RUSH: All right, Chris in Syracuse, Indiana. Thank you for calling. You’re next on the Open Line Friday edition of the program. Hi.
CALLER: Hello? Yeah, Rush, as a matter of fact I’m from Elkhart, Indiana, where they used to make Alka-Seltzer. I’m calling because I was sawing logs and stacking wood last Wednesday listening to your radio program when you — I think it was like the third hour — started bashing Ron Gettelfinger, calling trade unionists leeeeeeeeches who only complain and whine about our evil management. I wanted to tell you, I’m a 30-year union person. I’ve collectively bargained. I’ve been a union steward, a union president.
RUSH: Which means you’ve held people up.
CALLER: (incredulous) I’ve ‘held them up’!
RUSH: I’m kidding. I’m sorry. It’s been a fun day. You’re collective bargaining.
CALLER: Yes. And I took exception with your characterization of trade unionists. You know, um, organized —
RUSH: I am not talking about the members. I have been very clear about this. It’s why I mentioned Gettelfinger. I’m talking about union leaders. I don’t remember. Was this this past Wednesday two days ago, or was it last week?
CALLER: It was on the 20th. We were outside stacking —
RUSH: Okay, two days ago.
CALLER: — wood after we saw this.
RUSH: Well, I have to… I’m not disputing. I would have to get the transcript to find out exactly what I was talking about. Was it relationship to the union all of a sudden deciding they don’t want to own Chrysler?
CALLER: No, they don’t want to manage Chrysler.
RUSH: Yeah. That was what I was talking about?
CALLER: But they’re using their pension monies to help bail them out, and the UAW has —
RUSH: Yes. Isn’t that wonderful?
CALLER: This is the second time that the UAW has done it.
RUSH: Pension money to bail them out? There’s nothing constitutional about this bailout! That’s what’s all wrong with this. The union is being given 55% of the stock and Gettelfinger said after a while, ‘We don’t want that. We’re going to sell that and fund our retirement program.’ So they don’t want to run it. I remember what I said. They don’t want to run the company; they want to leech off it. I probably did say that.
CALLER: Yes, you said ‘leech.’ That was the reference you made, and I’ve listened to you for several years and your attitude toward organized labor… I mean, I don’t understand something. Where do you think most of the leadership comes from in organized labor other than the rank-and-file?
RUSH: Well, don’t make me say. Don’t make me.
CALLER: Can I make my point? My point is this.
RUSH: They’ll Frank Sinatra me if I answer that. I don’t want to go there.
CALLER: Stop with the La Cozza (sic) Nostra.
RUSH: I didn’t say anything about that, now. See this is why… You’re making too many assumptions here, Chris.
CALLER: Okay.
RUSH: I’ve got nothing… I have said… Let me be clear. I’ve got about 45 seconds here.
CALLER: Okay.
RUSH: I have nothing against anybody who works in this country, nothing. I don’t like people who want to get paid more for doing less, but you don’t like the focal point of union leadership being to elect pure, unadulterated liberal Democrats and so forth. If people want to join a union, that’s fine. I just hope they know what they’re getting into when they do it, that they’re sacrificing their own ability to earn money based on their individual performance because you become part of a group. You become part of a contract. But I have nothing against anybody who works.
CALLER: That’s not true.
RUSH: What’s not true?
CALLER: (snorting) Well, number one, which part of it? The part about COPE was not true.
RUSH: Can we get your phone number? Because I’ve gotta go.
CALLER: You could, yes. Yeah.
RUSH: We’ll call you next week.
CALLER: I would love to talk to you.
RUSH: Because I don’t want you thinking that I am giving you short shrift here. So we’ll talk to her next week about this. I gotta take a quick time-out.