Republican lawmakers pushing a series of anti-union bills aren't getting the unanimous tea party support they expected.

Senate Bill 830, sponsored by Sen. John Thrasher, would bar government agencies from making authorized payroll deductions for union dues.

Along with House Bill 1021 by Rep. Chris Dorworth, the measures seek to specifically prohibit state and local agencies "from deducting from employee wages dues, uniform assessments, fines, penalties, or special assessments of employee organization or contributions made for purposes of political activity."

This is not a penny-ante matter -- and it's highly partisan.

Campaign finance records show that the Florida Education Association (teachers' union) ponied up more than $3.4 million in political contributions last year. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees donated nearly $1.4 million. Virtually all of the money went to Democratic candidates or straight to the Democratic Party. Public-sector affiliates of the AFL-CIO gave hundreds of thousands more.

Labor organizations call the bills pure union-busting. Dorworth said the legislation “allows union membership more control over how their dollars are spent.”

Though not necessarily objecting to the bills' requirement that members annually approve the use of dues for political purposes, a few tea party members and libertarians are lining up with unions in opposing the deduction ban.

In doing so, these conservatives aligned with Democrats who blasted HB 1021 on Friday. The House passed the measure 73-40.

"This is targeting teachers, and that's a crime," says Robin Stublen, a Punta Gorda-based tea party leader. "It's a blatant effort to stop political contributions and bust up [unions]."

Stublen notes that government agencies currently withhold payroll funds for a variety of purposes. Singling out worker-authorized union contributions for prohibition is not fair, he says.

"It's all about choice. As long as we allow automatic deductions for United Way, IRAs, braces, car payments, etc., give them that choice, too," Stublen said.

And, speaking of choice, he adds: "Let's remember that Thrasher gave $500 to [Democratic candidate Alex] Sink for the CFO race in 2006."

Stublen, who organized a tea party rally in Tallahassee on the opening day of the Legislature, urged fellow members in a recent online forum to ask themselves four questions about the bill: "Does it limit government? Is it fiscally responsible government? Does it promote free markets? Does it save tax dollars?

"The answer to these questions is a resounding no. We are on a very
 slippery slope here," he said.

During Friday's two-hour House debate, Rep. Janet Cruz, D-Tampa, said, “Let’s be honest. Don’t put lipstick on this elephant … No one pays dues to a union unless they want to. Members can quit and engage at any time.”

Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda, D-Tallahassee, added, “It’s on days like today, when [the Legislature] does things for political gain and that have nothing to do with policy but everything to do with politics and posturing, well, it saddens me … This bill isn’t getting Floridians’ jobs or doing anything to make the life of Floridians better.”

Alex Snitker, a Libertarian candidate for U.S. Senate last year, voiced similar concerns.

"It almost seems like a waste of time," he said of the prohibition on political withholding. "These legislators were elected to fix the economy, not go after unions."

Snitker, who says he is decidedly "not a union guy," said such legislation simply fires up the opposition.

"They're just pissing off the Democratic base and giving them more ammunition for 2012," he observes.