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So essentially, it takes 39 purple shirted goons from SEIU to do the work of one Boy Scout.

Progress.

It always helps to completely read the links you post.

"SEIU spokesman Matt Nerzig called Balzano's comments "completely unauthorized and insensitive" and said the union was "not at all" considering a grievance in this case.

"Not sure if it was out of context or just a bad moment, but we've got no intention of doing anything like that," Nerzig told FoxNews.com. "Not sure where he got the idea but he certainly doesn't have the authority to do so."

"Lao at November 18, 2009 5:41 PM"

Ever hear of "back-peddling"? No? Then how about "damage control"? "Covering your ass"? "Lying"? "Denying facts"? "Contradicting witnesses"?

Certainly you've heard of "covering for Obama's friends", haven't you? You Liberals certainly do enough of it.

Good thing union thugs haven't shown up at the protests I've been at, they would have met someone who doesn't let them bite fingers off...

But Lao, the whole point is, Balzano still did this very silly thing, very publicly. He was acting as a spokesman for the SEIU thugocracy. He's a chapter president, fer cryin out loud. What he did is indefensible, unless you're a union sympathizer.

Posted by: Lao at November 18, 2009 5:41 PM

What kind of outcry would there have been if a Knights of Columbus District Marshall had threatened legal action over a well-meaning hippie Obot teenager who cleaned up the parish parking lot because "39 recently laid-off K of C members could do the work"? The State-Run Media would have skinned him alive.

Right, Balzano, one guy, said something stupid.

I am not defending him. Neither is his local union. There will be no union grievance filed, contrary to the dramatic headline on this thread.

So what is the actual big story here? A boy scout took on a terrific volunteer task working on and cleaning up a trail.

Oh yes, and some fool said something stupid about it.

Posted by: Lao at November 18, 2009 5:41 PM

Even if we take your drivel at face value, it still shows that SEIU leadership at some level was ready and willing to file a grievance, before a higher-up stepped in to stop the bad PR.

What sort of demented people file union grievances against Eagle Scouts doing volunteer work?

That "unauthorized remark" wouldn't have been possible if that SEIU local didn't have a preexisting make-work mentality.

Wait a minute. I am truly surprised. The SEIU normally does not do things like this.
They usually take the young men they disagree with to some isolated part of the county, gang up, and then beat the crap out of them.

The SEIU members are thugs, goons, cowards.

I am not defending him. Neither is his local union. There will be no union grievance filed, contrary to the dramatic headline on this thread.

Ah, yes, the union anger at the volunteer goes down the memory hole.

What anger? What boy scout? What union?

Read the FOX article. Balsano was reported as saying he MIGHT file a grievance. It never happened. According to the other union spokesman, it isn't going to happen and he said Balsano "didn't have the authority to do so".

If you want to correctly point out how pathetic this one guy acted, feel free, but it was one union guy, not the union.

Oh yes, and some fool said something stupid about it.

No, a thug belonging to a public employee's union with deep ties to the Obama administration said something vile and threatening.

Unions are un-American. Half are controlled by the Mafia, the other half by the communists. Ban them all.

Read the FOX article.

So you admit then that FOX reporting is accurate.

If only this were one isolated incident. Unfortunately, the SEIU has gained a reputation for thuggish behavior by assaulting tea-party and protesters and others who disagree with them. Their president, Andy Stern, has expressed his belief in "The persuasion of power," (some in congress are demanding an investigation into his illegal lobbying activities).

This incident also typifies an ugliness of attitude that pervades the left; the greed of unions, and the threat of lawsuits against people doing what were once considered quintessentially American activities.

If you want to correctly point out how pathetic this one guy acted, feel free, but it was one union guy, not the union.

Yes, because SEIU has such a fine reputation for civilized behavior.

J. I have no idea if the FOX article is accurate, but that is what we are working from here. Do you want to call some of my quotes from that article into question?

Read the FOX article. Balsano was reported as saying he MIGHT file a grievance. It never happened. According to the other union spokesman, it isn't going to happen and he said Balsano "didn't have the authority to do so".

In the earlier article, Balzano was on record as saying, "We'll be looking into the Cub Scout or Boy Scout who did the trails."

