1 goo timing drew, i just put up an article in the headlines section about them cancelling classes so these teachers could protest

2 Wonder how much cash the dems will be out if the dues get cut?  Go Walker!

3

Amen, it's about frigging time.  I was origionally planning on being a history teacher, but you can't get a job without joining a union and i refuse to join a union.

It's sickening this guild system they have set up to keep everyone else out and themselves in.

This will be fought tooth and nail, not just by the teachers but by democrats as most of their political funding comes from union dues

4 This will die quickly in the courts.

5 I could not be more disgusted by these so-called "professionals" and their behavior. It's so clear, everyone can see it. They are shrill and that is the only reason people are afraid to stand up to them.

6

Amen, it's about frigging time.  I was origionally planning on being a history teacher, but you can't get a job without joining a union and i refuse to join a union.

That's hilarious-- me too.  Exactly.

7 I have a better one: Closed-shop unions violate the first amendment.  We have the freedom not to assemble, too.

8 Will there be rebates of property taxes? This is just the start.

9

Amen, it's about frigging time.  I was origionally planning on being a history teacher, but you can't get a job without joining a union and i refuse to join a union.

That's hilarious-- me too.  Exactly.

Yeah, i got a job to pay for my Masters in Secondary Education, but then just stuck with this job rather than go for my masters.

I think there are states in the south where you can teach without joining a union, but I kinda want to stay where I am now. And unions aren't optional here.

10

Drew you should link this clip as a companion.

Scumbags. The whole lot of 'em.

11 So you Yankees might think about passing yourselfs a "right to work" law and start stealing our jobs?

12 I know a lot of young teachers who are out of work and would be willing to take these jobs, my daughter included.

13

have a better one: Closed-shop unions violate the first amendment.  We have the freedom not to assemble, too.

Here in Pennsylvania, or it may just be Allegheny county, they are debating a bill that would allow only unionized companies to get state contracts.

This corrupt enterprise needs to end

14

Not sure you can forbid public employees from contributing to political campaigns, that might be in conflict with rulings on the 1st Amendment. I would rather just outlaw public employee unions altogether, although this might be too early for some states. To do that I think you might need to provoke them and allow them to illustrate to the private sector that public employee unions are toxic. I think that this governor's approach (eliminating compulsory dues and membership) is the best way to attack the problem because I suspect that a good number would simply drop out.

All of the teachers who called in sick should be fired. He could probably cover that 6,000 number immediately with the teachers alone.

15

I live in Ohio, and the Senate is pushing a bill (Senate Bill 5) that would rewrite existing collective bargaining laws for public employees.  It's been amusing watching the reactions of a number of my friends, a number of whom happen to teach in public schools.  They keep claiming the bill will "rob them of their voice" and "take away their right to fair and equitable pay".

To which I invariably respond:  "Nobody's depriving you of your First Amendment rights" and "What the hell is wrong with merit-based pay increases?"

Of course, in the end it does always come down to:  "It's for the children..."

16 4 This will die quickly in the courts.

Posted by: Truman North at February 17, 2011 10:18 AM (8ay4x)

How so?

17 I heard the Madison school district head was going to require a note from a medical doctor for every teacher who took a "sick" day - no note and they will be punished with some slap on the wrist. Apparently, if a teacher misses a day with less than 3 days notice, the teacher must provide a medical note to substantiate the taking of the sick day. Hopefully the school district head will stick to his guns and punish the teachers.

18 Republicans in Congress could learn a lesson from this. Your starting position is something you want or better, not a "reasonable" compromise offer.

19 The National Guard seems to have misplaced their rubber
projectiles. They will be carrying FMJ as of this morning. Thank you and God Bless.

20

It's been amusing watching the reactions of a number of my friends, a number of whom happen to teach in public schools. 

Indeed! I've been enjoying watching their collective meltdown.

 

21 As a lifelong Chicago Bears fan, I may actually stop cursing the GB Packers out loud, and only do it under my breath because of this.

22 4 This will die quickly in the courts.

How so?

23

All of the teachers who called in sick should be fired. He could probably cover that 6,000 number immediately with the teachers alone.

Do what they did in the Simpsons, bring in old timers.

24 Publish the government teachers GRE's and SAT scores. This will really sicken the public

25

Althouse.com (filled with Wisconsinites/Madisonians(?)) has some pretty good footage from the protest yesterday. Also some local Libs chiming in on the conversation.

 

26 Schools have been shut down as unionized teachers conducted an organized “sick out” and brought their students to join the march against Walker.

I'm sure the unions and their stooge teachers are going through all this trouble just "for the children", *sarc*.

Its about farking time people took the fight to these corrupt, parasitic unions. 

Alas, as Truman North pointed out, the courts probably aren't going to side with Walker.

27 I have been waiting for a life time to see the Republican party adopt the "equality before the law" keystone to their platform. How is it in a nation that speaks of equal rights ad naseum that union labor is a protected class while free labor exists as a second class. How can a government institution which is sworn to treat all equally be allowed to favor a class of people? Every union state has laws on its books to privlidge union members at the expense of free men and women. Is this not the real "civil rights" campaign of our age?

28

They keep claiming the bill will "rob them of their voice" and "take away their right to fair and equitable pay".

Question: What do they teach?  Because I'm betting that their union keeps the math and science teachers' salaries artificially low.

29 Here's a clue for obammy:  Some neighbors are whining about not receiving pay raises while other neighbors have been frantically looking for work for months after being laid of due to your crappy economy.

30

But... But... it's for the children!

Wanna talk balls?  Try this:  Those teachers who had, coincidentally, two consecutive "sick" days at the exact same time, are now fired.  You wanted a union, and your union has rules for protesting policy decisions.  Ask any of the kids you've expelled over the years for drawing a picture of a gun what following the rules means.

As for the rest of you teachers, Your workload has now doubled, as you will be teaching max-capacity classes for the rest of the year to fill in for the teachers we've fired.  You don't like it?  Fine.  Try getting a job in the private sector, with your valuable skill set at babysitting.

Those teachers who've been relieved of their teaching positions are also relieved of their state teaching certification--permanently--for misconduct.  All monies contributed to retirement pensions are also forfeit. 

All tenure is hereby revoked.

We have 410,000 people in this country out of work.  I'm certain some of them would be very happy teaching Johnny to keep his booger hooks to himself while explaining how civics and basic math works.

 

31

As a lifelong Chicago Bears fan, I may actually stop cursing the GB Packers out loud, and only do it under my breath because of this.

I will never forgive them. Ever.

32

Also, the other nice part about this (in terms of public consumption) is that he's giving these government employees a choice: end collective bargaining, start paying for more of your own insurance, stop forcing membership OR 6,000 of your co-workers get laid off. Your choice.

I find it hard to believe that private sector employees are going to have much sympathy for these government workers when the economy is in this bad of shape.

33 16 4 This will die quickly in the courts.

Posted by: Truman North at February 17, 2011 10:18 AM (8ay4x)

How so?

 

Don't ask me how.  Some crooked judge will kill this.  What Walker is doing is not part of the plan to proletariatize the nation and therefore shall be stopped at any cost.

34 Where is the TEA Party? You would think they would be organized enough to counter protest these hoodlums.

35

Wages should be measured by political power not productivity.

36 Obama is absolutely correct.  It IS an assault on the unions.  Faster please.

And, only 6,000.  Come on, Guvnor, use the meat axe, not the scalpel.

37

Don't ask me how.  Some crooked judge will kill this.  What Walker is doing is not part of the plan to proletariatize the nation and therefore shall be stopped at any cost.

Posted by: Truman North at February 17, 2011 10:29 AM (8ay4x)

ok, I was just wonder what in the world this could go to court for?  Is what Walker doing against any law or past ruling of the courts?

38

For the children.

The stupid, stupid children.

39 Only properly compensated, highly trained, united and organized professional educators can properly arrange items on a bulletin board.

40

Where is the TEA Party? You would think they would be organized enough to counter protest these hoodlums.

not in Madison I would assume.

 

Does anyone find it funny that the most liberal populations in any state often reside in the capital city?

41

I'm watching the coverage of the Madison, Wisconsin statehouse right now on Fox, and the intensity of the venom and anger of unions goons and their enablers is frightening.  It's hard to tell the difference between the mob in Madison and the mobs in the middle east. 

If those people are actually teachers, they should all be fired immediately.  I wouldn't want anybody with that much hate and anger in them to be anywhere near my kids.

42 Union bustin!  Hell yeah!  Lazy fucks.

43 34 Where is the TEA Party? You would think they would be organized enough to counter protest these hoodlums.

They're busy with stuff like real jobs and such, the kind you can't just take a sick day off to protest for a corruption organization such as a teacher's union. 

Wisconsin Teacher Salaries and Benefits.

The website doesn't lie:

People often believe that teachers don't make a lot of money. Those in the know, though, are aware that compensation in the education industry can be quite generous, especially when you factor in the great vacation schedule and the comprehensive benefits packages that usually go along with teaching.

44 About time for sanity.  Might be a good idea to contact your governor and suggest they do what Walker is doing in WI, and, maybe suggest they say No, thank you to the feds generous waste of tax money for high speed rail, like Gov. Rick Scott did in FL. I even went as far as contacting the FL and WI governors to support their actions.
It just burns me up that these union thugs are outraged at having to pay for their OWN benefits.

45

"Where is the TEA Party? "

 

At work. We don't get paid to protest like the Teachers do. Besides, counter-protests over something like this would be kind of pointless. The Legislation is already a done deal (pending the potential Judicial screw-job).

46

Obama is absolutely correct.  It IS an assault on the unions.  Faster please.

And, only 6,000.  Come on, Guvnor, use the meat axe, not the scalpel.

Assuming the teachers make 80,000 dollars in wages, benefits, retirement, etc, firing 6000 teachers translates into 480 million dollars in savings.

47 Make sure you look into what's happening with the state legislature in Tennessee. Similar stuff.

The local Nashville liberal paper is outraged, I say.

48

Public employees should not be allowed to unionize

This

Public employee unions are a cancer.  They've destroyed California, whose legislators absolutely will not say no to them.  The rest of us are expeced to slave away so they can live in regal style, untouched by accountability or deprivation in a bad economy.

49 34 Where is the TEA Party?

Working?

50 I think Obama is just mad that Walker turned down over 800 million dollars in funding for high speed rail projects in Wisconsin.

Obama also hand-picked the Dem nominee Walker beat last Nov, which is to say: No one wanted to be the sacrificial lamb until Tom Barrett got orders from Barry.

51

...what in the world this could go to court for?  Is what Walker doing against any law or past ruling of the courts?

 

It doesn't matter.  Case law doesn't matter.  The Constitution doesn't matter.  Existing statute doesn't matter.  Civility doesn't matter.  Common sense doesn't matter.  The lives and livelihoods of the private sector proletariat do not matter.

To the modern Democrat, Nothing matters except feeding the beast.

52

Don't ask me how.  Some crooked judge will kill this.  What Walker is doing is not part of the plan to proletariatize the nation and therefore shall be stopped at any cost.

Posted by: Truman North at February 17, 2011 10:29 AM (8ay4x)

Well, OK then, but this is Wisconsin, NOT Chicago. 

53

#40.

Parasites can't be far away from their host.

54

Dear god they work some 180-200 days a f*cking year and they get paid full years wages.

It's sickening, frigging sickening. This pisses me off to no end.

55 @4 Why are you such a Debbie Downer lately?

but public employees are "neighbors" like teachers, firefighters, social workers and police officers....Yeah, well the teachers are showing us their asses right now, so screw them.  And I doubt they will be "neighbors" once they retire to Florida on 80% of their total pay and full healthcare benefits.

56 Walker has said that if lawmakers donÂ’t agree to his plan, he will be forced to lay off 6,000 of the stateÂ’s 170,000 workers.


From Walker's lips to God's ears.  I bet there are 6000 unemployed people in WI who would LOVE to have a  job.  Any. job.
Wonder if Walker has the cajones?

57 2. About DAMN time

58

#38

What kind of parents see this and don't instantly recoil against the teachers' unions?

There isn't even an attempt to tell the children why they are protesting. They are just herding them out of the classrooms, giving them signs, and telling them to scream. The students' enthusiasm to do all of this shows how ineffective the teachers are the few days the kids actually stay in the classroom.

59 Raddish is doing yeomans work on this stuff!

Follow her on twitter morons! Plus you get a kitteh and a beer

60 Posted by: Gov. Walker at February 17, 2011 10:25 AM (EL+OC)

I would suggest hollow points to minimize collateral damage.

61 especially when you factor in the great vacation schedule

Even without summers off, there's a lot to be said for knowing you'll never have to cancel a vacation or Christmas to come in and meet a deadline. Or a call schedule--my dad misses every other Christmas.

62

If Zero Tolerance is the right policy for the students then surely it is the right policy for the teachers.

Consistency - Do it for the children....

63

they get paid full years wages.

I thought in a lot of districts they were actually paid for nine months and could spread it out over 12 months.

64

Given the mood of that crowd in Madison, it would be suicide to be a counter-protestor up there today.  This is just the tip of the iceberg, there will be mob actions like this throughout the USA as the results of the Obama Economy continue to grind us down.

The public employee goons are not going to give up their access to your wallet without a fight.

Hey, Biden was right after all. Gird your loins!!!

65

Question: What do they teach?  Because I'm betting that their union keeps the math and science teachers' salaries artificially low.

Posted by: AmishDude at February 17, 2011 10:27 AM (BvBKY)

Most of them are kindergarten/elementary school teachers, and one works with special needs children.  They believe everything they're told by the union, and sincerely believe life as they know it will end if the union's stranglehold is broken.  They're good people, close friends and all, they just can't be reasoned with when it comes to understanding the destructive nature of unions.

Believe me, I've tried.

66

 Schools have been shut down as unionized teachers conducted an organized “sick out” and brought their students to join the march against Walker.

And the beat goes on...

All your chrildrens are now belong to us.

These people are sick.

 

 

 

67 Well, OK then, but this is Wisconsin, NOT Chicago.

Not much difference.  Milwaukee aspires to be as corrupt as Chicago.

