Just had to post this even though it is not directly related to this story, maybe indirectly :). Found this posted elsewhere and it is sooooo true!
"SO LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT ... If you cross the North Korean border illegally, you get 12 yrs. hard labor. If you cross the Afghanistan border illegally, you get shot. Two Americans just got eight years… for crossing the Iranian border. If you cross the U.S. Border illegally you get a job, a drivers license, food stamps, a place to live, health care, housing & child benefits, education, & a tax free business for 7 yrs ...No wonder we are a country in debt..."

nOOb: Thanks for your wonderful post and the link you provided.

IMO, it sure makes me wonder WHY ANYBODY would continue to believe ANYTHING the gov. had to say.

He sure could have sold them to China.
Oh, wait, they already have them.

"Instead of whining and complaining, why don't public sector workers just switch to a private sector job?"

That's about as intelligent and compassionate as, "Why don't they just go back to their own country."

Furthermore, one could counter with, "If you think public sector jobs are so easy and wonderful, why don't you get one?"

Just a dumb comment, if you ask me.

Actually the WRS is only 99.67% funded but I don't think that should be a problem. It is a model for how to run and pension system.

http://gratewire.com/topic/wisconsins-pe...

Sort of makes you wonder what elase Scott is wrong about.

" that is WHY the gov. wants to get his hands on it."
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Where are your facts for this claim?

Shrek: I think you stepped into some sizeable doo-doo with your claim about the WRS. The WRS is solvent. And, for your info., that is WHY the gov. wants to get his hands on it.

Tommy Thompson already tried laying his hands on the WRS, and he got himself into trouble over it. The money had to be paid back.

Now Shrek, where are your facts about the WRS being insolvent? You can't provide any because there are NONE.

Disregard justmy414, he is a lying soros mouthpiece and even when corrected on the facts continues to repost the same posts on new threads.

Disregard Maine, he is a lying Koch mouthpiece and even when corrected on the facts continues to repost the same posts on new threads.

If you are considering moving to Wisconsin, be aware, in addition to the high property taxes in Wisconsin, you will also receive an extra bill whenever your street needs repaving, sidewalks rebuilt, sewer lines replaced, etc. This is over and above your property tax bill. We couldn't believe that one when we moved here either, but yes, its the truth.

In my opinion property taxes are high in Wisconsin mainly due to very generous pensions and benefits for state and local employess (civil servants).

Wisconsin is truly a beautiful state with by and large great people, but the taxes are something that would make a communist blush, and the so-called "limited government" Republicans have done nothing about it.

A major drawback to living in Wisconsin - or Milwaukee and its suburbs in particular - is the extremely high property taxes. Without knowing the exact County / community / area in the community, etc., it is hard to give you an answer to your question to a very specific level. But yes, they are very high in general. I would state that for your example - 3BR, 1400 square feet - if it was in a decent area of Milwaukee County (but not a terribly expensive area either), you'd be looking at a general range of $3,100 to $5,000 in property taxes. I know I just bought a 1600 square foot, 3 BR home in Milwaukee County and our property taxes are over $4800.

Part I of II: Report from the President, James H. Miller, Wisconsin Policy Research Institute: For years one of the most spirited public policy debates has been whether Wisconsin is a tax hell. We asked Todd Berry and Dale Knapp of the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance to compare the actual tax burdens in Wisconsin to those of other states in the country. They also researched
how our unique political culture has led us into our current tax situation. Their report is unlike anything I have seen
before in Wisconsin, or anywhere else. They begin by analyzing Wisconsin’s political culture and how, over a 150-year period, its earliest residents shaped the state’s future. This analysis details how Wisconsin’s Yankee traditions mixed with German immigration to form the view that government was the best institution to solve our problems. This view would later
form the foundation of the “Wisconsin Idea.” It adds an important dimension to understanding why Wisconsin’s taxes and spending are so high compared to the rest of the country. This report demonstrates that there is little doubt that we are a high tax state. A database from the year 2000 shows that state and local taxes claimed 12.9% of our personal income — the fourth highest percentage in the country. This burden meant that, in 2000, our residents paid $2.4 billion more in state and local taxes than the national average. Since 1991, we have been among the five most taxed states in the country.

Part II of II: Report from the President, James H. Miller, Wisconsin Policy Research Institute: What is clear is that Wisconsin simply refused to realistically control spending, while taxes have risen dramatically to cover spiraling costs. In fact, K-12 education, higher education, and transportation are the three primary reasons why we are so far above the national average in terms of spending, which of course is funded by our higher taxes. One interesting finding was that, in spite of all the rhetoric, our spending on corrections was right at the national average. There is little doubt that what is driving our K-12 expenditures is the increasing cost of employee benefits. We were 11% above that national average for benefits as a percent of salaries for our K-12 employees in 1999-2000. In comparison, our neighboring states of Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota trailed us by double digits. Ironically, the only state close to our benefit costs was Michigan and, while it is not in the report, Michigan is the only other state in the country where the teacher’s union has their own insurance company monopolizing health benefits for school districts
across the state. If we are serious about controlling our future spending and lowering our tax rates, we must get control over the skyrocketing costs for health care benefits for our government employees. Without that control Wisconsin will remain as one of the highest taxed states in the country.

A startling reminder from the Tax Foundation in Washington D.C. Considering property taxes as a percentage of property value, Wisconsin has the fourth-highest property taxes on owner-occupied homes in the nation. Using Census Bureau data, the Tax Foundation calculated the median real estate taxes as a percent of median home value for all 50 states. The U.S. average median is 0.96 percent ($1,897 in taxes on $197,600 in home value). Wisconsin’s percentage is 1.71. Only Texas, New Jersey and Nebraska rank higher. The key to reducing property taxes is to control spending. Wisconsin property owners certainly have paid more than their fair share.

Maine2010 "Most foreclosures are due to exorbitant property taxes" And where did you find that information?

All of the "Recall Walker" signs are on very expensive homes and on luxury vehicles. Not a single home belonging to a public sector worker has gone into foreclosure because public sector workers are the only ones who can afford to pay the exorbitant property taxes. Public sector workers didn't come to the aid of private sector workers when their compensation was slashed by the forces of globalization during the past decade, but yet they expect those same private sector workers with reduced incomes to support them!

Instead of whining and complaining, why don't public sector workers just switch to a private sector job?

The public sector workforce is comprised of only 12% of Wisconsin residents, but yet this small group has taken its game of extorting the taxpaying public to such an extreme (e.g., retirement at age 50, cadillac benefits, excessive time off, excessive pay including overtime pay, pay raises during recessions, double-dipping), that municipalities all across Wisconsin are on the verge of bankruptcy! Most foreclosures are due to exorbitant property taxes, and since the foreclosure rate continues to increase, property taxes need to be drastically reduced, which means the financial abuses in the public sector need to be dealt with, regardless of who is governor. This is NOT a Democrat or Republican issue; it is a financial necessity.

"We no longer have A DEMOCRACY in the state of Wisconsin. That is why the people are recalling the governor."

More like "The People's Republic of Madison" is no more. WI was fed up with the "tax & spend & spend" attitude of the Doyle administration...hence Walker and a Republican Majority being elected into office in the first place.

We no longer have A DEMOCRACY in the state of Wisconsin. That is why the people are recalling the governor.

Kaysbrew: We are not living in the 1920's where taxes could be as low as you would like. Unfortunately, we live in 2012, where taxes have to be higher, and we know you don't like that. We know it might hurt your style of living if you had to pay more. We certainly wouldn't want to do that, now would we?

Koch Brothers-Thank you for the "patriot" title. As for Walker and your bit about corruption-2 words...Plausible deniability. If Walker is found to have knowledge (actual proof, not liberal allegations) then he should accept consequences. If it is unfounded, then his record will remain clean, and he should be allowed to keep doing the fine job that he's been doing.

@ concerned person

Assistant To Mayor Barrett Remains In Jail On $20K Bond

Read more: http://www.wisn.com/news/23661897/detail...

Koch_Bros
Maybe you shouldn't be such a hypocrite. I think it's amazing the stuff written on this site about Walker when Obama is all that and then some.
But that's okay, 2012 is here!

Calling the Tea party corrupt Ab? Really - how?
Limited government? Lower taxes?
contrast that with the strong arm of liberals on unions. More government and more taxes by any means necessary.
Please enlighten us on the corrupt Tea party..

Can't wait for that one.

and out there

Midnight-ride, you may be shocked that I partially agree -Obama has been an enabler for the wealthy and Tea Party agendas, which are as corrupt as hell. The current GOP has had no better president for furthering their agenda (low taxes, low regulation etc) than Obama. And that is a shame. It is especially beneficial for the GOP to have Obama in their to take the blame as well. Why would a republican want to unseat Obama? It's not plausible to lower taxes and de-regulate even more than the country has already.

More news being reported lists 3 more Walker aides have been arrested in FBI John Doe investigation Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Please don't ever talk about abuse of power unless you look to your own party and Obama first and foremost. #1 abuser

How can Walker be held responsible for the actions (sometimes private) of persons that worked for him? Unless it can be proven that Walker had knowledge of the on-goings, i don't see how this is relevent to him doing his job (a fine one so far) at Governor. The publicity of this is just another left-wing media tactic trying to distract people from the real issues...the problems of the Doyle Administration and the solutions implemented by the Walker one.

Walker did exactly what he said he was going to do. If only all politicians on every level followed this creed. As for petitioners many of them were polite, saying very little other than holding their sign with a smile. Others, on the other hand were downright obnouxious, which is how I can see how several altercations have occured throughout WI. I came across several while Christmas shopping that were more ruthless than a used car salesmen. After being asked if I signed, which I in trun said "no", I was litterly verbally attacked which in turn gained my response of saying that "I voted for Walker the first time, and I will vote for him again!". The response back almost always involved profanity and name calling of both me and Walker. So much for professionalism.

The hypocrisy of the Gazette won't allow comments on the story about Walker's campaign staffer being arrested. So let's add them here. The Gazette doesn't want their god Walker to be discredited in anyway.

http://www.gazettextra.com/weblogs/lates...

I have been all around Janesville and have seen the petitioners. I have NEVER seen any of them push the petitions on people. THere were very nice older people out there too. And my husband and I asked if they were freezing or wanted to sit in the car a bit to warm up while we signed the petition. Both parties do it, so just because you don't like the outcome, don't make it seem like something wrong is going on. It is everyone's right to petition against or for someone, and you will ALWAYS find a bad apple in the bunch. That is true for BOTH parties.

"Now why are you calling me Pat? That is not my name."
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Make up your mind...

You got upset over he and or she, so I said I would take the saturday night live point of view, Pat, until you make up your mind. Just trying to stay polite instead of saying "it".

concernedperson
of course you say that the petitioners were not bothering anyone. Did you ask anyone if they were being bothered? Soliciting for signitures is a desperate act, especially when you are going to california to the Rose Bowl to do it, and not bothering anyone on their vacation from the monitary misery that you are putting this state through. Who knows, maybe many of the people are signing the petition even though they support Walker to make you people think that the recall election will be an easy win. Did you ever stop to think about that. I bet there will be a recount.

That's too bad, RAF. It is the law in the state of Wisconsin. Petitioners have been honest and above board and have not been harrassing anyone. I am sorry you see it that way seeing as petitioners are following the law.

Now why are you calling me Pat? That is not my name.

Maine2010 - That's what the City of Madison bus drivers (or some of them) were paid. Not school bus drivers.

Pat their actions are as welcomed as unsolicited home sales calls. Too bad you haven't followed the actions of mayor tom and his own city budget and unions dealings, keeping your head in the sand on real issues is just what your party wants.

Petitioners DID NOT BOTHER anybody. They simply asked if someone wanted to sign the petition. If you didn't want to sign, then all you had to do was go on your way.

IMO, I do not understand how someone can support corruption in our State Capitol. But it seems that there are those who do.

What tools? Are you kidding me? Walker did not give out any tools.

Skippy good point. Looks like mayor tom from Milwaukee is dipping his foot in the water again. That should be interesting for him to campaign against walker after he has used the tools passed by act10 that he wants to run against. Will be funny watching the left wing support him for doing what they complain over with Walker.

So you got enough signatures, by bothering people at walmart, going to california, and going door to door. We will see if they get to the polls. It is one thing to disagree to sign the petition, and another to go vote. By the way anyone who signs a petition and doesn't even know who they will be voting for is messed up in the head. I guess anyone will do. Good plan. Who do you have to run against Walker in the recall? Opps, maybe we should have thought about that.

I do believe the people of Wisconsin are speaking rather forcefully by the number of recall signatures gathered EXACTLY what they have in mind. The number of signatures so far has exceeded my expectations! Wisconsin will be great once again when the corruption in our State Capitol ceases! IMO

Recall the weasel, Happy New Year there are enough signatures. Scottie will soon be free to take that trip to Cali :-) !

