LttE - The true effect of Paycheck Protection

Submitted to the OC Register on 7/11/2005:

Letter-writer Michael Stone makes a false comparison in opposing the Paycheck Protection initiative – Prop. 75 doesn’t address the difference between unions and companies themselves, but the difference between the sources of PAC funding: union members and shareholders.

When corporations make contributions to PACs, the funding they use comes from their shareholders – who can exercise their power of choice to withdraw their support from the company. Each individual shareholder voluntarily chooses whether or not to support the company’s activities.

Unions that have mandatory membership and compulsory dues use their power of compulsion to keep their individual members from having that same choice. Short of quitting their jobs, individual members have no ability to voluntarily extend or withhold their support. Mr. Stone was right in that corporations’ political influence would remain the same – what he’s missing out on is that Prop. 75 would level the playing field by giving union members the same power of choice as corporate shareholders.