Landmark Worker Liberty Setbacks from the NRLB and MO GOP

The Wall Street Journal reported that organized labor has a brazen new tactic to accomplish forced unionization. Meanwhile, the St. Louis Beacon reports that there is another new tactic to force unionization in Missouri. These power plays by big labor and Democrat politicians against workers and taxpayers are without precedent.

The Boeing Corporation found union demands so intolerable that they decided to build their newest plant in right to work, South Carolina. They simply followed the logical and well worn path of major manufacturers leading from forced union states to right to work states. Because organized labor devotes 90% of their political action funds to Democrats, it is no surprise that the Obama administration controlled National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) would do the bidding of big labor and launch air strikes against the freedom road out of forced labor land.

What is perhaps much more striking is what is happening in Missouri where Republican enjoy huge majorities in both Chambers. Not surprisingly, Senate leaders opened the Session with the bold announcement that they would make worker liberty a top priority. While that right to work law languishes, negotiators on a St. Louis police "local control" law announced that they have a deal between the City and the police union. The Republican Legislature will give the City local control over the police force, and give the union their dream of forcing the City into adopting a collective bargaining deal with the union. It seems, "local control" is a mere slogan to be applied selectively by whoever has the power. So the rank and file cops will be forced to join the union and taxpayers will certainly learn what other cities know about how hard it is to remove that bad unionized officers.

This is all the more stunning in light of the reality that despite the St. Louis City reputation as a solid Democrat and union stronghold, the City has managed to stave off forced collective bargaining. Also this week, right to work Oklahoma lawmakers moved to further restrict public employee collective bargaining agreement. Nevertheless, it is a Republican Legislature that is poised to be the first lawmaking body in the country to force a local government into a collective bargaining agreement. Evidently, lawmakers in the Show Me State got the wrong message from Wisconsin.

UPDATE - Critical Election and Stealth Candidates April 5th.

Like any election cycle, there were disappointments and bright spots. I have some specific thoughts moving forward.

We knew that Assessor Candidate Chip Wood faced a huge uphill battle starting with his running in solidly Democrat leaning St. Louis County and his starting the race against a man who already had over $200,000 in the bank. But still we fought. We fought because we want someone who will be professional, resist temptation to grow government, and because we like Chip. I hope he stays involved.

In Rockwood, like Chip Wood, we knew we were challenging an entrenched teacher union network. They have great lists of current and former teachers and administrators, and their message is simple and effective and wrong. At the polls all day, the teachers tell the voters, "support your teachers" as they hand them their picks. Well who opposes teachers? Mike Geller took the bold step of running and the even bolder step of running for the taxpayers and kids. His message was "vote for taxpayers and students". The truth is, we build schools and fund them, not for teachers, but for kids. We need to support our teachers as far as support for them does not harm kids. In the end, we need to vote for kids. Evidently, we fail to sink that message with the highly educated West County voters every cycle, and the degree to which we do sink it, we fail to succeed in turning out those voters. And with 17% voter turnout, the unions have their way more cycles than not.

In Monarch Fire District, we had one of the oddest splits of my political life. We have had three cycles in a row in which the taxpayers have aligned behind Fire Director Rick Gans and the union has had their candidate. The battle lines were clear.

This time, it appears the unions retained several Republican consultants who smeared our guy Gans as they touted Swyers as the "non-union" guy to "clean up the mess". The only mess most of us cared about was keeping a check on the union, which Gans was doing, so there was natural distrust of a candidate no one heard of, who was the father of a union firefighter.

I met Swyers at the polls, too. He seems like a decent man who is angry about mudslinging in his first campaign. I told him I was angry that he was obfuscating his funding. We set up electronic campaign financing to add convenience for candidates and transparency for voters. What was I to expect from a Certified PUBLIC Accountant who was taking the extra step of paper filing his financial dislosures and avoiding public transparency? The "P" in CPA means that ones duty is to the public first, even over the interest of any employer. Swyers knows this. There were at least eight or nine mailers from the Swyers camp, a tremendous amount of money spent on radio and a phone calling campaign and at least one paid staffer in Rush James.

