The Demagogeury of Madison, Wisconsin. (Or, "Signs of the Times").

Hi Everyone
I have been noticing any number of signs- Taken either in Madison, or other communities in Wisconsin-
I have yet to see one that is "for" Walkers proposals... This, quite possibly because we ALL know families who live by the unions, or teachers that have meant the world to us.
Or maybe we even know and love a few cops... Or EMT's. paramedics, and firefighters... They have all, in one way or another, saved our lives.
Some of us are even thankful-

Here are a few of the ones I found... Bring back our labor unions.

1935 National Labor Relations Act, which states in Section 7 (§157) of “Employee Rights”: “Employees shall have the right to self-organization, to form, join, or assist labor organizations, to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing”.

To the extent that there is an imbalance — Walker claims there is a $137 million deficit — it is not because of a drop in revenues or increases in the cost of state employee contracts, benefits or pensions. It is because Walker and his allies pushed through $140 million in new spending for special-interest groups in January. If the Legislature were simply to rescind Walker’s new spending schemes — or delay their implementation until they are offset by fresh revenues — the “crisis” would not exist. (From http://newsjunkiepost.com).

It turns out that Wisconsin doesn’t have the $3.6 billion budget shortfall as claimed by Koch Industries lapdog governor Scott “Hosni” Walker. Instead, this is an all out war on labor. Though Wisconsin is resisting, other states are also under attack by both Democrats and Republicans. (From: http://coto2.wordpress.com).

Brendan Fischer at PRWatch notes: “Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker alleges that dismantling public sector collective bargaining rights is made necessary by a $3.6 billion deficit in the next budget, and a $137 million shortfall this year. Setting aside the fact that the ability to negotiate shifts, seniority, benefits and conditions of employment would have a negligible impact on the deficit, and looking beyond Walker’s deceptive claim that the alternative to union-busting is to kick 200,000 children off Medicaid (called “false” by Politifact), how deep is the state’s economic crisis?

***It’s not just Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s recent efforts to strip public employees of their right to collectively bargain that have citizens of his state outraged. Walker is nothing short of a radical hell-bent on privatizing the public sector of Wisconsin.

Last year, he exhibited similar dictatorial tendencies in his immediately previous role as a Milwaukee County Executive when he proposed laying off 27 security guards working for Milwaukee County and replacing them with nonunion private employees.

When the County Board nixed his proposal, Walker unilaterally pushed it through anyway, citing a budgetary emergency. He laid off the workers, and hired new ones through a $1.1 million contract with the UK-based security firm Wackenhut.

And the problems compounded. The head of the newly constituted security force, Chad H. Wegener, turned out to have five misdemeanor convictions. A criminal complaint had also been filed against Wegener for drunk and disorderly conduct and for making unwelcome sexual advances on his male subordinates. Wegener was dismissed.

Walker’s staff had calculated the privatization of the guards would save the County more than $750,000. Months later, that estimate had been revised down to $411,000. And now, even those savings will be lost, as an arbitration board ruled in January that Walker acted improperly and the guards have to be rehired, with back pay costing as much as $430,000, a net loss for the County, thanks to Walker’s rash, unilateral act...
AND, still ...it gets worse.
(Please go to: http://www.consortiumnews.com/2011/022311c.html to read it all).

From here: http://blogs.forbes.com/rickungar/2011/02/25/the-wisconsin-lie-exposed-taxpayers-actually-contribute-nothing-to-public-employee-pensions/#comment-4224
chantemerle commented

"Thank you for this clear discussion. My husband is Faculty @ UW-Milwaukee.
Yes we already did our share with the 16 days of furlough. It was 3% of our salary.
And yes by State Law, my husband is not allowed to have the amount for the pension, even if we want to manage his money.
Yes, he is writing grant after grant that give money to UWM, that pays for one part of his salary. If he hadn’t do it, he would have not had a Tenure position. And he MUST continue now because UWM need the budget from the grant to grow. The WI state decreased his subvention to UW-Milwaukee during the past years.
And Yes, not all the State Employees are unionized, simply because it doesn’t exist. The faculty of UW-Milwaukee don’t have Union.
Yes, I would like my husband to work at a private university and manage his money.
Yes I challenge a Mom at my kid’s school and her argument was to tell me how much she paid for insurance and co-pay (and I recognize it’s insane what she is paying) and her difficulty to put money on her husband 401K. She finally told me that she was giving the state employees a “gift”. But I also thank her to be interactive in this big debate where communication is impossible because manipulated by a Governor who wants the Power to mark History. I looked at the Definition of DEMAGOGUE in thefreedictionary.com “A leader who obtains power by means of impassioned appeals to the emotions and prejudices of the populace.”

http://blogs.forbes.com/insidearm/2011/02/21/in-wisconsin-a-governors-fails-to-uphold-his-states-creed/
In Wisconsin, a Governor Fails to Uphold His State’s Creed
Posted by Michael Klozotsky

As the son of two retired Wisconsin public school teachers, the brother and nephew of two current public school teachers, the grandson of a Wisconsin firefighter, the nephew of a State schools administrator, and as a former employee of the Madison Metropolitan School District myself, the current goings-on in America’s Dairyland carry deep personal significance for me. But the outcome of these events is sure to reverberate in other states, for other workers, and in wide swath of business sectors that make up the US economy.

Public sector workers have exercised collective bargaining rights in Wisconsin for roughly 75 years. The bill currently being debated by the Wisconsin legislature is being touted as a “budget repair” bill, but it has much more to do with Wisconsin workers’ rights than replenishing state coffers. Public workers have already agreed to wage and benefit concessions—already given ground against their own (household) budgetary best interests.

But the real political agenda—to enfeeble unions and shift the long term balance of power in Wisconsin to corporations and the extremely wealthy—is what Governor Walker and the Republican legislature are really holding out for.

Wisconsin has been a leader in progressive worker rights for over 100 years. It is the birthplace of fundamental business and labor concepts like the 40 hour work week, unemployment compensation, disability insurance, sick days, overtime pay, and child labor laws often taken for granted in the second decade of the 21st century. These achievements were hard fought victories on the part of unions.

Even workers who do not participate in unions benefit from union accomplishments.
How does eroding collective bargaining rights balance the budget?

A protester's sign in Madison cuts to the chase.

