President Obama -2/17/2011
"Some of what I've heard coming out of Wisconsin, where they're just making it harder for public employees to collectively bargain generally, seems like more of an assault on unions," Obama told a Milwaukee television reporter, taking the unusual step of inviting a local station into the White House for a sit-down interview. "I think everybody's got to make some adjustments, but I think it's also important to recognize that public employees make enormous contributions to our states and our citizens."
Unfortunately, Republicans are only closely replicate his policies, and doing what a good negotiator would do, asking for more...
President Obama - 11/29/2010
And today I’m proposing a two-year pay freeze for all civilian federal workers. This would save $2 billion over the rest of this fiscal year and $28 billion in cumulative savings over the next five years. And I want to be clear:
I did not reach this decision easily. This is not just a line item on a federal ledger. These are people’s lives. They’re doctors and nurses who care for our veterans; scientists who search for better treatments and cures; men and women who care for our national parks and secure our borders and our skies; Americans who see that the Social Security checks get out on time, who make sure that scholarships comes through, who devote themselves to our safety. They’re patriots who love their country and often make many sacrifices to serve their country.
In these challenging times, we want the best and brightest to join and make a difference. But these are also times where all of us are called on to make some sacrifices. And I’m asking civil servants to do what they’ve always done -- play their part.
Now of course collective bargaining wasn't on the table. But the difference between Democrats and Republicans is Republicans try for as much as possible in negotiations. Democrats just negotiate with themselves and independently throw their constituencies under the bus.
And now the chickens are coming home to roost. At least the President takes a stand on basic union rights, but he has to be held to account for being the first to decide shared sacrifice means public employees mean less than his more wealthy constituents in dire need of a tax cut.
This Administration is clearly not a friend of unions. They are just better than the Republicans who want to bust them.
A word to the wise...don't rely on the President or Democrats to protect unions. In this case, unions, workers and the middle class have to stand up for themselves. Let's be perfectly clear, if collective bargaining rights is the floor, the fat lady is tuning up.
Well played Republicans and New Democrats...