Republicans & Unions – They Go Together Like Donald Trump & Science
By J.R. Boyd
“I wonder how many times you have to be hit on the head before you find out who’s hitting you? It’s about time that the people of America realized what the Republicans have been doing to them.”
— Pres. Harry S. Truman
This article was originally published earlier this year in the Kansas City Labor Beacon, while the Missouri legislative session was in full swing and the effects of the pandemic were not fully understood. Since that time, COVID-19 had completely changed everyone’s lives and the political landscape along with it. I had originally suggested that 2020 was “going to be a pivotal year for organized labor” and such remains true as we enter the final two weeks before 11/3/20, a day I hope is remembered as #864511320. I continue to stand by my original comments and ask those of you who are dead-set on voting for failed Republican leadership both nationally and in Missouri, to strongly consider how you are willfully holding the hammer that continues to hit you in the head.
I previously asked the readers of the article how they could not realize that the Republican party they continue to empower, was doing everything it could to destroy their respective unions? It’s time that folks within the labor community start yelling that they are sick and tired of the constant barrage of anti-family/anti-union legislation that most of Missouri’s Republican lawmakers continue to peddle, year after year, in both the Missouri House and Senate chambers. This editorial is very clear. You can’t be both a union member AND support Republican politicians who are hell-bent on destroying organized labor.
Several years ago, the Labor Beacon published an article in its 8/31/12 edition, titled “Why Do Union Members Vote For Republicans?” It’s hard to fathom, that 8 years later, this continues to be a phenomenon that remains unanswered within the labor community. In the January 10, 2020 issue of the Labor Beacon, there was an article regarding worker misclassification and how ‘gig economy’ employers such as Uber and/Lyft were fighting legislation which bans such misclassification. The issue is whether workers are independent contractors or employees of these companies. Should those workers be protected under state law? Should they have the ability to organize and seek other benefits that traditional employers afford their employees? Why would we care about what happens in other states, including California, a state that is frequently portrayed by right-wing pundits as a land of coastal elites who are far-removed from the reality of the flyover states? Well that, my friends, is readily apparent if you look at the legislation that was filed during the 2020 legislative session in Missouri. If there’s any doubt in your mind that most Republican legislators aren’t out to destroy organized labor and in turn, your family’s security, let’s look back at the highlights of what was filed in the Missouri Legislature in 2020, seeking to accomplish just that*:
* In light of the coronavirus pandemic, nearly all this legislation failed to make it to a committee hearing, let alone a vote. However, do not be lulled into a sense of complacency or relief—anything not passing this year will certainly be re-filed in 2021, again seeking to destroy organized labor, all courtesy of the Missouri GOP.
The above was by no means an exhaustive listing, rather, it was simply the tip of the iceberg. It was worker misclassification; further attacks on prevailing wage; more paycheck deception; attacking judicial independence; more Right-to-Work (For Less) legislation; weakening the workers’ compensation laws; restricting initiative petitions in favor of Republicans. What do these things all have in common? These are bills which continue to be filed by REPUBLICAN senators and representatives in Missouri.
Consider for a moment that the Clean Missouri amendment passed by an overwhelming majority of Missouri voters in 2018 (62% to 38%). Those voters were Republicans, Democrats and independent voters alike. It was recognized by everyday Missourians that something needed to be done to prevent the type of lobbying that controls Jefferson City’s politicians. Missouri voters recognized that a handful of people in Missouri (primarily one in St. Louis and one in the Joplin area), were donating tens of millions of dollars to influence Jefferson City policy to favor themselves, their businesses, and the interests of the Missouri Chamber of Commerce. As well, there continues to be millions of dollars of untraceable ‘dark money’ pumped into Republican coffers in Missouri—money which frequently comes from out-of-state Republican mega-donors who are intent on destroying organized labor. Missouri voters also dared to demand that no political party would be given an unfair advantage when new legislative district maps are re-drawn after the 2020 census. Consider the outcome had Clean Missouri been rejected by the same margin it passed – Republicans would be praising you for your rejection of the measure. Why is it then, that Republicans filed legislation to specifically undermine the outcome of the Clean Missouri amendment? Their actions demonstrate that they neither respect the will of the people of Missouri nor appreciate having the scales balanced to allow fairness in the political process. REMEMBER – VOTE NO ON 3 – it was written by clowns in Jefferson City to keep the political circus weighted in their favor.