Well, after running an aggressive, very expensive campaign with only $10,000 of reported spending, and swearing he was not union-supported, taxpayers are left wondering who really backed and funded the Swyers campaign, and will Swyers really stand for taxpayers or the union? Will Swyers follow through and cut the firefighter pay to say, the level of the police pay? Time will tell.

We did have several bright spots. My other four candidates won. Derek Grier will be a great new voice at Chesterfield City Hall. He will join Bob Nation who easily won re-election. In Ballwin, Mark Harder defeated long-time incumbent Pat McDermott. This was a tremendous feat as Pat is a popular local figure known for years of dedication to the community including the operation of the Ballwin Days Fair. Mark just outworked him. He will be great for Ballwin. Down in Jefferson County, my friend Dan Shaul won a seat on the Windsor school district board of education. He will do a great job looking out for kids.

When I sum this up, I end up back in the same place I always do; Civic Education. I spoke to an elementary school just last week as a "former Senator" because this is a hallmark of what I see as the real solution. The message is simple, this is your government-own it.

Politicians can only do so much. We eliminated the June (school) election date because limited ballots favor special interests. We merged school elections with the April (municipal) elections in hopes that broader interest would improve accountability. Still only 17% of people bothered voting. In America, we should not have to put all issues on in August and November in order to get people to care, but maybe that is what it will take. If 300 more "taxpayers" had shown up, Geller would have one.

We need to demand accountability and transparency from candidates. It still disturbs me that the Swyers campaign was so secretive. Union firefighters were staffing the polls for him while Lieutenant Governor Kinder recorded robo calls for him. Is he the union candidate or the GOP accountability candidate? We have no idea who paid for any of it, because he filed his reports on paper. In an ideal world, voters would have the mental foundation to find that as objectionable as I do and vote accordingly.

Who is going to take up the cause of cajoling "general interest" or "taxpayer candidates" into voting in April? Who will take up the cause of educating voters that the school board candidate who "supports the teachers" first, probably supports the taxpayers last? Why do we put firefighters over taxpayers? Is $126,000 in compensation and benefits not enough? Who will watch Monarch Fire District or any of the other Districts and begin the process of educating people about the insidious nature of public unions? Maybe you.

Critical Election and Stealth Candidates April 5th.

This election has two of the most critical opportunities I have seen in a long time; we must hold Monarch Fire District and Pick up a champion in Rockwood. I am getting a number of inquiries about what is on the ballot tomorrow. Here are my favorites below, but check out Gina's picks in her TV ad here:

This is not an exhaustive list, but I am also posting this on the Taxpayer Watchdog Blog, so if you have a favorite candidate, put them up there and direct your friends to the list.

Monarch Fire: Rick Gans - despite a massively deceptive smear campaign orchestrated by three paid republican consultants who secured the endorsements of Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder and a few other notable people who do not even live here, ALL of the local republican lawmakers who have fought the fire fighter union attempts to hijack the coffers, including current State Senator Jane Cunningham, myself, former Senators Klarich and Flotron, ALL BACK GANS and urge you to tell all of your friends to reject the UNION-FUNDED SWYERS who never even voted in a Fire District election and is the father of a union fire fighter. Who is more to be trusted to look out for Taxpayers? Currently, taxpayers hold the board versus unions 2:1. A vote for Gans holds the union in check.

Rockwood School Board: Mike Geller - Vote for MIKE ONLY (even though you get to vote for three - more below) Mike is a good friend who helped me back in my first race in 1994. He is concerned enough that he is making his own foray into running a race because no other conservative would. MIKE IS RUNNING FOR YOUR SAKE.

