Walker’s Wisconsin – Commonsense in Action

Posted by Larry Miller on February 23, 2011 under How | 3 Comments to Read

The Wisconsin capitol has been besieged by hundreds of teachers and other public union members protesting proposed legislation that would limit the ability of such unions to loot the public treasury. To hear union members tell their tale of woe, one would think they would be turned out of their homes and their children would die of starvation if they were to loose their “negotiated” advantages. This tax payer supported mob is angry that they may no longer be able to disrupt essential public services if the taxpayers don’t cater to their demands. Unlike the rioting in the middle east, this is not an uprising of the working class against a corrupt government. This is an uprising of the privileged class with the support of a corrupt national government.

This is a strike that has closed public schools in the liberal bastion of Madison and several other counties around the state. The events show that these teachers have infected their students with their socialistic propaganda to the point where the young skulls full of mush have joined them on the picket line. They have apparently convinced their idealist charges that they are standing up to “the man”. The idea that tax payers who are already hard pressed by the economic downturn should be hit up once again for more money to keep these unionized government employees in the lifestyle to which they have become accustomed is just plain wrong.

The taxpayers of Wisconsin are being asked to fork over more and more of their hard earned dollars so these supposed public servants don’t have to contribute their own dollars for their own retirement and health benefits. These union members have grown fat and happy living at the public trough. Now that the flow of citizen funds is slowing down, these teachers have become indignant that those filling the public trough have run out of money.

These actions should put an end to the fantasy that teachers unions are looking out for the children. We should have been paying closer attention when Al Shanker, former president of the American Federation of Teachers said, “When school children start paying union dues, that’s when I’ll start representing the interests of school children.” If the interest of these people were really in the welfare of the children, would they be shaking down the parents that are struggling to provide food, clothing and housing for these same children?

So the goal of Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker to free the citizens of the Badger State from the blackmail of the teachers and public employees union is being met by the resistance of those who believe these resources are rightfully theirs to take. Using intimidation in an attempt to force the state government to bend to their will, they have the audacity to call the Governor a bully.

Unfortunately, the people of Wisconsin simply do not have the organization to present their case to the media and the world. What they do have is a governor and legislators who are actually looking out for the well being of their constituents. The sad thing is that many of us are pleasantly surprised by this as it is such a rarity in this day of professional politicians. Along this line, we cannot forget to appreciate similar efforts by John Kasich in Ohio. The problem is that these unions and others in the progressive left simply do not comprehend that “public” money is not theirs.

Those of us fortunate enough to live in states not currently under attack by these larcenous laborers need to keep our eyes on what is going on under the surface locally. Self serving public service unions are infesting our nation. They are just waiting to stand up and slap down any effort to economize in the public sector and bring the price within the scope of what the tax payers can afford and are willing to pay. We cannot allow them to succeed. It will be a rocky ride, but a necessary one if our country is to remain free and prosperous.