I believe that if anyone wants to bargain with the American taxpayer resources collectively, it should be up to the American taxpayer to decide.
Greetings and a very Merry Christmas to everyone. I pray y’all are preparing for an exciting Happy Birthday to Jesus time and the ensuing gift-giving. I have a question. How many of you have noticed how the federal government always goes into an apoplectic fit when you speak of shutting it down? Yet, this is the same government, and at every level, that had no issue telling private sector businesses, ya know, the ones who pay taxes to the government, that they had to shut down…and send employees home. Yeah, sure, the government then said, here is free money that you can give to those people sent home, but guess what, it really ain’t free money. It comes from the people who were sent home from the businesses that were told to shut down.
And now we have the latest escapade from the federal government, namely the Biden-Harris administration. Just recently, the head of the Social Security Administration (SSA), Martin O’Malley, who, by the way, will soon be out of a job, signed an agreement with the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE). This agreement granted some 42-49K government employees in the SSA permission to continue to work from home until October 25, 2029. Yep, five years from now, they can continue to sit at home and do so-called work. Yes, I am sure y’all are saying certain words that cannot be repeated here, and no, I am not kidding. And the current head of the AFGE, Everett Kelley, has threatened a lawsuit against the incoming Trump administration if they do not “honor” this agreement.
Well, first and foremost, this agreement was not made with any member of the incoming Trump administration and, if anything would have to be renegotiated. If the AFGE thinks that President Trump does not know anything about labor contracts, well, I have some farmland between Ft. Lauderdale and Naples, Florida, to sell them. I mean, can you ponder the precedent that this would establish going forward? Some low-level administration appointee signing an agreement with a government union, or anyone, and believing that this is binding for subsequent administrations?
But this presents us with an even greater question, a constitutional one, to ponder. Who is authorized to conduct collective bargaining with a government union since they are paid by the American taxpayer? Matter of fact, should government unions even exist without the prescribed approval of the American taxpayer? I would submit that if anyone is authorized to negotiate contractual agreements with a federal government union, it would be the U.S. House of Representatives, our designated representatives. I believe that if anyone wants to bargain with the American taxpayer resources collectively, it should be up to the American taxpayer to decide. After all, the government makes the decision about the thing called minimum wage, or as the progressive socialist leftists call it, “living wage.” Therefore, why can’t the American people determine the wages, work hours, and compensatory benefits of government employees?
And for some unknown Biden-Harris administration bureaucrat appointee who has less than 40 days to enter into such an egregious agreement is utterly unconscionable. The Trump administration is not bound to this idiocy. And as a former Soldier, I find it ludicrous that these SSA employees should be allowed to sit at home to work. Maybe the day will come when our military refuses to deploy. Or to train when it is raining, too cold or too hot. Don’t laugh because when I was deployed in Afghanistan, I was shocked to hear that the Dutch Army had a union.
The Biden-Harris administration believes that they have put the incoming Trump-Vance administration in an untenable position…wrong! What they have done is once again remind the American people, those with a brain, why they voted overwhelmingly against the progressive socialist, Marxist leftists in America. And to this President of the AFGE, Everett Kelley, Sir, you are truly a special kind of stupid to believe that you would win a lawsuit seeking to uphold this absurdity. You may think that Santa just gave you a nice gift, but look closely; it is indeed a lump of coal.
Word of advice: if you are in the SSA and want to keep your job, show up to work on January 21st…or really, any government agency in Washington, DC.
Steadfast and Loyal.
This column was published at Allen West’s Substack
The views expressed in CCNS member articles are not necessarily the views or positions of the entire CCNS. They are the views of the authors, who are members of the CCNS.
