Wisconsin Re-call Elections Next Tuesday

davidg wrote: It will probably have to go to the Supreme Court.

That would be great if it is over ruled since it would set a trend in the system and other states!!   

Guess what, way back I was a union member! That's when I learned the "blood sucking" term!! Unions were great back in the early days when they were protecting workers from unfair working conditions and wages. It's gone the opposite now and the only reason for them is to support the actual union officials. Case in point is their own personal med insurance supported by the teachers! We know where that went!!

Just a thought, Pete.
If a Wisconsin teacher making the average Wisconsin teachers salary somehow was able to put 20% down on your primary house in what you describe as the "low rent district", their entire salary after taxes (30% like most of us) wouldn't cover the mortgage.

OverMyHead wrote: Maybe if they worked 12 months out of the year like the rest of us instead of 9 they would have less to complain about. By the way the starting teachers working 9 moths a year are making about what I make in 12, and they get to retire at 50 vs. me maybe never. Did someone force them to go into teaching when they really wanted to be a rich wall street person? We all make our choices.

You're right. They made their choices based on the agreement that the government had offered them. They had faith that the government would stand behind their obligations / promises. This failure to recognize and honor prior promises is epidemic in the business climate today.
Why you would choose an occupation that offers no retirement and may require you to work for the rest of your life is a mystery to me. I really enjoy being retired.

If all of the teachers in Wisconsin worked for free with no benefits it would only decease the school budget by 28%.

Wisconsin teacher salaries vs. total education expenditures
Total Expenditures: $10,281,635,082
Teacher Expenditures: $2,975,413,824
Percent Spent on Teachers: 28.9 %
Source : National Education Association (nea.org), National Center for Education Statistics (nces.ed.gov), 2011
One of the biggest expenditures is transportation. Why don't the parents take responsibility for getting their kids to school or pay the costs of transportation. The school district is not a bus company.

john b wrote: If all of the teachers in Wisconsin worked for free with no benefits it would only decease the school budget by 28%. Wisconsin teacher salaries vs. total education expenditures Total Expenditures: $10,281,635,082 Teacher Expenditures: $2,975,413,824 Percent Spent on Teachers: 28.9 % Source : National Education Association (nea.org), National Center for Education Statistics (nces.ed.gov), 2011 One of the biggest expenditures is transportation. Why don't the parents take responsibility for getting their kids to school or pay the costs of transportation. The school district is not a bus company.

Okay, lets see. I know you love lots of facts and figures to provide a very convincing argument. I think I can convince you that this new ruling by the activist judge is sending Wisconsin in the wrong direction using one word.

That Word: Illinois

You have seen what over-promising to the public sector unions has done to our finances right here in Illinois over the past 40 or 50 years. Why on earth would you wish that on Wisconsin, or any other state?   

The state of Illinois is in debt $83 Billion for unfunded pension liabilities. These so-called government promises are totally unsustainable. Someone needs to be the adult in the room and say so. Promises have been made that we can no longer afford to honor. Unfortunately, thats just the way it is. Do you truly and honestly think Illnois will dig out of the debt we are in based on these unfunded pensions?