I think what we fail to realize is that anyone could have done what walker did. And things could be as good or.bad as they are now. But nearly ANYONE would have done it better. That's the underlyin issue. Oh and how his pockets arepadded akd from whom.

skippy31, the company can make choices you may disagree with after you have bought the stock then you had no choice in that. So if you choose to leave that company, it's after the fact, they still used your money. Things also change in government, typically depending on the preference of the party in power. Also, that issue of the taxpayer's money is used to support unions: some of your persuasion seem to think that the money the public sector earns never actually belongs to them - that since taxpayers contribute it is essentially always the taxpayers' money. Is the money you earn always your employer's money. Should they be able to tell you what to do with it?

nomoreres, When you buy stock in the private sector, you have a choice in which stock to buy. Therefore if you do not like who the company supports politically, you can choose not to buy that stock. So yes you do have a say in political support. My suggestion is to do your homework before buying stock. I do not choose whether I can pay taxes or not.

In a couple weeks we will see where the recall numbers are. Although there is much a lot of noise from the liberal side, we all know they have always been known to be loud and obnoxious in their attempts to drown out opposing viewpoints. Gov. Walker has made a difference with most local communities with the exceptions of ones that rushed to pass a deal before it became law. Those community leaders will need to answer to their base and I believe their actions will end their political activism. We can only hope that most Wisconsin residents can understand the reasons that these changes had to be made. Even if Gov. Walker is recalled, his vision for running a state or country will garner him many followers in his future endeavors and many of us are extremely thankful for what he did, it was the right thing to do! Isn't a sad day when so many of our highly-educated liberals are put in their place by a man that by your standards "didn't finish his education". Keep in mind my liberal friends; Just because you shout the loudest doesn't necessarily mean you have the greatest numbers.

skippy31, you wrote: "It is basically like the taxpayer owns stock in the public sector."
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You have previously expressed that it was ok for companies to support candidates (where the stockholders don't have a say in who the company supports) so your logic would seem to indicate that the same should be true for unions (the company) made up of these "public sector stockholders".
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I'm glad to see you are speaking in a fair and balanced way, not everyone on your side of the aisle is willing to acknowledge that.

Ya think? Really? What a joke! Why now Jackwagon?

I lol'd at the title of this article :)
less than 2% of wi were at the capitol. Yes...at any given time.during normal business and school days for how many weeks? And how many other places in the world waved solidarity flags for themselves and wisco? It gathered national attention and it appears as though we'll get those sigs needed. What percentage of wi is over 500k signatures?just a thought :)
I admire the fact walker wanted change, and had the balls to try and get something done. However the changes made and the lack of tact to get them pushed through were the sour spot. Seeming to push his way around and through and just do as he pleases, especially hardly even acknowledgeing the capitol occupation and public outcry solidified my view on him. You don't take office and just do as you please when the public is reacting in a way that...well, really was nearly unprecedented.that's why scott walker is getting recalled. How can you be in office and not listen to the people making acry so loud it resinates not only nationally, but internationally?

916 WI said: "Those that put walker in office, the people that elected him to represent them, are thrilled with his performance to date."

This is not true. Many of those who helped elect Walker feel they've been lied to. And that is why many of those same people are working on the recall effort.

Gandalf, if the taxpayer pays the wages, and part of those wages go to the union, then yes the taxpayer is paying the union dues. Especially when the union contracts dictate what the workers are paid, benefits, and all the other things that workers get. It is basically like the taxpayer owns stock in the public sector. Having unions in the public sector is also not needed due to the civil servant law. It was updated in 2005. Try reading that law, and compare it to the benefits they already get and you will see that they and the taxpayer are better off.

Mooshoe......so less than 2% of the state's population shows up the capital whining and stamping their feet and we are to assume the other 98% should bend over backwards to placate them?? As far as consensus on his policies, he has it. Those that put walker in office, the people that elected him to represent them, are thrilled with his performance to date. Elections have consequences....The reason we are experiencing a recall is because a minority of the state's population, the people who just can't accept the fact that their party is no longer in control, will go to any extreme to win back that control. After they lose yet again, they'll come up with another crazy way to justify their misguided actions.....and lose again:)

Again with failed comparisons and false information YKM? Anything "given" up in union negotiations is a freebie. Your funniest bit was the failed comparisons between the AMA, realtors assoc… The majority of these groups exist for federal reasons and some for state (level). You failed attempt to draw a comparison to these and public unions that reach down to county/district/city/town level is funny. The decisions made based on union negotiations appear in property taxes, city fees, county assessments, and the lucky ones that have additional city/county taxes. Those other peoples influence shows up where? The whole idea about needing a union to protect against taxpayers is proved false when you look at federal workers that don’t have one. They are still treated fairly, receive good pay and benefits, but there are no onerous and expensive work rules placed on taxpayers through little to none contested negotiations. There is countless waste in all parts of government spending those that think some is untouchable are only deceiving themselves.

scott walker doesn't work with people, he manipulates the rules and dictates the circumstances to get what he wants. we'll be better off without him in office. so long scott, we won't miss ya one bit.

916WI, buy a time machine and go back several years so you can apply all of your pointless rambling about the importance of negotiation and compromise to convince Diamond Jim and his uncompromising band of Democrats to see things the right way. Apparently, it's much cheaper and easier for you to do that than to apply those principles in real time today with Scott Walker and his band of uncompromising Republicans.

Mooshoe.......much of your pointless rambling could be applied directly to Diamond Jimmy and his band of uncompromising democrats that ran the state before Walker took over.....as far as your comment regarding Walker not finishing his term, I had to laugh:) Considering how successful you guys have been with putting a stop to his legislation, taking control of the state supreme court, and winning back a majority in the capital, I gotta wish you consistently defeated, poor souls some luck......it looks like you really need some after what's happened this last year!!

youkillme nailed it. Shut it down and go home.

Public unions are not getting open-ended freebies or hand-outs willy-nilly from taxpayers, and public employees can donate to any political party of their choosing. Labor unions are like any other organization. They exist solely for their members and work to protect their member's interests. The American Medical Association, Attorney's Associations, the Realtors Association, Chambers of Commerce, Taxpayers Boards and Associations and on and on exist for their members benefit and are there to advance only their members interests. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Many of those private groups have well developed paths into government that leads right into the taxpayer treasury through public-private partnerships, grants, contracts and lobby firms. They all have the right to donate to any political party of their choosing. Public employee unions are no different. Targeting the money influence in one organization or one party while leaving yourself exempt from the same is strictly partisan and ideological. If you want the influence of money out of government, you would not be targeting any one group unless it's for your own advantage. Get it all out. Stop being a partisan.

Sarah....I'll answer that one. Walker is the best governor that we've had in years. From a Republican's perspective, he has pushed through legislation that we've been asking for years--legislation was continuously swept aside time and time again by the uncompromising democrats in Madison. He really has impressed me my standing strong and firm when it comes to his ideas with regard to the direction our state needs to head. I can only hope that he will be as effective in the rest of his term as he has been to date. We are lucky to have him!!!! Happy New Year!

Skippy31, stockholders don't have any more say in what the companies (supporting Republicans, as you suggest) than the taxpayer has of what the union supports. I could be a shareholder of a company that supports a candidate that I don't like and you could be a taxpayer who doesn't support a candidate the union supports. So if that's the way you feel about the unions I should think you would support the idea in regards to companies, also. I would in both cases. Get the money out of politics. Anyone with an objective point of view should be able to support that.

Koch bros, I think what RAF was saying in layman's terms for you, is that Public unions get their money from the taxpayer who has no say in which party the money goes for, or what rules are in place affecting the taxpayer. Companies may support Repubs, but they are using their own money not everyone else's. Do you want someone telling you what you should use your own money for. I bet not. It would really bother you if I made the decisions for where your money went though wouldn't it.

officerfriendly1: Sorry to disappoint you, but I am one who does not support Governor Walker. Anyhow, hope you and your family have a wonderful New Year.

I wrote, 'You obviously cant see the truth right in front of your own nose.' My mistake. I meant to write that you obviously CAN see the truth in front of your own nose, and that's exactly why you fight to keep the tables tilted that way. You bash others for noticing that the game is rigged and voicing their concerns.

RAF, likewise. You are blinded by a deep-seated hatred to destroy your perceived opponent for the sake of power and money. You pit taxpayers versus unions and vice-versa. You hate the thought of negotiation and compromise because you believe it is best not to have negotiation or compromise at all. No wonder you think all companies deserve free taxpayer money from the state. The middle-class is paid too well, have too many cadillac benefits and you figure the only way companies can recoup what they paid out in payroll earnings to their employees is by buying politicians to legislate the return of the lost capital through tax gimmicks and hand-outs. You obviously cant see the truth right in front of your own nose.

You cant grasp thw difference between public unions and public employees. They are not the same at all. There are all kinds of great public employees at the local, state, and federal level. Criticism toward the process used to negotiate against tax payers by unions is just that. Fringe declarations pretending anything else is just lunacy. No wonder you think all companies are stealing from the middle class, you obviously cant see the truth right in front of your own nose.

Nice try, RAF. So you're attacking unions and democrats because public officials, placed there through the political system, are negotiating contracts that has very little effect on their pocket not to mention they negotiate with the very people who donate to their campaigns. Never mind the public employees still have to be qualified for the job and earn their keep - it's no hand-out. But you support Scott Walker, who gave a single company $4 million simply for the asking. A freebie! Scott Walker stole directly out of the pockets of communities and public employees ONLY BECAUSE some of them donate to political opponents campaigns, spun around and is now giving that money, not through negotiation, means testing or working to earn it, directly to people in the form of a hand-out. I'll stand in support of people working for taxpayer dollars, regardless of who they support, anytime over handing out millions in taxpayer dollars to favored interests for doing absolutely nothing. That is another reason out of dozens why we need to dump Walker and restore the trust in our state. Walker is bad news.

Attacking unions? LOL. Criticism over a corrupted process that you and your party is labled as attacks while your comments on other subjects are what? Get past your blindness and look at the issue. Unions are a part of our nation and i respect that. What I dont respect is the idea behind public unions. If union agreements were part of a referendum process at least all tax payers would have a say. Since the political process for the most part is used to place people into positions to sign contracts that the tax payer must pay for anyone can see the process is broken and full of financial problems due to problematic work rules voted on for the most part without public knowledge. The largest distinction between public and private unions, private companies have skin in the game at contract time. Public officials, placed there through the political system, are negotiating contracts that has very little effect on their pocket not to mention they negotiate with the very people who donate to their campaigns. And people want to claim its all about the middle class when in reality it is all about getting what they can while others pay for it. Incedently this same group then claims others aren't paying their fair share and want others to put in more of their money to pay dor these type agreements.

And another thing, Happy New Year everyone! Sorry to vent, vataloco. Not trying to be disrespectful to you or anyone here. We all have our opinions and we are all entitled to our opinions. Hope you and your family and everyone here have a better and more happier New Year! Let's all work together to make that happen. :)

vataloco:
"I don't think you can turn an economy around when you have a president that keeps taking from others to give to those have an ability to be something."
You are blaming one person for something that the majority of our representatives and big money are doing. But the problem is, is that they are taking those options away from us and making it extremely hard for us to make something of ourselves on our own. I have never used services that I could have when my husband lost his job thru no fault of his own. Thankfully, he finally found one. Don't put the blame on people who have worked hard all their lives to lose what they have worked so hard for because of greed. And NO, it is not always their own fault, so don't make it seem as if most people are not trying to make things better for themselves. The problem is the walls they run into every time when they try. People still have homes to pay for, families to feed, bills to pay, etc. Do you have any idea what it is like to worry yourself sick wondering if you are going to loose your home, whether you will be able to feed your family, etc. If you do, then you should know better than to make assumptions. DON'T ASSUME PEOPLE DON'T TRY. And don't make it sound like we are the cause of our own situations. That is not always the case.

RAF, Why are you attacking unions? What does it matter to anyone if democrats, public employees or workers support unions? What have you got against democrats? What have you got against unions? Vatoloco wrote before, "Democrats piggy-backed on the successes of unions, therefore unions are conceived to garner Democrat votes." LOL. Hey, I don't disagree, I'm just wondering why does it bother anyone that unions tend to support Democrats and vice-versa? How many organizations and groups support Republicans? Should we attack them also? Until we take all money out of government, I don't care if business owners support Republicans, knock your socks off. But if you start attacking unions for supporting democrats, what do expect in return? Hugs and kisses? Walker's budget is not about numbers or balancing budgets. It was always about attacking unions, weakening Democrats and defunding their supporters. That is no way to govern. Walker must be recalled!

Nice try. He never blamed unions for anything in his own life like you have for the corporations against others. There is nothing making you provide to any company you dont agree with. On the other hand there has been lopsided representation for taxpayer's when it comes to public union contracts. You claim business provides too much money to politicians but ignore public unions are in the top 10 of money donations. So much for honesty.