68 "I think it's important not to vilify them or to suggest that somehow all these budget problems are due to public employees," he said.

So if the problem isn't public sector salaries and benefits, what is it?

69

Every union state has laws on its books to privlidge union members at the expense of free men and women. Is this not the real "civil rights" campaign of our age?

They're racist. Bottom line, they've got more of a barrier to entry than any other institution in America and you get in by having contacts.

That's what has been shown in stark relief for me since Obama's election.  Liberals live in a world not of merit and results but of contacts and brown-nosing.

70 Heck, while we are at it let's truly solve the problem by eliminating government education itself. This insane reflex to let government educate our children like we are frakking Borg must end.

71 and cheeese

72 Oh, and the leader of the Wisconsin House of Reps is on the phone right now on Fox, and he's not willing to be on camera due to security concerns.  Says some legislators have received death threats.

73 and brought their students to join the march against Walker.

I'm trying to figure out how they were able to take kids off-campus without signed permission slips from parents.

74 Another dirty liberal demacRAT showing just how lower lifeforms like worms like him can get

75 I despise the teachers' union.  Our first day of kindergarten up north, the teachers in our kid's school were all wearing these red buttons threatening to strike if they had to pay one cent toward their medical and dental insurance.  Welcome to elementary school, honey.

I loathe government schools. 

Another swell memory was the "winter" music festival.  Christmas was not allowed to be mentioned.  The kiddies sang Hanuka songs (totally fine), but the one "Christmas" song was "Jingle bells, jingle bells, shopping time is here."  Seriously.  All about the greed of the Christmas season.

Bastards.

76  Schools have been shut down as unionized teachers conducted an organized “sick out” and brought their students to join the march against Walker.

So...how exactly are these teachers getting away with misusing sick time like this? In the private sector taking a sick day and getting caught not being sick is conceivably a firing offense...

77 Posted by: Zakn at February 17, 2011 10:37 AM (zyaZ1)

No blowjob? Forget it.

78 There is a huge cognitive dissonance leap with these unions. If the "workers" don't want you how is that union busting? It's CHOICE.

79

#38

What kind of parents see this and don't instantly recoil against the teachers' unions?

There isn't even an attempt to tell the children why they are protesting. They are just herding them out of the classrooms, giving them signs, and telling them to scream. The students' enthusiasm to do all of this shows how ineffective the teachers are the few days the kids actually stay in the classroom.

Paper, you clearly do not know any union thugs.  Most liberals would probably send their kids to protest with the teachers.  Look at the pics and see if there are any kids playing hooky to protest for their teacher to get a good grade???

80 Posted by: HeatherRadish at February 17, 2011 10:39 AM (nAOMZ)

Very good point. Sounds like kidnapping to me.

81 66. RabidSquirrel (and I like that moniker!) I'm starting to think they are all superfluous, your friends. Finland has it right. No formal schooling until 7 or 8. I see my daughter JUST NOW at 8 really enjoying and learning at school. Anything before that is just daycare really. Compulsory schooling should start at 8 and end at 16, to my mind. That's plenty of time for these shining examples of learning to have at them.

82 I work in an industry that expect 10% turnover of employees every year.  If it doesn't get to 10%, they try to push out enough to make it 10%.  They figure that 10% of the workforce is always "below par" and need to be sent packing.

While 10% may be a bit high, I can see a 2 to 5% turnover in teaching .. that may deserve to be institutionalized as policy as a backstop to tenure.

83 Does anyone know the makeup of the Wisconsin legislature?

We have a new young hero on the state level.  Conservative politics have a bright future.

84 First, you will blow me.

85

55 @4 Why are you such a Debbie Downer lately?

I'm the original Eyore.  I'm always a downer. 

The TEA movement in Congress got the leadership to agree to try to pass a budget which borrows 1/15th less than the president's budget;  The 2/3-majority-GOP Rules Cmte just scuttled an amendment that would defund Obamacare.

And there are exactly 3 governors nationwide with the common sense to opt out of commuter rail-- until a court order makes them take the money and the debt.

Our leaders on both sides of the aisle are silent on the middle east.  It's like Hitler came back to life, and the CIA director is calling him "a bi-partisan vegetarian".  And Obama just started fucking Israel in the ass.

China owns our debt-- but more importantly, owns kajillions in dollar-denominated financial vehicles.  They could destroy our economy before we could land a single ICBM in Bejing, and it really wouldn't hurt them all that badly, just by signalling the markets that they're looking to sell off their dollar holdings sometime in the future.

And the fucking public teachers unions are threatening people with death for exercising management techniques which somewhat approach prudence.

 

Look.  We're fractally fucked.  There is no good way out of any of this.  That's why I've been such a downer lately.

86

The unemployment rate is still above 9 percent (officially), right?  Fire all these losers that don't show up for work, and replace them with people who actually want to work.  Assuming some of the funemployed actually want to work.

87 Is Walker single?

88

Government school teachers, among others, are not happy and have shut down entire school districts across the state for two days so they can protest.

Perfect example of why these crime syndicates need to be banned. 

I've been listening to this on Beck this AM, and seething with this organized band of thugs who are nothing more than street gangs looking to mug me and steal my wallet.  The sense of entitlement and the emboldening of the mob is insane.  Reality must assert itself and these criminal conspiracies have to be smashed and the Left it empowers defunded.

 

89 Posted by: Islamic Rage Boy at February 17, 2011 10:41 AM (tvs2p)

Rumor has it that Goldman Sachs does the same thing. They dump the worst performers every year, hire new blood, and keep everyone on their toes! I wonder if that might have something to do with their success?

90

For the children.

The stupid, stupid children.

Is it me, or do two of them look / sound illegal? In Wisconsin, no less.

91

#66.

Yep. Have you seen the studies on the SAT and GRE scores of education majors relative to other students? It is beyond depressing. It is hard to reason with them because they have an emotional rather than an intellectual connection to their profession. 

On top of that, education programs are four-year indoctrination camps focused on how teaching is a profession, teachers are underpaid, teachers are underappreciated, etc. Teachers leave as an education major with a chip on their shoulder, convinced of their superiority and worth.

92

We accidentally got on the afl-cio email list, my husband the lawyer being mistaken for his brother the verizon line worker. The emails they send out make Ed Shultz look like Rush Limbaugh. It's absolutely incredible. If you hated the union and knew they were corrupt and hurting america and you decided to not believe them, their worldview would have already so corrupted your mind that you wouldn't be able to even function on the same level as the sane. These people are so far to the left Lenin would have rejected them.

93 Says some legislators have received death threats.

That shit started the second week of January, shortly after the Giffords shooting.

Raddish is doing yeomans work on this stuff!

Radish is cribbing off cheesehead bloggers.   I've met some of them, they drink the second Tuesday of every month. You can DM me if you're interested.

94 Compulsory education is also an Un-American crime against Freedom.

95

Not for the children but

Por los ninos

96

I'm trying to figure out how they were able to take kids off-campus without signed permission slips from parents.

looks like the Dildo beat me to it. It sounds like kidnapping to me too

97

I was talking to a superior court judge who had an interesting story to tell.

A while back, a new Presiding Judge was installed in a L.A. Superior Court.  Because the system was facing large budget cuts, his first order of business to find expenses that could be reduced.  His eyes fell upon the government-paid union employees who worked as custodians in the courthouses.  Their pay was astronomical.

He put the job out for bid by private companies and eventually selected a company that promised to do the same job for a fraction of the cost of the union boys.

Before the contract could be signed, a special bill was quietly rammed through the Legislature that prohibited Los Angeles County from contracting courthouse custodial services to private companies.  The privatization idea had to be dropped, and to this day expensive public union employees do the custodial work in the county courthouses.

It's just an anecdote, but it demonstrates the kind of pull that the public employee unions have with the legislature, and why California is fast on its way to becoming America's First Failed State®.

98 @91 That, and rent-seeking.

99 Since when is a Union Member considered a Professional?

100 How did that saying go again? Oh yeah: "I WON"

101 I object to the Christie comparisons. Walker is actually doing something. Christie is a grandstanding gasbag.

102 101 Since when is a Union Member considered a Professional?

I always felt that way, too, but airline pilots seem to be thought of as professionals and they're unionized.  The whole thing is crazy. 

103 If some jackass took my kid off campus to a protest without my permission, the lawsuit would have their head exploding.

104 Posted by: nickless at February 17, 2011 10:44 AM (MMC8r)

WTF?  I thought I banned that guy?

105

And I doubt they will be "neighbors" once they retire to Florida on 80% of their total pay and full healthcare benefits.

My father in law's younger and sorta retarded brother retired at 47 to Vegas on 80% salary plus extra for the overtime he purposely worked. He had been a NYC sanitation worker.

I'm not kidding.

106 Don't forget the big scam of teachers getting paid more money for getting a Master's on their resume, even ones from some online one from Timbuktu that has NOTHING to do with that teachers current grade/class education curriculum.  They even get taxpayer money to pay for it in a lot of areas.

And they say that getting advanced degrees doesn't give you increased pay...

btw CDR M, what do you think of this?

Iran will send 2 warships through the Suez Canal, confirms unidentified naval official to Iranian state-run Press TV http://buswk.co/igyg8U

107 I don't give a shit if this gets tossed by the courts. Fine. Layoff 10,000 state workers. I had to go to the Brazilian consulate to get a visa last year. The consulate is located in an office building that is attached the the Park Plaza hotel, one of the most expensive and posh places in Boston. AFSCME was holding a national meeting with union fucks from across the country with our tax dollars in the Park Plaza for 3 frigging days. Fuck you corrupt public unions. I have no sympathy at all for these leeches. It feels great to be on offense for a change.

108 Being totally honest here, if I am a private sector employee making 20% more than a public sector employee and I take that extra 20% and invest it in say my 401k, will I be better off or worse off than a public sector employee making 20k less but who will be at some point getting a pension?

109

Most of them are kindergarten/elementary school teachers, and one works with special needs children.  They believe everything they're told by the union, and sincerely believe life as they know it will end if the union's stranglehold is broken.  They're good people, close friends and all, they just can't be reasoned with when it comes to understanding the destructive nature of unions.

Believe me, I've tried.

Posted by: rabidsquirrel at February 17, 2011 10:38 AM (RuF8n)

Well, without the union, they are screwed.  In a free market, even with "teacher's certification" and all of that as a barrier to entry, the union is the only thing keeping them from minimum wage.

110 My sister teaches in Wisconsin and her union dues that she currently pays would probably cover the cost of the health care increase and part of the retirement increase as well, if the equivocate R to W laws for the state. Forced joining is the only thing that allows the unions any resemblance of legitimacy in this country anymore, because without it, unions would only spring up with legitimate grievances. She is very conservative and anti-union, but in the clear minority. If the only thing that they for sure pass is the Right to Work portion of the law, it will have a profound affect.

111 O/T  Heh.  Going to see Karl "Bush's Brain" Rove Sunday afternoon as part of the Savannah Book Festival.

Can't wait to walk through the phalanx of libtard SCAD student protesters.  They're apoplectic over Teh Evul Rove being "allowed" to speak.

112 I have a thought on this situation too. Fuck the damn unions. You go Govenor Walker. Unions are the darlings of the fucking communist/socialists and therefore an enemy of freedom.

113 I wish these public employee union members would be honest.  Governor Walker doesn't pay their checks out of his own pocket.  If these fucking cry babies were honest, they would have posters like:  "Open your wallets you  taxpaying Hitlers".  Or, "Taxpayers are the Mubarak of Wisconsin".  Or, "We don't care if taxpayers go broke, give us your fucking money".  Come on public employee union members...be honest.

114

Christie is a grandstanding gasbag.

Yes, that's why the New Jersey public sec unions love him so much.  You can judge a man by his enemies, you know.

Next.

115 but public employees are "neighbors" It's a bad neighborhood when everybody's staring at your wallet.

116 Assuming some of the funemployed actually want to work.

I've considered this, but I wouldn't last the first semester, because I'd be tossing every kid disrupting the class or disrespecting me. I don't care if you'd rather fuck around than graduate, but I feel very strongly that the kids who WANT to learn should be protected from the thugs and hos.

117 110 Being totally honest here, if I am a private sector employee making 20% more than a public sector employee and I take that extra 20% and invest it in say my 401k, will I be better off or worse off than a public sector employee making 20k less but who will be at some point getting a pension?

Posted by: EM August at February 17, 2011 10:50 AM (zeBNm)

About the same if you are investing that 20% and did so from the beginning as long as you don't live to 100.

118 I followed Drew's advice, bit the bullet and joined twitter to support walker.

119 Just for the record, we have a Conservative-leaning Supreme Court in this state. Unless the Fed overturns it, it'll stay. And if they do... say bye bye to 6,000 or more jobs. Plain and simple.

Walker's not been one who doesn't mean what he says.

120 Since when is a Union Member considered a Professional?

Posted by: Barbarian at February 17, 2011 10:47 AM (EL+OC)

Uff da -- you're doing it wrong -- since when are professionals allowed to become union members?

121 @110 The question is moot.  If you are making 20% more, than presumably you are worth more to your employer.  You SHOULD be better off if you invest the difference.  That there is even any question of who is better off sort of illustrates the point that teacher pensions are bullshit.

122

Re 99:  A bill was passed in Illinois a couple of years ago, that prevents any unit of local government from even NEGOTIATING a privitization contract while a union contract is in effect.  If you as a local town want to out-source your janitorial service, you have to wait until the janitor's union contract expires, and then you can start looking for a replacement.  And of course, the buildings will have to be left to get dirty while you go through the process of putting the contract out for bid, etc.

Oh and in Illinois, they have a "prevailing wage" law, which means that even if you hire an out-sourced, non-union firm, that firm has to pay their workers union wages, and the firm has to provide proof of that to any other unit of government, AND TO THE UNIONS THEMSELVES!!! Yes, the unions are allowed to file "Freedom of Information Act" requests with local units of government, and demand the pay records of anybody the union wants to look at.  And people wonder why Illinois has a total unfunded liability of around $130 BILLION dollars. 

123

I thought I read this  morning that that ship movement was NOT going to happen now.  At least according to Egyptian officials.

