Oped on Right to Work

I wrote an oped on the Right to Work laws that appeared in the Harrisburg Patriot News today.  Link here.

Here's the conclusion:

While I've laid out three key economic benefits of right-to-work, I think the issue goes beyond economic analysis. It is an issue of freedom.  We should recall what economist Walter Williams said about taxes and see how it applies to forced union membership. Slavery was forcing someone to work for somebody else’s benefit. Seizing somebody’s income against their will (whether by taxes or by forcing them to pay union dues) is different only in magnitude, not in kind.

Even if right-to-work were bad for the economy, I think it would be the right thing to do. With right-to-work, however, it is comforting to know that economic benefits will come from providing more freedom. I hope Pennsylvania lawmakers will do the right thing and pass right-to-work.