Are the Democratic-controlled Congress and President Obama very much pro union? Unquestionably. Do the economic effects of unions on the welfare of workers as a whole justify that union bias? No. Has their pro-union orientation seriously retarded the recovery from the recession? Probably…The real threat to a robust recovery on the labor side has come from employer and entrepreneurial fears that once the economic environment improves, a Democratic Congress and administration will pass pro-union and other pro-worker legislation that will raise the cost of doing business and cut profits. In this way the obvious pro-union-pro-worker bias of the present government has contributed to a slower recovery, especially in labor markets. – Gary Becker
This seems to go along with Robert Higgs’ concept of regime uncertainty quite well. However, I don’t think (luckily for us) American unions are in any way as powerful as European unions, however I think the above quote is quite accurate.
It may be impossible to have anything but a pro union bias with a strong federal government and democracy.
You could be against unions as a presidential candidate, but than you’d need another strong special interest to back you up. The military-industrial complex comes to mind.
We can not truly trust anything politicians say, since it is all game theory to them. They do not need to hold firm to their principles at any point, because it is truly about getting reelected, whatever that means doing.