Arguably, union victories gave birth to the American middle class—the same group of people upon whose shoulders resurgence from the latest economic crisis is believed by many economists to rest. But with less than 24 hours of debate, Wisconsin Republicans are determined to erode 100 years of progressive traditions that germinated into a decent standard of living for millions of US working people. Paired with Walker’s tax policies that actually increase Wisconsin’s budget deficit by extending big business tax cuts, it is difficult to see how denying the collec..." (Please go here to read the rest of this captivating report: http://blogs.forbes.com/insidearm/2011/02/21/in-wisconsin-a-governors-fails-to-uphold-his-states-creed/).
__

As you can guess, I could go on and on and on...
Many of the political groups on Multiply have done just that- As have my latest few blogs about this 'crisis' in Wisconsin.

My heart goes out to all that are so negatively impacted by our dictator/governor.
Hmmm...
To my Wisconsin friends, I am wondering who you voted for?

Even worse for my Milwaukee friends, who might consider themselves Republican? (And I KNOW you are here)-

As quoted above, "Walker’s staff had calculated the privatization of the guards would save the County more than $750,000. Months later, that estimate had been revised down to $411,000. And now, even those savings will be lost, as an arbitration board ruled in January that Walker acted improperly and the guards have to be rehired, with back pay costing as much as $430,000, a net loss for the County, thanks to Walker’s rash, unilateral act...
AND, still ...it gets worse.
(Please go to: http://www.consortiumnews.com/2011/022311c.html to read it all)."

Knowing this all, how COULD you have voted for "this"?!?
NOTE:
The photos were all collected from the following sites, and their respective articles.
Yes, I have read them all- (AND many of the comments too)...


1 ctsocialists.org

2 alternet.org

3 breitbart.tv

4 csmonitor.com

5 http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/opinion/column/phil_hands/article_d76a43ee-40ff-11e0-9bbb-001cc4c03286.html

6 motherjones.tumblr.com

7 peoplesworld.org

8 blogs.citypages.com

9. theweek.com

10 faithfulprogressive.blogspot.com

11 filterednews.wordpress.com

12 tcdailyplanet.net

13 obrag.org (who donated pizzas for the people in madison)- Order board at Ian's Pizza showing countries and states that have ordered free pizza for the demonstrators against Gov. Walker's anti-union bill.

14 druzifer.livejournal.com

15 http://obrag.org/?p=33366

16 lefan-o-rama.tumblr.com

17 http://coto2.wordpress.com/2011/02/18/wisconsin-governors-fake-budget-crisis/

18 cnbc.com

19 http://blogs.forbes.com/insidearm/2011/02/21/in-wisconsin-a-governors-fails-to-uphold-his-states-creed/

20 http://blogs.forbes.com/rickungar/2011/02/25/the-wisconsin-lie-exposed-taxpayers-actually-contribute-nothing-to-public-employee-pensions/#comment-4213

21 http://www.wisaflcio.org/

22 http://www.wisconsinlaborhistory.org/

23 http://newsjunkiepost.com/2011/02/20/may-1933-hitler-abolishes-unions/

Photo by COTO Report http://coto2.wordpress.com/2011/02/18/wisconsin-governors-fake-budget-crisis/
To the extent that there is an imbalance — Walker claims there is a $137 million deficit — it is not because of a drop in revenues or increases in the cost of state employee contracts, benefits or pensions. It is because Walker and his allies pushed through $140 million in new spending for special-interest groups in January. If the Legislature were simply to rescind Walker’s new spending schemes — or delay their implementation until they are offset by fresh revenues — the “crisis” would not exist. -The Cap Times

24 May 1933: Hitler Abolishes Unions
http://newsjunkiepost.com/2011/02/20/may-1933-hitler-abolishes-unions/
Photo by Jess Dennis http://www.flickr.com/photos/thehardestpart/5453904539/

25 http://www.alternet.org/story/150046/8_authoritarian_tactics_right-wingers_use_to_sabotage_the_wisconsin_uprising?page=1


Reference within Title of album:

Demagogy

* Do the click on the word above, but be warned- You will not like what you read...

XOXO
Me

*** Feel free to 'borrow' any of these for your blogs...

Limbaugh Says...

From here. (Do the click).

Rush Limbaugh claimed that Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's proposed union-busting bill is designed to "save union jobs" from a budget crisis that would necessitate layoffs.
*In reality, the parts of the bill restricting collective bargaining would not affect Wisconsin's budget shortfall.

Limbaugh Denies Walker's Bill Is Anti-Union, Falsely Calls It "Budget Reform"

• Limbaugh: "This Is Not Anti-Union Legislation, This Is Budget Reform."
  
  • From the February 23 edition of The Rush Limbaugh Show:
    

Limbaugh Falsely Claims Walker Campaigned On Collective Bargaining Cut

• Limbaugh: "It's What He Campaigned On."
  
  • From the February 23 edition of Limbaugh's radio show
    
    
    

• PolitiFact: Walker Did Not Campaign On Budget Repair Plan.
  
  • On February 22, PolitiFact Wisconsin gave a "false" rating to Walker's claim that he campaigned on his budget proposals, including curtailing collective bargaining:

Gee kids-
If Rush says it's so, then it MUST be true, right? <--- That is sarcasm.

Also if you do the top "mediamatters" click, it has a video, if you are interested.
Politifact (above) has it's own clickable link.

XOXO
Me

Wisconsin Governor May Have Violated Labor Law in Koch Call

http://www.readersupportednews.org/off-site-opinion-section/63-63/5069-wisconsin-governor-may-have-violated-labor-law-in-koch-call

Please do the click on the link above...

One can only hope-

XOXO
Me

Wisconsin- From a Teachers Perpective..

To add to my previous article -
This is copied from a Forbes article (with reference to the author in my blog). as the same message as above, from within the comments section.

As the author of the referred article replies to every comment, this teacher was given high praise from him after stating the following...



______________________________________

6:51 pm on 02/25/11

marymatteson

I would like to dispute the claims that people don’t view state workers’ pensions as “gifts.”

I am a teacher in Wisconsin and by my own father, my high-school friends, and other people I have held dear to me I have been called the following told that am sucking at the private teat, getting unfair gifts on the back of the tax payers, a greedy pig wanting more special treatment and many more hurtful words.

