Tea party members rallying at Ohio Statehouse on Thurs. Feb. 17, 2011 before attending the SB 5 Collective Bargaining hearing and visiting with representatives
Liberty minded organizations from across the state converged on the Ohio Statehouse yesterday to support collective bargaining reform, a change necessary to promote fiscal restraint and limited government in Ohio once again.
Many hard working public service workers used their own time and resources to attend these hearings as well, and we commend all of them for making full use of their first amendment rights.
Unfortunately for the taxpayers, the unions also made full-use of their structural advantage with Columbus-based headquarters, taxpayer paid attendance of workers, and bottomless bank accounts to fund their activities.
Why do I say structural advantage? Taxpayers fund these resources which the unions are using to protect their own political interests.
For example – did you know that the combined money from different arms of AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees) spent over $1.67 million in Ohio based lobbying efforts alone? The Ohio Education Association and Ohio Federation of teachers spent an additional $838K on Ohio based lobbying efforts – that’s over $2.5 million in tax payer money!!
This does not include contributions to campaigns, independent electioneering efforts, nor does it include the almost $3 million spent in Ohio based lobbying by private unions like SEIU, AFL-CIO and others.
Am I saying these groups shouldn’t be allowed to lobby or support chosen candidates – absolutely not. We all have the right to do this.
What I am saying is that in many instances our own tax dollars are going to support things which perpetuate a system everyone knows is broken. We are funding our own destruction!
If we look at the top 10 groups for lobbying expenditures in Ohio – you will see unions occupy the top 7 positions and account for $4.64 million of the top 10 total spend of $5.81 million. That’s almost 80% of the total spend from the top lobbying groups in Ohio coming from unions.
That remaining 20% is made up of the Wholesale Beer and Wine Association, Ohio Dental Association and Ohio Association of Realtors. These groups aren’t exactly “evil big business” interests we hear in talking points all the time.
So, the whole line about protecting the interest of “big business” and “rich people” goes out the door pretty quickly when you review the facts.
What is a painfully absent from the top ten list … and not even on the list … is a citizen lobby.
Who is defending the tax payer?
Who is begging our elected officials to stop?
Who is going to Columbus, not looking for a special handout, carve out or favor?
No one has for many years.
For now – it’s the tea party supporters who spent the day in Columbus. They are asking for nothing in return. They are simply asking to be left alone, to live their lives.
The average Ohioan works every day, carrying the load for all these programs and simply wants to be left alone. It’s a tremendous sacrifice for them attend a hearing or rally in Columbus. In the case of buses that tea party groups sent to Columbus – donations from tea party supporters were used to pay for those buses – not taxpayer dollars!!
For them – this fight is about saving the state of Ohio. It’s about saving the future for their children and grandchildren. Because, we can all want the greatest pay, benefits and job security in the world. But, when there isn’t enough money to make that happen – it just doesn’t matter what you want, it matters what is possible.
And, whether public service workers believe this or not, those tea party people are fighting for them too. Because – if we don’t fix the system, and end the one size fits all approach of collective bargaining, a much more painful day is coming. A day like Camden, New Jersey had in January where half of the entire police force was laid off.
So, I’d beg anyone who stands for common sense, who stands for teachers, firemen and police – for those who want good, efficient service from our government – call your senators and tell them to end the entitlement system and save Ohio. If not, we may wake up one day and find we’ve lost it all.
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