the smartest people in the universe discuss union political contributions

[franksolich]

http://upload.democraticunderground.com/10024809687

Oh my.

Bucky (42,298 posts)       Fri Apr 11, 2014, 06:21 PM

Online debate help: Do unions have the right to give their funds to political candidates?

I thought this was illegal. An idiot (whose party affiliation you'd never guess) just said that unions are free to give their money to candidates. I thought that was illegal.
 
Help sought before I descend into slaying this jackanapes.

Savannahmann (2,496 posts)    Fri Apr 11, 2014, 06:28 PM

1. Why shouldn't unions be free to donate?

http://www.opensecrets.org/overview/topcontribs.php?Bkdn=Source&Cycle=2014

Unions represent the workers, the people. They are free to donate as much as anyone else. The right to donate doesn't just reside with the Koch Brothers you know.

Bucky (42,298 posts)    Fri Apr 11, 2014, 06:31 PM

2. Thank, but I'm looking for facts, not opinions.

Do you know if unions can donate unlimited funds directly to candidates like private citizens now can?

Triloon (39 posts)    Fri Apr 11, 2014, 06:44 PM

4. dues vs contributions

Unions may not use funds from membership dues towards political campaigns, that is illegal under federal law. But Unions may collect voluntary contributions from the membership separately from dues to support political purposes. Anti-Union types make no distinction between these two activities, dues collection and pac contribution collection, but the distinction is very real and no one contributes political money against their wishes.

alp227 (24,950 posts)    Fri Apr 11, 2014, 06:51 PM

6. Thank you.

So it's a lie to say union dues go to political action committees?

Triloon (39 posts)    Fri Apr 11, 2014, 06:57 PM

8. yes.

It is not true, ever.

former9thward (9,566 posts)    Fri Apr 11, 2014, 08:09 PM

13. No it is not a lie.

Unions have PACs funded by voluntary contributions. As do corporations. Citizens United freed unions to do campaigns for a candidate as long as they do not directly coordinate with the candidate. That is why the AFL-CIO filed a brief in support of Citizens United.

Savannahmann (2,496 posts)    Fri Apr 11, 2014, 07:45 PM
in response to the buckless primitive's comment #2, way up above

10. Then you should have looked at the link.

But it's your world.

former9thward (9,566 posts)    Fri Apr 11, 2014, 08:06 PM

12. Unions and corporations are prohibited from directly contributing to federal candidates.

That has been the case since 1912. Both may indirectly contribute through PACs.

[Skul]

can....worms....
Go for it DUmmies. 

[Carl]

http://www.nrtw.org/d/illegalpac.htm

It is unlawful for a labor union to take money from your paycheck for contributions to a federal PAC or for the federal PAC to accept such contributions without your written authorization. Recently, the Federal Election Commission has audited some well-known national union PACs to see if they had written authorizations from employees for the contributions the PACs were receiving. The results were astonishing. One national union PAC, according to the FEC audit, could not produce written authorizations for 93% of PAC contributions the FEC examined. Another national union PAC was unable to show authorizations for at least 67% of the contributions the FEC examined. This suggests a widespread problem: union PACs are making political contributions to federal candidates with employees' money taken without their written authorizations

[Maxiest]

And Unions would never do that, they have always been a shinning example of conformity and law in this country.

[Skul]

alp227 (24,950 posts)    Fri Apr 11, 2014, 06:51 PM

6. Thank you.

So it's a lie to say union dues go to political action committees?

Not a lie.  Where does the money come from?
Dues.

former9thward (9,566 posts)    Fri Apr 11, 2014, 08:09 PM

13. No it is not a lie.

Unions have PACs funded by voluntary contributions. As do corporations. Citizens United freed unions to do campaigns for a candidate as long as they do not directly coordinate with the candidate. That is why the AFL-CIO filed a brief in support of Citizens United.

The money contributions are not voluntary.  They just take it.
If you opt out of sending their chosen one part of your dues, you are then deemed to be a member "not in good standing".
Hardly voluntary when a threat is given.

[Freeper]

Not a lie.  Where does the money come from?
Dues.
The money contributions are not voluntary.  They just take it.
If you opt out of sending their chosen one part of your dues, you are then deemed to be a member "not in good standing".
Hardly voluntary when a threat is given.

As voluntary as paying taxes.