Hagan’s Labor Pains
When John Edwards was running for Senate in 1998, the N&O did a story about how little money he had raised from the state’s business community – and how much then-Senator Lauch Faircloth had raised there.
Sam Hunt, ex-DOT Secretary to Governor Hunt, was quoted as saying the road to the Senate ran through the business community. Edwards had little chance to win, he suggested.
But Edwards did win – thanks to $6 million of his own money and millions more from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in
Needless to say, Edwards was no friend of
Today, the state’s business community may be wondering if it’s watching a rerun.
Senator Kay Hagan’s first floor speech was for a bill strongly supported by organized labor – and opposed by business. It’s the Lilly Ledbetter Act, which makes it easier for workers to challenge pay discrimination.
“When discrimination in the workplace results in a lower wage for those discriminated against, the people responsible should be held accountable,” Hagan said. “This bill helps them to do that.”
Business leaders are also concerned about whether she will support the Employee Free Choice Act, which – depending on your point of view – makes it easier for workers to organize (labor’s view) or takes away the secret ballot for union votes (business’ view).
Labor ran TV ads during Obama’s inauguration promoting the bill. Business groups have been spending on ads, too. Every ad you saw is a reminder of how important both sides view the issue.
Unlike Edwards, Hagan had more of a pro-business image, coming out of the moderate state Senate. But follow the money. She had big support from labor – money and voter-turnout. The biggest factor in her victory was the $11 million spent by the DSCC, which is close to labor.
Hagan also tried to set a bipartisan tone in her first speech:
“There is too much to be done in this country to differentiate between a ‘Republican’ idea and a ‘Democratic’ idea. We just need good ideas, and I hope to work with all of my colleagues to identify and implement as many as we can.”
That statement ignores the reality that – on labor issues – she will have to choose between labor ideas and business ideas, as well as Democratic ideas and Republican ideas.
Click Here to discuss and comment on this and other articles.
Hagan’s Labor Pains
When John Edwards was running for Senate in 1998, the N&O did a story about how little money he had raised from the state’s business community – and how much then-Senator Lauch Faircloth had raised there.
Sam Hunt, ex-DOT Secretary to Governor Hunt, was quoted as saying the road to the Senate ran through the business community. Edwards had little chance to win, he suggested.
But Edwards did win – thanks to $6 million of his own money and millions more from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in
Needless to say, Edwards was no friend of
Today, the state’s business community may be wondering if it’s watching a rerun.
Senator Kay Hagan’s first floor speech was for a bill strongly supported by organized labor – and opposed by business. It’s the Lilly Ledbetter Act, which makes it easier for workers to challenge pay discrimination.
“When discrimination in the workplace results in a lower wage for those discriminated against, the people responsible should be held accountable,” Hagan said. “This bill helps them to do that.”
Business leaders are also concerned about whether she will support the Employee Free Choice Act, which – depending on your point of view – makes it easier for workers to organize (labor’s view) or takes away the secret ballot for union votes (business’ view).
Labor ran TV ads during Obama’s inauguration promoting the bill. Business groups have been spending on ads, too. Every ad you saw is a reminder of how important both sides view the issue.
Unlike Edwards, Hagan had more of a pro-business image, coming out of the moderate state Senate. But follow the money. She had big support from labor – money and voter-turnout. The biggest factor in her victory was the $11 million spent by the DSCC, which is close to labor.
Hagan also tried to set a bipartisan tone in her first speech:
“There is too much to be done in this country to differentiate between a ‘Republican’ idea and a ‘Democratic’ idea. We just need good ideas, and I hope to work with all of my colleagues to identify and implement as many as we can.”
That statement ignores the reality that – on labor issues – she will have to choose between labor ideas and business ideas, as well as Democratic ideas and Republican ideas.
Click Here to discuss and comment on this and other articles.