Watching last week's coverage of the demonstrators at state capitals in Madison, WI, and Columbus, OH, replete with angry gestures, rough language and intolerance for the other side reminds me of the title of an old movie...."The Good, The Bad and The Ugly".

Polls quoted this week show Americans think the right to unionize is a good thing. At the same time, these polls report a majority of Americans think some powerful unions are treating the taxpayer badly. The clash we see between those who would limit the bargaining powers of public employee unions and those unions determined to keep their powers intact is strikingly ugly.

And yet, when we examine the whirling center here, the degree of collective bargaining allowed to public employees, many of us have actually lived through the good, the bad and the ugly of every type of management abuse and union abuse. We have seen instances when power on either side is unrestrained by market forces resulting in a host/parasite situation where neither can prosper for long.

When public unions negotiate with politicians for benefits owed by future taxpayers, who is the steward of those future interests?

Not the unions for whom better benefits equals more membership, more income from dues and greater influence and power... 

Not the politicians for whom more union campaign cash and more union votes also mean more power...

The stewardship resides with the taxpayer whose children and grandchildren are conscripted to carry the lasting burden of shortsighted promises and unfunded mandates.

Next up the arguments and demonstrations in Ohio are expected to intensify. As in Wisconsin we can expect the intersection of the good, the bad and the ugly.

Pay attention to the groups pushing from each side. Which group reflects your values? Watch for the character shown by the actions of the politicians on both sides of this issue. Will devastating deficits and unfunded liabilities be allowed to grow as payback for political support? Will financially responsible approaches be sought and passed?

The good steward must reclaim responsibility here. We voters should step forward in our support of those who would stop the financially irrational promises to our public sector employees. We have no choice but to rewrite the rules of negotiations that have given workers more benefits and politicians more power then leaving the taxpayers holding devastating  long term IOU's.