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.
Susan Leeper, Scottsdale
rrffcc1 posted at 8:36 am on Sun, Feb 20, 2011.
Susan, get stuffed.
It's obvious you know little about what's actually going on in Wisconsin, or the other red governor states just itching to follow the Republican agenda and attack the unions.
The teacher's union in Wisconsin has ALREADY agreed to the monetary changes in the bill. They're saying OK! But that jerk governor wants the true plan to succeed, which is to break the union's collective bargaining rights. This isn't about MONEY. Look at the numbers -- Wisconsin's budget problem is TINY compared to others.
This is all about Republicans taking care of their buddies the corporations, who want union power completely eliminated. Union power, as in "people" power. You know, "representation." Something we all used to have through the political process, until we no longer could afford the bribes and the corporations stepped in to feed the pigs. Now they own them.
Yes, there have been nasty union abuses in the past. Put them all together and they pale in comparison to the scam being run on America by Wall Street, bankers and the Republican Party.
This isn't about Wisconsin's budget, OR the teachers you poor fool. This is about power.
wdgnas posted at 8:40 am on Sun, Feb 20, 2011.
susan, one of the things the governor has said is that he will fill the positions of the striking employees with the national guard. would you want yourself or your child being attended to by a healthcare provider or a guardsmen and not a medic either? would you want your child or your grandchild taught by a teacher or a guardsmen. and i am not knocking guardsmen though you may see it that way...
kawabunga zen posted at 10:23 am on Sun, Feb 20, 2011.
Susan, welcome to the corporate states of America. This is the individuals (combined with the backing of unions) last stand in defense of complete enslavement to mega-corporational rule of this country. The unions are one of the last counterbalances left against the share owners having an unquenchable greed and further shrinking of the middle class.
The unions were the voice against unsafe working conditions, child labor laws, anti discrimination in the work place, and are also a bargaining power for the individual in contractual negotiations. I am among the highest paid in my industry thanks to my union brothers and sisters. A dedication to a day of hard work for a day of fair pay is what I am proud of! I have no monthly insurance cost and am sorry for any one who has to pay these greedy insurance companies outrageous amounts every month (and still hope not to lose their home if they should need to actually need to use their insurance). I am also proud to say that my company has had some very profitable quarters recently!
Fire the teachers you say?! I say come join us.. we have cookies!
kawabunga zen posted at 10:46 am on Sun, Feb 20, 2011.
sorry to post twice, but also wanted to ask.."free ride"? Wow, what a healthy respect you have for the educators of our nations children.
Leon Ceniceros posted at 9:43 pm on Sun, Feb 20, 2011.
Did you see all those thousands of "BUSSED-IN" Union supporters from out of state. The reason that the UNIONS are so mad at Wisconsin Governor Walker is not about "COLLECTIVE BARGAINING"....it's about the provision in this Bill that...."STOPS THE COLLECTION OF UNION DUES"...the Million$ and Million$ of Dollar$ that go to "UNION HEADQUARTERS"....that's why the Unions are spending Hundreds$ of thousand$ of dollar$ to bus these "OUT-OF-STATE" supporters.
The UNIONS will not be able to give... $100 MILLION DOLLAR$...to help get....OBAMA ....again like they did in 2008. Yes, Folks, the....UNIONS...gave OBAMA....$100 Million dollars for his Election Campaign.
Obama made sure that American tax-payer's hundreds of Billions of Dollars that bailed out Chrysler and GM allowed theses Companies to give HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN BONU$E$ ($400 MILLION TO GM WORKERS ALONE)...............BEFORE THESE AUTOMOBILE COMPANIES .........PAID BACK THE AMERICAN TAX-PAYERS....(GM STILL OWES THE AMERICAN TAX-PAYERS.....$49,500,000,000.00. ($49.5 BILLION DOLLARS).
The Unions took good care of OBAMA.....and OBAMA is sure taking good care of the ......UNION$.
wdgnas posted at 7:31 am on Mon, Feb 21, 2011.
leon ceniceros: The Unions took good care of OBAMA.....and OBAMA is sure taking good care of the ......UNION$.
the Corporations took good care of the REPUBLICAN$.....and the REPUBLICANS are sure taking good care of the.... CORPORATION$...
Dale Whiting posted at 4:28 pm on Mon, Feb 21, 2011.
Susan,
Are you sure you have the facts correct? I thought the Wisconsin unions were willing to make consessions on their current contracts but that their Democratic Senators walked out of the Senate Chambers and left the State to prevent Republicans from virtually cancelling the Teachers right to bargain collectively.
Is there a story here we are not hearing? Where so, speak up, reveal your sources and let's have a discussion.