Unions are not the cause of state budget crises

By Leigh Pomeroy

Many of us have closely watched the events unfolding in and around the Wisconsin state capitol. Few of us, I would guess, are neutral. But whether we're for or against union workers, what these events show is how far a political philosophy has come towards reaching its goal. That goal? To concentrate more and more of the nation's wealth and power into the hands of a very few.

How has this been accomplished? By the stealth use of the media to reframe political, ethical and moral assumptions, and by dividing the middle class into warring sides by creating false arguments. An example of the former is the concept that the free market is (always) good and taxes are (always) bad. An example of the latter is that if a union worker is doing better than I am, then he or she doesn't deserve it.

The causes of our current economic woes include: (1) tax cuts benefiting the very wealthy resulting in an overall loss of government revenue, (2) deficit spending to support the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, (3) a relaxation of government oversight of the financial and mortgage markets, (4) declining net receipts of tax revenues from corporations due to tax loopholes, and, because of these and other factors, (5) a widening gap between the very wealthy and the rest of society.

Unions, whether they represent private or public employees, have had nothing to do with our current economic woes. It's true that the standard of living of most middle class workers has declined over the last 30 years, but that also includes union members. If public employee unions can be faulted, it's only because their members have been able to tread water.

The real problem in Wisconsin and elsewhere is the concentration of money and power into the hands of a very few and the political lackeys in both parties who serve them. As these people watch the events take place in Madison they see their long-planned handiwork unfold ... and laugh all the way to the bank.

You have read this article state budget / unions / Wisconsin with the title Unions are not the cause of state budget crises. You can bookmark this page URL https://ogbcommunity.blogspot.com/2011/03/unions-are-not-cause-of-state-budget.html. Thanks!