Trump’s Public Sector Union Win Needs State Follow-Up
Who's accountable for the results?
Tuesday night, President Donald Trump delivered his first State of the Union address of his second term. He touted his accomplishments: securing the border, negotiating better trade deals, restoring American prosperity. But in all the post-speech analysis, one fight got almost no attention—and it’s the one that could determine whether everything else he accomplished will last.
Federal employee unions have spent decades protecting incompetent workers, blocking reforms, and making government bloated and unaccountable. They don’t serve the American people. Rather, they serve themselves, and taxpayers pay the price.
Every president complained.
Trump acted.
Last year, he eliminated collective bargaining rights for over one million federal workers—including the unions that prioritized protecting bad Department of Veterans Affairs employees over caring for our veterans.
Federal unions sued immediately. They promised crushing political consequences.
This president didn’t blink.
This wasn’t about punishing workers. It was about breaking political machines that protect incompetence, punish excellence, and stick American taxpayers with the bill.
Sure enough, federal appeals courts sided with Trump. The unions lost.
But here’s what conservatives need to understand: Federal unions represent roughly 1 million workers. State and local government unions? Over 7 million. And while Trump tenaciously battles federal unions in Washington, public employee unions are winning in the states—right now—because conservatives aren’t fighting back. And state and local unions are even better at the game than their federal counterparts.
In “The Political Vise,” my forthcoming book, I describe how this works in Illinois.
A single union lobbyist has 35,000 active members behind him. Every legislator knows it. That lobbyist doesn’t negotiate. He tells them what he wants, and the legislators obediently deliver.
The numbers tell the story. The average state government worker in Illinois earns $66,000. The average private sector worker earns just over half that: $34,196. Public sector unions didn’t just negotiate better deals for their members. They’ve literally bankrupted cities, states, and school districts across the nation while enriching their members at the expense of taxpayers.
If federal unions are powerful, state and local unions believe themselves unstoppable. They operate in every state capitol, every city hall, every school board. They fund the campaigns of the very people they then sit across from at the negotiating table.
Government union contributions go 91% to Democrats, 9% to Republicans.
How do they wield this power? Massive campaign donations. Reliable votes. And in close elections, a small army of dedicated foot soldiers eager to ensure they don’t lose their generous benefits.
While Trump fights in Washington, here’s what’s happening in the states:
In Chicago, 48% of retired teachers collect over $72,000 a year in pension benefits. The average Illinois private sector worker makes $70,000—while still working. Chicago teachers can retire at 55 with 75% of their final salary for life, with 3% annual increases compounded forever. A private …
Who's accountable for the results?
Tuesday night, President Donald Trump delivered his first State of the Union address of his second term. He touted his accomplishments: securing the border, negotiating better trade deals, restoring American prosperity. But in all the post-speech analysis, one fight got almost no attention—and it’s the one that could determine whether everything else he accomplished will last.
Federal employee unions have spent decades protecting incompetent workers, blocking reforms, and making government bloated and unaccountable. They don’t serve the American people. Rather, they serve themselves, and taxpayers pay the price.
Every president complained.
Trump acted.
Last year, he eliminated collective bargaining rights for over one million federal workers—including the unions that prioritized protecting bad Department of Veterans Affairs employees over caring for our veterans.
Federal unions sued immediately. They promised crushing political consequences.
This president didn’t blink.
This wasn’t about punishing workers. It was about breaking political machines that protect incompetence, punish excellence, and stick American taxpayers with the bill.
Sure enough, federal appeals courts sided with Trump. The unions lost.
But here’s what conservatives need to understand: Federal unions represent roughly 1 million workers. State and local government unions? Over 7 million. And while Trump tenaciously battles federal unions in Washington, public employee unions are winning in the states—right now—because conservatives aren’t fighting back. And state and local unions are even better at the game than their federal counterparts.
In “The Political Vise,” my forthcoming book, I describe how this works in Illinois.
A single union lobbyist has 35,000 active members behind him. Every legislator knows it. That lobbyist doesn’t negotiate. He tells them what he wants, and the legislators obediently deliver.
The numbers tell the story. The average state government worker in Illinois earns $66,000. The average private sector worker earns just over half that: $34,196. Public sector unions didn’t just negotiate better deals for their members. They’ve literally bankrupted cities, states, and school districts across the nation while enriching their members at the expense of taxpayers.
If federal unions are powerful, state and local unions believe themselves unstoppable. They operate in every state capitol, every city hall, every school board. They fund the campaigns of the very people they then sit across from at the negotiating table.
Government union contributions go 91% to Democrats, 9% to Republicans.
How do they wield this power? Massive campaign donations. Reliable votes. And in close elections, a small army of dedicated foot soldiers eager to ensure they don’t lose their generous benefits.
While Trump fights in Washington, here’s what’s happening in the states:
In Chicago, 48% of retired teachers collect over $72,000 a year in pension benefits. The average Illinois private sector worker makes $70,000—while still working. Chicago teachers can retire at 55 with 75% of their final salary for life, with 3% annual increases compounded forever. A private …
Trump’s Public Sector Union Win Needs State Follow-Up
Who's accountable for the results?
Tuesday night, President Donald Trump delivered his first State of the Union address of his second term. He touted his accomplishments: securing the border, negotiating better trade deals, restoring American prosperity. But in all the post-speech analysis, one fight got almost no attention—and it’s the one that could determine whether everything else he accomplished will last.
Federal employee unions have spent decades protecting incompetent workers, blocking reforms, and making government bloated and unaccountable. They don’t serve the American people. Rather, they serve themselves, and taxpayers pay the price.
Every president complained.
Trump acted.
Last year, he eliminated collective bargaining rights for over one million federal workers—including the unions that prioritized protecting bad Department of Veterans Affairs employees over caring for our veterans.
Federal unions sued immediately. They promised crushing political consequences.
This president didn’t blink.
This wasn’t about punishing workers. It was about breaking political machines that protect incompetence, punish excellence, and stick American taxpayers with the bill.
Sure enough, federal appeals courts sided with Trump. The unions lost.
But here’s what conservatives need to understand: Federal unions represent roughly 1 million workers. State and local government unions? Over 7 million. And while Trump tenaciously battles federal unions in Washington, public employee unions are winning in the states—right now—because conservatives aren’t fighting back. And state and local unions are even better at the game than their federal counterparts.
In “The Political Vise,” my forthcoming book, I describe how this works in Illinois.
A single union lobbyist has 35,000 active members behind him. Every legislator knows it. That lobbyist doesn’t negotiate. He tells them what he wants, and the legislators obediently deliver.
The numbers tell the story. The average state government worker in Illinois earns $66,000. The average private sector worker earns just over half that: $34,196. Public sector unions didn’t just negotiate better deals for their members. They’ve literally bankrupted cities, states, and school districts across the nation while enriching their members at the expense of taxpayers.
If federal unions are powerful, state and local unions believe themselves unstoppable. They operate in every state capitol, every city hall, every school board. They fund the campaigns of the very people they then sit across from at the negotiating table.
Government union contributions go 91% to Democrats, 9% to Republicans.
How do they wield this power? Massive campaign donations. Reliable votes. And in close elections, a small army of dedicated foot soldiers eager to ensure they don’t lose their generous benefits.
While Trump fights in Washington, here’s what’s happening in the states:
In Chicago, 48% of retired teachers collect over $72,000 a year in pension benefits. The average Illinois private sector worker makes $70,000—while still working. Chicago teachers can retire at 55 with 75% of their final salary for life, with 3% annual increases compounded forever. A private …
