Should Scott Walker Become creditable & give up his & the legislatures pensions?

[SentraSE-R]

So, how would an environmentally-conscious parent put his kids on a non-polluting, safe school bus, when the manufacturers don't have to (and don't, AFAIK) build them, and the school districts don't have money to buy them?

Sure as heck, if states and taxpayers put education on the bottom tier of budget priorities, modern buses are at the bottom tier of education priorities.

[Frank Lee]

Education spending is either #1 or #2 in my state; can't speak for other states, so it appears to be a high priority.

I don't know how parents could put their spawn on a clean bus but I do know that the issue isn't even on the radar with them.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by SentraSE-R

Yes, that plants Walker firmly into the union-busting camp, and strips his claims of budget justification to shreds. People like the Kochs and Walker won't be happy until everyone is working at minimum wage, or less, without union rights, for them.

Except that these days, union "rights" are closer to legalized extortion. I think we need to get back to a middle ground: if people want to join unions, that's fine; if other people want to work without having to join a union (or support its political activities), then that should be fine too.

[Thymeclock]

Originally Posted by SentraSE-R

So, how would an environmentally-conscious parent put his kids on a non-polluting, safe school bus, when the manufacturers don't have to (and don't, AFAIK) build them, and the school districts don't have money to buy them?

Well the voters supported a political agenda of the Left for imposing mandated pollution devices on automobiles. Oh, I guess it wasn't a priority to demand it of government to do the same for state mandated vehicles. (Ah, perhaps some politician's brother in law who has a contract for a fleet of school buses is operating more profitably by not having pollution controls imposed?) Funny how government is always above and exempt from the laws that the rest of us have to follow and the expenses associated with it...

Sure as heck, if states and taxpayers put education on the bottom tier of budget priorities, modern buses are at the bottom tier of education priorities.

The position of the political Left is that every problem will be solved by throwing more taxpayer's money at it and then demanding more through coercion.

Regarding your statement: to the contrary, in my state the budget for education is bloated as ever, but the kids aren't any better educated. And the grant money flows, and the administrators get paid more than the teachers do to be their bosses (although they themselves can't teach worth a damn, which is why they aspired to be bosses), and the unionized bus drivers and custodians are all handsomely paid, too. And no one who benefits above and beyond market value for their skills wants to rock the boat. Who wins? Those in power and control and those profiting from the arrangement. Who loses? Those who pay the mandatory tax bill imposed upon them and have no other choice but to do so.

But since you ridiculed and denied the existence of school administrator's unions, why should we believe your partisan opinions about priorities on spending for education? It's all based upon force. Taxation = coercion.

Should we say boldfaced that it's "all for the children"???

[SentraSE-R]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

Except that these days, union "rights" are closer to legalized extortion. I think we need to get back to a middle ground: if people want to join unions, that's fine; if other people want to work without having to join a union (or support its political activities), then that should be fine too.

Gov. Walker & the Republican legislative majority in Wisconsin want to strip union rights from all state employees. Just how balanced and middle ground is a complete lack of unions? It leaves all state employees in Wisconsin unable to bargain collectively. This is wacko mega government control stripping workers' rights away, and you're complaining about UNION extortion?

[SentraSE-R]

Thymeclock, you're blaming the Left for the mandatory air pollution devices that give you the clean air you breathe, and you're also blaming them for NOT forcing the same thing for buses that stink up the same air. Great logic. I'm impressed.

[Clev]

Originally Posted by Thymeclock

The position of the political Left is that every problem will be solved by throwing more taxpayer's money at it and then demanding more through coercion.

Well, I'm glad that we're not spending a few hundred billion taxpayer dollars to make Bush's corporate cronies richer while killing a few hundred thousand brown people in the Middle East, and then demanding more through fearmongering.

And then we can talk about my taxpayer money being used to subsidize churches, both through direct tax breaks and "faith-based initiatives." And about my taxpayer money being used for corporate welfare, auto industry bailouts, billion-dollar junk projects for the DoD, subsidies for the oil industry and corn industry, tax cuts for the ultra-rich, tax breaks for the purchase of high-dollar large trucks for the rich, special tax rates for capital gains for the rich...

[Thymeclock]

Originally Posted by Clev

Well, I'm glad that we're not spending a few hundred billion taxpayer dollars to make Bush's corporate cronies richer while killing a few hundred thousand brown people in the Middle East, and then demanding more through fearmongering.

And then we can talk about my taxpayer money being used to subsidize churches, both through direct tax breaks and "faith-based initiatives." And about my taxpayer money being used for corporate welfare, auto industry bailouts, billion-dollar junk projects for the DoD, subsidies for the oil industry and corn industry, tax cuts for the ultra-rich, tax breaks for the purchase of high-dollar large trucks for the rich, special tax rates for capital gains for the rich...

I thought this thread was about unions, schools, benefits and the position of a governor of a state. As usual, it is turning into a general Leftist harangue about everything imaginable.

BTW, your school taxes and your state taxes are not determined by Washington. They are a local matter. State governance (with regard to unions) is not a Federal issue. It is the dominion of those who live in that state and is determined by their legislature and elected officials.

[arollinstone]

What a snake ! The union already agreed to the cuts. The unions might not be perfect but they are still needed.

[Clev]

Originally Posted by Thymeclock

I thought this thread was about unions, schools, benefits and the position of a governor of a state. As usual, it is turning into a general Leftist harangue about everything imaginable.

So you're allowed to make sweeping generalizations and I'm not. Typical righty hypocrisy.

BTW, your school taxes and your state taxes are not determined by Washington. They are a local matter. State governance (with regard to unions) is not a Federal issue. It is the dominion of those who live in that state and is determined by their legislature and elected officials.

They are? Well, thank you. I'm glad you're here to explain the obvious concepts to us. /sarcasm