Seventy percent of all US senators have never done anything other than hold an elected office. Also known as career politicians they, like everyone else, want to keep their jobs. Keeping their jobs, requires votes. And votes cost.
We all, in a sense, sell our votes. And the prices vary. Some sell their votes for entitlement programs, which are simply benefits. In other words, anything the government "gives" us. But in reality, the government never gives anything. It's all purchased with votes and enabled by spending.
Since there can never be enough taxes to cover it all, money is borrowed to pay for those programs. And the amount of our current national debt is incomprehensible. If you don't mind losing some sleep, look here. We are ALL on the fast road to total bankruptcy.
Is it fixable? Yes. But look at what happens to someone who was brave enough to try.
Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin, ran on a platform of cutting spending in a state, like many others, was buried in debt. We're talking a $3.6 billion deficit. After elected, he kept his promises. He took on public unions which represent state government employees such as teachers, and started requiring them to pay for a portion of their benefits. Like the rest of us do. Gov. Walker eliminated that deficit and turned it into a $300 million surplus without raising taxes. Yet instead of public appreciation, there is a major effort, led by union leaders, to recall him.
The country is watching Wisconsin. Will it support someone who courageously made the tough decisions, putting his job on the line --- or will it succumb to the pressures of union greed and the addiction to benefits ... and vote to return to deficits, debt, and higher taxes?
The US Congress is also watching Wisconsin. It too, has the power to do as Gov. Walker has done. But that takes guts. And it may cost them their jobs because they may lose those ever-precious votes. Voters don't like losing their benefits. They feel entitled to them.
But what does an ex-congressman do, who has never done anything else? That question motivates them to do what it takes, or costs, to keep the only job they know. And we pay the price .... or we will ..... sooner or later.
Scott Walker has done amazing things and they'd be CRAZY to recall him. However, I am a little torn, after having been a teacher for 6 years. The wages are abysmal and asking them to take even less pay (through paying for more of their benefits) doesn't seem right to me. I could barely make it as a single person for the first 3 years of teaching. I'm talking dumpy apartment and top ramen EVERY day. Many people start business that way too, but they also have a MUCH larger and faster earning potential, where much of it is in THEIR control. Good teachers are few and far between in my experience because the pay is SO ridiculously low. Do we really want the good, productive, "go-getter" types to completely leave the profession (most of them already have) or avoid going into it in the first place? It is such an important job and they have such a huge influence on children. I saw most of my students more hours a day than their own parents. I can't count how many times kids called me "mom". It just seems that somehow we would want to attract the *best and brightest* to such an important and influential profession.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the article I linked, eliminating the union's power of collective bargaining freed up the school districts to obtain nearly identical health insurance from a non-union-endorsed company that saved them $3000 per teacher. It also gave them the ability to remove the bad teachers and reward the good ones. They are also free to alter the school schedule to match that of the private schools, saving in busing costs, w/o risk of litigation from the unions. Some of the districts are finally able to go from deficits to balanced budgets. It has also enabled them to hire more teachers and decrease classroom sizes.
DeleteWell that sounds awesome! Don't get me wrong, I'm not pro-union. They are as corrupt as can be. I just don't think teachers should make LESS than they already do by having to pay more for benefits or anything else. Let's hope the article you read was true, because if it is, that is AMAZING, and other states should follow suit!
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