Instead Of Complaining, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Should Be Thankful

Yes, I'm still irked at the insult put up by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel over the weekend.  To refresh the reader's memory, or to inform the new readers, this past Sunday, the local newspaper printed an editorial which complained that today's recall elections as "unnecessary" and "expensive."

But instead of sitting there being bitter and snide, they should be falling to their knees and thanking whatever God or gods they worship that we are doing the recalls.

After all, it could be so very much worse.

We're not having the riots that they are having throughout England, where buildings are being burned and peoples' lives are in danger.

Heck, we're not even using the treasonous, backdoor Machiavellian trickery that the Republicans are using.

Instead, we are acting like true Wisconsinites - straightforward and unrelenting and upright - and following the letter of the law in order to start righting the wrongs that the Republicans have foisted upon us.

The fact that this piece of corporate media trash would even mewl about Wisconsinites exercising their legal rights, as is guaranteed in the Constitution, only re-emphasizes the fact that we should avoid giving them one red cent of our money and for the need for an honest, trust-worthy news source here in the Milwaukee area.

And then they wonder why some people are calling for the restoration of the Fairness Doctrine.

Mike Tate On Recall Tuesday's Elections

Directly for the WISDEMS press release, DPW Chair Mike Tate on Tuesday's historic elections:

Tomorrow, playing on Republican turf, the movement against Scott Walker's extreme agenda will make history in unprecedented recall elections that have never been seen in this nation’s history.

In size and scope and consequence, the recall movement will represent a historic correction to Republican overreach, and makes Wisconsin “Where 2012 is Now.”

The movement began earlier this year when 180,000 citizens-Republicans, independents and Democrats-braved harsh winter weather in primarily strong GOP districts to recall six Republican senators who slavishly followed Scott Walker. These Republican senators stopped listening to the people as they pursued a radical plan that was revealed only AFTER last November’s election.

The original spark for the movement was Walker’s move to without warning and without need take away the rights of working men and women. Wisconsin came to understand just what Scott Walker meant when he dropped what he called “the bomb” on the head of the state’s middle class.

But that was just the first egregious example of the radical, fringe agenda that fueled the recall against the six entrenched Republicans on their turf. These Republicans cut education by $1.6 billion; raised taxes on seniors and working families; cut health care for women, seniors, children and families.

These entrenched GOP incumbents are also being recalled because they contributed to Scott Walker’s culture of division, where they advanced power-grabbing measures such as the unprecedented redistricting plan, instead of focusing on jobs.

And they did all of this while giving about $2 billion in massive tax giveaways to big corporations that ship Wisconsin jobs overseas, and to the superrich.

The out-of-state special interests that supported Scott Walker in November have returned to protect their investment with a massive spending spree, illegally coordinated and ethically rotten, much as the Republican effort to recall Democratic senators was marked by thousands of instances of acknowledged fraud.

The bad acts in the closing days are a measure of the desperation of Republicans, but which we will counter with a strong slate of candidates – including five strong Democratic women – as well as a get-out-the-vote operation the likes of which Wisconsin never has seen.

This past weekend alone, an overflow army of some 8,234 volunteers made 784,374 contacts with Wisconsin voters. This brings the number of contacts with Wisconsin voters to about 2.21 million.

While the odds have always been stacked long against us and the recall movement is fighting on Scott Walker’s turf, here's why Democrats win back the state Senate on Tuesday and make history:

• The deep opposition to the Scott Walker agenda and his assault on core Wisconsin values;
• A massive mobilization of grassroots resources that in the dead of summer resembles a presidential election year in late fall;
• The strength of our candidates, a diverse group of people dedicated to their communities. A teacher, a nurse, a small business owner, a forester, a proven executive, and a longtime advocate for her community are going up against mindless rubberstamps for Walker's extreme agenda. The Democratic field also features five women out of six races.
• The power of our message that emphasizes Wisconsin’s best values, and is clearly resonating with the Wisconsin electorate offended and surprised by the radical Walker agenda.
• Polling. In at least four of the recall elections, Democrats either lead or trail just slightly-by margins that our massive and unparalleled field program will close on Election Day.

And unlike the Republicans, who have been forced to write off entirely at least one recall election, Democrats are playing in all six contests -- all of which are GOP districts.

On, Wisconsin.

