Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker (@GovWalker) recently tweeted a video advertisement produced by Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies (here’s background on the front group from SourceWatch). This ad featured very selective edits of a speech by retired NEA general counsel Bob Chanin.
“It’s not because we care about children… it’s because we have power,” Chanin said. “We have power because there are 3.2 million people who are willing to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in dues.” Chanin was discussing the reasons why the right-wing typically despises NEA.
Taken out of context, these quotes give the false impression that NEA exists not for strengthening public education but rather for its own power-grabbing and profit. I heard this speech live in person; and I know first-hand how inaccurately the commercial portrays Chanin’s message. The casual viewer may not be so privileged.
The ad concludes with a call to action: “Tell Obama you’ve had enough. Call on him to support government union reform.” Herein lies the rest of this deceitful message: that NEA is a “government” union. The ad implies NEA is funded by the government and thus consumes hundreds of millions taxpayer’s dollars.
But NEA is not a “government” union, funded by tax dollars. NEA is a teacher’s union, funded by teacher’s dollars. This ad is typical of the kind of dishonesty being leveled against teachers and other public-sector workers across the nation.
The ad promotes a fallacy that money earned by public-sector employees REMAINS public money after the employees are paid. If one believes this, it follows that the public should control how public-sector employees spend their money.
But this is a lie.
more . . .
http://www.edvoices.com/blog/2011/03/18/teacher-responds-union-ads/