Wisconsin and California: Big labor on the decline

Most of America is aware of what happened in Wisconsin. Governor Walker’s recall win was about balancing budgets and keeping care of the public treasury. Wisconsin is not the only place that happened last night.

California voters also screamed out to unions “this far and no further”. In San Diego, voters approved by wide margin (69-31%) cuts to city pensions and San Jose voters accepted (71-30%) a measure that would force city workers to either pay more into their pensions or accept more moderate benefits.

In both cases, perhaps the voters are fed up with overly-rich benefits eating up taxpayer money. Retiring at 50 or 55 then double-dipping at the cost of the taxpayer is no longer acceptable.

What could be more disconcerting for the Obama camp is whether the unions have overspent in these losses giving them less money to spend on the presidential re-election. Big labor may also be less willing to organize considering the lack of enthusiasm the White House exuded in dealing with the Wisconsin race. Obama’s only act was to tweet Mayor Barrett the night before the election.

So while the talking heads are telling America that the major reason the recall failed was the Wisconsin was tired of the politics and just wanted it to be over .. think about that. Wouldn’t the recall be just as over if the union-enslaved Democrats had won? Where was the recall exhaustion when San Jose and San Diego voted for reforms similar to Governor Walkers?

This election was about fiscal sanity and realistic choices.  It would seem that more Americans have decided that Utopia, unicorns and progressive success are very similar. They just don’t exist – except in fairy tales.