Georgia Pacific employees encouraged to support Romney
According to the pro-union website In These Times, tens of thousands of Georgia Pacific employees have been given voter information packets telling them that their jobs could depend on the results of the Nov. 6 presidential contest – and that the owners are big fans of Mitt Romney.
Georgia Pacific is headquartered in Atlanta and has 35,000 employees. State by state, Georgia has the largest cache of GP workers — about 7,000 at 20 facilities, according to the company website.
From the cover letter by Koch Industries President and Chief Operating Officer Dave Robertson:
While we are typically told before each Presidential election that it is important and historic, I believe the upcoming election will determine what kind of America future generations will inherit.
If we elect candidates who want to spend hundreds of billions in borrowed money on costly new subsidies for a few favored cronies, put unprecedented regulatory burdens on businesses, prevent or delay important new construction projects, and excessively hinder free trade, then many of our more than 50,000 U.S. employees and contractors may suffer the consequences, including higher gasoline prices, runaway inflation, and other ills.
The packet included an anti-Obama editorial by Charles Koch, a pro-Romney editorial by David Koch, and a list of candidates, apparently different for each state, “that have been supported by Koch companies or by KOCHPAC, our employee political action committee,” according to the Robertson letter.
Before your underwear is twisted beyond all recognition, keep in mind that, outside Georgia, the GP workforce in every state numbers 1,500 or less.
Inside Georgia, remember that metro Atlanta businesses this summer attempted to show their clout by encouraging their traffic-delayed employees to support the one-cent TSPLOST.
It didn’t seem to work.
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
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142 comments Add your comment
td
October 15th, 2012
11:12 am
Dina
October 15th, 2012
11:05 am
“What, exactly, would you suggest small business owners like me do if we are convinced, as we are, that a second Obama term will hurt our business?”
Who convinced you? … Yourself or talking points?
Stop listening to others and start thinking for youself. Actually think about where we were 4 years ago….and how we got there. Stop complaining and start thinking positively…work with what is happening and not against.
What is wrong with all the grown-ups (?) around me? This used to be a country of big ideas ….The glass can be have full…..if you choose to see it that way. Stop the small thinking….it’s hurting us all.
It is called education. Econ 101 tells you that you can not continue deficit spending at $1 trillion per year. Education teaches you that raising taxes on the top 1% back to the Clinton years only raises $80 billion per year is not going to balance the budget.
Yes, Educate yourself and learn that these policies are wrong for our nation.
Partisay
October 15th, 2012
11:14 am
Also just wondering. When you told your employees that this or that will happen if Obama is elected for a 2nd term, was it like telling everyone before he was elected the 1st term that if he was elected, he would take all of our guns away?
Brosephus™
October 15th, 2012
11:19 am
td
You had one experience in 1984, and I’ve gone through the elections of 2006, 2008, 2010, and now 2012 with the same union. Not once have they done anything to that level. As to the union and work that I do, it’s fairly easy to eductate yourself on who’s for you vs who’s against you. Also, we can’t use union dues for political purposes, so our union has it’s own PAC that takes voluntary contributions. Therefore, I don’t give to political purposes unless I explicitly choose to do so. Also, we have people with enough education and common sense to realize that our colleagues run the political spectrum of political ideology, so a one-size fits all model would never work. Unlike the people you support, our leaders understand that their thinking may not be the same as others, nor do they feel that they have to force others to think and act as they do.
As to cutting your own throats, the very people we vote on decided we needed to be responsible for paying down the debt on our own without help from anybody else. I’m willing to bet that will be on the mind of many of my colleagues when it’s time to cast that vote.
DJ Sniper
October 15th, 2012
11:21 am
If the Kochs were sending out info on both candidates, then that may not be such a big deal. As it stands, we pretty much know what they are trying to do.
DJ Sniper
October 15th, 2012
11:25 am
Good point Partisay. The wing nuts have been singing that song ever since Obama got elected. The VP of the NRA even went so far as to say that Obama is planning on repealing the 2nd Amendment. Sadly, there are plenty of low information voters who bought that lie hook, line, and sinker.
curious
October 15th, 2012
11:26 am
Hopefully, when GP gets into financial trouble, Obama won’t pull a Romney and say: “Let’em go bankrupt.”
the cat
October 15th, 2012
11:28 am
td-do you proudly display your certificate from the Newt Fan Club in your office? Do you think your phantom employees take you seriously? Maybe to your face but I’m sure they are laughing at you behind your back. Do you plan on going into the voting booth with them? LOL!
Republicans are cutting off the nose to spite the face
October 15th, 2012
11:30 am
CONS ARE needlessly self-destructive and over-reacting.
CONS are acting out and pursuing revenge in a way that
would damage other CONS more than the object of their anger.
