If Dollars Equal Votes in Ohio, Union Interests Will Trump Students’
by Education Action GroupSchool reformers across the nation are closely watching Ohio, where a statewide referendum next Tuesday will determine the fate of SB 5, the legislation that would greatly curtail collective bargaining privileges for teachers and other public employees.
This gutsy law, approved by the legislature and Gov. John Kasich, is similar to the very effective Act 10 in Wisconsin. It would allow cash-strapped school boards to cut labor costs, balance their budgets and put more focus on student instruction without interference from local unions.
Of course the teachers unions (and every other sort of union) hate this law, because it threatens their ability to dominate school budgets. They led a petition drive to challenge the law through popular referendum and are pouring cash into the campaign to kill it.
We Are Ohio, the coalition spearheading opposition to the law, received $19 million in donations during the last campaign financing reporting period, according to a recent story in the Columbus Dispatch. In contrast, Building a Better Ohio, which supports the law, reported contributions of nearly $7.6 million.
Of course, much of the money for We Are Ohio is coming from organized labor. Reports indicate that the Ohio Education Association contributed more than $4.75 million to the campaign in the most recent filing period.
It makes sense, since that union forced each of its members to contribute $54 toward the campaign. The National Education Association kicked in about $2 million and the Ohio Federation of Teachers added $750,000. Labor groups also spent more than $17 million in the prior filing period, blanketing the state with television ads, according to the newspaper report.
Not surprisingly, a recent poll indicates that voters currently favor repealing the law by a 25-point margin.
Money obviously talks in politics, and the unions certainly have a lot of it. It will be tragic if the best interests of school children are trumped by Big Labor and its very Big Wallet.
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22 Comments
Not surprisingly, a recent poll indicates that voters currently favor repealing the law by a 25-point margin.
As James O'Keefe proved, the process is in the tank for the leftists, and the results cannot be trusted.
Another poll shows the matter in a dead heat: http://gohpblog.com/?p=737
Interesting though, how the same people who "want to take the money out of politics," put a lot of money in to politics.
"Money obviously talks in politics, and the unions certainly have a lot of it."
This has to change if we expect our Republic to continue to stand…
The two key words in this article are 'closely watching'. That is precisely what we need to do from now on. We must confess, they snuck up on us.
Union dues should be going to beef-up failing pension funds instead of dues going to corrupt politicians.
Why do union members put up with this?
I guess Ohio is one of those blue collar states where people are more 'conservative' but always end up saying 'My daddy was in the union/voted democrat, I better too, hyuk hyuk"
"Why do union members put up with this?"
Tenure, retirement at 50 with huge pensions, superior health care. Not only do they put up with this, they are fighting tooth and nail. They think the fed will take care of the pensions. They are greedy indeed.
The three (liberal) largest newspapers in Ohio have endorsed yes on issue 2. Maybe that will help.
TONIGHT (11/5) ON CSPAN…A PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE BETWEEN CANDIDATES NEWT GINGRICH AND HERMAN CAIN SPONSORED BY THE LOCAL TEA PARTY. SEE WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT THIS ISSUE!
BE THERE AT 8 PM!
http://blogs.ajc.com/political-insider-jim-gallow...
Ellen based on the format what I heard was going to be discussed which is the three biggest federal spending issues that might not come up.
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
Tell me why unions should control school budgets in the first place? ABOLISH ALL UNIONS! They're bad for this country.
The pigs at the trough feel threatened.
The Ohio Republican party and the national party are absolutely WORTHLESS. They have contributed NOTHING to either 2 or 3!!! I will never EVER again give a dime to these organizations.
Well hopefully there will be a big surprise for organized labor on Tuesday night. The one problem is that in Wisconsin it took too long for benefits of the law to start showing up and the recalls only defeated a couple of senators and couldn't repeal the law.
But then again the Unions thought they had the money and the enthusiasm on their side and basically lost the Supreme Court race and the Senate.
Walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
I guess Ohioans and the rest of this country will have to wait until we have Greek style debt and no confidence in the dollar. Liberals are ruining this country just like they ruined Europe.
Bust Govt Unions…they are antiAmerican….
We shall see, like NY-9, and the most recent vote in Colorado, Scott Brown too 11/10, the country's not in the mood, my bet is with free America.
I think this should be a very good and revealing debate…one on one because I don't think others wanted to come!
Looking forward to tonight…
Can't wait to vote "YES" on issue 2.
As far as the unions are concerned, their interests always trump student's… All the more reason to outlaw them.
"Remember it's all for the children." That has to be the most misleading line ever muttered by a member of organized labor or the teachers' union. Based on how US students compare nationally and internationally, our current, public school system is a failed work in progress. Vote "yes" on issue 2.
Same for Wisconsin. Where the hell has the GOP leadership been in either of these fights!?!? They should be leading the fight in both states, instead they let others do their fighting for them.
One of the reasons Ohio is a swing state is that out side of the Cleveland, Toledo, Akron,Youngstown, and Cincinnati city limits the state tends to be conservative. Problem is, there is less and less rural conservative and an ever growing number of entitlement based and minded urban population. S'going to be a close vote.
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