Looking into? What is there to look into? A civic-minded kid decided to help his community. Unless the union is looking for confrontation, then there is no need to look into anything.

But wait. This Balzano clown isn't done there. He also said, "there's to be no volunteers."

He then goes on to say, "We are probably going to let this one go."

Where does the "probably" come in? It is only probably if there is also a chance they would have filed a grievance. We know they didn't file a grievance, but they threatened to do so, after looking into the matter.

His remarks demonstrate a supreme level of arrogance. Rather than thanking the kid for helping his community, Balzano stirs up a confrontation, before acting like he chose to give the city his official pardon for the violation of union rules (no volunteers, remember?)

This is outrageous because:

1. A union decides that civic-minded scouts merit an investigation
2. The thought of civic-minded volunteers is offensive to the union
3. The union has decreed that nobody should be helping the community unless they pay SEIU dues
4. The union has the arrogance to "let it go" as if it were a problem within their power to begin with

Unions are acting just like big business did against the unions back in the 20s and 30s. Same tactics but waaaaaaaay more hypocrisy.

Oops, here is the first article, posted a few days ago here on Moonbattery.

"Union troubled by Eagle Scout project in Allentown"

J. I have no idea if the FOX article is accurate, but that is what we are working from here. Do you want to call some of my quotes from that article into question?

That's not what I was doing at all, if I were, I would do so directly.

Rather, focusing on the words that I actually wrote as opposed to the words you might wish I had written, I find it interesting that you're arguing in favor of the text from a FOX news report.

So as a result I take it that Lao must trust the accuracy of FOX news.

but, but, but - doesn't Obama want people to volunteer??
So when the union spokesman says "there's to be no volunteers." is is saying that the SEIU opposes Obama's polices on volunteering????

how can this be?

And what has actually happened?

1. There is no investigation into the scouts.
2. The union has said Balsano's comments were "unauthorized and insensitive."
3. See above.
4. See above.

Balsano did not confront the scout. He was playing politics with the city council over layoffs.

Moving on to J's comment. My original point was that the headline for this thread is not warranted by the text of the link that was provided, which happened to be FOX.

You express interest that I am relying on a FOX report. This "story" is going to vanish and you know it. There is not a heck of a lot of political nuance here despite pathetic attempts to link in Obama.

I expect everyone, on both the right and the left, applauds the efforts of the scout and thinks the union guy was stupid.

1. Balzano said there would be
2, 3, 4. The union's central PR is playing CYA after this hit the media

This story is not about the lack of a grievance. The newsworthy problem here is that a union leader threw a reflexive fit against a volunteer, before higher union leaders saw and put a stop to a public relations nightmare.

How many more Balzanos are out there, looking for every reason possible to hassle local government and small business? Would there have been a grievance filed had this not become a story, and SEIU higher-ups stepped in to stop Balzano's knee-jerk response?

Were it not for the media, the SEIU higher-ups would never have stepped in to put a stop to this.

What is scary is that the "Eagle Scout Project" angle is probably the only reason this received coverage. Had another city employee or adult volunteer done this, it probably wouldn't have even made that local paper. Unions routinely throw fits when people try, in good faith, to be helpful.

This "story" is going to vanish and you know it.

Sure the story will vanish, but that's irrelevant to the point I was making. On to the relevant portion:

Moving on to J's comment. My original point was that the headline for this thread is not warranted by the text of the link that was provided, which happened to be FOX.

Yes, and you argued in favor of the text on the FOX news report, even going so far as to quote directly from it to bolster your position. If you're going to use quoted text from a FOX news report to make your case for the lack of "political nuance," then evidently you must trust the source.

Lao weights in on the lightweight threads as usual, swinging with all his might at a wiffle ball. How about providing your usual "high level" banter on the :
"ROFL: Obama Warns Us About Reckless Spending"
"Holder, KSM, and That Pesky Miranda Right"
"Obama's "Outstanding" Performers"

Threads, that might require a little more than "oh hai guize this story will go away and look at my faux snooze links" commentary.

There are none so blind as those who refuse to see.
Lao sees it, we see it, he knows we see it, but he continues to argue that we don't see it. See?

Well J. since you want to insist on talking about FOX and their credibility, by all means let us talk about FOX and their credibility.

