What’s the purpose of buying a Democrat if they just don’t deliver the goods? That’s been union bosses’ ham-fisted message to Democrats for a couple of months now: If Democrats don’t start delivering on what union bosses expect, union bosses will pull their funds.

Well, it appears that union bosses are making good on their threats–or, like sending a dead fish, they’re putting the message out that they mean business (before 2012 rolls around and they open up the spigots again).

According to the Center for Responsive Politics union bosses haven’t been as giving as they have been in the past.

Unions’ political action committees have contributed $4.75 million to federal candidates this year through the end of March, according to the Center’s research. In 2009, union PACs donated $8.44 million — and in 2007, union PACs donated $6.77 million — through the same period.

It is still not clear why donations are down 40 percent, although a fraction of this percentage may be due to PACs who have not yet filed any paperwork with the Federal Election Commission. The biggest PACs file monthly campaign finance reports with the FEC, but PACs that file semi-annually in 2011 won’t submit their first reports to the FEC until next week.

Of course, there’s a lot of time between now and the 2012 elections. After all, it’s not like today’s unions can function without the government aiding and abetting them.

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“I bring reason to your ears, and, in language as plain as ABC, hold up truth to your eyes.” Thomas Paine, December 23, 1776

Cross-posted.