Normally I don’t get too involved in political discussions over the internets but shit is getting ridiculous in WI. I had a conversation with a coworker this morning about how WI shouldn’t have elected him if we didn’t want his policies. While I agree with that sentiment, I find it interesting that Dane County, where a high majority of state workers live (where the state capitol and my home, Madison, is located), voted almost 2 to 1 for Tom Barrett.The crux of Scott Walker’s “Budget Repair Bill” is forcing unionized public employees to take pay cuts without negotiations in order to fund Walker’s budget (which promises ~130mil to special interests) instead of layoffs or raising property taxes. The problem with that is most unions would rather have people laid off than take pay cuts, and the over-arcing problem is we have a state legislature that would rather toe the party line than listen to their affected constituents, who have either been at the capitol protesting all week long or voicing their opinion with massive amounts of letters, phone calls, and emails. Walker talks about how it’s irresponsible for dems in the state senate to leave and not participate in the vote and how they’re not doing their jobs, but I’d counter by imploring the senators who stayed to vote to do THEIR job and cast a vote that represents their concerned constituents, including the public employees who on average are compensated ~8% less than a similar private sector worker (ref1 ref2). Something I find interesting is the State Fiscal Bureau stated we’d have a 121mil SURPLUS at the end of the year. So where’s this 137mil deficit coming from? High-res

Normally I don’t get too involved in political discussions over the internets but shit is getting ridiculous in WI.

I had a conversation with a coworker this morning about how WI shouldn’t have elected him if we didn’t want his policies. While I agree with that sentiment, I find it interesting that Dane County, where a high majority of state workers live (where the state capitol and my home, Madison, is located), voted almost 2 to 1 for Tom Barrett.

The crux of Scott Walker’s “Budget Repair Bill” is forcing unionized public employees to take pay cuts without negotiations in order to fund Walker’s budget (which promises ~130mil to special interests) instead of layoffs or raising property taxes. The problem with that is most unions would rather have people laid off than take pay cuts, and the over-arcing problem is we have a state legislature that would rather toe the party line than listen to their affected constituents, who have either been at the capitol protesting all week long or voicing their opinion with massive amounts of letters, phone calls, and emails.

Walker talks about how it’s irresponsible for dems in the state senate to leave and not participate in the vote and how they’re not doing their jobs, but I’d counter by imploring the senators who stayed to vote to do THEIR job and cast a vote that represents their concerned constituents, including the public employees who on average are compensated ~8% less than a similar private sector worker (ref1 ref2).

Something I find interesting is the State Fiscal Bureau stated we’d have a 121mil SURPLUS at the end of the year. So where’s this 137mil deficit coming from?

1 year ago

Notes

  1. strangebirds reblogged this from drudgeons
  2. stillchasingpavement reblogged this from pointofhorizon and added:
    looks like an idiot. talks like an idiot. governs like an idiot. wisconsin: WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?
  3. pointofhorizon reblogged this from drudgeons
  4. joebloodyhunter said: I’m not entirely sure of the whole situation, but I just want you to know that I think your governor looks like a goddamn asshat.
  5. drudgeons posted this