"It's time we get over 9/11. In the past, Americans would suck it up and move on. Can you imagine what it would be like if we were still mourning every soldier that died in WWII, Korea and Vietnam? Those folks had to move on. There is a time for mourning and healing. It isn't 10 years, that is obsessing."
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"Looks like Obama's ‘I.O.U.' speech fell on deaf ears. A Yahoo poll shows 35 percent felt ‘more confident' in the future, 38 percent felt ‘less confident' in the future and 27 percent of Yahoo subscribers felt ‘no change' in the future. Two-thirds felt that Obama's plan for the future was of little or no value."
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"Tea party congressman and deadbeat dad, Joe Walsh, who shows no respect for his kids by not supporting them, also shows no respect for the president by not attending his address to Congress and the American people."
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"Vote out Congress and start all over; that includes the president."
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"Why is this country in such a financial mess? I think the letter to the editor on Wednesday offers a clue. Jerome Roth made the comment about ‘collective bargaining rights that give everyday Americans a shot at middle class.' Apparently, Mr. Roth doesn't understand these ‘bargaining rights' have made the American worker uncompetitive in the global marketplace. High unemployment? Thank the unions."
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Your chance to sound off: E-mail Vent submissions to vent@evtrib.com
Arizona Willie posted at 8:18 am on Sun, Sep 11, 2011.
5th venter --- it isn't the union that cause American business to be non-competitive. Japan has an autoworkers union and they get paid MORE than American autoworkers but their cars outsell outs. Germany has an autoworkers union and THEY get paid MORE than our autoworkers and have minimum 3 week vacactions and government health care and THEIR cars are in demand here too.
What causes American non-productivity is GREED. GREED on the part of stockholders who believe their stocks MUST go up at least 10% every year. GREED on the part of EXECUTIVES who get multi-million dollar salaries and million dollar bonuses. The UNION workers don't get 10% annual raises nor do they get humongous bonuses, the non-union workers are even worse off.
The super wealthy use class envy to keep the workers divided.
If you pry at a union - hating worker long enough you eventually get down to the fact they are JEALOUS of the union worker. That is the core of the problem. But they don't have the guts to call a union and try to get representation.
Even pro-athletes have someone represent them because an individual cannot negotiate a good deal for himself. There is too much pressure on him. Individuals don't have the resources to be on an equal footing with management in negotiations. The individual has little power. Only by banding together can individuals get a fair share of the pie.
When you hear people on conservative radio bashing unions --- ask yourself what their motivation is. Who do they work for? Are they members of the very wealthy class? If they are then their interests are NOT your interests.
There was a wealthy commentator who called himself the " working mans friend " although he was anything but. He said " no man is worth $10 an hour " but charged $45,000 for a 30 minute lecture.
Think for yourself. Your BOSS is NOT your friend. The personality on conservative radio is NOT your friend.
Don't let them use jealousy of someone getting a little better deal than you to keep us divided.
" United we stand --- DIVIDED we FALL "
chatmandu002 posted at 12:32 pm on Sun, Sep 11, 2011.
AZ Willie,
Don't think it was non-union workers that broke through the gates at a Washington state pier, held hostages, broke windows, cut brake lines and dumped grain on the pier. Don't think is was non-union workers that invaded and occupied the Wisconsin state capital building and messed it up. Don't think it was non-union workers that intimidate non-union contractors with hired picketers and nasty language. Don't think it was non-union workers that picketed the home of the president of a bank.
It was the public sector unions that supported politicians, who in turn give them more pay and benefits. It was unions that drove up prices with strikes and work stoppages. You speak of GREED, why not spread some of this GREED talk to the unions, they are as greedy as it gets. As for class envy, I see most of this coming from the liberal/progressive/union side of the debate.
TruthSeeker posted at 1:24 pm on Sun, Sep 11, 2011.
We will always mourn the soldiers we lost in WWII, Viet Nam, Korea, and subsequent wars. It's called respect for those who lost their lives fighting for our country. People never "get over" their relatives' deaths. Why don't you go live in China where you are not allowed to show your emotions or reverence for veterans. You are a very cold and callous person, especially voicing that opinion on a day commemorating the loss of 2,977 innocent people.
OldLehiLady posted at 3:19 pm on Sun, Sep 11, 2011.
The first venter has truly missed what's important in life. Every single veteran who has served honorabl,y as well as anyone currently doing so, has earned our utmost respect hundreds of times over. I mourn the passing of one and all. To me, each one is a personal hero.
Arizona Willie posted at 9:17 am on Mon, Sep 12, 2011.
chatmandu ... there is no question that violence is wrong. But you cite a few instances and neglect the tens of thousands of union labor negotiations that the unions are peaceful.
AND you neglect to talk about violence AGAINST union workers.
Just this year, Indiana Deputy Attorney General jeffrey Cox suggested that Wisconsin Governor Scott use LIVE AMMO against pro-union protestors. He was serious.
More recently, a Deputy Prosecutor in Indiana's Johnson County, Carlos Lam, suggested that Governor Walker should mount a "false flag" operation which would make it appear as if the union was committing violence.
There have been just as many instances of business using violence against workers and the other way around. Neither side is guilt free when it comes to that.
Which has precisely NOTHING to do with the fact that business is using class envy / warfare to keep the workers at each others throats so they can't work together. Because business knows that if they work together they have power and business owners don't like to share power.
When workers unite they can demand ... and get ... a fairer share of the pie.
Do you really think it's fair that corporations are sitting on billions of dollars in profits from products made by their workers ( products and services are interchangeable for this purpose ) and refuse to give their employees a raise and, in fact , in many cases are demanding wage concessions to keep from moving their job overseas? Threatening workers jobs is another form of violence don't forget. And business does it every day.