The pro-card check forces are humming along as if the fight were still raging. They seem to be under the illusion that their legislative prospects survived the announcement by Arlen Specter that he wouldn’t vote for cloture. Greg Sargent finds “another big setback” in the news that not even Diane Feinstein is supporting it this time around. With perfect cluelessness (or perfectly feigned cluelessness) he declares:

The last thing the pro-EFCA camp needs as it struggles to put together the support of 60 Senators to overcome the GOP filibuster — particularly in the wake of Arlen Specter’s defection — is yet another wavering Dem Senator.

Excuse me, but once Specter said “no” the war was over. Yes, it could become really humiliating as stalwart Democrats tell Big Labor to get lost. But once their numbers dropped below 60, they . . . well . . . they dropped below 60.

I realize the dance here is to save face for Big Labor and make card check seem viable so as to back into a compromise of some type. But they insult the intelligence of voters and of the entire political class when they spin like this. If they are going to achieve some sort of consolation prize for Big Labor — e.g. shorter time limits on elections, forcing employers to turn over their facilities and internal email systems to labor organizers — they are going to have to make the case on the merits of these measures. They must convince public opinion that such changes are needed, “fair,” and smart, at a time when we are facing rising unemployment.

Right now, the available evidence suggests what’s really needed is to step up the policing of labor corruption. A discussion on the merits of alternative labor-law reforms is the last thing Big Labor wants.