Antique tractors at Wisconsin protest

[Red Horse]

Myth. The public workers in WI get lower wages than the private sector, but are supposed to get better benefits. But since almost every state is doing no funding to meet their public retirement liabilities (and never have), many of those promised benefits will never be seen. And if you look at those with college degrees, the public sector worker get less total compensation than private sector workers with the same level education.

I think that Walker is getting slammed by a well orchestrated campaign that paints him as anti-union. I think the issue is there is a huge difference between public sector and private sector unions. In the private sector, the sensible union knows when it can push and when it can't. If the employer is not competitive, the employer has the option of closing his operation, outsourcing, or moving elsewhere-like someplace with right to work laws. Also, the union DID NOT PUT THE MANAGEMENT THEY BARGAIN WITH IN PLACE.

In the public sector, public sector unions spend huge dollars getting their people elected. THink that has an impact on the elected officials position when it comes time to take care of his "friends"?? The bottom line in that situation is the political hack will yield to the pressures of those who put him in office. This guy Walker has the guts to say "enough". And by the way, when you talk about public sector workers being underpaid compared to their private sector counterparts, I do believe the statistics can be skewed when you compare someone who works 12 mos a year with someone who works 9.5 months a year.

Last point, in the private sector, there is no gurantee you have a job for life- and unless you are a unionized blue collar worker, seniority and tenure don't exist. That is one huge thing you live with.

There IS no such thing as a free lunch! And as for Michael Moore, isn't it ironic that he has chosen touse non-union labor for some of his "film making efforts"- Hey Michael-if the shoe fits, wear it!

 

[Duffster]

Protesters aren't just protesting the loss of collective bargaining rights. Many are protesting Gov Walker slashing nearly a billion dollars in education that the State pays to all the local school districts. He also cut many millions for the "shared revenue" that goes to to counties and municipalities. He also wrote in the law that they can't raise taxes to overcpme these losses.

Many places will be forced into making MAJOR cuts in school staffing, fire fighter staffing, street department crews, law enforcement, etc.

You want your son or grandson in a classroom with 50 kids and one teacher? You want to come home to find someone in your house and then have to wait 45 minutes for the deputy to get there because he's the ONLY deputy working in the entire county?

Major cuts like this sound good....until they affect you.

That is the norm now.

Where would you suggest we make cuts?

 

[ptexer]

The Gov has to go. Cutting social services is not the answer. Trying to break the unions is an old tactic that he is trying to revive.

 

[JoeinTX]

"OK it's a lefty site but neat tractor pics non the less..."

A "lefty site?" That is the online edition of Pravda USA.

"You want to come home to find someone in your house and then have to wait 45 minutes for the deputy to get there..."

Uh, of course not. Nobody does. Have you armed yourself? If you're depending upon the authorities to protect you, the family, and your property then you are unbelievably shortsighted and putting them all at risk. Don't be one of the sheep.

"Major cuts like this sound good...."

FIFY-that's where you should have stopped. Diligent and honest budget assessing, reasonable and reasoned decisions, cuts to non-essential education items (sports), and a little nitty-gritty. You cannot, CANNOT, tell me that you believe the locals are spending every dollar wisely and getting the most bang for the buck possible. It doesn't happen where I live, it doesn't where you do either. The government institutions, at last, have got to learn how to live on less. The people have been doing for decades and can't pay for any more......

 

[beenthere]

I was asked if I was going to take my tractor to Madison, but said I'd have a hard time not driving it through the out-of-state protesters around the Capital. The busloads from out of state did help the economy in Madison however.

I voted for Gov. Walker, and he is spot on for making the tough decisions that our previous state elected liberals have not made in our past 40 years. The libs are having a real tough time being in the minority (that the Rep's have been in for years) and are acting like spoiled brats.

Once the budget cuts are made and the ship gets righted and back on a course, then through more elections and decisions the schools will continue to teach and the economy will continue on course. IMO

The chicken-crappola 14 Dem senators that left the state to hide out in IL for three weeks waited for the difficult dirty work to get done, before they rode back into town. Now they can say they had nothing to do with these hard, tough decisions to correct the out-of-line spending.....but they will be able to function in a much better economic situation for their state. Such a clever way to avoid responsibility.

Good for Gov. Walker and I do hope we can void ourselves of the Union thugs that have been so fat and happy over the years. The state employees, teachers, and other county/city workers can now join the Union if they want to, and save their $1000 per year if they don't want to join.

I wish the same for the other states that have been hamstrung by the tactics and methods of the Union bosses. Hopefully the Union thugs will be looking for some real work soon, along with their lawyers.

Sorry for the rant. But I am happy for Wisconsin.

We all get one vote. Shouldn't be a collective vote, IMO. Let each voter make their own decision.

 

[wsp617]

Duffster, I agree cuts need to be made. I just believe they need to be over more time. It looks like Walker wants a balanced budget in a year.

He keeps saying "I don't want to lay anyone off". He won't. But he will certainly have a hand in it when school districts, fire departments, street department, police departments, etc cut the positions needed to balance their budgets.

On top of that you take all the public workers that are now getting $300-$600 a month taken out of their checks for the additional health insurance and retirement payments. That $300-600 a month they won't have to spend at the small businesses. You get an area around me where there's a UW campus, a tech school campus and two state prisons. Plus all the county and city employees here. That's a SNOTLOAD of money that is now GONE from the local economy. I'm not saying they should not be making these additional payments. I'm just saying it will not be without consequense.

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Stand by for the reaction.

 

[Duffster]

It looks like Walker wants a balanced budget in a year.

That is a bad thing?:confused2:

 

[JoeinTX]

"That's a SNOTLOAD of money that is now GONE from the local economy..."

You are simple, aren't you?

That's money THAT WILL NOT BE CONFISCATED FROM THE AVERAGE TAXPAYER TO THEN BE FUNNELED OFF INTO A GOVERNMENT RAT-HOLE. It's still there all right, but it will reside within the pockets of the people who worked for it to spend it as they see fit. PERIOD! It will go to Wal-Mart and Sears and the local utilities and the small biz owner rather than Madison to flush down the most PC toilet. It's not "money lost"......it's money spent according to the market and in a better way. Again, PERIOD!

Communism died for a very real and historic reason. I'm just sorry and sad that some in Wisconsin are the last to learn about it.....

 

[Duffster]

"That's a SNOTLOAD of money that is now GONE from the local economy..."

You are simple, aren't you?

That's money THAT WILL NOT BE CONFISCATED FROM THE AVERAGE TAXPAYER TO THEN BE FUNNELED OFF INTO A GOVERNMENT RAT-HOLE. It's still there all right, but it will reside within the pockets of the people who worked for it to spend it as they see fit. PERIOD! It will go to Wal-Mart and Sears and the local utilities and the small biz owner rather than Madison to flush down the most PC toilet. It's not "money lost"......it's money spent according to the market and in a better way. Again, PERIOD!

Communism died for a very real and historic reason. I'm just sorry and sad that some in Wisconsin are the last to learn about it.....

You realize he is attached to the gov't teat, right?

 

[wsp617]

Hey Duff, I vote 100% republican ticket and yes I'm in a union.

But of course you know everything. One day when I grow up I wanna be just like you...NOT!

Signing off. Going to bed. Yes I still have to work......