Ronald Brownstein's characterization of Ohio's attempt to curb collective bargaining rights for public employees is precisely why Kasich and company failed to capitalize on the measure.
It was viewed by many as "anti-union", when in fact the measure is pro-Ohio and pro-growth, which makes the reforms pro-everybody. Republican lawmakers have got to improve at controlling the debate and delivering the message.
There is nothing wrong with organization of workers per se. But you probably already know that FDR, the darling of the left, opposed granting collective bargaining rights to public sector employees. President Reagan made the same argument in 1981 when federal air traffic controllers went on strike. The machinery of government cannot stop; it is immoral and unfair to stop the press, to stop the system in service to the public good because of one sector of disgruntled employees.
If Kasich had been more measured in his approach, curb collective bargain for all other public employees except police and fire, he would have had a better chance of initiating much need reforms for the state of Ohio.
As the matter stands now, it would appear that some many jobs and factories are leaving the state, with the decline of private sector unions failing to stop the sale and flight of these jobs. Imagine what will happen when the state of Ohio runs out of money; what will the public sector unions do then? They cannot picket a ghost town, no more than one can draw blood out of a turnip.
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