Pro-Union, Anti-Card Check? Possible, I think

My thoughts on Card Check were refreshed by this article from The Hill, a DC-based news service, that said former West Wing stars Martin Sheen, Bradley Whitford and Richard Schiff had more to say on the matter than the actual politicians at a Labor Rally in Washington today.

I say they had something to say on the matter of Card Check, but in reality, from the report, they said nothing about EFCA, but a great deal about the benefit of Unions in general, a most agreeable point.

I was on the horn with Alan Hughes, President of the Arkansas AFL-CIO regarding another article. With Democratic Senators finicky about how to handle the Employee Free Choice Act in a right-to-work state, who better to talk to than the chief delegate of Labor and get his take?

Needless to say, he was agitated.

Asked what he thought about Sen. Lincoln saying the matter was 'not on her radar,' Hughes laughed. "Huh, I believe that it is definitely on her radar," Hughes said. He then went on to run on the point that the NBC West Wingers would make a few weeks later.

"How can you be for Unions and be against Card Check?" Hughes clamored. "You can't."

Nobody thinks Unions are bad. In fact, they're necessary to balance the power of the employer and the power of the employee.

Notice the key word there is 'balance.'

My best good buddy John Brummett has reluctantly been all over Card Check. He says that Unions are getting ready to compromise and 'make some sausage.' I'm reminded of what he said about the biggest spur in the EFCA argument, the secret ballot:

You can be pro-union without wanting unions to reap an inappropriate advantage, just as you can root for the Razorbacks without wanting the officials to give them the game with unfair calls.

Like I said. Balance.

I'm all for watching people's backs against the big, oppressive businesses. But who watches the business' back? Those are made up of people, after all. Can't have one group dominating the other.

It's that whole 'Quis custodiet ipsos custodies?' bit again.

UPDATE: I was right. The Artificially Intelligent Panzer has been so totally super-psyched about it ALL DAY.