Disappearing Unions mean disappearing Wages.

Republicans rule by pure ideological theory, thinking whatever does go wrong can be explained by blaming outside liberal policies. And there will never come a time when Republicans won’t find some way to find, even create, something that sounds horribly liberal.

It works wonders for Republicans; they made failure and hard times a plus that gets them votes. That oddly makes their constituents end up resenting the actual victims of free market GOP policy.

Scott Walker even said the sharp bitter public divide over policy makes us better and stronger. He wasn’t kidding if you're a Republican trolling for votes and a lifetime in office.

Act 10 and right-to-work promises to feed the resentment and detachment people feel over government policy, keeping wages low or lower, all the while helping Republicans stay in power. The fact that wages are stagnant at the same time Republicans brag RTW is actually raising pay is all you need to know about the lack of critical thinking on the right. It's all BS.

The Economic Policy Institute’s latest report: “Union decline lowers wages of nonunion workers: The overlooked reason why wages are stuck and inequality is growing,” tells us what Democrats have been saying all along. "Key findings from our report include the following:"

1. For nonunion private-sector men, weekly wages would be an estimated 5 percent ($52) higher in 2013 if private-sector union density (the share of workers in similar industries and regions who are union members) remained at its 1979 level. For a year-round worker, this translates to an annual wage loss of $2,704. For the 40.2 million nonunion private-sector men the loss is equivalent to $2.1 billion fewer dollars in weekly paychecks, which represents an annual wage loss of $109 billion.

2. For nonunion private-sector men without a bachelor’s degree or more education (non–college graduates), weekly wages would be an estimated 8 percent ($58) higher in 2013 if union density remained at its 1979 levels. For a year-round worker, this translates to an annual wage loss of $3,016. As a benchmark, consider that the wage loss from increased trade with low-wage nations (Bivens 2013) among non–college graduates is estimated to be 5 percent.

3. For nonunion private-sector men with a high school diploma or less education, weekly wages would be an estimated 9 percent ($61) higher if union density remained at its 1979 levels. For a year-round worker, this translates to an annual wage loss of about $3,172.

4. For 32.9 million full-time nonunion women working in the private sector, weekly pay would be a total of $461 million more (and roughly $24.0 billion more per year) in 2013 if unions had remained as strong as they were in 1979.

5. Union decline has exacerbated wage inequality in the United States ... Earlier research (Western and Rosenfeld 2011) shows that union erosion can explain about one-third of the growth of wage inequality among men and about one-fifth of the growth of wage inequality among women from 1972 to 2007. 

6. At least for middle-wage men, the impact of the erosion of unions on the wages of both union and nonunion workers is likely the largest single factor underlying wage stagnation and wage inequality.

For everyone but Republicans, our vanishing union presence is bad news for a U.S. economy that is 70% dependent on consumer demand:

That presence has vanished throughout much of the private sector, rendering unions unable to exert the same political, economic, and cultural influence over the working lives of average Americans, union and not.

Here are a few easy to read charts, just click to enlarge:

Walker is aware the Nation can hear him lie, right?

Snuggle up on the sofa with steaming cup of hot cocoa, and bask in the warm glow of the (Pants on) fire. Tis the season for bigger, national sized lies from our sociopathic governor.

While Walker and his band of legislative Republican pirates insist a constitutional change allowing the State Supreme Court justices to vote every two years for a new chief justice brings true democracy to their workplace, that same kind of "democracy" doesn't apply to workers voting to unionize their workplace. Whatever "principled" rationalization is convenient at the time I suppose.

Unions are still the super villain holding down corporate dominance. They're so bad that Walker has the balls to compare unions to the Red Threat. But as pictured here, even the unions back then were squarely in the sights of the Soviet Union.

But as PolitiFact pointed out, Walker's play to the base is simply outrageous:

Five experts told us they had never heard of such documents. Several were incredulous at the notion. McCartin, a Georgetown University labor history expert who wrote the book about the strike that Walker cited, said: "I am not aware of any such documents.  If they did exist, I would love to see them."

Svetlana Savranskaya, director of Russia programs at the National Security Archive at George Washington University, told us she "had to listen to the Walker interview twice, so ridiculous is the statement about the air traffic controllers. There is absolutely no evidence of this." James Graham Wilson, a historian at the U.S. State Department, also told us he was not aware of any Soviet documents.
 Reagan's own ambassador to the Soviet Union, Jack Matlock, told us: "It's utter nonsense. There is no evidence of that whatever." Matlock questioned whether Soviet leaders even paid much attention to the firings, saying: "At that point, their big question was whether (Reagan) was going to attack them."

Walker cited no Soviet documents showing that the firings made the Soviets treat Reagan more seriously. And experts, several of whom felt Walker’s claim is outrageous, told us they are not aware that any such documents exist.

For a statement that is false and ridiculous, our rating is Pants on Fire.

Republicans Hate Unions? Joe Liebham says he loves 'em, noting: "News Flash: Trade Unions Donate to Republicans."

Rep. Joe Leibham, running for congress against Glenn Grothman and Duey Stroebel, wants to thank the unions for their money!!!

The Leibham magic spell?

The Trouble with Unions? Taxpayers don't actually fund Democratic campaigns, the union member does out of their wages. When Wisconsinites pay for private trade union services out of our hard earned cash, they end up ironically helping fund...Republican campaigns.

Public unions are bad because they fund Democrats; Private trade unions are good because they fund the Republicans. Oh, and throw in a few of the firefighter and police unions exempt from Act 10 while you're at it.

Liebham even broke it down for us. What a guy...:

Conservative Leaders and the Trade Union's Support:

•    FACT - It is true that the Laborers supported WI Republicans in 2012 and helped them win in an election that Wisconsin turned blue. For 2012, the Laborers also gave $5000 to Paul Ryan and $3000 to Sean Duffy.  You can also find multi-thousand donations to Paul Ryan in 2010,2008, 2006, 2004, 2002.

•    FACT - It is true that the Laborers have donated $300,000 to the RGA (Republican Governor Association) in the last two years. Thanks to donations like these, the RGA started this year with a surplus that is being applied to governor races like Scott Walker's.

•    FACT - It is true that the Laborers supported over 25 Republicans nationwide in the last cycle and helped them win federal elections.

•    FACT - It is also true that the Laborers support the Keystone Pipeline.  Along with the Republican Party, ALEC, AFP, and our primary opponents. LIUNA's support will be as critical to securing the Keystone Pipeline as a single congressman.  

•    FACT - It is also true that the Laborers support Walker's 2011 mining bill. LIUNA's support was important to securing the mine, and nearly all Republicans voted for that mine, including our primary opponents who didn't object to LIUNA back then.
 
•    FACT - It is also true that the Laborers now oppose Obamacare: “If the Affordable Care Act is not fixed, and it destroys the health and welfare funds that we have all fought for and stand for, then I believe it needs to be repealed,” said Terry O’Sullivan.

You gotta love those unions...the good ones.