOULD BE ....

BUSH and the GOP economic policies that have ravaged ALL states ... and energy policies that allow RAPACIOUS texas based energy corporations to DEFRAUD citizens based on an intentionally devised 'deregulation scheme' that made such fraud easier to commit and harder to detect .....

Davis, unfortunately, .... waited in his office day by day, saying nary a word ....

The Silent Superman in his Fortress of Solitude ...

Bustamante isnt trying to undercut Davis: .... Davis apparently doesnt NEED help doing that ... He is doing a wonderful bang up job himself ....

The writing is on the wall: ... Davis is NOT going to win the recall: ... and leaving the ballot VOID of a democratic option would be foolhardy ....

I say this as a DIE HARD Davis supporter: .... His goose is cooked: .. and it ISNT Bustamante's fault: ... its all his own, and the GOP ....

[JackSwift]

5. Amen.

Except the die hard Davis supporter stuff. I was sick of Davis by 99.

[Tinoire]

6. Hmmm Still haven't left for work (damn am I ever late)

But thank you all for those comments. I'm not a huge Davis supporter but this entire thing is putting a very bad taste in my mouth. Will check back later. Peace and thanks

[JackSwift]

7. Your original post looks like

a Davis put up job. Really, it is a lot of detail for a message board poster. And I'm a bit regretful I got as mad as I did if it isn't proxy attack. As far as I'm concerned, Bustamante can start slamming Davis early and often. I don't think it would be poltiically smart, but Davis has never met a Democrat he wouldn't crap on. If I recall correctly, he crapped all over Feinstein in the primary when she ran for governor, same with Harmon and Checchi (Checchi had no business running). With Davis, it is all about Gray Davis. He is the embodiment of all that is hatable about politics.

[Tinoire]

9. No offense taken

Many of my posts are beginning to look like that now. Saves me the trouble of having to dig up sources when people ask and wasting time that way.

Davis is NO hero of mine but the principle and politics here really rankle me.

[Xithras]

8. Labor is being stupid

Bustamante is a proven friend of labor, and has gone out of his way to actively campaign for organized farmworkers and support worker unionization. Davis is a bumbling stooge who sells his vote to the highest bidder...and since the unions have given Davis so much money, he votes for their causes. But what happens when someone with MORE money or MORE influence comes along? The unions will be dumped on their a** like yesterdays girlfriend. With Bustamante, at least you know you're getting an activist who really believes in the causes of working class Californians.

If the AFL-CIO wanted to play smart, they'd just back off and remind their members to vote for Democrats. If the unions insist on backing Davis at the expense of Bustamante, they risk spending a lot of money on a doomed campaign for no appreciable gain. The unions win if Davis wins, and the unions win if Bustamante wins...they need to back the party, not the person.

[Tinoire]

10. Has Bustamante been a supporter of non-Hispanic Unions?

That's important to know. Unfortunately I don't have all the answers.

Personalities should have nothing to do with this. As I said, I don't even like Davis THAT much- he's too much of a Centrist for me but Bustamante is looking like an opportunist who's suported this recall and that really bothers me. So does the Nigger thing.