Did Huckabee commit political suicide tonight?

[Ben Kenobi]

So if i'm going about my lawful business I can't cross a picket line on moral grounds.

Nope.

That's what picket lines are for. It's a sign of respect for the folks who do that job that you don't cross.

I'm a bit surprised here to see folks come out and criticise me for this. I thought there would be more support for unions in the US.

[TheStinger]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi


Nope.

That's what picket lines are for. It's a sign of respect for the folks who do that job that you don't cross.

I'm a bit surprised here to see folks come out and criticise me for this. I thought there would be more support for unions in the US.

Well i'm not in the US and I really don't see why a picket line should inconveninece me.

What if I think the reasons for striking are wrong for example

[MOBIUS]

All it's proving is that Huckerbee doesn't have any decent morals, but he's a Republican - we knew that already.

So what...

[-Jrabbit]

Huckabee is being, at the very least, disingenuous. He
1. ...has, more than any other Republican candidate, solicited union support
2. ...actually claimed he thought the strike was settled, or that there was some "dispensation" for Leno

From a Wednesday press conference (LA Times story)...

"My understanding is that there was a special arrangement made for the late-night shows, and the writers have made this agreement to let the late-night shows to come back on, so I don't anticipate that it's crossing a picket line," Huckabee told journalists.

When reporters noted that the writers settled with only Letterman's show, Huckabee protested: "But my understanding is there's a sort of dispensation given to the late-night shows, is that right?"

Huckabee added that he supports the writers, "unequivocally, absolutely."

If he really believed that, I doubt he would have been brought in to NBC through the Telemundo studio entrance on Alameda to avoid the pickets.

[snoopy369]

Frankly I don't see why a strike by one group should mean anybody else has to not work. The writers are asking for more money, and as a result how many thousands of employees are going without paychecks that won't benefit one dime from this?

I think the Leno/Conan/etc. decision to restart is a very good thing, morally, particularly given that they ARE respecting the WAG strike, in that they're not doing monologues etc. (as I understand it anyway). I don't see why there's a moral obligation to side with striking workers that a) you may not agree with anyway and b) are hurting you financially. That's the kind of crazy pro-union baloney that takes away any belief I have in the value in unions...

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
The question I have is why would Huckabee crossing a picket line put him in a bad light with regards to the Republican primary?

Lots of union members are Republican. The last time my local bargained a new contract, I was the only Democrat on the 5-person bargaining team.

[-Jrabbit]

Leno, Conan, Stewart, Colbert... all are WGA members.

The issue is really the seizing of all profits from alternative distribution channels by the studios. Blaming the union for wanting reasonable compensation for the intellectual property they create is kind of crazy IMO.

But the thread is about Huckabee...

[Ben Kenobi]

Well i'm not in the US and I really don't see why a picket line should inconveninece me.

What if I think the reasons for striking are wrong for example

It shouldn't matter. The purpose of the strike is to show people why the work they do matters, and by that no crossing picket lines is an important part of it.

I didn't agree with the TA strike, opened my eyes when I realised, they didn't care about the students they impacted, most of them said that the next year they'd be doing something else anyway. The strike was not effective, they lost considerable ground the next year their wages didn't go up and most of the members were not working the next year.

So long as the picket was up I felt I had a duty to respect their picket even if the respect wasn't mutual.

[Ben Kenobi]

Frankly I don't see why a strike by one group should mean anybody else has to not work. The writers are asking for more money, and as a result how many thousands of employees are going without paychecks that won't benefit one dime from this?

That's an issue for most occupations. Everyone has to be on board or else nothing gets done.

[Patroklos]

You confuse me Ben.

If I don't agree with them, don't work in a field related to theirs or in the same field but my invlovment has nothing to do with what they do specifically, why should I not be able to work/do what I want because of them?

Huckabee wasn't breaking their strike, interviews have nothing to do with writers.

[DanS]

I have no common cause with the writer's guild. As far as I'm concerned, it's a money dispute between business partners and has nothing to do with me.

I would bet that this is the majority American opinion. By a wide margin.

[Perfection]

Well, he already lost the presidential election with his screwy views on taxation.

[Lul Thyme]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi
It's a sign of respect for the folks who do that job that you don't cross.

Ben, you are correct that not crossing picket lines is a sign of respect for those on strike.

You failed to explain why we should automatically respect them.

A strike is a fight between two parties.
Why should we always side with one party in particular without even considering the circumstances?

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by TheStinger


Well i'm not in the US and I really don't see why a picket line should inconveninece me.

What if I think the reasons for striking are wrong for example

Ya know, thats ONE of the reasons why pickets usually carry signs. Theyre supposed to help make the case. If youre really strong union you will assume the union is right and wont cross (hell your own union should already have adopted a policy on crossing in this particular instance) but if youre not, you can read the signs, or even stop and talk to the workers on the line (though they are supposed to keep moving) Its certainly reasonable to examine your own reasons for crossing, the necessity etc.

Crossing to enter an unrelated business in the same building is clearly NOT the same thing as going to appear on a show that is specifically being struck. That is if youre someone who particularly cares, or whos would be voters particularly cared, which may not be the case here.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Lul Thyme

A strike is a fight between two parties.
Why should we always side with one party in particular without even considering the circumstances?

Em, broad class solidarity? Quid pro quo? Things that probably wont matter to folks who dont belong to unions, and who dont see the particular strikers as part of the same social class.