If this weren’t true, it would be funny in a Twilight Zone sort of way.  Instead, it makes an ironically appropriate post for Labor Day.

A mere 7% of American workers belong to a union, but just over half of that 7% (52%) are public-sector union workers.  Meaning, you and I are the ones paying their higher-than-private-sector salaries and benefits.

Out of those taxpayer-funded higher-than-private-sector salaries are paid the public-sector union worker’s dues.  Meaning, you and I are the ones paying the unions to represent them.

And the tax-payer supported unions are using dues to lobby for higher taxes.

Why?  So there is more money available to raise the already higher-than-private-sector salaries of the unionized public workers since growth of government is the only way unions are able to grow their membership these days (and thereby significantly enrich their organizers, all their bashing of “fat cat corporate executives” aside).

• Illinois. Unions want state lawmakers to increase the state income tax from 3 percent to 5 percent and to expand the sales tax to cover some services. In April 2010 they organized rallies of government workers outside the state capitol shouting “Raise my taxes! Raise my taxes! Raise my taxes!” At that rally, a government union member was caught on camera chanting “Where’s the money?” and “Give up the bucks!”
• Montana. The Montana teachers union openly sees itself as a supporter of tax and spend politics. Its President boasts, “Were it not for us almost any one of the … anti-tax and spend ballot issues proposed in the last 25 years would have passed.”
• New Mexico. Unions lobbied the state’s legislature to raise taxes to deal with its budget deficit. The union got its wish, but it was not the wealthy who paid – the legislature imposed a 2 percent sales tax on food.
• Washington state. Washington state has no income tax, and unions want to change that. They have placed an initiative on the November ballot creating a state income tax and are among the top donors to the campaign to pass it.

Any wonder politicians think the electorate are essentially stupid?