Posted by: CDR M at February 17, 2011 10:53 AM (5I8G0)

I keep seeing conflicting reports, Iranians denying they withdrew their request for passage...yadda yadda

124 This is just one day in a very long battle.  As with Islamic Jihad, this enemy is going to take a lot of resources to defeat, and victory will depend on the will of the American people to do so.

I don't see that will there now.  And The One's statement this morning, that these "folks" are "our friends and neighbors," is a carefully crafted message to deflect the public view.

The Right should be adopting Saul Alinsky tactics to go after this cancer in our midst.

125 Obama said Walker's efforts to eliminate collective bargaining rights for state employees "seems like more of an assault on unions."

Ding, Ding, Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

Even though he should have said "public sector unions".

126

Heh.

Someone should 'encourage' them to do something very public and very ill-advised while they picket.

Nothing like being exposed for the monsters they are to get sympathy cratering...

127 I thought I read this  morning that that ship movement was NOT going to happen now.  At least according to Egyptian officials.

The Iranians (and/or the Egyptians) are playing games:

(Update to the story):

“Until now we don’t have any information or a license from any ministry in Egypt,” the authority’s head of traffic, Ahmed El Manakhly, said in a phone interview. Earlier, he said Egypt’s Defense Ministry must approve any vessel’s use of the canal.

Press TV cited an unidentified naval official as saying Iranian officials were in contact with Egyptian officials to arrange passage for the warships, and that Egyptian authorities believe there was nothing wrong with their planned journey. The broadcaster said the official was confirming previous reports that Iranian warships would use the waterway.

Keeping the exact date of the Suez Canal crossing a mystery plays into the Iranian's hands (for market uncertainties' sake), although I'm sure the Israelis have eyes on the ships right now.

128

I thought I read this  morning that that ship movement was NOT going to happen now.  At least according to Egyptian officials.

Posted by: CDR M at February 17, 2011 10:53 AM (5I8G0)

I keep seeing conflicting reports, Iranians denying they withdrew their request for passage...yadda yadda

Target practice for Israeli submarines.  What's Hebrew for "kewl"?

129

School districts shut down NOT a coincidence, claims this blogger. May have found it from Malkin's blog, but I'm not sure about that.

 There is a coordinated message in who's shutdown.

 

130

I can't stand the 'professional' nonsense from unions.

They will do anything(!) to attempt to deny that productivity is linked to wages. The education people are convinced that they are paid less than doctors, lawyers, engineers, not because there are different requirements for teachers, more people could complete these jobs, and there are not clear measures for productivity, but because they do not have equal 'professional status'.

Honestly, you backed into fucking college with an 800 SAT score after a six-month test prep program, then struggled through your education major making dioramas about how to teach 'Black History Month' and celebrate women's influences in 18th century France. You sit in a comfortable classroom for half the year making sure the kids don't hurt themselves while you feed them animal crackers and sing alphabet songs. Shut the fuck up about being a damn professional.

131 Uff da -- you're doing it wrong -- since when are professionals allowed to become union members? Boeing engineers. Required.

132 Daniels is going for full school choice here in Indiana.
Teachers here are calling him "anti education"..
Union is whipping up pure hatred against Daniels now.
ridiculous. 

133 Not sure who has the authority in Wisconsin to fire teachers, but either the Governor or the local authorities should demand that the teachers return to their classrooms or be fired on the spot. (C.f. Ronald Reagan and the Air Traffic Controllers.)  Frankly, any halfway dedicated person with a college degree would be better for the kids than these things.  From the look of them and the content of their placards, most of them should never have been allowed near students in the first place.

134 if I am a private sector employee making 20% more than a public sector employee and I take that extra 20% and invest it in say my 401k, will I be better off... Oh, hi! Say, how much is in that 401k? We don't need it yet, but we have lots of state teacher pensions to bail out...

135 Boeing engineers. Required.

Rockwell Collins, too, at least the engineering technicians. My friend who works there stopped bitching about it when he got some seniority and realized he's set for life, as long as he shows up sober.

136 Unions?  They are everywhere that Federal government money shows up.  NC is a right to work state and it is against the law for government employee to be in a union or for a government to have a union contract. 

Soo, how does the local bus system have unions?  The city has a contract with a shadow company that negotiates with the union,  Bingo, bus system gets fed money and drivers get union wages.

Do you think this is ever written about in the local paper or the MSM? 

137 Christie is a grandstanding gasbag.

I think this is the most hysterically funny criticism of Christie.  Especially considering the grandstanding we see from people who are on the sidelines, not running anything. 

138 Just how would folks stop paying taxes to protest public unions?

139

Modern liberalism is about 'freedom from risk'.

You are free from the risk of losing your job because you are a bad worker.

You are free from the risk of declining health because you made bad choices.

You are free from the risk of poverty because you are lazy or unmotivated.

Teachers like other public employees want absolute security and zero risk (tenure, automatic raises, defined-benefit pensions) with no responsibilities. Modern liberalism at its finest.

140

I was a member of AFSCME local 55 in Wisconsin in the 70's. Back then the union was all about electing liberal politicians to office. Your union dues were used to elect people that you didn't vote for such as Patrick J. Loser er Lucy.  There was no opting out of the portion of dues used for political purposes like there is today.

 While going through the interview process for my job it was stressed that pay was below industry for comparable work but the retirement package was bettter. How things have changed. Now government employees surpass industry in all catagories.

141 When Wisconsin rejected the rail money, they wanted to use it for real infrastructure needs, like crumbling roads. 

Obama said no ... he only wants "infrastructure" funded for what you don't need or want, that we can crow about, and that will support more union forces.

142 And make them non-union and base their pay on economic reality.
Posted by: CDR M
-------
It's not their pay that is the problem.  That already is based on economic reality.  Areas in Wisconsin that have higher costs of living pay their teachers more.  (Follow someone's link above for the numbers)

It's the damned benefits that are killing the states.75-80% of you final salary for the rest of your life!?!?!  Totally paid health care??? That is fucking crazy.  And they have a scheme where they boost your salary for the final few years to make it even higher.. they give extra bonuses, salary increases, etc. just for that purpose.  It's a freakin' scam.

And when their retirement fund gets hit by a bad stock market, do their bennies go down?  Nope!  The taxpayer has to make up the shortfall!

We need to fight to convert all public employee retirement systems to 401(k)'s. Take the current value and pro-rate it out to all participants.

143 Good grief.

144 You are free from the risk of declining health because you made bad choices.

No, you're still gonna lose brain function from smoking all that dope. What you're "free" from is paying the home health aide who comes in to change your diapers.

145 I thought you could only take kids off campus without permission if they were going to get an abortion. /s

146

Of course, the Lib shitbags left the Statehouse area trashed. Damn, I should've predicted that yesterday, but I forgot.  Pics at Althouse.

147 CDR M, from Strategy Page

The Revolution Has Been Cancelled

February 17, 2011: Iranian leaders have proclaimed the Egyptian popular overthrow of their long-time dictator as the beginning of an Islamic revolution that will sweep the  Islamic world. Acting on this delusion, Iran has sent two warships (a frigate and a supply ship) to pass through the Suez canal. By international treaty, any nations can do this, as long as they are not at war. Many Islamic nations are technically at war with Israel, but no matter. Egypt confirmed that the two Iranian ships would be allowed through. The ships are apparently headed for Iranian client-state Syria. This is the first time Iranian ships have passed through the canal since the 1970s, and the 1979 revolution that overthrew the monarchy. The Iranian ships were to have passed through the canal last night, but they didn't. Egyptian canal officials reported that Iran had cancelled the transit.

Why the Iranians cancelled last night's transit is the 1 million dinar question.

148 152 I thought you could only take kids off campus without permission if they were going to get an abortion. /s

Posted by: tcn at February 17, 2011 11:13 AM (DjPot)

Or to visit a mosque

149 Looking at Christie, Cuomo, and Walker, I think we are in the middle of a game-changing revolution in American politics. There is a shitload of anti-union sentiment in this country--even among libtards. From what I've seen with my own eyes, hardcore members of any given union are resentful and disdainful of other unions.

150 Bring. It. On.

Obama said everyone has to recognize "fiscal realities," but public employees are "neighbors" like teachers, firefighters, social workers and police officers. "I think it's important not to vilify them or to suggest that somehow all these budget problems are due to public employees," he said.

Important not to vilify them? You mean like how THEY vilify conservatives and tax payers in general? No, we wouldn't want to do that.

These Budget problems are DIRECTLY due to public employees unions; unions which can be busted up by the employees themselves. Since the employees choose not to do so, they are directly responsible.

151

It just shows you where Obama's real passion lies that he's commenting on this.

The guy is a relic.  He thinks in 19th century terms. 

152

Of course, the Lib shitbags left the Statehouse area trashed. Damn, I should've predicted that yesterday, but I forgot.  Pics at Althouse.

"If I'm a great worker, why are you treating me this way?"

Umm, because you think it's cool to skip work and leave your sign as garbage, for starters?

153 Obama had $800 million in cash moneyz for his stupid electric choo-choo (or General Electric choo-choo) but he didn't want to give it to the teachers. Shouldn't they be pissed at him?

154 unemployment ... no need to write any more

155

but public employees are "neighbors" like teachers, firefighters, social workers and police officers.

Yeah. The house down the street, sold to a city policeman and his city policewoman wife for $980,000. My lawyer husband and I bought the same model but in 1997 for $270,000. They are indeed neighbors, apparently millionaire neighbors.

156 160 Obama had $800 million in cash moneyz for his stupid electric choo-choo (or General Electric choo-choo) but he didn't want to give it to the teachers. Shouldn't they be pissed at him?   Time to pit them against each other.

157 Of course, the Lib shitbags left the Statehouse area trashed.

Their contract doesn't say they have to do landscaping. o_O

158

Of course, the Lib shitbags left the Statehouse area trashed. Damn, I should've predicted that yesterday, but I forgot.  Pics at Althouse.

"If I'm a great worker, why are you treating me this way?"

Umm, because you think it's cool to skip work and leave your sign as garbage, for starters?

Posted by: Mama AJ at February 17, 2011 11:19 AM (XdlcF)

Just helpin out their fellow union buddies, shovel ready jobs baby!

159

You see, liberals use violent rhetoric 'ironically'. They are just mocking what conservatives have said. Think of liberals engaging in seemingly hateful speech as a type of performance art meant to illuminate the hate that is conservatism.  

 

160

Pics (h/t commenters above) of the trashed capitol area by the teachers' union protesters.

161 Hopefully the term "Union Buster" will finally gain the righteous status that it deserves.

162

Sadly enough, i am willing to bet 100 bucks that the governor and legislature back down.

163 If one of those teachers took my kid to a demonstration without me signing a permission slip, I'd be at the police station filing kidnapping charges on their ass. And if violence broke out at the demonstration and my kid got hurt, Lord help ease their pain when I get through with them, because there will be pain o' plenty.

164 I wouldn't rule out the unionized teachers making a horrible mess to scratch the backs of the unionized janitors cleaning up the mess so the janitors can get ridiculous overtime wages built into their bloated contract.

165 When crowds of citizens start beating up union thugs, call me.

166

Palin/Walker 2012?

I hope people in Wisconsin are filming all the protesting teachers.  Good ammo to get them fired if they called in sick.  defrauding the government anyone?

167 In an interview Wednesday with WTMJ-TV of Milwaukee, Obama said Walker's efforts to eliminate collective bargaining rights for state employees "seems like more of an assault on unions."

He says that like its a bad thing. Fuck him and the unions. Keep in mind that up until JFK public sector unions were illegal. He did away with that with an E.O. which he probably did not have the authority to do, so congress (all Dem all the time then) followed it up with a bill.

We need congress to come back and return to illegality for that now.

As for those teachers on strike now they should all be fired.

168 It's hard to believe their cries of "you're hurting the children" while they proceed to bankrupt those same children for generations to come.

169 Gov. Walker, just do a PATCO on them.

170 I thought in a lot of districts they were actually paid for nine months and could spread it out over 12 months.

In all districts that happens, in theory.  That is, just like you and me they get paid for the days they work and their employer (in a teacher's case: the government) already factors in vacation time, sick time, and such.

It is true that teachers once received their pay only during the months they worked (so a teacher making 36k/yr got 4k/mo for 9 mos instead of 3k for 12) but the teachers wanted their pay spread out over the whole year so they didn't have to do the hard work of putting aside money for those other 3 months.

The fact is, though, that $30,000/yr is a respectable entry-level salary in virtually any job (and better than some) and, with benefits added in, is really quite generous.  So, in effect, if teachers worked the same schedule real people do (remember, they also are only "on the clock" for about 7 hours a day) that same 30,000/yr would turn into **does math** approximately 43,000 (again, that doesn't factor in benefits).

171

Honestly, I don't know why people are even the least bit cowed by this.  My mom hated teachers.  She's not an ideological conservative but I distinctly remember her resentment during the 80s of the teachers, many of whom lived in our neighborhood.

They made more money than us (my parents didn't go to college at all) and had the summers off, etc.  She really viewed them as princes and this was in the "T" part of Pennsylvania.

I think the sympathy for teachers is nil and the more they protest, the less of a connection they have to "the kids" who people really care about.  Also, public education is not popular right now, there are a number of documentaries -- the best of which is Waiting for Superman -- that address it.

They're trying the same old tactics ("it's for the children") and I think it's not persuasive anymore.  At least, not to those who aren't already on the Dem plantation.

172 I admit it irks me to see the socialist-union dung eaters carrying around the stars and stripes. Fucking bastards.

173 --Schools have been shut down as unionized teachers conducted an organized “sick out” and brought their students to join the march against Walker.

Now, this is a classic example of terrorism: retarded teachers are having problems with their employer (who they are sucking dry) so they attack the innocent children, who have nothing to do with this, by shutting down the schools.

These despicable, lying scumbags ought to be fired, en masse.  If they are going to shut the schools anyway, then let them go, have the schools closed for a good reason, and hire non-union teachers.  It's worth the delay of the school year to right this awful wrong, finally.  After all, these despicable, lying scumbag teachers are likely to shut the schools long enough to cancel the year on their own - just as kept happening with all the teacher strikes around the nation back in the 70's and 80's.

