Wisconsin protests and the lies about the 'shortfall'
POSTED BY: Niki2
UPDATED: Friday, April 7, 2023 15:36
VIEWED: 5187
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It's no Egypt, but it's happening right here through what amounts to a "lying dictatorial Governor" and we've got some of the same problems as Egypt:Quote:
More at http://news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20110217/cm_ac/7882104_wisconsin_protests_p
Many experts pointed out that we have a disenfranchised youth, high unemployment, and a great divide between the elites and the public at large, just like Egypt.
laced_alongside_egypts_a_poor_comparison_1
So why not WIDEN the gap between elites and public? Seems to me to be the thing the right is best at. Busting the unions has been a long-held Republican goal, just as "privatizing" Social Security and Medicare. This guy disgusts me, in both his lies, what he's doing and that he's trying to ramrod such a huge change into law in a WEEK, with no discussions at all. If it succeeds, watch unions go down all over the country. It's almost as if they'd like to go back to child labor, 7-day workweeks, etc. BLEED those workers; we want our profits!
I heard the union workers were quite open to cutting wages and other things, believing they ought to carry their share of the fiscal problems, it's the destruction of collective barganing that's the sticking point. But Walker refuses to even discuss it...and of COURSE it's the sticking point; in my opinion it's the WHOLE point. The supposed "shortfall" he's using as his excuse was caused by him in the first place, no doubt in order to set up this little ploy:Quote:
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/02/wisconsin-gov-walker-ginned
To the extent that there is an imbalance -- Walker claims there is a $137 million deficit -- it is not because of a drop in revenues or increases in the cost of state employee contracts, benefits or pensions. It is because Walker and his allies pushed through $140 million in new spending for special-interest groups in January.Quote:
The fiscal bureau's report holds that "more than half" of the new shortfall comes from three of Walker's initiatives:
$25 million for an economic development fund for job creation, which still holds $73 million because of anemic job growth.
$48 million for private health savings accounts -- a perennial Republican favorite.
$67 million for a tax incentive plan that benefits employers, but at levels too low to spur hiring.
In essence, public workers are being asked to pick up the tab for this agenda. "The provisions in his bill do two things simultaneously," Norman says. "They remove bargaining rights, and having accomplished that, make changes in the benefit packages." That's how Walker's plan saves money. And when it's all said and done, these workers will have lost their bargaining rights going forward in perpetuity.
-up-budget-shortfall-to-undercut-worker-rights.php
If you don’t like the source, the facts can be found in numerous other places. The fact is that the Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau stated that "the current budget shortfall is a direct result of tax cut policies Walker enacted in his first days in office." The state's fiscal bureau -- the Wisconsin equivalent of the Congressional Budget Office -- concluded that Wisconsin isn't even in need of austerity measures, and could conclude the fiscal year with a surplus.
The same thing has been reported elsewhere:Quote:
The report Monday by the Legislative Fiscal Bureau ( http://legis.wisconsin.gov/lfb/Misc/2010_01_27_MillerPocan.pdf) found that over the next three fiscal years, the state will collect $203 million less in taxes than previously estimated. More than half of that drop in expected tax collections is because of tax-cut bills that Walker has signed or is poised to sign.
In addition, the state has two big obligations looming: a $58.7 million payment to the State of Minnesota after the end of a tax-reciprocity agreement between Wisconsin and its neighbo
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Yup, heeeere it comes:Quote:
http://money.cnn.com/2011/02/18/news/economy/union_protest/index.htm?h
Lots of state officials are pressing public employees to shoulder more of their health care and pension costs.
But in some places -- notably Wisconsin and Ohio -- officials are looking to go one step farther. Governors and lawmakers there are trying to limit or end public workers' collective bargaining ability, effectively neutering the unions.
Protests have also erupted in Columbus, Ohio as a bill proposing to eliminate collective bargaining for state workers and public university employees makes its way through the state legislature.
Many state and local governments have been leaning on their employees as they look to cut costs and balance their budgets during the Great Recession. Workers, to varying degrees, have made concessions -- taking furloughs or pay freezes and upping their contributions to their health care and retirement benefits.
State officials have long floated so-called right-to-work proposals that would curtail or eliminate union power. But this year, they are getting more traction because Republicans -- who are generally not big fans of unions -- have gained control of more state capitols and governor's mansions.
