Thank you Harold and good morning.
With less than 3 weeks between now and Election Day, we all have our work cut out for us. “CAN” we count on each of you to help us elect our friends and defeat our enemies – CAN WE?
Phone Banks – Say Yes!
Precinct Walks – Say Yes!
Election Day Work – Say Yes!
I believe we are at the brink of a breakthrough -- right here in Ohio -- that will resonate across the country.
Along with 35 other states, Ohio will be electing a governor next month.
Across the country, the IAM has been urging members to get involved in the midterm elections, especially where the governors’ seat is up for grabs.
And that’s for a couple of good reasons.
Just look at what’s happened in states with Democratic governors. And then look at states with Republican governors.
A couple of years ago in Indiana and Missouri, GOP governors cancelled bargaining rights for tens of thousands of state workers.
They did that with executive orders on the first week they were on the job.
In Illinois, a Democratic governor reversed such an order in the first week after he took over.
From minimum wage laws, to collective bargaining rights, to the right to organize new members, a governor can make all the difference.
A wise person once described President Bush as a “Texas Post Turtle.”
Don’t feel bad if you’re not familiar with the expression. I wasn’t either.
But trust me, it fits.
The story goes like this --- a farmer in Texas is driving down a dirt road with a friend and comes across a turtle balanced on top of a fence post.
Puzzled, he turns to his friend, who tells him that’s a Post Turtle.
Seeing his confusion, his friend explains what makes a Post Turtle.
Well --
He didn’t get up there by himself -- he doesn’t belong there --- and he doesn’t know what to do while he’s up there.
That’s a post turtle.
If that doesn’t describe the presidency of George Bush, I don’t know what does.
But what he’s done as president is certainly no joke.
The pain he has inflicted upon our working families in America -- from the loss of jobs, along with the loss of lives in a war brought about by a fabrication of lies about weapons of mass destruction is felt every day by all of us. Still, no weapons of mass destruction have been found.
To stop this pain inflicted upon us by the White House’s Gang, we need to do everything we can to make sure our members turn out in large numbers on Election Day.
If there was a different governor here in Ohio in 2002, who can say the election of 2004 wouldn’t have turned out different.
It wouldn’t have taken much.
Dozens of elections are settled by a handful of votes. So this year like every other, it will be turnout that spells the difference between victory and disaster.
We need to educate and motivate our members to get out and vote on Election Day.
We also need to convince them they can make a difference.
You and I know how big a difference there is between Sherrod Brown and Mike DeWine.
And we know how big a difference there is between Ted Strickland and Ken Blackwell.
We’re talking about night and day differences.
In dozens of races across Ohio and across the country, there’s a reason to make our voices heard.
And that’s why we sent staff to nine other states as well to work on member turnout this Election Day.
And we did that, not only because we’re determined to change the direction this country is heading, but because it’s in the best interest of our members -- all our members -- to have a government that doesn’t look at them like they’re the enemy.
I believe voters have had “enough” of being mislead, lied to and scared.
They just need to be convinced that this is the time to make their voices heard and that they don’t have to wait another two years.
I know it’s going to be a busy couple of weeks for everyone in this room.
I want to thank you for everything you’ve done and everything you’re going to do.
Together, we’re about to make history.
Thank you.
