Supreme Court clamping down on unions' political fundraising (top donors to the D party)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-supreme-court-clamping-down-on-unions-political-fundraising-20120621,0,6066157.story?track=rss


By Alana Semuels

June 21, 2012, 4:52 p.m.

The Supreme Court is putting increasing limits on unions’ abilities to raise political funds at the same time it is freeing corporations' ability to spend. That’s the argument being made by some academics after a Supreme Court decision Thursday that requires that nonmembers opt in to contribute to public employee union political fundraising, rather than opt out if they don't want to give.

“The court clings to the trope that the unions' political spending is somehow extraneous to the core services provided by the union to the represented employees. But political spending is perhaps even more important to unions than it is to corporations,” wrote Matt Bodie, a law professor at Saint Louis University, on a prominent law blog.

Political spending by corporations pays off big time, according to a study released by the Manhattan Institute earlier this week. Corporate political spending usually leads to lower taxes and more favorable legislation, the study found. So, Bodie argues, why shouldn’t unions have the same rights to spend as the corporations that often serve as their antagonists?

“Courts recognize the interest of corporations in protecting themselves in the political arena, and I think they need to extend the notion to unions,” he said. “If unions are going to be representing people, part of their duty is protecting the unions' rights and by extension, the employees’ rights.”


FULL story at link.

[hifiguy]

1. The fascism pie is nearly finished baking.

[spanone]

5. yup

[malaise]

7. Pretty muchbut remember they are always defeated n/t

[HopeHoops]

2. Can't the unions just incorporate as an LLC?

[Omaha Steve]

3. Nope

Unions can only work within the NLRB rules and regulations.

https://www.nlrb.gov/

I'm in a public union, so state law dictates what my union can and can't do.

OS

[HopeHoops]

6. Okay. That's really fucked up. Corporations are "people" but unions aren't.

Wouldn't it be nice to have a USSC that actually does what it is INTENDED to do?

[Bellerophon]

4. this ruling

Was the result of a union that rasoed the amount that was being deducted for political uses without the prior consent of thlse who had to pay.

As a union member myself I don't see anything wrong with the opt in way rasong money for political use.

Not all unions use member money for political uses anyways. Mine doesn't.