Contra Big Labor, Secret Ballot is Big Tenant of Democracy

Posted March 18th, 2009 at 8.52am in Enterprise and Free Markets.

Teamsters General President James P. Hoffa

“Since when is the secret ballot a basic tenet of democracy?” - James Phillip Hoffa, March 10, 2009.

Before ramming the Employee Free Choice Act down the throats of American workers, maybe Jim Hoffa and his Teamsters should have cracked open the history books. The secret ballot, like democracy itself, was born in classical Antiquity. Ironically, given Big Labor’s backing of EFCA, modern usage of the secret ballot originated within the organized labor movement: A demand for secret ballot elections was one of the six original points of Chartism—a U.K. organization considered by many to be the world’s first mass working class labor movement.

In the United States, the secret ballot was critical to defending newly-freed slaves’ right to vote. The perils of the open ballot were made plain when, after the Civil War, African-American voters were routinely targeted for physical attacks if they failed to vote for certain candidates. It was only when the secret ballot was introduced that democracy finally began to spread across the Reconstructionist South.

For the past several centuries, the greatest defender of democracy—particularly for working class and newly enfranchised—has been the secret ballot. And given the EFCA agenda cooked up by Hoffa and Big Labor, that’s one history lesson worth remembering.

Author: Ryan ODonnell
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March 19, 2009 Ron , Derry NH writes:

The secret ballot is and does protect the freedom to choose without intimidation. Without intimidation the unions would not survive.

If we are to believe the latest law is to protect liberty, we should ask what union is representing freedom of choice. By adding personal threat to the tickets most potent weapon against freedom; identification of the person who cast the vote against the union, the union has secured no freedom or choice at all.

Another blow against freedom supported by democrats against America.

March 19, 2009 Kent, Virginia writes:

As Big Government is being enlarged by Barry (aka Barack) and the rest of the Liberal Fascists in DC, Big Business and Big Unions will continue to grow right along with government and all will have a decided influence on the freedoms and opportunities for all Americans.

Since the days of Woodrow Wilson the Left has been pushing our country further and further into the Fascist States of America. All voices that disagree are demonized, marginalized, ‘Borked.’ We already are a pale imitation of the Free Republic envisioned by the great people who wrote our Bill of Rights and Constitution. Subversion–a revolution from within–has been taking place in this country since the days of Wilson and FDR.

Accelerated in the social turmoil of the ’60’s, fueled by Marxist and Maoist rhetoric, the Black Panthers, SDS, race riots, Professors steeped in the Progressive Darwinist Eugenic philosophies of their mentors from the days of The New Deal, this nation has slipped deeper and deeper into the totalitarian utopian century-old dream of the Left. The social engineers finally have the power and money to do as they please. Big Unions love them. Big Business loves them. Hollywood loves them. The media loves them. Major Universities love them. They believe only in the power of the state–it’s their religion. They are fascists.

It is past time for a Revolution of the Right, before the dream of our forefathers is lost forever.

March 19, 2009 Bob, Cincinnati, OH writes:

This whole thing is about the Unions gaining more members which really means more money. You have to ask yourself why there was no outrage over the Unions having an off-site meeting, inviting our new Sheriff “Joe” to speak. Closing the media out so that nothing could be reported. They spent the Union members money to have a party at the cost of those members………….Why no outrage?

How much money has been spent by the unions to support the Dem’s to get them on board with this ACT? Do you think that the union members are happy with the way their money is being spent? How much lower could their membership dues be if their money wasn’t spent on programs such as this?

Jimmy wrote not long ago an article about the “Corporate Thugs”that have kept his precious unions out, causing membership to shrink. As I said than and I’ll say again the only “Thug” in this whole debate is Jimes P Hoffa! And if anyone should know what a “Thug” is , it’s got to be Jimmy!

March 20, 2009 jack eck florida writes:

One more step in silencing the people.
* fairness doctrine
*secret ballots
* rush the stimulous panic
* in office campainging trips
* they throw so much every day,we can’t
keep track.

March 20, 2009 Barbara Cooper, Arizona writes:

It took a long time to enact the Fair Labor Act here in Arizona. The unions fought it with slashed tires, broken windows on cars, and threats of death. I was there and experienced it. This is selling out the workers.

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