As someone who played a big role in helping to start a union in PA, this pisses me off. Although this might hurt my career, I am going to openly admit to not finding the AFL-CIO open enough, aggressive enough, and progressive enough. And I don't like the way they endorse candidates:The 58 member Pennsylvania AFL-CIO Executive Council, representing 900,000 union members in Pennsylvania made endorsements for the November 2, 2004 General Election. The endorsements are based upon the voting records and commitment of the candidates on working family issues, including good jobs and quality affordable health care. The Pennsylvania AFL-CIO endorsed the following candidates:

U.S. Senate: Arlen Specter (R); Attorney General: Jim Eisenhower (D); Auditor General: Jack Wagner (D); State Treasurer: Bob Casey (D); U.S. Congress: 1st Robert A. Brady (D); 2nd Chaka Fattah (D); 3rd Steven Porter (D); 4th Stevan Drobac Jr. (D); 6th Lois Murphy; 11th Paul E. Kanjorski (D); 12th John P. Murtha (D); 13th Allyson Schwartz (D); 14th Mike Doyle (D); 15th Joe Driscoll (D); 16th Lois Herr (D); 17th Tim Holden (D)

I agree with them, except in one obvious instance:

Labor Rights, Progressive Score
Joe Hoeffel, 83.33
Arlen Specter, 32.61

Their comparative voting records on labor are divergent, and Hoeffel is clearly more progressive on labor issues. This is what can happen if only 58 people are making the political decisions for 600,000+ people. Endorsement voting should be open to all union officers, including officers of locals. If a union isn't responding to the desires of its locals, then what is it doing?

At the very least, does the PA AFL-CIO executive committee have some delusion that keeping Republicans in control of the Senate will be good for labor? With the Senate as close as it is, this election in PA is just as much about which party controls the Senate as which candidate represents PA. One might as well compare the labor records of Jack Reed to Saxby Chambliss when making an endorsement in this race. After all, elect Specter, and you empower whackos like Chambliss. Elect Hoeffel, and you empower champions of labor like Reed.