Joe Klein gets a common sense transplant
An election was held in Wisconsin last November. The Republicans won. In a democracy, there are consequences to elections and no one, not even the public employees unions, are exempt from that. There are no guarantees that labor contracts, including contracts governing the most basic rights of unions, can’t be renegotiated, or terminated for that matter. We hold elections to decide those basic parameters. And it seems to me that Governor Scott Walker’s basic requests are modest ones–asking public employees to contribute more to their pension and health care plans, though still far less than most private sector employees do. He is also trying to limit the unions’ abilities to negotiate work rules–and this is crucial when it comes to the more efficient operation of government in a difficult time. When I covered local government in New York 30 years ago, the school janitors (then paid a robust $60,000 plus per year) had negotiated the “right” to mop the cafeteria floors only once a week. And we all know about the near-impossibility of getting criminal and morally questionable–to say nothing of less than competent–teachers fired. The negotiation of such contracts were acts of collusion rather than of mediation. Government officials were, in effect, bribing their most activist constituents.
[...]
But we’ve had far too many state legislatures, of both parties, that have been cowed by the political power of the unions and enacted contracts that force state and city governments to be run for the benefit of their employees, rather than for their citizens. This situation is most egregious in far too many school districts across the nation. The events in Wisconsin are a rebalancing of power that, after decades of flush times and lax negotiating, had become imbalanced. That is also something that, from time to time, happens in a democracy.
Say it aint’s so, Joe. Your liberal cohorts will have apoplexy if they read this. Rank apostasy! Public unions should act responsibly? You’ll be drummed out of the Peace Corps for that. They’ll take away your subscription to The Nation and The Daily Worker. They might even kick you out of the United Nations Association.
Then again, Klein’s brain might reject this transplant of common sense and tomorrow, he’ll be back to his old rabid, conservative-hating, hysterical self. Even with all of our advances, modern medicine is something of a mystery.
Rick,
Just what in the hell you are getting at I have no idea.
The teachers don’t like what the governor is trying to do.
Thus, they are protesting. Which is their right guaranteed by the United States Constitution.
Have you forgotten the teabagging idiots doing the same thing after the democrats won and were trying to get a health care bill passed.
Are you really that ignorant?
And why do you hate the Constitution?
God you people are stupid.
You forget that Tea Party supporters don’t call in sick three days in a row…on the public dime, to protest what our government is doing. On the other hand, I belong to the United Brotherhood of Carpenters…and under every single contract that I’ve worked under, it’s a terminatable offense to falsely call in sick, much less do so for several days at a time.
Even FDR opposed public employee unions as did the founder of the AFofL-CIO…
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/mikey09/wisconsin-governor-scott-walker-backlash-public-workers_n_823901_77577567.html
Those teachers and state/county/municipal employees who took sick time from work to attend protests may, and should be terminated from employment for violating their union contracts.
Now, Tea Party protests generally occur at lunch time, or on weekends. But since most of these people actually work and pay taxes, they don’t shut down their businesses to do so. The teachers in Wisconsin did…and that’s a violation of their union contract. Furthermore, while everyone has a right to political speech, doing so on public time, and while being PAID THROUGH TAXES isn’t a right!
Ruh roh. Chalk one up for the good guys.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/02/18/946859/-Wisconsin-update:-Assembly-rescinds-vote-to-move-to-final-passage,-bill-now-amendable-again
A big positive development just happened in Wisconsin.
Before adjourning until March 1st, the Republican controlled state Senate Assembly rescinded their vote to move to final passage on the bill to strip state employees of the right to collectively bargain. This makes it possible to amend the bill again. From a local reporter over twitter:
@news3jessica Jessica Arp
Before adjourning, Republicans rescinded their vote to go to final passage, making the bill now amendable again.
This is huge. It’s a clear sign that Republicans are wavering and are now open to changing the bill. The pressure is working.
oH…and the Legislature didn’t recess because they really wanted to…they did so because of threats of violence from union thugs:
http://budget.wispolitics.com/2011/02/jeff-fitzgerald-assembly-adjourned.html
So, where are the screams for “civility” from the left…which is where all the the violence in politics has originated in the past couple of years. The left attempted to pin Tucson on Palin/Tea Party…but that failed. In 2009, union thugs repeatedly assaulted Tea Party supporters during protests against ObamaCare.
More over, a full 60% Americans, as well as 43% of Democrats don’t think public employees should be unionized.
“Do you think government employees should be represented by labor unions that bargain for higher pay, benefits and pensions … or do you think government employees should not be represented by labor unions? A full 64% of the respondents said “no.” That includes 42% of Democrats, and an overwhelming majority of Republicans. Only 49% of Democrats think public workers should be in unions at all.”
