Actually you had just made a comment in passing about the Teamsters; the real object of my criticism was the piece forwarded by Charles Brown. I wanted to send the piece to PEN-L as well, and following list etiquette there, I thought it best to use the more general references without specific names.
As to your substantive points...
Anyone of us who chooses to work in the context of real mass institutions which have an impact on the real world of politics knows that we are not working in ideal institutions. [I would also argue that so-called ideological left organizations of the American type are not ideal institutions either, given their culture of sectarian marginality, but that is a discussion for another day.] I would not maintain that the AFT is without flaws. But I think that there are some vital differences between the AFT and similar unions such as the UAW, on the one hand, and the Teamsters, on the other hand: the AFT is a completely clean union, with corruption virtually unheard of, and it is the most democratic union I have ever run across, with a strong internal culture with all of the features that groups like Association for Union Democracy urge other unions to adopt. I think that those two matters are pretty fundamental, and provide the basis on which any democrat or leftist worth his or her salt should support the TDU in the Teamsters.
Now you want to quarrel with the AFT's approach to electoral politics, and I would disagree with you on this issue [I particularly see as shortsighted the notion that Hoffa's opening to the Republicans represents a positive step in 'breaking with the Democrats'], and Doug may want to quarrel with the AFT's approach to trade issues, especially its opposition to China's entry into the WTO, and I would disagree with him on this issue, but were both of you in the AFT, you would be completely free to make your case on both of those issues, in open, public forums. You would be free to run in democratic elections on platforms containing your positions. You would not face threats of violence, and you would not fear for your safety. You would not face incumbents using dues money to support their own re-election. That strikes me as a fundamental difference.
As well, despite my support for the TDU as the best hope for a clean and democratic Teamsters, I do not think we should accept so quickly the ways in which they have separated themselves from the Carey administration. It is true that, all observers would agree, they had nothing to do with the theft of members' dues for internal union political purposes. But TDU had a majority of the members on the Teamsters' executive board, and there were certainly major failures with respect to oversight, failures which go to a flawed conception of union democracy.
And, yes, I have kissed Teamsters and Autoworkers of both sexes.
Leo Casey [away at AFT convention]