Alberta Darling And The Chamber Of Lockstep Puppet Senators

Another video from Bryan Bliss, this one with a Harry Potter theme:



I like it, but it did leave me wanting more. Maybe something like a girl throwing water on Darling and watching her melt.

Oh, wait, that was a different movie, wasn't it?

Important Things For Wisconsinites To Do On Tuesday, Recall Day

And I'm not just meaning wishing me a Happy Birthday.

Unless you've been living under a rock or listening to talk radio, but I repeat myself, Tuesday, August 9th is Recall Day when the working, freedom-loving people of Wisconsin claim our state, our rights and our freedom back from those that would sell us like so much chattel.

First, if you're in one of the six districts, go out and vote, dammit!  If you like jobs fleeing the state, and the jobs that do remain paying less and less, or if you like not having any civil rights (or really any rights at all), and if you like being in debt the rest of your life, by all means, please vote Republican.

However, if you feel that you should be treated with respect, if everyone should be treated with compassion and respect, if you like working and being able to keep a roof over your head and food on your plate, if you think our kids deserve a decent education, that our vulnerable need our support, then please help reclaim our state by voting Democrat.  It's that simple, really.

If you don't know where to vote, you can find that information by clicking here.  And yes, you can still vote without an ID and you can still same-day register.

If you know someone who lives in one of those districts, give them a friendly reminder to get out and vote.  To make it even easier on you, you can click here and use the handy-dandy "Friend out the vote" page.

It's also not too late to help get out the vote, both for tomorrow and for next Tuesday, August 16, when we defend the two Democratic seats from the marauding teahadists.  To learn where to volunteer and to sign up for a shift or three, you can visit this page.

Lastly, AFSCME is holding a conference call on Thursday night to discuss the elections, good or bad, and what it means for us, the everyday, working and thinking people.  You can sign up to get called for the conference call and submit questions in advance and it appears to be open to the public.  The sign up page can be found by clicking on this here link.

But make sure we have all boots on the ground and let's take back our once and future great state!

Alberta Darling: Kills Voters' Rights, Cheats For Lobbyists

A video from my friend Bryan Bliss:



The Republicans have got this thing so fouled up that they're confusing even their own people. (Granted, that doesn't take much.)

The most egregious part - there was nothing broken in the first place, until the Republicans got at it, that is.

Yeah, No Pressure Tomorrow, Wisconsin...

Just because the whole world will be watching to see if we care enough to retake our state and our freedom, doesn't mean we get nervous.

It means we fight all the harder.

Ditzy Darling Caught In (In)Action

Last week, during Alberta Darling's horrible, rotten, miserable week, one of the things making things so bad was that she embarrassed herself terribly at the Newsmakers Luncheon at the Milwaukee Press Club.

We now have video of just how bad she looked:



And don't forget, a while later, her campaign compounded the ineptitude by naming three companies
that did create jobs - thanks to former Governor Jim Doyle.

Is this really someone you want representing you?

Inflammatory Language Set The Tea On Fire

I noted yesterday that the Tea Party Express didn't seem to be gathering much in the way of crowds, unless you consider one person to be a crowd.  Waukesha Wonk actually went to the Thiensville event with this group of thugs and noted their over the top rhetoric.  Well, WW must have some solid fortitude, for what was said was really rather reprehensible.  As reported by Politico.com, Tea Party Nation CEO Judson Phillips set off the tone with his vitriolic rhetoric:

"I will tell you ladies and gentlemen, I detest and despise everything the left stands for. How anybody can endorse and embrace an ideology that has killed a billion people in the last century is beyond me," said Tea Party Nation CEO Judson Phillips.

Phillips, who a day prior likened protesters of Gov. Scott Walker to Nazi storm troopers, urged a few hundred tea party supporters to turn out for state Sen. Alberta Darling, who is in a ferocious battle with state Rep. Sandy Pasch to hold onto her suburban Milwaukee seat.

But he wasn't the only speaker to use loaded language to gin up the crowd.

Vince Schmuki, a leader of the Ozaukee Patriot tea party group compared the recall effort to a terrorist attack.

"This is ground zero," said Schmuki. "You remember what the term ground zero means? We have been attacked."

He continued, "Tuesday is going to be the beginning of our takeover. And we're going to follow it up the following week, and then we're going to polish off the enemy in November 2012. Who's with me?"

