Open Thread: Big Labor to Pool Resources Against 'Right-wing Group Labor Assault'

August 25th, 2010 8:56 AM

Apparently sensing that November could spell disaster for union-friendly candidates, some of the heaviest hitters have agreed to team up. 

The leaders of the AFL-CIO and the Service Employees International Union have agreed to coordinate spending millions of dollars in the midterm elections to support pro-union candidates, most of them Democrats.

The two labor organizations say they have a combined $88 million or more to deploy in this year's election cycle. It's not clear how much of that money they will pool together.

The renewed alliance between the two big labor groups comes as Democrats are battling to retain control of both houses of Congress. The AFL-CIO and SEIU plan to target elections in 26 states, all but five of which they consider battleground territory, including California, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Ohio...

"It's unclear to what extent you're going to see the labor and other groups be able to match the right-wing group labor assault," said Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. "I think labor's main message will be that things have clearly begun to improve and the biggest mistake now would be to return to the failed Bush economic policies."

Putting aside for a moment Van Hollen's ridiculous proclamations, do you think Big Labor's cooperation will produce results?