I'd like to see the public sector unions take a hit

One of the things I like to see is public sector unions take a hit. A HARD hit.

Even FDR back in the day opposed letting the public sector organixe, saying that allowing it would permit the unions to hold the American public hostage.

He was right and over the years the unions have, time and again. From what I can say I have seen, most of this has been the teacher unions. Every so often they close down some school system or another with a strike.

The Air Traffic Controllers tried to paralyze the entire nation once demanding a 32 hour work week among other things. President Reagan brought that to a screeching halt, firing the union and blacklisting most of the membership from further Federal service for life.

A good call on Reagan's part.

One of the things the people in the public sector seem to have forgotten is that they work for us. Recently there was a Wisconsin recall election and the encumbent managed to keep his job.

The recall election was headed by several unions, including the public sector unions there. The people of Wisconsin decided that the long term demands of the unions would wind up raising state taxes 10% per annum and decided that they wanted to keep their money. Can't say as I blame them.

One of the things that the public sector have done is bargain early retirements for themselves. The officials in office went along with it most likely because they knew that the payoff would not happen during their terms in politics and it was easier to let it slide and leave the mess to someone else.

Pensions originally were something paid to people that had gotten too old to work and were fairly small amounts that would enable them to live out the few years they had left with a little dignity.

In return it was generally conceded that the public sector people would work for a little less money in exchange for security and the small pension.

Teachers are an example of this. Back in the 60s they didn't make a whole lot but got a decent benefit package and a retirement pension when they got too old to work anymore.

I had teachers in their 70s that came in every day and did their jobs. One was a track coach and he was about six days older than dirt. He must have been well into his seventies ad coached track. Actually he was quite a character.

Pensions were not designed to take someone in the prime of their career and park them on the golf course for the rest of their long lives

One of my pet peeves is people that do not know how to count. This includes almost anyone that is in elected or a union office.

The numbers for 20 and out pensions simply do not work. A couple of private unions have tried it and have found it doesn't work.

At 50% of a persons pay it works out to a 25 year old guy starts getting paid out at 45 years old and we'll assume he dies at age 85. It's close enough and makes the numbers easier to deal with and still gets the point across.

He works 20 years, collects half his pay in a pension for the next forty years and when it is over and done with, unadjusted for inflation, you have paid him 40 years pay for 20 years work.

Of course, at age 45 he can still find another job, pull another 20 and out pension and double dip. Sounds pretty good unless you're the one paying for it.

Truth is, paying someone to hit the golf course in their forties is just plain wrong. We're going to have to rethink government pensions as we simply can't afford them.

Of course, this can be put aside until we figure out what to do with the hordes of people that are sucking off of the government tit for simply doing nothing.





To find out why the blog is pink just cut and paste this: http://piccoloshash.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-feminine-side-blog-stays-pink.html NO ANIMALS WERE HARMED IN THE WRITING OF TODAY'S ESSAY