FOX "News" yet again shows old footage to portray the crowds gathering for Palin book signings.

I'm kind of surprised that people at book signings for Palin would be holding McCain-Palin campaign signs. I'm even more surprised that Palin would be employing a teleprompter at a book signing.

Palin "book signing crowd"

Obviously yet another "inadvertent" mistake. LOL!!!!

It's a good job you liberals are on the case, and uncovering these "cover ups" Lao, I mean a crowd full of people wearing "McCain/Palin" carrying "Country First" signs, I for sure thought had stepped out of a time machine from the campaign to buy the books.
Thank fuck, you're on the case Sherlock - no one would have ever realized the footage was old.

Lao's hypocrisy is staggering.

Earlier in this thread, he gives the SEIU a pass on the volunteer scout issue, because supposedly, the low-level SEIU employee who considered filing the grievance does not represent SEIU policy, nor does he speak for the SEIU.

Then, in an attempt to distract from the discussion at hand, Lao accuses Fox News of dishonest propaganda for re-using footage, despite having zero evidence of an actual conspiracy. More than likely, the footage was re-used by some overworked or lazy editor rushing to complete a series of cuts on a short deadline. The person who included the footage is likely much lower ranking and with much less authority than the SEIU goon who originally launched the scout investigation and threatened to file the grievance.

In Lao's world -

Unions: Not responsible for subordinates.
Fox News: Responsible for all subordinates.

Unions: No conspiracy to engage in sinister behavior.
Fox News: Engaged in sinister behavior, no proof necessary.

Unions: Never to blame.
Fox News: Guilty before charged.

Laugh, laugh, laugh, an "overworked or lazy editor". Y'know, FOX really needs to do something about that because it seems to happen a lot.

First to the Union.

The union demonstrated responsibility for their subordinate. They declared his remarks were "completely unauthorized and insensitive". Please explain how they avoided responsibility.

You claim there was a union "conspiracy to engage in sinister behavior". One guy said something stupid. Is that a "conspiracy"? If you are going to try to make a charge like that, back it up.

"Never to blame"? The union addressed the issue responsibly.

Next FOX.

Responsible for all subordinates. Yes, actually they are. Particularly when those subordinates put together a media report that is reaching millions of people. What is so silly about this is that there were legitimate crowds, so I hear, at Palin's book signings. So how come they broadcast something phony, why not show the real thing?

No proof necessary? Do you think that video actually showed a book signing crowd today as was alleged?

Guilty before charged. Guilty of what? Thinking they can get away with this kind of stupidity on the air without being called on it?

Posted by: Lao Zedong at November 18, 2009 5:57 PM- "I am not defending him. Neither is his local union."

Not right now. Wiggling is the best tactic, in this situation.

Posted by: Lao Zedong at November 18, 2009 5:57 PM- "So what is the actual big story here?"

Union communists get busted doing what they do. Followed by public squirming. Granted it's not a bombshell. This is par for the course for the Red Guard. But it's funny as hell, nevertheless.

Well J. since you want to insist on talking about FOX and their credibility, by all means let us talk about FOX and their credibility.

Well sure. If you don't find them credible, then why are you citing the text in their article to back your argument. Their article on the matter must then be suspect, no?

"Lao's hypocrisy is staggering."
No, it's not. He's a leftard. It's congenital.

(again) but, but Obama wants people to volunteer

the NY Times sez so
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/22/us/politics/22service.html?_r=1

Posted by: Lao at November 18, 2009 6:21 PM

I am a intellectually stunted attention whore with a major case of cognitive dissonance going on.

Sorry, guys.

Posted by: Lao at November 18, 2009 8:42 PM

Either hats off to Lao,... or hey, you diptard who hijacked Lao's name, go frack off. :D

Posted by: The MaryHunter at November 18, 2009 8:54 PM

Hah, just teasing Lao. :D

Diptard faux-Lao, go blow your smoke elsewhere. >:-(

I guess Lao the stupid has never heard of "B Roll" footage. EVERY movie, tv program, news organazation, news paper, and magazine uses it.

I guess Lao thinks Newsweek went out and recreated the recent cover photo of Palin. Lao probably also thinks they re shoot every traffic scene or skyline in the movies. Lao probably doesent realize that newspapers use a whole lot of stock photos of well know figures.

