I gave a whole bunch of citations to union violence in post 430.
When you say “a long history,” when is the most recent event you’re talking about?
And when was it that an employer ignored a contract? And why wasn’t the appropriate remedy a lawsuit for breach of contract?
There’s no “breach of contract” claim, the State simply changed how it organized its public sector unions.
Public sector unions have nothing to do with the sort of “long history of anti-union violence” you’re talking about.
Here’s the simple truth, historically unions represented blue collar unskilled labor that could be easily trampled upon by very powerful industrial employers. By acting collectively they were able to negotiate better working conditions and pay than they could acting alone.
Some champions of those unions, including men like FDR (who I was quoting by the way when I said : “collective bargaining cannot be transplanted into the public service”), Jimmy Carter, and even many past leaders of the AFL-CIO were opposed to public sector unions. Historical labor leaders were not in favor of public sector unions. By the way a fuller copy of FDR quote is:
Public sector unions aren’t protecting the little guy from the big bad industrial concerns. They’re instead holding the public, all of us, hostage by threatening to shut down government services that we rely upon. I’m fine with public sector unions being allowed to exist, but they cannot be allowed to strike.
To bring it full circle, why is the AFL-CIO and other big labor concerns so supportive of public sector unions? These are not the sort of employees who ever needed union protection, let alone worked in the sort of jobs where it’s most important. The truth is, in manufacturing, construction, natural resources, and transportation–the traditional union sectors, unions have increasingly become irrelevant and have decreased in number substantially. Many workers in those industries have no desire to be in a union.
Big labor got involved in this fight because public sector unions are increasingly become the only place where labor has significant membership in many States. This isn’t the days of Matewan and Upton Sinclair, but instead is more like the Gilded Age where graft was widespread, except graft in this case is public sector unions holding regular citizens hostage to pay their demands whenever they make them.
Early results very encouraging for Walker.
60-39 now
Barrett’s Dane County margin only 3,500 with 16% reporting.
It has been said the county turnout was 96%. Perhaps the non-reporting precincts had lines at 8PM local time.
NBC just called it for Walker. Turns out eight times the funding is a good thing.
When?
Like two minutes ago.
Yes.
Yes, it is.
Wouldn’t have anything to do with the huge numbers of people who said recalls are never appropriate, or appropriate. And it certainly has nothing to do with public support for Walker’s policies, which are detested by all correct-thinking people.
Nope, it was just the money.
Fox News also calling it for Walker.
Kleefish too.
Or maybe the people of Wisconsin are voteing for what they want.
And Fox just called it for Walker. How anti-climatic 
Cue the excuses.
What I find appalling is that this recall effort was created over an issue of POLICY. POLICY is why we have elections, folks. Just because you don’t like the policy of the guy that won, is NOT a reason to set up a recall. Recalls should be reserved for issues of malfeasance or criminality…appalling.
Great news for small businesses. Huge blow for unions.
Right now, the Obama White House is having a meeting, trying to craft the “This means nothing,” message.
I would suggest that an 8-to-1 spending advantage allows you to create public support and create the perception that your policies are worth supporting.
Any news on the 4 state senators? I’m sure Fitzgerald will win. It seemed like Moulton and Wanggaard were going to be close. I don’t know anything about the 4th.
The people have spoken - again - in Wisconsin. And not only that, but LOUDLY. It won’t be so close that any kind of court challenge will even be considered. The residents of Madison were roundly out-voted by the rest of the state. Does it matter nationally? Maybe yes, maybe no. What it DOES is confirm for other governors considering similar actions to Walker’s, that they can do such things and actually survive.
True. But I am pleased, because this was a challenge to the bully. Public sector unions assumed they were untouchable, because they could turn out protesters to chant and wave signs, and the public would support them. They went all-in on this bet to punish Walker’s temerity.
And they failed.
They aren’t coming back from this. This will embolden other states to take similar actions, now that it’s clear that the unions are toothless.
I would suggest:
your idea is consistent with the liberal idea that everyone is as stupid as liberals are; and
if you are really so enamoured of the influence of money, go try to get some yourself and stop complaining about the other guy getting all of it.
Well, I don’t agree. But that is what makes this country great.
Agreed. With any luck, today marks a turning point, where we turn away from the direction that has lead countries like Greece to a dinner date with a big turd sandwich.
:rolleyes: The unions are not “the bully” in this story.