Steny Hoyer profile

In 1981, Steny Hoyer was elected to Congress from Maryland's 5th district by special election. Rep. Hoyer has been reelected to 15 House terms. He also served in the Maryland State Senate from 1966 to 1979.

Ebullient and energetic, Steny Hoyer has been a key leader of House Democrats since 1987. In 2002, Hoyer lost to Rep. Nancy Pelosi in a bid to become House Minority Leader. Hoyer has since been #2 House Democrat for five terms, with Pelosi as leader.

Hoyer is decidedly more pro-business and more hawkish on wars than Nancy Pelosi, often causing tension between them on House issues and votes.

From 1962 to 1966, during his undergraduate and law school years, Steny Hoyer served on the staff of U.S. Sen. Daniel Brewster of Maryland. Hoyer served alongside another fledgling political leader, Nancy Pelosi.

After law school, Steny Hoyer was elected at age 27 to the Maryland State Senate, where he served until 1979. Hoyer was President of the Maryland State Senate from 1975 to 1979. In 1978, Hoyer lost his race be elected Maryland Lieutenant Governor.

Hoyer was a delegate to Democratic National Conventions in 1968, 1974, 1976 and 1984, and served on the Maryland Higher Education Board from 1978 to 1981.

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Martha Coakley Profile

Martha Coakley was elected Massachusetts Attorney General in November 2006 with 73% of the vote, becoming the first woman to serve in this office. Coakley, a law-and-order advocate who was a county district attorney and former state women's bar assocation president, has received dozens of accolades including: 2006 - Eleanor Roosevelt award, by state Democratic Party 2004 - Excellence for Management in Government, by Boston Chamber of Commerce 2002 - Presidency of Massachusetts District Attorney Association 1998 - Woman of the Year, by University of Massachusetts Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy On December 8, 2009, Attorney General Coakley won, by more than a 20% margin, the Democratic primary to fill the U.S. Senate seat left vacant by Sen. Ted Kennedy's passing. In the special election set for January 19, 2010, Democrat Coakley will face Republican Scott Brown, a three-term state legislator.

Martha Coakley was favored to prevail as victor because Massachusetts is a heavily liberal state. But Democratic anger at President Obama's broken campaign promises, particularly on health care reform, have dampened liberal enthusiasms. As a result, Republican Brown has a chance to win Ted Kennedy's Senate seat.

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Liberal Profile - Michele Bachmann

On June 27, 2011 in her hometown of Waterloo, Iowa, Rep. Michele Bachmann declared her candidacy for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, declaring "The liberals, and to be clear I'm NOT one of them, want you to think the Tea Party is the Right Wing of the Republican Party. But it's not. It's made up of disaffected Democrats, independents, people who've never been political a day in their life, libertarians, Republicans. We're people who simply want America back on the right track again."

Competitors - In mid-August 2011, Rep. Bachmann won the Ames, Iowa Straw Poll, the first 2012 Republican contest in the presidential race, anointing her as a top contender for the White House.

In polls since August, though, Rep. Bachmann has lagged behind competitors Texas Gov. Rick Perry, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, and media personality/businessman Herman Cain.

Through Liberal Eyes - Michele Bachmann, a devoted conservative evangelical Christian for 40 years, is absolutely determined to impose her extremist social, anti-science, and Tea Party economic values on all Americans. Her political career has been passionately backed for years by powerful conservative Christian lobbyist Dr. James Dobson.

Despite her college education and advanced degrees, Bachmann's speeches have included embarrassingly basic errors about U.S. history and betrayed an irrational anti-science proclivity. Rep. Bachmann is not a stupid person, but she's made curiously stupid, over-the-top statements on the campaign trail, likely revealing her desperation to win this race.

Husband Marcus heads a conservative Christian counseling service that is strongly rumored to specialize in converting gays to straight.

The bottom line: If the most extremist social conservatives decided the Republican presidential nominee, Michele Bachmann would likely be their 2012 nominee. Fortunately, they do not.

As a well-educated conservative woman with impeccable Tea Party credentials, Rep. Bachmann might well become part of a President Romney administration. Look for her to play an instrumental role in any 2012 presidential campaign.

Michele Bachmann on the Issues - Rep. Bachmann's political stances on issues are based firmly on her conservative evangelical Christian beliefs, including: 100% pro-life. She supports defunding Planned Parenthood, and believes that abortions should be strictly banned except in cases of rape or incest. 100% opposed to gay marriage and "the gay lifestyle" that is "part of Satan." In 2004, Bachmann told a 2004 educational conference about homosexuality, "It leads to the personal enslavement of individuals. Because if you’re involved in the gay and lesbian lifestyle, it's bondage. Personal bondage, personal despair, and personal enslavement. And that's why this is so dangerous." Religious-based intelligent design theory over the science of evolution. "I support intelligent design. What I support is putting all science on the table and then letting students decide. I don't think it's a good idea for government to come down on one side of scientific issue or another, when there is reasonable doubt on both sides," remarked Bachmann to a 2011 Republican conference.Michele Bachmann in Elected Office - January 2001 to January 2007 - Minnesota state senator January 2007 to present - U.S. House member from MinnesotaRep. Bachmann is the founder of the Congressional Tea Party Caucus.

