Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Unions, Newspapers, Brainless Republicans and Blogger

Well I'd like to show the finished print of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird and Turkey Vulture but Blogger won't let me upload photos, though it does pretend that it is doing so. I'm not sure if this is a Blogger problem or perhaps instead a result of Windows updating to Version 10 without my permission yesterday.

In either case I can't upload photos, or more precisely I can't import them into my blog. So it seems an opportune time to mention something I've been thinking about.

Having been a member of a union during the many years that I worked at a newspaper I have some experience with them. And all in all I'd say that the average American is worse off due to their decline over the last 20 years or so. That's not to say that they didn't have their problems, including use of goons, violence with some of the more forceful unions, and most noticeable to me protecting members that really were only a burden on everyone else, both other union members and management. But all in all my experience was good. And I do have to wonder if there wouldn't be a healthier US middle class if they were stronger than they are.

The reason I'm even thinking about them is that in the case of most newspapers over the last 10-20 years both unions and management have actually, at least at times, had the good sense to drop the rhetoric and work together. The reason was simple: survival. Both sides knew that they were in trouble, with declining readers and more importantly declining advertising revenue. So, again within limits, they worked together for their own survival. They didn't try to blow themselves up.

And then there is The Freedom (From Intelligence) Caucus of the House Republican party. They don't seem to have common interest with anyone so nothing worries them, much as if newspapers and unions both held their ground and just stopped publishing. But they had the good sense to know that they'd die if they didn't publish. That good sense seems missing from The Freedom(From Intelligence) Caucus and its supporters. They make me think we must be the laughing stock of the world. I should add that I can't really say a whole lot for the Democrats either, but at least they are not trying to self-destruct.

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