The one question you need to ask yourself whenever the GOP is fighting for something
As Chris has been reporting, Michigan’s GOP is taking the thumping they received on November 6 as a sign they need to become even more extreme by pursuing privatization of schools and a “right to work” for less law.
In their effort to bust unions in the heart of union country, they’ve adopted the slogan “Freedom to Work,” which had previously been used by LGBT groups that actually were fighting for the freedom to work.
Why “right to work” for less? You can guess.
But in case you can’t, I’d like to introduce my Republican Litmus Test to be used whenever you’re wondering why the GOP is doing something. It came to me when I found out that the GOP in the Senate had blocked a disabilities treaty even though a former GOP candidate for Senate and GOP Leader had rolled to the floor of the Senate in his wheelchair to lobby for the treaty.
It turned out that the far right of the party was playing up an aspect of the treaty that Rick Santorum says could have led to the abortion or euthanization of his disabled daughter even though the treaty was modeled after a U.S. law signed by George H.W. Bush. This specious claim will now deprive disabled people around the basic access to education, health care and employment.
Hence: If you’re ever wondering why the GOP is fighting for something, use The GOP Litmus Test: Does it (a) help rich people or (b) spread abortion paranoia?
In the U.N. disability treaty, the answer is b.
For the “right to work” for less, the answer is a.
Here’s a simple chart from the AFL-CIO to explain why rich people want to break up union workplaces in Michigan and why workers will pay if they do.