Marie
October 15th, 2012
11:33 am
Matlock
“I, too, own a construction company… If you vote for Obama, you are killing yourself and small businesses. You’d be surprised to know that many of my low skilled workerd don’t even know who Joe Biden is. I could have said that Sarah Palin was Obama’s VP and they would support her. Typical Obama voter.”
Nope, typical illegal alien. Be honest, if you are a construction boss here in Georgia, your low wage workers aren’t even in the country legally. And that is the way you like it so that you can get away with less than minimum wage. It is people like you who hire non-legal workers who put the American worker out of work. How many of them actually speak English?
Retired Soldier
October 15th, 2012
11:35 am
Curious-
Did you know GM did go bankrupt? Did you know the money still hasn’t been repaid? They did with public money what Romney suggested be done with private money.
Laurie
October 15th, 2012
11:36 am
Thanks! Cause I needed just one more reason to vote for Obama. Unfortunately, Phil is right. To many ignorant folks living in Georgia, Romney is sure to win the state.
Republicans are cutting off the nose to spite the face
October 15th, 2012
11:38 am
@Retired Soldier
October 15th, 2012
11:05 am
I wonder how many unions will send out pro-Obama voter education packages? Just wonderin.
*******
There is a difference between sending out pro-Obama packages
and ORDERING people to vote for HIM.
This country has GONE TO THE DOGS.
Mary Elizabeth
October 15th, 2012
11:44 am
Citizens are much more likely to have their voices stifled under a Romney as President than under an Obama. This latest coercion toward workers by Georgia Pacific and the Koch Brothers is simply another reflection of that the stifling of the voices of ordinary citizens. In my opinion, Mitt Romney and the CEOS of companies who practice this type of coercion of employees do not respect average working class citizen. That fact has shown forth not only in Romney’s “47%” remarks, but in how his former employees have been treated. (See the video below to listen to Romney’s former employees voices.)
Romney is a Republican. We have Republican leadership in Georgia who, in my opinion, likewise do not respect the average state worker in Georgia, including public school teachers, and that shows in their present attempt to supplant traditional public schools with quasi-private public charter schools, that will be managed by private corporations for profit. Since this type of coercion can now happen to employees in Georgia Pacific, think of the later possiblities that will probably manifest to curb dissent in schools that are privatized. UnAmerican.
I want to elect a President (and leadership in Georgia) who understand, and have commitment to, average citizens and to the common good, not simply to the wealthier, more elite who are interconnected through their contacts and their mutual self-interests.
I am very concerned about the average American having his or her voice being stifled under Romney as President. Did you see the faces on the coal miners who were ordered, in this past week, to stand behind Romney in a recent photo event, without pay, by the coal miners’ boss who was highly praised by Romney at that event? Those coal miners’ faces were not committed to Romney – they were expressionless – and their eyes were vacant. To keep their jobs, workers have simply done what they were told to do, and what they have been told to do, in some cases, has been – through subtle coercion – to vote for Romney in November. (See the David Siegel thread on Jay Bookman’s blog in the past 10 days for one more example of this coercion of “lowly” employees by the CEOs of their companies).
If you think that there is a dichotomy between the classes now, just wait until Romney takes away Social Security and Medicare by privatizing these benefits for workers, and also creates a worker class that is far below the management class in status, income, and self-determination. Ordinary citizens will have even less voice then than they do now because they will be essentially “owned” by their higher eschelon bosses. This is not what our nation was designed to be about.
Journalist Chris Hayes has said that the thinking is wrong to believe that Republicans want less government and Democrats want more government. Hayes said that that is only a slogan that some of the Right-wing have tried to perpetuate. He said that Republicans want big government, also, but that they want government to serve their interests and the interests of the more wealthy of this nation.
The propaganda against President Obama has been deliberate and stealthy in order to cause average Americans to vote against their own best interests.
Don’t be fooled.
http://www.youtube.com/steelworkers
honested
October 15th, 2012
11:47 am
Here’s the on place you get to ‘vote twice’.
Vote for President Obama’s Re-Election….
Then buy products made by manufacturers other than GA Pacific.
It takes enough changes in purchasing to get their attention.
Retired Soldier
October 15th, 2012
11:48 am
REP-
You need to read again Galloway’s post. GP hasn’t “ordered” their employees to vote Romney, he has told them of the possible consequences if Obama is re-elected. If I was an employee I would be glad to know that information.
Jon Lester
October 15th, 2012
11:49 am
What do the Koch brothers care about higher gas prices? They’re in that business, too.
Neal Summers
October 15th, 2012
11:50 am
No company should try to coerce employees into voting one way or another. It is reprehensible. What worries me more is people like Jack Throck who have zero understanding of tne economy and yet parrots the GOP line about the President. None of it is true but Jack lacks the ability to know that or think for himself.
