Government

Read the Wis. Gov’s Op-Ed the NYT Refused to Print

These are uneasy times in Wisconsin. Not only is the state recovering from almost a month of mass protests, but today a judge heard arguments about whether or not the state’s new collective bargaining law was a) legal and b) already in effect. And through it all, the media has become as much a part of the story as Gov. Scott Walker. So today, Walker exacted his revenge — a little.

The governor’s target was the New York Times. According to him, the Times has spent a lot of page space giving voice to those opposed to his reforms in Wisconsin. So he sent the paper an op-ed explaining his position. It rejected that ope-ed. He put it on his website anyway.

“In the weeks since Governor Walker introduced his reforms to balance the budget and protect middle-class taxpayers the New York Times has repeatedly used its editorial pages to opine on the reforms,” his website says. “All told there have been at least seven editorials, op-eds or columns in the paper about the Wisconsin reforms.”

His op-ed is provided in full below:

In nearly every state across America, Governors are facing major budget deficits.  Many, Democrat and Republican alike, are cutting state aid to schools and other local governments – which will force massive layoffs, massive property tax increases or both.

In Wisconsin, we are doing something progressive in the best sense of the word.  We are implementing reforms to protect middle class jobs and middle class taxpayers.  While our idea may be a bold political move it is a very modest request of our employees.

We are reforming the bargaining system so our state and local governments can ask employees to contribute 5.8% for pension and 12.6% for health insurance premiums.  These reforms will help them balance their budgets.  In total, our reforms save local governments more than $700 million each year.

Most workers outside of government would love our proposal.  Over the past several months, I have visited numerous factories and small businesses across Wisconsin.  On these tours, workers tell me that they pay anywhere from 15% to 50% of their health insurance premium costs.  The average middle class worker is paying more than 20% of his or her premium.

Even federal employees pay more than twice what we are asking state and local government workers to pay and most of them don’t have collective bargaining for wages or benefits. These facts beg the question as to why the protesters are in Wisconsin and not in Washington, D.C.  By nearly any measure, our requests are quite reasonable.

Beyond helping to balance current and future budgets, our reforms will improve the quality of our governments.  No longer will hiring and firing be done solely based on seniority and union contracts.  Instead, schools – as well as state and local governments – will be able to make decisions based on merit and performance.

This concept works well in Indiana.  In 2005, Governor Mitch Daniels reformed collective bargaining.  In turn, the government got more efficient, more effective and more accountable to the public.  Governor Daniels even encouraged employees to come forward with ways to save taxpayer dollars and they responded.  Eventually, the state was able to reward top performing employees.  This is true reform — making government work for the people.

A recent columnist on these pages opined that “common problems deserve common solutions” suggesting that Republicans and Democrats work together.  In principle, that is a good idea.

Since January 3rd, we passed some of the most aggressive economic development legislation in the country.  And on nearly every measure, many Democrats joined with all of the Republicans and an Independent to vote in favor of the various pieces of legislation.  The Wisconsin legislature recognized that we are growing, not Republican or Democratic jobs, but Wisconsin jobs.  Together, we worked to show that Wisconsin is open for business.

But sometimes, bi-partisanship is not so good.  During several of the past budgets, members of both political parties raided segregated funds, used questionable accounting principles and deferred tough decisions. This, along with the use of billions of dollars worth of one-time federal stimulus money for the budget two years ago, left Wisconsin with the current $3.6 billion deficit.

Our reforms allow us to take a new and better approach.  Instead of avoiding the hard decisions and searching for short-term solutions, we make a commitment to the future.  The choices we are making now in Wisconsin will make sure our children are not left picking up the pieces of the broken state budget left behind.  Our reforms create the lowest structural deficit in recent history ensuring our budget is stable for decades to come.  These changes will give businesses the confidence they need to grow and invest in our state.

We live in the greatest nation on earth because for more than 200 years we’ve had leaders who cared more about their children and grandchildren than themselves.  Having the courage to make decisions in the best interest of the next generation — despite external pressures — is a concept that America has always admired, but is forgetting today.  My hope is that Wisconsin will remind the nation what makes our country great.

(H/T: Plymouth Area Chamber of Commerce)

Author’s note: Full disclosure — one of my family members is the director of the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce.

Comments (227)

1 2 3 ... 6
  • BiteMePETA
    Posted on March 29, 2011 at 4:18pm

    Testing, testing…. I have flamed beck about his cowardly stances on “Birthers” and “Anti-Gay” propaganda that is killing kids all over the country…. so far all my posts have shown up.

    Report Post »  
    • SilentReader
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 5:05pm

      Bitemepeta,

      I watch Beck all the time and I haven’t once heard him say anything against gays.

      As far as the question about Barack Obama’s birth certificate, I think that’s something only Barack Obama can clear up. He chooses not to! So, be angry at Obama and not at Beck.

      If it was me in the oval office and people were still wondering where I was born, instead of spending 1.7 million dollars trying to evade the issue, and put Lt. Col. Terrence Lakin behind bars, I would have requested my long-form birth certificate and put an end to all the nonsense. He hasn‘t done that probably because he doesn’t have one.

      Also, it’s obvious when the topic of the birth certificate comes up Stu, and Pat to a slightly lesser degree, doesn’t like it at all. The last time Beck mentioned it he was more tentative about it I noticed. It‘s amazing to me that Stu thinks it’s a silly topic and that the Certificate of Live Birth that was posted on factcheck.com is a valid document, when it’s not. And anyone can announce a birth in the newspaper! It proves absolutely nothing, and there are experts who‘ve looked at the C of LB and they’ve said it’s been altered to boot. Also, factcheck.com was/is owned by the Annenberg Foundation on whose board Obama and his terrorist friend Bill Ayers sat. So they’re hardly a disinterested party.

      The fact of the matter is that everyone has to produce their birth certificate for many different reasons, or for just getting a job or a driver’s license, and it’s not a big deal. You can get a copy at the county court building. Obama’s been to Hawaii several times and he could have requested it very easily.

      So, we are left asking, what’s he hiding?

      Another thing is, that to be President you have to be a Natural born citizen which means that both your parents have to be American citizens, by birth or naturalization. We know for a fact that Obama’s father was born in Kenya and Kenya was a British colony at the time of his birth which means by virtue of his dad being a British subject Obama was also a British subject.

