In a thoughtful, wide-ranging essay published recently in The Economist, Britain’s 10-year prime minister Tony Blair had an interesting thought: Don’t let public-sector union bosses set the agenda.

Noting the need for reform of the public services, Blair hit on a trans-Atlantic concern. And he wasn’t shy about saying who shouldn’t be controlling policy:

The purpose should be so that public services can adapt and adjust naturally—self-generating reform—rather than being continually prodded and pushed from the centre. Public-sector unions can’t be allowed to determine the shape of public services.

If only we could convince more U.S. politicians of the same.