Mike has made the incredibly bold step of campaigning for taxpayers and students. Unlike every one of his opponents (Doelle is calling himself a conservative while being endorsed by several unions), Mike was too honest to say one thing to the unions and another to you.
Mike is all about high standards and choices for parents. Yes, he has three children in Rockwood, but one at Rossman, his alma mater.
The three top vote getters win. If 2000 union voters vote for their three, that is 600+ votes each. If 2000 taxpayers vote only for Mike, he wins easy. VOTE ONLY FOR GELLER.

County Assessor: Chip Wood - Chip is a great guy whom I have gotten to know recently. He is the professional real estate expert who the Republican Party put up against the Democrat's lawyer/politician. When it comes to your property assessments, would you rather trust a Democrat politician loyal to County Executive Dooley or Republican businessman Chip Wood? http://www.votederekgrier.com/

Chesterfield City Council, Ward 2: Derek Grier - Derek is a gem. I do not know how else to describe him, but he is a great guy with all the right values who just wants to serve, and everyone who meets him wants to help him. This is his second run at the office and no one works harder. Please support Derek if you live in Ward 2.

Chesterfield City Council, Ward 4: Bob Nation - Bob is my Councilman. I have been impressed by his dedication to the job, especially when we asked hm for his support on a Wilson Rd. bike trail and I "caught him in the act" of walking the area on his own time in order to get a full perspective on our request.

Ballwin City Council, Ward 2: Mark Harder - I have known Mark for almost as long as I have known Mike. Even though this is a non-partisan office, Mark is a very dedicated Republican activist who will take sound GOP values to the Ballwin Board of Aldermen.

Windsor School District: Dan Shaul - I have known Dan for a number of years. He is great guy who stands for all the right things. If you are in Jefferson County but not in Windsor, consider helping Dan at the polls or calling your friends.

About 10 years ago, two candidates for a seat in North County got the identical number of votes, over 1500 each. How many people were self-flagellating in penance for not bothering to vote? Please take 5-10 minutes to hold the Fire District and put your best advocate in Rockwood.

An Embezzler For Your Banker

A left-leaning high school classmate asked about my being "far right" in my political views and why anyone would think it is a good idea to strip workers of their collective bargaining "rights". As a former lawmaker, I had some experience and, as it happens, opinions on the subject.

Julia, The term far right is really a misnomer. It depends on what you mean by it. I am really passionate about making the most sensible laws. By sensible I mean liberal, or free. I measured every vote by whether it added freedom or removes it. I called it my "freedom litmus test".

So if you were proposing more taxes or a new program that was expensive, I would see that as creating more of a burden on taxpayers, so it was "anti-liberal".
If you proposed an anti-smoking law, even though I do not smoke, I would resist that. Who am I to tell someone he cannot smoke, or tell a restaurant OWNER what he could do inside his four walls with consenting adults?
So we find that people who consider themselves "liberal" are actually leading the charge to limit a lot of freedoms while people labeled "far right" are actually the ones typically most vocal about retaining liberty.

As for collective bargaining "rights", FDR, the most famous progressive actually said that public employee collective bargaining was unconscionable.
A public employee union is funded by taxpayers in order to extract more pay, more benefits, and less work from those same taxpayers. Voting for any union-backed candidate is like putting an embezzler in charge of your bank. He may look nice, but his goal and yours for your money are completely different. Does that make sense?

Look at California. The unions managed to put in a majority Democrats in that once solidly western Republican state. The Democrats then raise union workers' pay, slash private contracting, and do everything they can to make more union members. Those union bosses then spend even more money electing more Democrats. California is bankrupt and yet has over 4000 retirees earning over $100,000 per year in retirement.
In my fire district, Monarch, the union spends $100,000 to $200,000 on each race for a single seat. They never lose. Today, the firefighters average over six figures in pay, overtime and benefits and work just eight 24 hour shifts per month. Those hundreds of thousands of dollars they have to spend are literally my tax dollars which now are being used to pull more tax dollars from my pocket-literally. They want to raise our tax rates and even start charging extra for ambulance rides that are already paid for.