Just today, DAYS after the unions conceded to the Gov’s economic demands, I saw a very inflammatory anti-union ad on TV claiming that the “public workers have special treatment gifted with benefits and pensions far better than the private sector.”

Fine you can say I’m overpaid, but there are a lot of poor people in Wisconsin right now and it is not fair for the Republicans and anti-unionists to use this rhetoric to split the middle class in half to get their big business agenda.

“Give me liberty or give me death–or at least make sure my neighbor can’t have it either…”

Reply to this »

Flag for abuse

________________________________

6:53 pm on 02/25/11

marymatteson

*people I have held dear to me have called me
(I agree I want an edit function…I just get so emotion{al} when I recall those words I’ve been called…)

In response to another comment. See in context »

Reply to this »

______________________________________


Ms Mary Matteson is a teacher-
And I believe one I would have loved for my children to have had.

By now, we all must know that this whole thing applies not only to our teachers-
Why is it that they are (seemingly) the only ones being singled out?

I have never met a rich teacher have you?  (On the other hand I know plenty of semi-rich babysitters)...
Hmmm? Somebody obviously has the wrong title.

My heart and soul goes out to ALL teachers- I only wish there could be more like Ms Matteson!

May all of our union brothers and sisters stick together until they win!

XOXO,
Me

Who 'Contributes' to Public Workers' Pensions?

Just as I am needing to get busy otherwise, and thread a few needles I have found an email from my sister Kris which includes the following info.
It is too important not to be posted...

Click the links within...

XOXO
Me

________________________________


From here.

http://tax.com/taxcom/taxblog.nsf/Permalink/UBEN-8EDJYS?OpenDocument

 

Really Bad Reporting in Wisconsin: Who 'Contributes' to Public Workers' Pensions?

David Cay Johnston | Feb. 24, 2011 12:16 PM EST

When it comes to improving public understanding of tax policy, nothing has been more troubling than the deeply flawed coverage of the Wisconsin state employees' fight over collective bargaining.

Economic nonsense is being reported as fact in most of the news reports on the Wisconsin dispute, the product of a breakdown of skepticism among journalists multiplied by their lack of understanding of basic economic principles.

Gov. Scott Walker says he wants state workers covered by collective bargaining agreements to "contribute more" to their pension and health insurance plans.

Accepting Gov. Walker' s assertions as fact, and failing to check, created the impression that somehow the workers are getting something extra, a gift from taxpayers. They are not.

Out of every dollar that funds Wisconsin' s pension and health insurance plans for state workers, 100 cents comes from the state workers.

How can that be? Because the "contributions" consist of money that employees chose to take as deferred wages – as pensions when they retire – rather than take immediately in cash. The same is true with the health care plan. If this were not so a serious crime would be taking place, the gift of public funds rather than payment for services.

Thus, state workers are not being asked to simply "contribute more" to Wisconsin' s retirement system (or as the argument goes, "pay their fair share" of retirement costs as do employees in Wisconsin' s private sector who still have pensions and health insurance). They are being asked to accept a cut in their salaries so that the state of Wisconsin can use the money to fill the hole left by tax cuts and reduced audits of corporations in Wisconsin.

The labor agreements show that the pension plan money is part of the total negotiated compensation. The key phrase, in those agreements I read (emphasis added), is: "The Employer shall contribute on behalf of the employee." This shows that this is just divvying up the total compensation package, so much for cash wages, so much for paid vacations, so much for retirement, etc.

The collective bargaining agreements for prosecutors, cops and scientists are all on-line.

Reporters should sit down, get a cup of coffee and read them. And then they could take what they learn, and what the state website says about fringe benefits, to Gov. Walker and challenge his assumptions.

And they should point out the very first words the state has posted at a web page on careers as a state employee (emphasis added):

The fringe benefits offered to State of Wisconsin employees are significant, and are a valuable part of an individual's compensation package.

Coverage of the controversy in Wisconsin over unions collective bargaining, and in particular pension plan contributions, contains repeated references to the phrase "contribute more."

The key problem is that journalists are assuming that statements by Gov. Scott Walker have basis in fact. Journalists should never accept the premise of a political statement, but often they do, which explains why so much of our public policy is at odds with well-established principles.

The question journalists should be asking is "who contributes" to the state of Wisconsin' s pension and health care plans.

The fact is that all of the money going into these plans belongs to the workers because it is part of the compensation of the state workers. The fact is that the state workers negotiate their total compensation, which they then divvy up between cash wages, paid vacations, health insurance and, yes, pensions. Since the Wisconsin government workers collectively bargained for their compensation, all of the compensation they have bargained for is part of their pay and thus only the workers contribute to the pension plan. This is an indisputable fact.

Not every news report gets it wrong, but the narrative of the journalistic herd has now been set and is slowly hardening into a concrete falsehood that will distort public understanding of the issue for years to come unless journalists en masse correct their mistakes. From the Associated Press and The New York Times to Wisconsin's biggest newspaper, and every broadcast report I have heard, reporters again and again and again have written as fact what is nonsense.

Compared to tax, this economic issue that reporters have been mishandling is simple. But if journalists cannot grasp the economics of this issue, then how can we hope to have an intelligent debate about tax policy?

Dedicated tax journalists like my colleagues Lee Sheppard and Martin Sullivan at Tax Analysts have exposed, and explained in laymen terms, the arcane rules underlying the important tax debates and controversies that affect corporate and individual taxpayers. But the mainstream press is not even getting basic labor economics right, a much simpler matter.

Among the reports that failed to scrutinize Gov. Walker' s assertions about state workers' contributions and thus got it wrong is one by A.G. Sulzberger, the presumed future publisher of The New York Times, who is now a national correspondent. He wrote that the Governor "would raise the amount government workers pay into their pension to 5.8 percent of their pay, from less than 1 percent now."

Wrong. The workers currently pay 100 percent from their compensation package, but a portion of it is deducted from their paychecks and a portion of it goes directly to the pension plan.

One correct way to describe this is that the governor "wants to further reduce the cash wages that state workers currently take home in their paychecks." Most state workers already divert 5 percent of their cash wages to the pension plan, an official state website shows.

Gov. Walker says that he wants them to "contribute more" via deductions from their paychecks. But since the workers already contribute 100 percent of the money going to the pension plan the real issue is changing the accounting for this to reduce cash wages.