Vatoloco writes -- "To blame others for their misfortunes is misguided." ------ You are your own slave and to blame public sector unions, employee associations and protesters as obstacles to success is just too easy of a cop out. Why are you blaming others for your misfortune.

youkillme: "Is all I ever read here is how folks in the private sector had to take a hit, either on their wages or on their benefits, or both in jobs and careers without contracts, while their respective companies earn 10% -30% increases in profits and dividends. Instead of revolting against their deceptive paymasters, they turn around and claw down those in the public sector and tear into the “clout” of organized representative associations to negotiate contracts. They claw into people trying to earn their keep and keep what they earn. Closer to the truth is capitalism is broken. Wall Street and the stock markets are nothing more than rigged systems tied into a corrupt banking, loan and capital monopoly that funnels earnings away from the producers (workers) to the parasite (non-employee, non-production) entities of stockholders and investors. In the meantime, the country’s circulating capital wealth continues to coagulate at the top, leaving less and less for the rest."

Thank you for your post. Now if everyone else could see the truth and do something about it, we could turn this economy around. And I am not talking about only for the elite. We ARE being divided and soon will be conquered by the greed if we don't wake up soon and unite.

Gandolf, You have to ask yourself the simple questions first before you examine any deeper. By the way the only reason you resort to your insults, is because if you answer the simple question that I asked you with a yes, then your argument is over and you have nothing to stand on. You would then have to pull yourself together and say skippy31 and RAF you are right. If you answered it with a no, then you must be brainwashed by the union mentality, and not care about how much taxpayers pay for service jobs, that so not bring in the amount of money they are worth. Better yet next time you are out to eat, tip your waitress 100 dollars, because she/he is worth it.

MCD http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/g...

"Your hatred of workers is glaring."
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Really. I would love to hear your idea of hatred toward workers in my comments. Discussing public unions is the furthest thing from declaring hatred to workers, but please do try.

gandalf, the problem is you don't share ideas and opinions, you insist on name-calling and denigrating of everyone with opposing views and opinions. Any view that's different from yours is labeled "simplistic", and "typical of today's faux-Republicans and tea partiers." That's not the way to foster a meaningful dialogue.

I keep hearing about this bus driver that earns $150k. Can someone tell me who this is, where s/he works and how this much is earned in a year? Specifics please.

Gandolf, I am fully aware on insulting someone when asking them a question, however it did work, partially. The question was a simple yes or no. I did not ask you what you think the problem was. However, without concessions, from one side or another, a fine cut can not be used. One side always has to give in on things. What you are expaining then means that the state gives in to the stupid little things in the contracts that cause loopholes. This means that the unions do not give in. Therefore the unions care about nothing more then money and really do not care about what burden gets put on the taxpayer. I am still glad to see that you can change the subject, just as I stated in one of my earlier comments. Have you ever heard the saying "It is better to keep your mouth shut and have people think you are stupid, then open your mouth and prove it beyond a shadow of a doubt".

General consensus? Yeah right. And a general consensus means what exactly in union labor contracts? Thats right absolutely nothing without an agreement that is voted on. All these years of financial problems and how many contracts contained the consensus you claim? I'll wait while you name them................

Democrats piggy-backed on the successes of unions, therefore unions are conceived to garner Democrat votes. LOL

These folks that claim the unions agreed to blaa blaa, are missing two very important points. Not one union voted that way and not every district represented by unions stated they would agree. Pretending all of a sudden union members would magically agree is insane.

Maine, you seem to have conveniently forgotten that the unions agreed to pay the requested concessions right away, as long as the Governor lifted his limits on their rights to collectively bargain so they still have a say about their students' learning environments. And yes, Dear, unions exist in the private sector too, so the claim that no such "intermediaries" exist outside of the public sector was just plain false.

People are trying to survive and your concerned about tactical moves. Yet you wonder why the average worker or the public sector, facing powerful and wealthy monopolies would need intermediaries? Maine2010, you've explained very well that there is a war on wage earners, the public sector and unions. That is a big part of the problem we're facing as a nation, that people like you are working to destabilize and divide the wage earning classes into the 88% private vs public sector workers, and further into union vs non-union and even further with taxpayers against the public sector instead of tackling the real problems. Instead you boast of a theft by force to much for one person to take the heat for. The last thing you want to see is a level playing field restored through trust, compromise and negotiation. That would be evil.

A good tactical move is to bring Scott Walker in to handle only Phase I of the necessary action of dealing with the "Crisis of Public Sector Compensation" and then let him exit the scene so that he doesn't have to take the heat for implementing all phases (too much for one person). His successor can then begin implementing Phase II to finally bring the public sector in line with the real world that the 88% is facing, and reduce taxes, which will jumpstart the economy. The 88% has a right to be represented and have their demands implemented.

In Wisconsin, 12% work in the public sector and they actually expect the 88% to believe that they should be exempted from the negative effects of globalization because they are vital to the economy, and the 88% should be able to afford to continue supporting all of the abuses in the public sector, which includes supporting the intermediary function of unions. If they truly are vital to the economy, why do they need intermediaries? No one in the private sector has intermediaries interceding for them and their jobs are vital to the economy? The mere fact that a public sector bus driver could earn $150,000 per year is evidence enough that the 88% will no longer tolerate paying excessive taxes to support out of control public sector financial abuses.

youkillme, how right you are. But you can see by the postings that some aren't able to figure that out and continue to beat down the public sector while getting screwed by those they are supporting. Doesn't make them too bright and it's obvious from their postings that they're too stubborn to change. Hopefully there are enough who can see things for what they are and will make the necessary changes in our government.

It’s sort of interesting how some of Maine2010 posts are titled, Wisconsin and the Crisis of Public Sector Pay” when it should be “America and the crisis of Private sector pay.” Is all I ever read here is how folks in the private sector had to take a hit, either on their wages or on their benefits, or both in jobs and careers without contracts, while their respective companies earn 10% -30% increases in profits and dividends. Instead of revolting against their deceptive paymasters, they turn around and claw down those in the public sector and tear into the “clout” of organized representative associations to negotiate contracts. They claw into people trying to earn their keep and keep what they earn. Closer to the truth is capitalism is broken. Wall Street and the stock markets are nothing more than rigged systems tied into a corrupt banking, loan and capital monopoly that funnels earnings away from the producers (workers) to the parasite (non-employee, non-production) entities of stockholders and investors. In the meantime, the country’s circulating capital wealth continues to coagulate at the top, leaving less and less for the rest. But they want everyone to join the system through 401k’s, stocks, etc. and be part of theft-ring. They want more participants so there are fewer antagonists. All the while those who generate the profits through the labor and time they put in, are made to feel like the guilty party if they organize and are deleveraged through legislation bought and paid for by the masters running the rigged schemes and tilted tables. Wake up.

gandalf, the problem is you don't share ideas and opinions, you insist on name-calling and denigrating of everyone with opposing views and opinions. Any view that's different from yours is labeled 'wing-nut' or 'fool'. That's not the way to foster a meaningful dialogue.

main2010, I hope you did not go to bed last night and dream about what you will write for a comment. LOL, what you just wrote is great.

Part II of II: No Taxpayer Subsidies for Public Employee Unions: But in today's tough times, state and local governments are coming to realize that the old way of smoothing-over labor relations with unearned pay and benefits is no longer feasible. Increasingly, they understand that public-sector unions have used collective bargaining and its close cousin, "Meet and Confer" negotiations, as political devices to secure outsized compensation packages and benefits. More and more elected officials realize they now have no choice but to structurally reform the public-sector labor relationship to eliminate structural deficits and avoid chaos in government finances. As a result, particularly in Wisconsin and Ohio, there has been an explosion of legislative activity and interest aimed at restricting the ability of public employees to bargain collectively. In a forthcoming policy report, the Goldwater Institute will fully assess the burden public sector unions impose on taxpayers. It will underscore that there is a huge distinction between unions in the public sector and unions in the private sector. Public-sector unions are labor monopolies in a situation where the government is also a monopoly supplier of their services. It is far too easy for union labor and government management to collude and pass excessive costs onto the taxpayer. Moreover, no less than elected officials, public employees are trustees of the power delegated by citizens to the government. Public-sector unions violate a basic public trust when they use collective bargaining to secure one-sided and obviously unsustainable benefits. For these reasons and others, the Goldwater Institute recommends that Arizona join North Carolina and other states that completely prohibit state and local government officials from contracting with public employee unions, requiring all employment relationships to be individually negotiated.

Part I of II: No Taxpayer Subsidies for Public Employee Unions (The Goldwater Institute, Oct. 28, 2011): Arizona may be a right-to-work state, but a new investigation by the Goldwater Institute shows that public-employee unions still wield outsized influence on elected officials-and they are using that power to feather their own nests. Reporter Mark Flatten's investigation shows that Phoenix taxpayers are picking up the tab for the full salary and benefits of some city employees who do nothing but union work while on the clock. Unions that represent city workers have used their clout to negotiate contracts with the city that pay union bosses to do union business. This cost taxpayers $3.7 million last year, and allowed the unions that represent city workers to rack up as many as 73,000 hours doing union business at taxpayer expense. Flatten also reveals that Phoenix is only the tip of the iceberg. Similar contracts exist between public-sector unions and the cities of Tempe, Mesa, Chandler and Glendale. Among major valley cities, only Scottsdale has refused to offer unions this perk. The reason for such taxpayer abuse is simple: Public-sector unions essentially vote for their bosses. Every elected official knows his or her political future may be determined by union turnout and behind-the-scenes campaigning during the next election. And this is particularly true in city elections, held in off-years when turnout is low, government insider interest is high, and the power of special interests such as government-employee unions is magnified. Not surprisingly, many elected officials choose to act in accordance with union desires-and approving contracts that pay union management with taxpayer dollars is just one example of government waste caused by union influence.

Part II of II: Wisconsin and the Crisis of Public Sector Pay: Some public employees in New York and California are retiring at 50 with $100,000 pensions and more. In some cases they get these pensions after only a few years on the job, though it's rare to become vested with fewer than ten years of service. Unfunded public pension liabilities across the country are at the very least in the trillions of dollars, the numbers varying hugely depending on how strict the accounting standards you apply happen to be. According to the standards businesses use, it's estimated they double our national debt. These pension liabilities are a loaded gun aimed at every statehouse in the country, at hundreds of cities and thousands of towns. Asking public sector employees in Wisconsin to contribute a 5.8% of their pay into their pensions (the national average for the private sector) is probably the very least the state's taxpayers should ask. Asking them to pay 12% of their health insurance costs (about half the national average for the private sector) is also a minimal demand. Neither seems sufficient provocation to compare Walker to Hitler or pretend that Madison is Cairo. Most of us would be delighted to get what the Wisconsin public employees will be offered under Walker's plan. We don't empathize strongly with people who get raises during recessions (as Federal workers have) and who get retirement benefits that we have to pay for. We shouldn't begrudge public workers a decent wage and a fair pension, but public workers are only a privileged class in places like Egypt and France. When President Obama reminds us that public-sector workers are our neighbors and friends, he might remember that we're their neighbors and friends, too, and fair goes both ways. The private sector can't carry the public sector in the style to which it's becoming accustomed. It will have to start carrying itself. And the irony of that will surely be lost on the revolutionaries in Wisconsin.

Part I of II: Wisconsin and the Crisis of Public Sector Pay: Public employees earn more than their private-sector counterparts. This is true from Washington on down. Federal employees earn an average of $120,000 in pay and benefits, double the private sector average. The disparity is less at the state level, but in Wisconsin the average full-time state employee earns over $70,000 in pay and benefits, about $15,000 more than the average private-sector employee. Public workers are quick to point out that they are better educated than their private counterparts, and when you adjust for education, they actually make slightly less. This ignores the fact that most of those public workers at the state level are school teachers. If it's unfair to compare college-educated and high school-educated workers, it's also unfair to compare education and engineering majors. All college degrees aren't the same. State and Federal governments absorb more than their fair share of "soft" degrees. In the bleak fiscal landscape of our nation's future, public sector pay isn't really the problem. It's those benefits. Public employees get defined-benefits retirement programs, while the vast majority of private employers offer defined-contribution programs. The former guarantee you a certain level of income; the latter collect set contributions from employees with no guarantees of any particular return. In the case of Wisconsin's public employees, defined benefits come with no contribution from the workers—none at all—years and decades of income for free, or if you prefer, for the extra income those teachers and sociologists could get if they worked for private firms in Milwaukee and Green Bay.

Gandolf, can you answer just one question for me, cause more than one seems to be too much for you? Do you think that the union contracts for public workers pose unnecessary financial burden on the taxpayers? If you can find it in yourself to answer this question, then that is all the rest of us need from you. As I read all the comments here, RAF, vatoloco, and Maine2010, all have very persuasive arguments, and you seem to avoid all the truth and change the subject to the rich company owners. That is a whole different subject.

