Propositon 75, Paycheck Protection and Unions -- Point and Counterpoint

Recently I published an article on GoArticles.com titled CA Proposition 75 Paycheck Protection Act, An Analysis. I posted the same article on my blog http://www.AsphaltAdventist.Blogspot.com. I got comments in response to this article on my blog and I thought it important to post those comments, and my rejoinders here in GoArticles.com. Here we go: 1. Anonymous said... There's a big difference between "opt out" and "opt in" - and you know that. Also, the cases you cite affect only non-public unions, therefore not applicable. 11:52 AM 2. Jarrod J. Williamson, Ph.D. said... Both U.S. Supreme Court cases Abood v. Detroit Board of Education and Chicago Teachers Union v. Hudson are public employee unions. Also, Arnold's website, JoinArnold.com, claims: Proposition 75, also known as "Paycheck Protection," gives workers the right to choose whether or not union dues money from their paychecks should be used for political purposes. However, the U.S. Supreme Court has already repeatedly decided this. Both public and private union members and agency fee payers can opt out anytime they wish. 12:12 PM 3. Anonymous said... They could, but the unions just lie about their spending, claiming that allowing full time staff members to work on campaigns on work time is union business, not campaigning. In most cases anyone who files to opt out will find themselves intimidated by thugs and only relieved of $2 to 3 a month in payments. The fraud by the unions in this area is widespread. The Dems in congress blcoked a plan to allow the DOL to investigate. 5:24 PM 4. Jarrod J. Williamson, Ph.D. said... First, thank you for admitting you were wrong about the Supreme Court decisions only affecting private employee unions. The Court clearly covered both private and public employee unions. Second, the Court clearly stipulated that the unions must account for and prove they did not use union dues for political purposes against the dissenter's wishes. If someone, anyone, violates a Supreme Court decision (e.g., "they just lie about their spending"), it is cause for legal action in the courts. It is not cause for a lie of a proposition, i.e., Proposition 75. The Governor's website, JoinArnold.com claims, Proposition 75, also known as "Paycheck Protection," gives workers the right to choose whether or not union dues money from their paychecks should be used for political purposes. (Bold emphasis added.) This of course is a bald-faced lie, as clearly demonstrated by the Court decisions. If the unions allegedly "just lie about their spending" under a series of U.S. Supreme Court decisions, Proposition 75 won't change it. I say this not to give creedence to your claim, but to demonstrate the facetious nature of you claim. In addition, you said "in most cases anyone who files to opt out will find themselves intimdated by thugs and only relieved of $2 to 3 a month in payments." Because I am a sincere Seventh-Day Adventist, I completely opted out of the union and was not an agency fee payer for four years. My "dues" never went to the union, but went to the American Cancer Society. I never had a "thug" bother me once. In addition, your statement above is an admission that we can already opt out. So why the lie of Prop. 75? I find it fascinating that the Prop. 75 proponents initially say Prop. 75 gives workers the right to choose whether or not union dues money from their paychecks should be used for political purposes, yet when confronted with the facts, they change their story completely and their response (like yours) is invariably an admission that Prop. 75 is a fraud. Why don't you just be honest about it and say something like the following, "We think the unions are really bad things for the following reaons (reasons listed here) and we want to cripple the unions. Hence, please vote for the following bill." Don't you find it a little bit disturbing that you have to lie and deceive to get your proposition? It is one thing to believe a lie, it is a whole other thing to know it's a lie and still try to believe it. The Apostle Paul commented on this basic idea when he said, Rom 1:18-23 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hinder the truth in unrighteousness; because that which is known of God is manifest in them; for God manifested it unto them. For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse: because that, knowing God, they glorified him not as God, neither gave thanks; but became vain in their reasonings, and their senseless heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. In other words, they knew exactly who God is, and still choose to worship what they knew to be a lie anyway. It's one thing to be wrong, it is a whole other thing to be wrong on purpose! 9:57 PM