      Further, Obama went to Indonesia when he was around 7 and his stepfather, Lolo Soetoro, adopted him. And there is evidence that Obama was enrolled in school in Indonesia as an Indonesian citizen, because at that time you couldn’t go to school in Indonesia unless you were an Indonesian citizen. So did he relinquish any other citizenship he may have had at that time and returned to America on an Indonesian passport, and subsequently gone to school in America as a foreign student?

      So, as you can see, all these questions, and more, are valid questions and it is no wonder that we are asking them.

      The MSM has let us down and so has our elected representatives in Congress, the electoral college, and the Democratic National Party and Howard Dean. They‘re all culpable and they will be held responsible because noone is going to let up on this until it’s solved. And it will be solved.

      My advice to Barack Obama. Release the long-form birth certificate and be done with all this nonsense. Or come clean.

      Of course, we all know, that if this man was honest to begin with, he would have done it by now, or he would never have had the audacity to deceive we the people in the first place!

      We really do have the answer, don’t we? Now what do we do about it?

      Report Post » SilentReader  
    • TOPOFTHEGAME
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 10:08pm

      WHAT IS HAPPENING TO OUR NATION……..?? Not only all this going on in Wisconsin. I just watched Hannity and Tim Pawlenty former Gov. in Minn. he said, Hannity ask what he thought of Trump bringing up the birth certificate problem of ““Our Oval Office Squatter””. Pawlenty said, he was satisfied with the issue because he saw a segment on CNN, And CNN had seen the BC so that was good enough for him. I THOUGHT THE GOVERNMENT WAS TO CONFIRM THE ARTICLE 2 OF THE CONSTITUTION

      Report Post »  
  • leftiesaredangerous
    Posted on March 29, 2011 at 4:16pm

    Really DRAGO? Maybe you should go back through the archives. Been here from the beginning. Granted, I go in spurts, but I’ve been here all along.
    Do the research before making your claims.

     
    • thachosin1
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 5:36pm

      for someone takin a hike you sure do hang around…now quit your cryin and hang up…or stay on the blaze and get some news…and contribute your opinion…and if you get deleted oh well there are plenty of other posts to read…and if you want recognition go become a leftist freak!

      Report Post »  
    • thachosin1
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 5:57pm

      by the way this post is meant for leftiesaredangerous

      Report Post »  
  • reason4anyseason
    Posted on March 29, 2011 at 4:16pm

    That’s right – most of the people won’t know about this op-ed. Or won’t know about Chuck Schumer rehearsing his Sorosian marching orders. Or won’t know that Charles Darwin and Margaret Sanger were Class A racists. You know that point in a movie where a character that was previously thought to be benevolent is revealed to be malevolent for the whole world to see? And the whole world gasps…this is what should be happening but simply doesn’t. The media controls the information and knows that, like a sun tan, repetition and exposure is the key. Obama could snap the neck of a little puppy on TV. They know the average robot citizen out there, if they even find out about it, will forget all about it if they aren’t reminded of it. This is how it works for them and this is the burden of being conservative. The burden of knowing that a man who has visited the Whitehouse 4 times has plans to crash our economy in order to make the country ungovernable – and nobody cares.

    Report Post » reason4anyseason  
  • MomaGrisley2
    Posted on March 29, 2011 at 4:16pm

    Remember everyone, he is a lefty progressive and he just may not be smart enough to read directions.

    Report Post »  
    • leftiesaredangerous
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 4:35pm

      Youi’re a complete moron if you actually believe that. I take that back, you’re acomplete moron anyway.

      Report Post »  
    • TheLeftMadeMeRight
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 4:51pm

      I thought left left? Is he back already?

      Report Post » TheLeftMadeMeRight  
    • and to the republic
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 5:00pm

      a lefty progressive???? DID you read his name? I’m thinking you may be the one unable to read directions…. one of us bear lady, one of us….

      Report Post »  
    • sissykatz
      Posted on March 30, 2011 at 6:15am

      Leftiesaredangerous

      I have given it some thought and maybe because of your tag they think you are a leftie and may be trolling, That is the only thing that makes sense to me. I really do wish you would stay. I have been upset all evening because of the name calling I have read these posts everyday since it was put up and I have never seen anything like that before and I hope I don’t again.Maybe you can change your tag and come back. Let me know somehow it is you.. Good Luck

      Report Post »  
  • gldncat
    Posted on March 29, 2011 at 4:11pm

    Of course the NYT wouldn’t post this…it’s all too true and reflects the beliefs and ideals of America. We can’t have that!!! Great op-ed, Gov. Walker. You keep going…you have the support of real America and we need more of you!

    Report Post » gldncat  
  • SUPER *****
    Posted on March 29, 2011 at 4:07pm

    Don’t let the door hit you in the A$$ on your way out.

    Report Post »  
  • ProudPatriot1776
    Posted on March 29, 2011 at 4:06pm

    Walker forget to mention that he cut corproate taxes in WI and that created even more debt. Then he turned around and blamed it on the teachers and garbage men. Those selfish thousandaires. Why should they reap all the benefits when we all know those poor millionaire wall st and oil tycoons are suffering so bad.

    Basically, Walker created his own mess and I feel no sympathy for him..And the tax payers do pay for the millionaires, its caleld subsidies and tax deducrions. We are in this fight together.

    Report Post »  
    • Non-sequitur
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 4:17pm

      What he also forgot the mention is that this is not about the budget but about union busting. Why else was the final bill not about the budget anymore but solely about bargaining rights?

      Also: “We are reforming the bargaining system so our state and local governments can ask employees to contribute 5.8% for pension and 12.6% for health insurance premiums.” (Quote Walker)

      The Union workers agreed to all changes in the payment and pension suggested by Walker. They would’ve taken a cut in pensions and in pay. This point alone shows that this was never about the budget.

      Report Post »  
    • IAMMADDOG
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 4:23pm

      Walker created nothing. This mess was created by Jim Doyle! Walker blamed no one person in particular. You may want to use your union news letter when you run out of toilet paper.

      Report Post »  
    • taebaggranny
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 4:25pm

      @ PROUDPATRIOT1776 Gee, and he did tALL that since Jan of this year?? What a GUY!!! He must have been busy day and night getting all that done so quickly…

      Report Post »  
    • IAMMADDOG
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 4:29pm

      NonSequitur said “The Union workers agreed to all changes in the payment and pension suggested by Walker. They would’ve taken a cut in pensions and in pay.”

      What you either fail to realize, or are just plain ignoring is the fact that with collective bargaining still in place the unions would have been able to jack every concession right back up to these levels and beyond the next time contracts come up. THAT is why collective bargaining has to go.