174

People will pay attention to the Madison WI thuggery, laziness & greed of the union bosses in this spat vs. Gov. Walker. 

Sentiment for teachers will turn against them if they call in sick and go protest, esp. w/ students in tow.

Walker's move to target forced union membership and mandatory dues is appropriate and well-timed.  Brings out the lunatics and their outrageous demands for all the too...and their teacher symps.

See it through, Governor.  All the way through...

175 This is their way of sticking to the Man, leaving their garbage for someone else to clean up.

176 Also, what kind of parent doesn't immediately hop in their car and grab their kid away from that protest?

177 --Obama on the other hand, is siding with the budget busting, thug tactic using unions.


The Indonesian piece of shit needs to be sent to Egypt. Call it a gift to the primitives, there. They deserve each other.

178 @ CDR M

For my son this year, the school PTA "requested" that we supply a box of red pens and black pens. Notably, the children only use pencils, crayons and markers. The pens were for the teacher. I looked at my wife and said NFW. If the teacher is a professional the least she can do is buy her own damn Bic pens to do her grading, one box would supply her for the entire year.

179

(hell, I have over half that many).

Leaders and Followers

 

180

It's funny to see media outlets portraying this as Egypt.

There is one major difference. In Egypt it was the people rallying against the government.

In Madison it is the government employees ralling agains the people

181 72 Oh, and the leader of the Wisconsin House of Reps is on the phone right now on Fox, and he's not willing to be on camera due to security concerns.  Says some legislators have received death threats.

Posted by: Boots at February 17, 2011 10:39 AM (neKzn)

I hope those Reps are carrying.

182 to hear the lamentations of their Obama.

183

Can anyone please post the link that was in the sidebar to the YouTube vid of the union protester who made the "show me the money" sign? I want to use it in my post today.

Purty please?

184 The Indonesian piece of shit needs to be sent to Egypt. Call it a gift to the primitives, there. They deserve each other.

^{Posted by: iknowtheleft at February 17, 2011 11:40 AM (N49h9)}

This is a Plan for Winning the Future!

185 184 AmishDude, another thing to factor in is that parents are also getting tired of having to "fund" their kids classes with supplies and such.  Just what the hell are we paying for if on the first day of the school year, parents have to send in bags of paper, moist towelettes, pencils, crayons, etc that the teacher then takes to redistribute to the class during the school year.

Posted by: CDR M at February 17, 2011 11:36 AM (5I8G0)

We used to have to supply Kleenex, paper towels, and wet wipes in addition to all the other school supplies.  In private school we didn't have to supply diddly.  (Of course, we paid out the ass for schooling, but it was worth every dime.)

186 Important not to vilify them? You mean like how THEY vilify conservatives and tax payers in general?

Or how they vilify AIG and other executives by pulling up in front of their house in a bus and terrorizing their children?

187 Being from WI, conservatives here are worried about the courts angle as well. Right now our State Supremes are 4-3 balanced conservative, but in April we have a election with conservative Justice Prosser defending his seat. You can bet your house the Unions will be pouring $$ into that election to try to get him unseated and a liberal in that position. If the court goes 4-3 liberal, they'll find any reason to shoot down anything Walker and the state legislature does to fix the state.

188 Government school teachers, among others, are not happy and have shut down entire school districts across the state for two days so they can protest.

Of course, they will now supply a doctor's note when they return .. right ?

189 168 Pics (h/t commenters above) of the trashed capitol area by the teachers' union protesters.

Ironic - these same teachers probably indoctrinate their students about recycling.

190 I've thought for a long time that unless you have public employee unions out on strike you weren't cutting enough. This is even better. Go Walker and Go Wisconsin (and that's not easy for a FIB).

191 Children first!

I've been bitching about public sector unions for years.
80% of the money spent on schools goes to the teachers, administrators and their health and pension plans.
It's never about the children. It's always, always about the union and their mobs.

A pox on them all!
Or is that hate speech?
Fuck 'em.

192 Want to save every state budget? The Union/Democart corruption money machine must be broken.

193 In Madison it is the government employees ralling agains the people

Can't these assholes take a hint? WI had a fair election, and the people voted Walker in because they're sick of the unions. This is wha happens when you elect a community organizer; his supporters think they can all throw tantrums and get their way. This is how Obama leads by example.

194 The Union/Democart corruption money machine must be broken.

Don't forget the trial lawyers.

195 Just what the hell are we paying for if on the first day of the school year, parents have to send in bags of paper, moist towelettes, pencils, crayons, etc that the teacher then takes to redistribute to the class during the school year.

Field trips to the state capitol to protest for more money for teachers. /s

Seriously, there's layers of bureaucrats and administration and social services that all have to be funded, and there's a chunk of money spent on equipment to make YouTube videos about gay bullying and watch TV shows about global warming.

If I were an eeevil dictator like Scott Walker *lol*, I'd ban screens and keyboards in all elementary schools.  You don't need that stuff for reading, writing, and arithmetic.

196 I hope those Reps are carrying.

WI doesn't allow concealed carry.  After this, that should be the next thing the Assembly gets on.

197 'Hannah Montana' may have ruined Billy Ray Cyrus' family, but it was totally worth it to me.  I love that show!

198 Walker should assign any state house or senate member who requests it a state trooper as a body guard.  Let the thugs mess with a trooper.

Course, up there the damn troopers are probably in a union too.

199 Fox has had some bad segments in the past, but this may be their worst segment ever.

200 Also, what kind of parent doesn't immediately hop in their car and grab their kid away from that protest?

One who doesn't know it was happening, because they were at work and not watching Twitter?

201 "This is wha happens when you elect a community organizer; his supporters think they can all throw tantrums and get their way." I'm not disagreeing with you here, but it was already this way for a very long time. It's been the squeaky wheel that gets the grease for as long as I can remember. What has changed is that tough times are forcing people to think twice about whether it's worth funding all that grease and the deadbeats are responding by squeaking louder. The danger of having the community agitator in the oval office is that squeaking louder is the only play in his playbook.

202 198 168 Pics (h/t commenters above) of the trashed capitol area by the teachers' union protesters.

Ironic - these same teachers probably indoctrinate their students about recycling.

Posted by: Kratos (Ghost of Sparta) at February 17, 2011 11:45 AM (9hSKh)

No surprise.  This is how they left the National Mall after Barky's inauguration.  I'm sure more than a few teachers union members were there.  Sigh.

203

OT: Glen Reynolds is reporting that Saudi Tanks and APC's have crossed the causeway into Bahrain. No link to it yet, he got if from a reporter on the ground.

204  

OT: Glen Reynolds is reporting that Saudi Tanks and APC's have crossed the causeway into Bahrain. No link to it yet, he got if from a reporter on the ground.

We cannot let Bahrain fall, neither can the Saudis. It is run by a Sunni gov't even though it is a mainly shia country.

Our fleet is there.

Bahrain cannnot fall.

205 Why are trial lawyers always trying to infect people with mesothelioma?

206 I'm not really Adam Sandler

207 This is why I will starve if I have to so that I can afford to either pay tuition to a private school for my kids or pay for the curriculum to home school them. My children will NEVER set even one toe into a public school so long as I live. And it's not just the teachers who are the problem. The entire school administrations are a giant pile of waste. My mom works in an administrative position with a local school district here in Florida. Being a RTW state, the unions don't have quite the stranglehold that they do elsewhere but it's still pretty bad. In my moms office, the union requires there to be a minimum of 8 employees to do help desk-type work. The entire office could be run efficiently by 3-4 competent employees. So they're paying 8 people to do the workload of 4. And "managing" them is a total joke. The unions refuse to allow time cards, sign in sheets, or even having management track attendance (it's supposedly demeaning to them and equivalent to treating them like children). So the people who work in this office come and go as they please, without any repercussions because the union has made it so. And I won't even go into all the onvoluted rules and regs on how to discipline inappropriate employee behavior as it would make heads explode. It's appalling.

208

Can anyone please post the link that was in the sidebar to the YouTube vid of the union protester who made the "show me the money" sign? I want to use it in my post today.

Not a sign, just her saying it.

209

Bahrain cannnot fall.

You know this is the very reason we're going to allow it to fall, right?

210

Er, she was "making the sign with her hands" so that might be what you meant.

 

211 House GOP just voted to put back $500B in cuts to the Dept of Ed, presumably over the next ten years?

WTF

212

I got a better idea--instead of following Scott Walker's twitter account, how about providing a link to his campaign so we can donate for his reelection?

 

 

213

"Bahrain cannnot fall. "

 

Not without grievously harming our nation's ability to protect itself. I wonder who would ever want such a thing?

214 Repubs need to focus on these public unions and destroy them.

I have no problem with private unions, but public unions are an evil, parasitic abomination. They are a corrosive, corrupt force in a democracy.

It's about time somebody stepped on these cockroaches. Way to go Governor!

215 Posted by: Ghost of Reagan at February 17, 2011 10:28 AM (Ig+B0)

Cut, jib, newsletter.

216

Bahrain cannnot fall.

You know this is the very reason we're going to allow it to fall, right

God I hope not, I've been telling anyone that will listen that if Saudi Arabia falls the world is going to collapse. You can't take 12 million barrels a day off the market and nothing happen.

It would be 10-20 dollars a gallon for oil. People couldn't go to work, heat their homes, all products that have oil in them(which is almost everything) would see their prices sky rocket, nations would go to war over resources. Specifically China and us.  If the Saudis were to fall the world would descend into a hell none of us are prepared for.

217 Also, what kind of parent doesn't immediately hop in their car and grab their kid away from that protest?

Posted by: KG at February 17, 2011 11:39 AM (DeCj1)

And the teachers using children as human shields is about the most despicable act one can think of.  Those who participated in using the children as human shields (i.e. all of the protesting teacher scum who didn't leave the protest when they saw the children being abused as such) ought to be fired from teaching and never allowed to hold a job that interacts with children.

218

Posted by: Mama AJ at February 17, 2011 11:59 AM (XdlcF)

Bless your little old pea-picking heart, as Tennessee Ernie Ford would say (were he here). I'm off!

I'm also leaving.

219 Mandy. I know at least 10 different sets of parents who converted to Catholicism, had their kids baptized into it, for the major purpose of using the schools at catholic prices. I don't even condemn it since most of them turn out to be pretty good catholics. The catholic schools cost about 1/2 to 1/3 as much as a private school and the educations are comparable. They also have the added benefit of not having queer studies or the condom on the banana (as well as a uniform which is a major money saver in the long run).

220

My wife homeschools little Meanie.  She told me she would be calling in sick if I didn't stop walking around the house in my underwear. 

221 as long as he shows up sober.
Posted by: HeatherRadish at February 17, 2011 11:04 AM (nAOMZ)

Well, that's the trick, isn't it?

222

Bahrain cannnot fall.

You know this is the very reason we're going to allow it to fall, right

God I hope not, I've been telling anyone that will listen that if Saudi Arabia falls the world is going to collapse. You can't take 12 million barrels a day off the market and nothing happen.

It would be 10-20 dollars a gallon for oil. People couldn't go to work, heat their homes, all products that have oil in them(which is almost everything) would see their prices sky rocket, nations would go to war over resources. Specifically China and us.  If the Saudis were to fall the world would descend into a hell none of us are prepared for.

Posted by: Ben at February 17, 2011 12:03 PM (wuv1c)

You guys are freaking me out. It's like Beck is a prophet.

223 Posted by: dagny at February 17, 2011 12:04 PM (l3g1A) Funny you mention that dagny. I'm converting right now, actually. Not for schooling reasons, for belief reasons. But they do have a nice Catholic school at my parish and I'm going to be looking into it. If we can afford it, I'd love to send them there.

224 If the Saudis were to fall the world would descend into a hell none of us are prepared for.

Oh.  Some good news at the HQ for a change... (do I really need the tag?)

Weren't the Democrats the ones who poo-pooed the idea that drilling for oil here was a National Security concern?

225 Time to play rough with these asshats.  Declare a state of emergency, end the school year now, fire every single person involved with the education system and start over, pass school choice and make teachers revieving tax dollars unable to organize.

BOOM

226 Do you think the Saudis have any tanks to spare for Madison?  Just tell them there are lots of protesters who are full of Shi'ite. 

227 219 This is why I will starve if I have to so that I can afford to either pay tuition to a private school for my kids or pay for the curriculum to home school them. My children will NEVER set even one toe into a public school so long as I live.

Mandy, I have said this many times.  This whole episode makes me feel better about the check I had to write on Monday for the deposit on next year's tuition at my kids' school.  No way in hell my children will EVER be infected by a member of the NEA or AFT.   Never!

228 Bahrain has been in trouble before. I remember a friend of mine who was the Navy's PAO evacuating his family at least 10 years ago.

229 recieving *

230 God I hope not, I've been telling anyone that will listen that if Saudi Arabia falls the world is going to collapse.

Saddle up!

231 225 Had some good times in Bahrain.

You may have met my friend.  He did a stint as a Navy Master at Arms there early 00's.

232

I'm also leaving.

Thank you for clarifying...and curse you for spoiling my fun...

233 Posted by: dagny at February 17, 2011 12:07 PM (l3g1A)

Bahrain has been in trouble before, but then wasn't now.  What with what's going on all over the rest of the Mid-East (Libya now protesting?  Khaddafhi possibly out before long?  I never thought I'd see the day), and our current Chief Executive, I'm highly concerned.

And can anyone think of the chances Israel will see the same thing and jump to their defense, if necessary?  Or will they see them selves in a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" type scenario?

234

OT, but related in that it's about government spending (albeit the UK government):

'Life on benefits is no longer an option': Biggest welfare shake-up in 60 years will end system that rewards the workshy (UK Daily Mail)

Highlights of the UK's new Welfare Reform Act include:

- Universal Credit to replace 'dizzying' array of benefits
- Claimants who refuse three reasonable job offers lose hand-outs for three years
- Disability Living Allowance to become 'sustainable' system with regular health checks
- Those deemed fit to work will lose benefits if they turn offers down
- Housing benefit restricted to cheapest 30% of homes in an area
- Cap on household benefits linked to average earnings

Don't know how much of this, if any, will get anywhere in Britainistan, but it's nice to see them actually TRYING.

