Walker v. Public Employees

[Red Arrow]

Interesting.  So it doesn't square with anything you know about how our politics have been playing out lately?

I would call him the left's equivalent to either Bill O'Reilly or Sean Hannity.  Start with a factoid and expand on it in a manner especially annoying to someone not of your persuasion.

[nathanm]

So are the teachers that called in sick or the fact that their conduct has resulted in school closings in breach of contract? How do the taxpayers recover damages for that conduct?

I m not sure what you are getting at overall. Walker wants the public sector unions to pony up more money for their benefits. You I gather are against that and instead want the taxpayers to eat it. As for labor contracts in general, renegotiation takes place all the time. Only now, if nothing is done, I understand Walker will have to fire 6000 of these people.

Walker doesn't have to do any such thing. He could, for example, implore the legislature to stop passing tax breaks the state can't presently afford. Alternatively, he could ask them to raise taxes by a mere $45 on each Wisconsin taxpayer and make up future budget shortfall which the bill under consideration does nothing to address. Once again, the present biennium's budget is balanced.

He's not just asking them to pay a larger share of benefits, he's asking them to give up the right to collectively bargain at all.

P.S. I gather that teachers get personal days in their contract.

[RecycleMichael]

In the first week of Walker being Governor of Wisconsin, he submitted eight tax breaks that will add $80 million to the state's debt.

The first Walker bill was to eliminate income taxes on private Health Savings Accounts, which would cost about $47 million over the next two years. Then he asked for income and franchise tax credits for businesses with less than $500,000 a year in gross receipts.
Next he proposed to exempt from companies paying income or franchise taxes for two years that relocate to Wisconsin from out of state.

These are probably good examples of trying to stimulate job growth in Wisconsin. But they are what caused this new "budget crisis" of a shortfall of $130 million.

He created the crisis, then claims they only way to solve the problem is to take away collective bargaining rights from state employees.

This is a union busting strategy, nothing more.

[Ed W]

So are the teachers that called in sick or the fact that their conduct has resulted in school closings in breach of contract? How do the taxpayers recover damages for that conduct?

I m not sure what you are getting at overall. Walker wants the public sector unions to pony up more money for their benefits. You I gather are against that and instead want the taxpayers to eat it. As for labor contracts in general, renegotiation takes place all the time. Only now, if nothing is done, I understand Walker will have to fire 6000 of these people.

I don't have a problem with re-negotiating a contract, Guido.  As you've noted, it happens frequently.  But I do oppose unilateral abrogation of those agreements.  The governor handed out tax breaks that will nearly total the projected budget shortfall.  That strikes me as irresponsible, particularly when he allegedly was a Tea Party guy.  I thought they were in favor of fiscal responsibility.  But it's reprehensible to insist that the state's unionized employees lose wages and benefits to pay for those tax cuts.  It's even more reprehensible when those employees are already retired and living on fixed incomes. 

Sears did something like that to their retirees some years ago.  The retired employees brought a class action suit against the company and won.  Sears, of course, could not call out the National Guard.  Walker implies that he can use the Guard to break up the protests.  That's not democracy in action.  It's a means of suppressing free speech and free association.  And it's un-American in the lowest way possible.

Tomorrow should be an interesting day.  There's supposed to be a Tea Party rally and I expect the union protesters will still be in the streets.  I sincerely hope it's loud and raucous, but it stays non-violent.

[guido911]

In the first week of Walker being Governor of Wisconsin, he submitted eight tax breaks that will add $80 million to the state's debt.

The first Walker bill was to eliminate income taxes on private Health Savings Accounts, which would cost about $47 million over the next two years. Then he asked for income and franchise tax credits for businesses with less than $500,000 a year in gross receipts.
Next he proposed to exempt from companies paying income or franchise taxes for two years that relocate to Wisconsin from out of state.

These are probably good examples of trying to stimulate job growth in Wisconsin. But they are what caused this new "budget crisis" of a shortfall of $130 million.

He created the crisis, then claims they only way to solve the problem is to take away collective bargaining rights from state employees.

This is a union busting strategy, nothing more.

Washington Post's Ezra Klein discusses this issue (from your point of view).

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2011/02/unions_arent_to_blame_for_wisc.html

[RecycleMichael]

Thanks for the link.

[guido911]

Unions and their civility.

http://directorblue.blogspot.com/2011/02/top-15-photos-from-wisconsin-hate.html

[we vs us]

The unions agree to all of Walker's demands, but won't give up their right to collectively bargain. They maintain that's been their position all along.

[we vs us]

I would call him the left's equivalent to either Bill O'Reilly or Sean Hannity.  Start with a factoid and expand on it in a manner especially annoying to someone not of your persuasion.

Fair enough, I suppose.

[RecycleMichael]

I like the sign that says "Why Do Republicans" then has a pasted on banner that says "Hate People".

I wonder what the sign said before the edit?

[Red Arrow]

I like the sign that says "Why Do Republicans" then has a pasted on banner that says "Hate People".

I wonder what the sign said before the edit?

It was actually a very well done cover over of:

"Why Do Democrats Hate People"   

[guido911]

Here's a take on this issue from left leaning doofus Joe Klein (Hint: It's not what you think)

http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2011/02/18/wisconsin-the-hemlock-revolution/#ixzz1EQGxXQpP

[guido911]

Unbelievable:

[guido911]

First you lie about calling in sick and now this. Ah, the life of a union member. Oh, and what a helluv an example they are setting for their students.

Here's an interview with one of these doctors.

[nathanm]

While guido was working up his moral outrage courtesy of an O'Keefe wannabe, the union agreed to concede to all of Walker's demands, save one: The elimination of collective bargaining rights for public employees. Walker told them to go love themselves.

Edited to add: And it's nice to see some of our own Oklahoma Tea Partiers are running their own Twitter disinformation campaign, trying to claim that "liberal protesters" were arrested by police today, which the Madison PD says is false. In other words, don't believe everything you see/read on this today.