Michelle Malkin Lead StoryApocalypse Now: Wisc

[Stephanie]

good read with links in article..
We are at a crossroads folks, it's US against the Unions, Progressives and even our own President. We will need to stand together, Unite against this assault coming our way.
stand tall and LETS ROLL.

SNIP:
By Michelle Malkin • February 18, 2011 10:46 AM Scroll down for updates…



This is a critical moment in the nation’s battle to dig itself out of debt and free itself from the iron grip of public union monopolies. As you know from reading this blog, the Wisconsin showdown has been a long time coming. I remind you that there are many brave workers exposing the corruption and costs of compulsory unionism. Today’s syndicated column gives an overview of the Big Labor battle in Wisconsin — now spreading to Ohio and Indiana, where the DNC/OFA are organizing the community of grievance-mongers kicking and screaming against overdue reforms.

Like someone famous always says: Change is never easy.

***

Apocalypse Now: Wisconsin vs. Big Labor
by Michelle Malkin
Creators Syndicate
Copyright 2011

Welcome to the reckoning. We have met the fiscal apocalypse, and it is smack dab in the middle of the heartland. As Wisconsin goes, so goes the nation. Let us pray it does not go the way of the decrepit welfare states of the European Union.

The lowdown: State government workers in the Badger State pay piddling amounts for generous taxpayer-subsidized health benefits. Faced with a $3.6 billion budget hole and a state constitutional ban on running a deficit, new GOP Gov. Scott Walker wants public unions to pony up a little more. He has proposed raising the public employee share of health insurance premiums from less than 5 percent to 12.4 percent. He is also pushing for state workers to cover half of their pension contributions. To spare taxpayers the soaring costs of Byzantine union-negotiated work rules, he would rein in Big Labor’s collective bargaining power to cover only wages unless approved at the ballot box.

As the free-market MacIver Institute in Wisconsin points out, the benefits concessions Walker is asking public union workers to make would still maintain their health insurance contribution rates at the second-lowest among Midwest states for family coverage. Moreover, a new analysis by benefits think tank HCTrends shows that the new rate “would also be less than the employee contributions required at 85 percent of large Milwaukee_area employers.”

This modest call for shared sacrifice has triggered the wrath of the White House-Big Labor-Michael Moore axis. On Thursday, President Obama lamented the “assault on unions.” AFL-CIO and Service Employees International Union bosses dubbed Walker the “Mubarak of the Midwest” while their minions toted posters of Walker’s face superimposed on Hitler’s. Moore goaded thousands of striking union protesters to “shut down” the “new Cairo” while the state’s Democratic legislators bailed on floor debate over the union reform package.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan spurned the opportunity to condemn thousands of Wisconsin public school teachers for lying about being “sick” and shutting down at least eight school districts across the state to attend capitol protests (many of whom dragged their students on a social justice field trip with them). Instead, Duncan defended teachers for “doing probably the most important work in society.” Only striking government teachers could win federal praise for NOT doing their jobs.

Yes, the so-called progressives truly believe that bringing American union workers into the 21st century in line with the rest of the workforce is tantamount to dictatorship.

Yes, the so-called progressives truly believe that by walking off their jobs and out of their classrooms, they are “putting children first.”

If ever there were proof that public unions no longer work in the public interest, this is it. Big Labor dragoons workers into exclusive representation agreements, forces them to pay compulsory dues that fatten Democratic political coffers and then has the chutzpah to cast itself as an Egyptian-style “freedom” and “human rights” movement.


read it ALL with comments.
Michelle Malkin » Apocalypse Now: Wisconsin vs. Big Labor; Plus: More out-of-state union recruiting & another teacher speaks up for Walker; police order for AWOL Dems; America agrees: End public union monopoly

 

[Sarah G]

good read with links in article..
We are at a crossroads folks, it's US against the Unions, Progressives and even our own President. We will need to stand together, Unite against this assault coming our way.
stand tall and LETS ROLL.

SNIP:
By Michelle Malkin • February 18, 2011 10:46 AM Scroll down for updates…



This is a critical moment in the nation’s battle to dig itself out of debt and free itself from the iron grip of public union monopolies. As you know from reading this blog, the Wisconsin showdown has been a long time coming. I remind you that there are many brave workers exposing the corruption and costs of compulsory unionism. Today’s syndicated column gives an overview of the Big Labor battle in Wisconsin — now spreading to Ohio and Indiana, where the DNC/OFA are organizing the community of grievance-mongers kicking and screaming against overdue reforms.

Like someone famous always says: Change is never easy.

***

Apocalypse Now: Wisconsin vs. Big Labor
by Michelle Malkin
Creators Syndicate
Copyright 2011

Welcome to the reckoning. We have met the fiscal apocalypse, and it is smack dab in the middle of the heartland. As Wisconsin goes, so goes the nation. Let us pray it does not go the way of the decrepit welfare states of the European Union.

The lowdown: State government workers in the Badger State pay piddling amounts for generous taxpayer-subsidized health benefits. Faced with a $3.6 billion budget hole and a state constitutional ban on running a deficit, new GOP Gov. Scott Walker wants public unions to pony up a little more. He has proposed raising the public employee share of health insurance premiums from less than 5 percent to 12.4 percent. He is also pushing for state workers to cover half of their pension contributions. To spare taxpayers the soaring costs of Byzantine union-negotiated work rules, he would rein in Big Labor’s collective bargaining power to cover only wages unless approved at the ballot box.

As the free-market MacIver Institute in Wisconsin points out, the benefits concessions Walker is asking public union workers to make would still maintain their health insurance contribution rates at the second-lowest among Midwest states for family coverage. Moreover, a new analysis by benefits think tank HCTrends shows that the new rate “would also be less than the employee contributions required at 85 percent of large Milwaukee_area employers.”

