Friday, November 15, 2019

UNITED TEACHERS OF LOS ANGELES ENDORSES BERNIE SANDERS FOR PRESIDENT

Teacher union news from Los Angeles, California:

LOS ANGELES — United Teachers Los Angeles, the second-largest teachers’ local in the country, is proud to endorse Senator Bernie Sanders for US President in the 2020 Primary Election, making UTLA the first teachers’ union in the country to endorse a presidential candidate.

Tonight, the UTLA House of Representatives – the elected leadership body of the 34,000-member union — voted 80% in favor of endorsing Sen. Sanders, capping the most comprehensive member engagement process that UTLA has ever conducted for a political candidate.

Thursday’s House vote followed a six-week discussion at school sites. Following that member engagement, on Wednesday at nine regional meetings, more than 500 elected site representatives voted 72.5% yes to the presidential endorsement of Sen. Bernie Sanders. Wednesday’s vote was opened up to allow any member who attended to vote alongside elected chapter leaders.

UTLA President Alex Caputo-Pearl said: “Why now, and why Bernie? Because we want him to win in the primary election and because we need an unapologetic, longstanding ally of progressive policies to make public education a priority in the White House. Sanders is the first viable major candidate in 25 years in the Democratic Party to stand up against privatization, the charter billionaires, and high-stakes testing and to stand up for a massive redistribution of wealth to schools and social services. Critically, like UTLA, Sen. Sanders believes in building a national movement for real, lasting change.”

Alex led a successful strike in LA earlier this year.  I take this union out in LA seriously. We can only dream that our Union will follow.

Do you see a process like UTLA had before endorsing Sanders going on in the UFT?

For anyone who has not seen Bernie's education and labor plans, please read them. They are worth your time.

Diane Ravitch covered the story and there are some interesting comments there.

The largest nurse's  union also endorsed Bernie this week. We will see where labor goes.

73 comments:

Anonymous said...

You think the AFT or UFT will ever endorse Bernie? No way, Jose. Randi had a Trump like slogan for his supporters. Bloomberg has a much better chance of that endorsement, having breached those walls in 2005.

Anonymous said...

Instead of a hammer and cycle, the best leftist symbol would be a shovel. After shoveling shit, dig a deep hole and put yourself at the bottom. I cant decide between LA, NYC and Caracas.

Anonymous said...

Some of your commenters would hate Bernie's labor plan. It would eliminate freeloading.

Read it yourself:

Eliminate the “Right to Work for Less.” Bernie’s plan would repeal Section 14(b) of the Taft Hartley Act, which has allowed 28 states to pass legislation that eliminates the ability of unions to collect dues from those who benefit from union contracts and activities, undermining the unions’ representation of workers.

Anonymous said...

Certainly a questionable move to endorse a 78-year-old Socialist heart attack survivor for president here in the United States.


Does anybody grasp the uncomplicated concept of endorsing the most favorable candidate who actually has a chance of winning and then reaping a few favorable rulings/laws down the road?

Anonymous said...

7:47 is just another MAGA who comments here. My guess is he dropped his union dues.

Their motto is "My mind is made up, please don't confuse me with any facts." Nothing in the comment on Bernie's education plan or his labor plan. Probably never read them.

James Eterno said...

Sanders does very well in head to head polls with Trump. He does especially well in industrial states that Democrats must win due to the Electoral College.

James Eterno said...

Wisconsin and Michigan for example.

James Eterno said...

Let's endorse another corporate backed centrist Democrat. You see how well we did by backing Obama. Race to the Top is still killing us (common core, Danielson).

Let's repeat our endorsement of the surefire winner again this time like we did with Hillary. That worked out well too.

Oh and no accountability for that failure at AFT.

Anonymous said...

I got bigger fish to fry such as worrying about Danielson hit squads.

Anonymous said...

Amazing, so Obama was the messiah, no he is bad. I thought that guy could walk on water. You get the dem you want, then you say you didnt mean that dem.

Anonymous said...

So there cant be security cameras in a classroom, that is policy. yet, thanks to no discipline code and no uft help, every kid has a cell phone recording us all the time. What about that? Where is the "union." Some schools collect phones when students walk in, and return them upon departure. Again, where is the policy? Where is the help?

Anonymous said...

According to 538, Bernie Sanders would have won Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin in 2016.(look up the head to head polling data with Trump vs. Sanders if you think this is NOT true)... The margins of Sander's leads weren't small, but the Corporate Dems had to do their donor master's bidding and make sure the corporate candidate (Hillary Clinton) got the nomination with the rigged Super Delegate procees.

