Matt Yglesias says articulately what I've often thought: the political weaknesses of the American labor movement are a huge problem for the Democratic party and social democratic/progressive politics in America.
Two quick observations. First is my recurring surprise at the hostility to unions by otherwise down-the-line Democrat voting, liberals. I sometimes find myself in the odd position with liberal American friends of being far more conservative on economic policy (free trade, balanced government budgets, in favor of toll roads etc ...) but much more instinctively supportive of unions than they are.
The second is a New Statesman article from years ago which surely won't be online turns out to be online that argues:
... trade unions will only thrive when they regard their role as being member-focused service organisations, just like any other -- the AA and RAC [=AAA] of the modern labour market
Americans can be mighty fond of their somewhat collectivist, co-operative institutions like churches and AAA. Unions could do worse than looking at the successes of those organizations for ideas about gaining and keeping members.
Posted by robe0419 at July 5, 2005 6:24 PM