My list of the Top Ten issues the current fracas in Wisconsin has raised.
1. Is Wisconsin’s state budget deficit a problem that must be dealt with? Yes or No
2. Should changing the wages and benefits package of public school teachers be part of the solution to the deficit? Yes or No
3. Do Wisconsin public school teachers currently receive an appropriate amount of wages and benefits for their services? Yes or No
4. Is asking teachers to pay 12% of the cost of their health care premiums an appropriate amount? Yes or No
5. Is asking teachers to pay 5.8% toward their retirement an appropriate amount? Yes or No
6. Does a teacher’s taking time off from school to protest violate his or her current contractual or other responsibilities? Yes or No
7. Should a physician give protesters notes excusing them for sickness if they are not really sick? Yes or No
8. Should government unions’ bargaining power be limited to wage issues only? Yes or No
9. Should government employees have collective bargaining rights in general? Yes or No
10. Is the Democratic senators’ flight from the state a legitimate quorum-avoidance tactic? Yes or No
Are there other major issues that should be added to the list? Should any of the above be reformulated to better state the issue? Feel welcome to count up your own tally.
In reading the bill I believe question #2 is inaccurate as there is no wage change in place that I could find. Maybe a question dealing with the sale of state run power plants to private businesses? I will give my personal answer with little summary as I currently don’t have alot of time.
1. Yes any deficit should be dealt with one way or another…always the 2 ideas are cutting spending/programs or taxes…I personally lean towards cutting.
2. Yes if the amount is worthwhile.
3. YES, avg. pay is in the mid $40s with benefits hovering in the mid $20s. Obviously there are exceptions to this but all and all they are paid well.
4. Yes in so much as this bill is concerned. They could pay more. The national average is in the mid 20s so 12% isnt all that bad!
5. Yes, its not like you are taking money from them, they will be getting it at retirement.
6.YES, do it on your own time. You have from roughly 3pm on to protest. I have no problems with protest but take care of the kids first.
7. No I would think it would go against the hippocratic oath but I could be wrong.
8. I am indifferent on this. I wish there was more say from the taxpayers, maybe a referendum when the issue is brought up.
9. I dont see the point of bargaining. I mean we all do it individually in life, worst case scenario set a pay schedule and follow it. If inflation conflicts with this have it go to referendum.
10. NO, imagine if this happened every time one side or the other disagreed. This in my mind is not democracy. The people voted and are getting what the voted for.
Good luck! Sorry I havent kept in touch. I will try more in the future!
Another question: Should unions of government employees be permitted to support political candidates who, if elected, will then be voting on the wages and benefits of those employees? Or is this a clear conflict of interest?
In fact, hasn’t this been a major contributor to the impending bankruptcy of several states?
Don’t our elected representatives in congress vote on their own wages and benefits. Chew on that conflict of interest.
What doesn’t Justin understand about total compensation packages of wages and benefits. Seems like he doesn’t understand that taking a reduction in benefits is the same as lost wages – deferred wages.
The whole problem with this capitalism thing is that it is so easily corrupted. Right now we have free markets for the middle class and socialism for the rich.
So you get these mega rich bastards like the Kochs who are masters at a little shock doctrine manipulation. They and their ilk take advantage of the people’s shock and disorientation brought on by the massive economic upheaval. They flood the tv stations with propaganda and get a toady like Walker elected. Now its time to consolidate power by union busting. And oh yeah, those no bid contracts for the power plants that belong to the people of Wisconsin, well they already have the Koch boy’s names on them at bargain basement prices.
So here’s a question for ya: are we going to let the ultra rich and powerful continue to plunder this country or are we not?
Funny how it takes a lot of collective action to protect and defend individual rights.
Check this one out, bachmantsk: http://seanwmalone.blogspot.com/2011/02/its-kochtopus-ohhh-noez.html
OK. I am checking it out. So far just gave it a brief scan, but his argument that the Koch’s are being used as a straw man because they have been around doing this stuff for thirty years doesn’t cut it. Remember what you said about why the German people accepted Naziism. It was the mental conditioning, the ideas, thoughts, writings of prominant thinkers in the past three decades or more. These people take their time.
At any rate, thanks for the pointer, I will go back and give it a thorough read.