It's Time to Give Voters the Liberalism They Want

It is possible, I suppose, that the pundits are right and the public didn't really mean it when it elected a liberal Democrat president and gave Democrats even larger majorities in both houses of Congress. Maybe America really wants the same nice, reassuring, centrist thing as always.

But it is also possible that, for once, the public weighed the big issues and gave a clear verdict on the great economic questions of the last few decades. It is likely that we really do want universal health care and some measure of wealth-spreading, and even would like to see it become easier to organize a union in the workplace, however misguided such ideas may seem to the nation's institutions of higher carping.

That was the sense I got when I met last week with officers of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). Their mood was optimistic -- as well it should be, since labor unions spent some $450 million during the 2008 races, orchestrated massive voter outreach, and saw their candidates triumph.

What is coming, they believe, is not triangulation redux. This was, SEIU President Andy Stern told me, "a clear election not on small things." Mr. Obama "talked about what people wanted to hear about," as opposed to the culture wars. "We've redefined the center," Mr. Stern said. "Universal health care is now centrist."

Near the top of labor's agenda is the Employee Free Choice Act, a.k.a. "card check," the legislation that will make it easier for workers to form a union by signing cards instead of by secret ballot in the workplace. Mr. Obama was a co-sponsor of last year's version of the card-check bill and has vowed to sign it when it is finally passed by the incoming Congress.

Business interests, on the other hand, spent many millions in 2008 trying to make card check a liability for Democratic senate candidates. The strategy failed, and now they are gearing up in Washington for the coming confrontation, which one Chamber of Commerce official has already dubbed "Armageddon."

During the campaign, you will recall, the debate over card check was supposed to be about principle, about democracy, about the sacredness of the secret ballot. However, as I pointed out a few months ago, union-certification elections often don't meet the most basic democratic requirements. Supervisors routinely hold captive-audience meetings with workers in preparation for elections; management commonly threatens to close up shop if the union wins; antiunion employees are frequently rewarded and pro-union employees are sometimes fired.

So it may not surprise you to learn that democracy isn't really the main concern of card-check's opponents. It's unions themselves. Changing the rules will make it easier to organize them.

And more unions, in turn, means higher wages, better benefits, more say for workers in business decisions, and all that other awful stuff. If Wal-Mart employees get a union, it's a pretty fair bet they won't have to work after they've punched out.

Card check is about power. Management has it, workers don't, and business doesn't want that to change. Consider the remarks made by Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott at an analyst meeting on Oct. 28, when he was asked about the possible coming of card check: "We like driving the car and we're not going to give the steering wheel to anybody but us."

And hear the lamentations of the billionaires. "This is the demise of a civilization," moaned Bernie Marcus, cofounder and former CEO of The Home Depot, during an Oct. 17 conference call about card check. "This is how a civilization disappears. I'm sitting here as an elder statesman, and I'm watching this happen, and I don't believe it."

Mr. Marcus sketched out the doomsday scenario for his listeners, with unions going after what he called the "low hanging fruit" and proceeding to organize workers in industry after industry. He had taken it upon himself to notify the nation's CEOs of the danger, but they were not yet grabbing their guns. "This is as important as anything that's ever happened to these companies. And they're not reacting, and they're not fighting. The old time fighters are gone."

But in the class war, as in the real deal, there are always ways of motivating the yellow. "If a retailer has not gotten involved with this, if he has not spent money on this election, if he has not sent money to Norm Coleman and these other guys," Mr. Marcus said, apparently referring to Republican senators facing tough re-election fights, then those retailers "should be shot; should be thrown out of their goddamn jobs."

Mr. Marcus may snarl, but he doesn't bark. His is the voice of a business class rediscovering its ancestral zeal for combat. Liberals should take heed. If they thought the "Harry and Louise" campaign that sank Hillary Clinton's health-care reform was dirty, they should know they ain't seen nothing yet.

