Money is the Root

Money is the Root

Some simple facts to ponder as to the relationship between politicians (democrats especially) money and the unions. Now we can argue about the nickels and dimes but the overall relationship is built on money. Money that is collected from union members checks and in some states and districts from non union members checks. In Iowa there has been a “fair share bill” in the legislature for sometime. They want to have non union members be assessed 75% of the union members dues. It has not yet passed much to the disappointment of teachers unions. Their vote has already paid for and they want the elected officials to come through on what has been bought.

2008 Iowa State Education Association-Revenues($) Raised

Des Moines and others,
Total Revenue: $ 14,425,643 (IRS)

West Des Moines:

Total Revenue: $258,000

2008 Union State Level, Political Contributions

Total $1.8 million (13% kickback to politicians)

97% went to the Democratic bank accounts 2.5%to Republican

**National Institute on Money in State Politics

The situation in Iowa is typical of what has happened to the unions and their relationship to legislatures and elected officials across the country. Some would say that the non union member benefits from what the union collectively negotiates with the state, school district, county, city etc. And that they therefore owe some money for the efforts, money etc that was expended during the negotiation. Seems like a fair argument if you believe that the collective can infringe on your personal freedoms in the name of fairness. I think we have lost the essence of the problem with unions and government. The problem is not with the union worker. It is with the money flow to the union that is collected, legislated and brought to the union leadership is baskets. In Iowa the teachers union collected $14 million in 2008 and returned to the legislatures and other elected officials $1.8 million in the same year. That, in other terms other than “union speak”, is a kickback and everybody knows it. Kickbacks are illegal except in the case of collective bargaining with unions. The payoffs are in the open and there is nothing anybody can do to stop the unions from buying elected officials votes. Of course the proponents of the unions invoke the “were only doing what the other side is doing”. But in the case of public sector unions the other side is “we the people”. The broker in the deal making is taking his cut (the politician) when in fact he is suppose to be working for “we the people”.

Our elected officals have sold “we the people” down the toilet for a few dollars from the unions. Our only recourse is to vote. However, that has become very difficult to remove a sitting elected official because of all the money, power, and media access the sitting elected official has at his fingertips.

This is precisely the reason I am an advocate of Term Limits for Elected officials. It is the accumulation of political power based on longevity that is at the heart of special interest vote buying. The longer a politician is in power the more money comes his way from special interests. The more the money, the higher the expectation for voting in a specific way. Buying votes is wrong. The question should not be what can a special interest do for me (politician) it should be what is the right vote for “We the People”. The right vote is never to bankrupt our future just for the short term personal gain of the politician.