You have heard the term military industrial complex. Military people retire early and run for office or go to work for military contractors and push for more military spending. It is the same with Democrats and unions and State and Federal government. Missouri has resisted this as Republicans have held enough power and joined with conservative Dems to moderate those moves.

So in Missouri we did things like ban teacher strikes. Union-heavy Illinois allows them. My aunt lives near Chicago. Her co-worker will retire at $90,000 per year in retirement at 60 and will be up over $120,000 by 75.

As for Wisconsin, like Illinois and California, they are bankrupt after years of the public union - Democrat complex. They cannot maintain the status quo and balance the budget. Reducing the nonsensical public employee collective bargaining rights is a move to break up the complex that created the problem.

Wisconsin voters knew that their liberal Dems had bankrupted the state and so they took a chance on Repubs who would restore fiscal sanity. The people really asked for this.

Anyone wishing to learn more about the issue of Right To Work laws is welcome to attend a presentation by Mark Mix, President, National Right To Work Legal Foundation

Friday, March 11th, 2011
10:30 A.M. – VIP Reception
11:00A.M. - Program
The Columns Banquet Center
711 Veterans Memorial Parkway
St. Charles, MO 63303

Pre-registration required: elizabeth@abcksmo.org

If You Like Gov. Christie, Meet Governor LePage

From a friend on mine in Maine, Dr. Tom Shields, also a former lawmaker there:

TO ALL OF MY OUT OF STATE FRIENDS - OUR NEW GOVERNOR HAS NOT BEEN IN OFFICE ONE FULL MONTH, THE LIBERAL PRESS IS AFTER HIM, AND HE COULD CARE LESS. REPUBLICANS HAVE NOT BEEN IN FULL CONTROL OF STATE GOVERNMENT FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS, SO THERE IS A BIG MESS TO CLEAN UP. GOVERNOR LEPAGE WILL DO IT.

Subject: God bless Maine's new governor - Let's get some facts straight!

The new Maine Governor, Paul LePage, is making New Jersey's Chris Christie look like an enabler. He isn't afraid to say what he thinks, and judging by the comments heard at the cigar shop and other non-political gathering places, every time Gov. LePage opens his mouth, his popularity goes up.

He brought down the house at his inauguration when he shook his fist toward the media box and said, "You're on notice! I've inherited a financially-troubled state to run. Observe...cover...but don't whine if I don't waste time responding to your every whim for your amusement."

During his campaign for governor he was talking to commercial fishermen who are struggling because of federal fisheries rules. They complained that President Obama brought his family to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park for a long Labor Day holiday and found time to meet with union leaders, but wouldn't talk to them. LePage replied, "I'd tell him to go to hell and get out of my state." Media crucified LePage, but he jumped 6 points in the pre-election poll.

The Martin Luther King incident was a political sandbag which brought him national exposure. The 'lame stream' media crucified him, but word on the street is very positive. The NAACP specifically asked him to spend MLK Day visiting black inmates at the Maine State Prison. He told them that he would meet with ALL inmates regardless of race if he were to visit the prison. The NAACP balked and then put out a news release claiming falsely that he refused to participate in any MLK events.

He read it in the paper for the first time the next morning while being driven to an event and he went ballistic because none of the reporters had called him for comment before running the NAACP release. He arrived at that event and said on TV camera, "if they want to play the race card on me, they can kiss my butt" and he reminded them that he has an adopted black son from Jamaica and that he attended the local MLK Breakfast every year that he was mayor of Waterville. (He started his morning there on MLK Day.)

He then stated that there's a right way and a wrong way to meet with the governor and he put all special interests on notice that press releases, media leaks and all demonstrations would prove to be the wrong way. He said any other group which acted like the NAACP could expect to be at the bottom of the governor's priority list!

He then did the following, and judging from local radio talk show callers, his popularity increased even more: The state employees union complained because he waited until 3 p.m. before closing state offices and facilities and sending non-emergency personnel home during the last blizzard. The prior governor would often close offices for the day with just a forecast before the first flakes. (Each time the state closes for snow, it costs the taxpayers about $1-million in wages for no work in return.)