Could you imagine if a lefty had said anything even half as egregious and out of line? The radio squawkers and the right wing echo chamber would be running around like crazy screaming their fool heads off. But since it was a right wing group, and since most of them actually think this way, they probably don't see anything wrong with it.

But it is important to note because these are the type of people that love and adore and support Scott Walker, Alberta Darling and the rest of the totalitarian Republicans. They don't care if you live or die, as long as they can retain power and maintain their delusions that the Republicans are looking out for them.

Are these the kind of people you want making decisions that will affect your life or the lives of your loved ones?

Crooks and Liars has a story on it, including a video of Judson Phillips and his hate speech.

The Daily Caller: More Media Bias

Even as I was finishing the earlier post pointing out the blatant bias and hypocrisy being spewed out by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, another example of media bias came across my desk. This time, it's The Daily Caller.

The story actually starts with the Wisconsin Reporter, who had put up a story touting Walker's exaggerated jobs numbs a couple of weeks ago. Not satisfied with hyping the hype, they then went on to misquote and misconstrue the words of Graeme Zielinski, spokesman for the Democratic Party of Wisconsin.

Zielinski responded to their propaganda by sending them a scathing email and advising them to stop pretending to be a news source and just admit that they're a front group for the right wing.  The poor little darlings at the Wisconsin Reporter got their undies in a bundle and wrote a whiny, fact-free piece pretending they're the victim.

Enter The Daily Caller, who jumped at the chance to defend the "independent Wisconsin news outlet."  The Daily Caller's bias quickly became evident when they referred to Zielinski as the "Democratic flack" and tried to portray the Wisconsin Reporter as some kind of trusted news source.

There are two glaring problems with both the Wisconsin Reporter's and the Daily Caller's positions.  Both involve the fact that they are telling glaring, easily-disproved outright lies.

The first glaring in your face lie is that the Wisconsin Reporter is an "independent Wisconsin news outlet."  

Both articles admit that the Wisconsin Reporter is a branch of the Franklin Center for Government and Public integrity.  That much, at least, is a factual statement.

However, I would point the gentle reader back to the piece I wrote regarding the false advertisements that were flying around during the Democratic primaries. In that piece, I wrote the following:

And this is where we go into the same sordid incestuous intermingling that the Koch Brothers are known for.

Patriot Advisors is headed up by Tim Dunn and Denis Calabrese.

Calabrese, the former Chief of Staff for Dick Armey, is also on the director of the Sam Adams Alliance, yet another Koch Brother front group and money chute. This Sam Adams Alliance also funnels the Koch dollars to other groups like Americans For Prosperity and the Franklin Center for Public and Government Integrity*.

The sharp-eyed reader might have already noticed, but it was the Franklin Center which is quoted in the anti-King flyer.

Just to be clear, the Sam Adams Alliance, Patriot Advisors and Franklin Center are all Koch-funded groups with incestuous ties to each other. One of them is using the other to justify voting for the fake Democrat instead of trying to defend the Republican and his boorish behavior or facing the consequences for his actions.

In that same article, I mentioned the article by Gene Gibbons, writing for the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard. Again, I would point out this passage:

At the forefront of an effort to blur the distinction between statehouse reporting and political advocacy is the Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity, which finances a network of websites that focus on state government. This center has ties to a number of conservative organizations, including the Americans for Prosperity Foundation, whose founder is billionaire David Koch. He is a longtime financier of right-wing causes whose shadowy political dealings were highlighted this past summer in a New Yorker article by Jane Mayer headlined “Covert Operations.”

In summary, we know that the Wisconsin Reporter is a puppet for the misnamed Franklin Center for Goverment and Public Integrity, which is in turn funded by the Sam Adams Alliance, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Koch Brothers. This looks more like a money laundering scheme than an "independent Wisconsin news outlet." The Koch Brothers do not have a history of being concerned about unbiased reporting, but rather only in manipulating state and federal governments, and local newspapers, to smooth the way for them to get more money and more power.

The other blatant and egregious lie these two Newspeak operations propogate was Scott Walker's claim that Wisconsin produced half of the jobs in the country in the month of June.

Mike Rosen easily names five statesthat produced more jobs than Wisconsin. Rosen did add that Wisconsin was in another sort of rare class, but not a good one (emphasis his):

Let’s put Walker’s jobs victory dance in perspective.