Thomas Frank's column, The Tilting Yard, appears every Wednesday at OpinionJournal.com

Also in Opinion Journal:

Rick Wagoner: Why GM Deserves Support

Martin Feldstein: How to Help People Whose Home Values Are Underwater

Comments

[sueinmn]

voting republican, why??? do people really thing they are voting for smaller government and less taxes? weve seen the last 8 yrs have been for big business. unfair trade agreements. the religious right want more religion for all. nothing like free choice there as long as you live by their book. repubs dont help the middle class or small business. tax loops are for the rich not the greater population. they fear unions as they have to share a little piece of the pie, with out they get most of the pie off your sweat and hard work. they begrudge you having any rights. my way or the hiway. they still remain having the right to set company policies but unions make them stand by them rather than change as the wind blows according to someones mood of the day. repubs just hae never been straight up.

[TheIndependenceParty]

At the moment the members of the Reich look and sound like the schoolyard bully, bleeding from his lip and nose, ... knees and cheeks skinned from the thrashing he just received. Finally rising from the ground he raises his bruised fist toward his conqueror, ... "Don't think I won't be back! This is my playground. You'll see. It's always been my playground! I'm coming back!" he says as he turns sheepishly and runs for the road home.

The crowd, ... in my scenario, cheers for the guy that knocked the bully's block off. It is amazing how the entire demeanor of a crowd, or a nation, can change when the bully gets his commeuppance. People are open to new possibilities rather than resigned to the status quo of living under threat.

[tbadger]

In light of the economic crisis that we are in, i think HR 676, the single-payer health care bill (Medicare+) is the bill we should support.  

here is why:

1.  all businesses and individuals could immediately stop paying premiums, which would put a lot of money back into circulation (spending).
2.  layoffs might be prevented and/or businesses could maybe start hiring,  since they don't have to pay for insurance.
3.  cities, states, and counties could start public works projects with the money they save on medical costs.
4.  schools and colleges would have more money for their systems.
5.  the payout for all of the medical bills for the federal government would be a large amount, but not as much as $700 billion, and it would be doled out as the bills come in,  not all at once.

For all of these reasons,  i believe this is the keystone move to getting all of our economy moving quickly. What if it were just made an executive order? i realize that it doesn't sound Constitutional, but W set the standard for shredding it.

[gloriousbeing]

I don't really know much about Unions, other than having worked for a short period of time in an auto factory, and what I see happening in my husband's job (nurse's union). It is interesting to methat, often in union jobs, those with the highest seniority don't do a lick of work. At my husband's job, they can quote their union contract right down to where every comma/period is, but raise a "stink" every time someone asks them to do something. They are complete and total "slackers" on the job and do shoddy work. When they do manage to get up off their butts, they whine, complain, have terrible attitudes, go out on "medical leave" (they know just how long they can be out, how many days they have to work when they do come back before they can go out on a "medical leave" again), and meanwhile, those with less seniority are busting their butts to pick up the slack from these "senior" employees. They know they are "protected" by the union contract/cannot be fired without a lengthy process, so how do you get people who are unionized to NOT do this? How do you keep workers from wanting more and more during contract negotiations (under threat of walking off the job)? Doesn't it create an atmosphere of "uping the ante" with each new contract? These are legitimate questions on my part so please, don't be snide if you answer -I am asking because I don't know.

[alliebabe]

I belonged to a union while I was working (I am now retired.), and we were nothing like what you describe. It's unfair to tar all union members with the same brush. While it's no doubt true that there are some slackers, I think the majority of union workers know that if their company fails, they fail with it.

Unions exist so that those who make the money for the bigwigs get their share of the pie. What a shame that the CEOs haven't figured out that a happy and secure worker makes for a happy and secure company. Those who make their big $$$ on the labor of their workers and plot in every way to make their $$$ even bigger while their workers get little eventually fall because their companies won't last forever.