      Report Post »  
    • beboc1
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 4:34pm

      @PROUDPATRIOT

      Do you really believe what you just posted? You don’t realize that cutting corporate taxes is to entice businesses to do business in Wisconsin? What is this never ending mantra about fat cats, wall street, millionaires, blah, blah, blah? The far left has taken us to edge of ruin by getting people hooked on gimmes…..the entitlement mentality. It’s disgusting! When I heard auto workers were whining about getting $75 an hour, I couldn’t believe it. They also get full wages when they are layed off. Incredible! Teachers have tenure so they don‘t even have to be good teachers and furthermore they are pushing the left’s agenda to impressionable minds. Barney Franks brought down the housing market which was the biggest thing to ruin the economy I ever seen in my life of 68 years. All in the name of social justice. F social justice. It has nothing to do with justice. It’s white remorse and black payback. Then they tell us we’re racist….EXCUSE ME!!! What a joke. Is that all they can come up with?

      Gov. Walker has done what is necessary to pull back on the run away freight train of entitlement when the state and country CANNOT afford it. GET OVER IT AND TRY TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION.

      Report Post »  
    • and to the republic
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 4:48pm

      @ proud patriot…. I like the name but you obviously do not understand how things work. Seriously, I think you need to start over with the education in economics and hope the teacher doesnt just pass you again cause he felt sorry…

      Report Post »  
    • Balthazor
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 5:53pm

      RE: Non-Sequitur

      Yet more proof that lefties have issues with things like reading and thinking…

      The controversial budget bill that recently passed was an emergency budget to plug a shortfall in the current biennial budget period. Sure, the unions eventually agreed to concessions on the benefits provided Walker removed the collective bargaining changes. And if Walker had agreed to that, sure, the shortfall in the current biennial budget would have been plugged.

      HOWEVER, and this is where most people’s ignorance jumps up to make them look foolish, there’s still a 3.6 billion shortfall to deal with in the next biennial budget, which is being debated at this very moment. And in order to balance the state’s books Walker has made significant cuts to state aid payments, which is money given to the local governments by the state for schools, etc. Those cuts are going to leave many of the local governments really financially hosed.

      Now, the local governments could ask the teacher‘s union to make the same benefit concessions the state worker’s union offered, but everyone with at least a couple operable brain cells realizes the teacher‘s union’s response would be some variation of “HA HA HA HA HA”. Being unable to raise property taxes without voter approval, and being unable to demand benefit concessions from teachers, the local governments would have no choice but to issue layoffs, which nobody really wants.

      The collective bargaining changes in the budget repair bill allows the local governments to enact the same benefit cuts at the local level that Walker had enacted at the state level, which is the only way the state avoids a pretty significant fiscal implosion in the next budget period.

      Report Post » Balthazor  
  • dirtypolitics
    Posted on March 29, 2011 at 4:05pm

    Gov Walker should send this letter to as many people of Wis as possible.

    Good luck Governor and God Bless.

    Report Post »  
  • the zipper
    Posted on March 29, 2011 at 3:59pm

    The walk out of democrats in Wisconsin and Indiana coupled with the determination at the federal level to not even cut spending by a thousandth of a percent shows how power corrupts. What is scary is that so many people are willing to sit back and not pay attention. Until they come for our TVs cell phones and microwaves we can’t be bothered.

    Report Post » the zipper  
  • lovenfl3
    Posted on March 29, 2011 at 3:59pm

    Scott Walker is fighting the good fight. There is a great video on youtube about this whole situation called a time for choosing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7UWMwmhr7Q We all have to decide where we stand before it’s too late.

    Report Post » lovenfl3  
    • dawnmms
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 11:50pm

      Thanks, I posted on my facebook with the following comment….”Do you support bankrupting a state? Do you support implementing a Communist and Socialist Regime? Then you support the Union. Congratulations!” hee hee, my own little paraphrasing. What do you think?

      Report Post »  
  • gdbhusker
    Posted on March 29, 2011 at 3:58pm

    I was in a blogging rage on here a few weeks back, and every single word made it…. I later apologized for the tone, but not because I had to…but because I wanted to and owe that to the readers and fellow bloggers on here…. don’t be too quick to just throw in the towel…Leftie…..my conservative libertarian views got kicked off of “other” news feed all of the time for lack of being lock step with liberal minded philosophy…..I have the wonderful good fortune of seeing ALL ideologies posted here…..be well.

    Report Post » gdbhusker  
    • leftiesaredangerous
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 4:33pm

      Thanks. You‘re one of the few who hasn’t been rude or accused me of being a fake. However, I am leaving and won’t be back.

      Report Post »  
  • Cabo King
    Posted on March 29, 2011 at 3:58pm

    Lefti—by dumb ars

    Report Post » Cabo King  
  • Detfan
    Posted on March 29, 2011 at 3:56pm

    His handle is right, though, because lefties ARE dangerous!! Had the unions walking all over the Capitol in Tallahassee today. Tenure is already gone, and check card is about to pass. We have to shave $3.75B here and the unions are freaking. Not in a big way like Wisconsin, but they are here. Florida is going to be much leaner, whiich is good for the citizens. Don’t forget to travel here. We need tourist money!!

    Report Post »  
  • Ole Country Doctor
    Posted on March 29, 2011 at 3:55pm

    Lets see… 5.8% of an 100,000/year for the pension contribution and 12.8% of a health program (up from 0%) at a healthcare cost of 6000/year for a family of 4 in Wisconsin. Pre-budget crisis salary was 100,000/year, post-budget crisis salary is now 93,432/year. And…you still have a job, a pension, and healthcare. I’d take the deal,Howie.

    Report Post » Ole Country Doctor  
    • marine249
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 4:22pm

      as I said before

      back in 1960 I was paying 7,9%
      on my retirement on the L.A. county Sheriff Dept.
      It didn’t hurt me then or now

      Report Post »  
    • marine249
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 4:38pm

      forgot to add I was making $234.00 a mouth
      that was for a 51/2 day week

      Report Post »  
  • MadNewYorker
    Posted on March 29, 2011 at 3:52pm

    Governor Walker biggest mistake was believing that the New York Times could handle the truth. In this case the the truth doesn’t fit there agenda. Funny thing, I guarantee that if the NYT could do away will all the unions that run the paper they would do it in a heartbeat.

    Report Post »  
    • chickenlittle
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 3:57pm

      VERY GOOD POINT!!!! How many others are hypocritical and victims of their own extortion?