Once the state has settled on the compensation package for its workers then how the cash flows is merely accounting for how the costs are divvied up. If the workers got higher cash pay and diverted all of the pension contributions from their pay it would be the same amount compared to having the state pay directly into the pension funds.

By falsely describing the situation the governor has sought to create the issue as one of the workers getting a favor. The Club for Growth, in broadcast ads, blatantly lies by saying "state workers haven't had to sacrifice. They pay next to nothing for their pensions."

We expect ideological marketing organizations to shade the truth and even outright lie, as the Club for Growth has done. But journalists are supposed to check the facts, not adopt lies as truths.

Having had the good fortune long ago to train the presumed future publisher of the Los Angeles Times I focused on making sure he understood why careful checking of facts and questioning assumptions was a commercial, as well as journalistic value, for which reporters should be properly compensated because it made the paper reliable and thus more valuable to its owners. (Sadly my trainee later died and the paper was sold.)

Having worked at The New York Times I can tell you how editors might try to excuse this error. They call it "shorthand." But shorthand that is wrong is, in short, still wrong. So, Mr. Sulzberger, take the initiative and correct your error. Doing so, you would set an example that will become newsroom lore long after you retire.

Here are some other examples of inaccurate reporting of the issue, followed by a critique and a simple solution.

• Todd Richmond of the Associated Press reported on Feb. 20 that the governor wants state workers "to contribute more to health care and pension costs." Richmond has repeatedly used variations of that phrase.
• On Feb. 18, Michael Cooper and Katherine Q. Seelye of The New York Times reported that the legislation sponsored by Gov. Walker would "require workers to contribute more to their pension and health care plans."
• Jane Ford-Stewart of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel' s on-line community news service reported Feb. 22 on "an effort by Gov. Scott Walker to get state employees to contribute more toward their health insurance and pensions so that the costs are more in line with contributions by workers in the private sector."
• Politifact.com has a Wisconsin operation and it was also among those that got it wrong – 100 percent dead wrong -- because it assumed the facts as stated by Gov. Walker and failed to question the underlying premise. Further, contrived assumptions make it is easy for the perpetrators of the misrepresentation to point to data that support a false claim, something Politifact missed entirely, on at least two occasions, in proclaiming false statements to be true.

Given how many journalists rely on Politifact to check political assertions, instead of doing their own research, this is, by far, the inaccuracy likely to have the greatest (or most damaging effect) on subsequent reporting. (Examples of Politifact' s inaccurate assessments can be found here and also here.)

Again, the money the state "contributes" is actually part of the compensation that has been negotiated with state workers in advance so it is their money that they choose to take as pension payments in the future rather than cash wages or other benefits today.

Next, journalists should ask how elected officials are treated by the pension system. The pay of elected leaders is set by the legislature without collective bargaining. Here it is also true that any money withheld from paychecks to fund the pension plans comes from the employee (the elected leaders) but this is not the result of a negotiated compensation package so there is a colorable argument that pension benefits that are received by elected leaders beyond the wages deducted from those employees' compensation package are a gift from taxpayers.

The payroll deduction –- again, a mere accounting measure - - was 5 percent last year for "general participants," official state documents show, a rate that is 56 percent higher than the 3.2 percent rate for "elected leaders."

The rates were adjusted for 2011 and now the elected leaders pay 3.9 percent, still well below what the "general participants" collectively bargained to divert from their cash wages through this accounting device.

The rest of the money going into the plan is also wages the workers diverted, it just does not show up in paychecks as a line item, the same way that half of Social Security and Medicare taxes do not show up on paychecks, but are still part of total compensation to each worker in those plans.

I am being repetitive on purpose – experience supervising others has taught me you usually have to teach something three to seven times before it sinks in. Some management texts also make this point.

That is not to say that the state workers make too much or too little. It is to say that journalists as a class are fundamentally getting the facts wrong by not understanding compensation.

Simplistic coverage has also resulted in numerous reports that Wisconsin state workers make more than workers in Wisconsin' s private business sector. This is true only if you compare walnuts to tuna fish.

State governments (indeed almost all governments) tend to hire people with college educations, including advanced degrees. Overall, private employers in all states tend to hire people with less education. More education means more pay because there is more skill required.

America has roughly the same number of food preparers, who can be high school dropouts, as registered nurses, who require a college education. But the nurses make on average $66,500, compared to just $18,100 for the food service workers. The food service workers collectively made less than $50 billion, while the registered nurses made almost $172 billion in 2009, my analysis of the official data shows.

Business and government hire both food service workers and registered nurses, but you are much more likely to work for the government as a registered nurse than as a food preparation worker.

When you control for the education required to be a prosecutor or nurse, government workers get total compensation that is less than those in the corporate sector. This may reflect the fact that fewer and fewer private sector workers are in unions, about 7 percent at last count. As economic theory predicts, as fewer workers can bargain collectively the overall wage level falls. Effectively wiping out public employee unions would only add to downward pressure on wages, standard economic theory shows.

On the other hand, unionized state workers run a much smaller risk of going through bouts of joblessness, an economic benefit. Numerous studies indicate that public workers, including those in Wisconsin, make about 5 percent less than private sector workers when you control for education. But what is the lifetime cost, and risk, of episodic joblessness among comparable private sector workers? Is that cost equal to 5 percent or so of lifetime earnings, which would even out the differential? I have yet to read an analysis of that issue by an academic economist, much less a journalist, so I do not know the truth of that question.

What Gov. Walker has achieved in selling a false assumption as fact occurs because journalists failed to follow what I call the first and second rules of journalism. This problem is pervasive in coverage of tax and budget issues, where so much nonsense gets reported as fact by the Washington Press corps that I have stopped filing away all but the most egregious errors – and still I copy a story or three every day to use in lectures on getting it right and not writing nonsense.

And what are these two rules for journalists?

Rule One: Check it out. Be so skeptical that if your mother says she loves you, check it out.

Rule Two: Cross check again and again until you not only know the facts, but can put them in proper context and understand all sides so well that their perspective gets proper weight and lecture, or as I like to say, everyone recognizes their oar in the water.

Deadlines may make Rule Two difficult, and often impossible, in writing the first rough draft of history. We are now in the umpteenth draft and the initial mistake keeps getting repeated, as so often happens when a big story brings a herd, until it becomes accepted as unassailable truth.

