IAFF Endorses Obama/Biden for Re-Election
June 8, 2012 – This week, the IAFF Executive Board
considered the records and positions of the candidates competing for
the most powerful elected position in the world and unanimously
concluded that the choice of the next president of the United States is
clear because of the stark contrasts between the candidates. The IAFF
has endorsed President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden.
On one hand, the current, sitting president and vice president have
consistently shown their commitment with critical and increasing
funding for programs that have kept thousands of fire fighters and
paramedics on the job, and provided the equipment they need to protect
their communities during some of the toughest economic times our
country and jurisdictions across the United States have ever
experienced.
On the other hand, Mitt Romney, as governor of Massachusetts,
repeatedly attempted to cut local aid to communities, jeopardizing
public safety. He also attempted to strip away the collective
bargaining rights of fire fighters in the state and has repeatedly
stated that he opposes and would zero-out the federal grant programs
that provide critical funding to communities to keep fire fighters
working and for life-saving equipment and apparatus.
"The simple fact is, over the past two years IAFF members have been
literally assaulted – their rights attacked, their standard of living
attacked, their retirement after a career serving their community
attacked – and those assaults have been launched at every level by
people who say the same things, promote the same policies and have
similar records in public office as Mitt Romney," says IAFF General
President Harold Schaitberger.
In March, the IAFF joined with the Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois
(AFFI) to produce and broadcast an ad
highlighting Mitt Romney’s opposition to critical public safety
programs, which ran during the Illinois primary.
Over the coming weeks, the IAFF will be providing affiliates with
information on the positions of the candidates on public safety and
issues supporting people who work for a living.