Well, if the effort against democracy can't be stymied on the national level, you can count on Oregon's sock-puppet to come through for the unions which not only own him, but which effectively are now in charge of state government. Of course, it's hardly perfect:
House Bill 2891 enables majorities of public-sector workers to form new unions under Oregon's collective-bargaining law simply by signing cards, rather than holding elections.
The problem here is, obviously, that it only applies to government workers.
"Every time we put a union card in workers' hands, we are guaranteeing they are going to earn more money,have a better chance for health care and retirement in dignity, and a chance to restore the American dream for their children," said Tom Chamberlain, the president of the Oregon AFL-CIO and a former aide to the governor.
"My only regret is that we cannot have the same effect on private-sector workers in Oregon."
You bet they do regret that. The fact is that every time they put a union card into somebody's hands, they are guaranteeing that that worker will see an annual pay increase that is below the cost-of-living (unless they're members of the teacher's union). Workers may look forward to as much as a two-cent increase in pay on the dollar. And of course, they'll pay far more than that in increases to health-plan contributions. Oh, but let us not forget Union "dues". The nice thing, too, is that unions can take it straight out of the employees' paycheck, to the tune of $40, $50, $60 or more each month. Why, the employee will never miss that. Not when the union has "negotiated" a fat 2 cent-per-hour pay hike.
Of course the unions wish they could do the same in the private sector - that's be even more money pouring into the coffers so that they can support Democrat campaigns, 
"march" alongside illegal aliens while demanding "rights" for them (hey, it's a great recruiting tool!), and engage in any number of other activities that aren't supported by a majority of the "membership". This is the really cool thing about unions: it doesn't matter whether you want to be in one or not! They get a cut from your paycheck, to do essentially anything the "leadership" wants to do with it, and it doesn't matter how you, the worker, feel about it.
Now, you could attempt to organize a decertification - which would rid you of the union - but that's a long and arduous process. And it requires a secret ballot, so it's much harder to "lean" on the fence-sitters. What's really cool about the Kulongoski signing, though, is that in the case of public employees, unions don't have to bother with old-fashioned ideas like a ballot box and anonymous voting. Nope, by signing a card, they can immediately identify who their "friends" and "enemies" are. Is Teddy a visionary leader, or what? The fact that his vision is stuck in the 1930's or 1940's is really sort of irrelevant. Of course, Teddy himself is irrelevant.
If you don't believe that your best interests are being served as a union member - it doesn't matter. They're going to do what they're going to do. If it works for you, then great. If not - suck it up. Your money's just going to keep rolling in, anyway.
NOTE: I am, as it happens, sort of represented by a union. It's not a desire, it simply is the case.
Unions: shining beacons of democracy in action.
