Do you believe in the Democratic process? By this point in our lives, I assume most of us have cast a ballot, be it for school, state or national elections.
One of the key points of the process of voting is the fact that your vote is secret. Granted, most of us will proudly broadcast to our friends and family who we plan to vote for and why, but when we enter that little booth and pull the curtain behind us, which candidate we punch in is between us, the paper and, of course, the tallying machine.
I think we may take this privacy for granted. We don’t know what it’s like to have someone standing in that booth with us, leaning over our shoulder and keeping a close eye on what we write on our ballot. Could you imagine what it would be like to have your hand forced by someone stronger than you? Well, many Americans may get the chance if the Employee Free Choice Act is passed.
I love America. In my opinion, America embodies all that is great in this world. We enjoy freedoms many cannot even dream of. Have you ever wondered why aspiring to have a successful career, a loving family and a beautiful house is termed the American Dream? Why not the Russian or Chinese Dream? The answer is plain and simple: In America, such a dream has the possibility, and with hard work and good choices, the probability of becoming reality. In fact, it might be better to change the phrase to the American Reality.
Despite the flaws with our country – and there are definitely flaws – America is the prime example of just how successful a country can be. We are the proof that with democracy and capitalism as our raft, we can navigate the cruel waters of life and find our way safely to the golden shore. I believe, as John Winthrop put it, “We must consider that we shall be as a City upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us.” Can you even begin to imagine the kind of responsibility and pressure that puts on an entire people? It is our duty as Americans to fight as hard as we can to maintain our freedom and our liberty. If we are not constantly fighting, if we are not ever vigilant, we risk losing all that has been fought so hard to obtain. As Ronald Reagan said, “Freedom is not something to be secured in any one moment of time. We must struggle to preserve it every day. And freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.”
“Get off your soap box and get to the point, Ryan. What does this have to do with anything?” you may ask. Well, it appears the principles America stands for are in danger. I’m referring to a bill in Congress that will legalize union card checking.
To many at first glance, this may seem like nothing at all. In fact, you may think I am completely blowing this whole problem out of proportion. But that is the very problem in and of itself. The practice of card-checking is so obviously unconstitutional, so ridiculously an affront to democracy, I fear many may actually overlook its effects. If this is the case, I will not stand by and watch such a terrible practice become legal. Let me set the stage for you.
It is the not-so-distant future. The Obama administration and Congress have successfully passed the Employee Free Choice Act of 2009. This legislation has replaced secret ballot elections with publicly signed union cards. As a blue-collar employee of some nameless organization, a union has requested you and your fellow workers participate in an election. This election will determine whether or not your business joins the union. For various reasons, you do not believe that the company would benefit from unionization and you prepare to cast your ballot. After you make your vote, now public thanks to the EFCA, you are surprised by the reaction of some of your co-workers. After harsh words and even threats, you concede to their wishes and vote for unionization. Chalk one for the unions.
It baffles me that some cannot see the obvious flaws with a public vote. The EFCA will invite abuse, peer pressure and intimidation of employees who are not convinced of the desirability of a union, as well as the real possibility for forgery and fraud. These problems alone are more than enough for Congress to kill the bill, but they continue to push it through. However, the unions try to convince us that secret ballots will always follow public votes. This is bogus, primarily because unions aren’t stupid. If they were, most would have died out long ago when they outlived their usefulness. The keyword is most. Unions have no intention of filing for a secret ballot unless they have a supermajority.
According to FrontPage Magazine: “Their leaders openly state they have no intention of seeking elections if they can avoid them. Once unions have the majority of cards they need for card-check recognition, unions would demand immediate recognition, not request an election.”
It’s just common sense – if you win then take the money and run.
In the end, Congress will no doubt do what they’ve done for more than two years of Democratic majority – whatever it takes to get ahead. So what if the little man is hurt; he doesn’t tend to make much noise, anyway. With the passing of the EFCA, we may see an end to all secret ballots. This in turn will take away the workers’ choice in unionization. What a sad day this will be. Remember, it is supremely important to protect the privacy of voting, even in union votes. After all, the vote is one of the most powerful things we have.
As Lyndon B. Johnson said, “The vote is the most powerful instrument ever devised by man for breaking down injustice and destroying the terrible walls which imprison men because they are different from other men.”
Who knows where we’re headed when the vote is taken, and ultimately, democracy falls to the mob. It’s another sign of our decline.
Ryan Rougeau is a junior majoring in computer engineering. He can be contacted at [email protected].