There is no doubt in my mind that allowing the creation of public employee unions was an extremely bad idea for several reasons.

They encourage corruption in public officials who have become afraid of their growing political power.

They encourage corruption in public entities who are also afraid of their growing power.

They increase the price of all goods and services purchased without a corresponding increase in actual utility or benefits.

They reduce the amount of work performed by using peer pressure to set unofficial norms that penalize merit or exemplary performance.

They increase fraud and corruption by the manipulation of union work rules to provide outrageous pay differentials for shifts, overtime and sick time.

They drain governments of the means to help many more people while only a few are insulated from the vagaries of the economy and the stresses of daily living.

And they are the proximate cause of many of the financial woes associated government at the local, state and federal level.

So why are public employee unions needed in a day-and-age where the average employee, both in the private and public sector, has numerous means of access to legal channels and “protective” government agencies to redress their grievances?

Why is there no representation of “We the People” as public employee unions creates privileged class bureaucrats that benefit from guaranteed employment, generous salaries, perks, benefits, healthcare and retirement … unlike those found in the private sector? Why are “We the People” forced to dig deep into our hard-earned money to pay for this privileged class at the expense of ourselves and our families?

We are not speaking of front-line support personnel such as the police, firefighters and medical people. We are speaking of cubicle workers who create rules and regulations; and do little more than pass paper back and forth among themselves.

There is no reason why there should be $100,000 janitors or garbage collectors or even $75,000 clerks.

It is now time to take back our country from the unions, especially those like the SEIU (Service Employees International Union) who have their roots in socialism and are about pursuing an anti-America political agenda.

Look at what is happening in Wisconsin …

The progressive democrats, normally the recipients of massive union support have abandoned the capital lest they be seen with those who are demanding that the collective bargaining process be brought under control.

According to the progressive New York Times …

“Democrats Missing, Wisconsin Vote on Cuts Is Delayed”

“Debate in the State Senate over Wisconsin’s controversial bill to cut collective bargaining rights for public workers ended, at least temporarily, on Thursday morning before it began. As the session was due to begin, Democrats failed to appear in the chamber, leaving the body without a quorum and leading the Republicans to send capitol officials in search of the Democrats.”

Do these democrats not work for their constituents? By what authority or reason can they simply abandon their posts during debate over a critical issues?

There is no doubt that the democrat’s gravy train would be severely impacted should the unions cede significant power back to the people of Wisconsin.

“The presumed reason for their disappearance is that Democrats — and thousands of teachers, state workers and students — vigorously oppose the Republican-backed bill that would sharply curtail the collective bargaining rights and slash benefits for most public sector workers, including teachers, in the state.”

Are they more afraid of the unions or the necessity to do the right thing – even in the face of public employee protests?

“Republicans control the Senate by a 19-to-14 margin, but 20 senators — and thus, at least one Democrat — are needed to vote on a bill.”

The “BIG” lie …

“All morning, as thousands of protesters gathered here as they have all week, tensions mounted outside the Senate chamber. Some pounded on windows and said they intended to prevent members from entering. At least one Senator had to call the Capitol police for help to get through the crowd and inside. “Shut it down! Shut it down!” protesters chanted. And even as the Senate convened, several in the audience inside the chamber began loudly chanting ‘Freedom, democracy, unions.’ At least one person was removed by security.”

Unions are not about freedom and democracy. They are about control and coerision – mostly for the benefit of their leadership which is given access to extremely large sums of member’s money to invest – sometimes in sweetheart deals made to benefit their own self-interests.

Freedom? You mean public employees within a bargaining unit have the freedom not to join a union, to refuse to pay dues or some equivalent amount for unwanted representation? To dictate to the union if they want their money spent on outlandish and costly political campaigns for causes they do not believe in? To be safe from peer-pressure and bullying organizing tactics in their person, homes and places of employment?

Thumbing their union noses at those who pay their outrageous salaries …

“Madison public schools were closed for a second day on Thursday, as teachers called in sick to lobby at the Capitol against the sweeping proposal. More than a dozen other public school districts announced they were closed for the day as well.”

Are these the same teachers who prefer to teach their students about multi-culturalism, political correctness and moral equivalency instead of the traditional core subjects of reading, writing, arithmetic, civics, history and critical thinking? Teachers who ignore science and scientific facts to push the unproven hypothesis of global warming? Or the teachers and their unions who refuse to hold teachers accountable for their actions and who rather dumb-down the curricula and testing rather than see test scores plummet?

Backing down?

“Late into Wednesday evening, a legislative committee approved the measure on a 12-to-4 vote that split along partisan lines, Republicans in favor and Democrats opposed. After an emotional debate, the committee made only minor changes to the proposal put forth last week by Gov. Scott Walker, a Republican, clearing the way for what Mr. Walker had hoped would be swift approval by both chambers by Friday.”

Bottom line …

I don’t know how it will turn out for the State of Wisconsin – but I do know that unless “We the People” wrest political control from the unions, we will never regain our birthright. Forever lost within a never-ending circle of political corruption and special interest self-dealing.

The progressive democrats like to use class warfare as a means to demonstrate what is wrong with America … and in this case we are destroying the middle class and substituting a class of pampered bureaucratic public employees who can virtually dictate their own deals. And at some point, we are going to reach the tipping point where the only purpose served by the private sector will be to pay for an out-of-control public sector. Welcome to socialism.

Just who represents the common man when their elected representation is owned by the unions?

-- steve

Reference Links …

Facing Vote on Cuts, Wisconsin Democrats Disappear - NYTimes.com