Raise the dust in the right places!

[Bob Randall]

Admittedly I am irate that SOB refuses to speak out (yell) about viciously anti-union policies imposed by Orange Jesus. In some cases he even seems to support them. Unforgiveable of a guy that has the responsibility of putting the Teamsters Union members' first and foremost. That said, it concerns me that we put all Republicans into the same box while posting or discussing union matters. 50% of our members are Republican (or there about). Using "Republicans" as a "bad word" is uncalled for. Using it in that manner necessarily offends any registered Republican...as it should. Moreover, it necessarily puts those on the defensive. Any point attempted to be made from that point on is useless. Look..."Sean sucks". "Sean is a sellout". The issues that he supports of Orange Jesus are indefensible as the General President of the Teamsters. He deserves to get sent packing for sure. However, tying SOB to a "bad word" which represents 50% of our membership is rather narrow minded (IMO) and strategically ill thought out. Suggestion: speak to the issues. Let the dust settle where it will.

[Nickjamesups]

There are policies that I agree with and policies I disagree with by both the democrats and the republicans. The duty of a teamster president or any other union president in my opinion is to endorse or not endorse strictly on how a candidate represents labor. There are diversionary issues out there that are purely distraction issues, created to sway the emotions of voters. Someone can feel strongly on knee jerk topics that have nothing to do with labor and feel like they have won when people are fired because they were allegedly hired due to DEI. Some people will cheer a symbolic wave of deportations and chest pounding about how great we are while our veterans are being ignored.
While our members who support these events are cheering , true leadership would be exposing what is really happening to our rights as union members, not hosting podcasts about Irish politics and wrestling.

[AlJackson1962!]

Brother Randall: How many elected Republicans are calling out Trump for his virulent racist and outright fascist policies? Not too many, correct? Unions are all about the unity of workers for the purpose of organizing for collective action. If half the Teamster membership is Republican (or there about), and they support the Trump/MAGA agenda, that includes arresting people on the street for exercising their protected free speech, erasing the history of the Black liberation struggle, legalizing discrimination against transgender people, mass unjust firings of thousands of unionized federal workers, decimating the social safety nets that have been in place for 60 years (LBJ's War On Poverty), the announced rounding up of millions of undocumented workers and housing them in concentration camps (that's Trump's stated plan), and a whole lot more - the government being literally taken apart, all at the direction of Trump/MAGA movement that was nominated by the Republican Party: I'm not going to worry about offending anyone that supports the Trump/MAGA movement/agenda. They may not like getting lumped in with all the extremists in the RNC. But if they are ok with what the Republican Party has become, and won't recognize the destruction it has caused and will continue to cause, they're not on my side and I'm certainly not on their side. Pretty cut and dried for me.

[Bob Randall]

Hmmmm...I'm usually pretty good at getting a point across. Apparently, I missed here. I can't disagree with anything that you stated. Although, the response is waaaaay off of my point. Many folks here are giving an opinion of SOB as Teamsters GP and trying to influence others with respect to SOB maintaining his position as GP of the IBT. So, ONLY with respect to that effort to influence others I suggested to consider the use of the word "Republican" as a "bad word" when tying SOB to it. If there is any hope at all at influencing Republican Teamster eligible voters to consider opposing SOB...the hope is lost by using it as a bad word. Count on it! Personally, I like to win elections of those where I contributed to the campaign. If I were ever to consider taking part in an effort to oust SOB I would seriously have trouble using the term "Republican" as a bad word in that effort since 50% of our members are Republican (or there about). Personally, I would just stick to the issues (by listing the anti-union policies) without the use of the bad word. EVEN IF THE ISSUES WERE THE POLICIES OF A REPUBLICAN POTUS. Here...let me use the following as an example. "SOB is an asshole because he is bootlicking Trump and the rest of the Republican assholes!" Now, just imagine that statement being made to Republican Teamsters voting in the next general election. That Brother or Sister did not move in the desired direction. That Brother or Sister was just lost forever. That effort, framed in that manner, would just be playing into the timeless tactic of divide and conquer. Take that to the bank. That's just organizing 101.

[JWebb]

Your two positions are not mutually exclusive, I'm in agreement with both. Good discussion.