The AFL-CIO and its affiliates have raised an unprecedented $250 million to put 200,000 union workers on the street campaigning for Obama in the crucial final weeks. The National Education Association has budgeted up to $50 million. The Service Employees International Union has added $100 million to pay 2,000 union members to leave their jobs and go work on Democratic campaigns. All totaled, unions are expected to spend more than $1 billion of their members’ money on the 2008 elections. Moreover, it’s not only money; many unions, including the mighty Teamsters, have given Obama their endorsements.

Obama hypocritically says he doesn’t take money from special interest groups, yet unions are special interest groups. And what is organized labor expecting to receive in return? Plenty.

As Pete DuPont has written, if Obama is elected in November, “Significant labor law changes will likely start with the elimination of secret ballots for union organizing elections, so that unions can verbally "ask" workers if they would like to join (read: intimidate them into saying yes). Then may come repeal of the 1947 Taft-Hartley Act provision that allows states to enact "right to work" laws -- 22 of them have done so -- that allow workers to take jobs even if they decide not to join a union.”

Sen. Obama co-sponsored the legislation to which DuPont referrers, known as the Employee Free Choice Act or “card check.” This would make it much easier for unions to add new members by replacing secret ballots with cards that union organizers demand co-workers to sign. Obama has said several times he will sign it into law if elected.

Then there is the Teamsters Union. They claim they are not as corrupt as they used to be, and therefore should not have the Feds watch their every move. In March 2008, they were able to extract a promise from Obama to turn down the heat. He released this statement: “It’s time for the Justice Department to begin negotiations with the Teamsters regarding the elimination of the IRB (Independent Review Board, which investigates and punishes corruption)…”

This is only one of many promises he made to this special interest group -- promises he will be hard-pressed to renege on. That’s why union bosses are doing everything they can to get Obama elected. Not only will workers be coerced into paying union dues, but also a President Obama will make it much more difficult for businesses to survive, and the economy will suffer.