Brosephus™
October 15th, 2012
11:52 am
Did you know the money still hasn’t been repaid? They did with public money what Romney suggested be done with private money.
One only has to remember that, at the time of GM’s troubles, there were no private money sources lining up to aid GM. As is the case in other instances, the lender of last resort (the US government) came in to the rescue.
Retired Soldier
October 15th, 2012
11:54 am
ME-
I wrote Obama three times the first year he was in office. He never answered. Was my voice surpressed?
Neal Summers
October 15th, 2012
11:55 am
Retired Soldier – Its not information. Its propaganda. Shame that someone who served our country with honor cant see that.
Retired Soldier
October 15th, 2012
11:56 am
Brosephus-
Your opinion, not fact.
Emily
October 15th, 2012
11:57 am
Scare tactics/intimidation is exactly what you guys are doing. I’d hate to be one of your employers…I’d tell you all to kiss my ass…I’m voting for Obama…because he’s the better choice. If you think Romney will save your small business—you’re wrong…..small business owners are still considered middle class to Romney and he’s not interested in helping you. He lies non-stop, has no apparent clear plan in how to grow the economy. Unless he’s pulling 12 million jobs from his ass…its not going to happen. What he’ll do is he’ll blame the Obama administration if he gets elected of how he couldn’t create 12 million jobs in one term, and ask people for another 4 years to “get it right”. Meanwhile the economy is starting to pick up, and Romney will try to take credit for it…..Wake the hell up! If you have to threaten your workers by underlining it as “keeping them informed”…..you are really doing them an injustice cause you, yourself are not informed. Besides if you have to threaten your employees….then your business isn’t probably thriving to begin with anyhow.
Retired Soldier
October 15th, 2012
11:58 am
I can see what Galloway wrote, that is what I am commenting on, not what I think Galloway might or might not have meant. Shame on you for not sticking to the facts.
DJ Sniper
October 15th, 2012
12:00 pm
Retired, do you really think that the Koch brothers are sending out truthful information about Obama? We all know they are the driving force behind the effort to get Obama out of office, and we all know that the right is not above spreading lies and general misinformation about this administration.
Retired Soldier
October 15th, 2012
12:00 pm
Emily-
Two points:
1. What is Obama’s plan? Please don’t tell me more of what he is doing now.
2. Isn’t that what Obama has been doing for 4 years, blaming Bush?
Retired Soldier
October 15th, 2012
12:03 pm
DJ-
Do you think labor unions are sending out correct information about Romney? Your side hasn’t spread any lies or misinformation? I refer you to Libya.
Brosephus™
October 15th, 2012
12:05 pm
Your opinion, not fact.
If it’s opinion and not fact, I’m sure you can provide evidence to prove me wrong, right? Or is that your opinion masquerading as fact?
Partisay
October 15th, 2012
12:09 pm
Yes, he should tell us just what private money sources were lining up to help GM. Facts, right? Should be easy to do then.
Mary Elizabeth
October 15th, 2012
12:16 pm
Retired Soldier, you have your government pension, already, and so you are secure.
I would urge you to think more about the plight of the average American worker and what he or she would face in a Republican dominated government, with their policies that support the wealthy elite, and not the average America. Most Republican leaders want to use the average American (and their votes) to benefit themselves financially, imo. They are not looking after the common good of all, as I see it.
Emily
October 15th, 2012
12:18 pm
Besides Making Home affordable for helping people stay in their homes and modifying their loans, besides making prescription drugs more affordable than ever for the elderly, besides creating more jobs in this economy than Bush did in 8 years, besides helping students out by allowing them to stay on their parents insurance until 26, besides recovering most of the bail out money from Wall Street, and the Banks, beisdes creating a platform for SMALL BUSINESSES to barter/collaborate with other small business across the country to help them grow…….I guess he’s done nothing.
Douglas
October 15th, 2012
12:23 pm
I wonder what happens to employees if Romney is elected and they are still laid off?
Emily
October 15th, 2012
12:24 pm
Right Douglas….cause then who will they have to blame? They will still blame Obama.
Douglas
October 15th, 2012
12:25 pm
What is Romney’s plan all we are hearing is what he can do but no details
Retired Soldier
October 15th, 2012
12:33 pm
Emily-
You are oh so wrong. Jobs, less employed today than when Obama entered office. The major drug reform plan was passed under Bush, Obama;s is part of Obamacare, the same health plan that took 716 billion aware from Medicare. The mortgage program as been a failure by all accounts. Small business will tell you they are worse off today than 4 years ago, I know, I own one.
