Wisconsin elected officials go head to head with unions
Posted By RichC on February 18, 2011
On the heels of the Arizona shooting and the liberal media blasting their favorite “target” Sarah Palin, as well as blaming other rightwing conservatives for using incendiary speech … I wonder why they remain silent as union protestors put crosshairs on Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker? 
Could it be there is a bias … I find that hard to believe? [sarcasm]
It also has me wondering what rock the union members who are holding up such images were living under when President Obama and others preached civility in how we communicate with each other. I’d like to think that “if” those who are protesting are teachers and other taxpayer supported employees that they are paying attention to what others on the left suggest may have pushed an unstable individual to shoot an elected representative (which some immediately blamed without evidence, mind you).
That aside, the protests in Wisconsin are probably just the first in what we can expect to see as states try to come up with ways to balance their budgets (Ohio could be next, so let’s handle the negotiations carefully Gov. Kasich).
After the November election, and seeing that the majority of people in our country are struggling to make ends meet in this recession, the writing is on the wall: Those elected need to cut spending. People are not willing to have their taxes increased in order to cover government’s continued mismanagement, poor negotiations (pushing problems into the future) or keep public employee’s pay and benefits increasing or at current levels; cuts are immediately necessary. An agreement needs to be made that reduces government spending … be it federal, state or local AND the salaries, pensions and healthcare benefits that the taxpayers are funding for public employees; this needs to be on the table for discussion — or chopping block depending on your perspective (see Greta Van Susteren’s best interview with Rep. Paul Ryan in a previous post – we need more Paul Ryans).
If you are a privately employed (or unemployed), self-employed or a retiree, take a look at what changes you have had to make when it comes to your benefits this past decade compared to what your taxes are funding for the public sector.
- Is ‘your’ employer providing and paying for your pension?
- Do you put income aside for a retirement program … or is it 99.8% paid by your employer?
- What do you pay per year for health insurance … I’m betting it has been a long time since you’re employer has paid 95% of it, not to mention stiff deductibles and co-pays?
Something needs to change and public employees need to be reasonable when it comes to what they expect from their struggling fellow citizens being asked to fund their salaries, work hours, vacation time, benefits, pensions and healthcare. Although those debating from the union perspective who are looking at wages and benefits will argue that there is still equality between public and private lifetime compensation (debatable), the reality is that the states and federal government cannot continue to expand the public employee roles and support the public sector through more borrowing and higher taxes without impacting the economy. Reform needs to be made … and soon.
Comments