Wisconsin Takes A Stand For Fiscal Sanity

[Hauldren Collider]

I think it's pathetic that our partisan politics have extended to the point where governors won't extradite over political reasons. Pat Quinn

[DinoDoc]

I'm guessing hardball is about to start:

As public workers across Wisconsin continue into a second week of protests against Republican plans to roll back their benefits and bargaining rights, Republican Gov. Scott Walker is warning that state employees could receive layoff notices as early as next week if they don't agree to the changes. …

Walker has repeatedly said that as many as 1,500 workers could lose their jobs by July if his plan isn't enacted. In a statement to the Associated Press today, the governor said notices of layoffs could go out next week, though he said they would not take effect immediately. He did not say which workers would be targeted. "Hopefully we don't get to that point," the governor said

[DaShi]

With collective bargaining the unions can just get the benefits straight back. How do you think they got them in the first place?

Oh no! They shouldn't be allowed to have benefits! They are lucky to be paid anything.

[DaShi]

Now Indiana...

http://www.indystar.com/article/20110222/NEWS/110222004/House-Democrats-flee-Indiana-stop-votes?odyssey=mod|breaking|text|IndyStar.com

Anybody else catching the irony?

The solution is obvious. States should just start trading Democratic congressmen.

[DaShi]

So, to sum up...

Fiscal Sanity =

Step 1: tax cut
Step 2: demand concessions from state workers on benifits, attempt to revoke their collective bargaining rights
Step 3: sell off state-owned assets in no-bid deals

Of note, apparently the unions agreed to at least some concessions the Gov demanded. They realized, however, that what he wants most is to break their bargaining power in the future.

-Arrian

And don't invest in economic boosting activities.

Also, the unions agreed to nearly all of his demands except the end of collective bargaining, which sticks in the craw of the anti-union crowd because it goes against their belief that all unions are greedy.

[Hauldren Collider]

Oh no! They shouldn't be allowed to have benefits! They are lucky to be paid anything.

So you're implicitly agreeing that the Union proposal to just cut benefits and leave collective bargaining is a farce?

[DaShi]

So you're implicitly agreeing that the Union proposal to just cut benefits and leave collective bargaining is a farce?

No, I was mocking your inane statement. Sorry, if that wasn't clear.

[rah]

You should be happy rah. Wisconsin Dems have seen fit to stimulate the Illinois economy over their own.

And now the Indiana legislators seem to be doing something similar. Now if we replace our own legislators with these, that could help this state.

[The Mad Monk]

New fantasy sport! You pick a state and a party, take turns drafting pols into "your" legislature, and try to set up a winning side!*

*Victory conditions TBD.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Is there any conflict that Democrats don't run from?

[KrazyHorse]

As I understand it, an expired contract that is not replaced due to failure of negotations simply continues. To "cancel" it is new.

-Arrian

Uhhhh......what?????

You think that contracts should be assumed to continue forever?

[KrazyHorse]

How do you define above-market in education?

I don't know exactly how the situation looks like in the U.S., but here... private schools pay less and have no hiring difficulties, unlike public schools. (i.e. teaching in a public school is a hell of a crappy job).

Are you a moron? Your argument against the claim that public school teachers are paid above market is that in the private market they are paid less?

[KrazyHorse]

I wonder where are all those fiscally responsible people when it's the military contractors and the banks getting the money.

You mean the banks who have paid back all the money forced on them and more? Even if you throw in pieces of **** like the auto companies and AIG there's not going to be any taxpayer losses. Meanwhile, all levels of government in the US spend something like HALF A TRILLION DOLLARS A YEAR on education, most of which goes in the form of teacher salaries.

[KrazyHorse]

Assuming that public sector employees really make more (which tends not to be the case, contrary to popular belief), why would people oppose that the government puts upward pressure on middle class salaries, in a context where its buying power has been eroding and its debt increasing?

So you think that we should be running the public sector as a makework program for those who are too lazy to work a real job? I agree that this is basically what is currently done. I'd like that to change, however.

[Kuciwalker]

WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO DESTROY THE MIDDLE CLASS, YOU MONSTER?