Posted on 05/08/2012 2:35:22 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
By the end of today we will know which Democrat will be running against Gov. Scott Walker in the June 5 recall election, and if the polls are right it will be Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett.
Barrett’s campaign will shift into high gear, and for the next month we will be bombarded with campaign ads addressing assorted issues carefully chosen to distract us from the most important issue: Barrett’s promise to “use any vehicle I can” to reinstate collective bargaining privileges to public unions.
But Barrett also promises to “reunite” Wisconsin.
Now let’s think about that. Do you believe Wisconsinites are going to join hands and sing Kumbaya while Barrett tries, by hook or crook, to give public unions the means to dominate schools and raise property taxes again?
Me neither. We taxpayers are now aware that collective bargaining has allowed public unions to take advantage of us for years, and we won’t let them do it again.
Our schools were overcharged millions of dollars for health insurance plans, couldn’t fire bad teachers and had to follow union negotiated schedules and work rules that protected union interests at the expense of reforms that would benefit students.
Prison guards could call in sick for first shift and then get paid overtime for working the second shift. Bus drivers were able to boost their pensions into six-figure sums by working unfair amounts of overtime during their last year of employment.
Public unions abused their collective bargaining power and are completely unapologetic about it. We’d be fools to think they’d behave any differently if they got all their collective bargaining privileges back.
Democrats around the nation also are realizing they must curb public union power to protect their states’ fiscal health. In Illinois, New York, California, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Michigan and other states, Democrats have passed laws or are pleading with public unions to accept modest concessions to help keep cities and states afloat.
Union bosses have angrily refused in every case, of course.
So why on earth do Wisconsin Democrats want to give public unions more power? Because they haven’t taxed Wisconsin to the breaking point that those other states are experiencing – yet. But they would do it to pay for the perks that their union campaign donors collectively bargain for themselves.
Not that they’ll ever admit that. They’re trying to convince voters that we should let public unions collectively bargain because it’s the “nice” thing to do. It’s the only way to keep things “fair” for public employees.
Baloney. Collective bargaining actually kept things overly advantageous for public workers. Union representatives would dangle the threat of costly arbitration proceedings over school officials’ heads and pressure them into buying pricey benefits packages.
They can’t do that anymore because Gov. Walker has restored real fairness to the school budgeting process. By restricting collective bargaining, he put control back in the hands of local school boards, whose members now have the authority to reward and retain good teachers and the incentive to control property taxes.
Local control fosters fairness. Collective bargaining does not. Is it fair that public unions got to raise our property taxes every year, but they rejected the call to contribute a little more toward their top-notch pensions and benefits?
No. And you know who says so? Their own Democratic leaders. Rep. Fred Clark, D-Baraboo, told the Baraboo News Republic last year, “I believe asking public employees to pay more into their retirement makes sense.”
Mayor Barrett also says the increased contributions are fair. And Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on April 4 that all the Senate Democrats agree with Barrett’s stance: “yes” to increased contributions for benefits, but “no” to collective bargaining restrictions.
So remember, the key issue in this gubernatorial recall is collective bargaining, not all the other issues Democrats are going to throw at us. The Democrats want to reinstate public unions to a position of power over taxpayers. This will reignite another ugly firestorm of partisan brawling.
Keeping Walker as governor will finally convince public unions to accept being treated as equals alongside taxpayers, instead of insisting on special privileges. Not only will this restore peace to Wisconsin, it’s the best way to keep us on the path to economic recovery.
Rats control unions....unions demand high wages,Cadillac health care,saved sick time payoffs.....RATS give contracts to unions....raise taxes to pay unions.... Rats get support and financial backing from unions....bottom line, rest of us PAY HIGHER TAXES
Local governments in WI are reaping the benefits of Walker’s actions (what the voters wanted when they first elected him). Cities and towns have to balance their budgets and they can’t when public sector unions demand what those citizens don’t have (w/o digging into their own empty pockets) in order to subsidize unsustainable union members’ retirement and benefits.