235 216  

OT: Glen Reynolds is reporting that Saudi Tanks and APC's have crossed the causeway into Bahrain. No link to it yet, he got if from a reporter on the ground.

We cannot let Bahrain fall, neither can the Saudis. It is run by a Sunni gov't even though it is a mainly shia country.

Our fleet is there.

Bahrain cannnot fall.

Bahrain better not fall and I think that both the royal family of Bahrain and the House of Saud will go to some pretty extreme lengths to keep it from happening.

I can see them re-creating the end sequence of Gangs Of New York, with the ships in the harbor shelling the rioters, if it means staying in power.

To paraphrase Frank Herbert, "The oil must flow."

236 236 They'll help you if they can and you have the need. They're pretty good about it. I've been teaching rcia for 10 years and converted long after the first kids were in school. I'm very comfortable there. My parent's religion --southern methodist or church of christ wasn't a good fit and then my original choice episcopalianism-the church of my schools--went bat shit crazy. I'm actually am on board with the catholic theology after studying it for 15 years to find the flaw. I'm not on board with some of the social teaching but I don't have to be.

237 Posted by: Zach Greinke's Bobblehead f/k/a Mallamutt at February 17, 2011 12:08 PM (OWjjx)

Funny Mallamutt, a friend of mine here in Baltimore said a few years ago that there is no way in hell he will ever pay for school.  That's what his taxes are for, I went to public school so it's good enough for my kids, etc.  I hadn't seen him for a while and we got to talking and lo and behold his 4 kids are all now in Catholic school!

I asked him about it and he said that the teachers were atrocious at the school and he had to get his kids out.  This school is a "Blue Ribbon" elementary school in the state with the #1 Public school system in the country.  What a f'n joke.

By the way, my kids are both in Catholic school and will remain there until they graduate High School.

238

Bahrain better not fall and I think that both the royal family of Bahrain and the House of Saud will go to some pretty extreme lengths to keep it from happening.

From what I've read going on there last night, the Bahrainis aren't taking any chances.

239 Bahrain has been in trouble before, but then wasn't now.  What with what's going on all over the rest of the Mid-East (Libya now protesting?  Khaddafhi possibly out before long?  I never thought I'd see the day), and our current Chief Executive, I'm highly concerned.

I'd love to know what these imams are preaching across the middle east and africa. I'm guessing they are fomenting revolution and violence with every breath.

240

"I have no problem with private unions, but public unions are an evil, parasitic abomination. They are a corrosive, corrupt force in a democracy."

Understand your comment but would like to know whether you consider the UAW a private union given their recent gift of GM and Chrysler via kenyan largesse? Is there anything private now a days? Just saying. We rent our existence from the Government. We own nothing. Allah obar!

241

By the way, my kids are both in Catholic school and will remain there until they graduate High School.

My freshman in college son said that all the public school kids are acting out their freedom by skipping class and getting shitfaced every night. He says he still feels radical with an untucked shirt and facial hair. I like that.

242 Tweet of the day, from Iowahawk:

" Good news, WI teachers! Soon you'll be free to pursue those high-pay private sector careers you say you're sacrificing."

243 ben.....they need to sell their oil....to eat....so....if they can't sell it...they can't eat...unless they want to eat their oil... which is fine by me...

244

Did you see this?

[UC] Davis has backed away from a policy that defined religious discrimination as Christians oppressing non-Christians after more than two dozen Christian students filed a formal complaint. 

The definition was listed in a document called, “The Principles of Community.” It defined “Religious/Spiritual Discrimination” as “The loss of power and privilege to those who do not practice the dominant cultureÂ’s religion. In the United States, this is institutionalized oppressions toward those who are not Christian.”

“This is radical political correctness run amok,” said David French, senior counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund.

245 Teacher unions are all about the children, just like the UAW is all about the cars.

246

[coughs up link]

FoxNews

247

Great Observation over at instapundit

 

Reader Dave Gamble notes an inconsistency in terms of how the politico/media establishment deals with the budget crisis — certain to come — versus global warming — a possibility: “Somehow protecting future generations from possibly having to endure the hardship of an extra tenth of a degree over the next century is a high moral calling, while fighting against the certainty of mortgaging their financial future with trillions in government debt is the work of the devil. Odd.” Not so odd when you realize that “climate change” measures increase the power of the political class, while budget cuts reduce it.

248 Heh, of course they didn't tell the kids what exactly they were protesting against.

These teachers are so inept that they couldn't even provide the "protesting" students with some two-minute talking points.

249 Can someone tell me why no Republican President has ever rescinded Executive Order 10,988 giving federal workers the right to organize and collective bargain?  No Republican since JFK signed it has rescinded it.

Shouldn't that be Job #1?

250

Glenn R. pulls no punches re the litter now vs. Tea Parties:

ItÂ’s the difference between civilized people, and looters.

251

I'd like to point out to the idiot Big Labor morons in Wisconsin that, here in NH, our (democrat!) governor has publically stated that 1 in 10 state-funded jobs should be axed, 255 state employees will be laid off, an additional 800+ vacant positions eliminated, and NO ONE IS RIOTING IN THE STREETS.  The legislature has passed a repeal of the public employee CBA's "evergreen" clause, and there is no government shutdown.  Right-to-work legislation sailed through the NH House and will likely do the same through the Senate, and we're still working, because, unlike Wisconsin public employees apparently, we actually have jobs to do that we care about getting done.

Speaking of which, lunch is over so it's back to the metaphorical salt mines for me!  Microsoft Access is kicking my ass.

252 Shouldn't that be Job #1?

Posted by: FUBAR at February 17, 2011 12:21 PM (McG46)

As I said in my earlier post, the Dem congress followed up on that E.O. with an enabling Act. It is doubtful that JFK's E.O. was legal to begin with.

253

If the Saudis were to fall the world would descend into a hell none of us are prepared for.

Oh.  Some good news at the HQ for a change... (do I really need the tag?)

Weren't the Democrats the ones who poo-pooed the idea that drilling for oil here was a National Security concern?

Look, if Saudi Arabia fell there would be an immediate waiver on all drilling restrictions. Even an ideologue like OBama would not want to the president who presides over the total collapse of America.

 

 

254

It sounds like Rush found this thread.

***Hi Rush!*** /waves

255 Weren't the Democrats the ones who poo-pooed the idea that drilling for oil here was a National Security concern?

Posted by: AllenG (Dedicated Tenther) at February 17, 2011 12:06 PM (8y9MW)

Man, it would be at least 10 years before any of that went on the market

256 Posted by: FUBAR at February 17, 2011 12:21 PM (McG46)

Maybe in '12.  Prior to that, it would have been fairly effectively pilloried by the media for what was then considered to be very marginal gain.  That math has changed now: the media is considerably less trusted, and the perceived gain is much, much higher.

257

I'm so glad Colorado is moving in the opposite pro-union direction.  We tax payers can all bend over while the democrat union machine screws our squeak hole with a rusty hammer.

 

258

Democrats and Centrist Republicans team up to keep spending and prevent certain cuts.

at least when we go bankrupt we can blame everyone

259 Posted by: Ben at February 17, 2011 12:25 PM (wuv1c)

HAHAHAHAHA...

Wait.  You were serious?  I don't believe that for a minute.  This is the same man whose only problem with gas prices near $5/gal a couple of years ago was the rate at which it had increased.

260

unless they want to eat their oil... which is fine by me...

They use their oil for food, we use our corn for fuel.

That has a nice symmetry to it, actually.

261 instead of following Scott Walker's twitter account, how about providing a link to his campaign so we can donate for his reelection?

I don't think he's started his re-election fund yet (another thing that makes conservatives different from pinkos), since he's got three years to govern before it's going to come up.  Here's his old site.

If you've got some cash for supporting this, throw some to Justice Prosser.  See Janir's comment at 197.

262

Look, if Saudi Arabia fell there would be an immediate waiver on all drilling restrictions. Even an ideologue like OBama would not want to the president who presides over the total collapse of America.

 

 

Posted by: Ben at February 17, 2011 12:25 PM (wuv1c)

That's a hell of a lot of faith in the same guy that has been actively pursuing exactly that. So he lifts the waivers, that isn't going to replace the Saudi oil overnight. All those oil rigs that were in the gulf are gone, and even if that illegal injunction of Toonces was lifted right now, they aren't coming back anytime soon.

263

When I was 15 I was sorrounded, threatened and nearly beaten up by a group of Union Laborers at the National Tennis Center in Forest Hills. 

I was doing my job too well and they thought I was trying to make them look bad.  I don't think they had any idea I wasn't a College kid.  To them I was a 'scab' working for the owner of a Sub-Contracting business.  My boss intervened and I escaped without bodily harm.  It was a scene. 

My hatred for Unions and Union Employees was confirmed that day.

264 It sounds like Rush found this thread.

***Hi Rush!*** /waves

Posted by: Ed Anger at February 17, 2011 12:26 PM (7+pP9)

 

***Hi Rush!*** /moons

265

Even an ideologue like OBama would not want to the president who presides over the total collapse of America.

Care to explain everything he's done over the last 25 months...?

266

Shame:  10,000 union thugs protesting the right to further rape and pillage the citizenry by extra-legal fiat. 

Crying Shame:  Somewhere there's a lonely warehouse with 600k gallons of napalm going unused. 

 

267 Seahawk Drilling Inc. said it has filed for bankruptcy protection and plans to sell its fleet of offshore drilling rigs to a competitor for $105 million. Seahawk, which announced the deal with Hercules Offshore Inc. Friday, has been hurt by a slowdown in Gulf of Mexico drilling after the BP oil spill last April. The government halted drilling in deep waters and imposed tough new rules that have curtained all energy exploration in U.S. waters.

268

Posted by: Ben at February 17, 2011 12:25 PM (wuv1c)

HAHAHAHAHA...

Wait.  You were serious?  I don't believe that for a minute.  This is the same man whose only problem with gas prices near $5/gal a couple of years ago was the rate at which it had increased.

oh a i am totally serious. I agree that Obama would like 5 dollar a gallon oil, but he has said himself that it would need to be phased in over time.

The scenario I am talking about would have oil in the 20 dollar range.

Could you afford to fill up your takne at that price? That would be 200 bucks for a 10 gallon tank.

More specifically could the trucking industry afford to ship food, medicine, consumer goods or produce at those prices?

Look, I dislike Obama as much as anyone, but his ego outstrips his ideological bent, he would go down as the worst president in the history America if he were to allow it to happen.

269

Look, I dislike Obama as much as anyone, but his ego outstrips his ideological bent, he would go down as the worst president in the history America if he were to allow it to happen.

I repeat, and this isn't already the case, why...?

270 Posted by: Ben at February 17, 2011 12:28 PM (wuv1c)

If that is the same stuff I linked to from a news service this morning there was only one Republican joining them. (Or at least they only had one name)

271

Look, if Saudi Arabia fell there would be an immediate waiver on all drilling restrictions. Even an ideologue like OBama would not want to the president who presides over the total collapse of America.

*virtual slap*

Ah say...ah say...wake up, son

272

Man, it would be at least 10 years before any of that went on the market

Posted by: Typical Leftard talking point at February 17, 2011 12:26 PM (FIDMq)

I want to fucking scream every time I hear this shit!!!  It's 60 fucking miles from the Sourdough oil field (Near ANWR) to the existing pipeline.  We could build the pipeline this summer in 2 months!!!  In the 1930's we built the god damned Empire State Building in a little over a year but in 2011 we can't put together 60 miles of pipeline in less than 10 years?!  It's all about the fucking envirotards filing lawsuits and demanding "impact studies" and the rest of that bullshit that is killing oil drilling and Nuclear power plants. 

273 >>he would go down as the worst president in the history America if he were to allow it to happen. He's a pretty strong contender already. There's a strong possibility that he will be the president that oversees the destruction of public unions. I will need an 18 wheeler load of pudding for that one.

274 Hey Rush! Pull my finger.

275

I want to fucking scream every time I hear this shit!!!  It's 60 fucking miles from the Sourdough oil field (Near ANWR) to the existing pipeline.  We could build the pipeline this summer in 2 months!!!  In the 1930's we built the god damned Empire State Building in a little over a year but in 2011 we can't put together 60 miles of pipeline in less than 10 years?!  It's all about the fucking envirotards filing lawsuits and demanding "impact studies" and the rest of that bullshit that is killing oil drilling and Nuclear power plants. 

Posted by: Hedgehog at February 17, 2011 12:34 PM (Rn2kl)

Cut, jib, newsletter.

276

Look, I dislike Obama as much as anyone, but his ego outstrips his ideological bent, he would go down as the worst president in the history America if he were to allow it to happen.

Wait

What?

That would make him the worst president in history????????

277

Posted by: Hedgehog at February 17, 2011 12:34 PM (Rn2kl)

Not only that, but havent they been saying that for around 20-30 years?

278 The tools that trashed the WI state house are the same tools that teach global warming and stoning for littering to the little kiddies. No plastic water bottles for YOU!

279 83 66.

RabidSquirrel (and I like that moniker!) I'm starting to think they are all superfluous, your friends. Finland has it right. No formal schooling until 7 or 8.

I see my daughter JUST NOW at 8 really enjoying and learning at school. Anything before that is just daycare really. Compulsory schooling should start at 8 and end at 16, to my mind. That's plenty of time for these shining examples of learning to have at them.

Posted by: BlackOrchid at February 17, 2011 10:41 AM (SB0V2

This is what the homeschooling movement has been shouting from the rooftops for decades. Its strongest advocates claim most children are not really ready for formal schooling until ages 8-10. Start them off at 5-6 with simple lessons, but don't set them in a desk for several hours a day until later. Most of what goes in a formal classroom is generally a waste of time, as far as education in concerned. Average to above average students could probably be taught all they need to know in fewer hours per day.

280 We could build the pipeline this summer in 2 months!!!  In the 1930's we built the god damned Empire State Building in a little over a year but in 2011 we can't put together 60 miles of pipeline in less than 10 years?!