C'mon J, with Lao the stupid's leval of obvious mental retardation why bother doing more than offering the baby his sippy cup.

Michelle, have you ever noticed the phrase "file footage" when a news organization uses old stuff to provide visuals for their item?

Look at the FOX clip again. The commentator refers to them as crowd shots at Palin book signings. Kind of funny Palin didn't hold up a book don't you think?

By the way MaryHunter, I appreciate you calling out the name highjacker.

Me, too.

If there were groups that need to be brought under RICO laws its SEIU and the rest of those union hoods that advocate violence against the inocent SEIU needs to be totaly eradicated

Lao what's "funny" is that it's OBVIOUS to everyone but YOU that the footage is B-Roll!

Palin Always draws huge crowds so just stating she is at a book signing negates the need to send a crew out to film it imediately. It's obvious there will be a crowd so having it immediately isn't needed. It's done ALL THE TIME on the Obama propaganda networks.

Based on your utter denial about the consistant Thuggish Odumbo tactics of SEIU and Andy Stern it's aparrent you refuse to see reality.

So Lao, explain the McCain/Palin T-shirts in the crowd, along with the "Country First" signs from the campaign. Only a complete dipshit would mistake that for current footage - oh wait I digress, I see the problem now.

Lao sure talks like a union thug. Sounds to me like he's got his marching orders and by God, he's following them. Notice he NEVER EVER finds fault with the leftist agenda (but will pay lip service to being fair and balanced...after the fact...like here with this Boy Scout thing).

Conservatives will call out their own when the screw up. Republicans might not, but conservatives will. Dubai Ports. Harriet Miers. Amnesty for illegals.

Libs will NEVER stand up for anything since they've got no core values. That's why they need "leaders". That's why they want a nanny state. That's why they're such good little automatons. "Yes We Can!" "Hope!" "Change!"

As to Lao, I wonder why he's here? He isn't going to change any minds since we're SO used to his brand of crap. So why? Interesting question, no?

The SEIU make the Teamsters look like The Brady Bunch. Time for a RICO investigation.

The union demonstrated responsibility for their subordinate. They declared his remarks were "completely unauthorized and insensitive". Please explain how they avoided responsibility.

The union engaged in masterful damage control. You show not the least bit of concern that the SEIU national sent orders to the SEIU local to bury this because of the nightmarish wave of bad press it was capable of generating.

That doesn't change the fact that you are a hypocrite for defending the union itself against blame originating from what you referred to as a low level employee who neither represents the union nor makes policy.

You claim there was a union "conspiracy to engage in sinister behavior". One guy said something stupid. Is that a "conspiracy"? If you are going to try to make a charge like that, back it up.

Au contraire. You claimed that the union incident was a simple, one-man mistake, not part of a pattern, without any evidence of it, despite serious evidence against it, while claiming that the Fox incident was the exact opposite despite the same lack of evidence supporting your conclusion.

The problem here is the double standard in your nutroot talking points.

Responsible for all subordinates. Yes, actually they are. Particularly when those subordinates put together a media report that is reaching millions of people. What is so silly about this is that there were legitimate crowds, so I hear, at Palin's book signings. So how come they broadcast something phony, why not show the real thing?

A Fox lackey misused file footage when assembling a report concerning the massive crowds actually at the Palin book tour. Somebody screwed up in selecting the footage. Either somebody make a simple mistake, as happens all the time, or there is some sinister conspiracy among the producers to swap in false footage that doesn't even bend the truth because the crowds really were there.

You, in your zeal to discredit any news outlet that doesn't lean moonbat, are actually putting forth a zany conspiracy theory accusing decision makers at Fox of ordering old footage to be aired, even though that footage isn't authentic, yet somehow isn't materially deceptive, at all. What would these hated conservative schemers hope to accomplish by using the wrong footage as part of this sinister plot, even though there was no need to lie because the crowds really were there.

It would be one thing if the book signing drew no crowds, and Fox chose to goose up the attendance numbers with fake footage. In this case, there was no need to use the wrong footage, and they gained nothing by doing so.

Yet, despite no motivation or benefit from using the wrong footage, nor any evidence that they actually intentionally used it, you persist in choosing to ascribe to malice what is accurately explained by stupidity.