Every year for the last several years, as indisputable facts demonstrate, the overwhelming majority of the members of the Missouri Republican Party continue to do everything in their power to try and destroy your livelihood and the ability for each of you to provide a sustainable income for you and your families. Mind you, not all Republicans agree with the wholesale attack upon unions, and there are indeed friendly Republicans in this State. Those friendly Republicans, though, are soon to be extinct, given the way #45 has fully destroyed any semblance of what was once a respected political party in the U.S.
Let me be clear—NONE of this anti-worker/anti-labor/anti-family legislation was proposed by any member within the Democrat party. None of the listed legislation was proposed by any Missouri Democrats. The annual ‘let’s kill the unions’ legislation continues to be filed by one party alone—REPUBLICANS.
I point this out because it seems to be the enormous ‘pink elephant’ in the room that no one wants to discuss out loud or admit even exists. Within the organized labor ranks, there are numerous individuals who continue to vote a straight Republican ticket, and are in turn, voting against the very existence of the labor movement that is providing financial security for these members and their families. These union members continue to vote into office, the very people who are dedicated to destroying organized labor across the State of Missouri. The ‘why’ is something that I cannot answer but having watched our country descend into chaos since the 2016 national election, I suspect that it comes back to the “GAG” rule -- ‘guns-abortion-gays’. These three topics stir up the Republican base and are issues for which the Republican party will never seek any solution or compromise. To do so would eliminate their ability to spur voting at the ballot box. The Republicans have had their majority since 2005, yet they choose not to address those issues until it is election time. They throw out the ‘red meat’ to get people to the ballot and then forget about the issues until it’s election time.
For those who are passionate about their #2A rights, it seems that those same people tend to forget about the other 26 Amendments in the US Constitution and more importantly, those specifically within the ‘Bill of Rights.’ We are given protections for freedom of speech; the free exercise of religion; freedom to assemble; freedom of the press (that’s a story for another article); due process; prohibiting self-incrimination; the right to trial by jury; prohibitions against cruel and unusual punishment; etc. Where are these #2A folks when their rights to trial by jury are being whittled away by Republicans? Where are the #2A folks when so-called evangelicals within the #45 administration are seeking to impose their bigoted religious views upon American citizens, when the Constitution calls for no laws “respecting an establishment of religion’? Where are the #2A folks when Republicans are passing paycheck deception/anti-union bills? There is utter silence, and no explanation is offered by these union members.
As to guns, I too am a gun owner who owns shotguns, ‘deer’ rifles, pistols, and even a dreaded AR. As well, I do NOT belong to the NRA, as I believe that organization is entirely corrupt and does not represent my values or beliefs with respect to reasonable and responsible gun ownership. As a gun owner myself and a man who has hunted for 35 years of my 51 years on Earth, I’ve never lost a single second of sleep over the threat of having my rifles, shotguns, pistols, etc., taken from me by federal agents in black tactical gear, who descended onto my property from hovering Blackhawk helicopters.
This op-ed is going to upset many of you who are Republican supporters. I won’t apologize, because the time for political nicety or avoiding discussion of this issue can no longer go unaddressed. Missouri Democrats did not file legislation in 2020 to pass right-to-work (for less) laws; Democrats didn’t file legislation to strangle the life out of organized labor; Democrats didn’t file legislation to allow employers the ability to misclassify employees and avoid paying state/federal government taxes; Democrats didn’t file legislation that completely politicizes the workers’ compensation system against injured workers; Democrats didn’t file legislation to end PLA’s; Democrats didn’t file legislation to eliminate coverage for pre-existing health conditions. REPUBLICANS, dear reader, are the guilty party.
I will close with the following observations. While there are ‘some’ Republicans who are willing to buck their party, the reality is that in this day and age where ‘heads on pikes’ retaliation by ‘45’ is the norm, those friendly Republicans who support labor, will soon become extinct. Whether you choose to accept this reality or not, just remember that the ballot box is the only way to turn the tide against a Republican party that is hell-bent on the destruction of your way of life. If you choose to vote Republican, that’s certainly your right. However, if unions and organized labor are neutered by Republican politicians, how do you propose you maintain your standard of living, pay for your children’s college education, the food on your table, your mortgage, your utilities and other bills? If your unions have been decimated, are you going to have to sell all those precious weapons in your hoard, that you clung to more tightly than you did the preservation of your union? The upcoming November 2020 election is pivotal, and you have a chance to make a meaningful and positive change for organized labor and your families. Will you vote as you know you should, or you will continue to get whacked in the head by the Republican party wielding the hammer? November 3rd is almost here. Will you vote to protect your livelihood, or will you vote to dismantle your ability to provide for your family?
Let’s be candid -- President Truman was right.