LePage was CEO of the Marden's chain of discount family bargain retail stores before election as governor. He noted that state employees getting off work early could still find lots of retail stores open to shop. So, he put the state employees on notice by announcing: "If Marden's is open, Maine is open!"

He told state employees: "We live in Maine in the winter, for heaven's sake, and should know how to drive in it. Otherwise, apply for a state job in Florida!"

Governor LePage symbolizes what America needs...refreshing politicians who aren't self-serving and who exhibit common sense!

Leftist Phonies, Harry Reid and Barney Frank on limiting "consenting adults"

Gambling is a challenging issue for politicians because lurking behind the debaters is a man with a suitcase full of cash. He can hire the best spin doctors from Madison Avenue and make massive cash contributions to his favorite pols. So Senator Harry Reid, a Mormon, and Barney Frank, whatever he is, want to reverse Congressional precedent and "re-legalize" internet gambling. Sadly, their favorite argument, posited by Barney "freedom for consenting adults (and page boys)" Frank is a twisted half truth that no honest liberal and no Republican should be caught dead defending.

First, "consenting adults" assumes that the internet gambler will be well, consenting. Is the sick addict consenting? No more than a young intern is consenting when Frank has him in his sights, is a pathological gambler a consenting adult. When the wife discovers "it is all gone" and her sick husband has left she and her children homeless, is she consenting? The Treasurer of Christian County Missouri embezzled over $600,000 from his taxpayers to support his habit. Were they consenting? When the taxpayers of Missouri paid for the prosecution and subsequent incarceration, were they consenting? Missouri, like almost every other State, still barred gambling when Gary Melton was the "big roller". Illinois placed a casino in eye shot of the famous Arch. Gary Melton left over an estimated $700,000 in Illinois. Missourians got the bills.

The most devious argument is the Frank assertion that his interest is letting "adults make a decision" about where they spend their money. Really? So is Frank moving to restrain federal agents who are breaking up home poker matches? Is that the question? Of course it is not. This is the big lie. If you want to gamble with your friends, gamble in Vegas, buy a lottery ticket, gamble at a bingo hall or go to a real live casino, you can find at least one of those outlets within a few miles of every consenting adult in the Country. Frank, an evil genius, is using a reasonable appeal in a false application.

The question for policy makers is not about further restraining gambling, but whether gambling on a large scale, an infinite scale in the case of the internet, something wise to promote or even allow? St. Louisans were shocked, when the brother of a prominent contractor was murdered in a botched robbery attempt. Tyrone Thompson, a former cop and dedicated mentor of troubled youth, was in his car picking up a friend when approached by two young men with guns. It turns out, the thugs needed money. They lost badly in a friendly home dice game and set out on foot to steal their money back. The "house" won, and the victim's family was left holding the bag. But Frank and Reid twist the question from whether more gambling is a desirable public policy goal to a false question about freedom to gamble. We have that freedom. To see how silly this is, the precise argument could be applied allowing consenting adults to do absolutely anything else. Why will he not allow consenting adults to take steroids or methamphetamines, gamble their money on Wall Street or with Madoff? So Mr. Frank, if it is all about leaving consenting adults alone, how about allowing consenting adults to listen to Rush Limbaugh, you bloviating fraud?

Finally, one can see how a libertarian reaches the conclusion that regulating gambling is somehow un-American. even though every single state in the union, save Nevada, banned it in their Constitutions back in the day. Even Republicans can get lost in arguments like "it is just a business, like any other business". But consider a "progressive". The late Senator Paul Simon (D-Illinois) fought gambling endlessly, speaking from the floor of the US Senate about how it corrupts public officials and hurts people. Barney Frank on the other hand, a progressive, who feigns anger with predatory businesses that hurt little people should not enjoy this privilege. He loves progressive taxation and soaking "the rich". Yet what transfer mechanism in the history of man takes more wealth from more of the poor and dimwitted and transfers it to the hands of a wealthy few? When gambling is at issue, the phony progressives bow to the man with the suitcase full of cash.

