Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Since the left trusts government so much perhaps numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics will help them see the light..............Union Members SummaryIn 2010, the union membership rate--the percent of wage and salary workers who were
members of a union--was 11.9 percent, down from 12.3 percent a year earlier, the U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. 11.9 % Hardly a number that one could use to define a group such as ...The "Working Class" or "Middle Class", in fact the remaining 88.1% would be just that! The union membership rate for public sector workers (36.2 percent) was
substantially higher than the rate for private sector workers (6.9 percent) Again why should 36.2 % of the people be entitled to a much better deal than the 63.8 % that have to pay for it ? We keep hearing about fairness from the left.....hello?
Again rather then try to tear down Public sector Unions why not build up private sector unions. That is what this person on the left says...hello.
Again rather then try to tear down Public sector Unions why not build up private sector unions. That is what this person on the left says...hello.
Why do you suppose private sector unions aren't growing ? There is a reason Unions have been on the decline........I would argue that it is because most people see them for what they have become and don't want any part of it.................this debate is about taxpayers footing the bill for a privileged few.
The bottom line: Unions have become a vehicle for transferring wealth under the cover of political donations. The public pays taxes, taxes pay public servants who then pay union dues, which are used to "BUY" politicians (and Presidents) who then repay the unions with exemptions, entitlements and more taxpayer dollars.
So if public sector unions are the reason for economic problems in states that have them, then why do four of the major right to work states--TX, GA, VA and NC, have some of the biggest deficits in the country--a cumulative total of over 200 billion dollars? The truth is that that unions aren't responsible for this mess--although public employees are going to have to bear the brunt of efforts to fix state budgets through pays cuts and cuts in benefits. We barely escaped from a depression in this country, and we're still in a major recession. How about blaming the people who actually deserve the blame--bankers and wall street who took risks with our money (and who are still making millions of dollars and bonuses). I'm not a democrat--I'm a republican small business owner--and I'm tired of efforts by big business and the far right to try to put the blame for this mess on the backs of the middle class.
Biggest deficits in the country?
Hardly...
As a percentage of their state budgets, the states you mentioned have relatively small deficits compared to true blue states like NJ, IL, ME, OR and VT and overrun border states like AZ and NV. The exception would be NC.
TX, VA and GA have overspent as a function of their budget size by 10.8%, 8.5% and 25.4%, respectively. Not good, but compared with a states like NJ and IL which have overspent by roughly 40% of their budget total, even exceptional NC with a 30.6% short-coming is far more manageable.
What we also should consider when looking at these states is the tax burden placed on their citizens.
The states you listed are low tax states by design.
As a matter of policy these states will cut spending before raising taxes, and that is how it should be in a free society. That they have been able to keep taxes so low while maintaining relatively small budget shortfalls is quite a testament to fiscal conservatism.
Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is against the tos
Perhaps NC's problems are due in part to their unemployment rate and NJ-like taxes at $0.50 per $10 GDP.
I think I could argue one leads to the other.
Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is against the tos
The bottom line: Unions have become a vehicle for transferring wealth under the cover of political donations. The public pays taxes, taxes pay public servants who then pay union dues, which are used to "BUY" politicians (and Presidents) who then repay the unions with exemptions, entitlements and more taxpayer dollars.
Collusion and fraud at the highest levels.
[no]
I agree, we should transfer the wealth back to corporations. I always feel they are looking out for my best interest. I know that when they are making decisions, that they have me at the highest priority. I also know that corporations would not collude and buy politicians.
Again rather then try to tear down Public sector Unions why not build up private sector unions. That is what this person on the left says...hello.
Hey, lets try this. How about give people the freedom to join or opt out of unions? That would force them to work for their members good rather than their own. Then perhaps people would want unions.
How can the State of Wisconsin go from having to surplus of over $100 million dollars to a deficit that Scott Walker is now using to attack the teachers union?
For his first month in office, though, Walker's been focused on spending money through tax cuts. Two tax cuts he's already signed — along with one that's passed the Assembly — would add about $117 million to the state's budget problem over the next two years.
Ok, just a thought here. But first of all, let me clear out that I am a Democrat and I am also semi pro-union. Semi being a key word.
What I like about unions is that the employees would have an imput in company decisions. Most likely they are not worried about regular employees but mostly concerned with shareholders, bottom line and etc. Having an imput is good.
What I do not like about unions is they they overpriced themselves for the work they are doing. While this may be not true, I am not liking this story I have been hearing that many people do not get hired because they did not want to join the unions at that company.
I think Unions have a purpose but definetly they have gone somewhere else with it. I mostly read that in the beginning it was about safety work conditions, getting paid fairly according to their positions and input in other basic areas.
Now its about high pay (some unions dont get paid well as I would think, police and firefighters being an example) best benefits/pensions, etc.
Maybe I'm wrong here, please try to enlighten me more about this. But this is what I feel about this issue at this moment. a mixed bag really.
And, if this bill does just the right cuts on them I think it is good.
But from what "I" see, it seems they are trying to get the most budget cuts out of this group. I have never hear of other plans they have on cuts on other stuff. All I have heard is to have cuts on the unions to try to balance budget. Not only that, they are cutting other things that has nothing to do to alleviate the immediate budget crisis.
But it is just my 2 centavos on it. Try to enlighten me if I made some mistakes there.
So if public sector unions are the reason for economic problems in states that have them, then why do four of the major right to work states--TX, GA, VA and NC, have some of the biggest deficits in the country--a cumulative total of over 200 billion dollars? The truth is that that unions aren't responsible for this mess--although public employees are going to have to bear the brunt of efforts to fix state budgets through pays cuts and cuts in benefits. We barely escaped from a depression in this country, and we're still in a major recession. How about blaming the people who actually deserve the blame--bankers and wall street who took risks with our money (and who are still making millions of dollars and bonuses). I'm not a democrat--I'm a republican small business owner--and I'm tired of efforts by big business and the far right to try to put the blame for this mess on the backs of the middle class.
I though it was declared we are out of the recession
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
