I know that your a huge union guy and I think in general you are right too many people don't give the unions enough credit ... I for one like my weekend.

But instead of simply yelling at them you might want to examine the reasons not just yell at a bunch fo people who aren't pofessional polls:

1) Unions are less relevant in people's daily lives. The SEIU has not unionized enough of the new job growth to make sure that unions touch every persons lives.

2) Unions have been electorally predictable for this election cycle. Endorsement after endorsement for Gephardt was expected and less relevant to most of the activists. Now that polling shows among union members Dean outpolls Gephardt continues this problem.

3) People like you give them too much credit. If they were so effective then why did we lose congress and the senate? They are slow moving as all large membership organizations are. I know for a fact that EMILY's List and NARAL dragged the Unions back into ACT after a couple fistfights. In end the end it was a decision of relevance not one of progressive causes.

4) Finally, to say that Soros doesn't matter because he is the money is downright stupid. Soros has been giving money to progressive organizations for the past 20 years and is committing even more than the $10 million. There are rumors he has committed to match Gerorge Bush's fundraising. $200 million is not something to scoff at. Neither is $10 million. Giving him press is great so he doesn't spend that money in russia.

5) Finally, something to remember for partisians like me - Unions endorse republicans. Unions are out for themselves, pure and simple, if it was any other way then they'd be doing their union a dis-service. So I have fought the AFL-CIO in many elections and worked with them on others. I cannot see them in the same light as my volunteers who show up for every election.

I am not saying these are great reasons .... or justify an ignorance of unions. But instead shows some fo the reasons people I know don't credit them as they should. However, you can't just expect someone to get scolded and realize the light. They'll have to work side-by-side with the unions in an election to appreciate their work. They will this year, so wait ... settle down.

Kevin,

You make some good points. However, one reason unions are not as effective as they once were, is that so many manufacturing jobs have fled this country, in no small part to NAFTA and other so-called free-trade agreements. I don't have any data on this, but I would imagine traditional union jobs are shrinking.

Unions are out for themselves, as they should be. Lucky for most Americans, their agenda has largely been to improve working conditions and wages.

I don't doubt that they have sometimes endorsed Republicans, as many democrats have voted republican as well.

I appreciate Nathan's point, in that Soros would be fighting a very lonely battle without their support. I think they will prove to be extremely important to this election.