Los Angeles Politics Hotsheet for Wednesday; Special Wisconsin State of Mind Edition
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| Be careful. Don't fall off. |
If there is anyone left out there that believes Wisconsin Gov. Walker's Anti-Union legislation actually has anything to do with balancing the state budget, then I would invite you to climb back on the turnip truck you just fell off of.
This is union busting on a scale not seen in decades. Republicans in Wisconsin, and in several other Midwest states are working (under the direction and through the generous funding of the Koch Brothers) to dismantle the historic and hard fought for rights of workers in both the public and private sector. From astro-turf tea-party groups to posing as SEIU workers to shutting down internet access to a pro-worker web site, this is the corporate puppet GOP at it's worst.
The irony of it all is that Walker is about to cost Wisconsin tens of millions if this bonehead piece of legislation is ever passed. What Walker should be focusing on, if he wasn't a bought and paid for Koch Brothers lackey, is seeking restitution from the criminals on Wall Street that crippled the housing market, the fund managers that placed pension funds in terrible investments, and rescinding the millions in tax breaks he just gave to his corporate buddies. To attack the people that actually work for a living is kicking the hornet's nest and motivates tens of thousands of people to surround the state capitol. Like I said before, this battle is not going away anytime soon, if anything, it will spread. Witness recent actions in Indiana and Ohio. And all this just since the weekend! My take is that the GOP is over-reaching and seriously miscalculating yet again. From denying women access to reproductive health, to the current round of union busting, the extreme radicals on the right are running and ruining what used to be the Republican Party.
BTW, guess who shut down the unions in 1933?
And where are the jobs the GOP promised they would deliver?
Labels: Koch Brothers, Scott Walker, Union Busting
Posted by Unknown @ 2/23/2011 12:00:00 AM
21 Comments:
Joe from the mean streets of east los Angeles say's .;Joe you are a archie bunker meat head ! austerity measures need to happen in order to balance the budget !!!! collective bargaining for healthcare and pensions need to be taken off the table in order to balance the budget into the future . solvency will make this a necessity ! wall street has stated they will downgrade all municipal bonds if austerity measures are not implemented ! minicipal workers will only be allowed to bargain For their salaries only !!!! this is way better than what took place in greece ! meat head !
You cant kill the golden goose of government.
If you want to eat Pate you must feed the goose A LOT? Remember that eventually the goose causes his liver to explode. Keep giving things away through "collective bargaining" like 100% retirement salary benefits after 10 years or retire on "disability" for life WHILE IN JAIL FOR MURDER will do it.
Eventually we will kill the goose and have a depression bigger than you have ever thought about.
Joe,
Why do you think people buy YOUR biased line of thinking?
I think Walker is a trailblazer whose approach will hopefully take root in other states where there was a Republican & tea party takeover from last fall.
The reason why we have this situation is because the public had a major backlash against socialist Obama.
Besides, if the states COULD afford to continue giving these benefits, they would. But they can't, so this is what happens.
I would like to see this guy in Washington.
And if they're doing this because of a desire to union-break, I'm all for it.
I assume you won't post this since I disagree with you.
Los Angeles is next, Joe.
That's why the city is broke.
The unions can go "eff" themselves.
If Walker really wants to balance the budget then start taxing the Wisconsin companies that make over $100 million per year. Currently, 60% of these businesses pay ZERO in taxes. Union busting indeed Joe B!
You union haters wouldn't be so negative towards unions if you were in one. There was a time when those working for government agencies were at the bottom of the pay scale. The narrow minded mentality of those who continue to bash pro-union sentiment is revealing. It demonstrates complete hate for those of us who are dedicated to civil service and providing such service to the general public. What a shame that the rich are creating this great divide so that the rich get richer, the poor get poorer and the middle class get poor.
A proud union member and civil servant. Remember the days of "look for the union label"? Shame on America and shame on Walker. Hid greed and pandering for money will eventually be revealed.
