National Nurses United

NewsBriefs_NOV 12/10/10 1:28 AM Page 8 NEWS BRIEFS California governor-elect Jerry Brown visits with the CNA/NNU board of directors. Bright Spots in a Bleak Election NATIONAL D espite disappointing losses in the recent midterm elections by candidates who would have better represented the interests of registered nurses and other working people, there were a number of hardfought but significant victories around the country by NNU-backed candidates that tempered the rightward shift in political power. In the Golden State, the California Nurses Association played a key role, arguably the key role, in defeating billionaire corporate darling Meg Whitman and carrying Jerry Brown, a longtime labor and consumer advocate, into the governor's office. California is facing a $25 billion deficit and Whitman's proposals for balancing the budget would have all come at the expense of working, middle-income people: massive layoffs of public employees, the gutting of pensions earned after a lifetime of work, Farewell, and Thanks In these last midterm elections, more than 50 members of the U.S. House of Representatives lost their reelection bids and six Senate seats changed hands. Many of those who lost had been around a long time and had political careers that were notable. Members of National Nurses United around the country and all working Americans will have cause to miss those listed below . Sen. Russ Feingold. For 18 years he has been a pro-labor senator and supportive of single-payer healthcare reform. He signed on to our Senate resolution protecting Social Security. He often took positions that were politically unpopular but principled, such as being the only vote against the Patriot Act. In 2007 and 2008 he pushed to cut off funding for the Iraq war and to set timetables for troop withdrawals. He was the main sponsor of reform of the campaign finance system, which he called "legalized 8 N AT I O N A L N U R S E bribery and influence peddling." We will be hard pressed to find another Senator as willing to take on the political power of the rich and large corporations. Pennsylvania. He had pledged to cosponsor with Sen. Barbara Boxer's NNU's national ratio bill in the next Congress and publicly opposed cuts to Social Security. Rep. Jim Oberstar, Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. A labor stalwart in the House, he devised the plan to help airlines after 9/11. He was a cosponsor of our Safe Patient Handling and Veterans Administration collective bargaining bills. The St. Paul Pioneer Press described him "as part scholar and part Iron Range street fighter, part pothole-filling ward healer and part workaholic." As chair of his committee, he continually worked to repair the infrastructure of the nation and put people back to work. Rep. Dina Titus. She was close to NNU members in Nevada and a cosponsor of our VA collective bargaining and Safe Patient Handling bills. Nurses in Southern Nevada will miss her often public support for their efforts. Rep. Joe Sestak. Considered by PASNAP to be a close ally in the House, he was defeated in his effort to be elected to the Senate from W W W. N A T I O N A L N U R S E S U N I T E D . O R G Rep. Phil Hare. He was a union worker and leader, having worked 13 years in a clothing factory. He was a supporter of single-payer health reform and outspoken critic of international free trade agreements. A cosponsor of our Safe Patient Handling and VA collective bargaining bills, he could always be called upon for help by the labor movement. We will miss his "working class" voice in the halls of Congress. —Joe Jurczak NOVEMBER 2010

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