The reason that falsehoods are transformed into the public' s common knowledge via inaccurate reporting is simple. When editors or producers back home get an account that differs from what the news herd says they raise questions and often delete unique and accurate insights. But if a reporter just repeats what everyone else is saying it usually sails unchallenged to print or airtime even when it is untrue.

Then there is this: How the compensation packages of state workers get divided up is not a matter of tax burdens. Only how much the state workers get paid is a matter of tax burdens.

There are two other important aspects to this, which go to the heart of tax policy and why our country is in for a long stay in the economic doldrums.

Traditional or defined benefit pension plans, properly administered, increase economic efficiency, while the newer defined contribution plans have high costs whether done one at a time through Individual Retirement Accounts or in group plans like 401(k)s.

Efficiency means that more of the money workers contribute to their pensions - - money that could have been taken as cash wages today - - ends up in the pockets of retirees, not securities dealers, trustees and others who administer and invest the money. Compared to defined benefit pension plans, 401(k) plans are vastly more expensive in investing, administration and other costs.

Individually managed accounts like 401(k)s violate a basic tenet of economics – specialization increases economic gains. That is why the average investor makes much less than the market return, studies by Morningstar show.

This goes to Adam Smith's famous insight in 1776 about specialization increasing wealth: when pins were made in full by each worker each could make only a few each day, but when one person draws the wire, another cuts, another fashions the point, etc., the output rises to tens of thousands of pins and their price falls from dear to cheap.

Expecting individuals to be experts at investing their retirement money in defined contribution plans -- instead of pooling the money so professional investors can manage the money as is done in defined benefit plans -- is not sound economics.

The concept, at its most basic, is buying wholesale instead of retail. Wholesale is cheaper for the buyers. That is, it saves taxpayers money.

The Wisconsin State Investment Board manages about $74.5 billion for an all-in cost of $224 million.

That is a cost of about 30-cents per $100, which is good but not great. However it is far less than many defined contribution plans, where costs are often $1 or more per $100.

So, I hope that Mr. Sulzberger in particular will take the initiative to correct the inaccurate reporting and show the way to other reporters, for the betterment of both America and his family' s investment And I hope that all reporters will start questioning the assumption in the governor' s position instead of assuming his statements are infallible.

My larger hope is that reporters, editors and producers will apply this thinking when covering taxes and taxation, the system by which we distribute the burdens of living in and sustaining this, the Second American Republic.

Your thoughts? E-mail me at JohnstonsTake@tax.org.

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Comment

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For all the comments, please click the link at the top of the page.
There are 54 very valid points and comments at time of this posting...

What say you?

Two questions for me...

Q's.
Why do you celebrate Thanksgiving?
Why a Turkey?

A's.
We really don't.. (And certainly not only because Casey can't eat much)...

But do not misunderstand either-  IMHO, there are plenty of days to be thankful each year- (365 or 366 days as a matter of fact...)-

http://flintville.multiply.com/journal/item/877/An_Ethical_Responsibility_to_Teachers_Parents_and_Students
Odd, there are same number of days for family to be together too.
for that article, please scroll down to "Now on to the topic at hand..."

And please, as always, place special and precious stock in the comments/replies.

________

Then here too: http://flintville.multiply.com/links/item/273/

Lots is repetitious Mr Bill-  But, ALL IS IMPORTANT- (which is why some of those blogs have been reposted).

NOTICE THE OBVIOUS LACK OF COMMENTS ON SOME OF THOSE?! (You must tell me *why* that is)?!
I think it is because too many people are afraid of something 'different'...
(Sad that).
___________________________________________

Pertinent too- from here: Link: http://lrrpslady.multiply.com/journal/item/937

“We have a biological father and mother, but our real father is Tunkashila [Creator] and our real Mother is the Earth.”
Wallace Black Elk,
LAKOTA

Who really gives us our life?
Who really gives us our food and nurturing?
Who really allows us to be born?

We are born through our parents who act as the vehicle of life for the Creator and Mother Earth. Our parents take care of us for a little while and when we are ready we must leave them and be faithful to our true Father, the Creator, and our true Mother, the Earth. Then we need to be of service to the Creator and be respectful to Mother Earth.

Great Spirit, thank you for being my Father. Teach me to honor the Earth.
By: Don Coyhis
_________________________________

Then you asked...  "Why a turkey?"

Not sure... <------ That will be YOUR assignment today! hehehe
Possibly there were no buffalo in those parts?
_________________________________

My turn to ask YOU  something...
Where did your questions come from?

XOXO
Me


Please check some of the tags below too-
There may just be a few things you haven't read before...


Also,
For EVERYONE:
Do feel free to ask anything you would like to know. There are very few things that I will not answer.

PolitiFact Wisconsin | Wisconsin AFL-CIO says Gov. Scott Walker’s budget repair bill would take away all rights in the workplace for public employees

http://politifact.com/wisconsin/statements/2011/feb/17/afl-cio/wisconsin-afl-cio-says-gov-scott-walkers-budget-re/

Mayhem in Madison

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."
A. Einstein


Walker- Our Dictator- Forming Martial Law

As you probably already know, I have been reading and reading about our beautiful state being turned into something straight out of the cold war.
Take heed Illinois and Ohio- you are next.

One of my hopes is that the teachers I know and respect will be able to know that I am behind them 100%

I have compiled a list of items pertinent to this all.
I can only hope that you will bear with me as you get through it all too.

 

• Here's where the story stands now.

 

So far the unions have agreed to all the financial concessions in Walker's bill.      (Go figure)... 

• The remaining fight is over the rights of workers to negotiate with their employer. That's it. It has nothing to do with money and everything to do with breaking the union.

Despite those concessions Walker refuses to negotiate with anyone, even moderate Republicans. And Walker refuses to answer why he's seeking to end collective bargaining rights if this is solely a matter of balancing the state's budget.

 

__________________________________________


As I have already posted elsewhere:

The fight for 2012 is underway. The first battle is in Wisconsin.

What the hell is wrong with people that actually stand behind our power hungry governor?

IMHO, Walker is a bumbling, ignorant boob. (And Wisconsin needs a mastectomy).

Let us not forget that Wisconsin had a budget surplus going into this year--until Walker gave $140 million to big business.

