Don't blame me. I'm from Massachusetts.*

I recently wrote about the large sums of money being spent by the SEIU to influence current elections and raised the question about when and if the topic of the so-called Employee Free Choice Act would enter the candidates' debates.

Around Boston, these kind of comments have been used by some to portray me as out of touch with the traditionally liberal bent of Massachusetts politics. Now, to my rescue comes none other than -- tah dah! -- George McGovern. In an August 8 op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, he raises exactly the same issues.

Here are the final two paragraphs in his article:

I worry that there has been too little discussion about EFCA's true ramifications, and I think much of the congressional support is based on a desire to give our friends among union leaders what they want. But part of being a good steward of democracy means telling our friends "no" when they press for a course that in the long run may weaken labor and disrupt a tried and trusted method for conducting honest elections.

While it is never pleasant to stand against one's party or one's friends, there are times when such actions are necessary -- as with my early and lonely opposition to the Vietnam War. I hope some of my friends in Congress will re-evaluate their support for this legislation. Because as Americans, we should strive to ensure that all of us enjoy the freedom of expression and freedom from fear that is our ideal and our right.


*To assist those readers under a certain age, this was a popular bumper sticker in 1973 and 1974, after the 1972 Richard Nixon Presidential election victory. McGovern only won one state's electoral votes, Massachusetts. Nixon resigned the presidency this week 34 years ago after it became clear that he had authorized or condoned illegal activities against his opponents during that election.