I Don’t Know and I Don’t Care
I’ve taken up the question of those who don’t know much about collective bargaining, as have much more prominent commentators, such as Ben Smith of Politico and Mark Blumenthal of the Huffington Post. But in light of non-stop media coverage of the Wisconsin battle, there is something that should sober up those of us who spend an inordinate amount of time following this stuff, or advocating for either side.
The general public doesn’t much care.
How else to explain the Pew Research Center News Interest Index for February 17-20? The pollsters asked:
How much if anything, have you heard about each of the following? Have you heard a lot, a little or nothing at all?
…Protests in Wisconsin over a plan to reduce the bargaining rights of government employee labor unions.
The response: 26 percent had heard a lot, 34 percent had heard a little, and 40 percent had heard nothing at all.
That should curb your enthusiasm. Have a great weekend!
