By Warner Todd Huston —— Bio and Archives January 1, 2010
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The policy aim, Democrats say, was to maintain public services and aid. The political aim, although Democrats don’t say so, was to maintain public-sector jobs — and the flow of union dues to the public employees unions that represent almost 40 percent of public-sector workers. Those unions in turn have contributed generously to Democrats. Services Employee International Union head Andy Stern, the most frequent nongovernment visitor to the Obama White House, has boasted that his union steered $60 million to Democrats in the 2008 cycle. The total union contribution to Democrats has been estimated at $400 million. In effect, some significant portion of the stimulus package can be regarded as taxpayer funding of the Democratic Party. Needless to say, no Republicans need apply.It is an incestuous relationship, certainly. Politicians steal our tax money and give it to public employee unions that do nothing for the nation. In return the unions take some of that tax money and flow it into the coffers of politician’s campaign warchests. Then politicians pass even more union friendly laws that give unions even more tax money. Then the grateful unions give even more to the politicians. Then… well, you can see where this is going and how wrong it is. And as unions enrich themselves and their political lapdogs, the politicians pass more laws to help their union pals and create ever more useless, needless union jobs so that more union pals can put their cronies in make-work jobs. It’s a great world if you’re part of it. the only people that get screwed are the actually productive members of society (hint: that ain’t union members OR politicians) who are forced to pay the ever growing tab (another hint: that’s YOU and ME!). Unions should be outlawed for government workers. Period.
Warner Todd Huston’s thoughtful commentary, sometimes irreverent often historically based, is featured on many websites such as Breitbart.com, among many, many others. He has also written for several history magazines, has appeared on numerous TV and radio shows.
He is also the owner and operator of Publius’ Forum.