From 1988 through 1993, Michele Bachmann was employed as a Federal Tax Litigation Attorney for the Internal Revenue Service. From 1993 through 2000, she retired to become a fulltime parent to their five children and to house 23 foster children, all of them teenage girls.

Michele Bachmann's Personal Background Birth - April 6, 1956 in Waterloo, Iowa to David Amble, an engineer, and wife Jean. In 1969, the family moved to Minnesota. Soon after, Bachmann's parents divorced, and her father took a job with Honeywell in California. Michele's mother was remarried three years later to widower Raymond J. LaFave. Education - Graduated from Anoka High School in 1974 where Michele was a cheerleader and "straight-A" student. BA in political science, 1978, Winona State University. JD, 1979, Oral Robert University Law School. Master of Law in taxation, 1988, William & Mary College School of Law.

The day after high school graduation, Michele traveled with Young Life, an evangelical Christian youth group, to work in Israel on a kibbutz.

Bachmann's first step into politics was in 1977 as an undergraduate when she successfully ran for Student Senate Vice-President at Winona State University. Per the LaCrosse Tribune "Jim Schuman, an Eyota, Minn., farmer who served as president while Bachmann was VP, said she was a 'cute, talkative and perky girl' with conservative tendencies."

Family - Married in 1978 to Marcus Bachmann, two years after they met as undergraduates. Marcus, who holds a PhD in clinical psychology and MS in counseling, runs Bachmann & Associates, a conservative Christian counseling service based in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.

Five children: Sons Lucas and Harrison, and daughters Elisa, Caroline and Sophia. During a eight-year period in the 1990s, the Bachmanns also housed 23 foster children, all teenage girls, for spans ranging from a few weeks to more than a year. Most of the teenagers were pregnant; a few suffered from eating disorders.

Faith - Evangelical Christian.

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Debbie Wasserman Schultz Profile

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz was elected Chair of the Democratic National Committee on May 4, 2011, becoming the third woman to lead the Democratic Party. At age 44, she's also one of the youngest DNC leaders.

Four-term Rep. Wasserman Schultz was nominated to DNC leadership by President Obama largely due to her spirited campaigning, hard work and success at fundraising. She also hails from a battleground state that Obama hopes to win in 2012.

She's proven to be an effective and popular advocate for her 400,000 constituents in south Florida. The Congresswoman is a breast cancer survivor.

Rep. Wasserman Schultz is proudly pro-choice and pro-gay rights. She avidly supports health care reform and public education initiatives. She's also pro-gun control, and spoke out forcefully for more stringent legislation after the shooting of friend Rep Gabrielle Gifford.

She's a tenacious fighter for issues affecting women, children and seniors, and was one of the prime movers behind naming each May as Jewish American Heritage Month.

Interestingly, Debbie Wasserman Schultz considers herself to be a fiscal moderate, and has been a member of the centrist Blue Dog Democrats since her 2004 election to Congress.

On Israel

"I am a staunch supporter of the State of Israel and her citizens’ right to live in peace and security. Since Israel’s independence in 1948, the United States and Israel have shared a special relationship based on our shared values of personal freedom, democracy, and the rule of law...

"These are challenging times for Israel, and it has pained me deeply to hear the unfair and unjust criticism of that nation as she strives to protect her citizens. While Israel faces intense international criticism for exercising its legitimate right to self-defense, its enemies in the form of Hamas or Hezbollah rockets, global anti-Semitism, biased United Nations resolutions, and the danger of a nuclear Iran continue to threaten its safe and secure existence."

On Middle East Peace

"I am cautiously optimistic that we can achieve peace in the Middle East... I welcome the renewal of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority and commend the Obama administration for its outstanding efforts to bring everyone back to the negotiating table."

On Education

"We must make a national commitment to education by strengthening our public K-12 schools, fully funding special education, and modernizing our classrooms. At the same time, we must enhance the ability of students to afford and attain higher education, and make sure that we have the best trained, most qualified teachers in the world. I am proud that in (this) Congress, we are working with a President who shares this commitment."

On Health Care Reform

"For the first time in history, we have passed a comprehensive health care reform bill that will ensure that all Americans have access to quality, affordable health care, while having the added benefit of significantly reducing long-term health care costs.

"When the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“Affordable Care Act”) is fully implemented, we will leave behind a U.S. health care system that spends more per capita than any nation on earth, yet is ranked dead last among industrial nations for quality, access and efficiency."

On U.S. Reliance on Oil from Foreign Sources

"Reliance on foreign-imported fossil fuels leaves us vulnerable to economic disruption by foreign nations wishing to influence U.S. foreign policy. We can no longer afford to ignore the fact that we import the majority of our petroleum, often from countries that do not share our democratic principles."

SOURCE - Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz's Congressional website

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Richard Trumka Profile

Richard Trumka is the outspoken, energetic President of the AFL-CIO, the largest U.S. federation of labor unions, representing more than 11 million workers.

Trumka was elected AFL-CIO President in 2009 after serving since 1995 as secretary-treasurer. Trumka spent 1982 to 1995 as President of the United Mine Workers of America union, an AFL-CIO member.