Several states; Texas (+32,000), California (+28,800), Michigan (+18,000), Minnesota (+13,200) and Massachusetts (10,400) had more job growth than Wisconsin.

Using the Bureau of Labor Statistics data Walker touted, Texas was responsible for almost 200% of net job growth in June, California 150%, Michigan 100%, Minnesota 65% and Massachusetts slightly more than 50% .Nor was Wisconsin’s monthly percentage increase among the nation’s largest. Alaska experienced the largest over-the-month percentage increase in employment (+1.7 percent), followed by North Dakota (+1.2 percent), Vermont (+0.9 percent), and South Dakota (+0.8 percent).

In fact, Wisconsin was one of only 9 states that reported statistically significant over-the-month unemployment rate increases in June.

In fact, the claim was so bogus, that the erratic PolitiFarce had to point out that Walker was lying about it.

Even more telling, Walker himself had to backpedal from the claim and lie about what he had originally lied about.

Yet I saw no evidence of either of these sites reporting the retraction or the fact that Walker's facts were, in fact, nonfactual.

I can fully empathize with Zielinski's frustration. However, I would advise him not to worry about the press credentials. Groups like these two don't worry about such things, and the Republican politicians will still give them the soundbites whether they are credentialed or not.

With groups like these, you have to hit them where it hurts. Put a call in to the IRS and Department of Revenue for violating their legal status. After all, on Wisconsin Reporter's own website, they have this:

WisconsinReporter launched in January 2011 as a division of StateHouseNews. It is a nonpartisan organization, dedicated to playing the watchdog role on state government, while localizing stories to certain districts: La Crosse, Kenosha, Eau Claire, Wausau, Stevens Point, Chippewa, and Beloit.

Statehouse News Online utilizes a state-specific approach, in order to provide readers with information that is of proximate and practical interest. Interested parties can contact info@FranklinCenterHQ.org for more information.

StateHouse News Online began in June 2010 and is a product of the Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to promoting non-partisan, new media journalism.

I believe that this claim* of non-partisanship is easily shown to be a false claim, and would open them to all sorts of fines and penalties**.

PS: If any of my researcher friends want to look into the Daily Caller and who sponsors them, I'd be glad to do that story as well.

*I also screencapped this page for future reference, if it's needed.
**While you're at it, file one against the equally egregious McIver Institute, would ya?

Let The Endorsements Begin - First One Goes To King

Via The Chief, we have learned, to the best of my knowledge, the first endorsement of Recall - Phase I.

That endorsement is from The Northwestern and goes to Jessica King

Let's hope that carries some weight and helps carry Jessica to win the election. Both she and Wisconsin deserve it.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: An Insult To All Of Wisconsin

Six months ago, I got fed up with the biased and dishonest reporting and editorials that filled the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.  Because of this, I took what was a big step for me and cancelled my subscription to the paper.  It was a big change to my morning ritual, but not one that I regret.  And they keep giving me reasons to know that I did the right thing.

The most recent and most egregious example why the paper is not worth the paper it's printed on, and why they do not deserve my money or yours, is in this morning's editorial.  In said editorial, they complain that the upcoming recalls are "unnecessary" and "expensive" (emphasis mine):

So not only are the recall elections ugly and unnecessary, they're expensive - and offer even more reason for campaign finance reform that requires transparency from all groups. In fact, these recalls may offer the best argument for holding such elections only in the cases of exceptionally egregious behavior by a politician.

To reiterate a point we made earlier: The Journal Sentinel is not making any recommendations in the recalls that will be held the next two Tuesdays.

Recalls over policy arguments are unwarranted. Such arguments are best resolved on the floors of legislative bodies or at the ballot box during regular elections. Recalls should be used to punish gross malfeasance or corruption - something that cannot wait for the normal election cycle - not to overturn the results of an election or to dispute policy differences.

This is just plain and simply insulting to the majority of Wisconsinites. What the paper is saying is that money is much more important the basic worker rights, basic human rights, the economy, the ecology, our children's education, public safety, transparency in government, or having a government of the people, by the people and for the people.

And it is also duplicitous and dishonest of them to say this.

There is Randy Hopper, who got his mistress a comfy job with the state, and may have voted fraudulently for the past year.

There is Alberta Darling who is tied up with all sorts of electioneering scandals with various right wing groups.

