The Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Democratic Party

Found via the Tusk And Talon blog, a letter in the Quad City Times:

Gov. Culver’s recent proposal to steal money from non-union members is indicative of how two-faced the Democratic Party is in Iowa. Legislation designed to force employees to give money to unions they do not support seems to have nothing in common with the party that passed anti-bullying legislation for schools. Do we have a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Democratic Party?

On one hand they propose protecting people’s right to clean, smoke-free air and no name-calling at schools, and then propose to turn their heads as union thugs steal money from their workers in the parking lots and offices of their jobs. Maybe it is because the money is skimmed and given to said Democrats.

As for the Governor’s reason that “unions have to represent non-union employees when they’re fired,” so they should be forced to pay union dues, well, Governor, the unions got that responsibility when they won the right to negotiate all employees’ pay and retirement regardless of merit. As a former member of Teamsters Local 710 and supervisor of same membership, the ability to withhold dues is the only leverage members have on lifetime elected and appointed union officials.

Mark Riley, Davenport

The comments section is rather lively because Riley responds to critics in that forum.

Democrats are squandering their victory last November by this "Fair Share" (Orwellian doublespeak) crap, trying to enact endless tax increases, and also forcing 12 year old girls to become knowledgeable about the abortion pill. I'm surprised Chet Culver hasn't given the entire IPERS fund over to Tony Rezko to manage. Oh, but it was all about President Bush and the War in Iraq, right? No, it's a money and power grab happening right now. Look at how Dave Loebsack has put himself up for sale to the special interests.

The only thing some unions are doing right is to encourage enforcement of immigration laws in order to keep out wage-killing illegals. But even that is facing negative spin from the media.