Then, after everybody calls you out on your deranged conspiracy theory and staggering hypocrisy, you choose to double down on stupid and persist in complaining that Fox faked something it didn't need to fake, to reap the same benefit as the real footage, and that it isn't possible that some production intern simply used the wrong footage (or forgot to label it as file footage) when compiling the segment.

At the rate this thread is going, I fully expect to wake up tomorrow to a DU moonbat "exposing" Fox's sound stage production of the Apollo landings.

Obama is a punk. Unions are goons.

Regardless of how the delusional resident communists spin it - Obama is a punk. Unions are goons.

Period.

Typical forum on Moonbattery. Lao makes a legitimate comment and the 29 kibitzing rodeo clown trolls enter the arena to twist his meaning.

Every day they prove...

No LOW is too LOW for the LEFT!

Picking on children is typical for them, at least he got away with his life.

andy42302: How long until you next need to sign on?

Can't stand reality can you xantl?

In andy's world the regular posters here are the trolls and the libtards that deficate here are the regulars. Andy please seek help for your mental disorder.

After reading this, I just had a wonderful thought. So many of us want to shut off the TV and go out and actually DO SOMETHING. Something to stop the tyranny in this nation. Something to help expose the thugs in the SEIU and ACRON. Hell,
if Hannah and James can do it, why can't we.

I think I'll plan a get together with friends and family and seek out a park like the one in this story(or any other task "reserved" for union thugs), then go out and voluntarily "contribute" to our community.

Can you imagine if this caught on ?

I can almost bet you're a "UB40" social parasite andy42302, the likes of you, keep being subsidized on the public dole. What a leech.

Hey, tell us some more stuff about "faux news" that never fails to entertain us, leechboy.

Ah yes, back to the fray. Since Anonymous Countermoonbat at 10:15 offered the most comprehensive critique of my points I will address them.

AC calls the union action "damage control". Well, I suppose you could call any response to a mistake "damage control". Is it inappropriate for unions or anyone else to deal with mistakes by rectifying them or apologizing?

FOX is already conducting their own "damage control" re their Palin book crowd faux pas. Will you regard FOX's action with the same nefarious motivations you apparently attach to the union?

AC calls me a hypocrite because I noted one person, not the union itself, was responsible. He calls that "defending the union". Actually AC, it is acknowledging the facts. You could try it sometime.

Yes I claimed that THIS incident was a one man error. You suggest there is "serious evidence" to suggest otherwise. By all means, present it. I had no idea the union was conspiring in different ways against Boy Scouts.

You may want to play conspiracy and try to tie this incident into other union activities. I have not commented on anything else re the union but this one incident.

As for FOX, the station has a long history of video or chyron "errors" in what they broadcast. Interestingly, for the second time in a week, the "error" involved showing crowds gathering for a conservative. I expect this latest incident leans towards stupidity vs conspiracy.

FOX says: "This was a production error in which the copy editor changed a script and didn't alert the control room to update the video,'' Michael Clemente, senior vice president of news at FOX, sad this evening. "There will be an on-air explanation during Happening Now on Thursday."

I love AC's line: "...or there is some sinister conspiracy among the producers to swap in false footage that doesn't even bend the truth because the crowds really were there."

In other words, who cares what crowd pictures you show, there was a crowd. FOX can show whatever they want and call it something else.

How about this line: "It would be one thing if the book signing drew no crowds, and Fox chose to goose up the attendance numbers with fake footage."

Which is exactly what was done re the video "inadvertently" edited to mix Bachmann and 9/12 footage to show a bigger crowd.

I have no problem if you call out similar video manipulation or "mistakes" as the case may be, on any MSM outlet you may find. Because they reach millions of people, media outfits should be held to a high standard.

So still no response to why anyone with a functioning brainstem could tell it was footage taken from the McCain/Palin campaign then? What exactly was being misrepresented here. Can you show us footage of Palins book crowd that was dismal or as usual are you just talking like an idiot?

The FOX broadcaster said and I quote "Sarah Palin continuing to draw huge crowds while she's promoting her brand new book, these are some of the pictures just coming into us".

