New laws mean prosperity

The Herald-Leader’s editorial “Lower wages won’t make Ky. prosperous” opines, “The anti-union right-to-work and repeal of Kentucky’s prevailing-wage law … will push down wages of all workers.” After Democrats’ virtual one-party rule of Kentucky for decades and their pro-union policies, you would think Kentucky would be a workers’ paradise and an economic leader.

The reality is that Kentucky ranks 46th in fiscal condition per a just-released Mercatus Center study. Ranking worse than Kentucky are Illinois, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Puerto Rico.

Here is what they have in common: massive debt obligations, unfunded liabilities (pensions and health care), virtual one-party rule (mostly by Democrats), the corruption that usually accompanies such rule and pro-union laws.

The surrounding states we compete with for employers, new investment and jobs are all ranked much higher: Tennessee No. 9, Ohio 11, Indiana 17. All are right-to-work states. Right to work means that workers have the freedom to decide whether to join a union. They will no longer be coerced by state law to pay union dues to work in a unionized workplace. The union must persuade employees to join.

After decades of coercive pro-union, Democratic rule that has failed to bring prosperity, the voices of doom should stop emoting and observe what freedom might bring.

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This story was originally published January 27, 2017 at 4:14 PM with the headline "New laws mean prosperity."