[sueinmn]

Many of todays unions have adopted a code of honor. This is to clean out the garbage or toxic waste of unions. You always have a certain amount of lazy worthless people. any job union or not. union protection is not just protection. it helps keep fairness in the workplace, keeps dicrimination down, keeps the unfair boss from treating you unfairly and getting by with his assinine moods. it helps keep proper training and safety in the workplace. It maintains hours of work and overtime. determines holidays and time off whether personal or what company policies may be in place. It keeps osha somewhat on the legal sides of the law. they arte company oriented and almost always phone before a surprise visit. unions keep the employer as fair and honest as possible for your fair and continued employment. statistics show you generally have a better chance at earning a fair living wage. also men women, pays the same. Their are risks involved and the new card check will make it easier to form unions with out that time a company has to play games with you. they intimidate, fire and do what ever they want to scare you but in the end and you have a contract, they usually know where they stand. you also negotiate the means and ways of solving disputes properly instead of them just getting pissed and firing who they dissagree with.

[Canuck27]

If you are a billionaire and you are still fighting tooth and nail to make more money off the backs of people who struggle to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table then you are not greedy you are clinically insane and possibly evil.

[bubbuh]

"Universal health care is now centrist." Always has been in civilized countries. Managing it properly has always been and will always be the challenge.

[VikingQuest]

Considering we have $53+ trillion in unfunded liabilities in SS & Medicare already, I guess I don't see how we can afford this without collapsing very soon.

In order to pay for SS & Medicare these things must all be done today, wait a year and the numbers go up.

Increase Fed Income Taxes 74%
Increase Payroll Taxes 103%
Cut Fed Spending 115%
Cut Medicare & SS 47%

[bubbuh]

Virtually all other industrializrd nations afford it. And, contray to popular belief belief, a couple of dozen of them have better standards of living than we do, not to mention longer life expectancies.

[rwt1138]

Here's a thought: why don't we cut back our spending on war and weapons so we only spend, say, half as much as the other 95% of the world's population combined?

Or am I the only person in the country who thinks that 5% of the population of the world spending more than the other 95% combined makes us a little nutty and creepy?

[jfor]

Obviously your a glass half empty kind of viking.

[sanfranciscofeet]

It's the "demise of a civilization" "and I feel fine".

[Konnie]

if the election made one thing obvious its that we Americans, at least those of us who voted, want the Democrats to frame the arguments. Its all about who sets the rules, who asks the questions, and how they are asked. And its time for the big shots, the wingnuts, and high rollers to look in the mirror and admit they screwed up, killed the golden goose, and skulk off somewhere and hide. And the media should get a clue that they need to let them. Stop acting like the Republicans have the answers. That boat sailed. Stop asking their opinions. Stop giving credence to these failed talking heads.

We want universal health care/single payer. I guess my question is why doesn't business? Think of the money it would save them. Think of the thousands of older workers who are only working for the insurance, who could retire and free up those jobs for younger workers struggling to make ends meet. Think of GM right now. You would think that corporation, above all others, would be leading the parade for universal single payer insurance.

The rich and connected stacked the deck, and they won - and we lost. Its time for a new deck,
new dealers, and punishment for those who did the stacking.

[longtalldrink]

I couldn't agree more. But back to your question...why doesn't big business want Universal Healthcare? Anyone?

[VikingQuest]

Because there is no plan to pay for it yet and they are guessing that they will get hammered in my opinion.

[curly2]

Because of fear of the domino effect-- the idea that once Health Insurance is nationalized, airlines, car companies (whoops) and pharmaceuticals won't be far behind

[JulieSA]

The states with right-to-work laws and free trade policies are doing much better economically than the other ones.

For example, Texas, where more jobs were created in the last 12 months than all the other states COMBINED. Our houses are affordable, and still holding their value.

If we employed Obamanomics here, our living standard would deteriorate. Compare Michigan and Texas, compare their economic situations, and look at which parties runs those states. Businesses and people are stampeding to get here, and international trade is a huge part of the Texas economy.

Cause and effect. Just look at which states are growing and why.

[bwilder]

Texas can also boast a whopping 22% of children living below poverty level- ranks 9th in the US

Percent of all people living below poverty level 16.6%- 8th in the country.