      Report Post » chickenlittle  
  • LadyIzShy
    Posted on March 29, 2011 at 3:51pm

    good peice too bad most of the public wont see it

    Report Post » LadyIzShy  
    • CatB
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 3:59pm

      They will if we send out links to our friends and it goes “VIRAL”

      Report Post »  
    • skiyryder77
      Posted on March 31, 2011 at 9:00pm

      I’m sending it on to all my liberal friends (yes, I have some). Every little bit helps. I like the content and don’t really care if part of his plan is to reduce Union power. The cycle they use to take dues and then use the money to elect Democrats who are union friendly needs to be broken….MJ

      Report Post » skiyryder77  
  • Marylou7
    Posted on March 29, 2011 at 3:48pm

    Good for Gov Walker and good for Wisconsin.

    Report Post » Marylou7  
    • Showtime
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 3:58pm

      I expect Gov. Walker can see to it that Wisconsinites get the message, as well as the teachers, unions, and the Democrats in the State Senate.

      Excellent writing, and I am glad he put it on his website.

      Report Post » Showtime  
    • beckwill
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 4:22pm

      MaryLou7….is that a Schnauzie in your pic?

      Report Post »  
    • The Original Grand Torino
      Posted on March 30, 2011 at 1:07am

      Thar’s mountains in Wisconsin, the Dells, beautiful state, great Gov!

      Report Post » The Original Grand Torino  
  • BetterDays
    Posted on March 29, 2011 at 3:46pm

    “Our reforms allow us to take a new and better approach.  Instead of avoiding the hard decisions and searching for short-term solutions, we make a commitment to the future.  The choices we are making now in Wisconsin will make sure our children are not left picking up the pieces of the broken state budget left behind.  Our reforms create the lowest structural deficit in recent history ensuring our budget is stable for decades to come.  These changes will give businesses the confidence they need to grow and invest in our state.”
    Union leadership doesn’t care about tomorrows children, or today’s, they didn’t get into union management to help the worker or the workers family, they came for POWER, Control, and greed.

    Report Post »  
  • AzDebi
    Posted on March 29, 2011 at 3:45pm

    @leftiesaredangerous:
    R U sure you are posting correctly?…I mean, sometimes I’ve posted and then not gone completely out of the article back to the main page…and my post was missing afterward…you might try that…I‘ve posted some pretty inflammatory comments and they haven’t been censored…

    AzDebi  
  • SELFSUPPORT
    Posted on March 29, 2011 at 3:45pm

    As if Walker actualy expected the times to print this.

    Report Post » bitter clinger  
    • CatB
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 3:57pm

      Why not? Are you saying they aren’t “FAIR AND BALANCED” .. well I am shocked — NOT! They “claim” to be a news agency … they have a “duty” to print both sides and seek TRUTH .. that is what is wrong with the OBAMATRON MSM.

      Report Post »  
    • Chet Hempstead
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 4:14pm

      They didn‘t print it because it’s not honest. The unions had already agreed to pay more into their pension and insurance funds, the only part that actually affects the current, not actually that large compared to other states, budget shortfall.

      Report Post »  
    • Katayno
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 4:57pm

      We need to vote on Tues. April 5th for Justice Prosser in WI….so the supreme court can’t rule against Scott Walker. The collective bargaining in this state is a joke….Emeritus teachers get one year pay for 30 days of work over a 3 year period. Teachers in Greenbay make $213.00 an hour if you break it down to actual worked hours. They’re crying over having to put 5% and 12% towards their Healthcare and Pension…of which they pay zero, now. The teacher’s union alone stands in the way of SCHOOL CHOICE and Milwaukee Co. has the 3rd dumbest kids in the Country.

      Report Post »  
    • Balthazor
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 5:03pm

      Chet, Chet, Chet…

      You have no idea of what you speak and yet here you are speaking on it. The controversial budget bill that recently passed was an emergency budget to plug a shortfall in the current biennial budget period. Sure, the unions eventually agreed to concessions on the benefits provided Walker removed the collective bargaining changes. And if Walker had agreed to that, sure, the shortfall in the current biennial budget would have been plugged.

      HOWEVER, and this is where most people’s ignorance jumps up to make them look foolish, there’s still a 3.6 billion shortfall to deal with in the next biennial budget, which is being debated at this very moment. And in order to balance the state’s books Walker has made significant cuts to state aid payments, which is money given to the local governments by the state for schools, etc. Those cuts are going to leave many of the local governments really financially hosed.

      Now, the local governments could ask the teacher‘s union to make the same benefit concessions the state worker’s union offered, but everyone with at least a couple operable brain cells realizes the teacher‘s union’s response would be some variation of “HA HA HA HA HA”. Being unable to raise property taxes without voter approval, and being unable to demand benefit concessions from teachers, the local governments would have no choice but to issue layoffs, which nobody really wants.

      The collective bargaining changes in the budget repair bill allows the local governments to enact the same benefit cuts at the local level that Walker had enacted at the state level, which is the only way the state avoids a pretty significant fiscal implosion in the next budget period.

      So the problem here really has less to do with Walker’s honesty and more to do with your ignorance.

      Report Post » Balthazor  
    • encinom
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 5:35pm

      SELFSUPPORT
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 3:45pm
      As if Walker actualy expected the times to print this.
      _______________________________________________
      True, Walker must realize that the NYTimes prints facts, not the self serving fiction of his letter. If the there was such a budget crisis, why did Walker give gifts of tax breaks to corporations?

      Report Post »  
    • Balthazor
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 5:49pm

      “Walker must realize that the NYTimes prints facts”

      Good one! Almost shot my drink out my nose there!

      Oh wait…you’re not kidding?

      Report Post » Balthazor  
    • hifi74
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 6:10pm

      Chet you are grossly mistaken, as someone who lives in Wisconsin and have been following this for some time now I can assure you that your assumptions are misguided at best. Before it even came to the bargaining rights cut Walker asked the unions to come to the table to negotiate the pension and healthcare change. You know what they told him? Pound sand Gov Walker. They refused to even come to the table to talk until he then decided give collective bargaining PRIVLEDGES the chop. So tell you what cupcake why don’t you get your facts straight before coming here spewing that drivel acting like you have a clue.

      Report Post » hifi74  
    • Sparky101
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 8:59pm

      From “our friend”: ” If the there was…” Ebonics?

