Tuesday's results in the Wisconsin gubernatorial recall election left me rather frustrated and puzzled. I don't see anyway around it; it's a real setback for progressivism. But what frustrates me more is what seems to be the sort of discourse which was had in this campaign. It was a battle of messages so simplistic and foolish as to be intellectually bankrupt.
On the one hand, there's the GOP message of unions being big, evil, exploitative monsters who live large off the taxpayer. Union members must be lazy, incompetent scum who get far more than they deserve because they muscled politicians into submission. On the other hand, there's the Democratic message that members of teachers' and state workers' unions are all hard-working angels who do great things for our country (like teachers, who are all so wonderful for putting up with our kids and being the guardians of our future).
Well, you know what? Even as a solidly-progressive person, I can tell you that both of these ideas are bullshit. No, not all teachers are wonderful. Speaking of teachers, the intransigence of teachers' unions is a major impediment to improving our nations' schools. However, when talking about union members, we have to remember that we're talking about human beings. Human beings who work for a living, have families to provide for, and who are probably pretty decent folk. They face the same struggles the rest of the American middle class does, and they aren't rolling in dough. And you can't blame people for advocating for their own self-interest.
Here's my perspective on the matter. In times of fiscal distress, it's necessary for everyone to tighten their belts. That means trimming expenses on public employees. The tough decision might have to be made to lay some people off. But such a decision must be made with a heavy heart and a recognition of the fact that by reducing pension or healthcare benefits, cutting wages, or cutting jobs, the government is putting a whole lot of hardship on folks who never did anything to deserve it. To hear people talking derisively and tauntingly about public union employees facing hardship just blows my mind. Treat it like a necessary evil, dammit.
Unions need to, if they haven't already, step up to the plate and take on whatever burden is appropriate to help carry the society towards fiscal viability. However, just because unions have been stubborn representatives of their constituents' interests, and just because they have caused some serious problems in how our public services work, does not mean that we should systematically dismantle the systems by which workers can collaboratively advocate for their own interests in negotiating the terms of their employment.
God, I am so sick of this sort of asinine political exchange.
