A Defense for Wisconsin Republicans

It seems everyone is up-in-arms about Wisconsin.

The Republicans aren't playing fair (but ignore the runaway Democrats hiding out of state). The Governor is destroying the middle class (but ignore the multi-billion dollar deficit). The Unions are the only protections these people have (except the results of decades of union activity are questionable at best).

I'm sticking up for the Governor. I'm sticking up for the Wisconsin Republicans. The real issue here is questioning the validity of public employees having unions. Do these employees need protection? Are unions the only recourse they have? Won't we simply go back to the era of 'The Jungle' where the rich dominate and use an unprotected poor population?

No. No to all the above. Here's an excerpt of a facebook dialog I've been having:

I will challenge you on your views of which bargaining rights fall into the 'fiscal' category. Every expense that pubic employees acquire is an expense to tax payers. So any 'right' essentially does become a fiscal one. That's why the bargaining rights are limited to public employees, not unions of the entire state (we'll return to this thought in a second).

I'd also challenge you on the outcomes of this law. A lack of union power doesn't remove existing benefits (those are codified). And the state still has to fund those things that they are legally responsible for. Money cannot be taken away from school desks, because the state has laws protecting the x amount of dollars that go towards each student. Similar laws protect everything else that you're worried about. I can't overstate how important that is.

And finally to why I defend the Republicans: if you think your governor is spending too much on capitol buildings, and not enough on school desks, you can elect someone new. Don't think your public employees make enough? Elect someone new! Want to collect more taxes for schooling? Elect someone new!

The people (taxpayers!) now have the direct ability to control where their money goes, instead of a union (which, by definition, is self serving). That's why the Republicans passed this bill. That's why it's limited to public employee unions. And that's why it's a good thing.

I'm tired of the defense of unions that people adhere to. Civil employees shouldn't have them. There's no balancing mechanism with them that private companies have access to. When I went to Air Traffic Controller school, many of my teachers were current controllers on the cusp of retirement.

I was shocked to learn that by playing their cards right, many of these controllers were making pensions of $80,000 or more. They would make more in retirement than most people see working full time. And while I'm all about taking care of people who have jobs that are insanely stressful, the effect of a powerful union can be seen in all it's glory.

There's no justification for pensions like that. It's one more justification for stripping civic employee unions of their power.