Philip Howard – Getting Unions Out of Government

0:00 Philip’s early work on post-nuclear war recovery2:26 Philip’s skepticism toward the role of lawyers in the US4:34 What’s wrong with the EPA, OSHA, and the EEOC?6:59 How to ensure worker safety without “4,000 rules”8:07 Why the US spends so much on healthcare11:32 Philip: We’ve degenerated into a culture of distrust14:58 The origins of American distrust18:42 Re-instilling trust21:38 The problems of national security and public health26:57 Are public employee unions constitutional?39:35 Market constraints don’t hold for government employees34:55 Do public sector workers need protection from exploitation?39:22 Philip: “Public service is repellant to good candidates”40:58 A short history of the civil service46:49 Is Philip inveighing against the Democratic Party and the labor movement at large?53:12 Philip: Police unions prevent accountability, too56:08 The necessity of a constitutional solution to public unions1:00:58 Philip: The political organizing of public unions harms the public1:04:46 Would the current Supreme Court be receptive to Philip’s case?Recorded October 27, 2023Links and ReadingsPhilip’s book, The Death of Common Sense: How Law Is Suffocating AmericaPhilip’s book, Life Without Lawyers: Restoring Responsibility in AmericaPhilip’s latest book, Not Accountable: Rethinking the Constitutionality of Public Employee UnionsEdward Banfield’s book, The Moral Basis of a Backward SocietyRobert Putnam’s book, Making Democracy Work: Civic Traditions in Modern ItalyPhilip’s forthcoming book, Everyday Freedom: Designing the Framework for a Flourishing Society This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit glennloury.substack.com/subscribe