The Wall Street Journal editorial page today once again frets over the prospect of union "intimidation." In this case, "intimidation" turns out to mean the possibility that a union leader could give a speech criticizing corporations from pouring millions of dollars into electioneering:
When it comes to intimidating opponents before a fight, no one does it better than New Zealand's Haka tribe, whose members, googly-eyed, stomp their feet, stick out their tongues and bark at their opponents. AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka seems to have learned a thing or two about the technique.
Last Wednesday Mr. Trumka gave a speech at the National Press Club denouncing business groups that support pro-reform Governors, calling them "shadowy committees . . . aimed at depriving all workers—public and private sector—of the basic human right to form strong unions and bargain collectively to lift their lives." He then started foot stomping, naming Rupert Murdoch, CEO of News Corp., which owns this newspaper, and Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein as participants "in a committee formed to raise business funds to attack public employees." ...
As they've done in the past, unions and their allies will run millions of dollars in TV ads trying to stop Mr. Cuomo's reform efforts. Without business support for ads that counter this demagoguery, the unions might prevail once again.
I actually sympathize with the right's position on the particular issue of limiting public pensions. But the idea that it's "intimidation" to make a speech criticizing corporations who are spending money to influence public policy is laughable. the poor dears!