People should not keep focusing on a candidate's legislative agenda...NONE of them will actually ever get most of what they promise...(i.e) TRUMP and "his wall." Their ideology is far more important. Trump did an awful lot of damage with his
tax policy and his judicial appointments. Think of Trump's tax changes, (they weren't tax cuts) which screwed states like NY, and the SC appointments Gorsuch and Kavanaugh.

I still think Elizabeth Warren has a far better chance in the General election. As a woman, she represents "the change" people are still looking for in this country. Trump, Sanders,and Biden have the same old white male profile. Even though she has a lot of "pie in the sky" proposals..again don't focus on their legislative priorities. Wall Street fears her like no other candidate, and that is good for the rest of the country...Much of what has damaged this economy the past 40 years has been Wall Street getting whatever it wants. She has been very consistent over the years with her VALID attacks on big business, I think she could do a lot to bring about necessary corporate reform. It's about time someone brings the "disruption" that Wall Street has instigated in so many other sectors of our society... to Wall Street. It is time for Roosevelt style financial reforms in this country, and that is one thing I feel she is most likely to do.

James Eterno said...

Warren has already backed off of Medicare for All. Now she wants it in stages. She has gone from A to Z on ed reform too. She appears to be on our side now but long term we don't know. Bernie is with us. I hope you are right 10:47 but I have my real doubts about her.

Bronx ATR said...

Warren is Cuomo in a dress. She has the same moral center - none.

Anonymous said...

So you all want wall street to suffer? What happens when our TDA gets cut in half, or our life savings? I am a middle class teacher with over 1 million dollars in the stock market. That is what you hope for?

Anonymous said...

If middle class folks have more money, they will spend more. That will help the economy grow. If the billionaires have a little less, it won't hurt your precious TDA.

Anonymous said...

Billionaires with less is one thing. If warren causes a market crash, very bad for the middle class. And for the record, all my TDA is in fixed. I have other money in stocks.

Anonymous said...

1:08. Not a nice comment. Very sarcastic and rude. Legit concern, although nobody can predict. Stock market flourished under Obama.

Anonymous said...

Stock market crashes are a Republican presidential occurence. 1929, 1987, 2008.

Anonymous said...

I became a true @BernieSanders supporter today I came home to find that someone drove through my yard to run over my #Bernie2020 sign I live in rural KY and I assumed this would happen which is why I bought 8 of them. So now I have 2 #Bernie2020 signs in the front yard #NotMeUs

Anonymous said...

230, 2000 was clinton.

Anon2323 said...

ummmmm stock market at 28,000 pensions and 401ks booming and you want to switch it up with radical socialists? You guys are insane. Trumps pick of Devos sucks, the SALT tax is hurting us in NY, even with that being said none of the dems have a chance, pathetic party.

James stop talking about polls, they dont mean shit! Every god damn poll in the world had Clinton beating TRump. Means nothing.

Bernie had his chance in 2016, the dems cheated as they do and robbed him.

Anonymous said...

I will take Trump over Comrad Sanders any day.

James Eterno said...

Did you actually read the Sanders' education and labor plans? What part don't you like? I would take a Bernie NLRB over a Trump NLRB any day of the week.

National polls were close and certainly within margin for error in 2016. We vote state by state however. Bernie does well in certain key swing states and wins nationally in polls. This is not 1972 and he is not George McGovern. Working class people have been screwed since around 1980. Demographics of the country have changed.

Loss of SALT tax deduction and deBlasio lousy raises pretty much negates any TDA gains. Add to that I have no idea how inflation is calculated now but my family's expenses are going up faster than the less than 2% stated inflation rate.

It looks to me that we are inflating the bubble again with extremely low interest rates during a time of economic growth. It may burst at some point and fighting it this time will be even tougher since we have low interest rates already.

In addition to lowering interest rates,in the last month the Fed just bought $60 billion in Treasury Bills.

From NY Times:
The Fed plans to buy Treasury bills, which are shorter-dated government debt, at an “initial” pace of about $60 billion from mid-October to mid-November, it announced Friday. It will then adjust both the timing and amounts of bill purchases “as necessary to maintain an ample supply of reserve balances over time.”

The Fed is stimulating the economy whether they admit it or not. I would rather the government stimulate it as Sanders or Warren want to rather than giving it to bankers again.

Again from NY Times:
The Fed will be short on room to cut interest rates when the next recession hits, because they are already at just 2 percent — leaving the central bank with far less than the five percentage points of cuts it made in the 2007 to 2009 downturn.

Pogue said...

Trump, the Republicans, and Establishment Dems are unsustainable for the future. Too many, especially young people, are onto the crap the Republicans, the DNC and the main-stream-media are pulling.

The powers-that-be can rig things for only so long. As far as our TDA's and pensions are concerned, there must fairer ways to secure all peoples' retirements without the almighty help of corporate Wall Street.

