Abstract
In the annals of New York City, Tammany Hall -- the fabled Democratic political machine -- plays an iconic role. A well-oiled patronage mill, its grip on New York City politics was almost uninterrupted for more than 100 years. In New York City's political system, Tammany Democrats doled out contracts and jobs in return for votes. Reform-minded Democrats and not a few Republicans learned to make their peace with the machine; in handing out favors through the spoils system, Tammany's backing could make or break political careers. The rhetorical link between Tammany Hall and public sector unions was fairly easy to make since both Tammany and unions (in general) are closely linked to corruption, not just to the patron-client relations that feed rent-seeking but may be legal. To be fair, conservative opponents of public sector unions were not necessarily calling them corrupt; they were just saying that the system in which they participate promotes unsustainable rent-seeking behavior by unions and the politicians to whom they are linked
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