Categories:
Politics and Economics
The Washington Post editorializes,
In other localities, officials have taken a more matter-of-fact approach to painful cost-cutting, including layoffs, furloughs and salary freezes. In Montgomery, where unions boast openly about their ability to install and remove the very elected officials who set union members’ salaries, politicians feel they must tiptoe so as not to provoke the county’s dyspeptic labor leaders.
Read the whole thing.
You can see where I might have a decidedly pessimistic view of democracy. The “median voter” model does not apply here, unless the median voter is an official of the teachers’ union. Not even the Post could countenance a Republican on the County Council. They count on the one-party state to police itself.
READER COMMENTS
David S.
Nov 28 2010 at 12:51pm
The last hope for Montgomery County is that the parasite may be intelligent enough to realize that killing its host is counterproductive in the long run. Just like taxation, there is an optimal value for rent-seeking above which the revenue is going to actually decline.
I wouldn’t be on it, but I do think there is some possibility of a more moderate outcome than one would otherwise expect.
R Richard Schweitzer
Nov 28 2010 at 4:25pm
As a reluctant (and dissatisfied in MA) ex-pat from FFX Cty, I recommend moving out of Montgomery Cty – NOW, whilst the opportunity for little loss is available. MD is not totally hospitable, but there are still areas where some balance can be attained. And, there is VA if you are glued to DC or GMU.
Zac Gochenour
Nov 28 2010 at 7:44pm
So Arnold, are you saying you think the median voter opposes teachers’ unions and their demands? If he is ignorant of the unions and their power, do you think he would oppose the teachers’ union if he found out?
I’d guess the median voter is either getting basically what he wants or close to it when it comes to the handling of teacher unions; if anything, he probably prefers the government do more for the teachers’ union.
jorod
Nov 29 2010 at 4:03pm
That’s why we need term limits..get rid of professional politicians who their careers to labor.
Unit
Nov 29 2010 at 9:13pm
Montgomery, No County For Young Men.
Comments are closed.