Dan Kapanke's scandals go way back with the misuse of campaign funds.

Likewise, it's been common knowledge for a long time that Luther Olsen was pushing ethanol only because of his personal and his family's interest in it, being corn farmers and all that.

And is there anything that any of the Republicans have done or are doing that doesn't have the Koch brothers written all over it?  Funny thing, I don't remember seeing their names on any of the ballots last year, but they sure do seem to be running the show right now.  How can it not be corruption if an extremely well-moneyed special interest like the Koch Brothers are able to call the shots and have laws passed that benefit only them?

But these recalls are about more than the corruption, much less some "disagreement on policy."

The people are righteously angered by the slashing to education of our children, the slashing to funding to aid our most vulnerable and the stripping of our rights.  And yes, even if you don't belong to a union, your rights, and your earning potential, have also been stripped away.

What MJS can't or won't admit to, is that this isn't about policy, this is about what's right and about our rights.

And before they going mewling about the cost associated with the recalls, they would be well served to remember that the recalls wouldn't be happening if the Republicans weren't as corrupt and maleficent as they are. What's next from them? Saying that a suspected criminal should be set free to go on another crime spree, because a trial would be too expensive?  For them to complain about the cost is just another example of their habit of blaming the victim.

If insulting every single Wisconsinite wasn't egregious enough, if putting money over the concerns of human rights wasn't insulting enough, MJS ups the outrage by complaining that there isn't enough exposure of how much money is being spent, where is it coming from and where it is going. The wrap up their tirade with this:

At the very least, give voters the transparency to know who is spending all that money and how much is being spent.

Conservative groups should disclose the information voluntarily. But legislators need to rethink the current system and require the transparency that voters deserve.

Actually, I am glad to see them say this. And I would strongly suggest that they start the balling rolling with full disclosures on their part and on the part of Journal Broadcasting.

If MJS wants full transparency in regards to the money, they should start with themselves. How much money did they dump into killing the paid sick leave law because Journal Broadcasting CEO Steve Smith was part of the lawsuit against it? How much money does it cost to have radio squawker Charlie Sykes giving free air time to Walker, Darling, and the other Republicans? How much money was spent in MJS simply regurgitating Republican press releases instead of, you know, actual journalism? How much did MJS spend pointing out One Wisconsin Now is a lefty group, but printing trash from WPRI as gospel truth or giving space to Republican political operative Esenberg as some self-proclaimed legal scholar?

When they come clean about all of those things, plus the other papers, TV stations and radio stations they own, then they can complain all they want about the costs being put forth to defend the rights of Wisconsin citizens.

But I won't hold my breath until then.

So what do we do now about the biased and dishonest reporting from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel?

Obviously, the first order of business would be to stop giving them our money. If you haven't canceled your subscription, this really should spur you into doing that.  Secondly, if you need to place an ad, look at alternative sources like alternative papers (Shepherd Express for example), Craig's List, eBay, or other online resources.  And if they think this sort of garbage will get people to line up and subscribe to their online version, they've got another think coming.

A boycott of their advertisers would not be realistic. They are way too far spread and have too much of the market cornered.  But because of their near monopolistic control of the media, we can make sure that we elect leaders who will restrengthen and enforce anti-trust and anti-monopoly laws so that Journal Broadcasting can't do their version of Newspeak.  The media should be there to act as watchdogs of government, not as its public relations spokesperson.

It was a sad day when the paper stopped being a credible news source.  But for them to cross the line and start insulting the citizens of Wisconsin with their blatant and egregious political bias goes beyond the pale.

Today's Twitter Etiquette Lesson -- Retweeting

From the inbox, an email from NOI, the folks that brought me fame (but, alas, no fortune) as a panelist, regarding the use of a Twitter feature, the automatic retweet button:

Recently, Matt Stempeck recommended that you use the official RT feature on Twitter. I’m here to recommend that you DON’T use it, at least not for advocacy tweeting.

Why not? Say you’re tweeting about someone, and you want them to be flooded with mentions when people start retweeting you. Twitter and most Twitter clients will not show your target a tweet in which they are mentioned if the re-tweeter uses the retweet button. However, that person will see every retweet, if people use the traditional RT.

For example, you tweet:

Hey @BarackObama – Why haven’t you put solar panels on the White House yet?