Richard Trumka hails from an immigrant family of Pennsylvania coal miners. He labored in mines while working his way through college and law school. Trumka has proven to be a bold, intelligent, hands-on leader and activist visionary who supports nonviolent change methods.

Starting at age 19, Richard Trumka worked in Pennsylvania coal mines while pursuing a B.S. at Pennsylvania State University and earning a law degree at Villanova University.

Trumka worked for four years on the United Mine Workers' legal staff, leaving in 1979 to return to mine work and pro bono legal services for coal mining families.

In 1982, Trumka was elected President of the United Mine Workers of America, a member of the AFL-CIO. As the youngest UMWA President at age 33, Trumka was sworn into office by his proud father.

In 1995, Trumka was elected AFL-CIO secretary-treasurer, and was elected president in 2009.

Richard Trumka's paternal grandfather immigrated from Poland, settling in Nemacolin in southwest Pennsylvania where he labored as a coal miner. Trumka's father, Frank (1916-1999), worked in coal mines for 44 years and passed away of black lung disease. Both grandfather and father were union activists who embraced a strong work ethic.

Richard Trumka's mother, Eola Bertugli (1921-2009), was born in Italy and immigrated to the U.S. when she was a child. Eola married Polish-American Frank Trumka in 1941.

Like most coal miner families, the Trumka family struggled for generations with poverty and mine-related health issues.

On Greed-Driven Economic Policies

"We built our middle class in the 20th century through hard work, struggle and visionary political leadership. But a generation of destructive, greed-driven economic policies has eroded that progress and now threatens our very identity as a nation."

----- On January 11, 2010

Wrong to Raise Social Security Retirement Age

"My dad worked 44 years in a coal mine. Retired the day he turned 62 because he couldn’t go another day. If you had told him you have to go to 68, my dad would have died. It would have killed him.

"There are millions of people like that. When we work in an air-conditioned office, it’s a whole lot different than people who work on a construction site, in a hospital, teaching in an inner city school, in a coal mine, in a steel mill."

----- On November 11,2010

U.S.: A Beacon of Hope in Divided World

"Government in the interests of the majority of Americans has produced our greatest achievements. The New Deal. The Great Society and the Civil Rights movement -- Social Security, Medicare, the minimum wage and the forty-hour work week, the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. This is what made the United States a beacon of hope in a confused and divided world.

"But too many people now take for granted government’s role as protector of Wall Street and the privileged. They see middle-class Americans as overpaid and underworked. They see Social Security as a problem rather than the only piece of our retirement system that actually works. They feel sorry for homeless people, but fail to see the connections between downsizing, outsourcing, inequality and homelessness."

----- On January 11, 2010

On the Need to "Create Good Jobs that Support Families"

"While millions go without work, some people are talking about 'recovery'--as though numbers on Wall Street or profits at the big banks are the same as the real economy for working families. Wrong. We're still in crisis--and if we don't create jobs now, we will slide even further.

"We have to put America to work--at good jobs that support families. We've tried out the everything-must-go, trickle-down, bubble economy for the past decade, and it's been a disaster. If we're really going to have a recovery--not just a recovery on Wall Street or for the big banks, but for real people--we absolutely must create new jobs."

----- On November 17, 2009

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Ed Schultz Profile

Ed Schultz, host of MSNBC's The Ed Show and of the long-running syndicated radio talk program The Ed Schultz, is a boisterously devoted activist and advocate for labor unions and all working Americans.

Former All-American football player Schulz famously describes himself as a "gun-toting, meat-eating, drug-free liberal from America's Heartland." In a 2003 article, Sports Illustrated dubbed the former sports broadcaster as "too loud and opinionated."

Ed Schultz was a leader, organizer and headline speaker for the One Nation Working Together March in Washington D.C. on October 2, 2010. The event, which draw about 250,000 participants, was conceived as a response to the conservative, Glenn Beck-led March on Washington held earlier in 2010. Schultz vociferously supported labor union protests in Wisconsin against conservative Gov. Scott Walker in early 2011.

Schultz is a booster of the National Association of Free Clinics which "is an effective advocate for the issues and concerns of free clinics, their volunteer workforce of doctors, dentists, nurses, therapists, pharmacists, nurse practitioners, technicians and other health care professionals, and the patients served by free clinics in communities throughout the nation."

Ed Schultz actively supports the Occupy Wall Street Movement, along with fellow MSNBC program hosts Dylan Ratigan (often credited with igniting Occupy Wall Street), Rachel Maddow and civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton.

On October 5, 2011 from Zucotti Park in New York City, Schultz was the first to originate a cable TV show from an Occupy Wall Street Movement site.

Vowed Schultz in mid-October "I got news for you -- these folks, they ain't going away. They are not going away... And I'm going to put it on TV every night. I'm going to put it on TV every night until the last protester goes home and, you know what, this is going to be a story until the next election. And these folks are not going to disengage. They will be there."

Former conservative Ed Schultz officially reregistered as a Democrat in 2000. In his first book, Schultz credits his second wife, Wendy, for growing his awareness of the homeless, uninsured and financially downtrodden.