Too bad that reason deserts us in the voting booth.
They don’t have Cadillac health care, it is closer to Lamborghni health care. The WEAC health insurance plan is nearly $100 per day.
As I recall (God I hate that word) the premium is close to $2900 for a family plan.
..but it all comes back to RATS, the rat party does not exist today if it were not for unions as they are today...controlled by thugs and communist.
Excellent article. Thanks for posting.
Battle lines are setting up in the states.
We build our army there.
If Progressives have less money to throw at Obama, conservatives can thank the states for drawing off union funds to finance their socialist death struggle.
It think they got that law changed so they are now free to again join the movement that was the founder of unions, communists.
The teachers had it great for decades. They voted in thieves aka Dems to grant them extraordinary bennies while soaking the Wisconsin citizens. So you had thieves helping each other: “we vote you in, you get us royal retirement benefits.” It worked well (for them) until Walker got elected. Sure, the state was 3 and one half billion in the hole, but they got to retire in their fifties with most of their salary and bennies scarcely paying a dime for any of it. If Wisconsinites are stupid enough to elect another thief like Barret or Falk, then it’s back to the thieves running the government and back into debt.
Barrett talks jobs yet his Milwaukee unemployment rate is over 11%. If he, Falk, or some other Liberal are able to unseat Walker watch business and industry move out of Wisconsin, as some have already indicated. There goes the jobs. And, taxes would have to take a huge jump, perhaps $1 billion or more, if unions are given the power to run the state as Democrats would have it.
Turn out!
Turn out!
Turn out!
The Dems will commit fraud if any race is close.
Turn out!
The WI experience has scared the pants off of demonRATs and union thugs across the country.
Walker said he was going to do it, did it, and it worked for the people of WI.
The demonRATSs and union thugs can lie and scream, bang on drums and picket all day and night, but the citizens that actually work for a living and are awake in WI, KNOW THE FACTS.
Even with all the expected cheating, I believe that Walker and his group will be the victors and the union thugs will have pissed away tens of millions that they won't have for November.
I've given Walker a couple of donations and will give him a couple more after today's election.
“If Wisconsinites are stupid enough to elect another thief like Barret or Falk,....”
DO NOT call us STUPID, please!! Those of us in Wisconsin have been busy WORKING, supporting our families, paying high taxes, voting in CONSERVATIVE school board and local conservatives since 2008. We have been deluged with out of state UNION thug money, Obama stash money and Soros money for the Wisconsin dems to spend on this STUPID recall. This recall for both today, May 8 and June 5 will cost the WI taxpayers nearly 15 million dollars WASTED.
There are thousands of us who are vocal, active and doing everything in our power to overcome the national union thug, Obama/Soros machine to take over the state. Remember that WE in Wisconsin elected Gov. Walker in the first place. We are NOT about to let him slip through our fingers.
We appreciate any and all prayers and monetary support for this great man who is well liked and IS the future of this country. I say WATCH us NOW!
Thanks for posting the reminders to those who so easily forget.
Everyone, do you see those Capital Police in this photo just standing there letting this happen? Abuse of the Capital rules for closing, let them rip up and deface our beautiful building for weeks.
Remember THAT, Wisconsinites when you vote today.
Thanks Cincinatus’ Wife!!
I am a Wisconsinite. Driftless means from the Driftless Area of western Wisconsin. Unfortunately, I know plenty of people including friends, relatives, and ex co-workers who are more than willing to spend the state into financial oblivion. One of my bros-in-law is a retired public school teacher, and he and his brother fly into frothing rages when Walker’s name is mentioned. Yes, many public school teachers in Wisconsin are certifiably crazy. He’s actually a very nice guy when politics are not mentioned.
Bump!
Can tea partiers do an Operation Chaos on this Democrat Primary? Write in “Scott Walker”!
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