Mary Elizabeth
October 15th, 2012
12:34 pm
“Retired, do you really think that the Koch brothers are sending out truthful information about Obama? We all know they are the driving force behind the effort to get Obama out of office, and we all know that the right is not above spreading lies and general misinformation about this administration.”
===============================================
And, this effort to unseat President Obama has been going on by the Koch Brothers since 2010 (and before). Please read “The New Yorker” article, entitled, “Covert Operations: The billionaire brothers who are waging a war against Obama,” by Jayne Mayer – to learn of the many details that support this – in the August 30, 2010 edition of that magazine. Link provided, below:
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/08/30/100830fa_fact_mayer
Retired Soldier
October 15th, 2012
12:36 pm
M.E.
I am the average guy M.E. not wealthly, heck I spent the majority of my adult life in the military, not a place to become “wealthly”. I want LESS government and more personal responsibility.
Mary Elizabeth
October 15th, 2012
12:38 pm
When you get to The New Yorker article, hit “view as a single page” at the bottom of the first page for easier reading.
Retired Soldier
October 15th, 2012
12:41 pm
M.E.-
That is the American way, it’s called the 1st amendment. From day one if Obama was going to do what he said he would do in the primary, when he ran to the left of Clinton, then I wanted him to fail. That is because he espoused almost everything I am opposed to.
Is that anything different than liberals when a republican is president?
Mary Elizabeth
October 15th, 2012
12:42 pm
Retired Soldier, I am for personal responsibility, too, and that is why I worked 42 years of my life, before I retired. I simply think you have been mislead by propaganda.
Please reread the following which I had posted at the bottom of my long post, above.
“Journalist Chris Hayes has said that the thinking is wrong to believe that Republicans want less government and Democrats want more government. Hayes said that that is only a slogan that some of the right-wing have tried to perpetuate. He said that Republicans want big government, also, but that they want government to serve their interests and the interests of the more wealthy of this nation.
The propaganda against President Obama has been deliberate and stealthy in order to cause average Americans to vote against their own best interests.
Don’t be fooled.”
DJ Sniper
October 15th, 2012
12:45 pm
Hasn’t that line about $716 million being taken away from Medicare already been debunked?
Retired Soldier
October 15th, 2012
12:47 pm
I agree with you ME that some, even many Reps want to much govt. That is why I have been critical of Bush and particularly the Rep House, as they go along with Obama’s massive deficit spending.
But in general. Reps are for less govt.
Retired Soldier
October 15th, 2012
12:48 pm
DJ-
Nope, it was taken out to pay for Obamacare, ask the guys that work for Obama.
Jawbone
October 15th, 2012
12:53 pm
GP is owned by Koch Brothers one the largest private oil companies in the world. Big friends with Dick Chaney. Also responsible for most of the funding that went into the Wisconsin governors win and attack against Wisconsin collective bargining. Clearly not part of Mitt’s 45% govenment dependents (if you ignore corporate welfare…tax breaks). Closing factories in the US and importing from China is their game. Lay you off and hire labor for 35 cents an hour is how they operate. Then try to scare us into voting for their cronie (partner).
Jawbone
October 15th, 2012
1:02 pm
Talking points: Balance budget prior to 8 years of Bush/Cheny/Koch. Grand Theft America resulting in largest financial failure in history, again paid for by American public though TARP started by Bush. 8 years of Bush set us back 25 years. Obama is sucessfully turn things around but everyone is going to have to pay for it include Koch and GP. Claming to be patriots but truly only crooks.
DJ Sniper
October 15th, 2012
1:04 pm
Yea, the GOP is for smaller government except when it comes to stuff like women’s reproductive health. At that point, they want as much government intervention as possible.
Carol
October 15th, 2012
1:12 pm
What’s interesting to me is the GOP always wants to cite the New Black Panthers and Acorn. Do either of those groups wield the power of having your job/livelihood in their hands? But I’m sure all of our GOP friends will find absolutely NOTHING wrong with this letter.
Carol
October 15th, 2012
1:23 pm
Retired Soldier – I’ve written the President twice in the past two years and gotten a reply.
Retired Soldier
October 15th, 2012
1:23 pm
DJ-
Glad you are a spokesman for women. Who is the spokesman for the unborn child?
Retired Soldier
October 15th, 2012
1:25 pm
Carol-
Guess he had the FBI to investigate and they found out I was a republican. No need to talk to republicans, Obama has that down pat.
DJ Sniper
October 15th, 2012
1:40 pm
Retired, I’ll repeat what I’ve said before: Each individual woman should have the choice of what she wants to do when it comes to her reproductive healthcare. It’s too bad that a lot of conservatives can’t comprehend this. It’s perfectly fine for you to be personally opposed to abortion, but your choice shouldn’t be the default choice for everybody. Everybody’s situation isn’t the same.