I don't get what the Republicans in the WI Assembly were trying to do? Why rush the vote and not let Democrats vote "no" when you have a majority? What's the point in doing that? Just makes yourselves look bad. Seems like a dumb tactic to me.
Where are these political rats hiding...Is there a rat hole/bunker somewhere in Illinois?.... Please someone, anyone grab one, just...one is all we need by force preferably into the state with them kicking and screaming and frothing at the mouth... Perryize these fools. The Wisconsin changes sought by Walker would make state workers contribute more to health insurance and pensions, end government collection of union dues, let workers opt out of unions and require unions to hold recertification votes every year. Collective bargaining would be allowed only on wage increases up to the rate of inflation... http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/25/usa-wisconsin-idUSN2528375720110225?pageNumber=2 sounds like power to the individual. sounds like reasonable contributions in the face of no money in the coffers. sounds like pro-choice...Unions will still be there and should be there, but not with absolute ability or business as usual while others suffer. . .
Yeah, businesses need those tax breaks more than the public sector workers need collective bargaining rights.
It isn't "business as usual," ROX. The public employees, the teachers agreed on a huge hit to their benefits, which will cost them a heck of a lot and lower their standard of living. They essentially agreed to everything wanted by the Republicans except the destruction of their collective bargaining rights. This is an obvious union busting attempt and has nothing to do with the budget crisis.
Exactly. The issue isn't how we solve a budget crisis: the unions have accepted the proposed cuts to the benefits. On the other hand, the issue also isn't strictly about "union busting," either. The real goal of Walker is to bust his political opponents-- i.e. only the unions that tend to vote Democratic. He's not touching police and firefighter unions, for example. Why doesn't the same arguments the Republicans make about the teachers union's powers apply to the cops union? Why isn't Walker proposing to cut the benefits of police or firefighters as, for example, Mike Bloomberg in NY is proposing to do as part of the plan to address the city's budget deficits alongside cuts to teachers. As even conservative commentators like David Brooks have noted, this is pure partisan warfare dressed up as a budget debate. He's trying to hurt Democratic leaning unions while not touching Republican leaning unions (at least for as long as they stay Republican leaning, I guess).
Great point, CH. What's a mystery to me is why the conservative Republicans, the whatevers, and the independents who aren't paying attention can't see this. I'm surprised they can breath, having their heads in the sand.
Stinkin' liberals can't read either?! http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showpost.php?p=5971096&postcount=252 :grin:
Walker has no problem with them belonging to a trade union. He just thinks those unions should have no power well....except the power to negotiate wage increases up to the rate of inflation as long as they re certify every year and membership is totally voluntary. Or they cease contributing to Democrats. Sheeesh.... (......is there support for this crap in Wisconsin? I don't know....but it seems that sort of extremism should result in a pretty big backlash??? This goes much further then simply imposing a contract -- or firing air traffic controllers)...
Some do. David Brooks does. So does Clive Crook, a fiscal conservative who has a blog on the Atlantic's website. http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/02/the-battle-of-wisconsin/71583/ Also, Mitch Daniels, the Gov. of Indiana, is against public sector union's collective bargaining power, but would not resort to the kind of partisanship games to try to achieve such a goal. I can respect that. If you want to debate the merits of unions, lets have that debate at an appropriate time based on all of the available facts but lets not pretend somehow there is an emergency that's going to be solved by busting unions. Here's Daniels talking about he doesn't want a fight over the "right to work" bill (which has resulted in IN's Democratic senators to flee the state in a similar fashion to WI's) because there are more important things to do. http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/...n-state-gop-to-abandon-union-busting-bill.php Anyhow, I'm OK with the government trying to solve its fiscal issues, I am also OK with people who don't think public sector unions should have the powers that they do. But this is not what Walkers is doing. He's simply trying to stick it to his political opponents under the guise of talking about real issues. Frankly, I find it distateful. At the same time, I also doubt its effectivness in achieving anything other than gathering a media circus and making WI Republicans look like assholes.
Oh please...what a bunch of cry babies.... These teachers should be fired for missing work, falsifying medical records, using minors as pawns in their sick little game. Its not like they aren't getting paid $100K per year or anything... Its the dang unions and the weak kneed politicians who signed away the financial stability of the state for unrealistic benefit and pension promises and now that its come to roost that they can't afford it anymore and are asking the tearchers to "pay their fair share" its a big riot in the streets?
They are feeling some heat as this crisis drags out longer. The WI Assembly is trying to put all of the pressure on the 14 Senators who left the state by removing any other potential hold up to the legislation.
Those are the ones paying attention, CH. My concern is the knee jerk reaction of some here (and elsewhere) who clearly don't know what's going on. Automatons who accept whatever BS that FOX and far-right radio is peddling without bothering to see if any of it is true. Of course, that's a problem of long standing. I miss conservatives like William F. Buckley, Jr.
So resort to thuggishness when persuasion fails. You do realize that the unions have agreed to the demands regarding health insurance and pensions.
There's no cure for stupid. Speaking of Fox, apparently Shep Smith agrees this fight ain't about the budget: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/...-is-all-about-union-busting-video.php?ref=fpb Now that I think about it some more, my guess is Walker probably want to bust all unions, but don't want to deal with an internal rebellion from the cops and firefighters if their unions are busted. So, unions from his own tribe gets favored status.
Is the National Guard thing for real? Does Walker just want to look like an *******? I mean, is he just tone deaf? Does he not think that mentioning using National Guard to handle a protest wouldn't call to mind this image? And what's wrong with having, say, the police do the, you know, police work?
