Presidential hopeful and New Mexico governor Bill Richardson seems to believe in the 80-20 rule. Or at least he hopes that promising 20 percent union density will get him 80 percent of the way to Big Labor’s political war chest.

In a report on the Democrats’ bids to please labor, the Associated Press includes this kicker:

Richardson said he would set concrete goals for increasing union membership from its current 12 percent of the work force, pushing for a level as high as 20 percent. 

Yikes! That means we’re going to have to increase the nation’s current union membership rate by 50% — just to please Big Labor. I wonder what kind of diabolical scheme it would take to sign up seven million more people?

Outcome-based policies — rather than process-focused efforts — won’t be good for anyone, except those raking in the dues dollars.