Myths and Lies

soI was listening to liberal radio (92.1 FM the Devil's advocates) when it occurred to me, the whole argument about public schools is based on lies.  Dom's argument was that if collective bargaining is restored the teachers would rob the taxpayers.  This is the same argument used against state employees.  The problem is that the process is that wages and benefits are negotiated with the school board in the case of teachers or the state joint employee relations committee.  Then these proposed contracts are approved by the voters for teachers and the entire legislature and governor in the case of state employees.  If there is no settlement it could go to binding arbitration, which very rarely happens.  So, tell me again how the unions demand and get their way?  If people are angry they need to vote the people making the decisions out of office.  I'm angry that teachers in my district are getting 2.1% which is the rate of inflation as stated in Act 10.  The district got the "tools" and punted.  The state employees are getting 0% as they have for the past 3 years.  In the case of state workers was dissolving collective bargaining necessary when workers were currently operating under furloughs (3% pay cut) and 0% salary increases.  Now they have an effective 12-20% pay reduction depending on salary and they will likely be asked to contribute more to insurance and retirement next year as they have been every year for the last 6 years.  At the state level this was totally unnecessary.  The employees had accepted these cuts, they did not rob the taxpayer.  The media should be reporting in the reality based world.

Wisconsin Supreme Court Ruling

A very interesting if not unexpected ruling was handed down late yesterday. What the court essentially said was due to separation of powers we have no jurisdiction over the legislature when questions of their rules come up. Historically the courts have said that they have the ability to review all laws, but not in Wisconsin anymore. Basically what the court said is that the legislature was being accused of violating their own rules and that it was up to the legislature to enforce their rules. This is so cool, I can't wait until we get a legislature comprised of people who the 4 don't agree with and try to do the same thing. Does anyone seriously believe that this court will hand down the same ruling? I doubt it the 4 in the majority have shown that they are nothing but party loyalists. Remember when Justice Crooks was considered the conservative on the court, he wrote a separate dissent on this case.

As a post script the unions have filed Federal cases, I guess they just want to see what a 5-4 US Supreme Court decision looks like.

The Bastards

That was my reaction to what the Republican Majority did in Wisconsin tonight.  I don't care what you feel about the collective bargaining provisions or the other anti-union provisions everyone should be mad about the process.  These Republicans have been running roughshod over the Democratic Process.  First it was not giving the Democrats the correct time for an assembly hearing.  Then it was adjourning an assembly session but going back in session as soon as the Democrats left so that they could have an immediate vote on the budget repair bill.  Now they have stooped to a new low.  Sending the bill to conference committee to be divided up so that the Senate could vote on it.  The whole thing to 10 minutes and passed 18-1.  Only one person thought that what they were doing was shameful.  As a consequence the Capitol was re-occupied.  I made my first trip there and it was awesome, people are really angry about the process.  We understand that the votes are there to do whatever he wants, but we want a debate, we want to be able to add amendments, and we are opposed to balancing the budget on the people who can least afford it.  Shame on the Senators, shame on the Governor, and shame on the members of the conference committee.