>> ^Winstonfield_Pennypacker:

•Corrupt union leaders then personally negotiate with thier pet-elected corrupt politicians to freeze unrealistic pay, benefits, and work rules for unions


Throughout this entire mess, I have not seen any evidence of the lazy, overpaid union workers like the right keeps claiming. Where is the gravy train? From the studies I've seen, the union workers are at best paid a few percentage points higher than non-union. And the ones I believe, which take into account required education levels and responsibilities, indicate that public sector union workers could do better in the private sector.

I don't buy it. If the union workers are earning too much money, show us the proof and we will elect officials who run on the platform of negotiating for more reasonable pay levels. That hasn't happened, and it makes me believe that it's a load of bullshit.

Even if it is true, the proper route is to demonstrate the problem to the public, not bust the unions. We're the boss, remember? It's our money. Let everybody decide how to fix the problem if there is one. But right now, the majority of Americans are firmly behind unions. This whole Republican union-busting movement is a despicable end-run around the will of the people. And if there is any justice, they will be crushed for it in the next election.

As someone who has spent almost zero time reading up on education policy, but who's a total junkie for reading politics, I can explain why the current merit pay/charter school/standardized testing thing is pretty transparently a load of horseshit.

Let's start with who's in favor of it. Is this a popular idea in the Washington press corps? Yes, undoubtedly. Do they ever back good policy? I've never known them to. Conservatives love it, as do the perennially "moderate" Democrats. More bad signs. As for Waiting for Superman, all my pinko-commie friends tell me it was made and promoted by big money interests. That's not good, either.

Where else in the world do they have an education system like this? How's it working for them? Not having researched it, I can't answer that question, but no one who's for it ever says "look at how well <some country>'s education system works! We should copy them!" However the people who oppose it, like Ravitch, point to Finland, and the fact that it's almost entirely the polar opposite of what the big money wants for America, and Finland is almost always ranked #1 internationally for education.

Mostly, I just hear more union-busting in a lot of this talk. Ravitch sounded like she did too -- it's all about rooting out the "bad teachers", as if our education system's sole flaw is a lousy crop teachers that are bilking the system, with the aid of the eeeeevil teacher's unions.

It can't be poverty and budget cuts, noooooo, that'd mean admitting those dirty fucking hippies are right yet again...

I don't really think you are like the skull guy, just having some fun with you.

As far as I know, not paying your taxes will only result in gun play if you fire first. Paying income tax is part of our system and no one is forcing you to work or live in this country, just like no one is forced to work at Wal*Mart. You can petition the government to change it's stance on income tax, and I can petition the government to change it's stance on abusive corporations, but in the meantime, our reality is what it is.

I don't see poorness as a permanent state of victimhood - which, btw, is classic right wing radio way of demonizing people who give a shit (*fear) - I just believe they shouldn't have to work more than 40 hours a week to make ends meet. I don't think capitalism is immoral, either, but I do think it amoral and have no problem curbing its destructive properties.

It's no mystery why Wal*Mart is popular. Its dirt cheap prices are subsidized by abuse of its workers, union busting, and government welfare. Just because something is popular and successful doesn't mean it is good or healthy. (ex: boy bands, Titanic, sniffing glue)

I'm sure cigarettes and alcohol would be very popular among grade schoolers, but I don't hear anyone lobbying on their behalf. Removing speed limits would probably go over well too, but would be a death warrant for countless people.

I believe LA did mount a large, successful campaign to keep Wal*Mart out, which is a fight most smaller cities are not powerful enough to wage (which is why there should be limits on corporate size and power). There are several Targets in LA, which are better stores anyway. They are much more respectful of employees too.



In reply to this comment by blankfist:
You can try your best to push me to the fringe with your personal attack, but there's a big difference between the guy in the skull mask's message and mine. Here's a little social experiment for you. Why not stop paying your income taxes, and every time you're contacted by the IRS or any government bureaucrat just ignore them. Let's see if they send men with guns to your house. But, that wouldn't be violent, would it? No, they're all "peace officers" there to keep the peace for you and me, right? They would never shoot you or me.

Back to your wage slavery. I think you have a very strong isolationist perspective of people. You see poor people as hapless victims floating alone in the world, unable to get above it all because of an evil capitalist system permeating society around them. They're not alone. We all coexist together. If someone wants to live better, they have a chance to work together to improve their conditions... without Walmart if they choose.

If you don't want Walmarts in your community, then you can always be persuasive and convince people to voluntarily not be patrons of the store. It's not like they moved into every city in the country overnight and destroyed small business by force. They were allowed in and welcomed. Why have you turned me into a defender of Walmart! You bastard!

By the way, I don't see a Walmart in Los Angeles. The closest one is in Long Beach, and it opened a long while back. Maybe people in LA don't want to give up their boutique style shops for that kind of thing? I don't know.

No, I'm pretty sure Coulter means most of what she says, though she says it in the most incendiary terms possible.

Her dad was a rich lawyer who specialized in union busting.

She's always been pretty well-off, but never rich enough to hang with the blue bloods, and this is her very selfish attention-whore way of ingratiating herself into their club.


In reply to this comment by peggedbea:
http://www.videosift.com/video/Generous-Ann-Coulter-allows-Canadians-continue-to-Dog-Sled

ive always had my hunches, but upon thoroughly inspection of this video i am now 99.99898098% sure these demons are only a parody of their viewers. their motivation? cash. only im not sure if its a relief to be so certain of this or something else to keep me up at night.

what says you capt liberal douchey pants?

QM! Finally a breathe of fresh air. At least he sticks to the wingnut talking points. He also makes his points so blatant, everyone realize there is no hope or humanity left in him, so why try and talk reason. At least QM makes his points well and I can at least respect his position.

Now BGW keeps blathering on without defending his hatred of the Constitution. I'm sorry, what part of "their criminal wrongdoing" and "illegal" and "criminal" didn't imply you were talking about Mexicans. See I read and can even remember all of your vile spew.

if they had open boundaries and just let anybody in.... these desperate people... You should let anyone in your own home who wants to be there-you know--thiefs, murderers, criminals, lawless people in general... No screening process.

Seems like you are implying Mexicans will come across the border and break into your house. So, yeah, you kinda DID say that. I'm just repeating your provocative crap.

You honestly believe cops should go around Union-busting immigrant rallies. (It's a historical term.. look it up, I'm not implying anything to do with unions, but rather public servant behavior)

Do you believe in the Bill of Rights? (yes/no)
Do you believe in the First Amendment? (yes/no)
Do you know what the First Amendment says? (no/no)
Do you believe the US gov't should torture people? (yes/no/Enhanced Interrogation Techniques)
Do you believe cops should shoot women & children with rubber bullets? (yes/no)
Do you believe illegals should be rounded up and put in Halliburton detention centers?
Do you know what happens to a fascist regime after it starts rounding up people and putting them in detention centers?


(Are you purposefully pretending you can't click the Morans link.. I know it is internets 101 to include links to explain things. You're more of a truthiness kind of guy. Don't need no stinkin' hyperlinks))

Margaret Thatcher did alot for the UK economy, allowing it to compete directly with the international market. Though this did come at a cost of union busting. Two sides to every story as they say.