Article

2011-03-14 Economy

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2011-03-14 06:51|| || Front Page|| [11128 views ] Top

#1 They've forgotten the first rule of successful parasites, and will pay for it.

They've also tried to cover their greed with a masquerade of faux homespun and "average joe" demeanor. The notion of people who work nine months a year and get paid more than the average American makes plus have better benefits casting themselves as downtroden and oppressed doesn't sit well with the majority of Americans. When called on this, the homepsun and "average joe" gets dropped right away and they say' "but we're more educated than average".

Which is it? Are you common laborers (in which case you don't deserve your compensation package) or are you professionals (in which case you don't deserve collective bargaining or the veneer of "average joe")?

Leave aside for the moment that getting a bachelors or masters in education isn't really that hard, that a chimp could get either of those degrees. The argument regarding professional vs laborer (from the teachers themselves, not their union leaders) has to be resolved either one way or another before they can pursue a path with any sort of consistency.

Furthermore, to the extent that they have been bargaining, they haven't done so in good faith. A good contract is one where both parties accept equal amounts of benefits and risks. The teachers want all benefits, and no risks, especially with regards to market risk of rising health care costs and pension liabilities. In other words, they want the taxpayers to accept ALL the risk of health care costs rising faster than inflation and ALL the risk of pension funds not yielding as much as expected and needing to be supplemented with additional tax revenues. The fair thing in any contract would be for the unions to share such risks 50/50, or to compensate the taxpayers (with wage concessions) for avoiding their fair share of those risks. But they are absolutely unwilling to do so.

In business, would any of us even bother attempting to negotiate a contract with a party like this? Very early on in the negotiations, you would see what they are all about and decide that they weren't negotiating in good faith and that they weren't a serious potential partner and you would break off talks and seek someone else. That is the point the taxpayer is at, now.

Posted by no mo uro 2011-03-14 07:40|| 2011-03-14 07:40|| Front Page Top

#2 Somehow No More Uro elucidated every thought I've had on this subject very eloquently. Great minds think alike, Er, well my mind isn't that great yet today (goes to fix coffee)...

Posted by Fi 2011-03-14 08:03|| 2011-03-14 08:03|| Front Page Top

#3 The 'parasites' do have one significant advantage - focus. This issue is a BIG deal to them and they will stay engaged and vocal, but to the taxpayer it is just one more of many issues demanding similar amounts of attention, and Walker fixed this crisis, so it's now off the front burner. Plus - organized labor is, well, organized, while the rest of society just isn't. They stand a far better chance of succeeding in their senatorial recalls and in getting 'their' judge elected than does the opposition. Not to mention, they get a large and favorable treatment by most of the media. The host will be devoured for at least one more crisis cycle, and probably several, until the public economy totally implodes.

Posted by Glenmore 2011-03-14 08:39|| 2011-03-14 08:39|| Front Page Top

#4 to the Unions and Dems, the biggest threat is the non-automatic dues deductions from the paychecks. Once you have the opportunity to starve the beast's cash supply, you've won

Posted by Frank G 2011-03-14 08:43|| 2011-03-14 08:43|| Front Page Top

#5 I agree with Frank. Even if the unions succeed in their recall and Wisconsin Supreme Court efforts, the lack of automatic dues collections kills them in the '12 election effort.

But note their strategy:

1) get 'their' justice elected

2) get a few Pub senators recalled and flip the Senate to D

3) get the new law overturned at the WSC

4) back to business as usual as the new D Senate will block any new moves

That's where Glenmore's point is key: the unions' focus right now is like that of a heroin user looking for his next fix. They will not give up.

Posted by Steve White 2011-03-14 09:26|| 2011-03-14 09:26|| Front Page Top

#6 Treat excessive Government like it's closest analogy Leukemia.

Posted by Bright Pebbles 2011-03-14 13:06|| 2011-03-14 13:06|| Front Page Top

#7 So let's see if I understand this. The taxpayers foot the bill for the public unions. Nearly all such money as dues goes to the Democratic Party because they support the unions. The unions then vote for the Democratic Party because the Democrats support this vicious parasitic cycle. The taxpayers and voters take a hosing. Democracy is subverted. Unless this power is brought under control and some sense is injected into this, we are screwed. Good for Gov. Walker and all other executives who see this for what it is. A pox on Obama for being a part of this parasitic cycle.

