How did labor’s alliance with the Democratic Party come about?
Q1. How did labor’s alliance with the Democratic Party come about? Do you think labor’s political values are compatible with those of the Republican Party? Then why did many workers vote for Republican Ronald Reagan in 1984 and 1988, despite the AFL-CIO’s endorsement of the Democratic candidate?
Q2. Assume Medicare goes broke in 2020 when outlays exceed income. What strategies should Congress pursue to deal with that problem?
Q3. Review the provisions of Taft- Hartley. Which do you think are most detrimental to unions? When President George W. Bush exercised his legal right to intervene in the dockworkers’ strike of 2002, did that decision benefit labor or management or both equally?
Q4. What arguments can be made for and against legislation dealing with the replacement of strikers? If employers were not permitted to hire more workers, how would they operate their business? What might be the result if workers had the power to close down an operation? If unions in fact had such power, do you think union members would be more, or less, likely to vote for a strike?