The Complete Inversion of Meanings of Words in Campaign 2024

The Wall Street Journal editorial board is correct. Kamala Harris’s just-released policy white paper, “A New Way Forward,” completely misstates what “right-to-work” laws do:

“Right-to-work” laws allow employees to work for an employer without joining a union or paying union fees. That’s it. They are in place in 28 states. As the nonpartisan National Conference of State Legislatures summarizes, “labor unions still operate in those states, but workers cannot be compelled to become members as a requirement of their job. On March 24, 2023, Michigan became the first state in decades to repeal right-to-work after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed Michigan Senate Bill 34.” The only thing “preventing” the organization of workers in those states is that some workers don’t want to join the union!

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Jim Geraghty

Jim Geraghty is the senior political correspondent of National Review.

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The Wall Street Journal editorial board is correct. Kamala Harris’s just-released policy white paper, “A New Way Forward,” completely misstates what “right-to-work” laws do:

“Right-to-work” laws allow employees to work for an employer without joining a union or paying union fees. That’s it. They are in place in 28 states. As the nonpartisan National Conference of State Legislatures summarizes, “labor unions still operate in those states, but workers cannot be compelled to become members as a requirement of their job. On March 24, 2023, Michigan became the first state in decades to repeal right-to-work after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed Michigan Senate Bill 34.” The only thing “preventing” the organization of workers in those states is that some workers don’t want to join the union!