Word of the Day
Creave – To pilfer stealthfully.
Thomas Darlington’s The Folk-Speech of South Cheshire, 1887

• “Fair Share” is forced unionism. It forces non-union employees to pay dues to an organization that not only do not belong but also one that may disagree with substantially on political and social issues.
• A representative from SEIU told the Des Moines Register last week that the forced union dues won’t go to cover their costs associated with represented non-union members but instead will go to increased organizing and recruiting.
• Why is organized labor so intent on pushing through forced unionism? The answer lies with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. The BLS reported on January 28 that over the last 25 years union members has declined from 20.1 percent in 1983 to 12.4 percent in 2008.
• “Fair Share” isn’t fair, it is a big union bailout. Unions are failing to retain and grow membership on their own so they are turning to their political allies in the Legislature to save them.
• There are about 28,000 non-union public employees in Iowa. If forced union dues are conservatively estimated to be about $500 per year, then the unions stand to collect about $14 million for their political coffers if “Fair Share” is enacted.

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Word of the Day
Cabbaging – During the Civil War a person accused of “cabbaging” was stealing.

• “Fair Share” is forced unionism. It forces non-union employees to pay dues to an organization that not only do not belong but also one that may disagree with substantially on political and social issues.
• House Republican are opposed to the forced payment of union dues by non-union employees. House Republicans are also opposed to forcing unions to represent non-union employees.
• A representative from SEIU told the Des Moines Register this week that the forced union dues won’t go to cover their costs associated with represented non-union members but instead will go to increased organizing and recruiting.
• Why is organized labor so intent on pushing through forced unionism? The answer lies with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics. The BLS reported on January 28 that over the last 25 years union members has declined from 20.1 percent in 1983 to 12.4 percent in 2008.
• “Fair Share” isn’t fair, it is a big union bailout. Unions are failing to retain and grow membership on their own so they are turning to their political allies in the Legislature to save them.

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Word of the Day
Bag of Moonshine – Illusion, nonsense.
- G.F. Northall’s Wardwickshire Word-Book, 1896

• The Governor claims that he is not raising taxes and yet his budget will increase property taxes and taxes on Iowa’s businesses. House Republicans will for alternatives to raising taxes.
• House Republicans will challenge any attempt to raise taxes on Iowa families or businesses during these tough economic times.
• Two years ago the Governor assured Iowans he would keep our commitment to the Senior Living Trust Fund. Now he is eliminating it altogether.
• House Republicans will continue to emphasize transparency and openness in the budgeting process.
• Instead of ordering an across the board budget cut, House Republicans would rather examine the budget line by line and protect the areas that are successful and eliminate the programs that are failures.
• While an across the board cut seems like a fair way to go, it is not preferable to prioritizing state government programs, eliminating waste and cutting unnecessary spending.

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