Well it appears you do...

RAF said, "I wonder what protesting in the streets and getting arrested is...? Oh that's right, courage. LOL"
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There you go with that LOL again, RAF. Did you forget saying that, "... your defense mechanism causes you to laugh at yours and others hypocrisy since you cant defend it rationally."

Who really listens to someone who was in the military who complains about government spending because they are complaining about themselves?

Wow, sharing ideas and opinions is the new fringe term for tearing the country apart. I wonder what protesting in the streets and getting arrested is...? Oh that's right, courage. LOL

Midnight_Ride said, "What a line of crap as I don't see you thinking outside your box."
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Perhaps you need to get out of the darkness of midnight, open your eyes and read my comments, Midnight_Ride. Here is a sampling of my comments from just the last 3 days. Hardly what I would call a "Democrat/progressive/liberal/socialist box" as you did.
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Posted on December 30 at 11:05 a.m.

vatoloco, as a reader of my comments, you should recall I have also advocated abolishing political parties and having candidates run on their own ideas. So that would be great with me if we had no Democrat or Republican or any other party affiliation. Parties are a tool of economic elitists to create divisions in the population and obscure what they are doing to the country.
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Posted on December 29 at 9:47 p.m.

Yes, I do, donnaw. I mean all money and all politicians, Democrat and Republican and any other stripe. All of them. That's why I suggested the law. I would like to see a prohibition on all private money in politics. Period.
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Posted on December 28 at 11:16 p.m.

Eagle1, we have a disingenuous and opportunistic president who threw many of his supporters under the bus; a group of Republican presidential candidates who are flopping in the winds of Iowa like bedsheets trying to find an advantage over their opponents and a Congress full of economic elitists who are little more than professional campaigners representing the interests of wealthy individuals and corporations.

Your post RAF

"tearing this country apart"
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????

What are you reading?

Two simple questions.
Why do some of you people who post on here find such pleasure in tearing this country apart? Is it really more important to "be right" than to do what's right for the nation and not a political party?

poobah
I'm just suggesting intellecutal honesty and consistency in your thinking and statements. Maybe you should try thinking outside the Democrat/progressive/liberal/socialist box; outside the confines you feel others have placed on you, including authors of articles.
What a line of crap as I don't see you thinking outside your box.

"why didn't RAF, and you for that matter, spew your usual bit about not giving your money to government and knowing how to spend it better yourself"
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pooie, unlike liberals I believe people have the ability to do what they want with their own money. The problem I have is when some, like those that want taxes raised on other people, think they know what others should do with their money while never leading by example.

"suggesting intellecutal honesty and consistency"
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LOL. That is just like the millionares claiming they want to donate more but want others to do it first, then you claim (suggest LOL) others should be honest and have constancy when you never do. You are a perfect liberal.

No, I'm just suggesting intellecutal honesty and consistency in your thinking and statements. Maybe you should try thinking outside the Republican box; outside the confines you feel others have placed on you, including authors of articles.

Pooh......Too funny! So now you're suggesting that we cover all of our political and social beliefs in every post we make?? Amazing!!

The millionaires want to give their money to the government because their are services that no one but the government can provide. For example, millionaires are quite fond of bankruptcy, which no private firm can provide. Millionaires like to sue one another for copyright or patent infringement in the courts. They usually get their on public roads.

So why didn't RAF, and you for that matter, spew your usual bit about not giving your money to government and knowing how to spend it better yourself? Nooooo, instead you've both become bigtime tax and spend liberals. Amazing.

Pooh.......anyone aside from a complete idiot could see that RAF's statement was a direct response to the quote, "There was a letter sent to Congress signed by over 300 millionares asking that thier taxes be raised for the good of the nation." He even copied and pasted the quote at the beginning of his post.....If these 300 millionaires were determined to pay more, a way was posted in which they could have easily done so.....

RAF said, "The fed has an address these same people can send money to now."
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Wow! You always tout the fact that the government is less efficient at doing things than private entities. And now you're suggesting that these wealthy individuals hand their money over to the government instead of contributing directly to private causes that you surely must feel are much more efficient than the government. A bit too much caffeine or sugar this morning?

I am so relieved, thanks.

RAF, I truly don't know how you are able to reconstruct/misunderstand/confuse things that are written by others to conform to what you want to believe others write, but you do it consistently. It's likely that you are the only one who doesn't realize this (or more likely, won't admit to it even though it is your MO). There was a time when I found some of your comments credible. That time has long passed.

"There was a letter sent to Congress signed by over 300 millionares asking that thier taxes be raised for the good of the nation."
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The fed has an address these same people can send money to now. But, the reality is this is not about them paying more this is about them wanting others to pay more too. As it always happens in this case those that suggest others should pay more NEVER want to lead by example.

". It is possible to see both sides of an issue w/o attacking the side you with whom you disagree."
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So you say...right after you did what you spout against. Typical.

onedayatatime...Your comment "Liberals do not have an entitlement mentality." was the funniest comment of the year. Better to show up late than not at all....right?? Good job!!:)

bebe...Please educate yourself. Every day you post comments that only make you look more ignorant. "What's un-American is liberals not wanting to give up anything and expecting someone else to pay for it-leeches in the truest sense of the word" Your next post "Gandalf-sorry but that is not the definition of liberal as it pertains to you and all other left leaning elitists-"liberal" nowadays is defined by class warfare-income redistribution-entitlement mentality-tax the rich(which means everyone but me)-welfare state-loving people like you-'
So which is it, or do you not know the definition of elitist? Let me help you. From the American Heritage dictionary. Elite: the best or most skilled members of a given social group"
We have been experiencing wealth redistribution for the last 30 years, the only difference is that the wealth distribution has changed direction is now directed at the wealthy. Liberals do not have an entitlement mentality. What is wrong with wanting to be paid a fair wage so that people can go out and purchase, for themselves what you say we want handed to us? With CEO's pay increasing by over 400% and the average Americans wage decreasing by 7% over the last 10 years, there is proof enough of wealth redistribution. I have never been on welfare, so no, I don't love it. "Liberals never wanting to give up anything", I think it's quite the opposite there. Conservatives would let their own mothers die if they thought it would take a dime out of their pockets. Maybe that was a little harsh. Conservatives do seem obsessed with attaining, acquiring more and keeping as much money as they possibly can.
There was a letter sent to Congress signed by over 300 millionares asking that thier taxes be raised for the good of the nation. I guess liberals never want to give anything in your opinion. So which is it? Are liberals elite or leeches?

RAF, being the stickler you are for details I am shocked that you would misrepresent Gandalf's words. Once again you were wrong, but rather than admit it you decide to toss out some more cheap shots.
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Regarding bus driver wages: it sounds to me like both sides are wrong (union & mgt.). If it hasn't been fixed it should be. Bus drivers should not earn that kind of money, nor is it likely safe for them to be driving all those overtime hours. It is possible to see both sides of an issue w/o attacking the side you with whom you disagree.

So, he assumed that back stabbing people wouldn't cause anger and resentment? He also assumed that selling government positions and paying county employees to blog about his campaign while on the taxpayer dime wouldn't lead to an investigation, but it did. He also thought cheating wouldn't get him kicked out of Marquette but it did.

RAF said, "Sad when the fringe can't be honest with themselves."
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Finally! An honest, heart-felt and poignant self-analysis by RetiredAirForce.

Sad when the fringe can't be honest with themselves.

love the link to Scooter's website vatolco... and the extra tidbit on the double dipping... maybe the Fitz's should check into that... http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/g...

Gandalf these are your words "Walker's goal wasn't to balance the budget, it was to divide citzens against one another and, thereby, enable legislation that will unltimately lower the cost of labor in general, public, private, union, non-union, white-collar, and blue-collar"

Stepped in that trap laid by the trolls did you Gandalf? What was the topic of the piece again?

Gandalf not all pensions pay based on the highest rate during employment. Some pay on just the latest or last years salary. Regardless, paying a pension based on inflated overtime and "gaming of the system" instead of normal salary is wasteful to tax payers. It is apparent wise use of public resources is not something you or those like you really care about. Instead those like you want to claim stopping these practices ruins the middle class, ludicrousness.

Gandalf the union contract did limit employee hires and stipulated who gets access to extra hours first. The city mayor (Cieslewicz) also stated it was cheaper to hire more people than pay the over time after learning it was cheaper based on real numbers; The payroll for the system was "$290,000 under budget for salaries, spending $22.8 million, but $467,200 over budget for overtime, spending $1.94 million, the most ever.

Here are some other "goodies" from that contract.

Pyramiding is the process whereby public employees can earn a payment of overtime (time and a half) in addition to the premium rate (time and a half) one earns for a holiday. For example, on days such as Martin Luther King Jr. Day, driver’s working overtime in the snow plows were making holiday pay (time and half) plus overtime pay (time and a half) for their long shifts during the blizzard. This amounts to 225% of normal wages on certain days. (page 58)

Compensatory time continues to rollover and accumulate for public employees and if not used by a certain date is converted into a cash payment. (page 58)

This particular contract allows public employees to be compensated for every mile beyond 18 miles between a worker’s residence and place of work. Therefore, if a worker is stuck in traffic in that final mile before he gets home, he can rack up compensation. (page 56)

Public employees are eligible for a half hour’s wages for any work related phone call made outside of normal hours. (page 61)

http://oser.state.wi.us/docview.asp?doci...

Gandalf not surprisingly your continued claims are proven false over and over.

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/g...

The best part of this little union rule. These bus drivers, when they retire, get to use the highest years of salary to set pension payments. Try again to justify how these union work rules benefit the tax payers........

"All factors taken into account-- salary, pension, health care, job security, time-off, etc.-- public employees are simply better off than their private sector counterparts, even after you control for things like education.

Government enjoys a monopoly over many services that are indispensable for the majority of citizens. The people who work for government are therefore insulated from market pressures. Then those people are allowed to unionize and donate to the very politicians who set their pay and benefits, while the real paymaster - the taxpayer - has no representation at the table.

As someone who presumably understands the basic economic principles behind monopolies and the rule of "Concentrated Benefit/Diffuse Cost" in politics, how is this a desirable set of circumstances?

Collective bargaining for public employees is a sure-fire route to corruption and unaffordable public liabilities; it should be illegal everywhere."

"Why does anyone need "bargaining power" to begin with? Most people join the public sector because they want an easy job where there is zero emphasis on performance, where they never have to worry about getting fired, where they get lots of "sick" time that can be taken as paid vacation, and where they can retire at 50 and start collecting retirement benefits incl. pension and healthcare. I knew city engineers in Los Angeles who routinely took Fridays off to go golfing." So why do they need "bargaining power"? So they can keep things the way they are! Otherwise, they'd have to start worrying about job performance, and worry about how to do a better job to get promoted instead of just hanging around long enough, and they would have to start saving for their own 401k like everyone else. In this economy, something's gotta give. If you don't want to worry about job performance, then at least start to save for your own retirement. No more job security and promotions based on seniority."

"The public/private security divide has grown sharply over the last decade as private pension plans evaporated and insurance premiums skyrocketed. Taxpayers have a right to expect public benefits to parallel their own. The early retirement, and abuse of early retirement, provided by many public plans only salts the wound. In my home state (Illinois) many public-pension payoffs are boosted by working lots of overtime in the final years of employment and trading vacation time for pay, both of which get factored into final pension compensation, based on final pay. The taxpaying public cannot be expected to tolerate this."

"As many other readers have pointed out, it is the ability of taxpayers to continue funding public-sector paychecks that is the real issue. California is a perfect example where unions have gone haywire; at this point to their own detriment. Because of their excessive pensions, the government now has to fire thousands of teachers just to pay for overly generous pensions for current baby boomers."

Another comment:
"There are practically no pensions left in the private sector, but public employees have generous pensions that allow them to retire early (and double-dip). Add this to their gold-plated health plans, which they pay little for either in premiums or in co-pays (where I live in Ohio, teacher co-pays are just $15 per doctor visit), and that's why this is such an issue. Then if we add in other less tangible benefits like greater job security and fewer hours worked per year, it becomes hard to argue that public employees are getting a raw deal in any significant way. It's a complex issue to put on paper and compare, but anyone who has been in both worlds like me will tell you that public employees are getting a very good deal even with cuts."

Two comments that express the opinions of the 88%:

1) "This is just the start of government workers' salary and retirement checks being cut by at least 20% over the next 12 months. This has to come as taxpayers will not pay more and are demanding tax cuts and less government."

2) "A politician elected and controlled by a public sector union cannot and will not negotiate with the best interests of the taxpayers in mind. This is precisely how the states have gotten saddled with unaffordable pension obligations. Something has to change. Rather than claiming nothing is wrong, the unions would do better to come up with alternatives."