That’s from Politico’s Ben Smith (a member of the far left JournoList BTW)
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0211/Poll_Public_unions_a_hard_sell.html
It’s time to desertify ALL public employee unions, and void those overly generous contracts…start fresh, from a less than flush budget and see what you get. Public employees should and must pay their fair share of benefits. I’m in a union, as a cabinetmaker, and I’ve been out of work for the past two years. So, tell me about my wonderful benefits…no work, no benefits.
All that being said, this sort of behavior by public employees doesn’t help their arguments at all. What it does do, is really piss off those who actually pay taxes. Already, there are movements undeway in WI to recall those Senators for failing to do their jobs…elections have consequences…and acting like spoiled children who don’t get their way isn’t the American way of doing things. It’s time for public employees to face reality and see that they no longer have it all their way.
Ah, but legal is not the same as effective. I too, appreciate the efforts of the protestors. Instead of lobbying GOP lawmakers, or compromising in the face of political losses, or putting forth their own cost-savings measures, they, instead, leave off work, mass up, and march on the capitol building. As a show of force.
Yep, that will do it.
No more nicities. So straightforward. Its the public sector workers vs. the duly elected representatives of the people, in a zero-sum fight over dollars.
God bless ‘em for playing on a level field where everyone knows the score.
“Yep, that will do it.”
And it did.
And it’s of utmost importance to not forget that having the truth on your side usually helps.
hahaha…they’re luring the Democrats back into the statehouse, where they’ll jam the original bill down their pieholes. I can’t wait to watch it.
Wisconsin has a state constitutional provision for recall. Every senator who ran off to Illinois should be subject to a special recall election.
Ah, but legal is not the same as effective. I too, appreciate the efforts of the protestors. Instead of lobbying GOP lawmakers, or compromising in the face of political losses, or putting forth their own cost-savings measures, they, instead, leave off work, mass up, and march on the capitol building. As a show of force.
Yep, that will do it.
So, no more fooling around? March on the Capitol, so straightforward. Its the public sector workers vs. the duly elected representatives of the people, in a zero-sum fight over shrinking dollars.
God bless ‘em for playing on a level field where everyone knows the score.
jharp is watching as his entitlement trolley is coming off the tracks. Poor baby, but we are through paying slackers for nothing.
5. Jeffersonian
“hahaha…they’re luring the Democrats back into the statehouse, where they’ll jam the original bill down their pieholes.”
You are an idiot and have no idea what you are talking about.
The pukes rescinded their vote to move to final passage dumbass. Do you know what rescinded means?
God you people are stupid.
5. Jeffersonian
“hahaha they’re luring the Democrats back into the statehouse, where they’ll jam the original bill down their pieholes.”
You are an idiot and have no idea what you are talking about.
The pukes rescinded their vote to move to final passage dumbass. Do you know what rescinded means?
God you people are stupid.
Yep, and I know that they can also change their minds back, no? Just make sure the state troopers have the truant Democrats by the scruff of the neck so they can’t skip town again.
jharp – “God you people are stupid.”
Not so stupid that we double-post, though. lol
Meanwhile, as Jeffersonian noted, all that the “pukes” have done is to bait the mouse trap with some peanut butter. Not only good politics but good entertainment.
2011 is turning out even better than I hoped.
“Meanwhile, as Jeffersonian noted, all that the “pukes” have done is to bait the mouse trap with some peanut butter.”
Sweet Jesus you people are stupid. No. The pukes “rescinded” their vote to move to final passage.
Google “rescinded”. And are you really that ignorant?
It’s seems many leftwingers are coming to their senses lately. I think Obama’s 15 trillion debt is scaring lefties too.
If Walker has any stones he has easy and good comebacks.
1. Issue a proclamation declaring that any senators who are not back in their chambers by sundown have abandoned their offices, which will thereupon be deemed to be vacated.
2. If they don’t show up, issue writs of election for their vacant seats.
3. Fire their staffs, move their stuff out of the capitol, change the keys to their offices, and void their parking passes.
4. Pull his proposed legislation and replace it with a bill that bans unionization for public employees, voids any collective bargaining agreements with public employee unions, and terminates the employment of any public employee who goes on strike for cause and with a loss of benefits and seniority.
5. Smoke a big cigar.
julio.
You do know that right wingers want to run folks with names like yours out of the country?
Or worse.
jharp,
Most people really don’t care where you were born…or if you’re a citizen or legal resident…I for one don’t. All I care about is that if you are living here, you came here under the laws pased by Congress…not just by walking across the border.