Walker has done everything in his power to make it easier for the Kochs to rape Wisconsin's natural resources and pillage its workforce. A Koch company just laid off 158 workers in Green Bay despite the fact that demand was steady and the Kochs themselves took home 11 billion dollars.

Remember too that WALKER DROPPED OUT OF COLLEGE BECAUSE HE HAD 2.3 GPA.
I have 4 daughters that are brighter than that; (heck, I have grandbabies that are {brighter} than that)!
It doesn't take a genius to figure out why Walker is out to get the teachers- they always flunked him.  hehehe

Green Bay, WI rose from relative obscurity from the paper mills and their other factories. Without these unions GB would have gone the way of "the poor leading the poor" long, long, ago...

I have a VERY good friend, 52, that chose to retire as a guard from GBCI, (read 'prison') on Friday last- And after 25 years; rather than lose the retirement she worked for her whole life.
I have known her well for 40 years.

Another very good friend is a teacher...  Go figure.

i am proud beyond words of my democratic senators in Madison. (Or where ever they are today)-
I am also very proud of my sister Kris who drove all the way to our capital to have her own voice heard.

IMHO, whomever backs this idiot Governor is beyond psychiatric help

___________________________

I also (re)posted this:

The only bit of union support for Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is evaporating as the executive board president of the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Association expressed regret for their earlier endorsement of Walker. The union went one step further and even apologized for it..

 

By in large the budget bill contains a significant carve out for local police officers, firefighter and the Wisconsin State Patrol--groups that supported Walker in his election bid.  

Critics have called the carve out political payback and a key step in trying to pit government workers against each other.

 

<span>Meanwhile members of the police and firefighters unions member marched Sunday in a sixth day of protest and in support of those unions whose benefits and rights are in the cross-hairs.</span>

 

And the Madison Chamber of Commerce is losing patience with Walker as well, suggesting his remaining supporters come from outside of Wisconsin, such as the powerful Koch brothers, Walker's second largest campaign contributor.

 

• Here's where the story stands now.

 

So far the unions have agreed to all the financial concessions in Walker's bill.      (Go figure)... 

• The remaining fight is over the rights of workers to negotiate with their employer. That's it. It has nothing to do with money and everything to do with breaking the union.

Despite those concessions Walker refuses to negotiate with anyone, even moderate Republicans. And Walker refuses to answer why he's seeking to end collective bargaining rights if this is solely a matter of balancing the state's budget.

 

• For their part the "Wisconsin 14" have vowed to stay out of the state until Walker negotiates. They are doing this despite Republican threats to begin passing non-budgetary bills that do not require their presence for passage.

 

The above from : www.care2.com

 

______________________________

 

May our God bless not only our teachers, but our "Wisconsin 14", our State Patrol, all county, city police, and our firefighters- (Not to mention the Madison Chamber of Commerce, and even our moderate Republicans)!

 

Finally, the truths are settling in...

And might I say: "It's about damn time."

_________________

http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20110220/GPG0101/110220005/1207&located=rss
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker: No compromise on worker rights bill
Wisconsins governor predicted today that his state would lead the nation in weakening unions that have negotiated compensation packages that taxpayers can no longer afford...

http://www.salon.com/technology/how_the_world_works/2011/02/18/fdr_and_wisconsin/index.html
Friday, Feb 18, 2011 09:01 ET
Why FDR would support the Wisconsin protests
A labor historian explains: Roosevelt opposed government unions, but by the '50s he would have changed his mind

http://multiply.com/gi/tnj2012:journal:681
Wisconsin Protests Spread to Other States
Michael Cooper and Katharine Q. Seelye, The New York Times
Intro: "The unrest in Wisconsin this week over Gov. Scott Walker's plan to cut the bargaining rights and benefits of public workers is spreading to other states. Already, protests erupted in Ohio this week, where another newly elected Republican governor, John Kasich, has been seeking to take away collective bargaining rights from unions. In Tennessee, a law that would abolish collective bargaining rights for teachers passed a State Senate committee this week despite teachers' objections. Indiana is weighing proposals to weaken unions. Union members in Pennsylvania, who are not necessarily facing an attack on their bargaining rights, said Friday that they planned to wear red next week to show solidarity with the workers in Wisconsin."
READ MORE:
http://www.readersupportednews.org/off-site-news-section/52-52/5001-wisconsin-protests-spread-to-other-states

______________________________________


http://cosmicrat.multiply.com/links/item/200
Why Every Single Worker Should Be Watching Wisconsin
http://www.leftinalabama.com/diary/7771/why-every-single-worker-should-be-watching-wisconsin
by: Almoderate
Sat Feb 19, 2011 at 16:18:47 PM CST
I don't belong to a union, and I never have.  And while my husband is a public worker, he's never belonged to a union, either.  I suppose the closest we've come to having any family who is unionized are those in my family who are teachers and police officers.

But regardless of union affiliation, every single American worker should be concerned about what's going on in Wisconsin right now.  Why?  Because the unions are the only thing left standing between your rights and your employer.

This is not random.  It's not sudden.  It's not coincidence.  It's strategic.

______________________________________


INViTE http://cosmicrat.multiply.com/links/item/199/What_Wisconsins_governor_is_really_threatening_-_War_Room_-_Salon.com   


What Wisconsin's governor is really threatening - War Room - Salon.com    Feb 19, '11 3:47 PM
for everyone
Link: http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/02/18/taylor_wisconsi...

"Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has declared war on state workers, almost literally.
First, he proposed a state budget that would cut retirement and healthcare for workers like teachers and nurses, and strip away nearly all of their collective bargaining rights. But even more significantly, he announced last Friday that he had alerted the National Guard to be ready for state workers to strike or protest, an unprecedented step in modern times."
Why FDR would support the Wisconsin protests http://www.salon.com/technology/how_the_world_works/2011/02/18/fdr_and_wisconsin/index.html


PlasticJesus said:
The way I see this, Gov. Walker is simply "picking on" those he CAN pick on while trying to balance this budget. $300 million dollars saved over 2 years against a 3.6 Billion dollar shortfall? Sure, it's something, but not enough. If he WERE truly committed to balancing the budget and believed that this was the way and the means to do it, why did he choose to leave out the Police, The Firefighters and the State Highway Patrol? Aren't these also public employees with flush benefits and taxpayer funded pensions? Couldn't even MORE money be saved by including them as well? Why isn't this a straight across the board attack? I mean this isn't supposed to be personal, it's supposed to be about balancing the budget and what's best for the Wisconsin taxpayer, right? So why the favorites Scott? State and Federal government do not have a revenue problem, they have a SPENDING problem. So let's take a look at ALL state spending across the board, not just select groups.
2/18/2011 5:25:44 PM

The more I hear from this schmuck walker, the more I know this is all about making Wisconsin a unionless state and nothing about asking public employees to give concessions. If he succeeds in removing all of his opposition, he can run wild with power. God help us if that happens. Stop this tyrant now

126778 wrote:
It's time for the workers on the front line to take back control of this country and I am a Republican
2/18/2011 8:23:07 PM

________________

More later - I'll try to be back after my infusion today.
I do look forward to your comments!

XOXO, Me

 

PS

Please check this when you have time:  http://www.goodporkbadpork.com/tag/senate/

Robert Creamer: Wisconsin Governor’s Attack on Labor May Backfire on Radical Right

 Saul Alinsky used to say, "you can always count on your enemies." That may turn out to be true in the case of the Wisconsin Governor's attack on the right of state workers to choose a union.

Scott Walker's plan was a blitzkrieg attack that would catch the opposition with its defenses down, like Germany's attack on Russia at the beginning of World War II. His goal was to emasculate the ability of public service employees to negotiate with the state over their salaries and working conditions, and begin the destruction of the unions that represent public sector workers all over America.

 Wisconsin was to be the first state to fall. Then other states with radical right Governors - like Ohio and Indiana - would follow suit.

 Well, the first casualty of war is the plan. Turns out that - at least for now - Walker's expectation of a lightning-fast victory has been thwarted by a determined Democratic Senate caucus that left the state and denied the Senate a quorum. But just as importantly, the right's entire nationwide plan has been put in jeopardy by the fact that when the alarm sounded, everyday citizens throughout Wisconsin and around the nation, answered the call.

_______________________________

ALSO

A letter to recall Scott Walker
http://www.unitedwisconsin.com/#wpcf7-f1-w1-o1

The Dr. The Dentist. The Cops.The "Noise", Kelli, Greg, Casey, and The Furnace

Better grab a cup of coffee- I have gotten a bit longwinded...

Hi All! 
It has, once again, been way too long since I have written a real blog. And if it weren't for my camera, I would probably forget half this stuff.

1.
Know that after 14/16 injections to my back in the past few weeks, I have been unable to sit long enough to blog. In the event that I can sit, it is hard to type as I have my weight braced on my forearms.
But today I even sewed a little (sometimes a different chair, and sometimes I just roll my office chair around). hehehe

So... on to my "ketchup-ing".  Forgive me if I get a bit sloppy at times. hehehe


2.
Casey had an emergency dentist appointment last Wednesday.
Calling on Tuesday, in the late afternoon, Oneida got her in at 7AM on Weds.
(She has 4 teeth in the back that need to be removed).
That day, they decided to remove only the 2 that were driving her past distraction.  -And by 'past distraction' I mean that they were throbbing, intensely, even above and beyond the painkillers she is on for her tummy!

Her dentist at Oneida wanted nothing to do with extracting these 2 lower teeth given that he knows everything she has gone through for the past 6 years.
hehehe
He referred her to an oral surgeon.

And that, my friends, was when all the silly stuff began to happen...

As you know, Casey is fortunate enough to live on the reservation, so all of her referrals are covered.
But, in order to have her referred to an oral surgeon, they had to verify her address since it hadn't been updated since December '10 ?- (that made NO sense to either of us), but off we went to her apartment to get a more recent envelope that had her name and address on it... Good grief, like she'd moved since? Having had surgery again in January, I highly doubt she could have moved...

Anyway...
3.
On the way back to the clinic with her Federal Social Security letter, Casey begins to laugh hysterically- She then grabbed the camera and began taking pictures.
Of the car in front of us.
Up til then, I'd seen nothing as I was watching the road.
hehehe

        

This car had a mirror on the passenger side that kept flopping up and down- depending upon the speed of the car- One moment it hung straight down, then with speed it would begin to look like a someone's shoe sticking out of the window...
Up and down-Up and down- Just flopping in the windchill. Casey also had taken a video- TOO funny! (My apologies that I cannot post vids on here). OH!, we were laughing so hard...

Back to the clinic and finally the referral appointment was made- for 3 that same afternoon. They further assured us that in case anything opened up sooner that she would be first to be called. (Cool).

4.
We stopped over at Randy's after all that just to chat a bit about getting our duplex- I kind of need his help as there are a few things that I might not see as we look at them. He agreed to go with us...

He has a crab apple tree in his front yard; with a few crab apples left hanging on to feed the squirrels throughout winter.
Casey took this picture as we were leaving-


Noisy and obnoxious- But they make a yummy meal too. Taste like chicken.
hehehe


5.
By this time, it was near to noon; and since we hadn't eaten (or shot that squirrel), a stop for some fast food was in order.  We grabbed some sandwiches in Suamico and were heading home. Casey was just counting the minutes she had left to fill her tummy, before getting those antagonizing teeth pulled.

On the way home from Suamico we saw a County deputy on the side of the road- (obviously trying to issue a few speed tickets). 
I pulled over to talk to him... I offered either of my driveways to him to park in- (The speed of the cars past my home being quite ridiculous)! 
We chatted a while longer- nice young cop. By ordinance, they are not allowed to park on private property without the owners consent. He not only has my consent, he has my blessings-
He thanked me profusely- and Casey and I were once again on our way home to eat a bite...

As we pulled into my driveway, her cell phone rang. As luck would have it, it was Dr. Zent's office, and could Casey come in ASAP to have her extractions?
I said I could be there in 20 minutes. (Only if I was speeding that is).
Casey said 'to heck with not brushing her teeth after lunch', she wanted those offending OUT. hehehe
So off we were once more.
Karma confirming that had we not stopped to chat with the cop we would have already been inside my house-
Under my tin roof Casey has very little reception and does not get (m)any of her calls or messages.
As she hung up, I immediately backed out of my driveway, turned around and took off down the road...
We were traveling a little over 50mph (in a 45mph zone)... Oops.
But hopefully no biggie either, the cops are generally pretty decent about a few MPHs over the limit...

