New Democrat Update - February 2007
WHAT’S WRONG WITH POLITICS
In a classic case of hyperbole trumping substance, a big fight over House Bill 1072 has broken out at the State Capitol. It is no wonder why so many Coloradans are increasingly cynical about politics.
Contrary to much of the conventional wisdom, the bill will not usher in a “Golden Age” for the labor movement or, on the other hand, mean “Doomsday” for the business community. A high-level debate (which to date has been far from the case) first requires that everyone agree to a common set of facts.
With the interesting exception of Colorado, states have taken two approaches with regard to “union shops.” Twenty-seven allow bargaining units to bring up a requirement with the employer that all workers, after being hired, must be a member of the union or pay the worksite-related portion of union dues (the other part dedicated to politics cannot be mandated). Of course, employers can choose to accept or reject such a demand. The other 22 states prohibit discussing a union shop as part of the collective bargaining process.
Colorado is the only state in the nation that does not fit neatly in either category. Here, unions can bargain about a union shop only if a simple majority of all workers eligible to join the union agree to it (or 75 percent of those actually voting, whichever is higher). HB 1072 drops the second election requirement so unions would be automatically allowed to discuss a union shop during negotiations.
Bob Ewegen’s assessment in a recent Denver Post column has to cause one to question why the fighting between business and labor has been so brutal. “The issue has very little practical impact because Colorado had only 170,000 union members in 2005, about 8.4 percent of the state's workforce. Many of those workers are public employees or work in the building trades where their union hiring halls would not be affected by HB 1072. Finally, some, not many, workers already have union shop contracts under existing state law. Given these facts, few if any unions are likely to cajole employers into freely granting a union shop that strengthens those unions against those employers, even if HB 1072 passes. So why the hubbub?”
The “hubbub” is about much of what is wrong with politics these days - many of the true merits and demerits are not being discussed. Too much time, energy and effort are being spent on symbolic positioning and political posturing.
Some in the business community, with the help of the media, have falsely asserted that union shops are instantly created once the appropriate majority of workers agree. That has been accompanied by over-the-top threats to not work with the Governor or the legislature on other important issues.
The labor movement’s response has also been disappointing. Referring to the opposition, Colorado AFL-CIO president Steve Adams told The Denver Post, "For 62 years they've had their way. All of a sudden there's a new sheriff in town, and they are kicking and screaming." The criteria for the future direction of our state must be about what makes sense, not which elected officials happen to be in charge.
Instead, state legislators and everyone else should follow Governor Bill Ritter’s lead and have a civil, bipartisan, high-level discourse on the pros and cons of the bill. The debate should be based on evidence and its true impacts. In other words, less heat and more light is in order.
Policymakers should be asking and answering the right questions. For example, would this measure adversely affect the state’s economic competitiveness? If it does increase the rate of unionism and/or the leverage of the labor movement, does that help or hurt the middle class and those less fortunate?
States often mandate certain provisions in contracts between private entities (anti-discrimination, etc.). Should the state, at taxpayer expense, intervene in the case of union shops? Should employees who voted against unionization still be required to pay dues? Or should majority rule?
Legislators should make a decision based on the empirical answers and values that move the state forward. In the meantime, we cannot afford to have a war between business and labor. We need both working together to successfully meet Colorado’s many tough challenges.
A NEW GENERATION OF LEADERSHIP
Harold Ford, Jr. is the new Chair of the national Democratic Leadership Council, replacing Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack as he prepares to run for President. The former Tennessee Congressman will be the 10th Chair since the DLC's founding in 1985.
"I am proud and excited to accept the role of Chair of the Democratic Leadership Council,” said Ford. I look forward to working with the DLC to build on the many successes of Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack.
"Over the last 15 years, starting with helping Bill Clinton become President in 1992, the DLC has been at the forefront of leading an effort to re-brand and modernize the Democratic Party. We have an opportunity to build on the gains we made in the 2006 election and shape the debate as we begin the 2008 Presidential contest.
But we will only succeed in this endeavor if we win the contest of ideas and convince the American people that we are ready to lead the nation. It is my hope to offer an agenda of national purpose that works toward reviving the American Dream, providing affordable health care to all those who seek it, energy independence over the next decade, balancing our budget and tackling entitlement reform and bringing peace and stability to Iraq and the Middle East.”
Ford went on to call the DLC "one of the most important organizations on the think-tank landscape. I'm excited about the post for a couple of reasons. I think that the new majority in Congress presents not only our party with a great opportunity to give the nation a chance to see a new leadership but to embarking in a new direction on a lot of policy fronts."
For more, a video on his vision for the DLC can be seen at here. His inaugural remarks are especially insightful. Finally, check out a video of Ford’s interview with Hardball’s Chris Matthews.
Al From, DLC Founder, nicely summarized why New Democrats around the country are so excited about our new chair. "Congressman Ford is one of the brightest stars in the Democratic party and at only 36 years old has developed a strong record as a consensus builder and reformer by focusing on progress over partisanship. His policy expertise, deep understanding of the challenges we face as a nation and impressive political talent make him a natural and ideal leader for our organization. I look forward to working with Congressman Ford as he helps develop new Democratic ideas and a new generation of leaders for this country.”
WHAT 2006 MEANT
Be sure to get the latest copy of Blueprint, entitled "The Center Strikes Back." It provides in-depth political analyses of the 2006 election, details how Democrats can prosper in 2008 and beyond, and much more.
If you would like a hard copy, please contact the Colorado DLC or call 303-860-7183.