Why Wisconsin matters
By E.J. Dionne Jr.
Monday, February 28, 2011
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"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." ........................
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.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/27/AR2011022702867.html
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