Labor Unions Hinder Democratic Efforts on Affordability and Abundance

This opinion article from Reason.com argues that labor unions are a major obstacle preventing Democrats from achieving their stated goals of abundance and affordability. It describes two rival Democratic factions: the 'abundance' faction, which favors market mechanisms, deregulation, and technological progress to lower costs (especially housing), and the 'affordability' faction, associated with socialists like NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani, which pushes for government interventions and subsidies. The article contends that both factions are undermined by Democratic deference to union demands, which block labor-saving technologies like driverless cars and increase costs. It concludes that union power prevents Democrats from delivering on their promises to make life more affordable for ordinary Americans.