"Even critics of public-employee unions should be able to recognize a power grab when they see one."

[babylonsister]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/27/AR2011022702867.html

Wisconsin's history with unions
By E.J. Dionne Jr.
Monday, February 28, 2011


snip//

"The game goes like this," according to one pro-union political consultant I spoke with. "Destroy private-sector unions, reduce private-sector health and retirement benefits, then say 'Hey, how come those public employees get such {relatively} good benefits? That's not fair.' " He scoffed at those now insisting that they like private but not public-sector unions: "Private-sector unions are only 'okay' once they are completely emasculated."

Indeed, the new attack follows years of efforts to undermine unions in the private economy by advancing "paycheck protection" schemes (to prevent unions from collecting dues from workers' paychecks) and by blocking labor law reforms that would enhance the ability of workers to organize.

snip//

It has been said that this fight is all about partisanship - and it's true that Walker's proposal is tougher on the most Democratic-leaning public-employee unions than on the ones more sympathetic to Republicans.

But this goes beyond partisanship. The Supreme Court's Citizens United decision, which swept away decades of restrictions on corporate spending to influence elections, has already tilted the political playing field toward the country's most formidable business interests. Eviscerating the power of the unions would make Republicans and Democrats alike more dependent than ever on rich and powerful interests and undercut the countervailing strength of working people who, as those Kohler workers know, already have enough problems.

Even critics of public-employee unions should be able to recognize a power grab when they see one.

[snagglepuss]

1. K & R nt

[FreakinDJ]

2. Only RATpubliCONs legislate to Take Away Our RIGHTs

[Armstead]

3. Hey, those poor Koch Brothers need all the help they can get

Gotta level the playing fields so beleaguered zillionaires don't get overwhelmed by those big bad unions.

[Overseas]

4. Sad K&R. //nt

[old mark]

5. Yes-unless they are part of it...they just don't want US to recognise it...nt