Left-wing agenda

Unions, not necessarily workers, give to Democrats

OLYMPIA (Friday 7-7-00)--Evergreen Freedom Foundation investigators reveal 12 unions funneled a lot of worker paycheck dollars to Democrat causes and candidates in 1997 and 1998.

"It is possible that smaller, county parties received money from the unions which is not included in these totals. Of course, if all unions were included, the total would be much higher," said Jamie Lund, top investigator for EFF's Paycheck Protection Project.

Lund revealed union dollar tallies he uncovered:

• $1,900 International Association of Fire Fighters
• $110,135 International Association of Machinists
• $9,000 Int'l Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
• $41,600 International Brotherhood of Teamsters
• $500 Laborers Int'l Union of North America
• $3,170 Public School Employees
• $2,100 Service Employees Int'l Union
• $9,435 United Food & Commercial Workers
• $154,620 Washington Federation of State Employees
• $14,500 Washington Public Employees Association
• $7,275 Wash. St. Cncl of County, City Employees
• $174,760 Washington State Labor Council

"That's $528,995 TOTAL to Democrat party organizations from twelve unions," Lund said. "These funds are primarily derived from mandatory collective bargaining dues drawn from workers' paychecks."

Lund explained that, when given to a party, the funds leave the control of union officers and become the property of the Democrat party.

"Democrats have no obligation to use the money in union workers' best interest. Workers are not given a choice. The advantage to union officials is that giving to the party permits circumvention of contribution limits," Lund said.

For example, check out the crass cunning of Rep. Marlin Applewick, Chair of the House Democrat Campaign Committee. The Committee received a $1,000 check from the Electrical Workers in excess of the maximum limit.

Applewick returned the check and recommended that the IBEW send a contribution to a different Democratic Party PAC, the Truman Fund.

There is a downside for individual workers in all this Democrat skullduggery.

If a worker is conservative and hates what government schools are doing to his little boys--primarily through the devices of militant Democrat feminists--he still pays for the campaigns of left-wing feminist candidates and for laws such feminists want passed.

If a conservative worker wants to do away with the nanny state that increasingly strikes down individual liberties, part of his mandatory union dues still goes to Democrat candidates which couldn't care less about his liberties.

If a conservative worker would like to see less tax drain on his income, so that he could better provide for his family, part of his mandatory union dues still goes to Democrat candidates which gladly would tax him back into the stone age.

"I'd love to have the resources to do a thorough evaluation of just how much the Democrat Party depends upon the systematic civil rights violation of workers," Lund said.

After scrutinizing other union monkey business, Lund noted the National Education Association's war chest has swollen to a cool $7.5 million.

"This money was derived from new assessments on union members and will be used primarily to influence state elections," Lund said. Chances are good to excellent that not one of these dollars will go to elect a conservative or a libertarian.