Save Our Secret Ballot Chairman Istook Responds to Story About Specter/AFL-CIO Deal
Washington, DC – Both sides of the card check struggle are abuzz over the latest story to hit the blogosphere: that Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) has been promised “100% support” in 2010 by the AFL-CIO in return for his vote on card check. The story further details that the AFL-CIO has promised to support Specter in both the primary, if necessary, and the general election, and even if he switches parties. Article here: ? http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/labor/big-union-promises-to-back-arlen-specter-if-he-supports-employee-free-choice/
Upon hearing of this development, Save Our Secret Ballot Chairman Ernest Istook said, "If you secretly agree to make donations in exchange for a vote,?it's a crime.??If you do it openly, it's business as usual. Big Labor is taking a reward and punishment approach to politics.? Since they're?willing to buy votes and pressure people in Washington, we know they'll use?the same pressure tactics on workers to make?them sign union pledge cards.? That's why their legislation is a bad idea and secret ballots are a good idea."
SOS Ballot is a 501c4 organization dedicated to educating the American public on the continued need for a secret ballot wherever state or federal law requires elections and seeks to protect voters from intimidation and harassment by empowering them to vote whether they wish to have the right to a secret ballot guaranteed in their state constitution. SOS Ballot is currently conducting initiative or legislative campaigns in Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota and Utah to put constitutional amendment language on the ballot in 2010.
The 47-word amendment says: "The right of individuals to vote by secret ballot is fundamental. Where state or federal law requires elections for public office or public votes on initiatives or referenda, or designations or authorizations of employee representation, the right of individuals to vote by secret ballot shall be guaranteed."
The secret ballot was used locally as an act of post-Civil war southern reconstruction, first as a way to impose a literacy requirement on newly freed slaves. But the secret ballot also protected mostly black voters who faced physical intimidation, even lynching, depending on how their vote was cast. Secret ballots were first used statewide in the Massachusetts governor¹s race 1888 and nationally in 1892 to elect President Grover Cleveland.
SOS Ballot National Advisory Board members include:
Ernest Istook Chairman, Former Congressman, Heritage Foundation
Gilbert Baker Arkansas State Senator, Former Arkansas Republican Party Chair
Clint Bolick Goldwater Institute, Director Scharf-Norton Center for Constitutional Litigation
Adam Hasner Florida House Majority Leader
Sydney Hay President, Arizona Mining Association
Paul Jacob Citizens in Charge, Founder US Term Limits
Brian Johnson Executive Director, Alliance for Worker Freedom
Jonathan Johnson President, Overstock.com
John Loudon Missouri State Senator
Mark Meierhenry Former South Dakota Attorney General
Mark Shurtleff Utah Attorney General
Pat Toomey President, Club for Growth
(Associations used for identification purposes only)