Today's Wall Street Journal opinion page has an editorial on how the National Education Association spends members' dues.

The article reinforces my belief that unions should be required to get permission from their members (opt-in rather than opt-out) before they spend money on lobbying or political candidates. But I'm also unsure if those classifications go far enough. Why is the NEA sending money to the Economic Policy Institute (the Journal article offers a suggestion, but I'd love to hear the NEA's explanation)? Or People for the American Way? Or the Human Rights Campaign? I know a lot of teachers who wouldn't give a dime directly to any of these groups, but who would give money to other groups that oppose these groups agendas.

I always knew the NEA was a liberal lobbying group, but I never knew it operated like a liberal philanthropy or foundation, doling out teachers' dues to groups that so many teachers oppose.