Throwing Good Money After Bad

Trey Smith

Since 2000, unions have given over $700 million to Democrats — $45 million of it this year alone. What do they have to show for it? Imagine if they’d spent that sort of money, say, lobbying for single-payer day-in, day-out, everywhere.
~ from Walker’s Victory, Un-Sugar-Coated by Doug Henwood ~

In my two decades of working in third parties, the biggest frustration we faced every year was organized labor's unwillingness to think outside of the two-party box. Though the candidates we fielded were pro-labor and actually talked substantively about the issues that matter most to working people, the vast majority of labor unions ignored us. Rather than support a challenge to corporate politics, they continually throw good money after bad by supporting a Democratic Party that has left them behind.

Their rationale is that, if they don't support the Dems, they won't get a seat at the table. What they refuse to see is that in recent years the only seat their support secures is at the kiddie table, the one in a corner of the kitchen far away from where the "grownups" (corporate interests) are seated. While the "adults" are feted to a 5-course meal, they are told to be satisfied with cornmeal mush and a Popsicle for dessert!

If labor unions utilized their political dollars and sagging power on different strategies, maybe they'd meet with a better success rate than they do now. That they refuse to do much of anything other than what they've always done -- while expecting different results -- doesn't speak well of them.

Why won't they change course? Tomorrow morning I will look at one of the most glaring reasons (via Doug Henwood again).