"In the late 1990s, Schultz claims a series of events changed his political views... One event was his mother's battle with Alzheimer's Disease... Schultz found it frustrating trying to get her the services that she needed. Another was that he met a psychiatric nurse named Wendy who ran a homeless shelter in Fargo.He attributed much of his political change to her... To his surprise, he found that some of the people he had insulted were veterans, and many were unable to get the psychiatric or medical services that might help them. He says that was the moment he began to look at poverty differently," per Wikipedia.

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Al Sharpton profile

Rev. Al Sharpton is a provocative, plain-spoken civil rights activist who often courts and finds headline-grabbing controversy. Sharpton is proudly partisan, and inspires great loyalty from supporters and great animosity from detractors.

Rev. Sharpton, a Baptist pastor, has been influential on public opinion for decades as both savvy media spokesman and passionate leader of activist organizations, including the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the National Youth Movement.

Sharpton was a candidate for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination, and ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate in 1988, 1992 and 1994.

Rev. Sharpton is the outspoken host of MSNBC's Politics Nation, a hour-long weekday program that premiered on August 29, 2011. Ratings have proven strong for the program, which Sharpton uses as a podium to decry racial, economic and other U.S. injustices. Sharpton had served turns as guest host or analyst for various MSNBC political programs for most of 2011.

Rev. Sharpton also hosts a syndicated two-hour weeknight radio program, Keepin It Real with Al Sharpton, since January 2006.

Sharpton hosted popular TV program Saturday Night Live on December 6, 2003, and has made cameo appearances in a dozen films and TV shows.

Like MSNBC program hosts Dylan Ratigan and Rachel Maddow, Al Sharpton is an unabashed supporter of the Occupy Wall Street Movement.

On October 15, 2011, Sharpton and AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka jointly led a "March for Jobs and Justice" in Washington D.C. to the newly-dedicated Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. The march combined Occupy Wall Street protesters and labor union members.

In additional to racial, social and economic justice (which includes public education and public health), Rev. Sharpton advocates for gay rights and marriage.

About abortion, Rev. Sharpton stated in 2002, "My religion says that abortion is wrong. And while I may believe that life begins when the sperm meets the egg, and that only God should decide whether to take a life, I will not stand in the way of a woman’s right to choose. If women do not have a right to choose, then it’s a civil rights violation."

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Christopher Coons profile

Christopher Coons, former County Executive of New Castle County, was elected in November 2010 as U.S. Senator from Delaware. New Castle County has about 500,000 residents as of the 2000 census, representing 64% of all Delaware residents.

Coons was elected to a four-year terms as County Executive in 2004 and 2008. Coons' first political race was in 2000 when he was elected as New Castle County Council President.

After law school, Coons clerked for federal Judge Jane R. Roth of the U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit, whose husband was the late Sen. William V. Roth, Jr., Republican U.S. senator from Delaware from 1971 to 2001.

Coons next worked for the nonprofit I Have a Dream Foundation in New York, until departing to be legal counsel in 1996 for W.L Gore & Associates, Inc, manufacturer of high-tech fabrics. Mr. Coons' stepfather is W.L. Gore, company president, and his mother is Human Resources director. Gore is one of the 200 largest privately held U.S. companies. Mr. Coons was Gore legal counsel for eight years.

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AFL-CIO Profile

The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations ("AFL-CIO") is the largest federation of U.S. labor unions, with 57 member unions representing 12.2 million working Americans.

Leadership Team
The top three officers are: President Richard Trumka Secretary-Treasurer - Liz Shuler Executive Vice-President - Arlene Holt Baker 43 Vice Presidents elected by membership Mr. Trumka has proven to be a bold, intelligent, hands-on leader and activist visionary who supports aggressive, nonviolent methods to push for changes. He was elected AFL-CIO President in 2009 after serving since 1995 as secretary-treasurer. Trumka spent 1982 to 1995 as President of the United Mine Workers of America union, an AFL-CIO member.

Richard Trumka hails from an immigrant family of Pennsylvania coal miners. He labored in mines while working his way through college and law school. For more, see Profile of Richard Trumka, AFL-CIO President.

Governance of the AFL-CIO is primary done via the Executive Committee, which is comprised of President Richard Trumka and 19 vice presidents.

President Obama on Labor Unions
Per President Obama, "Much of what we now take for granted—the 40-hour work week, the minimum wage, health insurance, paid leave, pensions, Social Security and Medicare—were made possible by the hard work and dedicated struggle of America’s labor movement.

"It was labor unions that led the fight to improve working conditions and labor standards. In doing so, we have helped to build the largest middle class in history and demonstrated that we are stronger together than as individuals."

