Unions and the Wisconsin Governor

[Teatownclown]

CNN is biased.

Walker raised ten times the money the unions did. Much of it came from out-of-state interests, including millions from the Koch brothers. The only sure thing about this election is that it confirms that whichever side spends the most money usually wins.

Strongly disagree. They could have thrown tons more to the "unions" and it would not make a diff. Progressive people now realize the will of the great masses is to get these runaway pensions under control. This differs from austerity. This is a shift towards cost control and the reallocation of resources... Walker's no hero of this movement. His time is limited. The gloating by the righties is misplaced.

[Conan71]

There is no surplus. Walker is projecting one for next year if miracles happen.

Walker has claimed there will be a $10 million surplus in 2013, but he is projecting state revenue to increase by 4.2% ($515.2 million) even though revenue has fallen the last three years, and the federal government will give his state $528 million more in medicare funding (even though there is no agreement in place).

http://www.doa.state.wi.us/docview.asp?docid=8371&locid=166

I will gladly pay you next Tuesday for a hamburger today.

That's some funny stuff right there.  You borrowed that directly from the GOP playbook which was used to disparage any idea of a Clinton surplus.  Amazing how well you recite it!

[Conan71]

Strongly disagree. They could have thrown tons more to the "unions" and it would not make a diff. Progressive people now realize the will of the great masses is to get these runaway pensions under control. This differs from austerity. This is a shift towards cost control and the reallocation of resources... Walker's no hero of this movement. His time is limited. The gloating by the righties is misplaced.

I'm confused here.  Are you saying that what he did is actually agreeable to progressives now?

I've looked over the data and basically the public workers still pay about 1/2 the benefit costs that private sector employees do in Wisconsin.  Sure they pay more out of pocket but it's still a better deal than their neighbor working for the private sector.

[Gaspar]

I'm confused here.  Are you saying that what he did is actually agreeable to progressives now?

I've looked over the data and basically the public workers still pay about 1/2 the benefit costs that private sector employees do in Wisconsin.  Sure they pay more out of pocket but it's still a better deal than their neighbor working for the private sector.

The recall effort actually caused a snowball effect that is 3rd page stuff for the general media.  San Diego and San Jose just passed similar measures reigning in pensions and healthcare costs by requiring workers to pay closer rates to the private sector.  Measures passed with a 70% vote in San Jose and a 66% vote in San Diego. 

I seem to remember when this attack on Walker first took off Lil Debbie Wasserman Schultz said the recall will "send a message" to Walker... Like when George Foreman's face sent that message to Ali's knuckles.

It seems she was right.  The message has been sent and the people feel empowered to reject threats from public sector unions.  We just want public sector union members to pay their fair share. 

[guido911]

Scott Walker was only the third Governor in history to face recall. He is the first Governor in history to retain his post after a recall election.

Its a shame that he had to spend $50 million to retain the post he already had, set the citizens of Wisconsin against one another and cause this recall election in the first place. Maybe he will try to reach out and try to re-unify the state now.

The whole mess was Walker's fault? He was elected by the Wisconsin people in 2010 and did what we thought was right. The dems are the ones that trashed the capitol, ran off and hid in another state, and had two dry electoral runs before this attempt that failed. Heck, Walker won by 5% in 2010 and by 7% this time. Doesn't he have a mandate to at least try what he wants to do?

As for the money, IIRC, Obama had megabucks. Did you complain back then?

[guido911]

And democracy died last night.

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/voter-cries-over-wi-recall-on-cnn-signaling-death-of-democracy-%E2%80%98end-of-usa-as-we-know-it%E2%80%99/

[Conan71]

Walker isn't the only one with union trouble, now the focus shifts south to Chicago, where Rahm Emanuel faces a showdown with the teacher's union.  They are taking a strike authorization vote today.  At issue is a 29% salary increase over the next two years.  Just FYI, average teacher pay, less pension benefits (if I read correctly) is $69,000 which is about $25,000 more than the median household income in Chicago.  The beauty of it is, the teachers work about two months less than their private sector counter-parts.

http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/The-312/June-2011/Chicago-Teacher-Salaries-The-Long-View/

The school board and the city say there is no way they can accommodate such a massive pay hike.

Looks like the unions everywhere are being told "what part of we are broke don't you understand?"

[Gaspar]

And democracy died last night.

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/voter-cries-over-wi-recall-on-cnn-signaling-death-of-democracy-%E2%80%98end-of-usa-as-we-know-it%E2%80%99/

[guido911]

[Gaspar]

Last month Wassermanshultz said:

On Sunday's "State of the Union" on CNN, Democratic National Committee chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz addressed her party's prospects of reclaiming the Wisconsin governor's mansion, calling the battle to recall Gov. Scott Walker a "dry run" for the November election.  "We have put our considerable grassroots resources behind him. All of the Obama for America and state party resources, our grassroots network is fully engaged. And — well, I think what's going to happen is that because of our on-the-ground operation, we have had an opportunity in this election, because especially given that Wisconsin is a battleground state, just like we did in the recall elections a year ago, to give this a test run."

"I think Tom Barrett will pull this out," she added, "but regardless it has given the Obama for America operation an opportunity to do the dry run that we need of our massive, significant, dynamic grassroots presidential campaign, which can't really be matched by the Romney campaign or the Republicans, because they've ignored the ground operations."

If that is true, they're going to need a bigger boat.

[Teatownclown]

Any knowledgeable person knows democracy died on Dec.8,2000 only to be tilted towards an Oligarchy on Jan. 21, 2010.

Gaspar, get some new material....

[guido911]

I was not going to gloat at all since I thought last night put to bed the issues in Wisconsin and public sector unions until at least October. However, a few in here are apparently downright bitter over the results, even blaming Walker for what happened. As if example after example of the disgusting union activity last year NEVER happened. The "sick out", teachers hauling kids to protests, doctors making fraudulent sick notes, grown men running and hiding out in other states, etc. I'll spare everyone the signs protesters carried at these events. Still, here's a walk down memory lane, which is all Walker's fault apparently.

[Gaspar]

Any knowledgeable person knows democracy died on Dec.8,2000 only to be tilted towards an Oligarchy on Jan. 21, 2010.

Gaspar, get some new material....

NO!  Say it's not true. .. You're not. . .couldn't be. . .implying that IT'S BUSH'S FAULT!

[nathanm]

Walker isn't the only one with union trouble, now the focus shifts south to Chicago, where Rahm Emanuel faces a showdown with the teacher's union.  They are taking a strike authorization vote today.  At issue is a 29% salary increase over the next two years.  Just FYI, average teacher pay, less pension benefits (if I read correctly) is $69,000 which is about $25,000 more than the median household income in Chicago.  The beauty of it is, the teachers work about two months less than their private sector counter-par

I'm curious. If teacher pay is so high, why don't they have excellent candidates beating down the door? Or are all their teachers already superstars? Or perhaps there's something else at work keeping well qualified people from going for those jobs?

[Conan71]

I'm curious. If teacher pay is so high, why don't they have excellent candidates beating down the door? Or are all their teachers already superstars? Or perhaps there's something else at work keeping well qualified people from going for those jobs?

I have no clue as to the quality of Chicago teachers, I'll leave that to the Chi-Town leg-humpers on here.

Are you suggesting Chicago teachers are morons or bottom of the barrel types?