Journal Journal: Heck yeah, unions 33
In late April 2013, the American Federation of Teachers-Wisconsin chapter gathered for a post-election "workshop" on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Among those scheduled to present that day was Mike McCabe of Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, to explain how big-spending special interests "conspire to prevent government decisions from reflecting the will of the people." McCabe's presentation promised to include a discussion of how "Super PACs, dark money and unlimited election spending" erode "democracy's health."
Perhaps lacking the most in McCabe's presentation was any sense of irony or self-awareness. According to one recent report, AFT has been the 12th-largest contributor to candidates and outside spending groups in America over the last quarter-century, shelling out $37 million to support Democratic candidates almost exclusively. Further, WDC is a liberal lobbying group that advocates for progressive reforms while refusing to disclose its donors, and McCabe himself is a registered lobbyist.
Private sector unions are a matter of free assembly. Public sector unions are a godforsaken mutiny that even the generally wrongheaded FDR understood were a lousy idea.