Hey bub, its in the union contract so stuff it, or do we's need to visit your house later?

281

Look, if Saudi Arabia fell there would be an immediate waiver on all drilling restrictions. Even an ideologue like OBama would not want to the president who presides over the total collapse of America.

I would have agreed with that statement a year ago.

282 he would go down as the worst president in the history America if he were to allow it to happen.

He's a pretty strong contender already.

Hey, he isn't even the worst Democrat...yet.

283 Even an ideologue like OBama would not want to the president who presides over the total collapse of America.

Posted by: Ben at February 17, 2011 12:25 PM (wuv1c)

The Indonesian isn't an ideologue.  He doesn't give a shit about politics or political systems or anything of the sort.  All he ever wanted was to exact some demented third world sense of revenge on the US and the West.  He was always wishing he could bring us down.  That was his intention from the start.  He sees himself as the Avenging Angel of the Third World.  That's why every single thing he's ever done has been oriented to harm and destroy our nation, our institutions, and our culture.  That's why he's attacked and demeaned every traditional American ally while allying with every American enemy he could find. 

The collapse of America is exactly what the Indonesian Imbecile has always sought and we have given him opportunity after opportunity to do it.  He's made a mess of everything he's touched, but America forgets his insanity,his stupidity, his traitorous actions and policies the day after they're done.

284 In the 1930's we built the god damned Empire State Building in a little over a year but in 2011 we can't put together 60 miles of pipeline in less than 10 years?!

Took eight years to build 400 miles of Erie Canal, mostly with mules and human power.  The car-speed train Scott Walker rejected was projected to take 20 years to build 90 miles of track.

285 Obama already is the worst President ever, and he doesn;t seem to care.

286

It's 60 fucking miles from the Sourdough oil field (Near ANWR) to the existing pipeline.

Yeah, but the Elk, the mosquitoes, and the grass, dont forget about the grass. And the pristine landscape, you really want to foul the landscape....damn this is easy, no wonder they can do this

287

Posted by: Hedgehog at February 17, 2011 12:34 PM (Rn2kl)

Not only that, but havent they been saying that for around 20-30 years?

Posted by: Typical Leftard talking point at February 17, 2011 12:37 PM (FIDMq)

Yep they have.  If people would see things like this http://tinyurl.com/4qreamh

You know, like actual pictures of where they want to drill, caribou by the thousands within spitting distance of the Prudhoe bay facilities, bears playing on the pipeline.  Also the fucking wasteland where they want to drill...

God I have enviro-asshole lefties...

288

Man, it would be at least 10 years before any of that went on the market

Posted by: Typical Leftard talking point at February 17, 2011 12:26 PM (FIDMq)

Hey, nostalgia rules!

289

I never meant for the Teachers to get fisted...just the children.

290 'Low Bridge!'

291

Look, I dislike Obama as much as anyone, but his ego outstrips his ideological bent, he would go down as the worst president in the history America if he were to allow it to happen.

Posted by: Ben at February 17, 2011 12:32 PM (wuv1c)

No.  He would go down in history as the third worlder who brought down the oppressive and imperialistic US (and likely the West with it).

What do you think his World Traitor Tour was all about?

His ego is about him exacting revenge for all the third world primitives, not about helping the West, whom he thinks have too much and are nasty, evil people.

This aspect of the Indonesian Imbecile has been clear since way back in the campaign.

292 Odds on the Gov finding a horse head (with a love note from the unions) under his pillow tonight?

293

Even an ideologue like OBama would not want to the president who presides over the total collapse of America.

Care to explain everything he's done over the last 25 months...?

Okay, maybe I am not making clear the magnitude of a clusterfark that would take place

Saudi Arabia produce 12 million barrels of oil a day.The average daily output of oil in the world is 84 million barrels. That means the Saudi's produce almost 15% of the world oil. (The next highest is Russia,US, Iran, China and Mexico.)

If they were to stop producing for an extended period of time, all oil prices would skyrocket.

The following things are products that are in part made of oil :

Ammonia, Anesthetics, Antihistamines, Artificial limbs, Artificial Turf, Antiseptics, Aspirin, Auto Parts, Awnings, Balloons, Ballpoint pens, Bandages, Beach Umbrellas, Boats, Cameras, Candles, Car Battery Cases, Carpets, Caulking, Combs, Cortisones, Cosmetics, Crayons, Credit Cards, Curtains, Deodorants, Detergents, Dice, Disposable Diapers, Dolls, Dyes, Eye Glasses, Electrical Wiring Insulation, Faucet Washers, Fishing Rods, Fishing Line, Fishing Lures, Food Preservatives, Food Packaging, Garden Hose, Glue, Hair Coloring, Hair Curlers, Hand Lotion, Hearing Aids, Heart Valves, Ink, Insect Repellant, Insecticides, Linoleum, Lip Stick, Milk Jugs, Nail Polish, Oil Filters, Panty Hose, Perfume, Petroleum Jelly, Rubber Cement, Rubbing Alcohol,  Shampoo, Shaving Cream, Shoes, Toothpaste, Trash Bags, Upholstery, Vitamin Capsules, Water Pipes, Yarn

That is only a partial list. So imagine all of those products increasing by price vastly or potnetially being in short supply.

 

Then you have shipping. How do you think food gets to your local store? Do you think truckers can get it there paying 10 bucks a gallon or more? And if they do, what do you think will happen to the cost of the goods they ship.

Much of heavy industry is heavily dependent on oil. That means steel mills shut down, chemical plants shut down, all jobber industries related to heavy industry shuts down(jobbers is a term for people who take steel, chemicals, etc and turn them into products we use daily like cars, springs, shampoo, etc)

A decent percentage of people heat their homes with oil. Americans who live in the suburbs couldn't heat their homes let alone afford to drive to work. Public Buses that don't run on natural gas would probably stop, because fares would increase to the point of being unaffordable.

Our military is dependent on oil.

 

I could go on, but do i need to.

Do you honestly believe in the face of all of that , that obama wouldn't start a crash course of drilling for oil everywhere we can find it? Again, i hate the man, but he's not insane.

If the above scenario happens, there will be riots, people will die, and Obama, as big of a sucker of cock as he  is won't let that happen.

294 Hey bub, its in the union contract so stuff it, or do we's need to visit your house later?

Posted by: Some Union Activist at February 17, 2011 12:38 PM (7BU4a)

Bring it thug!!  The wife, the kids and I are all good shots and I live up on a hill...perfect sight lines.  Come at night and good luck with the dogs!

295

Posted by: garrett at February 17, 2011 12:30 PM (8Eh9B)

I've had several run-ins with unions. One time the rental truck I had gotten for my guys was shot at

296 Ben, you left out bike helmets.  Like the one our Dear Leader wears when he rides his girls' bike.

297 Our military is dependent on oil.

Yeah, that's going to convince Barry to let us drill. :\

298

Posted by: iknowtheleft at February 17, 2011 12:39 PM (N49h9)

This is why he tries so hard to be loved by the citizens of the Third World rather than the citizens of America.

299 OT: Tell me again why it is so important to support squishy Repubs.  Is it so we can get things, like cutting spending, done?

http://tinyurl.com/6cu7p44

Sixty-eight Republicans, backed Democrats in defense of preserving at least reduced funding for legal aid to the poor, for example. Minutes later, 70 Republicans joined 158 Democrats on a 228-203 vote that restored $280 million for the Community Oriented Policing Services or COPS program, a favorite initiative of Vice President Joe Biden. And given the power of the firefighter lobby, the dike seemed to break when as many as 132 Republicans backed an amendment by Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) to restore $510 million for Homeland Security grants for first responders.

Yeah, I'm real excited to support these guys.  You betcha'!

300 NYC is a criminal enterprise run by unions.

301

Its strongest advocates claim most children are not really ready for formal schooling until ages 8-10. Start them off at 5-6 with simple lessons, but don't set them in a desk for several hours a day until later.

Amen. They just soak up knowledge unless you convince them it's a bad thing.

Sooo..."educators" want more $$ for Head Start and full day kindergartens...I wonder why??

302

Ben, you left out bike helmets.  Like the one our Dear Leader wears when he rides his girls' bike.

well all plastics. But his mom jeans would be safe.

One of the most important things in that list that people over look is pesticides.

If we don't have pesticides, you can say goodbye to the midwestern breadbasket.

303 Hillary Clinton donors indicted.

304

I never meant for the Teachers to get fisted...just the children.

Posted by: Kevin Jennings at February 17, 2011 12:41 PM (8Eh9B)

Cut Jib Newsletter.

305

If the above scenario happens, there will be riots, people will die, and Obama, as big of a sucker of cock as he  is won't let that happen.

Posted by: Ben at February 17, 2011 12:43 PM (wuv1c)

Ben, evidently you have no clue about what motivates the Indonesian.  None.

306 MamaAJ, I left an updated message for you back on the headlines thread.

307

NYC is a criminal enterprise run by unions.

Try the stairs. They go up and down, too.

308 Our national economy would turn around in no time if blue states with union protectionism in place would simply pass right to work laws.  Once the unemployed see how well they can do in such an environment there will be no looking back.

Every state that has that awesomely awesome combination of Democratic politicians and union labor management "looking out for the little guy" has had their economy driven into the ground.

The protesters in Wisconsin are fools.

309

This is why he tries so hard to be loved by the citizens of the Third World rather than the citizens of America.

Posted by: garrett at February 17, 2011 12:45 PM (8Eh9B)

Damn tootin'!  He hates America and he hates Americans and he's been showing this to us every single day.  I still can't understand how some people refuse to see what is obvious and has been so since he first started running.  The Indonesian isn't hiding his contempt for us.

310 Obama would have to really go some to get to the level of bad that FDR had. Not because he is trying less, but because FDR had 12 years of commie actions and was able to fully pack the courts with commies.

We still have not recovered from that last one, and probably never will.

311 Yeah, I'd hate to see effective pesticides banned.

312

Heh, Vic. We'll be heading out to a playground for a couple hours after lunch.

Wish I could open the windows, but the screens are crap and the kitten would finish them off very quickly...

313 The current system essentially allows the employees to buy off the managers (politicians) in order to rip off the owners (the public). It's a system that is corrupt by it's very existence.

As lucid an explanation of the problem as I've ever seen.

314

The protesters in Wisconsin are fools.

We're fools for not getting rid of them while they are all in one spot!

315 Ben, stop posting, you're giving Obama ideas!!!!!!

316 Too bad, see you later

317

NYC is a criminal enterprise run by unions.

Sweet. I want in on that action.  pssst.  Meanwhile, we can manipulate emotions by cutting school programs for the children and not do a single thing to fix our bloated public retirement schemes.

318 "If the above scenario happens, there will be riots, people will die, and Obama, as big of a sucker of cock as he is won't let that happen." -- It's ok, much like the proven economic theory of Keynes, we'll just use price controls for gas and everything will be a-ok!

319

 The Indonesian isn't hiding his contempt for us.

He can't. 

 It shows every time he has an occasion to give another 'Historical' address.

At first I thought it was the typical lefty Hubris...but it's not. 
It's disdain.

320 I hope Gov. Walker gives no quarter to the union thugs and that the normal citizens of Wisconsin stand by him during this time.

OT: John Boehner increases chance of government shutdown. Since reps keep putting different views out there, I'm thinking the strategy is keep Obama guessing.

321 Posted by: Ben at February 17, 2011 12:43 PM (wuv1c)

1) I don't think he thinks that far ahead.  So I don't think he'd see that much urgency.

2) He'll fall back on the same "It'll take at least 10 years..." BS along with "We all have to make sacrifices..."

3) Protecting the Federal Government (well, States, too) from Riots is what the National Guard is for (among other things).

Do I think he might see the light?  Eventually.  Maybe.  By then it would be too late, though.

I'm sorry, I just don't see him unleashing the oil industry until HE sees that he has no other choice, and I don't think he'll see that until we've already hit the $20+/gal mark for gas.

322 @317 Sort of puts the possible consequences of this "organic" farming fad in perspective, doesn't it.

323 Obama is throwing the Churchill bust at all of us.

324 Breaking: WI Democrat Assembly Senators are hiding out-of-state to avoid quorum for voting on budget bill.

Who's holding who hostage, Barry?  (Whom? I never learned; grammar is racist.)

325 From yesterday: Ryan vows to target Medicare and Medicaid

326 If Obama was overtly trying to destroy the U.S., could he be any more effective?
Crushing debt and bloated budgets/spending...check!
Piss off valuable allies(great Britain, Egypt)...check!
Real unemployment ~20%...check!
Embolden terrorist states (Iran)...check!
Devalue the dollar...check!
Increase dependence on foreign oil...check!
 

What am I missing??

327

"Sort of puts the possible consequences of this "organic" farming fad in perspective, doesn't it."

So does finding hundreds of little bugs in your organic broccoli casserole, that you didn't know were hiding in the broccoli florets until you started eating it.

328 @341 Ending DADT.

329

FOX just announced that Ogabe is going to the UK on a state visit in May.

I hope they show him the same fucking hospitality he showed them

330 @342 That's the protein the vegetards would miss otherwise.

331

^{Posted by: A Balrog of Morgoth at February 17, 2011 12:57 PM (0IPsJ)}

I used to take the Head of the Ca Organic Wine Council Fly-Fishing.

"There's no such thing as an Organic Vineyard, Garrett."

He made his money in Petro-Chem and Pesticide Deliveries...24 Hr. Deliveries.

332 The Obamas have accepted an invitation to travel to Britain on May 24 for a state visit, his first European state visit. Carney says it's a "sign of the strength between the special relationship" with Britain.

333 ABC radio news at the break is on their knees for Preznit EasyBake.  Again.

334 Maybe the Queen will return her iPod

335 338 Obama is throwing the Churchill bust at all of us.

Posted by: Cherry π at February 17, 2011 12:58 PM (+sBB4)

I actually think that he is ramming it up our collective ass sideways...

336 Carney - a perfect name for this carnival act

337 Posted by: HeatherRadish at February 17, 2011 12:59 PM (nAOMZ)

Too bad WI don't have the Texas (Jurisdiction?  We don't need no steeking jurisdiction) Rangers to go round them up.

