Labor (Union) Day...

There's something both ironically fitting and yet incongruous about celebrating the American labor union by a day off from work. On the one hand, it's fitting that a celebration to unions involves actually ceasing work. Given that the origins center around violent strikes that stopped work (and were supported by socialist regimes that had a vested interest in seeing American capitalism fail), it's no surprise that a long weekend would be the legacy of the anti-business movement.

Even the reason for the date - halfway between Independence Day and Thanksgiving - is ironic. The summer months - filled with vacations that the unions will be the first to tell you would not exist if not for them - are holiday-free after July 4th. Organized labor once had a place in American business. Unskilled workers were often at the mercy of unscrupulous factory owners and worked in conditions we would never tolerate today. The contribution of organized labor - that of the workers banding together to demand better working conditions - is significant and has a place in the celebration of the unique American story.

But in today's global market - we're constantly reminded that we need to be "citizens of the world", remember - we're competing - and losing - with countries that don't "respect" the workers rights. And our adherence to the unions out of deference to bygone victories is costing us dearly - one need witness the devastation in Detroit and the American auto industry to know this is true. Allowing the stranglehold of the unions to continue - as we've seen in WI with the public employees striking to keep their free benefits that the rest of us pay for - is only going to hurt us in the long run.

But hey, enjoy that cheeseburger cooked over the grill made in China while you stick it to the man...

That is all.