Mission of the AFL-CIO
"The mission of the AFL-CIO is to improve the lives of working families—to bring economic justice to the workplace and social justice to our nation. To accomplish this mission we will build and change the American labor movement," per the AFL-CIO website. This mission is accomplished by: Broad Movement - Building "a broad movement of American workers by organizing workers into unions. We will recruit and train the next generation of organizers, mass the resources needed to organize and create the strategies to win organizing campaigns and union contracts." Strong Political Voice - Building "a strong political voice for workers in our nation. We will fight for an agenda for working families at all levels of government... We will build a broad progressive coalition that speaks out for social and economic justice. We will create a political force... that will empower workers and speak forcefully on the public issues that affect our lives." Vibrant, Effective Voice - Changing the "labor movement by creating a new voice for workers in our communities. We will make the voices of working families heard across our nation and in our neighborhoods. We will create vibrant community labor councils that reach out to workers at the local level... We will speak out in effective and creative ways on behalf of all working Americans."Member Labor Unions
Largest of the 57 labor unions that affiliate with the AFL-CIO are: American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) - 1,467,138 members American Federation of Teachers (AFT) - 889,347 members International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) - 725,000 members United Steel Workers (USW) - 705,190 members International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) - 646,933 members International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) - 400,000 members National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) - 300,000 members International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) - 272,000 membersOther AFL-CIO affiliated labor unions represent nurses, police officers, pilots, school administrators, painters, office workers, engineers, writers, musicians, and professional athletes, including the National Football League Players Association.

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Dylan Ratigan Profile

Dylan Ratigan is the outspoken host of MSNBC's The Dylan Ratigan Show, a program devoted to news and Mr. Ratigan's colorful, left-leaning views on the intersection of U.S. politics and economics.

Energetic, emotional, brilliantly incisive, and occasionally combative, Dylan Ratigan is a long-time vocal advocate for reform of Wall Street, including for greater transparency, more and clearer disclosure, and of practices he regards as corrupt and compensation he describes as greedy and egregiously inequitable. He also expounds passionately on the undue influence of Wall Street money on U.S. politics.

Ratigan first joined MSNBC in June 2009. The Dylan Ratigan Show debuted in January 2010. Before that, the economic journalist garnered ratings and acclaim at CNBC and Bloomberg News.

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Profile of Harold Ford, Jr.

Ford, a 5-term Congressman from 1997 to 2007, has announced that he is considering running for New York's U.S. Senate seat in 2010. Ford was Tennessee's 2006 Democratic nominee, a race he narrowly lost despite his opponent's racist-tinged campaign.

In January 2006, Ford was named Chair of Democratic Leadership Council, an influential think tank for moderate Democrats, and was a active member of the House's Blue Dog Democrats. He delivered the keynote address at the 2000 Democratic Convention, and brashly opposed Nancy Pelosi in 2002 for House Minority Leader.

Ford's Congressional voting on the issues reflected independent centrist thinking. He supported embryonic stem cell research, voted against the Patriot Act, and strongly supported public health and education. He opposed NSA warrantless spying, but was an early supporter of the Iraq War. He then also opposed gay marriage and laid claim to being pro-life.

In 2010, though, Ford moved away from his opposition to both gay marriage and staunchly pro-life stances. Interestingly, in 2010, Ford opposes the proposed health care reform legislation, and supported bailouts of Wall street as "the lifeblood" of New York.

"He is, in the tradition of Southern pols ranging from Huey Long to Bill Clinton, a preternaturally gifted campaigner. Young, single, handsome in a way that pols almost never are (he is the only elected official I've ever seen who could have a successful career as a model), blessed with a perfect ear for both political argument and the exigencies of local politics, Ford is a sight to behold."
-- Washington Post op-ed columnist Harold Meyerson, on August 23, 2006

"Listen to Ford talk, and he is the very measure of a modern Southern Democrat. His voting record, however, tells a slightly different tale. Ford is among the most liberal members of the Tennessee delegation, with a lifetime rating of 20 (on a scale of 0 to 100, 100 being arch-conservative) from the American Conservative Union. The ratings index for that group’s liberal counterpart, the Americans for Democratic Action, reflects the same thing, just in reverse... "
-- Metro Pulse, a Knoxville newspaper, on June 3, 2004

"... progressive blacks, including the 18 members of the Congressional Black Caucus that belong to the Congressional Progressive Caucus, are loathe to confront treason in the ranks, and thus allow malefactors like Harold Ford to work their show for the rich white corporate folks, without political penalty. Ford’s constituents in Memphis don’t even know that he’s stabbing them in the back. "
-- The Black Commentator, on January 6, 2005

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Steny Hoyer profile

In 1981, Steny Hoyer was elected to Congress from Maryland's 5th district by special election. Rep. Hoyer has been reelected to 15 House terms. He also served in the Maryland State Senate from 1966 to 1979.

Ebullient and energetic, Steny Hoyer has been a key leader of House Democrats since 1987. In 2002, Hoyer lost to Rep. Nancy Pelosi in a bid to become House Minority Leader. Hoyer has since been #2 House Democrat for five terms, with Pelosi as leader.

Hoyer is decidedly more pro-business and more hawkish on wars than Nancy Pelosi, often causing tension between them on House issues and votes.

From 1962 to 1966, during his undergraduate and law school years, Steny Hoyer served on the staff of U.S. Sen. Daniel Brewster of Maryland. Hoyer served alongside another fledgling political leader, Nancy Pelosi.

After law school, Steny Hoyer was elected at age 27 to the Maryland State Senate, where he served until 1979. Hoyer was President of the Maryland State Senate from 1975 to 1979. In 1978, Hoyer lost his race be elected Maryland Lieutenant Governor.