For instance, a bill that would end collective bargaining for teachers is currently working its way through the legislature in Tennessee, where Republicans captured the governor's office and took a commanding lead in the house.
And in Indiana, which banned collective bargaining on the state level in 2005, lawmakers are considering a bill to curtail the power of teachers' unions, which are at the local level.
A bill in Ohio, meanwhile, would not only eliminate collective bargaining but would also make fewer police and firefighters eligible to participate in unions.
Additionally, the Ohio bill would make all public workers pay at least 20% of their health insurance premiums and would eliminate tenure as a consideration when making layoffs. And it would require pay be based on merit for most workers.
But union leaders say that public employees have been giving plenty throughout the recession. Many states have effectively cut pay by instituting furloughs and workers have been contributing more to their benefits.
In California, for instance, workers agreed last year to contribute 10% of their pay to their pensions, up from 5%, said Steven Kreisberg, director of collective bargaining for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. Ohio public employees made $250 million in concessions in 2008, including an increase in their health care contributions.
"Public employees, through their unions, are making sacrifices," Kreisberg said. "Any argument that workers are not willing to make concessions is clearly not demonstrated by the facts."
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In other words, it's not about cuts and contributions to pension, etc., it's about busting the unions. And it's happening where REPUBLICANS have the power. Ahhh, the American way. Aaaaand, away we go...
Hippie Operative Nikovich Nikita Nicovna Talibani,
Contracted Agent of Veritas Oilspillus, code name “Nike”,
signing off 
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I'm so upset by this. I'm doing what I can to stop it. I don't know what the hell these politicians have against the middle class and decent working environments and wages, but we will not tolerate this!
I'm very proud of our firemen and police for coming out to support the other unions, even though they themselves would get a free pass. Standing together is the only thing that will work here!
Facts are stubborn things.
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I wholeheartedly agree. I thought it was cool of the firefighters, too. It blows my mind how short-sighted these people are; we really need FEWER police and firefighters...and teachers for that matter! But hot damn, we need more corporations to pay our politicians to vote for their interests...you betcha!
Hey, by "we" are you indicating you live in Wisconsin? Like to know where people are from, sometimes it's fun to see if they reflect where they live or are diametrically opposite to it (Mike being a great example...if the rest of Texas knew how he thinks, he'd be tarred and feathered!).
Hippie Operative Nikovich Nikita Nicovna Talibani,
Contracted Agent of Veritas Oilspillus, code name “Nike”,
signing off
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I am no fan of public employees or their unions. Devil take them.
Yet I fail to see how the changes in Wisconsin are an improvement, so much as an outright assault on the past 100 years of labor. This bothers me.
What bothers me most, however, is that legislators abandoned the political process when they realized they were on the losing side. This is not a desperate, heroic act. I recognize there is a precedent for this (Texas redistricting), but it is an awful one.
Drawing analogies between Egypt and Wisconsin is a bit silly. My Green friends, who often accuse me of apostasy, have stretched for the comparison a lot over the past week. They have riot envy.
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Must suck to be a liberal these days, now YOU'RE the bad guys everyone is protesting.
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Quote:
Originally posted by Niki2:
Hey, by "we" are you indicating you live in Wisconsin?
Yes indeed. I'm from Racine, I lived in Milwaukee for a time, then came to Appleton for school. Milwaukee is a gorgeous city, but Appleton is far easier to spell.
I like it here, for the most part, but it's hell in the winter. Rachele tried to get a job in Hawaii once, but it didn't pan out. Hopefully someday we'll be able to move to warmer climates, or at least get a winter home.
Facts are stubborn things.
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Quote:
Originally posted by whozit:
Must suck to be a liberal these days, now YOU'RE the bad guys everyone is protesting.
Your logic is broken.
Ritual is what happens when we run out of rational.
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Quote:Go to "You Tube", the "Tea Party" is on the way. It's going to be funny!
Originally posted by PhoenixRose:Quote:
Originally posted by whozit:
Must suck to be a liberal these days, now YOU'RE the bad guys everyone is protesting.
Your logic is broken.
Ritual is what happens when we run out of rational.
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A whozit has no logic. It was not created with one ;)
Oh, the same problems with Egypt? Wisconsin is ruled by a torturer in chief? Oh right, it is 
Snap.
[/max snark quotient density]
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