CADILLAC (UNION) HEALTH INSURANCE

I'll never forget my conversation with an old pipe fitter years ago. He was reminiscing about his first days in the trade. He said "When I first went to the union hall to sign up I asked the business agent where he wanted me to work. He handed me an axe handle and a length of logging chain and said 'Go down and help those guys on the picket lines.'".

On July 20, 1934 during the Minneapolis Teamster strike, which was also supported by the trade unions, two pickets were killed and sixty seven were wounded by police gunfire.

This and other incidents like it was the start of unionism in this country. People were beaten and killed, arrested and thrown in jail and martial law was declared. It was life and death serious business.

Since that day, union members have fought for and won decent wages and benefits from employers who would rather treat them like a piece of meat.

Union wages have been responsible for an over all higher wage in this country. If it weren't for the UAW the non union workers at he auto plants in the southern states would be making much less today. Why do you think Richard Shelby, Jeff Sessions, Mitch McConnell and others from non union auto producing states, were so gleeful at the prospect of the demise of the UAW.

Now, after all the years of hard fought battles, strikes and strife, why does President Obama declare war on these hard earned benefits? "Cadillac" insurance policy is just code for union insurance policy. After all the years of support the unions have given the Democrats, this is the thanks they get? The unions worked damned hard to put this guy in office. The House Democrats better dig in on this one. A tax on those earning over $500,000 sounds much more palatable.

One thing I hear from time to time from the talking heads is "Some think the insurance companies may raise their rates if there is a tax on these policies". May raise their rates? May raise their rates to cover the tax? THEY WILL UNDOUBTEDLY RAISE THEIR RATES!! ARE YOU PEOPLE LIVING ON MARS? One of the hard and fast rules of business has always been: THE CUSTOMER ALWAYS PAYS. If not the customer, who else? This sort of idiocy makes me crazy!

It's time to end this assault on the unions and require the wealthy to pay their share!