Hoyer was a delegate to Democratic National Conventions in 1968, 1974, 1976 and 1984, and served on the Maryland Higher Education Board from 1978 to 1981.

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Richard Trumka Profile

Richard Trumka is the outspoken, energetic President of the AFL-CIO, the largest U.S. federation of labor unions, representing more than 11 million workers.

Trumka was elected AFL-CIO President in 2009 after serving since 1995 as secretary-treasurer. Trumka spent 1982 to 1995 as President of the United Mine Workers of America union, an AFL-CIO member.

Richard Trumka hails from an immigrant family of Pennsylvania coal miners. He labored in mines while working his way through college and law school. Trumka has proven to be a bold, intelligent, hands-on leader and activist visionary who supports nonviolent change methods.

Starting at age 19, Richard Trumka worked in Pennsylvania coal mines while pursuing a B.S. at Pennsylvania State University and earning a law degree at Villanova University.

Trumka worked for four years on the United Mine Workers' legal staff, leaving in 1979 to return to mine work and pro bono legal services for coal mining families.

In 1982, Trumka was elected President of the United Mine Workers of America, a member of the AFL-CIO. As the youngest UMWA President at age 33, Trumka was sworn into office by his proud father.

In 1995, Trumka was elected AFL-CIO secretary-treasurer, and was elected president in 2009.

Richard Trumka's paternal grandfather immigrated from Poland, settling in Nemacolin in southwest Pennsylvania where he labored as a coal miner. Trumka's father, Frank (1916-1999), worked in coal mines for 44 years and passed away of black lung disease. Both grandfather and father were union activists who embraced a strong work ethic.

Richard Trumka's mother, Eola Bertugli (1921-2009), was born in Italy and immigrated to the U.S. when she was a child. Eola married Polish-American Frank Trumka in 1941.

Like most coal miner families, the Trumka family struggled for generations with poverty and mine-related health issues.

On Greed-Driven Economic Policies

"We built our middle class in the 20th century through hard work, struggle and visionary political leadership. But a generation of destructive, greed-driven economic policies has eroded that progress and now threatens our very identity as a nation."

----- On January 11, 2010

Wrong to Raise Social Security Retirement Age

"My dad worked 44 years in a coal mine. Retired the day he turned 62 because he couldn’t go another day. If you had told him you have to go to 68, my dad would have died. It would have killed him.

"There are millions of people like that. When we work in an air-conditioned office, it’s a whole lot different than people who work on a construction site, in a hospital, teaching in an inner city school, in a coal mine, in a steel mill."

----- On November 11,2010

U.S.: A Beacon of Hope in Divided World

"Government in the interests of the majority of Americans has produced our greatest achievements. The New Deal. The Great Society and the Civil Rights movement -- Social Security, Medicare, the minimum wage and the forty-hour work week, the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. This is what made the United States a beacon of hope in a confused and divided world.

"But too many people now take for granted government’s role as protector of Wall Street and the privileged. They see middle-class Americans as overpaid and underworked. They see Social Security as a problem rather than the only piece of our retirement system that actually works. They feel sorry for homeless people, but fail to see the connections between downsizing, outsourcing, inequality and homelessness."

----- On January 11, 2010

On the Need to "Create Good Jobs that Support Families"

"While millions go without work, some people are talking about 'recovery'--as though numbers on Wall Street or profits at the big banks are the same as the real economy for working families. Wrong. We're still in crisis--and if we don't create jobs now, we will slide even further.

"We have to put America to work--at good jobs that support families. We've tried out the everything-must-go, trickle-down, bubble economy for the past decade, and it's been a disaster. If we're really going to have a recovery--not just a recovery on Wall Street or for the big banks, but for real people--we absolutely must create new jobs."

----- On November 17, 2009

View the original article here

AFL-CIO Profile

The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations ("AFL-CIO") is the largest federation of U.S. labor unions, with 57 member unions representing 12.2 million working Americans.

Leadership Team
The top three officers are: President Richard Trumka Secretary-Treasurer - Liz Shuler Executive Vice-President - Arlene Holt Baker 43 Vice Presidents elected by membership Mr. Trumka has proven to be a bold, intelligent, hands-on leader and activist visionary who supports aggressive, nonviolent methods to push for changes. He was elected AFL-CIO President in 2009 after serving since 1995 as secretary-treasurer. Trumka spent 1982 to 1995 as President of the United Mine Workers of America union, an AFL-CIO member.

Richard Trumka hails from an immigrant family of Pennsylvania coal miners. He labored in mines while working his way through college and law school. For more, see Profile of Richard Trumka, AFL-CIO President.

Governance of the AFL-CIO is primary done via the Executive Committee, which is comprised of President Richard Trumka and 19 vice presidents.

President Obama on Labor Unions
Per President Obama, "Much of what we now take for granted—the 40-hour work week, the minimum wage, health insurance, paid leave, pensions, Social Security and Medicare—were made possible by the hard work and dedicated struggle of America’s labor movement.

"It was labor unions that led the fight to improve working conditions and labor standards. In doing so, we have helped to build the largest middle class in history and demonstrated that we are stronger together than as individuals."

