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FNC contributor Monica Crowley on the factors driving union’s influence despite their declining membership.
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Right here right now in studio -- make.
Monica Crowley Fox News contributor and author of what the -- just happens.
Mike how is it that the unions still have so much influence -- the White House and they only represented in terms of the private job market -- it's tiny sliver of employees in this country it really is incredible -- we've seen hemorrhaging away from unions over the many many out past decade so you're right to say that their influence -- a lot.
It's disproportionate all exactly to their membership but remember it's less about the union members and more about those who are running these unions and union heads.
And it should come as no surprise your name Barack Obama sympathies -- -- With the unions and with their interest that -- always been the case from the time he was a community organizer straight through to president of the United States but fixing entitlements.
Ultimately will be unavoidable we're just a couple of years from the Medicare trust fund from going bust.
Well do you think that this they will influence president right now I remember taken to -- first group of people who were invited to the White House after President Obama was reelected.
Where these folks Bieber union heads they were community organizers they were far left organizations like move on they were the first ones brought into the White House.
Again no surprise this is who the president is these are his people this is what he believes so it's not a stretch to say.
That unions are leaning on him not to do entitlement reform this is also what the president believes.
But you're also very right to say that at some point the laws of economics will kick and we're seeing this now in -- we're seeing it throughout Western Europe.
When something cannot go -- it won't it will stop.
And we are going to hit a wall here at this is what governor Romney Paul Ryan -- been talk about Ryan's two years.
A budget proposals that have been passed by the house and killed by the Democrats in the senate.
Trying to say look.
We know the laws of economics are gonna kick in here and these programs are going to come to a screeching halt because there is no more money.
So what we'd like to do now before the crisis is trying to reform these programs in order to save that not destroy them.
And not only I've said this for years says securities an easy -- -- not given people's health.
So security is just Newt's you know change in an eight retirement age and changing how the initial benefit is calculated -- pretty much it and it seems -- -- -- But you know it's hard -- nevertheless to get.
The Republicans a large group of down to get excited about doing this -- do you think that it it doesn't happen and tell.
Well the telecast -- that's yet few years from now well it's an interesting question because I think one of the big untold stories about the selection you know gas Barack Obama got reelected Democrats picked up seats here -- there.
But the -- untold story is that what used to be third rails of American politics like Medicare reform.
Or even talking about Social Security because everybody freaked out you're dealing with older voters who -- vote they don't want anything to be touched.
That didn't happen this time actually Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan who's the author of the big entitlement reform that didn't deal with Medicare.
They actually pick top.
Older voters they won by a huge percentage -- untold story hit air here -- is yes you can talk seriously.
To the American people about reform which you've got to make the argument rational terms you have to say we're here to try to save this before the crisis since.
Too often -- western societies we wait for the crisis to hit and everybody runs around with their hair on fire.
The responsible thing to do especially in a super power is to deal with the crisis before it -- and that's what Republicans really need to argue I think older voters also like the fact that Mitt Romney did not like the Federal Reserve -- -- -- Ben Bernanke has they have -- and com.
They're pretty much better than what I thought there really good point it was great seeing you happy Thanksgiving like I think -- -- Monica Crowley.