      Report Post »  
    • hifi74
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 11:41pm

      encinom
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 5:35pm

      True, Walker must realize that the NYTimes prints facts, not the self serving fiction of his letter. If the there was such a budget crisis, why did Walker give gifts of tax breaks to corporations?
      ——————————————————————————————————————————-

      You aren’t too bright when it comes to reality and business are you? By affording those breaks in taxes he is trying to do 2 things. First especially in light of Quinns (Illinois Governor) recent tax increase on business by a substantial amount (60% IIRC) he is trying to draw in business’ form out of state. Second for the business’ currently in Wi such as Miller and Harley Davidson he is trying to give them incentive to stay in state as well as give them some financial stability in the market to encourage them to expand. I know I know it’s concepts like that, that your liberal mind has a hard time grasping but the proof is in the pudding that it works despite your belly aching otherwise. Go get yourself a clue instead of coming on here and spewing the nonsense that you do, it only serves to make you look like a raving lunatic and idiot. Unless of course you prefer to look like a slobbering loon?

      Report Post » hifi74  
    • Chet Hempstead
      Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:49am

      Balthazor
      The controversial budget bill that recently passed was an emergency budget bill

      It was? Then they didn’t pass it. I thought it wasn’t a budget bill at all. Wasn’t that what they claimed so they could vote on it without a quorum?

      Oh, and you know what they could do to raise a measly 3 and a half billion? Tax millionaires like half a percent. I know that the conservative talking heads have brainwashed you into considering that unthinkable, but the truth is rich people don’t make jobs out of their personal income, they sit on it, and we had a lot better economy for most of the sixty years before Bushy cut their taxes than in the ten or so since.

      Report Post »  
  • NuffSaid
    Posted on March 29, 2011 at 3:43pm

    http://townhall.com/columnists/mikeadams/2011/03/28/resentment_studies
    clever & insightful

    Report Post »  
  • Sugabee
    Posted on March 29, 2011 at 3:43pm

    Sorry to see you go, Leftie. I never have a problem!

    Report Post »  
    • leftiesaredangerous
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 4:39pm

      Thanks.

      Report Post »  
    • sissykatz
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 4:55pm

      @leftiearedangerous

      I have to say I am surprized and disappointed by the comments that have been posted.I do know others have talked about having the same problem and have been really angry about it. Try talking to “The Blaze” and find out what is wrong. I have never seen posts like this today that I can remember.You certainly do not have to go and I will read your posts if you want to stay. It helps to be able to vent.

      Report Post »  
    • leftiesaredangerous
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 5:01pm

      @sissykatz

      Thanks. I too am surprised. I don‘t think I’ll stay if I can’t be who I am. I do appreciate your words and those of others who have been understanding.

      Report Post »  
    • american1st
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 5:09pm

      if you post here long enough you are bound to be edited, and not just for using symbols to cuss,
      you are not alone leftiesare,
      being edited for comments the blaze doesn’t like is the norm not the exception
      if you complain you will just get a form letter,
      deleting trolling or spam is fine but editing the comments of the conservative/libertarians that post here is not…
      i hope they fix this problem soon. i to am rapidly loosing interest in participating in the conversations here..

      Report Post » american1st  
    • sissykatz
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 5:14pm

      leftiesaredangerous

      I think you can still be yourself, I think tomorrow will be different. I really don’t think all this came from your post. I think surely they must be upset at other things. I can’t apoligize for anyone but it is certainly not the usual. I am as surprised as you. Just keep posting and try to forget all about it, I know it hurt but remember things like this are done anonymously for reasons like that.

      Report Post »  
  • RightUnite
    Posted on March 29, 2011 at 3:43pm

    Buh Byeeee! Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

    Report Post »  
    • Showtime
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 3:52pm

      You either, Mr. Rude!

      Report Post » Showtime  
    • tierrah
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 4:57pm

      @Leftiesaredangerous: wish you’d stay … if for no other reason but to irritate those who have posted rude replies to your frustrated comments. Think we all have experienced problems with posting. I’m still having trouble receiving the photos at the top of the home page. Think there are many bugs to be worked out for this site as far as scripting from their end to posting on our end. Let’s all try to be patient a little longer. It’s more important, for me anyway, that we come here to be apprised of what is going on. I also think many of us are so cynical now because of all that‘s been done to our rights and lives through the lying teeth of our politicians that it’s hard to trust anyone these days. We seem to be looking for a hidden meaning in every comment and never feeling secure with anything that is said. I too have been here since the inception but don’t post as much as some. For the most part, the folks here are family now and very jealously guard their family members. I don‘t like the tone of some of the remarks but I understand the frustration and fear behind most of them so it’s not an issue with me. Thankfully, I’ve never experienced the response you have, Leftie, with the exception of a couple of trolls who disagreed with my viewpoint. Please reconsider and stay.

      Report Post » tierrah  
    • ed0315
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 4:57pm

      Yeah cause you ain’t taking away my entitlement! No way! It is mine and I deserve it! Isn’t that right Mr. “Rightunite”? Tool.

      Report Post » ed0315  
    • TheLascone
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 7:48pm

      Sorry to see ya go leftiesaredangerous. Maybe they will find some understanding … and you will return http://www.flickr.com/photos/23630227@N06/5568897188/

      Report Post » TheLascone  
    • Sparky101
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 8:45pm

      One is never sure, but there seems to be a lot missing here, leaving the remainder disjointed and lacking sense.

      Report Post »  
  • Skippy Toes
    Posted on March 29, 2011 at 3:42pm

    Trust in Truth

    Report Post » Skippy Toes  
    • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 3:52pm

      Complete agreement here. The truth will stand upon it’s own merits, for all is revealed unto the reality that is there and not hidden in darkness and dancing of shadows.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • chickenlittle
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 4:03pm

      I‘m going to cut at paste that into a forwarding email and send it on it’s way… hopefully to a lot of liberals further down the list and as a reminder to conservatives as to what this is all supposed to be about. Problem is, most liberals (all?) would not even bother to read it… and most conservatives will only forward to like-minded people for fear of offending their liberal and union “friends”.

      Report Post » chickenlittle  
    • GRobison
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 4:21pm

      Check out the ‘Truth Project’ (a DVD presentation of a Christian Worldview). Lessons 9-11 are especially appropriate for the WI situation. “…and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free…” (John 8:31,32).