Mission of the AFL-CIO
"The mission of the AFL-CIO is to improve the lives of working families—to bring economic justice to the workplace and social justice to our nation. To accomplish this mission we will build and change the American labor movement," per the AFL-CIO website. This mission is accomplished by: Broad Movement - Building "a broad movement of American workers by organizing workers into unions. We will recruit and train the next generation of organizers, mass the resources needed to organize and create the strategies to win organizing campaigns and union contracts." Strong Political Voice - Building "a strong political voice for workers in our nation. We will fight for an agenda for working families at all levels of government... We will build a broad progressive coalition that speaks out for social and economic justice. We will create a political force... that will empower workers and speak forcefully on the public issues that affect our lives." Vibrant, Effective Voice - Changing the "labor movement by creating a new voice for workers in our communities. We will make the voices of working families heard across our nation and in our neighborhoods. We will create vibrant community labor councils that reach out to workers at the local level... We will speak out in effective and creative ways on behalf of all working Americans."Member Labor Unions
Largest of the 57 labor unions that affiliate with the AFL-CIO are: American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) - 1,467,138 members American Federation of Teachers (AFT) - 889,347 members International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) - 725,000 members United Steel Workers (USW) - 705,190 members International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) - 646,933 members International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) - 400,000 members National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) - 300,000 members International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) - 272,000 membersOther AFL-CIO affiliated labor unions represent nurses, police officers, pilots, school administrators, painters, office workers, engineers, writers, musicians, and professional athletes, including the National Football League Players Association.

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Sen. Al Franken Profile

On June 30, 2009, Al Franken was declared victor in Minnesota's 2008 Senate race after a protracted recount and several legal appeals by defeated Republican incumbent Norm Coleman.

Famed comedian and author Franken holds strongly progressive liberal beliefs, and is a bright, serious intellectual. Franken was a writer/actor on Saturday Night Live for 15 years, for which he won 3 Emmy awards for writing.

Franken views himself as carrying on the strong progressive beliefs of the late Minnesota Sen. Paul Wellstone, a personal friend who was killed in a 2002 plane crash.

On July 6, 2009, Franken enthused that he's "ready to get to work" on "education, health care and energy issues."

About energy issues, Franken commented "We need to get serious about renewable energy by funding a real Apollo Program to explore new sources. From ethanol and biomass energy to solar and wind power, the solution to our 'addiction to oil' is right under our nose."

From March 2004 to February 2007, Al Franken hosted the flagship daily talk show of Air America radio, the main U.S. non-subscription radio outlet for liberal and progressive viewpoints.

Franken's popular program reached 1.5 million unique listeners weekly at its peak, and featured interviews and serious commentary, as well as political humor, skits and parodies of conservative broadcasters Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly and others. A listener-favorite feature was his "Hate Email of the Day" segment.

Franken has penned 4 bestselling books of political satire:

"The Truth: With Jokes" (2005)

"Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right" (2003)

"Why Not Me?" (1999)

"Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot: And Other Observations" (1996)

As teenagers, Al and high school pal Tom Davis hung around local comedy clubs, including Dudley Riggs' Cafe Expresso, anxious to act and write comedy.

Franken and Davis honed their comedy act during and after college, when they were spotted and hired as writers by Lorne Michaels for his fledging show, Saturday Night Live. Franken was an SNL writer/actor for 15 years, from 1975 to 1995, where he earned 3 Emmy awards for writing.

From 1995 to 2004, Franken devoted his time to film writing and acting, and to writing 4 bestselling books of political satire. (listed above).

On U.S. Deployment from Iraq

"We should also be re-deploying our troops out of the civil war that has engulfed Baghdad. They can be re-deployed to surrounding bases, to other parts of the country, to Kuwait and Qatar, and especially to Afghanistan, where our mission is in danger of failure. At the same time, we should be convening a regional conference including Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Turkey, and Egypt to come up with a long-term plan for Iraq and ensure that a regional conflict does not arise."

On the Religious Right

"They sometimes forget we don’t live in a theocracy. They can be in the public square and express their opinion but to expect other people to alter their behavior to say that, for example, that homosexuality is immoral because it says so in the Bible…I mean it also says you can’t eat pork. I don’t see a lot of orthodox Jews saying people who eat pork shouldn't be allowed to get insurance benefits.

"I mean there’s stuff in the bible how about how to sell your daughter. They kind of are pretty selective about what is important and what isn’t. I think slavery is ok in the bible. It’s stupid! It’s like the dumbest thing that they want to proscribe other people’s behavior based on their belief."

--- Beliefnet.com interview in 2003

On U.S. Dependence on Foreign Oil

"President Bush has referred to our dependence on foreign oil in literally every State of the Union Address he’s given. Strangely, all his rhetoric hasn’t made us any less dependent on foreign oil. In fact, we are more dependent. In 2000, 58% of the oil consumed in the U.S. was imported. By September 2006, that number had risen to 70%."

On Wasteful U.S. Health Care Spending

"Overall, we spend 16% of our GDP on health care – nobody else spends more than 11%. We spend 34% of our health care dollars on administrative costs – nobody else spends more than 19%. Every other industrialized country insures 100% of its people, while we leave tens of millions without coverage. And in the most recent ranking by the World Health Organization, the U.S. ranked 37th, right between Costa Rica and Slovenia."