Maybe if they asked really nicely (and promised to pay for the Over Time) we'd let Gov. Walker borrow them.

No, seriously, that's what we did to our State CongressCretins who tried that a couple of years ago.  They were most incensed.

338 Posted by: Cherry π at February 17, 2011 01:03 PM (+sBB4)

This time filled with speeches by Churchill and Thatcher.

339 Some of the tweets about Walker are unbelievably stupid.  There is stupid and then there is village idiot stupid.

340 Who's holding who hostage, Barry?  (Whom? I never learned; grammar is racist.)

Posted by: HeatherRadish at February 17, 2011 12:59 PM (nAOMZ)

Never cease to be amazed by the fucking sniveling cowardice of the dems...

341 Fire up AF1. Let's go to WI and have a beer summit!

342 Zack Greinke throwing his first pitch at Brewers camp.

343 354 Some of the tweets about Walker are unbelievably stupid.  There is stupid and then there is village idiot stupid.

Posted by: mpfs at February 17, 2011 01:05 PM (iYbLN)

What??

344

"There's no such thing as an Organic Vineyard, Garrett."

Now how are all the Organic Vineyard black widow spiders going to find work?

345 Fire up AF1. Let's go to WI and have a beer summit!

President Oblivious would land in Madison and order a Budweiser.

346 The Brits loved the Indonesian.  They should keep the retarded piece of shit.

347 In dealing with a union - always go for the automatic dues payment first.  Make them beat their own vig out the membership.

348

Zack Greinke throwing his first pitch at Brewers camp.

You know who would make a good Major League Pitcher? 

349 Have these union thug protesters forgotten that their was an election in November?  The people not the unions voted in the Wisconsin governor and the legislature, they lost.  This is how they operate, they lose then try to intimidate to get their way.  Fuck you unions and I'm a government employee.

350 I did a major rant lecture last night about debt in my public budgeting master's class. All these students are gearing up for careers in the public sector, and they have never been so quiet as I went through charts and table demonstrating the unsustainability of debt at its current ratios, and how the president's budget is a fallacy. In the middle after I took a break I asked if any of them had ever heard of this information, or had any idea how debt can effect a department's budget, and the macroeconomy. The response was universal: no. They all said they thought incrementalism was the norm and would remain that way, whatever the cost. But a few started to "get it" when I was finished.

351 Rush says this is the two-year anniversary of the Stimulus.

I guess it will kick in any day now, huh?

352 361 The Brits loved the Indonesian.  They should keep the retarded piece of shit.

Posted by: iknowtheleft at February 17, 2011 01:06 PM (N49h9)

If only...he'd fit in well in Londonistan.

353 268 Look, if Saudi Arabia fell there would be an immediate waiver on all drilling restrictions.
__________

Your unwarranted optimism makes me giggle.

354 The Obamas have accepted an invitation to travel to Britain on May 24 for a state visit, his first European state visit.

I'm already embarrased by their conduct. (May? Are they trying to upstage The Wedding?)

355 339 Breaking: WI Democrat Assembly Senators are hiding out-of-state to avoid quorum for voting on budget bill. [...]

What options does he have at his disposal?

356 But a few started to "get it" when I was finished.

Posted by: Doc at February 17, 2011 01:08 PM (jGXQI)

Unfortunately they will become infected with the same bug that is out there now and will end up the same as the big spenders of today.

357 Have these union thug protesters forgotten that their was an election in November?

They don't care. We serfs voted wrong, so it's up to our smarter betters to fix things.

358 What are the population demographics of Wisconsin?  How do they differ from New Jersey?  Drudge has a healine that the dens are leaving Wisconsin?  They ruined the state and now they don't want to fix it, they want to leave?

359 Look, if Saudi Arabia fell there would be an immediate waiver on all drilling high-speed rail restrictions.

FIFY.

360 In dealing with a union - always go for the automatic dues payment first.  Make them beat their own vig out the membership.
Posted by: Jean

Jean,

Pennzoil did this years ago.  They had a branch in San Francisco.  The drivers wanted to unionize.  The company said okay but your people will have to write a check every month to the union because we won't take it out of their paychecks every pay period.  The union was pissed but were powerless to force the issue.  Pennzoil eventually just closed the branch to finish the issue.  The drivers? They all lost their jobs.  Smart union power, huh?

361 Unfortunately they will become infected with the same bug that is out there now and will end up the same as the big spenders of today. -- I know, but if I can temporarily reach a few, it's about as close to success as I can get on this island.

362 As soon as you wingnut teabaggers stop throwing your temper tantrums we will be free to return to work. Until then, we are going to burn this place down.

363 The ObamaCare amendment is being offered today. I think they're using the one drafted by my congressman, Rep. Ted Poe.

364 HOO RAY!  I love it when a plan comes together!

365 Would somebody drag Ace out of that pool of vomit, hose him off and prop him up at his keyboard? New thread needed.

366

^{Posted by: maddogg at February 17, 2011 01:14 PM (OlN4e)}

 

I think Ace is trying to get used to a new dosage.

367 Quick question?  Where is the illegal allien union?  I am suprised they did not get one YET.  Racists!

368 Per Iowahawk on twitter: "WI teacher's union wants to hear from you - & will pay for call! 1-800-362-8034 phone your support, questions, rambling endless stories" I need to dig out some old Penthouse Forums when I get home. They'll be interested in the stories methinks.

369

I posted in the ONT last night, but IÂ’m going to say it again here because not all teachers and teacher unions are acting badly right now, my son's school district teacherÂ’s union voted overwhelmingly (95%) to delay negotiating a new contract with the district for a year because they did not want to de-stabilize things for the students and felt that in these economic times it was for the good of everyone that they extended their existing contract. Our state Legislature is not only taking money away from education in the upcoming budget but also retroactively, they have put all WA school districts in a bind because they are literally taking money back from them.

 

Before you think “good, schools get too much money” WA state is one of the lowest funded states in terms of education, they currently do not even meet the state constitution’s charter to provide basic education and recently lost a court ruling on the subject.

370 If you've got some cash for supporting this, throw some to Justice Prosser.  See Janir's comment at 197.

This. First.   Save WI.

371 Obama is throwing the Churchill bust at all of us.

Posted by: Cherry π at February 17, 2011 12:58 PM (+sBB4)

I actually think that he is ramming it up our collective ass sideways...

------------------

Hey !!  I'm right here you know ....

372 373 What are the population demographics of Wisconsin?  How do they differ from New Jersey?  Drudge has a healine that the dens are leaving Wisconsin?  They ruined the state and now they don't want to fix it, they want to leave?

Posted by: curious at February 17, 2011 01:10 PM (p302b)

If they will all leave, I'll gladly move there.  Imagine, a state with no liberals to fuck it up.

373 What are the population demographics of Wisconsin?
Crumbling rust belt cities (with "designated black" Assembly Districts; I live in one) in SE WI; Scandis and First Peoples outstate; Madison populated entirely by pinkos.

Here's some relevant numbers:
Since 2000, Wisconsin’s GDP (gross domestic product) has grown by about 38 percent. Since 2000, the U.S. CPI (consumer price index) has .grown about 27 percent. How much has our state government grown? Nearly 60 percent! This year, the state government is asking for nearly 60 percent more spending than it was in 2000 (58.89 percent – more than $67 billion).

Read the whole thing, it's good.

374 Breaking: WI Democrat Assembly Senators are hiding out-of-state to avoid quorum for voting on budget bill. [...]

What options does he have at his disposal?

Stop automatic pay deposits - issue paper checks for salary and expenses into the custody of the Senate majority leader.  He can request to see a government issued ID prior to dispensing.  Eventually, they will come.

375 From RCP comments on the Paul Ryan video:

1. An Albany (NY) City teacher, Step One, who was paid a base salary of $42,132 as of September 2005 would be paid $60,708 at September 2010, a 44.09% increase. A Step Two teacher paid $43,607 at Sept 2005 would be paid $62,527 at Sept 2010 a 43.39% increase. The percent increases for Step Three through Step Twenty-five averaged 33.93%. Consumer Price Index Inflation during the same period was 9.88%. These increases do not include increases for taking on additional duties such as teacher leadership, counseling band and/or sports etc, etc. The steps represent year one in service, year two, year three, etc, etc.
Put more simply, the $100 at Step One in 9/2005 equals $144 and at 9/2010; CPI increases = $110.
The raw data is drawn and processed from the SeeThroughNY site. The increases for other school districts I have checked vary but are similar in magnitude.

376 Walker would strip government unions of the power to collectively bargain for higher wages unless approved by a public vote.

Oh, baby....

377

366 Rush says this is the two-year anniversary of the Stimulus.

This is also the 2 year anniversary of my demise...but nobody cares.

**sigh**

378 TWEET: Word just reached crowd that Obama made statement: "This is union busting."

379 Walker would strip government unions of the power to collectively bargain for higher wages unless approved by a public vote.

Governments/schools/teachers answerable to the voters?!?!?  But they'll demand results!

380 Hmmm, so Twitter hyperlinks post without triggering the spam filter; but webpages need tinyurl?

381 Rush says this is the two-year anniversary of the Stimulus.

This is also the 2 year anniversary of my demise...but nobody cares.

**sigh**

Posted by: Conchita Cintrón at February 17, 2011 01:22 PM (pr+up)

They both slung a lot of bull.

382 Word just reached crowd that Obama made statement: "This is union busting."

That Obama just can't miss the obvious.  FUCK YES it's union busting.

383 Statement of State Senate Democratic Leader Mark Miller (D-Monona) on walkout

Shorter: "STFU, serfs."

384 Wow the WI Dem lawmakers have taken their balls and gone home.  Good thing the Dems in TX set this precedent a few years ago.

385 What options does he have at his disposal?

Actually, the cops go after them and can physically bring them to the Senate floor.

They have 19 Senate Republicans and only need 20 total Senators for a quorum.  I'd love to see one of the little bugs collared and brought back against their will.  It'd be just like Selma or something.

386 What options does he have at his disposal?

I understand that they have sent out the police to round up a dem senator or two.

387 so Twitter hyperlinks post without triggering the spam filter; but webpages need tinyurl?

It's the length of the URL.  Tweets with long usernames don't always work.

388 When I was growing up property taxes supported the schools.  And also the housing values.  The better your schools, the better your housing values.  Our district was one of the top ten best in the country.  the parents of the mediocre students hired a principal for the high school who had previously been principal of one of the NYC high school only accessible by exam, Schumer's daughter went to one of them.   within two years the school district had plummeted out of the top one hundred.  He later admitted that those parents, the ones with the mediocre jocks for kids, wanted the stats changed so their kids would look better, previously the school was awash with honors classes and AP takers and going to the best schools, when this guy was done, it was only the jocks going to the best schools, the lacrosse boys.  Some of the older tenured teachers saw the handwriting on the wall and left.  A lot of folks sold their homes.   Yet, despite the poor performance the school taxes are higher than ever before and, even beginning teachers with a masters make over a hundred grand.  would love to see andrew cuomo fix that district first.

389 Actually, the cops go after them and can physically bring them to the Senate floor.

That's why they went to Illinois.

390 In Ohio, they're going to pass SB 5, which will eliminate automatic step increases for state employees and ban their collective bargaining.

They unions are already screaming about it. I generally support and respect our police and firefighters, but their true colors come out as soon as you go after their outsized bennies.

I had one firefighter ask me, "If we don't get a automatic raises for time served, how will they determine my raise? I save someone in a fire, I get a raise and if I don't save someone, I don't get a raise?"

I said, "Are you kidding? How do you think MY pay raise is determined in the private sector? My supervisor evaluates me. No, it's not perfect or even fair sometimes, but that's how it works in the real world. How does an accountant get evaluated? How about an engineer? There's no perfect system."

Every time you argue with them and win, they shift the argument. First this fighter and some other public union people argued to me that their wages and benefits weren't better. So I proved them wrong.

Then they said I was just jealous and should  "better myself" by getting a job in the public sector instead of trying to tear them down. I said I didn't care how much someone makes unless I'm footing the bill.

Then they argued the "for the kids" angle. I asked if burdening our kids with future tax increases was fair to them. They replied that politicians should have their pensions eliminated if money was the issue. When I asked if they really thought that we could balance the budget by killing a few politicians pensions, they didn't have an answer.

Then they just insisted that they deserve their pay and benefits. Not one could point to a solution to the state budget crisis. They don't want to think about it, they just want theirs and screw the rest of us.

One even had the nerve to accuse Gov Kasich of screwing them over because they supported the other guy. Well, duh. That's politics. You guys have been screwing the taxpayers for years by supporting the Democrats.

At this point, not only do I oppose these guys, I'm actually enjoying their pain.

391

268  Even an ideologue like OBama would not want to the president who presides over the total collapse of America.

 

You wanna bet?  Obama would love to be the dictator of the United (failed) States of America.  Obama idolizes his father, who was a govt functionary of a failed state in Africa.  The elite class like Obama Sr. continued to live a life of luxury, even as most kenyans lived on less than a dollar a day.

 

392 When Republicans finally screw up the courage to start laying off gov't workers, we'll know they are serious. Not holding my breath....

393

Wow...no dems showed up in the WI state senate...so no vote can take place

The gov has the cops looking for them

394 Fox is reporting that all Senate Dems in Wisconsin have run away from the Senate and refuse to show up, to provide a quorum for a vote.  No big surprise, but Trace Gallagher and Megyn Kelly are both amazed and claimed that they had "never heard of such a thing".  What idiots.  There was a big thing about the dems in Texas doing this and running away to Arkansas, IIRC.  How can these news idiots not remember the friggin' news?  How can no producer in the control room not remember it?  Unreal.

395 When Republicans finally screw up the courage to start laying off gov't workers, we'll know they are serious.

That's the fun part of this "Scott Walker is Hitler" bullshit--his alternative to "please pay a small fraction of your health insurance premiums" is "OK, we'll lay 10% of you off and make the rest of you take unpaid furloughs." 

