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Secret Ballot Watch

Lame Duck Card Check?

If it looks like time is running out on the Democrats’ reckless agenda – look again. With only three weeks of legislative work remaining before Congress starts six weeks of vacation, it may appear the prospects for passing further job-killing policies like card check legislation are growing dimmer by the day. But according to a report by the Wall Street Journal, Democrats are planning an “ambitious” post-election agenda for this fall when they are no longer accountable to their constituents. At the top of this “ambitious” agenda: card check.


“The rush to recess gives Democrats little time to pass any major laws. That's why there have been signs in recent weeks that party leaders are planning an ambitious, lame-duck session to muscle through bills in December…

“In the House, Arizona Rep. Raul Grijalva, co-chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, told reporters last month that for bills like ‘card check’—the measure to curb secret-ballot union elections—‘the lame duck would be the last chance, quite honestly, for the foreseeable future.’

“Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin, chair of the Senate committee overseeing labor issues, told the Bill Press radio show in June that ‘to those who think [card check] is dead, I say think again.’ He told Mr. Press ‘we're still trying to maneuver’ a way to pass some parts of the bill before the next Congress is sworn in.”

Fund, “The Obama-Pelosi Lame Duck Strategy,” Wall Street Journal, 7/9/2010 


With the national unemployment rate stuck near 10 percent and economists in agreement that no relief appears in sight,  Democratic leaders should stop running out the clock and instead use what time is left to pass fiscally responsible solutions to grow our economy and help put Americans back to work.

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