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Clunky messaging spoils Specter’s new ‘Workers’ Bill of Rights’ (Updated)

CORRECTION APPENDED (See bottom)

In a speech to U.S. Steelworkers Thursday morning, Senator Arlen Specter unveiled a 5-point plan that he called his “worker’s bill of rights.” The Hill reported that his plan included forcing China to end its practice of pegging its currency to the U.S. dollar; more aggressive American enforcement of trade laws; rescinding the president’s authority to overrule the International Trade Commission’s recommendations; speedier remedies for illegal trade claims; and stronger “Buy American” requirements under the stimulus package.

These detailed policy proposals, however, seemed to be immediately tempered by a statement from a Specter aide that the bill of rights was likely to stay as campaign rhetoric rather than actual law. This seemed like a pretty odd remark from a normally-disciplined campaign, as it really feeds into the notion that Specter says whatever he needs to say to whomever wants to hear it in order to get elected.

Specter’s office must have pretty quickly realized how terrible this sounded, because it released a statement later today taking “strong exception” to the characterization of these proposals as simply campaign rhetoric.

“Today Senator Specter laid out what he believes is needed to protect American workers from unfair competition and destructive trading practices,” spokeswoman Kate Kelly said in a statement. “The Senator will work to advance his related legislation and continue to be an advocate for America’s manufacturing industry.”

It would be very interesting to know who on Specter’s staff had the lack of foresight to make the campaign rhetoric remark, which definitely put a damper on what was supposed to have been a powerful double-down on his recent endorsement by the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO.

If anyone out there has any thoughts, let us know.

Correction: This blog post was based on a news report which has since been corrected. The Hill now acknowledges it mischaracterized a Specter spokeswoman’s comments, making this post  largely moot.

April 1, 2010 at 9:00 am

--Adam Schwartzbaum

Tags: AFL-CIO, Arlen Specter

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