Huge Victory!

A huge victory for free market conservatives and libertarians. Awesome! This article is imported from Libertarian Republican, and is well worth jumping for joy about. I wonder now if Christian Educators Association International (a better union than the NEA) will be one-step closer to being allowed in California. Time will tell.

Teachers' Unions defeated by libertarian advocacy groups

In a major ruling yesterday, the US Supreme Court held that a state government may prohibit its counties, cities, and towns from subsidizing union political activities via its government payroll systems. The ruling essentially prohibits Unions from automatically deducting funds from the paychecks of government workers.

The case originated in Idaho with Ysursa v. Pocatello Education Association. The 9th Circuit first ruled against the plaintiffs, but the case was appealed. The Supreme Court ruling was 6 - 3, with the majority opinion written by Chief Justice John Roberts.

A coalition of libertarian and free market conservative groups joined in the case, including: National Right to Work, National Federation of Independent Business, the Utah Taxpayers Association, and Americans for Limited Government.

Stefan Gleason, spokesman for the National Right to Work Foundation said:

"It is bad public policy for government bodies essentially to act as bagmen for union political monies.”

Brian Wilson of Americans for Limited Government hailed the decision:

"We at ALG are extremely gratified that the Supreme Court agreed with us,” said Wilson.

"This a victory for taxpayers who do not wish to be forced to fund union politics," he added. "It's a great win. The First Amendment does not require government to devote taxpayer resources to facilitating the speech of its workers, their preferred political organizations, or anyone else,” said Wilson.

Longtime libertarian activist and financier Howie Rich serves as ALG President. He has been the subject of attacks and ridicule by Teachers Unions over the years, for his advocacy and financing of spending caps and other fiscal conservative initiatives around the Nation.