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Public Unions & the Socialist Utopia
Real Clear Politics ^ | Feb 27 ,2011 | Robert Tracinski

Posted on 02/27/2011 7:02:57 PM PST by Hojczyk

But there is something deeper here than just favor-selling and vote-buying. There is something that almost amounts to a twisted idealism in the Democrats' crusade. They are fighting, not just to preserve their special privileges, but to preserve a social ideal. Or rather, they are fighting to maintain the illusion that their ideal system is benevolent and sustainable.

Unionized public-sector employment is the distilled essence of the left's moral ideal. No one has to worry about making a profit. Generous health-care and retirement benefits are provided to everyone by the government. Comfortable pay is mandated by legislative fiat. The work rules are militantly egalitarian: pay, promotion, and job security are almost totally independent of actual job performance. And because everyone works for the government, they never have to worry that their employer will go out of business.

In short, public employment is an idealized socialist economy in miniature, including its political aspect: the grateful recipients of government largesse provide money and organizational support to re-elect the politicians who shower them with all of these benefits.

Put it all together, and you have the Democrats' version of utopia. In the larger American culture of Tea Parties, bond vigilantes, and rugged individualists, Democrats feel they are constantly on the defensive. But within the little subculture of unionized government employees, all is right with the world, and everything seems to work the way it is supposed to.

This cozy little world has been described as a system that grants special privileges to a few, which is particularly rankling in the current stagnant economy, when private sector workers acutely feel the difference. But I think this misses the point. The point is that this is how the left thinks everyone should live and work. It is their version of a model society.

(Excerpt) Read more at realclearpolitics.com ...


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; US: Wisconsin
KEYWORDS: publicunions; socialistutopia; wisconsin; wisconsinshowdown
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1 posted on 02/27/2011 7:02:59 PM PST by Hojczyk
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To: Hojczyk; ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas; stephenjohnbanker; DoughtyOne; rabscuttle385; mkjessup; ...

This fellow nails it. Don’t forget that public workers convince themselves that they are doing the most important work (in the case of federal spending critical investment) and the private sector is just waste and consumption.


2 posted on 02/27/2011 7:11:53 PM PST by sickoflibs ("It's not the taxes, the redistribution is the federal spending=tax delayed")
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To: Hojczyk
UNIONLABEL
3 posted on 02/27/2011 7:12:04 PM PST by FrankR (The Evil Are Powerless If The Good Are Unafraid! - R. Reagan)
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To: Hojczyk

As Lady Thatcher noted, “’The trouble with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people’s money”.


4 posted on 02/27/2011 7:12:50 PM PST by SouthTexas (Is it time for tea yet?)
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To: Hojczyk

5 posted on 02/27/2011 7:17:51 PM PST by CharlesMartelsGhost
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To: Hojczyk

Unions have outlived their usefulness.

They are no longer needed.

All the possible abuses of management have now become a part of government regulation and therefore the raison d’etre for unions is no longer relevant.

That is why unions in the US are rapidly decreasing and dying as institutions.

Unions have ruined a great many US industries and should no longer be a part of America.


6 posted on 02/27/2011 7:18:34 PM PST by Ev Reeman
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To: Hojczyk

Posted over at Townhall:

You Might Be A Public School Teacher in Wisconsin [or Indiana ] IF :

10.) You take a week off to protest in Wisconsin and your office runs better.

9.) On a snow day when they say “non-essential” people should stay home you know who they mean.

8.) You get paid twice as much as a private sector person doing the same job but make up the difference by doing half as much work.

7.) It takes longer to fire you than the average killer spends on death row.

6.) The worse you do your job, the more your boss avoids you.

5.) You think the French are working themselves to death.

4.) You know by having a copy of the Holy Koran on your desk your job is 100% safe.

3.) You spend more time at protest marches than at church.

2.) You have a Democratic congressman’s lips permanently attached to your butt.

1.) You pay more in union dues than you do for your healthcare insurance.


7 posted on 02/27/2011 7:18:34 PM PST by smoothsailing
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To: sickoflibs

Stossel’s on FOX right now - you might enjoy the show...


