Will government employees do themselves in by being GREEDY?
February 18, 2011
What is going on in Wisconsin will come soon to a neighborhood near you. All governments, city, state and federal, are running out of money. Every night on the news stories of budget deficits abound. This could be a good thing. Bloated salaries and outrageous benefits for public sector workers was easier to overlook when the economy was rosy and the impending disaster “can” was being kicked down the road. But now that everyone is out of money and the economy is in trouble, it is difficult to ignore the elephant in the room. It is time to confront the issues that are sending almost all governments (especially those in blue states) into bankruptcy.
The silver lining? There are more of us in the private sector than there are in the public sector. Believe me, that is not for lack of trying by liberals who continue to expand government programs and bureaus within the bureaus. But what politicians seem to overlook is that no government jobs can exist without some people in the private sector paying taxes to support them. Now is the perfect time to get people who have not been paying attention to start taking notice.
Those of us who make a certain salary are supporting our counter-parts in the government who make more than we do. Government salaries have been shown to be higher than those doing the same job in the private sector. Not only that, but we are responsible for their retirement and healthcare for life. They may participate toward those benefits, but it has been minimal. It is time to join the rest of us and make the sacrifice, government employees.
Back when money was plentiful and the agreements were made, many of us chose to look the other way, even when conservative groups like the Heritage Foundation told us this day would come. The tipping point. Now it’s here and none too soon.
To see the images on television you would think there were a majority of people against the budget cuts than there are for them. But polls show these people, however plentiful they may look in every news story I’ve seen this week, are still in the minority. The Governor was hired to balance the budget and cut waste, and that’s what he’s trying to do.
You know the most appalling thing about this whole protest? Government workers in Wisconsin who are on strike are being PAID even though they are not at work! If I don’t show up, I don’t make a dime, but not so with these people. And there are stories saying many of these protesters are not even from the area and have been bussed in! They even have their students participating! Interviews show that most of the youngsters don’t really know why they are there. It’s probably just another day out of school for them. I predict as more states tackle these same issues, the numbers of protesters will dwindle as “immigrants” go back to their home states to carry on with the protests. After all, this is not an altruistic movement. It is purely selfish.
I was unable to find the numbers, but from what I hear, the Governor is asking for state workers to take a small pay cut plus pay more toward their pensions and health insurance. Even so, it is far less than those of us in the private sector have to pay for such benefits. What I think conservatives should point out is that the Governor’s alternative is to lay off as many as 5,000 state workers who would then get NO salary. I bet that would thin the herd in the Wisconsin Capitol and possibly get them to start fighting amongst themselves. After all, those hired last will be the first to go. Wouldn’t you think that all of them taking just a little less to keep 100% of the work force would be the fair thing to do? After all, that is what they always ask from people in the private sector.
Bay Area Patriots sent out an e-mail with a couple of action items that are worthwhile. One of them was to post a “Like” on a Facebook web page called “Stand With Wisconsin” which can be found here. The other was to send an encouraging e-mail to Governor Walker. I did both of these things in just a couple of minutes.
Regardless of the negative spin the news outlets are trying to put on this, this is a continuation of the Tea Party effect. If elected officials don’t step up and do the right thing for voters who are paying the tab, it will be another blood bath in the 2012 elections for those who oppose REAL CHANGE.
Mick Orton