This is a typical comment that shows why the 88% is frustrated with public sector abuses:
"People join the public sector workforce because they want a steady source of income with great benefits at a job where they can work hard on the days they're feeling inspired, not work hard on any other days, never fear getting fired for being useless, and where a 4-year degree from UW Parkside in education (what?) followed by a Master's in Physical Education from UWGB is valued at the same level as a real degree in a real subject from a real university. The public sector by and large attracts people for whom it's an advantage to have a system that can be milked. It's a giant sieve that catches those people who are willing to trade a 50% effort for a 90% paycheck."

Gandalf your explanation for the driver was lame at best. Your claimed hiring freeze was a union contract. The city had to, due to union work rules, run those routes and could not hire more full time drivers. The part time drivers could only take a route if a full time person, seniority first, declined it. The fiscally correct move would have been hire more full time drivers or reduce routes. But, thanks to those great union work rules embedded in these contracts the city couldn't do that. This is the exact thing Walker and the current legislature fixed. This is what the fringe claim needs to continue. This is just one reason Walker's new changes are working.

Walker caught in another one of his lies.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/12/29...

Gandoff - do your homework and be a liberal but be a good liberal and defend your hypocrisy not deny it!!

http://www.mrc.org/bmi/commentary/2011/O...

http://24ahead.com/huffington-post-inves...

I've read a lot on this site and you can replace Walker's name for Obama and his offenses which are true x 2. And watch the entire country in the last three years downgrade in jobs, quality of life, housing, and healthcare. All worse under Obama, so Walker bashers- look first before you speak.
Democrat means demagogue and no group of people do it better.

mooshoo, Do arrogant people ever admit when they might have gone about something wrong. It takes a pretty big arrogant person to come out publically and say that. Better yet do you look in the mirror and admit all the things you might not have done right in your life. I highly doubt it with the attitude you have. It is very easy to point out the things others do wrong rather than yourself. Youngster, you should be in bed, if that is not putting your foot in your mouth, I don't know what is. Maybe you should check yourself into a mental institution.

mooshoo, he has acted like a govenor. He is making the hard decisions, and you just don't like it. I guess what my parents said as I was young is true. Life is not fair. Your parents must not have taught you that. And by the way. The same is true on the other side. There is no way that anyone will ever be able to convince you of that so you are not worth the time and effort to talk to.

Is it just me, or did the "Walker miraculously found $80 million to increase enrollment in Family Care" story disappear now that we found out he lied?
http://host.madison.com/news/local/govt-...
and:
http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews....

Mooshoe......nice! Good for Walker! Half my family lives in CA.......If any state needs a lesson in curbing out of control public sector spending, that is it......It's good to see that they're recognizing Walker for the difficult decisions he has had to make in order to set our state down the right path. Great time to take a break from the cold/wet winter weather we have here as well, hopefully walker has some free time to enjoy the weather there.
I got a kick out of your "election shakedowns" comment too.......what could he possibly threaten an out of state contributor with?? A tax increase?? Too funny!:)

really mooshoo, do you think that demacrats are going to bring Walker to a fund raiser. Come on it really has no bearing on who invited him to the fundraiser, and has no bearing on him being in florida anymore then Obama being in Hawaii for the holidays.

Gandalf......how desperate can you people get?!? So ultimately a FEDERAL agency has total control over approving a sale--a sale which is most likely vetted in many different ways--and you're saying that because Walker can mail off a simple letter of recommendation in a private sector business transaction that has absolutely no financial connection to any state operation, you find some way to equate that to "Walker selling off our state to his cronies"?? Thanks for the laugh before I crash for the night!!

Mooshoe.....I couldn't find any article relating to the either side of those involved in the railroad sale receiving any promises from the state as the result of a political contribution. Please provide a link. Thx.........

Gandalf....in what way is that even remotely connected with a private sector business transaction that has absolutely no connection with the state's government on either the buyer's or seller's side??

Gandalf interesting you keep claiming a madison bus driver never made over 150,000 even the huff post had it on their site " Madison's highest-paid city government employee was John E. Nelson,a bus driver who earned an astonishing $159,258 over the course of the year."

If I recall correctly, the bus driver made 115,000 dollars last year not 150,000. Point is, this person made a huge amount of money on the taxpayers with loopholes made by the unions. I guess I am in the wrong profession.

Thinkfuture.....read the railroad slory......In what way is the sale connected to Walker? The state has absolutely no ownership position at all. It seems to be a privately owned company and that the CEO is in the market to sell. Are you seriously saying that business owners should not be able to sell their businesses without approval from the state government first?? If that is what you are proposing, you need help!!!

If there were no monumental problems and abuses in the public sector, there would not be this much outrage from the 88% (12% employed in public sector in WI), e.g., school bus drivers earning $150,000/year is just one example of many abuses. The majority, which has had its wages reduced by the forces of globalization, will no longer tolerate the extortion tactics by the public sector (including unions) via taxation without representation. Many are losing their homes to foreclosure because property taxes are excessively high. Scott Walker was simply the tool to carry out what had to be done.

Thanks for your regurgitation of other peoples comments Pat.

RAF: Gandalf's information IS NOT MOSTLY WRONG. I suggest you try for once to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, or at least try to not twist everything to your right wing ideology. Oh, excuse me, I know that's not possible for you.

I listen to both sides of an issue, RAF, and then I make my decision. I continually listen to Repubs. and that is why I cannot support any of their beliefs. Furthermore, since Rupert Murdoch owns Fox News, I know not to listen to any of their crap, especially since Rupert testified that Fox News reports ONLY WHAT THEY ARE TOLD TO REPORT. Fox News is told to report only things that benefit Repubs. and they twist things to the the advantage of the Repubs., and which most certainly is not favorable to Democrats.

It is too bad that you, too, have chosen the same path to follow, RAF.

Your problem, RAF, is that the public is now awake. They have seen through all the Repubs. have tried to do against the common ordinary people of Wisconsin and the USA. The people are not accepting Republican lies anymore, and that is a problem for you, RAF. You cannot continue to spew all that Republican garbage anymore and expect the people to believe it, because they don't. They are proving it by all the recall signatures being collected in the state of Wisconsin. The people are determined to take back the state of Wisconsin from the corruption occuring in the State Capitol. And they are just as determined to stop the corruption in Washington. Walker and Ryan will both receive their pink slips as soon as it can LEGALLY be done.

Recall Walker!!!!!

Gandalf
Walker could have balanced the budget in other ways. I suppose the guy running against Walker would have done things just how you suggested. Lets be real, if walker only did this to get rid of the unions, then you all want a recall to keep the unions that is all that it is about. By the way both my parents are state employees and wanted this to go through. They are sick of paying union dues every year that go to support the disfunctional party. At least the pension fund goes back to them when they rerire, and If there is no union, they can get a more competative rate on insurance rather than being monopolized by one insurance company bound by union contract. Really are they loosing that much. They get retirment for LIFE. And you are who divides people, not politicians. The more you keep the attitude you have, the more divided we become. We want personal responsibility, and you want to be told what to do by someone else so you don't have to think on your own. At least Walker has the guts to do what was needed, and we will see on recall day what the people want again. By the way if you have such great ideas, then why don't you just run for office and do things right.

Walker's comments are code for "I could have sold my changes for even more money!"
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Looks like the railroad sale to Walker's illegal campaign donor, William Gardner, goes through next week unless the feds step in to stop the graft.
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Walker's sold out our state to his cronies.
http://www.jsonline.com/business/democra...

"Walker says he could have sold his changes better"
Like by not lying by omission when he ran for office!

RAF said to Gandalf, "I suggest keeping your head out of the left fringe sites and try to get accurate information before making a fool of yourself."
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Perhaps you should heed your own advice RAF. I knew you like following the left fringe sites, but I'm not sure where you saw what inspired you to say, "Legally ruth has been using a false name her whole life."
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Ruthelle's name has been perfectly legal for many, many, many decades. Need I paste the Supreme Court ruling YET AGAIN to remind you of that?
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Remember Ruth Frankelle! [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pla... ]

Gandalf no wonder your information is mostly wrong. I suggest keeping your head out of the left fringe sites and try to get accurate information before making a fool of yourself.

bebe53 said to concernedperson, "you are such a liberal tool!LOL!!"
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bebe53, you should take notice of the words of your conservative buddy, RAF, when he said, "... your defense mechanism causes you to laugh at yours and others hypocrisy since you cant defend it rationally."

Typical cocernedless Pat, stepping in to echo others comments with no original thought of Pat's own.

It has been explained multiple times about the signatures on the recall petitions. YOU are the one purporting all the lies, bebe. The petitions ARE NOT being turned in with multiple signatures for the same person. They are checked, and rechecked, and checked again.

You, bebe, should be ashamed of yourself.

Bebe: It is ABSOLUTELY a fact that the Republicans and Tea Party started the class warfare going on in Wisconsin and in the nation. But the Republicans are trying to blame the Democrats and liberals for it. The people know wherein the blame doth lie.

Methinks the only ones on here telling the truth are Gandalf, poobah, youkillme and mooshoo, justmy and walter. RAF, bebe, wislady, shrek and a few others are working overtime to try and discredit what they know to be the truth. But it's not working. The people are speaking by the humongous number of signatures being gathered on the recall petitions. People just keep coming and coming and coming to sign the recall petitions, not just for Walker and Kleefisch, but for the Republican senators, as well.

huffington post is a rag funded by George Soros.

Gandalf- once again
It seems the one thing most American's can agree on is a flat tax. I'll use your 15% for example, yet your liberal party thinks that's not good enough and like to use class warfare as a means to insight discontent. Why? Because if liberals told the truth about their socialist intentions, very few people (mostly the uninformed) would vote for them.
Remember: Democrat and Demogogary are the exact same word.

"My example specifically describes the situation of investment bankers who have none of their own capital at-risk yet benefit from derived income that is taxed as a capital gain."
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What you are describing is a commission. This is taxed at normal income tax levels, try again.

RAF said, "But yeah so far your legal opinions have all been opposite to decided law on these issues."
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Another of your falsehoods, RAF. And a mouthful of mush prior to that sentence... Maybe the Supreme Court can set you straight.
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Supreme Court of Wisconsin. Case No. 97-0885-CR, Oral argument May 27, 1998, Decided June 19, 1998.
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¶ 27. [...] Wisconsin does recognize the common law right to change one's name through consistent and continuous use, as long as the change is not effected for a fraudulent purpose.

" if you believe in the Bill of Rights or the US Constitution in general, you are by definition a liberal."
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Wow! This is the craziest thing you have ever posted.

pooie she has never gotten her records, to include her birth cert, corrected. Inaction just like I stated. But yeah so far your legal opinions have all been opposite to decided law on these issues.

RAF, you know that I suggested rereading until it sinks in, but apparently you didn't do that. One more time for your benefit.
---
"nomoreres you mean like VA services? Yeah I chose not to use those and instead buy health insurance through my employer."
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You have really put yourself in a difficult situation now - arguing with yourself. One of you has to be wrong. I wonder which one of you it will be. Have a good time.

RAF said, "Remember ruth and her inaction to correct her birth certificate years ago."
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That's not true, RAF. Ruthelle was born at home and never had a birth certificate. You would know that if you'd taken the time to read the Complaint her legal counsel have filed in United States District Court. [ http://www.aclu.org/files/assets/2011121... ] Despite that, she has been able to attend schools, marry, become a town board member and vote since 1948. But now, because of the new photo voter ID law passed by Walker's cronies and signed into law by Walker, she is ineligible to vote with the documentation that she's used to vote for the last 63 years. Obtaining the documentation required by the new photo voter ID law could take considerable time and cost her up to $200.
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As I've cited to you before, numerous times, under Wisconsin's common law rights of name change, Ruthelle's incorrectly spelled name on her record of birth was corrected many, many decades ago by continuous and constant use and through marriage.
-
Remember Ruthelle Frank! [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pla... ]

nomoreres guess you missed the question mark in my posting. I asked you if that was what you meant. I never declared anything needed to be cut. But based on these and your previous postings you do have a problem keeping up.

youkillme, a legislatures job, in most cases unfortunately, to enact laws. In many of those cases they exempt themselves like obamacare. I do think they should be held to the laws they create but that still doesn't get around your lame conclusion. Nice try.

youkillme,
You keep the shovel, you can use it to plant your money tree all you libs believe exist.

RAF, I know (from your statements) that you are a stickler for details so I am showing you that I am insinuating nothing, just utilizing your very words. Maybe this will help you realize that.
---
I asked you:

"Why don't you voluntarily refuse services you think should be cut?"
---
You responded:

"nomoreres you mean like VA services? Yeah I chose not to use those and instead buy health insurance through my employer. Unlike liberals many conservatives live the principles they talk about."
---
I am familiar with your rants and inability to admit when you're wrong, but if you read these quotes enough times you should be able to understand that you were referring to my question re: services you think should be cut. Now, if you don't yet understand that there is no insinuation there (just your response to my question) just keep reading it over and over again until you do understand.

jcommon, I thought about giving you a bigger shovel so you can dig a deeper hole ...but you're doing just fine with the one you've got. Maybe RAF will come and help out with his front loader.

