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The John Adams Society

Mark S. Sanquist
Chairman

Michael Katch
Secretary

G. Larry Colson, Jr.
Chief Whip

Susan Smith
Chancellor

April 2011

So we shall have the class-conscious political worker trading his vote not for the immediate objective of wages, hours and shop conditions, but for the power of his political labor boss.

- William Allen White

UNION MEMBERSHIP IS DOWN, a victim of the unions’ successes and excesses. Unions have driven some companies into bankruptcy, and others to move their jobs to right-to-work states or overseas. Labor’s plan for a comeback was to ban secret ballots in organizing elections. Having failed to get the ban by democratic means, they now seek the ban through regulation.

The bright spot for unions is the public sector, where they don’t face an adversary like they do in private sector. Governments don’t move their jobs to other states, and downsizing the labor force would be a scandal. Unions give campaign contributions and provide campaign volunteers to elect their stooges to office. Their program in office is to increase taxes, spend recklessly to buy more votes, and increase the power of government. All labor unions endanger freedom, and public employee unions are absolute enemies of freedom. We must ban unions!

on the other hand, what right do we have to deny anyone the right to organize into unions? Workers, even in the public sector, can still face unfair work conditions. In such cases, free people may find it in their interest to join forces for economic or political purposes. Can we deny them that right just because they are effective at it? That is just sour grapes because the anarchists are better organized than we are.

THE CHAIRMAN, threatened with a strike by the other officers, has called a debate to settle the question:

RESOLVED: Outlaw Unions

The Debate will be held on Wednesday, April 20, 2011 at the University Club, 420 Summit Avenue, in Saint Paul. The Chancellor will preside over drinks beginning at seven o'clock p.m. The debate will begin at half past seven. While there is no dress code for attendance, gentlemen who wish to speak must wear a tie; ladies should adhere to a similar sartorial standard. For those gentlemen who arrive tieless yet wish to speak, fret not: the Purveyor of Ties will keep on hand at least one of his quite remarkable ties for just such an eventuality. Questions about debate caucus procedures or about the John Adams Society itself may be directed to the Chairman at (952) 887-2553 or the Secretary at (612) 310-1582.

www.johnadamssociety.org