California Special Election May 19 (Los Angeles, Sacramento: health insurance, salary, law)

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by 4beanie

I read a list of the supporters for 1A, most of them were state employees. How stupid do they think we are. They don't care about the state, they just want to keep getting their same old paycheck, benefits and retirement. To hell with the rest of us.

Actually, it's labor unions representing state employees which is in no way the same as state employees, per se. The unions care no more for the opinions of their cdonstituents than do politicians.

For 25 years I was employed by the state, I cared about those I assisted and served and I recently retired having earned every penny of my retirement and every bit of my benefits, plus some. I weathered take backs, flat wages, furloughs, down-turns, et al.

Please don't paint us all with the same broad brush!

[NewToCA]

I'd hate to interject a fact or two in your little public labor bashing "agreement reality" lovefest, but it appears to me that at least one major public union opposes 1A:


The cynical ads are flooding the airwaves, and deceptive mail is stuffing voters' mailboxes. Prop 1A's supporters are desperately trying to confuse and scare voters.


SEIU - Home Page

[dcashley]

Originally Posted by NewToCA

at least one major public union opposes 1A SEIU - Home Page

EVEN THE STATE WORKERS' UNION IS AGAINST IT!!!

Vote: NO NO NO NO NO NO....

[happ]

It will be a miracle if the propositions pass. Even the Green party is urging "No" [I get their mailings]. And the Democrats are fighting each other over it while Republicans seem totally uninterested. Unions are in conflict with each other. I am still going to vote for the propositions & do my part to help our state. But the governor should have gotten a stronger coalition before putting these measures before the citizens. Too much dissension\ arguing. So what else is new?

[dcashley]

Originally Posted by happ

. I am still going to vote for the propositions & do my part to help our state.

I certainly hope you mean that by voting "to help our state," you will vote NO. These propositions do not help our state. Our state is now the highest taxed, and the most business unfriendly in the nation. We have seen the size of state government double in the last ten years--yet the population has not doubled. Too much government damages long term wealth acquisition. It damages enterprise. It damages freedoms.

The simple fact is that California has a populst legislature and governor. Populist governments MUST have a continuous flow of new revenues--(such as Venezuala with rising oil revenues). We just can not afford this anymore. The size of government MUST be reduced--and the only way that is possible to fix it is to starve the beast. Giving a populist government more money is like giving an alcoholic booze--it may quiet the guy down for awhile, but it doesn't solve the problem

Vote NO NO NO NO NO NO

[bayarea-girl]

My biggest problem with this special election is that there will be a low voter turnout. I've asked many people if they were going to be voting on the 19th and people don't even know that there is an election let alone what they would be voting for.

As progressive we are as a state voting is something we lack doing.

[Lovehound]

Originally Posted by bayarea-girl

My biggest problem with this special election is that there will be a low voter turnout.

That's why these lame propositions were put on this election. They know that people are lazy and few will vote, but meanwhile you can be damned sure that all the public employee unions are urging their union members to turn out and vote to save their jobs, their salaries and their cushy retirements.

I've already voted (by mail). I voted the straight "NO" party line.

[4beanie]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

Actually, it's labor unions representing state employees which is in no way the same as state employees, per se. The unions care no more for the opinions of their cdonstituents than do politicians.

For 25 years I was employed by the state, I cared about those I assisted and served and I recently retired having earned every penny of my retirement and every bit of my benefits, plus some. I weathered take backs, flat wages, furloughs, down-turns, et al.

Please don't paint us all with the same broad brush!

20 lashes for me I agree with you it is unions. I do think the unions "encourage" their members to vote a certain way.

[Lovehound]

It's fair to acknowledge that government employee unions do not speak for 100% of all the government employees. My friend who worked for DWP often told me he was just along for the ride, and had little say in anything the union did. He even would have preferred to keep on working when his union went on strike. In fact later when he reached the first level of management he did work during some of the strikes.

There must be a lot of government employees who realize how insane the situation has become. There must also be a lot who don't care about anything except getting as much as they can.

[4beanie]

Originally Posted by Lovehound

It's fair to acknowledge that government employee unions do not speak for 100% of all the government employees. My friend who worked for DWP often told me he was just along for the ride, and had little say in anything the union did. He even would have preferred to keep on working when his union went on strike. In fact later when he reached the first level of management he did work during some of the strikes.

There must be a lot of government employees who realize how insane the situation has become. There must also be a lot who don't care about anything except getting as much as they can.

I think alot of union members would rather not strike, but are pressured into it. I had a friend who worked for Safeway. When a super walmart was coming to town they were required to go to city council meeting and protest.