Steve King, a member of the national GOP’s executive committee from Wisconsin, explains that Gov. Walker’s proposal to eliminate collective bargaining, union dues collection, and union membership for public employees is really all about weakening the Democratic Party, not about balancing the state’d budget deficit:
“For Republicans, conservatives, this was I think somewhat of a much anticipated event,” said King, noting that the power of public employee unions has been a well-known conservative concern and Republican frustration. If there’s an element of political hardball, of doing “anything to deny the other guy a resource that may be key to them,“
At least Republicans are starting to finally be honest about what this attack on public employees and their unions is all about: weakening the Democratic Party.
It’s just a shame that Republicans are willing to wage war on middle class public employees just to weaken their political opponents, because teachers, police officers, and firefighters shouldn’t be used as pieces in a political chess match.
This is off topic, but has anyone actually seen Scott Walkers birth certificate? I’m beginning to wonder if maybe he was born in Kochistan.
FREEEEEEDOM TACKLE!!!
Maybe we should stop withholding state taxes from paychecks…what’s good for the goose!
Actually, I think that’s a great idea. That’s always been the frog in boiling water – people don’t realize just how much they pay in because it’s taken so gradually. The fact that the vast majority of people are excited to get big refund checks, even count on it as a sort of yearly bonus of “free money” to blow frivolously is a clear symptom of a major problem. If everyone had to write out a check every week or month or quarter (like us self-employed & business owners do) they’d be much more cognizant of the role of government in their lives and would hold their elected officials more accountable.
That said, comparing the withholding from an individual’s paycheck for tax payments with the government withholding and processing (forced) payments to a third party, political organization is about as apples to oranges as it gets.
It’s not quite apples to oranges…more like red delicious to yellow delicious. My employer is forced to withhold and process items for third and fourth party organizations continually…that being the federal and state governments…and not just one item…but several. If discontinuing forcible withholding is a fiscal thing, then the state should stop requiring income tax withholding because it’s a burden on small business and detrimental to the business climate in WI. If we abolished that small and medium businesses would flock to WI and Gov. Walker would have no problem claiming credit for job creation.
But we know it isn’t about fiscal issues…it’s about starving the beast that is unions. Non-union supporters wouldn’t pay, union supporters would, but some would take forever to do it impinging union treasuries cash flows.
Now Gov. Walker would scream to the high heavens if anyone suggested stopping income tax withholding because it would crush the state’s cash flow and truly harm the state’s ability to do business. But as I said, what’s good for the goose…
Locke will get it but for the rest of you…that was sarcasm and my cheek hurts where my tongue was firmly planted against it.