      Report Post »  
    • abc
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 4:53pm

      The NYT should have run it, and then pointed out all of the falsehoods in the op-ed:

      1. INCLUDING benefits, public workers make no more than private workers with the same educational attainment; Walker implies otherwise

      2. given the parity in total compensation, the relative mix of benefits to other compensation (e.g., wages) is not really relevant

      3. tax hikes can also balance budgets; to give the wealthy tax breaks while balancing the budget on the middle class at a time when the wealthy are better positioned to make up the recession-driven shortfall is the better way to go, but Walker unsurprisingly ignores this aspect of his proposal and analysis

      4. Daniels’ was right to create incentives to make government more efficient, but those initiatives did not require unions giving up collective bargaining rights, as he himself has admitted. Also, his state of Indiana has budget problems even in spite of the public unions giving up on collective bargaining, proving again that Walker is not interested in fiscal balance but just destroying union power for political reasons.

      5. federal stimulus dollars did not contribute to the budget deficits in Wisconsin. Rather, they prevented still worse deficits than the state currently has. This makes no sense.

      6. having the courage to make decisions in the best interest of the next generation requires that you do not cut taxes until after you have cut spending. Otherwise, you are putting the spending on a credit card for future generations. Walker did not wait to obtain spending cuts before offering up tax cuts to corporations and the wealthy, so he is guilty of exactly the behavior he says has historically been abhorent to Americans and which he seeks to pin on his political opponents.

      Given all of these mistruths, it is no wonder the NYT refused to run it. But, as I said before, they should have run it, with the fact-checked critique right below it. This should be done for all op-ed pieces in the newspapers and for pundits on television. If we had the libel laws that Singapore has, where I could go into court and sue Glenn Beck or his bosses at Fox News for knowingly making false statements. By the way, check out the wonderful admission by one of Fox News’ managing editors about the wilful mistatements about Obama, as an example of this terrible behavior:

      http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2011-03-29/obama-a-socialist-fox-news-exec-said-so-but-didnt-believe-it/

      In any case, we live in a country where we cannot “chill” free speech even when that speech undermines rational public discourse because it is totally and purposefully misleading. Perhaps that is the right course, since censorship is more dangerous. But it would be nice to disabuse folks here of their many factually incorrect beliefs, rather than watch them proudly repeat them as they so often do.

       
    • Thatsitivehadenough
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 4:57pm

      You mean, the same NYT that refused to publish John McCain’s Op-ed?
      Why am I not surprised?

      Report Post » Thatsitivehadenough  
    • Balthazor
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 5:06pm

      Hey ABC, I think your red rubber nose fell down into your big floppy shoes.

      Balthazor  
    • WIjoyzie
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 5:23pm

      Gov Scott Walker is the most open and honest person we in Wisconsin have had as a leader in the state for more than 50 years. I support his efforts of real change to enable taxpayers to unload the heavy burden placed on our backs by public employee unions.

      The unions have been governing Wisconsin and many other states for way too long… time for them to go!

      The NYT hates the truth… why is that? Time for them to go the way of unions too!

      Report Post »  
    • encinom
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 5:30pm

      Walker’s Koch apporved letter is more a work of fiction than fact. It glosses over the fact that unions agreed to make consessions, it glosses over the tax give aways to corporations that were in the budget bill and the GOP’s illegal moves to pass the law.

      Walker is not even going to be a one term Governor, he knows that he will be recalled, now its just allowing time for the Koch brothers to loot Wisconsin.

       
    • Balthazor
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 5:46pm

      RE: Encinom

      Wow, you guys are just like pull-string dolls.

      *pull* tax the evil rich…
      *pull* Koch Koch Koch…
      *pull* tax cuts are giveaways…

      It‘s like there’s some great big factory that just chugs you people out…oh yeah, public education. Duh.

      It’s a great window into the liberal mind when tax cuts are called “giveaways”. But don’t worry, Encinom, someday when you’re a grown-up this will all make sense.

      Report Post » Balthazor  
    • home_of_the_brave
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 6:32pm

      This is why nobody reads the New York Times and why they now have to charge for online content. Because they are as one sided, liberal butt kissing as you can get. And as long as they refuse to be fair and balanced they will soon cease to exist.

      Report Post »  
    • Common Sense Sally
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 6:43pm

      I’m still not sure how people can still believe that raising taxes on the rich is the answer. Don’t you think the rich people, who are also probably pretty smart to GET rich, would find a way to not be “as rich” so as to avoid paying these taxes? As well, if the taxes are lowered for ALL, then the rich will be FREER to SPEND their money. They could expand their businesses, thus creating more jobs for us common folk. Or perhaps buy their big fancy yachts and houses, thus creating more jobs for us common folk. Either way, it‘s been proven that when taxes are lower for all AND gov’t CUTS spending, we become prosperous. I’m not sure how this is such a difficult concept to grasp.

      Report Post » Common Sense Sally  
    • YouGottaProblemWithThat
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 7:50pm

      @ABC
      Just saying that something is a “right” e.g. collective bargaining rights doesn’t make it so.

      1. Overall, federal workers earned an average salary of $67,691 in 2008 for occupations that exist both in government and the private sector, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. The average pay for the same mix of jobs in the private sector was $60,046 in 2008, the most recent data available.
      2. Ditto
      3. Suppose you think tax increases are the way to go. That means you assume that higher tax rates mean higher revenue for government — though higher taxes destroy economic growth and can actually hurt tax revenue by shrinking the economic base
      4.WHAT???
      5. Madison – Wisconsin, a longtime laggard among states at securing federal money, shot ahead in 2009 as the federal stimulus bill took effect, snagging an increase of more than 50%, or $21.14 billion in federal funds.

      A new U.S. Census Bureau report shows that Wisconsin, which has usually ranked near last among states for the share of federal dollars it receives per person, jumped to 21st in 2009. The office of U.S. Rep. Dave Obey (D-Wis.), chairman of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, highlighted the shift reflected in the Census Bureau figures Thursday.

      6. Cutting the “Lexus”, – note I did not say more union crap Cadillac – benefit packages is not courageous but necessary.

      ABC, quit with the talking points from Move On dot org and try coming up with some real verifiable data. You will always be bested here and everywhere you go. Public Education much?

      Report Post » YouGottaProblemWithThat  
    • Sparky101
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 8:36pm

      I just love it when people like encinom try to disparage home schooling when they themselves don’t know the difference between simple words like “lead’ and “led,” or they fail to capitalize words that require capitalization. I suppost the latter was a lame attempt at an insult, but he only insults himself by his failed education.

      Report Post »  
    • tradexpertbuysell
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 8:44pm

      Scurry back into the darkness you progressive cockroaches! The light of truth is starting to shine brighter and brighter and will now consume you!

