Wisconsin Republicans just upped the ante in their fight to strip collective bargaining rights from public unions. In a devious bit of parliamentary maneuvering, Republicans stripped the anti-union provisions out of the “budget repair” bill and placed them in a standalone bill. Since the standalone bill has no budget implications, it can be passed in the absence of the Wisconsin state senators who decamped to Illinois to deny the Republicans a quorum.
This latest move undermines the Republicans’ talking point that the collective bargaining provisions are needed to balance the budget. The real goal has always been to destroy unions as a political force in the state. Governor Walker and his allies may finally get their way, but this very public battle has revealed their true intentions. They are determined to transform Wisconsin into a state where the interests of corporations reign supreme while workers in both the public and private sectors are slapped around by the unforgiving invisible hand of the free market.
It’s important to remember that this is what Wisconsin voters chose. Walker and his ilk made no secret of their contempt for organized labor and a host of other Democratic constituencies, including the poor and people with disabilities. If they don’t like watching their state being transformed into a Randian utopia, they should have considered that possibility on Election Day. Perhaps the lesson to be learned from all this is that every election matters, not just the ones where we choose a president.
Maybe the real lesson here is that we should all be treated the same? Why is it fair that a small group of people who work in the public sector, are forced to pay dues to radical left organizations such as Unions, who then take that money and blackmail politicians into giving them better and better benefits and pay? Don’t you find that an inherent conflict of interest?
Your contention is completely false that Walker and his ilk have contempt for poor and the disabled. Remember, it was Republicans that passed the ADA. I am also disabled, yet I compete in the private sector. You would do well to remember that the Democrats and Liberals are the ones who actually contemptuous of the poor and disabled. In their minds, we need to be taken care of, because we’re not smart enough to do it on our own.
Rich,
First, public sector workers as a group are not more richly compensated than private sector workers. Lower skilled workers might make a little more in the public sector, but public workers with advanced degrees make significantly less on average than their private sector counterparts.
Public unions must adapt to changing economic times, but stripping unions of collective bargaining rights should concern all working people. The decline of unions in the private sector has not, as far as I can tell, been a boon for the middle class.
Finally, your portrayal of Republicans as champions of people with disabilities is laughable. I don’t know your circumstances, but plenty of people with disabilities rely on programs like Medicaid, subsidized housing, public transit, vocational rehabilitation, etc. And given half a chance, House Republicans would slash all these programs.
One thing I’ve learned about Liberals is that they generalize to make a specific point. Total compensation for public sector workers has grown significantly in the last twenty years, to the point where many make much more than their private sector counter-parts. I notice you failed to address my concern of conflicts on interest. What about tenure for bad teachers? Pensions that will bankrupt many states, especially liberal states like New York?
Another favorite argument technique of liberals is to setup a straw man, then pummel it to death. No where did I say that Republicans are ‘champions of people with disabilities!’ But you give no examples of how Democrats are better, nor do you give any rational behind your contention that Republicans would slash ‘all these programs’, while conveniently forgetting it was Obama and Democrats who gutted Medicare Advantage.
I’ve found that Democrats see Black, White, Hispanic, Disabled, Asian, etc., while Republicans see people.
How is being forced to pay dues democratic? Especially when you have no say in how those dues are allocated. As someone who spent the past 12 years in the working world of 9 to 5 sans any union, I find it such a peculiar idea. Having to pay some group to watch over me like a babysitter. All I know is that in the state I live in you couldn’t find a cushier job than working for the state. The cushiest being inside the university [i.e., high pay for little work with great benefits]. And I can’t believe it’s any different in all the other states. Which might help account for the deficits.