Philip Howard

with the mass of public employees, put all their contributions in a place, and then go to the political leader with a boxcar filled with cash, effectively, and not just cash, but also working labor banks and call banks and knocking on doors. They literally recruit and they'll pay members to do this, to be campaign workers.

with the mass of public employees, put all their contributions in a place, and then go to the political leader with a boxcar filled with cash, effectively, and not just cash, but also working labor banks and call banks and knocking on doors. They literally recruit and they'll pay members to do this, to be campaign workers.

So in New Jersey, in the last election, the campaign of the winning governor was staffed by union members. The campaign director was a union officer. So you end up having this system where the unions basically provide the campaign resources and personnel. And in exchange, what they get is the continuation of this system in which government is unmanageable

So in New Jersey, in the last election, the campaign of the winning governor was staffed by union members. The campaign director was a union officer. So you end up having this system where the unions basically provide the campaign resources and personnel. And in exchange, what they get is the continuation of this system in which government is unmanageable

And in which the pensions and benefits are far beyond the market and have rendered, again, certain big industrial states effectively bankrupt.

And in which the pensions and benefits are far beyond the market and have rendered, again, certain big industrial states effectively bankrupt.

They're the leading opponents of it. First of all, most of the union benefits and controls and actions are designed to preserve the benefits to the union leaders themselves. In many states, unions never even come up for recertification. They're certified once and that's it. And then they just stay in place. So union leaders make a lot of money.

They're the leading opponents of it. First of all, most of the union benefits and controls and actions are designed to preserve the benefits to the union leaders themselves. In many states, unions never even come up for recertification. They're certified once and that's it. And then they just stay in place. So union leaders make a lot of money.

Anything that gets in the way of the union prerogatives, such as reducing taxes or that sort of thing, they will consolidate national resources. Again, we're talking about over $5 billion a year in annual dues to go and kill an initiative in Maine or some jurisdiction that's aimed at good government.

Anything that gets in the way of the union prerogatives, such as reducing taxes or that sort of thing, they will consolidate national resources. Again, we're talking about over $5 billion a year in annual dues to go and kill an initiative in Maine or some jurisdiction that's aimed at good government.

And that's one of the reasons why political leaders won't take on the unions, because if you're a union opponent, it's not just that you're fighting them in your jurisdiction. All this money is going to fly in from around the country to get you unelected.

And that's one of the reasons why political leaders won't take on the unions, because if you're a union opponent, it's not just that you're fighting them in your jurisdiction. All this money is going to fly in from around the country to get you unelected.

Union influence is unique compared to all interest groups, and it's not merely one of scale. The union elephants say versus all the hyenas. Public employee unions are not just getting some public favors. They're controlling the public policies on how government operates. Former California State Senate President Gloria Romero, a Democrat, put it this way.

Union influence is unique compared to all interest groups, and it's not merely one of scale. The union elephants say versus all the hyenas. Public employee unions are not just getting some public favors. They're controlling the public policies on how government operates. Former California State Senate President Gloria Romero, a Democrat, put it this way.

There's no aspect of state government operations or public policy that is untouched by the power of public sector unions and their allies in Sacramento. From enacting legislation to writing a state budget to confirming state board and commission appointees, labor's presence is omnipresent.

There's no aspect of state government operations or public policy that is untouched by the power of public sector unions and their allies in Sacramento. From enacting legislation to writing a state budget to confirming state board and commission appointees, labor's presence is omnipresent.

No. No, they don't. At every level of government, government has become unmanageable and unaffordable and unreformable because of the union controls. It's almost impossible politically to fix it. Let's go to the courts and have the unions declared unconstitutional because democracy is completely ineffective when the people who owe a duty of loyalty to the public

No. No, they don't. At every level of government, government has become unmanageable and unaffordable and unreformable because of the union controls. It's almost impossible politically to fix it. Let's go to the courts and have the unions declared unconstitutional because democracy is completely ineffective when the people who owe a duty of loyalty to the public

have bought off the political system and are running government for their own benefit instead of the benefit of the public.

have bought off the political system and are running government for their own benefit instead of the benefit of the public.