      Report Post »  
    • encinom
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 8:46pm

      @yippyio

      White sheets are at the dry cleaners? Of course I do enjoy it when the true bigoted nature of the Astro-Turf Tea-Party comes to the surface.

       
    • Woody WoodBecker
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 8:47pm

      Why oh why did he send to the NYT? Conservatives should engage democrats in thoughtful discourse but…

      We shouldn’t depend on their propaganda outlets to speak to them. The WSJ may have published it. Limbaugh, Hannity and Beck would have drawn attention to it. Drudge would’ve linked to it. Plain would’ve Facebooked something about it. We could’ve twittered, blogged and talked about it.

      But we were denied the opportunity at the height of the debate because the NYT predictably declined to print it. Learn republicans! Learn!

      Report Post »  
    • paperpushermj
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 8:53pm

      I know the answer to the question but will ask it anyhow. Buy what rational does the American Paper of Record for the United States not publish a statement of clarification from a Governor from a state that has been so much in the news as of late.

      Report Post » paperpushermj  
    • Sparky101
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 8:54pm

      yippyio, you say: “no the true enemy is the jews.” I disagree. The true enemy is the enemy, not flesh and blood. Also, if I’m not mistaken, “Jews” should be capitalized. I think it is a mistake to put people into your labeled boxes, and then generalize about them. That’s an easy path to racism.

      Report Post »  
    • paperpushermj
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 8:57pm

      @ABC
      Silly Rabbit

      Report Post » paperpushermj  
    • yippyio
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 9:02pm

      @encinom

      What does your holy talmud say about Christ. Is that not hate. What did christ ever do to the jews to earn such hate. There are a million question I could ask , and a million you could not answer without revealing the true hatred of Jewry.

      Report Post » yippyio  
    • paperpushermj
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 9:08pm

      @YIPPYIO
      You need to get out of the house now. Heard my owner A JEW speaking about knowing where you are. They are going to TP The house and trees. You know how hard it is to get wet toilet paper off a tree.

      Report Post » paperpushermj  
    • UWSDWF
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 9:21pm

      Why is this such a surprise!
      Wake the F^@K UP!

      Report Post » UWSDWF  
    • Ruler4You
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 9:32pm

      Hey, look, the NYT ignores almost everybody in the OpEd pages. If you aren’t a dogmatic (and I do mean DOGMATIC) ‘liberal’ and have credentials supporting that position, you can forget about the NYT. You have a better chance of writing an ‘OpEd’ piece for the Skull and Cross Bones and having it published in their monthly “Tales from the Crypt” news letter.

      Report Post » Ruler4You  
    • bulletsinthegun
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 10:34pm

      Give
      them hell Gov. Walker, when you are done and have won can you come to Oregon

      Report Post » bulletsinthegun  
    • thepatriotdave
      Posted on March 30, 2011 at 1:34am

      The NYT’s is afraid of the truth, and so are most progressives.

      http://www.AmericasTeaPartyNews.com

      Report Post » thepatriotdave  
    • Therightsofbilly
      Posted on March 30, 2011 at 1:57am

      From above:
      Balthazor
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 5:46pm
      RE: Encinom
      Wow, you guys are just like pull-string dolls.
      *pull* tax the evil rich…
      *pull* Koch Koch Koch…
      *pull* tax cuts are giveaways…
      It‘s like there’s some great big factory that just chugs you people out…

      @Balthazor,

      Yes, and it’s a non-union factory. Don’t you just love irony?

      Report Post » Therightsofbilly  
    • thepatriotdave
      Posted on March 30, 2011 at 2:13am

      encinom
      Posted on March 29, 2011 at 8:46pm
      @yippyio
      White sheets are at the dry cleaners? Of course I do enjoy it when the true bigoted nature of the Astro-Turf Tea-Party comes to the surface.
      —————————————————–

      Give it a rest. Everyone knows that the immoral bigots and racists are on the left. You and your buds prove it on a daily basis so it’s useless to deny it.

      http://www.AmericasTeaPartyNews.com

      Report Post » thepatriotdave  
    • dawg of gawd
      Posted on March 30, 2011 at 7:45am

      I didn‘t see any mention of the begging for federal rail money he’s doing right now. Anybody see that in there? Hmm, he better keep writing while he can. He’ll be out of a job in about 10 months.

      Report Post » dawg of gawd  
    • FRELOADINGLIBS
      Posted on March 30, 2011 at 8:59am

      Time for a TAX Strike…If we stop paying our taxes they cant pay these A**hol*s

      Report Post »  
    • gman46
      Posted on March 30, 2011 at 11:16am

      @ABC, unfortunately you seem to think everyone is wrong and your right. Just goes to show how out of touch the left is with reality. Just makes absolutely no sense even trying to have a discussion with someone like you, your not about reason your about twisting things to suit your own end. It’s sad really.

      Report Post » JohnGalt  
    • abc
      Posted on March 30, 2011 at 11:44am

      1. There are no studies showing market distortion of labor prices because of public unions. Adjusting for educational attainment, public employees make the same as private ones. The unions have no impact and collective bargaining is not a problem. I repeat. There are NO credible studies that say the opposite.

      2. Those studies count all compensation, including benefits, so this is a total canard when the Governor speaks of the percentage of compensation that is benefits versus wages. People are not stupid when they negotiate, although Walker apparently thinks voters are.

      3. Temporary tax hikes might be the preferable path. It is certainly better than causing people to starve or sticking our grandkids with the bill. Also, no one has provided proof that higher taxes caused corporation flight. Heck, Boeing moved from no tax WA to high tax IL for other reasons, but conservatives ignore inconvenient facts…

      4. Collective bargaining would not have precluded Daniels’ other reforms, and his state has a budget mess too. The problem was the recession, not the unions. The Republicans do not let economic crises go to waste. They exploit them to union bash, which is for political not economic or fiscal reasons.

      5. Stimulus dollars helped the states, which cannot deficit spend. During a severe recession, cutting public employment or public spending is a mistake. I cannot believe that conservatives do not understand this. The fiscal situation in WI and other states would have been worse without the federal stimulus. Please read an econ book…

      6. Cutting taxes before cutting spending is the Republican way. It leads to increased debt for our grandkids.

      Report Post »  
    • bardwick
      Posted on March 30, 2011 at 2:02pm

      You make some fair points “ABC” comments:
      Let’s take a look at them for a real world point of view as opposed to an academic point of view.
      1. INCLUDING benefits, public workers make no more than private workers with the same educational attainment; Walker implies otherwise.
      A: In the real world, we are not paid on tenure or level of education. We are paid, and also TERMINATED due to performance. Even the military has testing to prove your performance is increasing. Rank isn’t determined by education level or time.
      Scheduled raises? You must be joking.

