Christie's battles with the teachers unions over the past year have produced countless YouTube hits. And last month, he got a law passed to limit wage hikes — from labor arbitrations between the state and public-employee unions — to a 2 percent average annual increase.
As New Jersey, New York, California, and Illinois — the four states with the highest insurance premiums on their bonds — face life without a compliant Congress to approve their pleas for more cash, they'll increasingly have to follow Christie's example and rein in their unions.
As Margaret Thatcher famously said, the problem with socialism is that sooner or later "you run out of other people's money."
Gone from our politics would be $200 million that the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association, SEIU and AFSCME together spent on political action in the last election cycle.
Initially, Democrats will oppose the idea of state bankruptcies. But when House Republicans make clear that no more aid will be forthcoming and that the stimulus spigot is turned off, at least some Democrats will realize this is their best option.
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