Huckabee: unions are the future

Presidential Candidate Mike Huckabee's populist campaign continues to stray from conservative, and even Republican ideology with his support of labor unions. This sort of apostasy doesn't go over will with the base.

From Change to Win (a union political website) Huckabee says:

"The real fact is, unions are going to take a more prominent role in the future for one simple reason: A lot of American workers are finding that their wages continue to get strapped lower and lower while CEO salaries are higher and higher.

And the reality is that when you have the average CEO salary 500 times the average worker, and you have the hedge fund manager making 2,200 times that of the average worker, you're going to create a level of discontent that's going to create a huge appetite for unions.

So unions are the natural result of workers finally saying, "Look, I can't go from a $70,000 year job to a $15,000 a year job and feed my family of four." That's when unions are going to come back in roaring form."

This is the hallmark of unionism: violence against workers.

Ritter bows to Pressure from Senate Republicans, Small Business

Governor Bill Ritter just bowed to the pressure from Senate Republicans and small business owners by vetoing HB07-1072, the Big Labor Pay-off, closed shop union bill.

Not six weeks into his first term as Ritter has already estranged himself from his party and the union activists who put him in the Governor's Mansion. The veto was certainly good public policy, but it clearly ends Ritter's honeymoon in office.

[UPDATE]
The Denver Post has more here.

Ritter's justification for offending half of his base of support? It wasn't politically expedient.

"...During the campaign, two labor organizations asked me in written questionnaires if I would support an amendment to the Colorado Labor Peace Act that eliminates the second organizing election ratifying an all-union agreement. I indicated that I would, believing that requiring a second super-majority election seems, on its face, undemocratic.

It also interjects government into what should be a private negotiating process between employer and employee.

I recognize how deeply disappointed my friends in organized labor will be with this decision. I know that members of my own party in the legislature stood firm in the face of outrageous, unprecedented and shameful partisan rhetoric done only for political sport. [Emphasis Added]

...Over the last several days, I have listened intently to people I respect who worried deeply about the impact this change would have on our ability to attract new business to Colorado, to create new economic opportunity for all..."

The startling thing about Ritter's letter is that he admits that he's own party "stood firm in the face of outrageous, unprecedented and shameful partisan rhetoric done only for political sport," while he buckled under the pressure of his real political fight.

For the record Governor Ritter, defending the freedoms of individual employees and small business owners isn't "shameful".

Ritter Press Conf.

Governor Bill Ritter is having a press conference at 2:30pm MST to announce what he will do with BH07-1072 the Big Labor pay-off, closed shop union bill.

Will he sign it?

Will he veto it?

Only time with tell....

Developing...

Wednesday's Warrior

Today, being Wednesday, means that for those of us working stiffs, the work week is almost half over. To celebrate these momentous occasions, each and every Wednesday, the Colorado Conservative Project is going to recognize truly heroic political feats, in honor of surviving half a week.

Wednesday's Warrior: right-to-work champion Sen. Ted Harvey (R - Highlands Ranch).


The Rocky Mountain News' Business Section has a piece on Harvey's SB07-93, which is a right-to-work bill. Harvey has been the prime sponsor of right-to-work legislation every year he has been in the legislature; a testament to his belief in this issue.

Today, in the Senate Business, Labor & Technology Committee, Harvey's bill is up for debate and testimony. Committee Chair Sen. Jennifer Veiga (D-Denver), senate sponsor of the Big Labor pay-off, closed shop union bill (HB07-1072) is expected to lead the charge to kill Harvey's bill.

For those with a disposition toward schadenfruede, the Senate Business, Labor & Technology Committee will be meeting at 1:30pm in SCR354 at the Colorado State Capitol.