      2. given the parity in total compensation, the relative mix of benefits to other compensation (e.g., wages) is not really relevant
      A: I’ve never complained about my pay.. If I felt it was unfair, I went elsewhere.. Never held up a picket sign to tell my employer that I was under appreciated.

      3. tax hikes can also balance budgets; to give the wealthy tax breaks while balancing the budget on the middle class at a time when the wealthy are better positioned to make up the recession-driven shortfall is the better way to go, but Walker unsurprisingly ignores this aspect of his proposal and analysis
      A: My tax bracket is about 27%. How much more would you like?

      4. Daniels’ was right to create incentives to make government more efficient, but those initiatives did not require unions giving up collective bargaining rights, as he himself has admitted. Also, his state of Indiana has budget problems even in spite of the public unions giving up on collective bargaining, proving again that Walker is not interested in fiscal balance but just destroying union power for political reasons.
      A: not going to speculate on motives and politic reasons.. serves no purpose.

      5. federal stimulus dollars did not contribute to the budget deficits in Wisconsin. Rather, they prevented still worse deficits than the state currently has. This makes no sense.
      A: Actually, it does. If you get 2 billion in stimulas for a project that costs you 3 billion, and 500 million per year to run.. guess what?

      6. having the courage to make decisions in the best interest of the next generation requires that you do not cut taxes until after you have cut spending. Otherwise, you are putting the spending on a credit card for future generations. Walker did not wait to obtain spending cuts before offering up tax cuts to corporations and the wealthy, so he is guilty of exactly the behavior he says has historically been abhorent to Americans and which he seeks to pin on his political opponents.
      A: These are all good points. My suggestion is to start taxing all welfare, social security income, ALL of it. At the same time, increase the allotements by 5%. When anyone wants to raise taxes, they raise it on EVERYTHING.
      Almost half of America pays not taxes and consumes most of the public resources. Guess who will always vote for a free ride? The folks on the ride.

      Report Post »  
    • independentvoteril
      Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:14pm

      why doesn’t he just FIRE (lay off workers) and balance the budget that way.. it would be simpler.. start with the NEW hires since the older ones would be able to collect a pension and would still not solve the problem.. close departments.. etc.. THAN wait for the courts to finish with the UNIONS.. as far as I know it‘s still legal to fire people you DON’T need..

      Report Post » independentvoteril  
    • abc
      Posted on March 30, 2011 at 3:20pm

      Bardwick, you also make some fair points, but I disagree with a lot of it:

      1. “In the real world, we are not paid on tenure or level of education. We are paid, and also TERMINATED due to performance. Even the military has testing to prove your performance is increasing. Rank isn’t determined by education level or time. Scheduled raises? You must be joking.”

      But here is the amazing thing. The market prices end up ruling anyway. You hear all of the stories adn cite the inflexibility, which does exist, but at the end of the day, there is no huge cost savings in public employee compensation. The market works effectively, as collective bargaining of workers versus the government monopoly paying them yields a price consistent with what the private sector generates for the same educational level. And while the public workers appear less flexible, this appears more related to the less flexible nature of government in general, rather than the fault of the union. It is amazing how conservatives are suddenly skeptical of the power of markets when it suits their political agendas. Yet there is no data to support it. It is also interesting how conservatives forget their hatred of monopolistic governments when it comes to negotiating against their workers. They cannot do this against Merck or Pfizer, but against firemen, it’s okay. Very interesting inconsistencies here…

      2. “I’ve never complained about my pay.. If I felt it was unfair, I went elsewhere.. Never held up a picket sign to tell my employer that I was under appreciated.”

      That is your personal taste, but lots of folks in the private sector do these things too. Not sure why this matters anyway.

      3. “My tax bracket is about 27%. How much more would you like?”

      Not a question of like. It’s a question of need. The recession hit every state hard. TX and CA have the same budget shortfalls as a % of GDP, even though conservatives say CA is a mess and TX is a model. Why is that? Because the recession has hurt tax receipts. If the states cannot deficit spend when economic theory calls on governments to do so, then you need to cover costs by either cutting costs or increasing taxes. The latter, if targeted on the wealthiest, is the least threatening to an economic recovery, although the conservative narrative (which is at odds with econometrics) continues to insist otherwise.

      5. “If you get 2 billion in stimulas for a project that costs you 3 billion, and 500 million per year to run.. guess what?”

      You are saying that when more cash flows in , all else equal, people spend more. This is true. But consider when it came in and why. The state governments already knew that they were on the ropes and understood that the private sector demand, which had collapsed, needed to be supplemented. In that environment, you are making one-time decisions while waiting for the private sector to come back. There is a difference between the addict coming into the hospital for pain killers and the patient coming into the ER after a trainwreck demanding those same drugs.

      6. “These are all good points. My suggestion is to start taxing all welfare, social security income, ALL of it. At the same time, increase the allotements by 5%. When anyone wants to raise taxes, they raise it on EVERYTHING.”

      To my knowledge, SS income is taxed. Welfare could be, assuming recipients suddenly came into enough money to hit the right income threshold. But I get the idea. You want to treat everyone the same, but not everyone is similarly situated. We have a progressive tax code for a reason. The money to buy food is worth more than the money to buy yachts, even to the rich guy on his yacht. Just ask him what he’d rather have when stuck in the desert.

      “Almost half of America pays not taxes and consumes most of the public resources. Guess who will always vote for a free ride? The folks on the ride.”

      What is more upsetting to you? That half of the country doesn’t pay taxes? Or that half of the country cannot make enough to pay taxes? Would you rather be poor enough to avoid paying taxes? Really??

      Report Post »  
    • mfspradley79
      Posted on March 31, 2011 at 4:19pm

      In response to ABC,
      According to USA TODAY, which I wouldn’t consider a republican leaning paper, issued an article on 3/1/11 that public workers in Wisconsin do make about 3.5% more than equivalent private workers.

      “Wisconsin is one of 41 states where public employees earn higher average pay and benefits than private workers in the same state, a USA TODAY analysis finds.”

      Report Post »  
  • and to the republic
    Posted on March 29, 2011 at 3:42pm

    and we need to know this why?

     
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