This modest call for shared sacrifice has triggered the wrath of the White House-Big Labor-Michael Moore axis. On Thursday, President Obama lamented the “assault on unions.” AFL-CIO and Service Employees International Union bosses dubbed Walker the “Mubarak of the Midwest” while their minions toted posters of Walker’s face superimposed on Hitler’s. Moore goaded thousands of striking union protesters to “shut down” the “new Cairo” while the state’s Democratic legislators bailed on floor debate over the union reform package.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan spurned the opportunity to condemn thousands of Wisconsin public school teachers for lying about being “sick” and shutting down at least eight school districts across the state to attend capitol protests (many of whom dragged their students on a social justice field trip with them). Instead, Duncan defended teachers for “doing probably the most important work in society.” Only striking government teachers could win federal praise for NOT doing their jobs.

Yes, the so-called progressives truly believe that bringing American union workers into the 21st century in line with the rest of the workforce is tantamount to dictatorship.

Yes, the so-called progressives truly believe that by walking off their jobs and out of their classrooms, they are “putting children first.”

If ever there were proof that public unions no longer work in the public interest, this is it. Big Labor dragoons workers into exclusive representation agreements, forces them to pay compulsory dues that fatten Democratic political coffers and then has the chutzpah to cast itself as an Egyptian-style “freedom” and “human rights” movement.


read it ALL with comments.
Michelle Malkin » Apocalypse Now: Wisconsin vs. Big Labor; Plus: More out-of-state union recruiting & another teacher speaks up for Walker; police order for AWOL Dems; America agrees: End public union monopoly

I think Michelle should go down and talk to the crowds in person.

 

[Trajan]

good read with links in article..
We are at a crossroads folks, it's US against the Unions, Progressives and even our own President. We will need to stand together, Unite against this assault coming our way.
stand tall and LETS ROLL.

SNIP:
By Michelle Malkin • February 18, 2011 10:46 AM Scroll down for updates…



This is a critical moment in the nation’s battle to dig itself out of debt and free itself from the iron grip of public union monopolies. As you know from reading this blog, the Wisconsin showdown has been a long time coming. I remind you that there are many brave workers exposing the corruption and costs of compulsory unionism. Today’s syndicated column gives an overview of the Big Labor battle in Wisconsin — now spreading to Ohio and Indiana, where the DNC/OFA are organizing the community of grievance-mongers kicking and screaming against overdue reforms.

Like someone famous always says: Change is never easy.

***

Apocalypse Now: Wisconsin vs. Big Labor
by Michelle Malkin
Creators Syndicate
Copyright 2011

Welcome to the reckoning. We have met the fiscal apocalypse, and it is smack dab in the middle of the heartland. As Wisconsin goes, so goes the nation. Let us pray it does not go the way of the decrepit welfare states of the European Union.

The lowdown: State government workers in the Badger State pay piddling amounts for generous taxpayer-subsidized health benefits. Faced with a $3.6 billion budget hole and a state constitutional ban on running a deficit, new GOP Gov. Scott Walker wants public unions to pony up a little more. He has proposed raising the public employee share of health insurance premiums from less than 5 percent to 12.4 percent. He is also pushing for state workers to cover half of their pension contributions. To spare taxpayers the soaring costs of Byzantine union-negotiated work rules, he would rein in Big Labor’s collective bargaining power to cover only wages unless approved at the ballot box.

As the free-market MacIver Institute in Wisconsin points out, the benefits concessions Walker is asking public union workers to make would still maintain their health insurance contribution rates at the second-lowest among Midwest states for family coverage. Moreover, a new analysis by benefits think tank HCTrends shows that the new rate “would also be less than the employee contributions required at 85 percent of large Milwaukee_area employers.”

This modest call for shared sacrifice has triggered the wrath of the White House-Big Labor-Michael Moore axis. On Thursday, President Obama lamented the “assault on unions.” AFL-CIO and Service Employees International Union bosses dubbed Walker the “Mubarak of the Midwest” while their minions toted posters of Walker’s face superimposed on Hitler’s. Moore goaded thousands of striking union protesters to “shut down” the “new Cairo” while the state’s Democratic legislators bailed on floor debate over the union reform package.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan spurned the opportunity to condemn thousands of Wisconsin public school teachers for lying about being “sick” and shutting down at least eight school districts across the state to attend capitol protests (many of whom dragged their students on a social justice field trip with them). Instead, Duncan defended teachers for “doing probably the most important work in society.” Only striking government teachers could win federal praise for NOT doing their jobs.

Yes, the so-called progressives truly believe that bringing American union workers into the 21st century in line with the rest of the workforce is tantamount to dictatorship.

Yes, the so-called progressives truly believe that by walking off their jobs and out of their classrooms, they are “putting children first.”

If ever there were proof that public unions no longer work in the public interest, this is it. Big Labor dragoons workers into exclusive representation agreements, forces them to pay compulsory dues that fatten Democratic political coffers and then has the chutzpah to cast itself as an Egyptian-style “freedom” and “human rights” movement.


read it ALL with comments.
Michelle Malkin » Apocalypse Now: Wisconsin vs. Big Labor; Plus: More out-of-state union recruiting & another teacher speaks up for Walker; police order for AWOL Dems; America agrees: End public union monopoly

I think Michelle should go down and talk to the crowds in person.

I fail to see how speaking to those wiht the vested interests in maintaining their benes would be productive in this context, the numbers are grim don't lie, what hes asking for is still well below the mean. *shrugs*, they are broke and going 'broker', time to step up.

he could always go nuclear and just lay them off, 5500 of them.


hes trying to meet the reality half way, they keep their jobs but kick in some more....whats the big deal?