Please explain how you reconcile that statement with your "anyone could tell" remark.

I agree there were Palin book crowds, they just were not shown in that FOX clip, despite what was said.

FOX, by the way, will be apologizing and explaining.

OK, so they made a mistake, can you show that they misrepresented anything? Show me that the crowds were dismal, so they made it look better? you can't.

Also, can you please provide links to other forums where you became a media warrior, especially over other news stations - like MSNBC, or CNN which have done things like misreporting terror attacks in NYC harbor et al or are you just a slackjawed, partisan ahole who whines about "faux news" ? Your response will be telling.

xanti, all defensive over poor little FOX.

When FOX shows video of crowds from a year ago and the broadcaster announces those shots as video taken of crowds today that is a misrepresentation.

If CNN shows video of a horrible car crash from last year and represents it as a horrible car crash from today that is a misrepresentation.

Last week FOX got caught doing exactly what you said, they tried to make Bachmann's crowd look bigger by splicing in 9/12 crowd shots.

So no links to you denouncing anyone but FOX? figures you phony moron. GTFO.
I can almost guarantee you watch Fox, or talk about it more than I do.

xanti, I never represented myself as a media watchdog, you tried to. What I may or may not have said about other media is you trying desperately to create a distraction.

I happened to see a link to the FOX video on memeorandum and followed it from there. If you happen to follow this thread from the start you will see that I posted a bunch of times about the union/scout story. I got into talking about FOX because J. was trying to pin me down to acknowledging that FOX was credible.

Look at the response. A right wing freak out, including yours. Quite hilarious, especially considering that FOX intends to admit the error of their ways...again.

First you could not prove there was any attempt to mislead, then you claimed that there wasn't any evidence they were attempting to overstate the crowd, in fact you cannot even disprove the assertion it was nothing but a technical glitch (especially since it was footage that was easily identified as the McCain campaign) then you have the nuts to call this a NON-STORY? Which is the non-story here, moron? Who is making a mountain out of a technical TV glitch? who is claiming the moral high ground about "holding up media standards?"
gtfo troll.

Lao, you're sure a whinny little troll.

xantl says "OK, so they made a mistake" and "So no links to you denouncing anyone but FOX" and then says "First you could not prove there was any attempt to mislead".
Loa, if you're looking for a rational or logical debate you've come to the wrong place. xantl, like his clone trolls will never ever be wrong, regardless of whatever irrational spin and different trolling monitor personalities it takes. That's their game. I think it falls back to the concept that hate will will always prevail. Or maybe they're just cashing in on the advertisers. I don't know as I don't try to figure out destructive bigots.

andy42302:
Talking about cashing in, when are you going to sign on again? does sucking the government tit and living off working people ever get old, or are you a hardcore parasite?

xantl, this question is likely way over your head but whf are you talking about? "Sucking the government tit", "living off working people", "hardcore parasite"? ??? Do you have something to back up this unsubstantiated lunacy or do you need 29 kibitzing rodeo clown trolls to put up a smoke screen while you casually exit stage right as this thread rolls off the page? Just another example of the ignorant bigotry I rightfully accused you of.

Thank you andy for proving my point.

Farmer, in the real world in which I live in, when one makes an accusation as to ones work ethics, professionalism, contributions to society, et al, it's a reasonable request to ask that person to back up their claim with an iota of substance. Sending in a troll to distract (that would be you in this case) doesn't suffice in the real world. But I understand that this is a world of delusion where like Julie Andrews in Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella, you can sit in your own little corner in your own little chair and be what ever you want to be.

andy42302:
You know what I'm talking about, you filthy flukeworm.

Looking at your quotes of "Cinderella" you're probably a little light in your loafers too. Do you keep your ub40 in your handbag?

xantl, even in your world of nonsensical delusions, surely you have a slightest inclination of what a total ass you've just made of yourself.

says the guy who listens to showtune CD's with his pants around his ankles. Someone show this pervert a crucifix maybe he'll curl up into a ball.

Real professional there xantl. It never fails that there has to be one clinging troll to get the last word in regardless of stupid that last word is. There's always some wingnut that insists on changing dialog to gibberish or diatribe. You win the award for this thread. Congratulations.

Professional? Might surprise you pencildick this isn't my job.