The glowing praise of unions in a letter published Aug. 30 overlooks what unions have become in modern America. A century ago, unions may have served a purpose in pushing for basic workplace safety. But today they operate more like political machines and extortion rackets than advocates for workers.

The reality is clear: unions drive inflation. When they demand wage hikes far above market value, businesses pass the costs onto consumers through higher prices. That means families are paying more for food, fuel, and housing, not because of “greedy corporations” but because of decades of union-driven cost increases that ripple through the entire economy.

Unions don’t reward merit. They protect mediocrity. Contracts are written to value seniority over performance, making it harder to promote excellence or discipline underperformers. Employers are boxed in, innovation suffers, and productivity falls. The best workers are held back by rules designed to protect the worst ones. Fair?

Politically, unions are no longer neutral defenders of labor. They funnel millions into one party, almost always Democrats, without giving individual workers a choice. That means your hard-earned dues may be going to fund politicians and policies you don’t agree with. Workers lose their voice as union bosses gain power.

Regarding the VA, the canceled contracts weren’t about protecting veterans or improving care. Many of those agreements shielded underperformers and slowed accountability. Veterans deserve top-quality service, not a bloated system where unions dictate rules that protect inefficiency at their expense. And as for pensions, the fearmongering about government or employers “coming for them” ignores the truth. Fact is, union mismanagement has bankrupted countless pension funds by overpromising benefits and misusing funds. Unions left workers holding the bag, not some outside “union-busting” force.

Unions like to paint themselves as a wall against authoritarianism. In reality, they are authoritarian in structure and practice. Workers who disagree with leadership have little choice but to go along, pay dues, and watch their money fund causes they may not support. True worker freedom comes when individuals negotiate their own worth, not when they are forced into lockstep under union bosses.

The time has come to move past the outdated mythology of unions. They are not defenders of fairness, but rather, they are organized extortion outfits that weaken businesses, fuel inflation and distort our politics. If America wants stronger workers, lower prices and more opportunity, the solution is not stronger unions, it is empowering individuals to succeed on their own merit.