So we know why Harry Reid wants the bill. Internet gambling will result in huge profits in Vegas (favorite home of the men with cash-filled suitcases), and the Carribean. Casinos and governments, where the casinos are domiciled will make out handsomely. While the phony leftists show that principle matters far less than power and do the dirty work of the men with cash-filled suitcases, the rest of us get stuck with the bills.

Free Lunch Health Care - GOP Recipe

So the latest disappointing news from the Republican leadership in Congress comes from Majority Whip in waiting, Eric Cantor. As Whip, Congressman Cantor carries the message of the caucus. So what does he think about healthcare? Does he support full repeal of Obamacare? Does he share the view of most Americans that the federal government should get back into its Constitutional cage and get out of health care, education, mohair subsidies and a host of other spheres of American life over which they should have zero sway? Nope! Sadly, Congressman Cantor has just affirmed our worst fear. He thinks the federal government should absolutely be regulating health care and guaranteeing Americans "free stuff".

I suppose the Congressman fancies himself a limited government fiscal conservative. Ok. What does that mean? I thought it meant that the federal government should handle basic things like fighting wars and coining money (and please coin way less than you are). Everything else should be left to the "several states".

But hey, at least the Republican leadership wants to give us less free stuff than the Democrats. Here is what Cantor says about Obamacare:

“We too don’t want to accept any insurance company’s denial of someone and coverage for that person because he or she might have a pre-existing condition,” he said. “Likewise we want to make sure that someone of your age has the ability to access affordable care if it’s under your parent’s plan or elsewhere.”

So, the Democrat are promising a chicken in every pot and the Republicans are promising a nice broth. Great message guys. Certainly your pollsters really dug deep for that. Here is a message for you: Resign now! You are incorrigible.

Perhaps we need to spell this out for you: THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS NO ROLE IN PRIVATE HEALTH CARE REGULATION! In order to make this simple, one can find the relevant section of the US Constitution pasted below. Perhaps the American people need to nail copies of it onto all of your doors. One sees lots of duties related to war, treaties and coining money. Giving us free health care just is not there. And please quit peaking into the "penumbras".

To take this illustration further, Cantor tells us he will give us the right to keep our kids on our policies until age 26. Well Congressman, it might interest you to know that all Missourians got that right in January 2008. I know, as I passed the law as a State Legislator. You see, regulating insurance companies is a State matter, not a federal matter. So keep your chicken broth.

So how about pre-existing conditions? To be fair, this is a tougher issue, but nevertheless one best handled by the states. But what are you promising, "no denial because of a pre-existing condition". So what if my car has a pre-existing condition? "Hello Mr. Insurance man. I just wrecked my car. I am on the way to the repair shop. I would like to go ahead and buy a policy now. Congressman Cantor says you cannot deny me. Where should I send my check?"

Congressman, in case you did not notice. All of our health insurance rates are going up because of wacky ideas like that. They violate basic principles of economics so they do not work. They will not work better because you will do less of them.

Congressman, the American people are cynical. They threw you out because when you were in power, you played by the Rove play book. "The Architect" believed that Republicans could hold power by giving stuff away in order to compete with the Democrats for blocks of voters. That is how we got policies like massive education spending to win soccer moms, open boarders to win Mexicans, and Medicare Part D to win seniors. As Americans found our Party looked pretty much like the other Party, and the spending made us broke, that is also how we got thrown out of office. Congressman, not only do we not want your free stuff, our Country cannot afford Socialist light. For the good of your children and mine, quit violating the Constitution or quit your office.

Section 8 - Powers of Congress

The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

To borrow money on the credit of the United States;

To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;

To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;

To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;

To establish Post Offices and Post Roads;

To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;

To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;

To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offenses against the Law of Nations;

To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;

To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;

To provide and maintain a Navy;

To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;

To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;

To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;

To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings; And

To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.