Public Sector Unions, Obama and the Economy

Reasonable folk are amazed at the frolics of the left. Why did so much of the stimulus money go to union projects? Is that why it hasn’t worked? Why to Obama is American business simply an afterthought? Why is BO’s main focus on labor and green issues? Why is BO in battle with the private sector, with free enterprise?

Silly us, we thought the present administration had the interests of the American people and their economy in mind. Apparently not. Some of the most useful insight has come from Dem’s themselves, recently chastised.

John Kotkin of Chapman Univ is one of these, highlighting the above noted flaw. He writes that, “Modern-day liberalism... is often ambivalent about expanding the economy — preferring a mix of redistribution with redirection along green lines. Its base of political shock troops, public-employee unions, appears only tangentially interested in the health of the overall economy.” Well natch. These types can’t compete with free enterprise. Ever see a city street crew at work? Or, what’s orange and sleeps three? A Caltrans truck. Enough said. The private sector is a huge threat to these guys. Think BO is going to get away with seeing to the welfare of the private sector over these clowns?

Kotkin continues, “This contrasts with the far broader support for the familiar form of liberalism forged from the 1930s to the 1990s. Democratic presidents from Franklin D. Roosevelt to Bill Clinton focused largely on basic middle-class concerns — such as expanding economic opportunity, property ownership and growth.” Yes they did, but that party was hijacked.

There’s thought and reflection here to be sure. Key is that the modern left’s priorities are misaligned, never mind the method. BO not only screwed up, he didn’t really care in the first place, or if he did his being in hock to the unions precluded any real solution. For BO to have cut taxes then got out of the way would have alienated his party base, big time. Never waste a crisis. Use it to create a program to stimulate the unions.

Again from Kotkin, “Public sector unions are not just the base of the party -- they're the base of the base. As the 2010 campaign ground on, other supporters and donors, notably Wall Street, had abandoned Democratic candidates. But unions representing teachers and state and local employees have doubled down. The National Education Association, the largest U.S. teachers union, spent more than $3.4 million on ad buys and direct-mail campaigns for the key electioneering period from Sept. 1 to Oct. 14. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees spent $2.1 million in that period. Union members and their families are key to the Democratic ‘ground game’ for Nov. 2.”


May thanks to the left and BO and particularly to his state & local employee union pals for their fine contribution to the better interests of this country.

Robert Craven