Somewhere in Flintville a vehicle had pulled out behind me; and rode my backside- trying to get me to go faster? (That never works for me). 
Through Flintville there is a double~yellow line. He was unable to pass me. 

About half a mile onward, he decided to pass me anyway. Bad choice on his part. He gunned his engine and literally 'flew' by us. & RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE FRIENDLY DEPUTY!

Seeing those flashing lights go on, I slowed down so that our new friend could pull out in front of me. hehehe



Aw... "too bad, so sad."
And HAHAHA  too.
 
Casey and I hadn't laughed so hard since the broken mirror that morning-


6.
On Thursday I had an appointment with my pain management doctor- This, for refills, and to check up on whether those last 2 injections had worked. They had- but only for a week or so. It had been a gentler week.
By the time I had this appointment though, my pain score was, at best, an 8.

That very night I had woken at midnight, barely able to move, even using both of my canes...
After I had gone about 25 feet on my way to the bathroom, I suddenly heard and felt that all too familiar noise and pain. Those of still another crushed vertebrae.
A very sharp painful & sickening feeling- My pain level was off the charts!
It has remained thus since.
Once more Casey has been out to take care of me, and to make sure I could get showered too. 
I have thanked God, many times, that at least I have one daughter (of 4) that gives a decent damn about their own mother.


7.
I also thank God for Kelli!
Kelli has also been there for me- Even bringing the dogs so Punk can get outside and play a bit.



































Kelli also came today- Asking if I needed anything before the storm came? She had to go into town- and did bring me a few things-
Between herself, Casey and Greg, I should be set until we get dug out- Maybe Monday? Maybe Tuesday? We already have upwards of a foot of new snow.


8.
I'd had Punk to the vet earlier this week because i thought she had an ear infection- It was stinky even after I had cleaned it out and used Similsan in it.
Vet says no more infection! Yay!  just to keep doing what I have been doing.
Similsan Earache Relief™ homeopathic ear drops are intended for humans-
Similsan has Chamomilla 10X: calmative, pain reliever--Mercurius solubilis 15X: pain reliever -- Sulphur 12X: pain reliever, anti-itch
Other information: Active ingredients are manufactured according to homeopathic principles and are therefore non-toxic and have no known side effects.
Inactive ingredient: Vegetable glycerin

Dr. Spires did say that Punk has gained 8+ pounds-  My backs fault!  Needless to say I am thrilled when Kelli does bring the dogs over!
Happily I must also add that I have lost those same 8+ pounds! hehehe


9.
I'd taken a shower before Casey left yesterday afternoon- A friend of Greg's was in town and had wanted to have dinner with them- I'd asked Casey to turn the heat up a wee bit so I wouldn't get so chilly in the shower, like I usually do.
 ... I never heard it go on- Silly kid forgot.
I also had "silly kid" bring the socks/underwear basket from the laundry room to the living room so I could sort them all later on.

So later, while I am dry and dressed in my warm and cozy jammies, -and am sorting this basket, I realize I am half freezing to death. 
Hmm... (remember that "silly kid")? hehehe

I grab both my canes and hobble on over to check the thermostat-
Casey had turned it up to 72°- That's surely warm enough. (Silly me now). hehehe

But wait a dang minute! I am still freezing? Leaning over, I turn it up a little more.
Still, it does nothing.
Checking the temp in the house, it was barely near 60°-
Grabbing those same darn canes, I manage to get down to the basement- There is a fuse on the furnace that goes out every now and then- and I haven't had to replace that in years and years. (And damn, Isure hope I have one)!
I remove it so I can get a good look at it.
The fuse is good.

There is only one more possibility -check the oil drum.
It was so empty that I couldn't even see the float to measure it!

Knowing this snowstorm is coming, I had no choice but to get oil on a Saturday night- and to beg the furnace-man to come out, bleed the lines, and fire it up. 
Before i called him, I texted Casey at the restaurant, and heard nothing back.
I hunkered down on the couch with 2 of my quilts and fell asleep. I woke at 9:30. Dog barking... Casey and Greg are here.
In the meantime, she had called Olsons- After they ate, her and Greg had picked up 10 gallons of oil- and brought it along
They'd called Alan Olson then, and he led Greg through the whole bleed and fire thing.
Suffice to say that I was never so happy to hear that furnace kick in!
Thank you Casey, Greg, (and Alan too)! Olsons will be here tomorrow to fill my tank up.

Yet, there is a reason that this all happened too...
When Casey and Greg got here, I had so much pain that I simply could not get off the couch. Had the house burned down I would have gone with it. It was that bad- even Greg tried to help me up. Casey finally got me up. I still do not know how. I only remember the pain.

As mentioned earlier,  have not slept decent in over 2 and a half weeks.
I just cannot get comfortable enough...
However, today, I sat in the recliner and slept ALL afternoon long!
That helps- Just that I am not tired now- Oh well.

I have been up and down about 17 times since I started writing this. I actually began this yesterday morning, at 6:20 AM -Will have to copy/paste it when I am done, which won't be long now...
Not sitting, sleeping, standing (anything) for too long still is one of the downfalls of my back.
*Not that there are ANY positives that I can think of right now either)...



10.
Waking earlier I had a message from Casey in my email.
"...This Blizzard is HORRIBLE! :(    I hope you're staying warm and dry. It's absolutely awful outside.  Greg went to Wal-mart at around 3pm. He'd been planning on stopping at KwikTrip too, but texted & said he was just going to the store because even at that time he said the roads were awful. He only got a few things and when he came back out to his car he said a layer of ice had formed on all his windows! In less than ten minutes! I am heading to bed now. I got an hour or so earlier but didn't want to sleep too late, and not sleep tonight. Seems to have worked because I'm super tired. I'll make sure Greg texts me when he gets to work tomorrow & I'll let you know that he made it. Call if you need anything. Love you MUCH MUCH!

Time for that copy/paste.

Hope all is well in your corner of the world.
My love to all

XOXO
Me

PS
If there could be a #11, it would HAVE TO BE about our "Dictator" guvna Walker; and all of what that damned idiot is trying to do to my friends, and to our beautiful state of Wisconsin.
Sorry but #11 will wait 'til later...