If there’s one thing about the Marxists controlling today’s unions, it is that they are predictable. If you watch them long enough, the pattern is always the same: Demand the extreme with something attainable in mind as the fallback position.
In labor relations, the making of outrageous demands is a classic negotiating tactic at the bargaining table because union negotiators know company negotiators will only agree to what they are willing to based on business economics. In politics, however, the union tactic is an absolute winner because their prey (politicians, many of whom are bought by unions anyway) always fall for it and, besides, it’s only the taxpayers who are stuck with the tab. One thing though, whether at the bargaining table or in politics, unions always reveal their hidden agenda—eventually.
Despite their more ambitious young allies who have called for the seizing private property and the “de-privatization of everything,” however, unions have known that their movement wouldn’t lead to a fully Marxist nation (yet) and, as a result, have had a more attainable goal in mind from the beginning. In addition, with winter approaching, union bosses know they need to being this movement to a close sometime soon and, up until now, they haven’t formally issued their real demands.
On Thursday, the #OccupyWallStreet and union movement will be taking is carnival show on the road to the U.S. Treasury building in Washington, D.C. What is their agenda? To protest for a worldwide tax on all financial transactions involving the purchase or sale of stocks, bonds, commodities, unit trusts, mutual funds, and derivatives such as futures and options. They call it the “Robin Hood Tax.”
Via The Hill:
Organizers estimate more than 1,500 union members from more than 20 labor groups, including the AFL-CIO, the American Federation of County, State and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and the Communications Workers of America (CWA), will be outside the Treasury Department Thursday to call for what has become known as the “Robin Hood Tax.”
Occupy Wall Street protesters also are being bused in from New York by National Nurses United (NNU) — yet another example of the evolving relationship between labor and the protesters that have targeted the financial sector.
Karen Higgins, co-president of the NNU, told The Hill that instituting a financial transactions tax could help fund social programs that are under threat.
“This is actually the first step to do something concrete and beneficial and not harm others by taking money out of social programs that help people survive,” Higgins said. “It is only reasonable that Wall Street contributes its fair share.”Never mind the fact that the “social programs” that are bankrupting Europe and America with insurmountable debt are largely union driven, the union solution is to raise more revenue through a global tax.
It’s actually not a new idea. In fact, AFL-CIO boss, Richard Trumka, has been talking with the European socialists for over a year about it, has kept it in his dialogue throughout his support of the #OccupyWallStreet movement, and is now in Europe at the G-20 Summit protesting for it.
From the AFL-CIO:
One key part of the plan global [union] leaders will be calling for is a global financial speculation tax. In the U.S., a tiny tax on financial transactions could raise hundreds of billions in revenue that could fund education and create jobs rebuilding our country, while discouraging speculation and encouraging long-term investment. Both Warren Buffett and Pete Peterson have urged Congress to consider a financial speculation tax. At the G-20 meeting, Bill Gates will be making proposals about financing for development.It’s likely been part of #OccupyWallStreet’s grand plan all along, as the originator, adbusters’ Kalle Lasn mentioned in a Salon piece on October 4th and again on October 18th which, coincidentally, the National Nurses’ United also mentioned it on the same day in a press release supporting the Worcester, Massachusetts occupation.
While international labor leaders push for a speculation tax during the G-20, the AFL-CIO will join working people from the area, participants from Occupy Wall Street and the National Nurses Union at a rally in Washington, DC on November 3 to call on U.S. elected officials to support the global movement for a financial transaction tax to help heal global economies.
Incidentally, Bill Gates (referenced above), Warren Buffet and George Soros (of Zuccotti Park ownership fame) are all supporting the Robin Hood Tax.
So, for those #OWS empathizers on the Right who thought this is just a movement of frustrated, out-of-work Americans: As usual, you’ve been played by better tacticians and negotiators from the Left.
Of course, there is one thing you can be certain of: Regardless whether unions fail at achieving the Robin Hood Tax during America’s fall, the weather will warm up by April and they will be back in the streets through next November. [You can take that one to the bank...so to speak.] source
