Hands Off Corrupt Labor Bosses

The Obama Administration is calling for new rules and regulations for business across America but when it comes to big labor their attitude is “hands off“:

The Obama administration has delivered a strong message to crooked union bosses everywhere: happy days are here again.

On Thursday President Obama, who has pledged to usher in a new era of fiscal responsibility, touted $17 billion in proposed cuts to his $3.4 trillion budget. The media noted that about half of the reductions came out of the defense budget, but lost in most reports is the fact that the administration also slashed funding for the only entity in government tasked with policing unions.

Under the previous administration, the Labor Department beefed up the Office of Labor-Management Standards. During this time, the division’s actions led to 929 convictions of corrupt union officials and to the recovery of more than $93 million on behalf of union members. Yet the Obama administration has proposed slashing the unit’s budget by more than 9 percent, from $45 million in 2009 to $41 million in 2010.