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Gov. Howard Dean Profile

In February 2005, Howard Dean was elected Chair of the Democratic Party, a position he held until January 2009, when President Obama replaced him with Gov. Tim Kaine of Virginia. Dean was then named "chairman emeritus" of the DNC.

As chair, Dean was lead strategist, spokesman and fundraiser for DNC. He is credited with pioneering an energetic 50-state strategy that successfully lifted Democrats from massive 2004 defeat to Congressional control in 2006 and 2008, and helped propel support for the 2008 Democratic presidential primaries.

Howard Dean is a licensed physician who joined his wife, Dr. Judy Steinberg, in a family practice from 1981 to 1991. Dean's political career started with a 1981 campaign to build a local bike path.

Dean was elected to Vermont legislature in 1982 and as Lt. Governor in 1986, both part-time positions. In 1991, while examining a patient, Dean got word that the Governor had died. Dean was elected to two five-year terms as governor, serving from 1991 to 2002.

Dean was the second longest serving Vermont governor in history.

"We've not had one Republican president in 34 years balance the budget. You can't trust right-wing Republicans with your money."

"This country was the moral leader of the world until George Bush became president."

"The State of the Union may look rosy from the White House balcony or the suites of George Bush's wealthiest donors. But hardworking Americans will see through this president's efforts to wrap his radical agenda with a compassionate ribbon."

"Every day it becomes clearer that this was the wrong war at the wrong time."

"I supported the war in Afghanistan because 3,000 of our people were murdered and I thought we had a right to defend the people of the United States."

"I've always been endorsed by the National Rifle Association."

"I think most people...would be very glad to pay the same taxes they paid when Bill Clinton was president, if only they could have the same economy they had when Bill Clinton was president."

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Sen. Mark Begich Profile

Mark Begich was elected to the U.S. in November 2008, beating 40-year Republican incumbent Sen. Ted Stevens who was convicted of 7 felony violations of ethics laws.

Begich has been Mayor of Anchorage since 2003, where he has been a smart fiscal manager. He previously served 10 years on the Anchorage Assembly, including 3 years as Assembly Chair.

A talented politician and leader, Begich was named in 1997 and 2004 as Alaska's top official by municipal officials.

Begich's stances reveal robust respect for individuals' rights, including gun rights and privacy, and for youth programs and support.

Mark Begich is a lifetime member of the NRA, and strongly supports Second Amendment protection of individuals' gun rights. His '08 Senate campaign was endorsed by the Anchorage police and fire unions.

Begich believes in "standing up against government interference, including warrantless wiretapping, the assault on habeas corpus, the pursuit of Real ID cards, and retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies that illegally helped the federal government spy on Americans."

Begich supports "high-quality, affordable health care access for all Alaskans that they can count on for a lifetime."

From 1988 (at age 26) to 1998, Begich was an elected Assemblyman on the 6-member Anchorage Assembly, including 3 years as Assembly Chair and 2 years as vice-chair.

Begich, considered a political prodigy, was appointed to the Anchorage Youth Commission at age 17. At age 19, he was appointed to the City health department.

Wrote the local newspaper in 2003, "Foes and friends alike give him high marks for political skills -- his ability to decipher budgets, line up votes and marshal support for projects he supports, and resist those he opposes."

On Ethics, Earmarks and Sen. Ted Stevens

"Recent ethics reform legislation doesn't do anything to shed light on what other special interest projects the senator may be seeking. The earmark requests made public are available only by going in person to the Appropriations Committees' offices in Washington, DC.

"Every earmark requested by a senator should be posted online so Alaskans know what & who their elected officials are fighting for. Senators should disclose on whose behalf the earmark was requested & how it will benefit their constituents...

"Senators and senior senatorial staff should disclose all income and assets, down to the dollar for themselves, their spouses and dependent children."

---- May 21, 2008

On Giving Back to Community

"My first business license was at 14. I opened up the first teenage nightclub in Anchorage at 16. I owned real estate. I've been in the vending business, restaurant business, printing business. I've been in a lot of different businesses.

"But each time I've done that, one of the things, as time progressed, I learned from other people more about my dad's history and things because at 10 I didn't know a lot about what he had done.

"But also through my mom's (as I call) survival of six kids and raising, what I did know that as a member of a community you need to give back. And it could be through your church, it could be through a non-profit, it could be through political life."

--- MyDD.com interview, July 24, 2008

On Education and the No Child Left Behind Act

"Mark believes that the Bush administration’s No Child Left Behind law has been a disaster in Alaska and as Senator will work to return to an education policy that respects community values.

"He will fight to return control to Alaska’s parents and educators and for the millions of dollars in federal support promised, but not delivered, to Alaska schools."

--- Begich for U.S. Senate website

On Withdrawal from Iraq

"Mark believes that it is time for America to safely and responsibly redeploy our troops out of Iraq. Our troops have served admirably, but political leadership has failed them with no plan, inadequate equipment and diplomatic neglect...

"We must end our military's participation in Iraq's civil war so we can shift our attention back where it belongs: fighting al Qaeda in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and elsewhere."

--- Begich for U.S. Senate website

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