This election year, the economy is front and center in the minds of most Americans. Many of our concerns are being fueled by a perception that corruption and cronyism are hindering our recovery. From the bailout of the United Auto Workers to the millions of dollars that flowed to Solyndra, the Obama administration has done little to hide its political favoritism. The current alliance between special interests and government has re-created Chicago politics on a national level. Washington Examiner Senior Political Columnist Timothy P. Carney has described this as the “Obama model”: rewarding businesses that play ball with the administration on issues like energy subsidies and factory construction in areas that help pro-Democratic unions. AFL-CIO head Richard Trumka once remarked that he visits the White House two or three times a week — and is in contact with someone in the administration almost every day. Close and unhealthy relationships like this are cause for concern over the state of our democracy.

Cronyism is a threat to our prosperity, and the suicide pact between unions and the president is at the heart of it. They’ve perfected a system to game Washington, using union members as cash cows to fund the political allies who keep union leaders riding high on the hog.