8 posted on 02/27/2011 7:19:25 PM PST by GOPJ (http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/index2.php - It's only uncivil when someone on the right does it.- Laz)
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To: sickoflibs

Sorry - the part on the Union’s is over...


9 posted on 02/27/2011 7:22:09 PM PST by GOPJ (http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/index2.php - It's only uncivil when someone on the right does it.- Laz)
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To: Hojczyk

Excellent article. It neatly portrays the utopian longing and denial of objective reality that characterize socialist thinking.


10 posted on 02/27/2011 7:23:29 PM PST by Interesting Times (WinterSoldier.com. SwiftVets.com. ToSetTheRecordStraight.com.)
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To: smoothsailing
1.) You pay more in union dues than you do for your healthcare insurance.

Why not? Funding the Democrat party is more important than your healthcare.

11 posted on 02/27/2011 7:23:58 PM PST by okie01 (THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA: Ignorance On Parade)
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To: GOPJ
RE :"Sorry - the part on the Union’s is over..."

He is back on Public unions now, on NYC Subway.

12 posted on 02/27/2011 7:37:56 PM PST by sickoflibs ("It's not the taxes, the redistribution is the federal spending=tax delayed")
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To: Hojczyk
[ Public Unions & the Socialist Utopia ]

Exactly what is wrong with and about communism..
Good article.. Communism is exactly a Public Union.. and why it does not work..

On display for the world to see in Wisconsin.. and Indiana, Ohio..
and several other States stripped NAKED by Wisconsin..
Stripped naked with a very small member showing..
Its hard not to laugh.. but you can smile..

13 posted on 02/27/2011 7:57:49 PM PST by hosepipe (This propaganda has been edited to include some fully orbed hyperbole....)
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To: sickoflibs

Public Sector Unions. Just follow the money and you will see why Democrats are up in arms about what is happening in Wisconsin!!!!

http://www.presentationexpert.com/stw/?p=xmh0409644102tvhguoy


14 posted on 02/27/2011 8:06:46 PM PST by Halo-JM (Freedom Connector)
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To: Hojczyk
sooner or later you run out of other peoples money...
15 posted on 02/27/2011 8:17:32 PM PST by Chode (American Hedonist - *DTOM* -ww- NO Pity for the LAZY)
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To: Halo-JM
If you want a laugh:

Video Fun: A Liberal Teacher explains Union Busting (Don't let her near your kids!)

16 posted on 02/27/2011 8:19:19 PM PST by sickoflibs ("It's not the taxes, the redistribution is the federal spending=tax delayed")
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To: sickoflibs

They want higher taxes to pay them more!!!! They want Bigger Govt’ so the Unions can make more money!


17 posted on 02/27/2011 8:22:35 PM PST by Halo-JM (Freedom Connector)
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To: sickoflibs
This fellow nails it. Don’t forget that public workers convince themselves that they are doing the most important work (in the case of federal spending critical investment) and the private sector is just waste and consumption.

Hey . . . it's called "public service!" [/sarcasm]

18 posted on 02/27/2011 8:22:50 PM PST by Zionist Conspirator (Kol ha`over `al-hapequdim mibben `esrim shanah vama`lah yitten terumat HaShem.)
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To: Hojczyk

Hay, Hay, Ho, Ho, Public Unions have got to go.
Hay, Hay, Ho, Ho, Unions Bosses have got to go.
Hay, Hay, Ho, Ho, Unions Thugs have got to go.


19 posted on 02/27/2011 8:24:41 PM PST by steveab (When was the last time someone tried to sell you a CO2 induced climate control system for your home?)
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To: Hojczyk
Good post...they are fighting for a “social ideal”. After viewing a few documentaries I think I am starting to see a clear picture of what they are “fighting” for. May I suggest viewing:

Demographic Winter
Waiting on Superman
Agenda

Viewed in this order one gets a clear picture of the culture war that is before us...first reduce the number of children then brainwash the ones that are left and then attempt to take over.

20 posted on 02/27/2011 9:04:06 PM PST by WorldviewDad (following God instead of culture)
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