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Should unions engage in negative campaigning?
Recently, seven international vice presidents of AFSCME wrote to Gerald McEntee, president of the union, concerning AFSCME-initiated attacks on Barack Obama, made to appear as if John Edwards was the author. Even though AFSCME’s executive board endorsed Hillary Clinton, the seven said: “We do not believe that such a wholesale assault on one of the great friends of our union was ever contemplated.”
            The AFSCME funded attacks are reminiscent of the “swift-boating” of John McCain in South Carolina during the 2000 primary campaign, Max Cleland in the 2002 Senatorial race in Georgia, and John Kerry in the 2004 presidential campaign.
            Should unions use members’ dues monies to engage in negative campaigning?

Members responses

I don't think that unions should use members' dues monies to engage in negative campaigning?
The money could be used to improve member benefits, etc. 
Union members are intelligent enough to remain objective and therefore arrive at an informed conclusion.But there should be and the union should have a watchdog group to make sure everyone is playing nice. The watchdog group can examine how the campaigns are being executed.

 All campaigns have workers that are always changing their minds, flipping rhetoric, have rogue operators, and at times simply seem out of control. They will run the presidency in much the same way. A campaign that can inspire, is open and candid, and represents more than just the person at the top. They can accomplish much more in its presidency.
When policy positions are so similar, its character, integrity, and an ability to organize and manage that matter most and is the clear choice. Clinton has not - even with her supposed experience - demonstrated that she has those qualities.
Obama, even if you dismiss his experience as "too small" for the national stage, at least has demonstrated a consistent ability to perform with a high degree of integrity, where he has had to organize and manage people of numerous backgrounds, and he has always, always found a way to accomplish his objectives without burning bridges or creating splits in groups.
But, regardless of the outcome members' dues should not be used to engage in negative campaigning, that is already done by the candidates themselves, and the union should have a watchdog group to monitor what rhetoric comes out of their offices.

Juan Crespo, PAAII, HHC

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