pinko

"Do you wonder why you seem to be getting poorer?" I am of the view that I am not getting poorer. Maybe you and others who resort to utilizing credit need to get a handle on your spending habits. Your most recent post (tome) tacitly accepts the role unions have played in elevating the standard of living in both Canada and the USA. Your view of the causes of inflation are somewhat simplistic and certainly out of touch with contemporary economics. Your prescription for change represents a race to the bottom with the middle class been decimated amd more people being thrown into the streets. Every day above ground is a good day for me.

Plutocracy Now: What Wisconsin Is Really About 2008, A LIBERAL Democrat was elected president. Landslide votes gave Democrats huge congressional majorities. Eight years of war and scandal and George W. Bush had stigmatized the Republican Party almost beyond redemption. A global financial crisis had discredited the disciples of free-market fundamentalism, and Americans were ready for serious change. Or so it seemed. But two years later, Wall Street is back to earning record profits, and conservatives are triumphant. To understand why this happened, it's not enough to examine polls and tea parties and the makeup of Barack Obama's economic team. You have to understand how we fell so short, and what we rightfully should have expected from Obama's election. And you have to understand two crucial things about American politics. http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/02/income-inequality-labor-union-decline

I am not sure where you are from but here in Canada collective bargaining rights have a constitutional foundation and that includes public sector employment.

In many cases the average comparability of total compensation is well below that of the private sector relative to the public sector. When you make such sweeping statements as you have it would be helpful and perhaps more credible if you would produce examples to illustrate your point. I certainly care for the well being of society but my prescription for change doesn't include the emasculation of public sector unions. What your proposal appears to ignore is the connection between wealth and power and the preferential treatment provided to the likes of the uber rich. Further to this you seem to overlook the fact that the Governor is playing off one group of workers against the other in order to jusitfy the draconian measures he intends to ram through with his Republican majority. A true leader finds a way to unite people rather than divide them. Finally I am wondering if you can point me to a reliable source to validate your contention that FDR was against public sector unions having collective bargaining. You need to learn to distinguish public sector employment and the conditions of employment from the entity known as the union. If you are going to opine on such topics I expect you to have a basic understanding of the subject matter.

How touching. Where in Texas is it located?

Sorry about that. I was only referring to the banking community in the USA.

I am sure you meant I live here or did you?

Speaking of chimps didn't Ronald Raygun act with chimps.

In the case of General Motors I believe the loans extended by governments on both sides of the border were necessary. As I understand it GM has been able to do some restructuring and is in the process of reimbursing government ofor monies previously advanced. I am less convinced that the concessions made to the banking and financial sector was a wise investment of public monies.

I would like to point out that bush cheney is a public servant. The perks, pay and privileges he receives come out of the public purse.

Thank-you for taking the time to articulate your position. I take it from your response that you reject the premise of the public interest and the greater good. By the way corporate status brings with it certain protections not available to most of us.

I see so your debt has nothing to do with your conduct whereas the debt incurred by government is caused by the evils of a less than free market system.

I find that when discussing a given subject it is helpful to read information relevant to the topic being discussed. In this case we are discussing the manner in which the Governor of Wisconsin has chosen to deal with public sector employees within the State of Wisconsin. Becoming aware of the legislative framework of collective bargaining in Wisconsin is a first step (at least for me) in determining the adequacy of the legislation as it stands. I don't see the Patriot Act bearing on these discussions. I am conversant with NAFTA as well as the original FTA but I see a discussion on those documents as a seperate discussion. Maybe you could start a new thread on that topic. If I am not mistaken collective bargaining involving teachers is done at the municipal level so I would expect that contract issues could be dealt with at that level consistent with the legislation (Labour Code) I have previously referred you to. No doubt there are fiscal issues that need to be addressed in the State of Wisconsin but those can be dealt with through the normal channels. Once you grow up I am hopeful you will become a more rational person.

Did you attend public school in Alberta?

Harper used to work there.

I don't expect he will answer my questions about his finances and I would understand why he isn't forthcoming with such information. However in the case of his education I see no reason why he would be reluctant to answer that question.

One further question. Did you receive a public education?

I am wondering if you could answer my question. I will repeat the question. Are you currently in debt? If so how much do you owe? What assets and liabilities do you currently have?

http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheat-sheet/item/blogger-pranks-wisconsin-gov/whoops/?om_rid=NsfrMk&om_mid=_BNZWh5B8ZUG6BK

"Right, because in the current economy they have so many other job opportunities busting down their door? You take the work where you can get it today...very few have the luxury of picking and choosing union-job or non-union job...when you're in debt up to your eyeballs, a job's a job." Are you in debt?

A person can change the channel or turn the tv off if he is so offended.

http://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/02/whats-happening-wisconsin-explained

I don't recall any public servants threatening to walkout in this particular case. As I have mentioned previously there is a process laid out in The Wisconsin Labour Code and you would be well advised to read it. I believe you have been challenged on several occasions to provide the necessary proof regarding your strawman argument on sustainability. I don't recall you producing such information.

"Many people wind up working in unionized positions because it comes part and parcel with the job they've applied for." Exactly and when one accepts employment is such an enterprise one must accept this as a condition of employment. Your comments about public sector unions is patently absurd and lacks a factual basis.

If you follow the history of unions and their origins in Britain you will be better able to address the issue. The majority of collective agreements don't require memberhsip as a condition of employment. Some here have conflated the payment of dues with the closed shop concept.