Ok,
That's a fee, not a law. Fee's were originally enacted to cover the cost of doing business, not to generate extra revenue for other things. It used to be that way, until politicians realized that they could generate revenue and still keep the promise of not raising taxes.

Remember ruth and her inaction to correct her birth certificate years ago.

On December 29th at 12:25p.m. RetiredAirForce said to youkillme, "... your defense mechanism causes you to laugh at yours and others hypocrisy since you cant defend it rationally."
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On December 27th at 3:25p.m. RetiredAirForce said to WalterReuther, "LOL, ..."
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Remember Ruthelle Frank! [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ay-aK_Wz... ]

jcommon, please read slower. You're tripping over your own words. But you make the same implication RAF does. You imply then that a state legislator cannot suggest raising the state license plate fee to $100 unless he has been leading by example and paying $100 for the last several years even though it currently costs $75. I fail to grasp...whoo-whoo.

youkillme, you fail to grasp dividends are only paid on profits, so in warrens or anyone else's case there is no capital gain unless there is a corporate profit. But keep up trying to play your liberal game of the sweet of your brow...

RAF writes - "You fail to realize capital gains taxes, like those of the liberal puppet master warren buffet, first pay 35% corporate tax on their companies’ profits then pay another 15% on their personal capital gain in their own company when they take money out." ----------------- They pay 35% corporate tax, but only if the corporation's battalion of tax attorneys don't find enough loopholes out of the 6,428 loopholes available to them to bring the it down to ZERO or where they actually get a credit back from the government. Capital withdrawn for personal use is considered a separate individual income distribution and should be taxed no less than individual income earned through the sweat of one's labor. But we have a legislative system bought and paid for by the wealthiest who think income earned from their sloth capital investments should be taxed much less than that earned by the sweat of one's brow. Uh - oh. Another loony liberal proposing something ...must be a hypocrite! LOL

"In RAF's world, nobody would have the right to create new laws unless they're already practicing it."

WHAT?!?!?

This is the real world to some...Why would I advocate for a law that I wouldn't already follow? Liberals sure do have a different way of looking at things. Your

How's that hope and change thing working for you?
Gained hope in 2010. Restore the hope in 2012, you keep the change!

RAF, that is liberals do. Pay for me, take care of me and like it!!!

Yes youkillme you seem to share the same principles of those others, that think making others do something you don't want to do, like paying higher taxes, your defense mechanism causes you to laugh at yours and others hypocrisy since you cant defend it rationally.

I always get a good hearty laugh out of RAF's burnt logic. RAF always try to box people in as hypocrites for merely suggesting legislation like tax rates, "Oh, since Warren Buffett thinks others can pay more in taxes, he's a hypocrite for not stepping up and leading by example and paying more himself. Nothing is keeping the good hearted liberal rich folks you claim that want to pay more in taxes to start today... " In RAF's world, nobody would have the right to create new laws unless they're already practicing it. L-O-L-O-L-O-L Buffett or anybody else are not hypocrites for merely proposing something, but they would be if it became law and they started crying about it.

nomoreres before insinuating what you claim others think step up and ask the question. Your typical approach is tiring, making insinuations for words never mentioned or comments never made.

Gandalf thanks for making my point, you claim to already pay enough but want others to pay more. Then idiotically try to draw equivalence between capital gains and payroll taxes. You fail to realize capital gains taxes, like those of the liberal puppet master warren buffet, first pay 35% corporate tax on their companies’ profits then pay another 15% on their personal capital gain in their own company when they take money out. The "gains" tax is money earned on their money (risk). That is for the portion of warren's money not placed in tax free investments. Nothing is keeping the good hearted liberal rich folks you claim that want to pay more in taxes to start today other than their own principles or lack thereof. That would be the same principles you and countless other lackeys posses as well.

Gandalf
It seems the one thing most American's can agree on is a flat tax. I'll use your 15% for example, yet your liberal party thinks that's not good enough and like to use class warfare as a means to insight discontent. Why? Because if liberals told the truth about their socialist intentions, very few people (mostly the uninformed) would vote for them.
Remember: Democrat and Demogogary are the exact same word.

yaddy yah Scooter. Out the door you go.

RAF, so you think VA services should be cut? There must be more you could give up to help the budget problem.

nomoreres you mean like VA services? Yeah I chose not to use those and instead buy health insurance through my employer. Unlike liberals many conservatives live the principles they talk about. Was there anything else you wanted to add to the conversation or was that it?

To be more specific, you wrote "you think people should voluntarily give more if they feel things shouldn't be cut." No, that's not what I said. I specifically stated those that want taxes raised to others NEVER step up and lead by example and do first what they want others to do. This approach is typically liberal.

RAF, you think people should voluntarily give more if they feel things shouldn't be cut. Why don't you voluntarily refuse services you think should be cut? Then that would save money and we wouldn't have these problems. What services will you be giving up first?

Liberals greatest contribution is spending other people's money.

Gandalf why is that liberals like yourself have these grandiose plans for others to provide more money to the government yet NONE of them think the idea is so important to do it without being required to? The difference between believing in your idea and just having an idea is participation, why not step up to the plate and lead by example? Until then you are none other than the other liberals wanting to REQUIRE people to do something you yourself won't do; hypocrite.

Gandalf you claim a "fair" approach is to raise taxes. If that is the needed fair approach why have you not already donated more of your own? The typical liberal tax, tax, and tax rhetoric while these same people never step up to the plate and lead by example. Perhaps you don't understand the meaning of hypocrite...

4bears - Sorry but I didn't want to tell you anything. Sometimes in life its better to ask questions and educate yourself of what the other side is about before you make a statement. There are a lot of people on here that would be a lot happier if they did the same.

The housing market crashed caused by the Democrats Frank-Dodd-Clinton forcing banks in giving housing loans to people who can't afford them. Loans then bundled and passed on until no one else would take them causing market fears of crash. We don't really know if it would have crashed. The Government interfered AGAIN instead of letting the free market right it's wrongs.
Gandolf - Government interference is the main source of most all messes. The TEA Party wants this to stop. Please get an education before you speak in elementary languages

"The fair approach would have been to raise..."
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Another person wanting others to pay more, when this whole time if it was such a good idea they never did. What is that word...ummm...oh yeah hypocrite.

realist:

Speaking of "out of touch with reality"

You do realize that Bill Sodeman and D.A. Severson were voted in right?
You also know that you have a better opportunity to get in and talk to either of those guys then you do with the Governor, right?
If they aren't doing the job you want, vote them out the next election cycle, or if you don't understand the election process,......RECALL THEM.

The true picture is seen contrasting Ohio to Wisconsin.

In Ohio the public unions won, kept their strong foothold, the result were layoffs for many public employees; so the real victims were the people the union say they are protecting, not so funny is it.

In this state the public unions were required to have a vote once a year, by the membership, to keep organized. The unions were also required to get their funds without government support, voluntary decisions by the very workers they claim to represent. In this state the only public workers that lost their jobs were the ones from districts playing under old union rules.

It is easy to see who was looking out for the public workers and who just wanted their dues.

"since the fund 10 balance was essentially built on the backs of the teachers"
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LOL

Does it really matter if Walker would have done things differently. I think not. Taking anything away from someone is never easy, nor can it be done, "the right way". Many people despise change if it does not help them any. Get real people, I think he would have made himself look fake if he would have tried to soothe people into being ok with loosing something. Much like Obama with the healthcare bill and the jobs plan. Guess what, they get their retirement for life. Keep looking at what you lost, instead of what you have. That is smart. Go ahead and recall, waste taxpayer money. Do you really know how many people you guys have pissed off by wasting money to recall, when you can just vote someone else in at the next election. Better yet, maybe you should get someone to run against Walker in the recall. Oh wait you don't have that yet either. you want people to sign the petition, yet offer no other solution to the problem except recall. SMART.

exactly youkillme!! and then once the unions are crushed, the hammer will fall on the private sector and they will see their wages fall... not real hard to see through the plan....

fr4d, you've captured the real truth of our so-called local school deficit "problem." Most don't care about the school budget or the massive school fund surplus or why it grew. I would bet some here are angry that there is a school surplus. They'd wish for a massive deficit to make easier to breakdown teachers and crush the unions. It's all about wiping out the unions. Nothing else matters.

So you bit the bullet and took no raise and a 1.25 percent raise. When they bite the bullet as you say, they will take a 6-10% hit? That is more like getting shot than biting the bullet.
I also will predict that even after the "tools" take effect here in Janesville , the JSD will still be whining about shortfalls, and asking the teachers for more and more every single year, while sitting on a 30 million dollar fund(Fund 10). What I can't figure out is why so many of you are so blind to that? We ask no questions about why we have the fund which is three times larger than the actual defecit, how we accumulated the fund, and why in god's green Earth are they not using it to solve these problems? Especially since the fund 10 balance was essentially built on the backs of the teachers!! Saying youre in big trouble with a big arse fund balance is troubling to me.

The bottom line is that Janesville public school teachers are going to have to bite the bullet when their contract expires, just as I did in 2009 and 2010 with no raise and this year with a 1.25% raise. They can make some concessions now and save some of their fellow JEA members jobs, or they can sacrifice them and stick with the contract as it now stands. Either way, when the contract expires, the JEA will have to adapt to the new limitations. As realist pointed out, there are plenty of schools with no contracts, so if JEA members don't like the new conditions, they can apply for positions elsewhere. Governor Walker has just put limitations on how far some school board members can roll over and beg to have their tummies patted by the JEA.

jcommon,
"good teachers will be glad to teach, because LOCAL taxpayers will have more influence on what a LOCAL teacher makes."
You are kidding me right? I am sure Bill Sodeman and D.A. Severson will be lining up to pay "good" teachers more. This is the exact reason teachers need collective bargaining. Because school boards can consist of a bunch of idiots that don't give a crap about education or how "good" a teacher is, but only about the $50 they don't have to pay in taxes.
Do you honestly believe a good teacher would be given higher pay than what they are making now? No way in hell. Please show me where this is happening. There are plenty of schools with no contracts currently. Please show me one school or teacher where this has happened. Another post by someone who is out of touch with reality.

votalco, it is all about money, you are correct there. The job creators dumping millions in Scooter's lap trying to make sure they will not be expected to pay MORE... LOL.........

Which is the person that fights for the common man? The one that makes demands for better working conditions, wages and benefits or the one that makes demands for lesser working conditions, wages and benefits? If it's all about money and power - can the common man get some without those with money and power constantly working to take it away. How does the common man participate in money and power if you want to pay him less and give less and less?

gonfo5 according to Scooter's admin. it is 50,000.. it that middle class? You seem to want to tell me, so go ahead.... I'm sure there are quite a few state employees that don't come close to that...

vatoloco said, "It's amazing when I see people driving 40 to 50 thousand dollar foreign cars with Recall Walker stickers on their bumpers."
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Just demonstrates the depth of support for recalling Walker. If RAF saw your comment he'd be screaming CLASS WAR! But of course he won't because you're a conservative like him.

4bears - So what is the average pay scale for state employees? What do you consider a normal middle class annual salary?

I'm not a mind reader, jcommon. You questioned the reasons for the recalls, so I linked you to the originators statements of reason. As the Lone Ranger would say, "My job here is done."

4bears, poobah, sarah.

What should a teacher make per year?
Give me some numbers to work with.

Both links sure sum it up Poobah....nothing but facts right there...NOT.

is it all about the pay and benefits? well, since when did wanting a "middle class" lifestyle.. maybe putting a couple kids through college and having a home and retirement become too much to ask?

So if it's not about the pay and benifits then what is the issue about? Just curious?

jcommon said, "Poobah, I am confused..."
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I should say you are! The reason given for the recall on the FIRST Campaign Registration Statement, was simply to "fulfill my friend's last request." You remember, it's the one filed by the "Close Friends to Recall Walker." You may read the complete Statement at: http://gab.wi.gov/sites/default/files/Br...
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Or maybe you're talking about the SECOND Campaign Registration Statement. That one listed a few reasons for the recall. It stated the recall was filed, "because Walker has lied to the people of Wisconsin and is destroying our state. Walker has taken away the rights of workers, is destroying our education system, and is selling our state to the big corporations that put him in office." You may read the complete Statement at: http://gab.wi.gov/sites/default/files/GA...

There is way to much false information floating around trying to paint a bad picture of this. What teacher that you know has ever had to bargain their wages? Good teachers don't teach strictly for the pay, but with this, you will slowly start to see areas where good teachers will be glad to teach, because LOCAL taxpayers will have more influence on what a LOCAL teacher makes. A novel concept isn't it.

