08/29/2008
Labor Day: Not Just For AFL-CIO
By: Chris Freind , The Bulletin

Thankfully, Labor Day is finally upon us. Since we are constantly told by union leadership that this is the day to honor "working people"- codespeak for union members -, let's all extend a hearty thank you to the 12 percent of the workforce to whom this applies (and when you take out the government workers, that number plummets to 7 percent).

For the other 88 percent of us - it's back to work. There can be no rest for the backbone of the economy. And why not? Since 9 out of 10 Americans in the workforce aren't considered "working people" - which must mean they don't work - then every day is a holiday for them.

If watching union leaders implode wasn't so comical, it would be tragic. But the reality continues to be tragic to the millions of rank-and-file union members who are made to suffer because of misguided and self-serving policies of their leaders.

The AFL-CIO recently made their endorsements in Pennsylvania. With an utter lack of intrigue, it chose to endorse virtually the entire Democratic slate, challenger and incumbent alike: Barack Obama, the state attorney general, auditor general, state treasurer, 18 of 19 congressional candidates, and overwhelming majorities in the state legislature.

Notable exceptions were state house and senate Republicans in peadership positions and most of the Delaware County delegation. What else is new?

The truth is that Republicans should be getting endorsed, but in this case, the endorsements are for all the wrong reasons. Too many in the GOP have cozied up to union leadership and played the "I'll scratch your back if you'll scratch mine" game, to the detriment of the state. It's politics as usual, and the results speak for themselves. Pennsylvania's manufacturing base, once a world leader, is fast becoming a distant memory. And since our fastest growing export is our children, clearly we're on the wrong track. "Right To Work" states (where employees have the right to decide for themselves whether or not to join a union or financially support its activities) are taking our best and brightest away. Those states are seeing job growth in the millions, while states stuck in the stone age cling to past glories, losing millions of workers.

Ironically, union members' values are much more aligned with Republican principles than those of the Democrats. True Republicanism is the belief in low taxes to keep more money in workers' pockets, especially since they are already working three of five days just to pay the government. The Party of Lincoln advocates effective educational reform, like school choice, where parents can choose where to send their children. The GOP stands for protecting America's physical and economic security by bolstering our borders and ensuring workers' rights through fair trade policies. For every illegal immigrant the Democrats coddle, another American job, and the family which it supports, is placed in extreme jeopardy. Wages are depressed, jobs eliminated, houses lost - and lives destroyed, yet Democrats favor amnesty for these illegals. Quality, affordable health care is fast becoming a luxury for many American workers. The back of the medical system is breaking because of free health care to illegals, and Democratic proposals to socialize medicine would push health care over the edge, especially catastrophic to union members.

One of the Democrats' most loyal constituencies is Big Labor, and the Party knows that all too well. Because it takes Labor for granted, never dreaming that union members will go off the reservation, it has no problem selling them out time and again on the most important issues, such as NAFTA and China's Most Favored Nation status.

There's a good bet, however, that this November the Democrats' arrogance will become their Achilles' heel. Barack Obama hasn't been able to relate to rank and file union workers - keys to winning Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan - and shows no sign that anything is going to change.

The danger of arrogance is that it makes one forget the past too easily. But not too long ago, a man by the name of Ronald Reagan, a conservative Republican, was revered by these very same people, and even won a fair share of Labor's leadership.

Don't be surprised if union workers come home to the GOP after 20 years of being sold down the river, and put John McCain in the White House. What a Labor Day that would be.


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