By BERRY CRAIG
AFT Local 1360
Conservatives should be glad truth-in-labeling laws don’t apply to them.
“Save our Pensions” is the latest GOP sleight-of-hand in Kentucky. It’s a slogan cooked up by a group that’s all in for Gov. Matt Bevin’s pension plan that shafts public employees.
The “Save our Pensions” bigwigs are the same folks who ran the “Kentucky Opportunity Coalition” in support of Sen. Mitch McConnell’s reelection three years ago.
By “opportunity,” the coalition really meant the chance for McConnell to con Kentuckians into re-electing him so he could continue to help himself and other millionaires get richer at the expense of the rest of us.
Plutocrats and the Republican politicians they bankroll have been faking the country off with phony slogans for years.
In the 1920s, they called their union-busting “open shop” drive the “American System.” The idea was to convince John and Jane Q. Citizen that unions were “un-American,” even communistic.
The “right to work” movement grew out of the open shop campaign. For good reason, unions call “right to work” the “right to work for less.”
Union-busters also push “paycheck protection” laws. Such laws make it harder for unions to collect dues through payroll deductions.
Meanwhile, President Trump wants to call his tax bill the “Cut, Cut, Cut Act.” It mostly trims tax bills for corporations and rich people like him. So “Cut, Cut, Cut for Billionaires, Millionaires and Big Business” is an accurate title.
Trump and the Republicans deify “free enterprise.” What they really mean is their freedom to make as much money they can by driving down wages. “Free enterprise” also means union free.
Here’s some more untruth in labeling:
“Americans for Prosperity” – wants an America of the rich, by the rich and for the rich. AFP promotes “trickle-down economics,” which is trickle-on economics.
“Club for Growth,” “Citizens United” and “Freedom Works” – see “Americans for Prosperity.”
“Faith and Freedom Foundation” — believes that “GOP” stands for “God’s Own Party” and tortures scripture to make greed righteous and capitalism God’s economic system. The FFF scorns unions and government regulations on business and industry as of the devil.