Median Household Income $41k- ranks 31st out of 50 states.

Percentage of People 65 Years and Over Below Poverty Level 12.5% -8th in the country

Unemployment rate 5%- ranks 12th in the country

It's an oli state and that is the single biggest reason is is faring better in jobs
and real estate that most other states....the only reason.

[RadicalRuss]

"Growth" is far too simplistic measure of the effect of right-to-work laws. After all, the Bush Economy "grew" at times, not that any but the top 1% felt it grow. It's like people measuring the economy by the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

The fact is that wages and benefits for workers in the 22 right-to-work states are all lower than national average. Fatality rates for workers are higher. So, sure, if you pay non-union workers less than they are worth and don't mind if a couple die now and then, you too can experience more "growth" than your counterparts who treat workers like "person"-nel and not like disposable "human resources".

This doesn't even begin to address the differences in environmental protections between Texas and Michigan, or corporate tax structure, or that oil (Texas) has skyrocketed while car sales (Michigan) have dropped.

[boophus]

We in Oregon don't have right to work laws and we are doing fine. In fact, we have much lower levels of pollution then Texas by choice. We like our water clean and our birth defect levels to be held down. Texans don't care because being born without a brain isn't a handicap for them. Of course if you took away Texas Oil then they wouldn't be doing so fine. I was stationed in Texas when I served during the Vietnam era and it makes me shiver to think of racing to move there. Especially since they love thier anti-union and anti- laborer ideology with its disposable workers and poor.

[RS]

"For example, Texas, where more jobs were created in the last 12 months than all the other states COMBINED. "

"Cause and effect. Just look at which states are growing and why."


Is that so? Here's a question for you JulieSA--outside of Big Oil, where are most of those jobs being created? Wal-Mart? Do you realize how very easy it is for folks like you to shoot off your mouths when you know that you have virtual job security--that is, you know very well that your job CANNOT be duplicated overseas at dirt cheap wages? That is, you DO realize that you don't have to compete against overseas workers, don't you?

[nikto]

Bunk!

That's just more red-state BS.

The normally poorer red states depend on WELFARE from the more prosperous blue states.

That is a FACT.

Hey, Mr. Te-Has---You need a buck for a cup of coffee?

You know I'm good for it---I come from a blue state.

Don't worry, we'll help put food on YOUR family's table.

Seriously, BUT, I do have to...

LOL.

[mmerose]

What a great reality check, Mr Frank, both on recognizing what the vote was for, really, I mean, really, and in the caveat about the futile, knee-jerk, but richly funded paranoia of the ruling class.

One of the favorite exclamations of my mom, a true authoritarian personality devoted to Savage and Limbaugh, is disgust that the voters keep voting the same politicians back into Congress. She seems completely oblivious to the fact that the voters did just vote quite a few of the usual suspects out: only it was Republicans!

Incidentally, I quibble with Mr Stern that universal health care "just became mainstream." We the People have been demanding it by a substantial margin for a long time. Why should anyone think the the lobby/politician symbiosis will allow it to happen now?

[DrPaulProteus]

""This is the demise of a civilization," moaned Bernie Marcus, cofounder and former CEO of The Home Depot, during an Oct. 17 conference call about card check. "This is how a civilization disappears. I'm sitting here as an elder statesman, and I'm watching this happen, and I don't believe it.""

The civilization of the rich is disappearing, he means. Let's hope he's right, and from its ashes a new, more egalitarian civilization will be born, one that protects its middle class and pulls up the lower.

And thanks for all your work, Mr. Frank. Your latest book is a revelation and everyone here should read it.

[Bongborg]

What does it show about our civilization's state when the founder of a hardware and supply store considers himself an "elder statesman" of our culture?

[boophus]

This is same jerk who said retailers who don't vote republican shot be killed

[boophus]

substitute should for shot.

[sueinmn]

whats dissappearing is the middle class. the repubs are on a major push to break unions once again to finish off the middle class once and for all. Im union and will fight tooth and nail to remain.