If 30 people hit the retweet button, President Obama will only see your one tweet. He will not know that 30 people retweeted your question.

However, he will see the tweet 30 times if your followers tweet this instead:

RT @YourTwitterHandle: Hey @BarackObama – Why haven’t you put solar panels on the White House yet?

This means it’s your responsibility on advocacy tweets to make sure that you include enough characters for someone to do the traditional RT. These traditional RT’s are much more effective in terms of advocacy and putting pressure on decision makers.

For those newer to Twitter, the retweet function was created a little over a year ago. Before that, any retweet had to be done by adding "RT @Whoever" to the beginning of the tweet, hence the name “traditional RT.” The retweet button is a perfectly legitimate form of tweeting and spreading information. It allows you to share information easily, but unfortunately it diminishes the power of direct advocacy on Twitter. So if you’re trying to get someone’s attention by swamping them with mentions, have people do the “traditional RT” instead of using the RT button!

The more you know...

Burnt Tea With A Twist

My dear friend and new favorite and favorite new blogger, Lisa Mux, of Waukesha Wonk fame, took it upon herself to go and see what the Burnt Tea rally was all about for herself.

Her take on it is interesting, to say the least, and with a fun twist.  Here's a sip, with the line of the day emphasized:

Also, it was easy to remember I was at a t.p. rally when the master of ceremonies said he was using his vacation time to travel with the Tea Party. Nobody else in the crowd appeared to get the irony of his statements. Um…he has Saturdays off and vacation pay because of UNIONS.

It was really hard not to shake these flag-draped people and tell them that the Tea Party Express is a corporate ploy to get rid of unions, so Repubs can win elections and corporations can rake in cash. I wanted to educate them, prove to them they’re being used, and that they’re willing casualties of corporations. I wanted to tell them how sad this makes me, and that it doesn’t have to be this way.

I was glad when the rally was over and I could go back to spending time with like-minded people…in Waukesha.

Do make sure you read the whole thing.

One Of The Reasons Health Care Costs Are So Much Higher In Southeastern Wisconsin

They're building too many hospitals and sticking us with the bills for their extravagance.

A bigger reason is the deregulation of the field, allowing Big Health Care to run amok.

The Value Of Unions - Even If You Don't Belong To One

Kevin Drum has a must read article up at Mother Jones. In said article, he discusses what the economy and political structure of America would look like if the unions had maintained the density level that they enjoyed in 1973, especially in regards to income inequality.  First he provides this chart which clearly displays how much we've lost financially with the decline in unions:

He then gives us this analysis and ominous prognosis:

Western and Rosenfeld's explanation for this is similar to Jacob Hacker and Paul Pierson's in Winner-Take-All Politics, last year's best book on modern political economy. Roughly speaking, there's a direct economic effect of unionization on wages, but there's also an effect of unions on the political system that indirectly affects wages. Western and Rosenfeld put it like this:

[Our] analysis suggests that unions helped shape the allocation of wages not just for their members, but across the labor market. The decline of US labor and the associated increase in wage inequality signaled the deterioration of the labor market as a political institution.…The de-politicization of the US labor market appears self-reinforcing: as organized labor’s political power dissipates, economic interests in the labor market are dispersed and policymakers have fewer incentives to strengthen unions or otherwise equalize economic rewards.

…[Prior to 1973,] unions offered an alternative to an unbridled market logic, and this institutional alternative employed over a third of all male private sector workers. The social experience of organized labor bled into nonunion sectors, contributing to greater equality overall. As unions declined, not only did the logic of the market encroach on what had been the union sector, but the logic of the market deepened in the nonunion sector, too, contributing to the rise in wage inequality.

In other words, deunionization has allowed income inequality to rise partly because unions are negotiating wages for fewer people than they used to, and partly because unions no longer have the power to force the political system to pay attention to the needs of the middle class. But if income inequality has to be reduced in order for middle class wages to grow—and it does—and if robust middle class wages are a key driver of the liberal project—and they are—then we're all in big trouble. Mass unionization is gone, and it's not coming back. This means we still need something to take its place, and we still don't have it. Until we do, the progressive movement will continue to tread water.

Like I said, ominous. But I wouldn't be so hasty to say that the unions will never come back. There's no telling how far the pendulum will swing back in the union's favor, but it's definitely swinging back.