http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/12/opinion/12brooks.html

Special interests and public sector unions have sapped the ability of government to spend on productive projects.
How did we get into this mess?
How do we get out of it.?

No, tax the rich is not an answer.

A) - Elected democrats allowed it to happen.

B) - Have elected Republicans pass legislation outlawing unionization of public sector workers. It is a travesty to think that government workers could 'go on strike' against the taxpayers. Eliminate it now, and start returning public service back to what it was meant to be. The completely unaffordable benefit promises given to this group are an absolute joke.

C) - if all else fails, elect Chris Christie as President in '12.

^^^

The epic fail of liberalism....bigger government means more public sector employees. Government officials can't 'push back' against the unions demands....those who do are hammered at the polls. Taxpayers foot the bill for the sweet deals. Officials who 'negotiated' them are long gone.
Government can no longer pay for needed public projects because it is hamstrung by non productive pension payments for workers retiring even before age 50.

I want to see somebody come on here and defend it.


moreover, ...if you want to stop this, follow the money and see who is in the pockets of these unions.

QuakerOats;524209 wrote:It is a travesty to think that government workers could 'go on strike' against the taxpayers. Eliminate it now, and start returning public service back to what it was meant to be. The completely unaffordable benefit promises given to this group are an absolute joke.

More than a travesty. It's unethical, it's immoral, and it's a classic symptom of what has gone seriously wrong with this country.

Politicians - in particular liberal politicians - beholden to public employee bargaining units and Big Labor in general have created this toxic political environment.

Reagan once had the testicular fortitude to to stand up to this type of nonsense when he fired air traffic controllers (PATCO) for violating Federal law when they walked off the job in 1981.

Aw the good ol' days!

Great article.

I wonder how the USA's % overpay, pension burden and over employment of public employees compares to EU nations.

http://www.numberof.net/number-of-government-employees-in-the-world/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population

So for comparison 5.6% of Italy's population is employed directly by the government 7.9% for Canada, 2.5% for Germany, 8.4% for the UK, while the USA is at a 6.9%