Posted by JohnQC 2011-03-14 13:48|| 2011-03-14 13:48|| Front Page Top

#8 Remember what the public unions have against them: The money to satisfy their demands is not there. State governments by & large cannot go into debt to generate extra money to meet those demands. The ability of state governments to raise extra taxes is limited. What cannot go on forever WILL stop. Even minimally engaged & unorganized taxpayers WILL understand that at some point.

Posted by Anguper Hupomosing9418 2011-03-14 15:10|| 2011-03-14 15:10|| Front Page Top

#9 Obama's absence from the front page on this issue telles you all you need to know about the WH polling on this matter. Despite the best efforts of the dying MSM, the public isn't on the unions side, and the last minute thuggery exposed the unions true nature to an even widen portion of the public before all the coverage suddenly stopped in the MSM.
Obama's character as a union organized and activist is well known, yet his political self-survival skills trumped even that. Funny how socialists always come to love the comfy lifestyle of the rich, even as they continue to mouth the same tired slogans.....

Posted by NoMoreBS 2011-03-14 15:20|| 2011-03-14 15:20|| Front Page Top

#10 The comparison between unions and parasitic wasp larvae in a caterpillar are impressive, as seen in this National Geographic segment called "body invaders".

Posted by Anonymoose 2011-03-14 18:11|| 2011-03-14 18:11|| Front Page Top

#11 @ Steve White #5 (above) Lets say the unions do all that. Then what?
Do they reinstate collective bargaining,and their over generous benefits package, then have to layoff several thousand of their members?
That will go over like a lead balloon.
I think they bluster and threaten but won't be able to do a damn thing.
Once union teachers (and others)don't have to have union dues taken out of their paychecks, they might find they really kinda like it.

Posted by Mikey Hunt 2011-03-14 18:29|| 2011-03-14 18:29|| Front Page Top

#12 Ultimate solution. Home school. Kids from that environment score 50% or better than Public School.

Posted by Beldar Chaimble2180 2011-03-14 22:36|| 2011-03-14 22:36|| Front Page Top

#13 I was just talking about home schooling future mini Fis. I worked in a public school during a summer in my twenties (filling in for special ed teachers with certifications as an aide while the regulars were on vacay), at which point I myself was schooled on academic excellence. Or lack thereof.

Posted by Fi 2011-03-14 22:46|| 2011-03-14 22:46|| Front Page Top

#14 Remember what the public unions have against them: The money to satisfy their demands is not there.

Except they don't believe that. More importantly, terribly clever people have started writing op-eds telling them it isn't true, so they don't have to believe the evidence in front of their lying eyes.

Posted by trailing wife 2011-03-14 22:53|| 2011-03-14 22:53|| Front Page Top

#15 Responding to No Mo Uro: while i despise union thuggery, he made a blanket statement that is wrong: work nine months and get paid for more; my daughter and her husband are both teachers and they have a portion of their check for the nine months worked ( thank you very much) withheld and sent to them over the summer ( the 3 months they don't work) they both positively despise the union, but here in WA state, there is no alternative for them, if they wish to contune to teach.

Posted by USN,Ret 2011-03-14 23:50|| 2011-03-14 23:50|| Front Page Top

23:50 USN,Ret
23:49 Fi
23:36 gorb
23:20 Fi
23:16 Herman Phusons1336
23:15 Fi
23:14 twobyfour
23:10 Frank G
23:05 twobyfour
23:00 Barbara Skolaut
22:58 Barbara Skolaut
22:56 Fi
22:55 twobyfour
22:53 trailing wife
22:52 Fi
22:51 CincinnatusChili
22:46 Fi
22:44 Zhang Fei
22:38 Zhang Fei
22:37 Procopius2k
22:36 Beldar Chaimble2180
22:16 Procopius2k
22:11 Fi
22:11 trailing wife