So last February I posted a little something about how
the Republicans are up to their dirty tricks again. That,
the plan was to disrupt the Democratic National
Convention in Boston -- and embarrass the Democrats --
by arranging the event to be picketed by striking city
unions members. Specifically, the police & teachers
unions.
This won't be a first. Back in 1990, with the Republicans
looking at their best chance of taking the Governor's office
in more than a decade, Republican operatives Sandy
Tenant and Ron Coffman (If I'm that name recalling correctly)
staged a picket line in front of the state Democratic
convention in Springfield Massachusetts, using the cover of
a contract dispute the police department was having with
that city's Democratic Mayor. This years Republican plan is
virtually identical, except that they've been trying hard to get
representatives of other city unions to join the police.
Boston, like most other major cities, has been suffering from
funding issues. Between a double dip recession, a "jobless
recovery," deep cuts in local aid and mandatory limits on
real estate taxes, times have been tough, and budgets have
been tight. City employees are amongst the first to feel the
pinch during bad times, when they're usually left begging for
raises and over-time pay.
When I first mentioned this in soc.motss, back in February,
the single response I received could be summed up by this
one quote:
"But thank you for posting your latest conspiracy theory, Oliver Stone."
Well, I've got news for you: The plan is still in the works, the green
light is on.
April 15, 2004:
"But security is not the only issue in the minds of the police. As it
happens, the Boston Police Patrolmen's Association is currently
caught in pay negotiations with the Democratic mayor, Thomas
Menino. Although the police cannot strike, they are threatening to
picket the convention centre during the convention."
http://www.economist.com/printedition/displayStory.cfm?Story_ID=2598856
(Original message)
----- Original Message -----
From: "JTEM" <gymraven@hotmail.com>
Newsgroups: soc.motss
Sent: Sunday, February 15, 2004 12:47 AM
Subject: Paranoid Rant
Well, not quite.
For quite some time now, in other groups, I've
been predicting that the 1968 Democratic
convention will be held in Boston this year.
Imagine the Republican orchestrating some kind of
disturbance at the Democratic convention.
Sound kind of far fetched? Even paranoid?
It's already happened once, back in 1990.
Republican operatives orchestrated a "Picket Line"
outside the entrances to the 1990 Democratic state
convention. The excuse was a contract dispute between
the Mayor of Springfield Massachusetts and a local
police union. This somehow justified the picked line
because the Mayor spent some time inside the
Democratic convention, and even spoke, making the
convention fair game.
The result was chaos. Union people and there
sympathizers wouldn't cross the picket line, others
where physically pushed or hit as they tried to make
their way through the line into the convention.
This was all put together by two men. One by the name
of "Sandy Tenant," and the other was.... was.... the
other completely escapes me right now.
I want to say "Ron Coffman" but that could be totally off.
Anyhow....
This year, for the Democratic national convention, it
looks like the game plan is virtually identical. Again,
they're going the union route. This time, though, the play
is for two unions with a gripe against the Mayor of
Boston, one police & one teachers.
I guess they're trying to cover all their bases.
Same deal as the last time the Republicans orchestrated
this, they want to set up a picket line & disrupt the
convention... by both physically blocking the way of
delegates, and relying on pro-union delegates (which
describes most at a Democratic convention) refusing to
cross a picket line.
.
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