On the other hand, as a young US Marine, we had a saying about people like you…”We will defend to the death, your right to be missinformed, United States Marine Corps”
Other than that, I think you’re merely a troll tryig to stir up things.
“Google “rescinded”. And are you really that ignorant?”
Duh. So why don’t you Google “rescind their recision” and borrow a clue? All these guys need to do is change their minds once the AWOL Dems are safely in the statehouse and the doors are barred, move for final passage and guess what happens next?
“julio.
You do know that right wingers want to run folks with names like yours out of the country?”
What?? Run Julio Iglesias out of the country and risk the wrath of every blue-haired granny in America? It’s too horrible to imagine!
Jeffersonian
“So why don’t you Google “rescind their rescision” and borrow a clue?”
All right. I’ll do it. And at the same time why don’t you Google “rescind the rescission of their rescinded rescission”?
God you people are stupid.
jharp, as soon as I see “teabag*” I assume the author has insufficient intellect to generate a point worth considering.
You have spectacularly validated that assumption.
Oh, neato, it’s jharp, the old Indiana hick who’s always seething about stuff.
Gggrrr! Angry again, are we, jharp? Raarrrhh! Why so mad today? Oooh, watch those teeth there, buddy.
It’s hilarious — jharp spends his evenings pounding on the keyboard, self-righteously steamed about something or another. He’s not self-aware enough to realize that his anger is actually his pleasure now, because it triggers his endorphins
Truth, man! Justice! And don’t forget the two most important things: The other side is Stupid™ and… snarl snarl snarl!
Hi TomDB,
I’m pissed about the planned parenthood thing today.
First it is a total waste of time. And more importantly some of the local kids around here who are without insurance and poor rely on planned parenthood for their reproductive health.
But whats a few dead teenagers when you’ve got contraception that must be stopped?
The coat hanger manufacturers had better ramp up production.
I assume DB is short for douche bag. Am I right?
Alas, jharp seems to be exhibiting hatred.
Worse, he/she/it/other seems to believe others are consumed by hatred as well.
“15. Walter Sobchak”
One of the dumbest posts I have ever witnessed.
God you people are stupid.
“First it is a total waste of time. And more importantly some of the local kids around here who are without insurance and poor rely on planned parenthood for their reproductive health.”
Oh noes! Well, obviously the answer is to steal from me to make sure it’s funded.
Maybe if you keep fiddling and fixing and tweaking, you can choreograph society into perfection. You’ve got about three decades left as a hominid on planet earth — think you can achieve Justice And Perfection for all the other hominids by then?
Your self-righteousness is your drug. It’s funny as hell. You’re really, really, really angry at certain human beings because you pretend to care about certain other ones. It’s like you can’t even conceive how goofy you are. Yes: That’s officially funny.
“Oh noes! Well, obviously the answer is to steal from me to make sure it’s funded.”
You an an abject moron. It is no more stealing from you to fund it that it is stealing from me to fund the war in Iraq.
You really ought to learn how our government works.
God you people are stupid.
jharp, do you do nothing but call people stupid?
No wonder your side lost last November. You lost. Get it? YOU LOST!!!
That means you don’t get to decide anymore, because you lost. Sure, you can still run around and say all sorts of inane and ignorant things, call people pukes and teabaggers, and say everyone who doesn’t agree with your Marxism stupid.
But you lost. All your tantrums are meaningless as a result.
Oh yeah, one more thing–you lost.
jharp,
When you descend to ad hominem attacks, it just goes to show that you have thing substantive to add…
“You’ve got about three decades left as a hominid on planet earth — think you can achieve Justice And Perfection for all the other hominids by then?”
No.
But I think with the help of others I can help protect some girls from developing cervical cancer. Girls who otherwise have no other means to do so.
But duly noted that you are doing your part to promote cancer in young women.
You must feel so very proud.
I’m so glad we have the brilliant jharp here to educate us stump-toothed hayseeds. If not, I might think that these Senators are setting a lovely trap for their Dummycrat pals, one where the Dummycrats are lulled into thinking they’re coming back to warmth, kisses and mommy tucking them into bed all safe and snug, away from that Hitler/Mubarak/Mussolini guy in the guv’s mansion…only to have them dragged to the statehouse by state troopers and forced to watch the “rescinders” decide they kinda liked that bill after all, and then pass it over their plangent howls.
So, Jess, given that this recision is rock-solid, what’s keeping the band on the run? Coast oughta be clear now, no?
Jharp forgot the obligatory:
“God yopu people are stupid”
on his last post, so:
God you people are stupid.
Fixed for himwhile he is out developing a vaccine against cervical cancer (whoops there already is such a vaccine !?!? Who knew?)