Our country's in an educational, economic, environmental, foreign policy, and moral shambles. Major change is needed, and, at the very least, an attempt for major change is drastically needed.

Big structural, incremental, walking-back, watered-down policies are lame. And, millions know it.

In regards to the current, corporate-driven, Democratic party, as Ocasio-Cortez says, "We are not pushing the Party left, we are bringing the Party home."

I'm all for it. Even if it knocks my pension down some.

Anonymous said...

McGovern had some fervent support on the Left. Lots of it. After all, wasn't everyone lapping up the economic inequality talk and anti-war spiel? Sure looked that way on TV, in the printed press, and at the demonstrations. (As a reminder to the younger set, Nixon subsequently won 49 states.)

It is true Warren and Bernie have fervent support on the Left now. Faculty lounges at the universities are all abuzz about which one will win the primary and then the general election.

A wise union would support the best centrist Dem candidate who has a fighting chance to win the primary and the general.

Anonymous said...

7:39 is the UFT Unity position. Pogue is the correct position.

Anonymous said...

UFT supported the safe centrist Democrat a year early in 2015. She lost in 2016 by losing Pa, Michigan and Wisconsin. Two of those were strong Bernie states in the primary.

Democrats have not tried a truly left leaning candidate since 1972 unless you consider Mondale, Dukakis and Kerry to the left. Obama talked left (hope and change) but was just another centrist and the party lost seats consistently during his two terms.

The Clinton DLC corporate wing is just Republican lite that does little for the middle or working class. Let them go.

Anonymous said...

News you won't see on mainstream media:

At this YUGE rally in Fresno, @BernieSanders reiterates that when he’s elected, he’s not delaying Medicare for All legislation — he’s introducing it in the first week of his presidency.

#NoMiddleGround https://t.co/0m0IHUU3GO

Anonymous said...

In my first week as president, we will introduce Medicare for All legislation.

Bernie Sanders on twitter

Anonymous said...

It’s ending pretty soon. People are realizing it. The problem is they are mostly ashamed for backing and supporting @realDonaldTrump but they are starting to get over that now.

Anthony Scaramucci

Anonymous said...

Warren leading with the idiotic "strengthen the ACA" talking point is proof that she is just another establishment Democrat. That line might as well be directly from Pelosi's mouth.

Anonymous said...

Jason C here

Warren took Bernie's Medicare-for-All bill...

1. Changed the funding mechanism to a regressive tax on the poor

2. Changed Medicare-for-All to Mayor Pete's bill

3. Changed the actual fight for single-payer from right away to waiting three years instead.

Anonymous said...

I want the same free medical when I quit next year at 40 years old. Dont tell me it's only for certain people.

Anonymous said...

You will only have any hope for that if Bernie wins and we have Medicare for All.

Anonymous said...

David Sirota says

The Medicare For All debate isnt a policy debate, because we know most other industrialized countries cover all their people & achieve better outcomes for lower costs.

The Medicare for All debate is a political debate between a grassroots “yes we can” & a moneyed “no we can’t.”

Anonymous said...

So it's just a welfare program. More free stuff for those unwilling to work. Why would I want that?

Anonymous said...

Healthcare is a right, not a privilege.

Anonymous said...

Fine. So I want it when I quit at 40 years old.

Anonymous said...

Bloomberg apologized for stop and frisk...A policy that worked. I wonder why.

Anonymous said...

Bloomberg wants to get to buy off black leaders to get the black vote. He can't do that if he keeps praising stop and frisk which had a disproportional impact on African Americans. We know what's going on and we also know the commenter is one of the Freaky Sideshow guys that comment here who will try to further inflame racial tensions to divide us and hurt the Union. Don't let it happen.

Anonymous said...

AOC lol. How can anyone who knows the history of socialism support this dolt? I'll probably be "moderated" yet again since blog owner is a fellow traveler. These are the people educating young people. No wonder we're so screwed.

Anonymous said...

But it is true.

Anonymous said...

Another typical democrat, give away the store. Bernie, Bloomberg, same stuff.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, no problem. This is what you want, James? A new program will offer free housing assistance, mentoring services and more to 10,000 defendants who are released before criminal trials each year.

James Eterno said...

I printed your stuff. One question: Did you read Bernie's education and workplace democracy plans? What do you find so objectionable about empowering teachers and other working people? Do let me know please.

Anonymous said...

Every dem does the same, kowtow to minorities.

Anonymous said...

I dont like his overall platform. I dont like increasing the trillions spent on poverty that has changed nothing. I dont like decriminalizing everything. I dont like when AOC says we will support those unwilling to work. I think the welfare, via money, housing and grades has gone WAY too far. You see what these has turned into. Free fuse for everybody. The middle class worker is the sucker. And you know damn well that his free healthcare will only be for certain people.

Anonymous said...

