PHOTOS, PAGE 1

       Editor and prime reporter is Doug Terry, a veteran television and radio reporter in   Washington, DC, (details below)

OFF YEAR ELECTIONS PRODUCE SOME INTERESTING RESULTS

Tuesday night (11.8.11) was a very big night for Democrats, unions and, perhaps, sanity. The Republicans failed to take control of both Houses of the Virginia legislature. The anti-public workers union efforts of the Republicans were turned down, and back, flat in Ohio. The voters of Mississippi, not known for their progressive views or moderation in such matters, decided not to mess up their laws by saying that a person is formed at the moment a child is conceived.

Perhaps the biggest victory for Dems and unions was Ohio. With the victories in Wisconsin in taking away most of the powers of the public workers unions and the anti-union stance of their hero Chris Cristry in New Jersey, the Republicans believed they were on a roll. With Americans suffering from a long recession and a bare recovery, what better time to argue that unions of public workers represent an unfair advantage in getting pay and benefit increases?

The anti-union effort makes no attempt to criticize the huge pay and bonuses that CEOs and other executives get. That’s just fine. But the pensions and other benefits of public workers have been under relentless attack. Well, that’s one thing, but taking away the right of unions to negotiate would pretty well settle the issue for the future. The voters of Ohio said no to the anti-union efforts.

Certainly, a strong argument can be made that public worker’s unions have gotten too good a deal, one that cannot be matched by private employers. Regardless of what arrangements are negotiated, the bill for pensions and health benefits still has to be paid. Taking away the right to negotiate, however, would effectively end the unions and put virtually all of the power in the equation in the hands of the governors and legislatures.

The other big action, in Mississippi means a big defeat for yet another attempt to end abortion,  but, more importantly, the law, if it had been passed, would have meant major complications, including the possibility of making invitro fertilization illegal. It would have also outlawed abortions in the case of incest and rape, something that most people don’t want. In short, the Mississippi constitutional amendment was bad law, a law that could harm many segments of society in an attempt to stop one practice that supporters believe is bad. Regardless of one’s position in abortion, using broadly defined legal standards would muck up the situation in ways that could not be fully foreseen.

The vote in Virginia, in spite of huge spending by Republicans, could mean that the voters aren’t quite as angry and indiscriminate as many commentators might imagine. The future for Dems is certainly not rosy, but, perhaps, they are not facing quite the disaster ahead that some have predicted.

Doug Terry

11.9.11 

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