OEA runs on $1.2 million a year, but its PAC has outspent every other committee in school board races since 2020 — and its parent union holds $574 million in net assets.
Rex - Thank you for your comment. Voters are not entirely to blame when they cast their votes based on incomplete information, misinformation, and falsehoods. Laying the government's failures at the feet of voters isn't entirely fair because voters don't enact policies, set budgets, spend public money, or provide government services. That's the government's job. Its elected officials and professional staff are granted the privilege of serving as responsible stewards of the public interest, regardless of who is elected or not. And when the results of that work are poor, the government is primarily to blame. Thank you again, the discussion is appreciated.
The problem of public employees unions dominating local elections is much broader than the OUSD. Virtually every large Bay Area city, school board, and special districts like BART, EBMUD and EBRPD are run by their own unions. This may sound almost utopian, but they spend their agencies into near bankruptcy.
The financial pipeline runs from union dues to union political action committee to the favored candidate, who then rewards the union members. A pretty neat, self-serving system. But it results in the least efficient, most expensive local governments in the country.
There have been attempts to break this chain in the past. Prop 32 in 2012, if passed, would have made worker's contributions to political action committees voluntary not automatic. It got over 40% of the statewide vote although massively outspent by the unions.
The situation you see in OUSD will just continue there and elsewhere unless a new Prop 32 or equivalent is created and passes.
Just a reminder that even after the Oakland schools had stayed closed longer than most schools nationwide after the pandemic, the OEA decided to strike the very next year, depriving their students of even more learning time.
Ultimately, you have to blame the voters and residents of Oakland. Had they not lived in their little bubbles, voting the same special interests into office decade after decade, this would never have been allowed to happen. But they fall for the predictable bond measures and teacher raises because “It’s the for the children!” propaganda.
It’s time to start a COUNTER-revolution against the progressives who’ve ruined Oakland.
Hi Rex - Thank you for your comment. Voters are not entirely to blame when they cast their votes based on incomplete information, misinformation, and falsehoods. Laying the government's failures at the feet of voters isn't entirely fair because voters don't enact policies, set budgets, spend public money, or provide government services. That's the government's job. Its elected officials and professional staff are granted the privilege of serving as responsible stewards of the public interest, regardless of who is elected or not. And when the results of that work are poor, the government is primarily to blame. Thank you again, the discussion is appreciated.
Thank you, Sean, but I have to respectfully disagree. Ultimately the administrators and bureaucrats have to be tracked and checked by the public. Voters owe it to themselves to vote in and vote out those who abuse their power. If the public wants to turn a deaf ear to this abuse, then that’s what they’ll get. Government’s very nature is to expand limitlessly, and ultimately become corrupt. When voters acquiesce to “you can’t fight City Hall” and “I can’t do anything about it” - that’s when you lose your freedom as citizens.
Rex - Thank you for your comment. Voters are not entirely to blame when they cast their votes based on incomplete information, misinformation, and falsehoods. Laying the government's failures at the feet of voters isn't entirely fair because voters don't enact policies, set budgets, spend public money, or provide government services. That's the government's job. Its elected officials and professional staff are granted the privilege of serving as responsible stewards of the public interest, regardless of who is elected or not. And when the results of that work are poor, the government is primarily to blame. Thank you again, the discussion is appreciated.
The problem of public employees unions dominating local elections is much broader than the OUSD. Virtually every large Bay Area city, school board, and special districts like BART, EBMUD and EBRPD are run by their own unions. This may sound almost utopian, but they spend their agencies into near bankruptcy.
The financial pipeline runs from union dues to union political action committee to the favored candidate, who then rewards the union members. A pretty neat, self-serving system. But it results in the least efficient, most expensive local governments in the country.
There have been attempts to break this chain in the past. Prop 32 in 2012, if passed, would have made worker's contributions to political action committees voluntary not automatic. It got over 40% of the statewide vote although massively outspent by the unions.
The situation you see in OUSD will just continue there and elsewhere unless a new Prop 32 or equivalent is created and passes.
Just a reminder that even after the Oakland schools had stayed closed longer than most schools nationwide after the pandemic, the OEA decided to strike the very next year, depriving their students of even more learning time.
Ultimately, you have to blame the voters and residents of Oakland. Had they not lived in their little bubbles, voting the same special interests into office decade after decade, this would never have been allowed to happen. But they fall for the predictable bond measures and teacher raises because “It’s the for the children!” propaganda.
It’s time to start a COUNTER-revolution against the progressives who’ve ruined Oakland.
(Editor: I mean that metaphorically:))
Hi Rex - Thank you for your comment. Voters are not entirely to blame when they cast their votes based on incomplete information, misinformation, and falsehoods. Laying the government's failures at the feet of voters isn't entirely fair because voters don't enact policies, set budgets, spend public money, or provide government services. That's the government's job. Its elected officials and professional staff are granted the privilege of serving as responsible stewards of the public interest, regardless of who is elected or not. And when the results of that work are poor, the government is primarily to blame. Thank you again, the discussion is appreciated.
Thank you, Sean, but I have to respectfully disagree. Ultimately the administrators and bureaucrats have to be tracked and checked by the public. Voters owe it to themselves to vote in and vote out those who abuse their power. If the public wants to turn a deaf ear to this abuse, then that’s what they’ll get. Government’s very nature is to expand limitlessly, and ultimately become corrupt. When voters acquiesce to “you can’t fight City Hall” and “I can’t do anything about it” - that’s when you lose your freedom as citizens.