George Orwell & The Employee Free Choice Act

George Orwell, in his novel 1984, gave to us the cynical concept of doublespeak, where things were named and attributed with properties the opposite of their true nature. Since he penned the novel almost 60 years ago, his forsight has proved prescient indeed. Doublespeak is practiced by many regimes the world over. For but one example, The People's Democratic Republic of North Korea is the official name for the most anti-democratic regime on this earth.

And Orwellian doublespeak is alive and well in the U.S.A., where the concept is oft put to use by members of our own Congress in the naming of their bills. The most glaring example of late is the Employee Free Choice Act, penned by the Democrats in Congress as pure political payback for supportive Labor Unions. And in the best traditions of doublespeak, the Free Choice Act would have an effect diametrically opposed to what its name suggests. The Act would take away that most basic of free and democratic concepts - an employee's right to cast a secret ballot on whether to unionize. The Employee Free Choice Act would make the decision whether to unionize subject to overt coercion and intimidation. It is truly an atrocious and incredibly cynical piece of legislation that I have previously posted upon here.

I raise it again today because the bill, passed by Democrats in the House, is now winding its way towards the Senate, championed by no less then Ted Kennedy and Barack Obama. The Union Free Employer has posted a short primer on the bill, which I would urge you to read. And as always, let your voice be heard.

Your Senator