Pretty much. Both sides are finding loopholes in the system to push their views. Just from the last decade: * Dems trying to filibuster a bunch of judges in the 2000's resulting in that whole "gang of 14" thing. * GOP using filibusters to force 60-40 supermajorities on all bills, which had never been done prior to 2009. * Dems using reconciliation to finalize health care after Scott Brown * GOP using end-arounds like "de-funding" financial reform or health care reform because they don't like the policy and can't repeal it These are all things where each side finds new, creative ways to accomplish their goals. At the end of the day, this particular strategy is least worrisome to me because there's no real end game here that changes things - the GOP, if they want, can simply wait out the Dems until they return. I think this summarizes it pretty well: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/02/18/6079091-first-thoughts-upside-down From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Ali Weinberg *** Upside down: Anyone else noticed how the political protests in Wisconsin -- as well as the game of hide and seek there -- have turned the political rhetoric upside down? A year ago, during the health-care fight in Washington, Democrats maintained that elections have consequences. Now it’s the Republicans in power in Wisconsin (and elsewhere) who are saying this. A year ago, Republicans complained of partisan legislation being quickly crammed through the system (though that process took an entire year), and now it’s Democrats who are voicing this complaint in Wisconsin. And a year ago, Republicans used every parliamentary trick in the book (cloture, votes up until Christmas Eve) to stop or slow down the health-care legislation. Now we’re seeing the Democrats use what’s at their disposal (like fleeing to Illinois to deny a quorum) to stop or slow down the legislation in Wisconsin. Bottom line: Those in political power do every thing they can to pass their priorities, and those out of power do every thing they can to stop them.
You don't seem to understand what the purpose of a union is. They bargain for ALL of the workers together in order to avoid the divide and conquer tactics that big business is famous for. Workers are still paid what their jobs are worth, but with a union each employee gets paid the same as someone with his or her skillset and experience. I find many of the practices that were common before unions to be unethical, and are the reason that unions exist in the first place. Read a history book.
Public education is the engine that generates the best, most productive workers in the world. You want to end that? What a maroon.
SLIME <div style="background-color:#000000;width:368px;"><div style="padding:4px;"><embed src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:cms:item:comedycentral.com:359614" width="360" height="293" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" base="." flashVars=""></embed><p style="text-align:left;background-color:#FFFFFF;padding:4px;margin-top:4px;margin-bottom:0px;font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><b><a href="http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-september-20-2010/working-stiffed">The Daily Show</a></b><br/>Tags: <a href='http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/'>Daily Show Full Episodes</a>,<a href='http://www.indecisionforever.com/'>Political Humor & Satire Blog</a>,<a href='http://www.facebook.com/thedailyshow'>The Daily Show on Facebook</a></p></div></div> <iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/mqm5RRBCmiw?hd=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/VOWh6mSsIvE?hd=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/cufj2d8Co5A?hd=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Union protests parent volunteers October 22, 2010 By Joanne Parent volunteers are under fire at a northern California school that’s laid off support staff, reports the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat. The classified employees’ union at Petaluma Junior High School claims it’s illegal for volunteers to supervise at lunch, answer phones in the front office or help a salaried librarian monitor students in the library before classes begin, all paid jobs that were eliminated due to budget cuts. The union even opposes the use of parent volunteers in new positions. http://www.joannejacobs.com/2010/10/union-protests-parent-volunteers/ SLIME
Not really, Mr. Country Club Republican, unlike you, Egyptians workers understand. I guess you thought it was all twitter. Egyptian union members like unions and have fought and died for their unions like previous generations of American unionists did. The Egyptian workers hope to create a middle class country for themselves and their families like the union members and friends in the West including America (sorry conservative/libertarians) who wrestled a middle class existence from our elite rougly two generations ago.
The folks in Cairo are still barfing over your analogy. The greedy union members simply want above market compensation for their services. Simple as that, champ.
These unions are crazy. They are bankrupting county and state government. Whether you are democrat or republican, everybody can understand a budget needs to be balanced with a cut in spending or increased taxes. The free pension is killing the budgets of governments in every county and state. The governor is only asking for them to start contributing 5-6% like the rest of us.
One of the few good points you have ever made on here. These budget changes are no surprise to the local constituents that voted him and the republican legislators into office. It's too bad Rick Perry and the Texas lawmakers don't do the same.
Except that Wisconsin already had a balanced budget until the governor increased spending and cut taxes a month ago. No he's not. They already agreed to all the financial cuts like paying more for their pensions and health insurance. As was already pointed out here, he said no. He specifically just wants to remove their future bargaining rights. He's interested in breaking the union for political sake, not to balance the budget.
You and SamFisher love the typical lawyer-like dodging of questions, huh? I'm glad you agree the union members are selfishly demanding higher than market compensation.
Interesting idea of "market compensation." I suppose before organized labor, when certain miners were paid less than their basic livings costs, owed to the mining company, that was market compensation? LOL. The idea of a fair and open labor market is nearly a fantasy, a metastable situation at best. If you have a largely deregulated system, the market price for the your labor is the lowest a company can possibly pay you, using any means at their disposal, including creating environments where you won't have other choices. No, we don't have that now. And yes, we have weekends now. It's not clear we'd be here without organized labor. But don't worry, we're headed full steam ahead back to the stone ages of America. I have no idea why there are so many people who think this is a good idea, but organized labor will die, the rich will get even richer, and fewer, by the year. Poverty will continue to expand. I've never had sympathy for the predictions of Karl Marx, but an eventual uprising seems like the logical endgame of the current stupidity and greed.
