Ryan Price's Soapbox

Well in the first move that is sure to tick a lot of people off, public sector workers (union scum) have taken to the streets with pitchforks. In a move that is very bold, Wisconsin’s governor is trying to close a $3 billion budget deficit by asking that these same union workers give up a few of their benefits for the short term in order to get the state back on track and get job growth and its local economy headed in the right direction. What happened though is exactly what I see going on in Greece and other European nations. People have gotten so dependent on entitlements such as pensions, don’t get me wrong people have rights as workers, but we’re in 2011. Over the last few decades the government has catered to these Unions and giving some of the workers ridiculous benefits that cost states untold amounts of money while the individual contributes nothing.

Think about it, does a firefighter or school teacher need the pension in the six figure range? As it stands now, it takes 6 workers to compensate for the one person receiving the pension. The problem here is that just like the other entitlement programs like social security and Medicare they are unsustainable. Reform and cuts are needed to bring things into balance and those who want to turn a blind eye to it are going to be the most disappointed of all, these are benefits you should be lucky to have and not dependent on. I stand with those in Wisconsin trying to pass these cuts because they need to happen. Same with the federal government and if it causes a shutdown, so be it.

I have heard nothing but bad things about Unions my whole life, I’ve also worked my ass off without them since I was 16 for some excellent companies, so I see Unions as an un necessary step between the worker and the employer. A company doesn’t have to offer you a job nor does it have to provide certain things like health care, dental coverage, eye care, etc. There’s a reason they are called “Benefits”. So all of you in Wisconsin who seem to think taking a slight pay cut is below you versus completely losing your job because cuts in the state budget and payroll are too much, you seriously are stupid and really need to understand that you’re damning your future generations to a life of debt and lesser quality of life. Where are the American citizens who use to help one another and sow the seeds for future generations so that they may have a better life than what they had? I guess those times have come and gone.

What is actually proposed in Wisconsin is this:

• limit collective-bargaining rights for most workers—except police, firefighters and others involved in public safety
• Require state employees, who currently pay little or nothing toward their pensions, to contribute 5.8% of their pay to pensions, and pay at least 12.6% of health-care premiums, up from an average of 6%.

In exchange, Mr. Walker has pledged no layoffs or furloughs for the state’s 170,000 public employees. He has said 5,500 state jobs and 5,000 local jobs would be saved under his plan, which would save $30 million in the current budget and $300 million in the two-year budget that begins July 1. In closing, I think this is a better deal than layoffs and running deficits, regardless something has to be done.

– Ryan Price