Labor union and private equity critic Service Employees International Union is emphasizing the "international" in its name with its latest push to protest private equity, which happens to include the enlistment of a comedian pitchman.
Now that Sen. Barak Obama has wrapped up the Democratic nomination, the country's attention turns to the November election. Preparing to capitalize on the new political season is the SEIU, which last year mounted a campaign against leveraged buyouts, and the union announced Wednesday an effort to again make LBOs an issue in this fall's race.
SEIU announced plans for a demonstration in 100 cities and 25 countries July 17 to protest free-market policies that "have created the largest disparity in wealth since the Gilded Age."
In the U.S., demonstrators will be asked to sign a petition asking Congress to eliminate capital gains preferences for investment funds and their managers. SEIU complains the tax breaks "feed the greed of the buyout industry."
Additionally, U.S. voters will be asked to send letters to Republican candidate John McCain, quizzing him about "his ties to Kohlberg, Kravis and Roberts founder Henry Kravis." SEIU notes Henry Kravis is a major fundraiser for McCain and that the presumptive GOP nominee wants to preserve tax breaks for investment funds.
SEIU even got comedian Lewis Black to shoot a promotional video aiming his perpetual outrage at the buyout industry. Unfortunately, it's not funny -- just Black gesticulating wildly as he rails on, but no jokes. You be the judge, watch it below. - Bill McConnnell
Labor union and private equity critic Service Employees International Union is emphasizing the "international" in its name with its latest push to protest private equity, which happens to include the enlistment of a comedian pitchman. 