Joe,
Walker MUST balance the budget.
The LAW requires it.
The biggest culprit, if you go to their state website, is the cost of the retirement benefits that are now DUE.
I realize it breaks your heart to hear it, but the reason we have such problems, including here in CA, is because Dems sold out to the unions decades ago, and it's time to pay the price for it.
I know you don't like it, but you need to get used to it.
If Obama wasn't such a passivist, he'd stand up for the unions, but the elections showed him that he must move to the center in order to get re-elected. Since he can't make up his mind about either, he'll likely lose both the left and whatever is left of the center.
"David Koch" and Scott Walker phone conversation caught on tape;
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/02/23/948752/-Scott-Walkers-conversation-with-David-Koch?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+dailykos%2Findex+%28Daily+Kos%29
Yeah Joe I'm with you.
I think Walker should FIRST lay off the 1500 to 5000 state employees then tell them to pay FINALLY START paying for their retirement benefits and health care benefits.
Joe, you're not a fat cat union employee are you?
using common sense, just regular old common sense, you'd agree that the payroll of governments is too rich. Govt tends to hire more people than it needs and never holds the employees accountable for inefficiencies.
But on top of that NO ONE SHOULD HAVE A FREE PENSION or FREE HEALTH CARE.
And how is what Walker doing union busting ed schultz, I mean joe b?
He's telling them they can collective bargain for pay just not benefits. he's telling them they can keep their jobs, just pay for HALF of your retirement benefits.
The unions in WI are showing they are unwilling to sacrifice, are disconnected from the real world and are spoiled.
And great job on pointing on Koch and not the paid guns from the Nazi Youth, I mean Obama's OFA, who account for a significant number of protesters.
Anon: Yes Walker must balance the budget but what's wrong with meeting to talk about it and implementing ideas brought up in the joint meeting. Unlike our very own Mayor who received excellent ideas to save money and help with our own deficit. He failed the city just like Walker is failing the city. Especially with the special interest funds provided by Koch brothers.
joe b,
if obama hadn't cost Congress the election in November, you wouldn't be reading about this.
it's all obama's fault.
he's pro-union, but never had the backbone to stand up for them.
I hate to tell you this, Joe, but union-busting is not illegal.
And check out Zogby's new poll. The people of Wisconsin are with the Governor on this.
If it was unpopular, then why are so many other states prepping to do the same?
Or is this one of those questions that you're not going to post or not reply to?
Ha ha ha, lol, good one!
Do you really need to remove the collective bargaining rights of employees to balance the budget?
The unions have agreed to the financial aspects of Walker's bill, but they will not agree to giving up collective bargaining. Removing collective bargaining rights does nothing to solve Wisconsin's budget "problem".
Scott Walker is a KOCH whore.
Joe, you need to understand that the pension and benfits constitute a structural deficit.
I don't care if there is no immediate benefit from eliminating collective bargaining. Eliminating it will have a significant benefits in the long run in the form of more controllable labor costs.
The state model should be more in line with Federal Civil Service where Congress and the President can ultimately decide what the pay scales will be without dealing with union hacks in the back room.
The only problem I have with Walker's proposal is that it limits increases to the CPI. I believe the legislature should have the option of setting the increase.
Paul,
You need to understand that 60% of the companies in Wisconsin that earn over $100 mil a year pay zero in taxes (thank you 8:27am). Let Walker rectify that first.
Joe, those companies provide jobs that produce marketable products and services. Those people, in turn, pay taxes that fund excessive public union benefits. The purchasers of the products pay sales taxes.
We can go round and round on this, but the influence of public unions will diminish. That's good for the public in general.
Correction Paul, that's very good for the KOCH brothers for union influence to diminish, but it would be tragic for the public, the middle class, and American Workers. Fortunately, according to recent polls, more people agree that collective bargaining should not be touched. That's a great thing!
NO MORE UNIONS!!!!
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