396 Please support Scott Walker in the Wisconsin battle by liking his Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/governorscottwalker

397 Wow the WI Dem lawmakers have taken their balls and gone home.  Good thing the Dems in TX set this precedent a few years ago.

Posted by: NC Ref at February 17, 2011 01:26 PM (/izg2)

You beat me to it.  Good job.  Fox News didn't have a single person around who remembered this story.  Just us lowly commenters ...

398 With regards to outlaw D senators, I would merely change the payment rules that would require all representatives to be present to pick up their paychecks on the Senate floor. Give them a couple of weeks to think this one through. No more direct deposit or mailed checks. You want to be paid, then show up for work. This idea may work for the school system as well.

399 New to the thread, so forgive me if this question has been addressed already.  How can these teachers drag their students off to these protests without parental permission?

400 This is all so unpresidented.

401 In honor of the Robocop statue in Detroit:

"I don't want to hear any more
talk about strike.

We're not plumbers,
we're police officers.

And police officers don't strike."

402

You beat me to it.  Good job.  Fox News didn't have a single person around who remembered this story.  Just us lowly commenters ...

Posted by: iknowtheleft at February 17, 2011 01:35 PM (N49h9)

Thanks for the props!  Blind squirrels and...well, memories.  You wouldn't think it would be that hard for a "professional journalist" to remember recent history.  _{*cough*hussein surrendered*cough*}

403 i have two friends who work on wall street.  they got bad reviews.  they didn't get a bonus.  That's how WS is giving raises to the upper echelon.   And they truly didn't deserve the bad reviews.  Have heard similar stories from attorneys and other private sector groups.  the only recourse you have is politics or to leave.  A lot of people were told "you should be thankful you have a job".   there's going to be a lot of movement soon in these jobs.  People can take almost anything but people lying about their job performance.  They will find other jobs and leave and their bosses will be shocked.  See, if you kept your job through all of this, you can get another one.  this is the oddity of this recession/depression.

404 Senate Dems in Wisconsin have run away from the Senate and refuse to show up, to provide a quorum for a vote.

So they must be quitting their jobs to avoid ever having to vote....

405 How can these teachers drag their students off to these protests without parental permission?

It's a good question no one in the media will ask "educators." 

The money for the school buses came from somewhere, too.

406 414 New to the thread, so forgive me if this question has been addressed already.  How can these teachers drag their students off to these protests without parental permission?

Posted by: havedash@yahoo.com at February 17, 2011 01:37 PM (sFD5n)

Hahahahhaha...We don't play by the same rules as you ploebes do.

 

407 Shouldn't that be Job #1?

Posted by: FUBAR at February 17, 2011 12:21 PM (McG46)

Yes. The next republican presidential candidate to campaign on this issue will win my support.  Rescind 10988. Should be a bumpersticker.

408 All of the teachers who called in sick should be fired. He could probably cover that 6,000 number immediately with the teachers alone. What is worse.....they have students out there with them. That alone in my mind is worth firing any teacher whose students are out protesting with them. Dereliction of duty.

409

#384: Some Washington State figures:

1) $237,500 for a classroom of 25 students for a nine-month year

2) less than 59 cents of every education dollar reaches the classroom

3) The majority of public education employees are not classroom teachers

with the result that less than 36% of 8th graders have achieved grade-level proficiency in math and reading on the NAEP...

Why exactly should the taxpayers fork over more????

PS - these #s don't include all of the Federal funds...

410 Republicans control the Senate 19-14, meaning they can lose only two votes and still pass the bill if all Democrats oppose it. Some Republicans have shown reluctance about the bill, though so far none have said publicly that they will vote against it.

Even after voting for the proposal in the Legislature's budget committee just before midnight Wednesday, Sen. Luther Olsen (R-Ripon) showed his concern about the effects of the proposal on workers.

"I will probably vote for it" on the Senate floor, Olsen said.



"It's no good, I can't maneuver!"
"Stay on target."

411 Are you going to be the parent to complain that they made your kid go and protest?   If you complain, they will take it out on your kid and literally ruin the kids future as they won't get into a good college.  They have all the cards and more.   When you ask them for a college recommendation, you have to sign something that says that you will not look at their recommendation or, they won't write the recommendation.  This is so stupid as why would you pick a teacher to write your college recommendations who wouldn't give you a good one.  Yet, in my class, in NYS, that nice smiling teacher, who you thought loved you, tells harvard you aren't harvard material even though you are a nice smart kid so harvard doesn't take you.  The parents and students are slaves to the teachers, they have no choice, they have to play the game.  Plus now the new ivys are the state schools.  It is more difficult to get into your state school now that the ivys so they can really damage you with the state schools.  So you and your parents shut your mouths and tow the line or you could end up in community college or worse, technical school. (i don't believe technical school or community college are bad, just showing the mentality)

412

3) The majority of public education employees are not classroom teachers

Posted by: Jess at February 17, 2011 01:43 PM (6klwE)

Any idea what the disparity is? Administration is huge I bet

413 They all said they thought incrementalism was the norm and would remain that way, whatever the cost. But a few started to "get it" when I was finished.

Posted by: Doc at February 17, 2011 01:08 PM (jGXQI)

Sorry to be behind the curve, but what is incrementalism? Just constant creep up from last years budget?  No such thing as zero based budgeting in their world?

414 If the Wisconsin Dems are so principled on this issue, they should come forward and vote against the bill.  But they aren't, so they won't.

415

(May? Are they trying to upstage The Wedding?)

Nah. They're just PO'd that Reagan got a wedding invite for the last big shindig, so with Obegme = Reagan....

416

BREAKING NEWS.

 

Being reported that Wisconsin Senate Democrats all got on a bus and left the state.  No second source for the conformation.

 

 

417 He hates America and he hates Americans and he's been showing this to us every single day.

You're confused.

418 Can't watch o'really since his second interview.  He joined Kudlow's BO cheerleader in the media, inc.  it's nauseating

419

"Any idea what the disparity is? Administration is huge I bet"

Last figures I had were ~ 56% or so.

FWIW, my kid's HS has 69 non teaching, non fixed operations employees...but we need more money!!

Feh.

420 Speaking of WI Assembly Democrats being union-drone turds, here's how they manipulated attendance last term:

Wisconsin Democrats are trying to get the convicted multi-drunk driver, Jeff Wood out of jail, so he can vote in this Lame Duck session, to pass sweetheart union contracts before Scott Walker is inaugurated. Democrats were decimated in the latest elections, so they are using their last days to screw the taxpaying voters of Wisconsin.

421 hahhah rush just got a call from a teacher who said "I don't see any teachers getting rich but the cops certainly do".....

the guy wants to go back to the 1960's where everyone belonged to the union and on guy could support his family. 

the new left?

422 Police officers are looking for Democratic Wisconsin lawmakers who were ordered to attend a vote on a bill that would strip public employees of collective bargaining rights.
No Democrats showed up for ThursdayÂ’s Senate session, meaning a vote cannot be taken. Republicans need one Democratic senator to be present. Calls to Democratic leaders were not immediately returned.
Republicans are pushing the anti-union bill proposed by GOP Gov. Scott Walker. Thousands of people clogged the halls of the Statehouse for a third straight day in opposition.
Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald says law enforcement officers were searching for Democrats after they were ordered to attend the Senate session.

423 Posted by: HeatherRadish at February 17, 2011 01:52 PM (nAOMZ)

More lame duck criminality from Dems ... with a card-carrying criminal, this time.  These lame duck sessions need to be done away with.  They are only possible when we have civilized people in our legislatures.  Dems are animals.

I'm kind of ticked that none of these people (including Congress) have been held to account for their lame duck attacks.  Barky even crowed about having had "the most productive lame duck session in history" which is as close to self-incrimination as you can get.  Unreal.  But ... that's all ancient history ... long forgotten, now.  Even after Russia made a mockery of that START idiocy and the DADT crap is going to be causing us major, major problems.

424 Fox is reporting that all Senate Dems in Wisconsin have run away from the Senate and refuse to show up, to provide a quorum for a vote.  No big surprise, but Trace Gallagher and Megyn Kelly are both amazed and claimed that they had "never heard of such a thing".  What idiots.  There was a big thing about the dems in Texas doing this and running away to Arkansas, IIRC.  How can these news idiots not remember the friggin' news?  How can no producer in the control room not remember it?  Unreal.

To OK, NM, and AR, as I recall actually.  And we sent the Texas Rangers after them.  They were mostly back by the end of the week- a large number of them were back the next day.

Unfortunately, I don't think WI has an equivalent to the Texas (One Riot. One Ranger) Rangers.

425 O/T:  "Law enforcement is now searching for Democratic senators boycotting a Senate vote on Gov. Scott Walker's budget-repair plan Thursday in an attempt to bring the lawmakers to the floor to allow Republicans to move forward with action on the bill."

Was interesting to listen to the teacher caller on rush criticize the cops.  Guess it's just a matter of time before one union turns on another.

426 I'm kind of ticked that none of these people (including Congress) have been held to account for their lame duck attacks.  Barky even crowed about having had "the most productive lame duck session in history" which is as close to self-incrimination as you can get.  Unreal.  But ... that's all ancient history ... long forgotten, now.  Even after Russia made a mockery of that START idiocy and the DADT crap is going to be causing us major, major problems.

Posted by: iknowtheleft at February 17, 2011 01:56 PM (N49h9)

Shhhhhhhhh.

427 Am I the only one experiencing a bit of schadenfreude at the news that New York City may be laying off 6,000 teachers?  Yes?  Check out their salaries, then answer the question.

428 Guess it's just a matter of time before one union turns on another.

I hope I can still afford popcorn.

429 More lame duck criminality from Dems ...

Correction: attempted criminality, in that case. But, the attempt should still be a crime, just like attempted murder is.  Just because the dems weren't competent enough to pull off their crime doesn't mean they should be excused from trying.

430 @426  They should join the military, do a four year hitch and get the G.I. Bill (the new version is super sweet), then they can tell their teachers and college loans to get fucked.

431 Rush:

Out-of-state Libtards being bussed into Wisconsin.

Protesters have bumrushed the Wisconsin Senate.

Seems to me a the backlash against Unions is gonna be a bitch.

432 As the day goes on, I'm getting more and more pissed about Obama and his goons interfering with WI state business. 

433 447 As the day goes on, I'm getting more and more pissed about Obama and his goons interfering with WI state business.

Where are the goons from, BTW?  Chicago, IL, and Gary, IN?

434 Where are the goons from, BTW?

I was referring to his published remarks and the DNC and OFA sending out e-mails...I didn't even think about getting goons physically shipped in.  Damn.

435

Following Guv Walker on Twitter as a show of support. The guy's up over 3,000 now. :-)

Wish I could do more. I also wish it was legal to institutionalize libtards.

436 449 Where are the goons from, BTW?

I was referring to his published remarks and the DNC and OFA sending out e-mails...I didn't even think about getting goons physically shipped in.  Damn.

I asked because there are reports that the protesters have stormed the capitol building and comments that they were bussed in from other states.

437 431 BREAKING NEWS.Being reported that Wisconsin Senate Democrats all got on a bus and left the state.  No second source for the conformation.

Hope this is a trend.  I'd spring for busfare to get rid of PA's Dems. Esecially if they left the country altogether.  Canada is bound to be much more receptive to these folks.

438 As the day goes on, I'm getting more and more pissed about Obama and his goons interfering with WI state business. 

Posted by: HeatherRadish at February 17, 2011 02:09 PM (nAOMZ)

Which I would say is yet another impeachable act, since it goes directly against the whole purpose of the Commerce Clause.  Instead of making interstate commerce regular, the White House is making intrastate commerce irregular - which the federal government doesn't even have the power to muck around in.

439 This teacher situation is making people really dislike teachers.  Are they not aware of this? 

the elected the governor.  He said what he was planning to do, that's how he got elected, same for Christis, in plain site, what, did they think it was all talk? 

And for teachers to be this stupid is just so sad.  " I want my enormous salary increase even if I bankrupt the state".  How stupid is that?   And then you'll have no job and no students to teach.  Idiots.

440 Which I would say is yet another impeachable act, since it goes directly against the whole purpose of the Commerce Clause.  Instead of making interstate commerce regular, the White House is making intrastate commerce irregular - which the federal government doesn't even have the power to muck around in.

And I would add, for the White House to facilitate busing protest goons in from another state most certainy violates the Commerce Clause, in addition to the attempt just to mess up intrastate commerce.

441 If parental permission was not properly obtained for the teachers to take their students out of the classroom to protest, then parents should flood the police with child abduction reports!

442 Winning The Future -- Duck & Cover Version

443 I'm willing to bet that this wouldn't be happening if it weren't for Christie doing his thing in Jersey.

Wouldn't this sort of thing be called leadership?

444 NYS has an "in loco parentis law".  Wisconsin may have that law also.

NYS always leads the way with these laws which undermine parental rights.

445
Not sure you can forbid public employees from contributing to political campaigns, that might be in conflict with rulings on the 1st Amendment.

That didn't stop McCain and Feingold...but they're not talking about forbidding employees but public sector unions. Large difference, that.

Get money from shake downs of employee dues, use that to make compaign contributions (or purchase ads on their behalf) to select politicians, who in turn use the public monies to give the unions what they want in terms of pay and benefits.

No, that isn't in the least bit corrupt.

446 "Unfortunately, I don't think WI has an equivalent to the Texas (One Riot. One Ranger) Rangers." where's Chuck Norris?

447 To paraphrase some rapper

"Neighbor Please!"

448 Wi. teachers:  like that old Chinese guy said, (cant remember his name, he was way more than 100 years ago)  " Do not interrupt your enemy when they are doing something  THIS FUCKING STUPID.   something like that.

449

Government is force.  Taxation and the monopoly on force make government a uniquely dangerous and potentially destructive institution.

The government taxes us to pay billions to AFSCME and SEIU.  The unions in turn spend record amounts to elect politicians who run us into the ground financially, deny it's happening, all the while kicking back billions more in tax dollars to their pet interests.  Anyone who attempts to prevent disaster is attacked.  

In Europe some armies have unions.    

They are usually about twenty years ahead of us bad idea wise.