The Danger of Progressive Republicans

A lot of people will give progressive--or at least moderate--Republicans a break. They'll look at the extremist policies of the national GOP and say, "Well, at least they aren't that bad." This weekend, I learned why moderate and progressive Republicans are bad. It's because, at their core, they are still Republicans.

I was visiting New York on the eve of the largest transit strike in 25 years. The grossly mismanaged MTA is in a brutal fight with the TWU. The TWU, desperate to negotiate, was ignored by the MTA. It's chairman didn't show up to the bargaining table until after the last deadlines had passed. What did the MTA know that felt they could be so arrogant? They knew that New York--the city and the state--are under the charge of Republicans. And Republicans hate unions.

Gov. Pataki was quick to call any potential strike illegal and the TWU criminals. Unfortunately, he was right. While masquerading as socially-progressive, fiscally-conservative Republicans, the GOP in New York has successfully created one of the most hostile environments for labor. In New York, public employees can't strike. When a union can't strike, they have very little power.

I know a lot of people that look positively upon Pro-Choice, Pro-Gay, Pro-Gun Control Republicans as ideological friends of progressives. Don't be fooled. They may tout their progressive and more moderate positions to get them elected in a blue state (see NY's Pataki and Bloomberg, MA's Romney, CA's Schwarzenegger), but they'll sell out those values the first time business interests ask. Sometimes, they'll screw the unions for sport!

So today, a NY judge levied a $1 million-a-day fine against the TWU. The workers, essentially, have not right to collective bargaining. They should be expected to accept the unilateral demands of the MTA. And New York Democrats that vote for these guys should be hiding their heads in shame. At least in California we caught on fast, ask Schwarzenegger.