SarahB1,
Your close:1.) Raises cannot exceed cost-of-living increase. WITHOUT REFERENDUM.
That doesn't mean it can't happen. School districts can give the teachers raises all they want, it is just that the taxpayers will have to approve anything more than cost of living.

Poobah,
I am confused, I thought this was all Walkers fault and he was causing teachers to have hardships, but 482 teachers were fired BEFORE he took office? Seems the whole reason for the recall is debunked.

So now it's all about the pay?!?! Last I checked, collective bargaining was the issue, teachers can still negotiate for their pay.

How is it that pro-athletes have unions, but their pay it based on merit? I don't know how these public employees will get along without their union representation....probably will be in the poor house I suppose.

jcommon, let's play your game. No unions and teachers paid on merit with less benefits. How much are you willing to pay said teachers? How many outstanding young people will even want to pursue teaching?

I'm sure you're right jcommon... unions go out of their way to hang on to and overpay horrible employees. Megan sounds like she was an outstanding young teacher. Hopefully she's happy in a charter school being underpaid with less benefits.... I'm sure she gladly does it for the love of the job!

jcommon, what proof do you have that the other 481 teachers weren't competent teachers? According to your comment, it was the school district, not the union, that fired Megan and the other 481 teachers.
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Remember Ruthelle Frank! [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ay-aK_Wz... ]

For example, in June 2010, long before Scott Walker was elected, Milwaukee Public Schools fired 482 teachers--including Megan Sampson, a young educator named an "outstanding first year teacher" by the Wisconsin Council of Teachers of English.
4bears,
What do you have to say now?

I like corn.

Gandalf you failed to mention under many union contracts if an employee opts out of insurance coverage they also get more money as well.

Not all municipal employees are pro union take New Berlin employees who are fed up with the unions tactics and decertified their union, and then donated dues collected by the union to local charities. Hats off to those employees!
http://www.mymuskegonow.com/news/school-...

Keep doing the good work Walker!

The article's title is near appropriate--Koch Brothers and big business money could essentially buy whatever change they wanted from Walker.
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By this measure, Walker did a great job selling out our state's education, public services, environment, and healthcare to big business & wealth.

Thank you Governor Walker ! Wisconsin is headed in the right direction !

carlitosway still trying to peddle "cuts" to public workers? To bad the fringe can't be honest when it comes to this fiasco. An increased cost to voluntary benefits is hardly a cut, they could always purchase their own insurance elsewhere if they feel the cost is too high as they could also invest in a non government retirement/investment program if they feel the cost of the pension program is too high.

"Part of what I look forward to in 2012 is how do we take our plan and our positive outlook for the future and find a way to work together to achieve it to get people back to work."

What a joke! Now he wants to work together. Schools are going to have to make more and more cuts, so you will not see people going back to work in the teaching field.

Could someone give us the Gazette's subscriber numbers since KochWalker took over? Not sure how the papers are selling, but teacher bashing, union bashing, bi-partisan bashing etc.. have gone way up on the blogs!

bebe53 It was not ONLY the Union issue How many JOBS HAVE TO BE TAKEN AWAY AND CUTS TO THE PUBLIC WORKERS THAT PROTECT YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES AND COMPANIES CLOSING AND LEAVING THIS SATE WILL IT TAKE YOU GOP BRAINWASHED FOOLS TO WAKE UP AND REALIZE YOU VOTED FOR A DICTATOR NOT A GOVERNOR. TO all those who bash Unions They ARE THE REASON we have FAIR WAGE, Safety in the work place, less discrimination, protection from unjustified firing, and many other work related RIGHTS. To late Scooter to TRY and cover your destuction of Wisconsin and 99% of the people in it. Watching Scotty go is a great song on youtube...

What is funny is we can see how either hand is played out between the two bordering states. Illinois is a very pro union state and they are all but completly belly up. They have raised state income tax by 68%, doubled every fee known to man, handed out pink slips to state employees by the thousands but they didn't go against any unions so they are still loved by the people. Now on the other hand, Wisconsin made some difficult decisions and very unpopular ones amoungst the union/state employees but our state is 100 times better off then Illinois is but they want to oust Walker to keep their benifits the same way they were which is paid for 100%. It all comes down to this fight is about wanting more money. I don't buy the working conditions crap because in the private sector you follow OSHA. With OSHA involved, you can't get away with anything without fear of a huge fine. And God help you if you get a willfull violation.

Chase the teachers out of Wisconsin, or at least all the teachers who won't work for free.

"Too late. Recall."
***
Where are the avuncular Koch Bros., now that he needs them? I suppose they'll claim they never had anything to do with that loser.

"Scooter Walker is wrecking the state"
***
Walker has messed up, and now he needs to man up and take ownership of his actions. His whining and crying only confirms the wisdom of the recall.

I like peas.

"Go ahead and recall him. Maybe he would run for President"
***
Maybe he would run for dogcatcher.

"teachers, police and firemen should be paid equivalent to doctors"
***
Or vice versa.

Of course the Gazette is only too happy to give Walker a glass of beer to cry into. What pathetic whining. Neither Walker nor the Gazette will ever understand why the voters of this state are recalling him.

Sometimes I read articles regarding how overpaid teachers are and can't believe what I am reading. Teachers have one of the most important jobs in this country....EDUCATING THE FUTURE OF OUR NATION!!!!
Granted unions have protected bad teachers which is wrong. If this nation is to continue we need excellent teachers and a way to get rid of bad teachers. IMO, teachers, police and firemen should be paid equivalent to doctors, they all have other's lives in their hands. I'm angry over how teachers have been villified in this state. Education should be this country's top priority...it is the future. This country has no future if it is ran by manipulative forces and a populace incapable of critical thinking to be aware of what those forces agenda is. I can't believe how some people on this site believe education is not important and resent those who are educated.

916,
"The one teaching high school is making around $75K a year, the other one teaching elementary school is making a little over $100K a year."

BS, end of story.

Go ahead and recall him. Maybe he would run for President and we could finally get some common sense in Washington! WALKER FOR PRESIDENT!

TEAM WALKER!

RECALL WALKER!

nice try jcommon... I happen to know a Teacher of the Year and she is proudly in the union and thinks Scooter Walker is wrecking the state. She, of course, finished college and has her masters.... sorry, I had to do it!!! Makes you think, though!!

Reality is the recall effort began on the day Walker was elected. The partisan ramblings organized and funded by the opposition party to include funding sources for that party, chiefly unions, would have rallied around anything. The best part, they are trying to defend past actions of wasteful spending such as work rules put in place by people organizing against tax payers supported by members of the democratic party elected to vote for these rules.

nugnrose - research on what? And I'm so sorry I didn't take the time to read the entire comment thread on the chance that I'd repost a link. I guess hearing the truth twice hurts twice as bad.

He needs to go, he is such a liar... Just love how he throws little "facts" in there, like we helped increase the number of private sector jobs.... did you Scooter? Might want to check again http://www.jsonline.com/business/state-l.... Sounds like he's a bit nervous to me... RECALL !!

nugnose.....considering that 80% of school district budgets are allocated directly toward funding teacher salaries and the fact that many districts are facing serious budget deficits, anyone with even a little bit of common sense could figure out that excessive public employee compensation is a problem. My property tax bill just came in......a third of it was sectioned off and given to the school district. These people are still screaming "tax to the max!" How much is enough?? We needed someone like Walker who had the balls to come in, clip the wings of these people, and bring them back to reality.
I graduated with two teachers who now work in the school district in Beloit. Neither of them would ever live in that city, but they are happy to have it's residents provide their income. The one teaching high school is making around $75K a year, the other one teaching elementary school is making a little over $100K a year. This from a community where the average HOUSEHOLD income is $33K a year. Cities can no longer afford to fund the excessive pay--the sooner we can get this problem resolved, the better off we will all be. Thank you Governor Walker for having the courage to step up and do what needed to be done, rather than take the easy route and simply kick the can down the road for and leave it for another administration/generation to deal with. You will definitely have my vote.....again!:)

Too late. Recall.

The actions of the unions this past year and the Democrat backed "occupy" failure has only exposed the base is turning very anti-American free market, free people from government interference. When the people fear the government, you have oppression. As we saw with the unions attempting to bully Union Grove business with the Neutral mean No muscle.
Thank GOD the people have seen this behavior and reject it.

I give him a lot more credit than our worthless President! Barry's been in office for 3 years and he still doesn't know what he's doing! He had an open checkbook for two of the three years he was president and still didn't turn this country around. How much longer can he blame Bush for his failures as President? Surely in his campaign he promised to have our country on track by now, didn't he?

Isn't recalling the Governor of the year, kind of like firing the Teacher of the year? And yet both situations were brought to you by the public unions of Wisconsin.

Well bless his little heart!

Walter: Here is a link that you requested, seeings how you were too lazy to check all of your facts your self.
over time pay. http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/er/labor_standa...

Maine2010 - "The 90% earning lower global wages" Care to share where you picked up this fact?
"Excessive public employee compensation is the reason why property taxes are too high" Again, any facts to back up this statement? Looks like the standard canned Repub lie.
Apparently, you are under the delusion that cutting the wages/benefits of a very small percentage of the state's population will cure Walker's manufactured budget crisis. Walker wanted public employees to pay for health and pension benefits (which, BTW, they already were), he got what he wanted but it didn't cure anything.

Walker didn't have to sell it better. Unlike ObamaCare which was REALLY ran down our throats dispite the 60% disapproval rating and the Election of Scott Brown in MA. Dems don't listen and don't care. Even the 2010 schlacking isn't stopping them from the lies and mayham ObamaCare is costing America right now.
Walker is saving Wisconsin by helping the Taxpayer. Obama is hurting America by burdening us with more and more debt.

UDubDub10- Try doing some research or reading other comments. See this below: i_luv_jvl
Dec 27, 2011 at 10:44 p.m.

Walker still has a much higher approval rating that Doyle did at the end of his term. Mr. Walker was also just named Governor of the year beating out two democratic runners up: http://governorsjournal.com/2011/12/gove...

Public employee wages and benefits need to be aligned to the new lower global standards. The 90% earning lower global wages cannot afford to support excessive public employee compensation, such as school bus drivers being paid $150,000 per year, and double-dipping abuses. Excessive public employee compensation is the reason why property taxes are too high. Scott Walker was only the tool to handle this problem. Recalling Scott Walker will make the 10% feel better and is a wise PR move, but that will not change the fact that THE MONEY SIMPLY IS NOT THERE to support excessive public employee compensation or unions. There is no way getting around the fact that property taxes need to be decreased and that can only happen if public employee compensation is globalized.

Walker kicked over a hornet's nest by messing with the people of this state... period.

Walker kicked over a hornet's nest by putting the brakes on one of the Democratic party's biggest source of money and warm bodies - unionized State workers and teachers on the public payroll. However, I haven't read of him blatantly stealing from segregated state funds to pay for supporter's pet projects or openly taking bribes in the form of campaign donations in exchange for no-bid state contracts as DB Doyle was doing, so he isn't the worst Governor we've had yet as Walker still ranks above Doyle.

Walker has to go! to many mistakes in to short a time. no idea what this non politician is doing in office anyhow

Wisconsin will continue to lose jobs because of the $700,000,000 in wages that he cut out of the state workers paychecks. WRS is one of the top 10 pension funds in the world and will be just fine as long as Scott "RECALL" Walker keeps his hands out of the cookie jar.

wislady said, "The democrats still have no candidate and NO plan for how to cut spending and save jobs."
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wislady, you raise an excellent point. It's a terribly pathetic state of affairs for Walker when no candidate and no plan can rally 507,000 of the 540,208 required signatures to recall him in just the first 28 days of a 60 day petition period.

Job losses in ALL months since Walker's budget plan was enacted. Yeah, great Gov. there, WisLady.
http://politicalheat.webs.com/December20...

This parasite has to go!!!

Wislady - Governor of the Year by an interesting online agency, don't you think?

Governor's Journal (the award-issuing agency) has been in business for approximately one year. Founded in December of 2010 it's only employee is Dean Pagani himself. It has no Board of Directors or staff.

Pagani is the head of Pagani Public Affairs - a media consulting firm - who also seems to have no employees beyond Pagani. It does list some references of Pagani's associates, Tom Foley who lost as the GOP candidate in the race for Connecticut Governor in 2010 and Ross Garber who was the Republican candidate Connecticut Attorney General. Garber not only lost big, but was slapped with a defamation suit by his opponent.

The one reference Pagani leaves out is his longtime day job as Communications Director and Chief of Staff for the Connecticut Governor's office from 1996 to 2004. Weird, it's an important job. He doesn't even name the Governor he worked for in his LinkedIn page.

Could be because that Governor was none other than Republican, John Rowland? Pagani's employment was cut short because Rowland resigned over corruption charges and wound up going to jail for 10 months. Doh!

