While we often put up guest posts, most often folks writing them have no problem in signing them. In this case, the author (who I know personally) has asked not to have their name used because of fear of retaliation by union members given the importance of the issue here in NH as the NH House gathers tomorrow to see if it will override Gov. Lynch’s veto; I have agreed to that request (with a few formatting changes to make it a bit more bloggish).
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Hi Skip –
I’ve said before, if we cannot pass this, to mark my words – it will mark the beginning of the end for the new Repub[lican] majorities in NH. They will literally have handed to their enemies the club to beat them with.
Anyway, I noticed a letter to the editor of the Nashua Telegraph today posted online. It’s by an activist – Tess George -(who does not identify herself as such) and she trots out all of the tired union BS. I could not resist and so I responded. I’ve attached my response below and, if there’s anything worth repeating in it, you are welcome to do so.
However – please do not use my name. Why? Because, to be honest, I fear these guys. Me, a grown man, a Navy veteran – I fear what they would/could do to me and my family. Isn’t that reason alone to defang these guys?
My response to Ms. George (with a few minor edits of errors I found after posting):
"Wow – the unions have got their parrots out in full force I see.
First, the letter earlier this week by the aptly named Mr. HACKer, then this letter by Ms. George – UU activist and NEA pusher – and finally the little chirps by these two reliable birds JanLive and Pick6
Sadly – and, frankly, quite dully – all of them have repeated the same, tired Big Union talking points. They’ve been given these things by their masters and have stuck quite close to the script. Now I don’t know if they’re stupid, or if they think we’re stupid (Ms. George apparently does some consulting regarding speech giving) – but the distortions and red herrings they’re throwing out on this issue are, at best, profoundly ignorant and , at worst, despicable propaganda.
Let’s try some reality – shall we?
Right To Work – to the thousands of NH residents who support it – has very little to do with "union busting" and everything to do with personal liberty.
Something tells me that Ms. George…
…and the rest of the aforementioned crew are very "pro-choice" when it comes to other matters. However, allowing me and other NH workers the choice to join a union is just too much for them.
Ms. George trots out the tired smear of "freeloaders" against those who work in places where unions have taken hold. The FACT is that unions DO NOT HAVE TO REPRESENT NON-MEMBERS. This is established legal precedent. Unions in NH tomorrow could free all non-members to negotiate on their own – but they won’t. Why? Well, they’ll tell you that it gives management a chance to divide workers etc. And there may even be some truth to that – BUT that’s not the reason.
The reason the unions won’t "free" non-members is because it cuts in to their current raison d’etre – sheer power. Additionally, giving people choice would force them to be responsive to member needs and desires. When you operate as a monopoly, you have ZERO incentive to change. How have unions in RTW states responded? – by focusing on real issues – getting in the trenches and NOT spending the majority of their time as a bought and paid for arm of the Democrat Party. The union officials in those states avoid stunts like funding far left organizations – like Jesse Jackson’s Rainbow Push, MoveOn.org and others because, in the words of one of their officials "Our members wouldn’t stand for it."
Most people support unions in principle. However, what exists today is a grotesque distortion of those honorable entities of yesteryear. What is a teacher to do when he finds out that the NEA put its full force behind ObamaCare and is now pushing taxpayer funded educations of illegal immigrants through the DREAM Act? Should he complain he will get a dismissive wave of the hand.
Also – they keep squawking that loads of NH businesses have not been begging for RTW. To put it in a way they can perhaps understand "Well DUH!!" Right – they haven’t – because that’s not where the unions are. They dwell OVERWHELMINGLY in the public sector – government jobs. It is the TAXPAYER who wants the unions reigned in from their disproportionate grip on power. Additionally, there are thousands of public sector employees, myself being one of them, who have serious problems with unions as they are currently organized and their activities on behalf of FAR LEFT political causes – often having little or NOTHING to do with the union member in the trenches. I am perfectly happy to represent myself, take care of myself, and support myself without a union.
You see, this sort of thinking – essentially self-reliance – is anathema to liberals like Ms. George and her parrot friends. It is literally beyond their comprehension that someone would actually want to live life without a nanny state safety net and not live a life of mediocrity. To pursue excellence and the self-interest of one’s self and family is to go outside of their precious collectivist thinking. They call it selfishness.
Those of us who know better call it liberty.
So, my leftist friends, try a different angle. The "Freestater" bogeyman, the Nazi-allusions ("goose-stepping" – really?), FOX/Beck/Limbaugh hysteria, giant inflatable rats, and the rest isn’t going to fly this time. 1940s style thuggery is being caught on camera. When the average taxpayer sees people screaming obscenities from the gallery down at NH House members (There is video of this), and people screaming and holding signs demanding that they "get theirs", it backfires – big time. And it’s backfiring all over the country.
How about you try this – Let’s have unions EARN members. You want me to join? Give me something worth paying for – and you can start by detaching from the far left and the Democrats. By the way – I’m also not interested in a guaranteed paycheck that stays the same as my co-workers regardless of how well (or poorly) I do my job either.
My hopes, however, aren’t high that you’ll take my advice. And perhaps then it’s true – that most unions do need to be "busted" but only so those of us who bust our backsides and excel every day can rebuild them to once again TRULY represent us."
Thanks again Skip for all the work you and Steve do.
