By ED FINKELSTEIN
Publisher
Jefferson City – A tape recording made at a secret meeting last month for a small group of Republican legislators reveals the extent to which outside interests are taking over the campaign in Missouri to strip workers of their rights and unions of their ability to represent their members.
The tape, obtained and released by Progress Missouri, revealed:
• Implied threats that money could be drying up for legislators who don’t cooperate and support the organizer’s extreme agenda.
“We’re meeting with business people all over the state – your donors,” -Jared Rodriguez, Western Michigan Policy Forum active in that state’s right-to-work (for less) campaign.
“If you don’t take on the fights, and these guys that are giving money? I mean, this is just all basic 101 — you’re going to start losing donors.”- Steve Hunter (former R, Joplin).
• That “big money” from national sources (unnamed) is flooding into Missouri to finance the anti-worker efforts now underway in the Missouri legislature and to support those lawmakers who support their efforts.
“What we want to do is we want to make sure your backs are covered when it comes time for reelection. And that’s where we come in. To have the groundwork laid for you. So your backs can be covered.”- Kansas City activist Karladine Graves.
• That deliberate attempts will be made to deceive voters by “messaging” Missourians with deceptive phrases designed to promote their anti-worker causes. The most frequently mentioned was right-to-work (for less) will now be “messaged” as “freedom to work.”
“It’s about using the right language, the right message. Messaging and research is the absolute key, making sure all of the supporters of ‘freedom to work’ are all saying the same thing.” – Jared Rodriguez
It was revealed by Greg Johns, veteran leader of the Missouri Right To Work (for less) committee who was also at the meeting, that his group is changing its name to comply with the new deception: they will now be know as the Freedom To Work Committee.
• That major out-of-state consultants have been hired to run the Missouri campaign.
They include:
Frank Luntz, president, Luntz Global, a political consultant, pollster, and Republican Party strategist whose specialty is testing language and finding words that will help his clients sell their product or turn public opinion on an issue or a candidate.
Jeff Roe, also a Republican political consultant and principal of Axiom Strategies, a political consulting firm located in Kansas City. Roe is most known for his controversial campaign techniques and has earned a reputation as a dirty tricks political operative.
“So that’s my simple message as an outsider, as a Californian… (with) others of us around the country… working to help you develop (your) ground game. Finally people are recognizing that some early money and big money has to be employed now if we’re going to be competitive.” – Lew Uhler, National Tax Limitation Committee
DECEPTION IS KEY
It was clear from listening to the tape from the hour and a half meeting that telling the truth is not an issue, rather deception, tricking the public into believing their distortions and lies is the key.
A few examples directly from the tape:
• Polling – Rodriguez urged legislators to do district surveys but “don’t ask a right to work question…restructure the questions to tell more of your story…”
(EDITOR’S NOTE: This is called ‘push polling;’ tell a lie but tell it in the form of a question so the person hears distorted information and the poll taker gets the answer they want because the question is not honest.)
• ‘Messaging’ – “When you are talking to voters…(tell them) you are not taking anything away (from workers), but you are granting more rights to them. We saw the polls go up dramatically, even with workers. It’s about using the right language, the right message.”
JUST THE BEGINNING
One of the more startling revelations coming from the meeting is the fact that the assault on workers’ rights underway now is just the beginning of the right-wing’s efforts, even if they should win.
Rodriguez reported that they have a five-point plan to be used across the nation to sell their radical ideas.
Part 5 of the plan is “What’s the next thing we go after?” We have to build on our successes and look to what’s next we need to pass, he stressed.
In other words, bust the unions first by strangling them with right-to-work (for less), which by making union dues voluntary will seriously reduce union funding for member education, organizing, paying for legal support, etc.; passing paycheck deception to cut off voluntary political donations from public-sector union members, in effect a right-to-work (for less) maneuver that will also reduce funding for public unions in order to reduce their political influence, and finally eliminate prevailing wage laws to lower wages for construction workers and attract bottom-feeder contractors to compete with respected union contractors in Missouri.
Once the unions are weak or gone, it will weaken other middle class voters’ ability to withstand the right-wing strategy to enrich their corporate patrons at the expense of working people.
Radical right’s 5-point plan to destroy America’s middle class
Jefferson City – During the secretly taped session in which several notorious anti-worker organization reps quietly held a meeting with a number of Republican lawmakers, it was revealed that they have a Five-Point plan to pass move their agenda in Missouri and across America.
Part 1 – Extensive research to find out which deceptions Missouri voters will believe, what words or phrases induce voters into believing their lies.
Part 2 – (too much temporary distortion to hear).
Part 3 – “Protection.” To give legislators “cover” that they can support the radical agenda. The cover is in terms of money for their campaigns and the advice from their out-of-state consultants.
Part 4 – “Air cover,” a massive advertising campaign to convince Missourians that their deceptions are in fact “truthful.” You know the old saying: “Tell a lie often enough and it becomes the truth.” Money from the radical right will fund the campaign.
Part 5 – Build on successes by looking to the future for “what is the next thing we go after?”
Jared Rodriguez, president, West Michigan Policy Forum, outlined the plan to the Republican legislators.
Hear for yourself
Go to http://www.progressmissouri.org/rtw-strategy-sesssion to listen to Missouri legislators conspire with national “right-to-work” forces, including those involved in making Michigan a “right-to-work” (for less) state. You need to hear this! It’s scary and appalling.
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