Yep, the guy who was Chief of Staff to a jailbird Governor for eight years, who went on to run sleazy campaigns for other Republican losers, opened himself up a one-man website devoted to the new wave of Republican Governor's has named Scott Walker "Governor of the Year."

tlover

Does anyone believe that more talking or explaining the plan would have changed anything? Perfect example was the 60+ hours of debate that was conducted before the vote on Act 10. (It was televised, quite entertaining as the democrats tried to stall). Doyle passed/crammed things through with no discussion numerous times.

The democrats still have no candidate and NO plan for how to cut spending and save jobs.

Yes, thank you Governor Walker!

Shrek: What are you going on & on about? I don't have time to read it all but it looks like you are insulting people when you are uninformed. WI law requires a 30 min unpaid lunch break if you work 6 hours. There is no federal or state law requiring breaks & only nonexempt employees get overtime by law.

wislady: "Job well done." Seriously? Dividing this state in an unprecedented fashion. Perhaps a course in Communications 101 would serve this Governor. A leader does not get people to come around to their position by cramming it down their throats. You catch more flies w/honey. The Governor would be wise to remember that.

You guys really need to learn the facts. I also should not have to do your research for you. All you have to do is search in yahoo for the subject matter and you will find it, really pretty simple, but some of you are so blinded by your partisanship that you are unable to bring yourself to even look it up. Sad that you cannot see anything beyond your own self interests. I guess you feel that it is more important to take care of yourselves rather than look out for your kids and grandkids. The only thing left to say about your attitudes is SHAME, SHAME, SHAME.

It's OK Mr. Walker.
It will be over soon enough. Then you can spend the rest of your life wondering how you pissed away your political career so quickly. Then once you are gone, you will just be a stat in our states history.

maybe a better education would have helped him to understand kill a lot of pork instead of going after the programs that are a necessity. Recall comming.

916WI, thanks for your suggestion, but I can assure you that Ruthelle is in very capable hands right now with her legal counsel. Ruthelle is a person with a passion for helping others and by being a party to the lawsuit against the state she will not potentially only remedy her situation, but help tens of thousands of other Wisconsinites in similar situations.
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[ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ay-aK_Wz... ] Remember Ruthelle Frank!

"The division gave us Walker, Walker did not give us the division. We are a better state because of it...."
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The division will give us a recall election and Democrat governor, the recall election and Democrat governor will not give us the division. We will be a better state because of it....
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The reason one sounds just as ignorant as the other is because it is.

It's a lie to say it isn't solvent, and I know more than the papers. Walker wants to get ahOld of the pension fund precisely because it is solvent.

Shrek,
Let's see the links to your searches. You've got a lot to say, but nothing to really back it up. The same goes for your claims of the WRS's insolvency. The only one looking foolish is you when you can't back up your claims.

Pooh......instead of "remembering" old ruthy, why don't you get in your car, drive up to Brokaw, pick ruthy up and take her to the town hall so she can get her missing/screwed up paperwork problems resolved. Don't you think that would be a little more productive than "remembering" her?? The only problem is that it would give you one less thing to whine and cry about.......no??:)

Walker should start by calling Ruthelle Frank and LISTENING to her story. You can listen to her story in her own words right here. [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ay-aK_Wz... ]
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Remember Ruthelle Frank!

Mindofmyown.......I'm sorry to hear of the position you have found yourself in, but what exactly would a democrat do if he/she took control of the governor's office?? Initiate another classic democrat plan to spend our way into prosperity by saddling future generations with massive debt??
Shriek...one doesn't have to look to Europe to see the financial disaster that this eventually evolves into. Take a look at Illinois and Ohio--they are drowning in tens of billions of dollars of debt owed to a relatively small percentage of the population.
As far as Walker is concerned, I have never been more impressed with a governor. In the time span of a year, he has delivered what republicans in our state have been asking for and democrats have been rejecting for decades. For all of those crying about how "Walker has divided the state"--they seriously are completely ignorant as to what is going on around them. Walker could have NEVER passed this legislation on his own. It had required the state's residents to completely shift their perspective on the direction they thought our government should take. The entire government as well as the state supreme court were a vital part of getting this done. The division gave us Walker, Walker did not give us the division. We are a better state because of it....

"There will be a recall and that is a fact jack holyslobnobjobgob."

Keep trying Poopshoot....your really showing me aren't you..... :-) ROLLEYES.....Uhh...well....maybe...like...Umm....Golly.... wizz.....I think not, but will give you a D- for effort and originality..
I love you little folks that start something like changing user names thinking you are being cute, then get embarrassed when throwing it upwind, and it comes back at you....
Really now...grow up.

Walter: I think you have explained the system fairly well.

We will have to excuse the right, I guess. Their minds just simply cannot comprehend it. And I don't know if you will ever be able to explain it to them.

Shrek, Unions help to set fair working conditions....and most are not addressd by a governing body over labor. For example, offering overtime to employees to make sure everyone has a shot at getting in on some of the overtime and not just a favorite "few". Also in my profession....the union helps to protect me from being required to return to work for my next scheduled shift w/o having at least nine hours in b/t shifts. That is something very important since I live a hour away from my job. I can if I choose to do so, work a "double back" as they are called...but in doing so I will get less than four hours of sleep b/t shifts. Just wait and see how management will abuse their power now that employees will not have any say over how their job is defined and work rules are imposed and enforced! Unions in some way, act as a regulatory body that helps keep the management in check!

shrek,
The wrs is fully funded for current and future retirees. you cant listen to the right wing talk show hosts. the wrs is funded by the employees or contributed on behalf of the employees in the form of deferred compensation. there is no taxpayer money used to supplement the fund.

Sounds like a bit of "buyers remorse" from Scotty. Well, I'm one of those out of work "county employees". Just joined the ranks of the unemployed!!!! Thanks to our wonderful Gov. Can't seem to find work in the private sector either because over 11,700 jobs were lost there too!!! On top of it all, I'm educated in a technical field. So just where does a single person find these jobs that he's creating? I really need one! Next month I lose my apartment. No job, no insurance , no apartment, unemployment at 40% of your wages sounds like we are stimulating the Wisconsin economy to me. I say RECALLL. I've signed. He's busted my union, stripped me of my job, health insurance, taken away my home(apartment)and has sent thousands of people into the same situation as mine. WE NEED A STRONG DEMOCRAT TO STAND UP TO THIS BULLY. He's polarized the Wisconsin public and really has the public a buzz with his tactics. He's got to be the worst Wisconsin Governor we had to date (1848). I'm actually anticipating the recall election and the DEMOCRAT CANDIDATE.

WOW!!! The same story that was in the State Journal 3 Days ago. Just as big of a waste of cyber space then as it is now. Just one more story to get people arguing about the same crap and not changing anyones opinion.

Walker is saying too little and saying it too late.

I would not have a problem calling it deferred compensation if it were truly solvent. It is not and to say otherwise is a lie. Look deeper than the stories you have read in the paper and you will see it is fiscally impossible to maintain the path we are on. When the taxpayer is on the hook for the pensions and the situation is unsustainable, it is not deferred compensation, it is an unfunded liability.

Walter,
I just did a quick web search
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Lunch breaks are required, just not paid breaks
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Restroom facilities are required by law
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Overtime pay is required by law
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Once again, do a little research and you wont look foolish.

"Those Rose Colored glasses are going to be smashed rather hard by a dose of reality"......
perhaps....reality being...that government IS truly controlled by the masses.....and the masses are ignorant.

No Shrek, I'm good. The public unions were under voluntary wage freezes for years prior to Walkers election. They were funding their own pensions long before Scott Walker tried to make it look like it was his idea. Keep on swallowing the right wing BS and then regurgitating it. Maybe you should do your own homework. Here, I'll help:
http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/go...

that's slightly humorous mooshoo. he must be the first governor in the history of all governorhoodville to be elected with 1% of the vote.

Shrek,
As you can clearly see, the government can pass regulations that are oppressive to workers. The ability to bargain is part of the system of checks and balances against wrong doing by the government. That is why Walker attacked the unions as he did and may pay the ultimate political price for doing so.
Also, in case you weren't aware it's not required by law for an employer to give employees lunch breaks or breaks of any sort. Unions forced that issue and most other employers fell in line to appease their employees. Employers are not required by law to provide bathroom facilities on site for their employees. Unions also forced that issue and other employees fell in line to appease their employees. The same goes for paid time off and overtime pay. The equal rights division of the state department of workforce development (I may or may not be an employee there) has already seen a drastic increase in the number of complaints about cases where employees are trying to exploit their employees. Private sector employers have seen the limited success of the attack on public unions and now figure the possibility of any union coming to their employees' aid to be slim to none, so they are trying to take advantage. As the public sector unions go, so go the private sector unions. That is what the large corporations and their Republican goon squad are banking on anyway. I think they're counting their chickens much too soon, however.

Shreck, your problem is that Wisconsin's public pension isn't unfunded and is completely solvent. Public employees have deferred wage increases and that money has been placed in the pension fund. The pension fund is professionally managed to create fund growth and minimize risk. When the market crashed (due to financial Wall Street misdeeds) the pension fund lost value and the recipients of the pension fund retirement payments saw a decrease in thier payouts. It's a shared risk fund and funded by deferred compensation by the employees. Employees who have worked for 6 years without a single raise, will work for 2 more without a single raise. In addition, that "merit" pay Scotty talks about being better than collective bargaining at rewarding good workers, Scotty isn't giving any "merit" pay either.

Walter,
Also, the pensions are unfunded because people are living longer, yet public employees are retiring earlier, therefore creating an untenable situation.
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Do some research before you make a claim, it makes you look foolish.

Walter,
I will ask the same question of you that I have asked of numerous others.
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Why specifically do you need to have collective bargaining? Not generalizations, I want to see specific items that you need to have addressed that are not currently addressed by government regulations.

The budget is not yet balanced, this is about much more than a yearly budget. This is about trillions of dollars of unfunded future liabilities due to public union pensions. This issue has been kicked down the road by previous administrations and this administration has finally taken the bull by the horns and started the necessary correction.
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Look to Europe and you will see where we will be in a decade if other states do not follow Wisconsin's lead.
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It is amazing to me that so many people cannot grasp reality on this issue and are just willing to ignore it in order protect themselves now by putting the burden on our kids and grandkids. Do some research and understand the fiscal nightmare that has been created for them.

Shrek,
You, like most Walker apologists just don't get it. The problem was not addressing the "unfunded" pensions (deferred compensation does not equal unfunded by the way). The issue that people had was with how Walker went after workers' rights to collectively bargain. The public unions were willing to make concessions, but not at the expense of their bargaining rights. Walker got his way in the short term, but in the long run he'll, at best, spend the rest of his term spending money to repair his image and apologizing for his mistakes like he's doing in the above article and, at worst, getting booted out of office in the recall election. You reap what you sow. May our special little boy Scottie's political career rest in peace.

Yes, thank you Walker, for your consistency in telling lies.

Can anyone that says good job Scott Walker show me statistically that the budget is balanced and that we are better off today than we were a year ago.

MooPoop,
If you had read the comments below my post first you would maybe understand my comment better.......
But then again probably not...

Are you people really serious? Unfunded public pensions are the single biggest debt that all facets of government are facing. This problem was discussed before the election by both parties, although now the Democrats will deny that, but public records dont lie. Walker did what was necessary to reign in this particular problem.
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Just because you ignore the facts, doesn't make them go away.

If any of you negative posters would have been paying attention he said basically that same thing very shortly after his election on National TV....
So he is not changing his tune a bit...

Those Rose Colored glasses are going to be smashed rather hard by a dose of reality.

Through his actions Walker has alienated a majority of voters in this state, and they want him gone. Buyer's remorse. If all he can do is make excuses for himself, he'll never understand what has happened.

Duh.

His incompetence in method cost taxpayers millions of dollars, divided the populace and made a mockery of this state worldwide - a very costly lesson indeed!

He apparently aspired to be a successor to Kim Jong Il rather than governor of WI. Too little, far too late, Kim Jong Scotty!

This clown looks even more stupid, than he already is, with almost every news article written about him.....the good people of Wisconsin see this too.....Truth and Justice will prevail, always does....On Wisconsin!

Now walker wants to work together
He should have been doing that from the start
Its to late now scotty & co. cry in your beer
Your party is done in WI.
RECALL

Gotta love all them family wage paying jobs that are everywhere...oh wait..never mind...it's Europe's fault...or the evil union thugs..or anyone that disagrees with the king..or maybe Santa clause...or or or...

Governor of the Year...........job well done.

woulda, coulda, shoulda. is that the faint sound of backpedaling I hear? pack your bags, Scotty.

Scott Walker has done the right things for the Wisconsin people. Thanks Scott!!! Keep up the good work...

soon if will be welcome to the private sector scooter. Maybe rodeo clown would be a better fit for you.

Thank you Scott Walker for a job well done!