Agree with 259, if you are gonna censor there is no point. If you only want like minded comments, there is no point. Facts are facts. It isn't stoking racial tension, it is identifying the issue.

Anonymous said...

I dont believe his education plans will change anything. More funding? So they can break the computers, watch youtube fights, and vandalize the books? Free lunch? the kids throw it in the garbage. My school already has free lunch for everybody. Racial discrimination? No more suspensions? Free grades?

Anonymous said...

Sanders wants to expand collective bargaining rights. Why do we need that? The uft already negotiates for us, right?

Anonymous said...

Everything sanders, de blasio, warren say, in my opinion, is to appease criminals, illegal immigrants and minorities.

Pogue said...

Being "given the store" only seems to be fine when you're super rich or a corporation, for the rest it's austerity and "pull yourself up by your bootstraps'. Selfish Republican crock, which fortunately will end sooner rather than later.

Anonymous said...

Empower teachers? Didnt the 2018 contract do that. They said we were getting less paperwork. And class size adjustments.

Anonymous said...

Not one thing that Sanders says will make students or their parents accountable for anything.

More money, as if the billions in NY alone have done anything, will useless. All sounds like anti-white and tax people more...

Anonymous said...

You asked the Freak Sideshow guy to read something. Not likely. He just spits out right wing talking points and blames blacks for everything.

Anonymous said...

Im neither super rich or a corporation. And yes, the super rich could pay more in taxes, I dont like what it goes to..Those who spend their lives living off of others, cradle to grave dependency.

James Eterno said...

I printed everything but what I perceive is the outright racist stuff. Some just straddle the fence. I constantly take criticism from friends for printing the Republican bs comments. Some comments are outright offensive and could be construed as white nationalist. Spare us more please.

This as I have said many times is a pro union blog. You are anti-union. Clearly, you don't want my advice or respect my opinions so yes I am close to banning the comments from what someone calls the Freak Sideshow. It does take the level of discourse way down. We are educators. Please act like it.

Anonymous said...

That's funny because you don't like the comments but the comments are about student behavior.

Anonymous said...

Sanders said he would give AOC a prominent role in his white house. She said those unable or UNWILLING to work should get paid. That is not a republican talking point. We all should be offended by that. Living that way and speaking like that lowers the discourse, and since we are teachers we should discourage crime, violating cops and being unwilling to work.

Anonymous said...

When will students start acting like students?

James Eterno said...

Those students who you willingly pass no matter what and make a pretty decent living off of. You are part of the system you complain about. Are you blowing the whistle on the fraud? No, the best you can do is comment anonymously.

Anonymous said...

Is that why students say things like You cant stop me and this is my school and I can do whatever I want and I cut classes all the time and still pass? Is that why they behave the way they do? I complain, not anonymously at my school daily. My failure rate is the highest, by a lot.

James Eterno said...

Why don't you report the principal? Call Sue Edelman. Why are you still working with kids you say such horrible things about? You are taking taxpayer money too and I think it is not too strong to say you do not believe in urban public education.

Anonymous said...

I listed a bunch of quotes from sanders proposals you told me to read, and countered all of them. You printed none.

James Eterno said...

I printed most of your comments. However, comments talking about kids directly in a demeaning way as criminals because they are of a certain race are out of bounds.

James Eterno said...

Our job is to educate the kids as best as we can.

Anonymous said...

What is your definition of urban public education?

James Eterno said...

As a Republican, your party wants to privatize schools. Give the money to business people and let them run charters and give parents money to have their kids attend private schools. That is the Trump DeVos position. Kill public education.

If you believe in that platform and think students of a certain race are part of a huge criminal class, why oh why would you work in a taxpayer funded public school that you feel gets too much money and Sanders wants to provide more to perpetuate what you don't believe in? Logically, it makes no sense that you would stay employed for one second in a system you say is fundamentally useless.

Anonymous said...

When graduating hs students cant write a sentence, it is useless.

Steve said...

James, the behavior students exhibit in school is the same as they exhibit in society. To say race is a non factor is completely disingenuous. The statistics show that certain races lag both economically and in crime rate. Saying that does not make on racist. Ignoring it is leading to many school failures.

Oren said...

So student behavior will change under sanders? That would be a magic trick.

James Eterno said...

After Brown v Board of Ed, student outcomes improved for many years including African Americans. We went backwards under ed deform that corporate Democrats and Republicans endorse.

You can't rebut the argument that you are being hypocritical working in a school system with students who you say are from certain races that lag both economically and in crime rate who you can't help. Therefore, you should consider resigning. Be true to your values.

I have wasted enough of my Sunday responding to what someone calls the freak sideshow. Any more going in circles and I will just close the comments on this. Maybe your goal is to distract me. In that you have succeeded.