Greece has arrived in Wisconsin. While not yet as violent as the protests that occurred in Greece, their goal is the same. “Give me more.” Teachers claim their demonstration is for the children. Hogwash. It’s all about the money. Teachers are being asked to pay about 5 percent of their salary (compared with 7 percent in the private sector) toward their pensions, and 12 percent (20 percent private sector) for health care insurance. I buy individual health insurance in Arizona and pay $414 each month for my healthy 21-year-old student son and me with a $10,000 deductible. Who will march on my behalf? States are broke and desperately trying to balance budgets. The free ride for public sector unions is over.
Wisconsin teachers should be fired for walking out of the classrooms. If it’s for the children, are they concerned about the lost teaching days? A retired teacher suggested that states set up a pool of other retired teachers who truly are interested in our children’s education who would step in to teach when these walkouts occur in the future. Gov. Walker should call the teachers’ bluffs and fire them like President Reagan did to the air traffic controllers.
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Susan Leeper, Scottsdale
Dale Whiting posted at 6:17 pm on Tue, Feb 22, 2011.
Humm Susan,
You must be listening only to Fox News. On CNN and MSNBC reporters claim that the Teachers Unions understand the need to restructure their medical benefits and retirement plans as requested by their respective school administrators but are only objecting to reductions if not elimination in collective bargaining. And refusing to acknowledge these consessions, Governor Walker only claims that where there to too many unions to deal with giving rise to too many different outcomes, his plan to cut them all back is the only one feasible to act in time to save the budget. However the State Governments financial analysis bureau does not forecast any immediate bugetary short fall. Wisconsin's buget is OK for now.
So am I correct? You're dieting on FOX News? The mind is a terrible thing to have waste away.
P.S. Gov. Walker's approval and disapproval ratings have dropped to 43% disapproval and 39% approval. Any effort to recall the hold out State Senators could result in a recall of Walker.
EmperorSmith posted at 6:39 pm on Tue, Feb 22, 2011.
[smile] they should sit down and talk it out. Give in to the cut and allow collective bargaining.
EmperorSmith posted at 6:48 pm on Tue, Feb 22, 2011.
PS missed that tour. But saw them when they came around years later. It was indy at a mason lodge. I could not have asked for more just weird experience. I think it was planned.
EmperorSmith posted at 6:51 pm on Tue, Feb 22, 2011.
your wrong, mind is terrible thing to taste is ministry. I was referring to fugazi, steady diet of nothing.
EmperorSmith posted at 7:44 pm on Tue, Feb 22, 2011.
Awe very good. Bravo
EmperorSmith posted at 12:26 am on Wed, Feb 23, 2011.
sound like a commy and you might just be a member.
Leon Ceniceros posted at 6:08 am on Wed, Feb 23, 2011.
Folks, notice how the LIBS, LEFT-WINGERS, SOCIALIST AND OBAMA DEMOCRATS....never "Comment" on the ARGUMENT.
INSTEAD THEY TRY TO ........SHOOT THE MESSENGER...BY CALLING THEM "NAMES"........OR........RIDICULING THEIR .."POLITICS".
The UNIONS all across America gave the OBAMA CAMPAIGN IN THE 2008 ELECTION FOR PRESIDENT............$100,000,000.00...ONE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS.
Folks, ask yourselves one question........WHERE DID THE UNIONS GET THE $100,000,000.00 (ONE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS)...IN THE FIRST PLACE...........yup, Folks...you know the answer..........UNION DUES !!!!!
Dale Whiting posted at 8:46 am on Wed, Feb 23, 2011.
Ok guys, Let's talk frankly about all unions, both public worker unions and private unions.
There was a time when "capitalists" held most all of the capital. There was 1) a landed rich who sublet to tenant farmers, 2) a class of poor farmers who at least owned their own land, 3) a merchant class who effected trade locally, and 4) those who had struck it rich. Our founding fathers were among those who struck it rich.
Then along came the Industrial Revolution. Immigrant workers were put to work for a pittance in factories, many still children. Eventually, but slowly, things got better. But not until Henry Ford realized that by paying his assemblers a decent wage he could creat a middle class and demand for his cheap model T's did we get a more equitable division between the wealthy and the working class. That foresight by Ford created our God Bless America Middle Class.
Mechanization eventually destroyed the family farm. And management saw the best way to defeat the Unions was to give them what they demanded, much too much by way of benefits. Now "legacy costs" have driven much production to Right to Work states and overseas.
So who is to blame for Unions becoming too strong? We all are to blame, Unions, Management, Liberals, Conservatives, and especially all of you Neo-cons out there who cannot see beyond your noses.
EmperorSmith posted at 12:17 pm on Wed, Feb 23, 2011.
Then clinton signed the trade deal with china