Everything in moderation. The world we live in seems to have forgotten that.
In the modern era, we have every mistake explained by the lack of moderation. Someone does something illegal or immoral and they go directly to rehab. It’s the highway to redemption. Alcohol, drugs, sex, gambling, or obesity. It’s never any one’s fault.
The labor movement in this country is in dire need of rehab. When it started it was noble. The Boston police strike is often used as an example of the need for the union movement. Police in Boston were not being paid a living wage. A promise ,made to raise pay after the end of WWI, was broken. The cops were desperate, they struck. Riots ensued and people were killed and property was destroyed. Governor Calvin Coolidge fired the cops. Replacements were poorly trained and barely civil. The fired cops could find no jobs to feed hungry families. Everyone did the wrong thing. There was a need for fairness, and no one made a good choice.
Mills in the South exploited their workers and used child labor. Mines and other businesses did the same. The country needed the union label. Much needed, the union movement did lots of good for exploited workers.
But, greed set in, and good was abused. Government regulations were made to protect workers from abuse. Without a cause, replaced by the regulations, unions evolved into power hungry greedy organizations, much like the capitalists they attacked.
The UAW destroyed the auto industry in America. Allowing workers to make poor quality cars that cost too much to produce vs. imports. Teachers unionized, destroying the level of education in America and driving up the cost of education. Public employees unionized, increasing pay and encouraging absenteeism and low productivity. Taxpayers can’t support the cost of education and police and fire protection and government workers. Now, unions are well on the way toward destroying the entire country.
Union leaders extract higher dues from the workers to support politicians who favor unions. Thus, insuring more and more excesses.
Like any addict, the unions now need to go to rehab. They need to find the line they have crossed from moderation to excess. They need a twelve step program and the non-union voters need to have an intervention to make sure that happens. If we don’t ,we will pay a terrible price for their addiction. As in many cases, Ronald Reagan set the example when he fired 12,000 air traffic controllers who were set to shut down all air travel in the US for a few shekels they didn’t deserve. It was the perfect intervention.
WalMart, the retail outlet that serves the poor with low prices, can’t be built in many cities since the unions want WalMart unionized ,and the unions control decisions in those cities.
As I enjoy my Labor Day, I think it needs a new perspective. A holiday that was made to celebrate the union movement in America, has now become a day to recognize a movement that is killing our country. Destroying jobs, creating deficits, and making us non-productive in a global world. It’s like celebrating a tumor.
