Union Protesters and Tea Party Share Some Traits

nationaljournal.com — Many liberals disappointed in the president’s veer toward fiscal austerity this legislative session have nonetheless rallied against Republicans in recent weeks because of the anti-union measures in Wisconsin, said Roger Hickey, co-chair of Progress for America’s Future.
But it’s an open question, he said, if they will remain motivated to vote for a president who doesn’t support their agenda.
“Our hope is that it will also translate into a demand for Democrats to stand up and fight for jobs instead of austerity.”
Hickey pointed out that the anti-union measures in Wisconsin and Ohio have also come in potential presidential battlegrounds. They are populated largely by white, working-class voters who turned sharply against Democrats in 2010.
“Lose those big industrial states, you’re cutting off one arm, you’re making it hugely difficult,” he said.