Quote:
Originally Posted by BlueStreak
Yeah, it's the cowards that stand up and fight to protect their interests. Real Americans just shut up, take their lumps and do as they're told.
Tell me something;
What do you think people work for, if not to make a living and build up a retirement? What, it's just supposed to be our patriotic duty to bust ass every day and expect nothing in return? We're supposed to bow and scrape for chump change-------why? Personal pride? It's the "moral" thing to do?
I have no qualms with telling you how I feel.......FUCK THAT!
Dave
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Well, since we're letting the expletives fly, here's my $0.02:
I have no qualms with anyone making as much as they possibly can - pay, benefits, retirement, whatever - within the limits of what the market will bear. Wisconsin has been dealing with public sector unionization long enough to recognize the problem: the unions and the politicians have gotten in bed with each other, and the taxpayers are paying the ever increasing bill. The equation - capitulating to wage, benefit and pension demands = campaign contributions - has left most states and the Fed Gov't in a situation where wages and benefits for public sector employees have risen significantly above private sector wages and benefits for jobs with similar skills and qualifications.
Wisconsin and my home state of MI have gaping holes in the budget: the government in this state has continued to become more expensive every year while the state's population has been declining year after year. (We're losing 2 seats in the House of Representatives as a result.) Rather than right-size government to reflect the declining population, we decided to raise taxes on business in the middle of a recession to keep government afloat, including continuing to fund high wages, rich benefits and pensions for state employees.
Unemployment in Wisconsin is just shy of 8% (in MI, its off the map!). Many of those working have continued working through pay freezes, reductions to health benefits, or faced lay-offs and taken jobs to try and keep making ends meet during a recession. God forbid the civil servants take a wage cut or freeze, pay more for health care. Just let the strapped citizens of WI pay the extra freight every year, whether they're working, underemployed or unemployed.
The Federal House and Senate Republicans opposed the stimulus, and opposed health care reform. But at least they SHOWED UP, PARTICIPATED IN THE PROCESS, AND LET THEIR "NO" VOTE BE RECORDED. They didn't leave DC, get on a bus and hold themselves up in a RESORT while ducking their responsibilities to the citizens.
I have no qualms with telling you how I feel about the public sector unions and their lap dog politicians.......FUCK THAT!
EDIT: this is illustrative of the unsustainable situation in MI with wages and benefits for teachers.
http://www.michigancapitolconfidential.com/12874. Combine this with the fact that in many school districts, teachers don't pay any portion of their health care premium, and have no co pay or deductibles.