Are republicans stupid or evil?

[Rick]

'Rick'...Im serious this is what happened...I know---if I didn't live here I'd think it was false and a 'made-up' lie too.

But it is not...it is also what is going on in many cities....they trade underfunded pensions for UNBELIEVABLE concessions that roll the dice against the people they elected to serve.

Believe me...this is happening all over the Country....'Google' around about underfunded pensions. It's going to get serious.


Hey if I told you 8 years ago that all kinds of folks would find themselves in trouble because of how they are buying houses and paying for them?....you may-have 'poo-pooed' me then too.

I have never lived in San Diego and can assume that it is a very expensive place to live.  Quite often a city with the costs that people in San Diego have to live with have to make concessions in order to get people to live and work in their city.  If San Diego has a major water main break, they need people in their city to be able to afford to live there so that in an emergency they can respond quickly.  Can you imagine if no city worker could afford to live in the city?  In most places people who can operate heavy machinery, are certified to operate a waste water facility, or have construction knowledge and can inspect houses under construction, can make much more money in the private sector.  They take lower pay in exchange for the benefits like pensions, healthcare, paid vacations and the job security of a municipal job as a trade-off.  It is very unfair when times get tough to blame these workers for the economy.  That is insane.  Most underfunded pensions are the bottom line of poor management. I guarantee no city workman makes as much as the pension plan administrator.   I agree it's happening all over.  It's happening in cities with no union workforce as well as in unionized cities.  My point exactly-it's not the unions that are causing this problem.  They are the victims and the scapegoats, not the cause.  Any sensible person in the world will try to do the best he can for himself and his family.  I wasn't a union emplyee, but I know they did the right thing for those who worked for me.  None of my employees had to accept welfare or go on foodstamps to make ends meet.  They paid their taxes, worked hard, kept the economy stong, and were people anyone would be proud to employ.  I was all for their wages and benefits because it assurded me I would keep up with them.  Their wages and benefits helped them, me, my family, and the entire community.  I never had any problem with the union.  My problem is all the money going to a few at the tiptop, paying little to thse who do the work, and let the tax payers subsidize their existance.  Your position needs some more thought.

[RIVERS]

I have never lived in San Diego and can assume that it is a very expensive place to live.  Quite often a city with the costs that people in San Diego have to live with have to make concessions in order to get people to live and work in their city.  If San Diego has a major water main break, they need people in their city to be able to afford to live there so that in an emergency they can respond quickly.  Can you imagine if no city worker could afford to live in the city?  In most places people who can operate heavy machinery, are certified to operate a waste water facility, or have construction knowledge and can inspect houses under construction, can make much more money in the private sector.  They take lower pay in exchange for the benefits like pensions, healthcare, paid vacations and the job security of a municipal job as a trade-off.  It is very unfair when times get tough to blame these workers for the economy.  That is insane.  Most underfunded pensions are the bottom line of poor management. I guarantee no city workman makes as much as the pension plan administrator.   I agree it's happening all over.  It's happening in cities with no union workforce as well as in unionized cities.  My point exactly-it's not the unions that are causing this problem.  They are the victims and the scapegoats, not the cause.  Any sensible person in the world will try to do the best he can for himself and his family.  I wasn't a union emplyee, but I know they did the right thing for those who worked for me.  None of my employees had to accept welfare or go on foodstamps to make ends meet.  They paid their taxes, worked hard, kept the economy stong, and were people anyone would be proud to employ.  I was all for their wages and benefits because it assurded me I would keep up with them.  Their wages and benefits helped them, me, my family, and the entire community.  I never had any problem with the union.  My problem is all the money going to a few at the tiptop, paying little to thse who do the work, and let the tax payers subsidize their existance.  Your position needs some more thought.

I've thought quite a bit about it 'Rick'., and again...let me say I am NOT anti-union in a private business.

I'm 100% anti-union when it pertains to Government employees.

They do not deserve benefits that  are overblown and unworthy of them.

It is not that i have a problem with Unions per/se. Unions have merit in a business world where the company has  a chance to to decide if they want to negotiate in fairness.

The problem I have is with government employees that are overpaid, over funded, have pensions that would boggle your Unions mind. That are unworthy of the wage, unworthy of thier pension, and are bleeding this Country dry.

I'm mad about all of that. I'm also mad as hell that in recent years most jobs that have been ''created' are Government  jobs...no real jobs, just a socialist 'CKFREASH' type of job. Do freaking nothing, add nothing to society, collect a healthy pension and salary from people who actually freakin' work.

That is NOT MY 'American Way"...that is SLOTH.

[Poe]

I've thought quite a bit about it 'Rick'., and again...let me say I am NOT anti-union in a private business.

I'm 100% anti-union when it pertains to Government employees.

They do not deserve benefits that  are overblown and unworthy of them.

It is not that i have a problem with Unions per/se. Unions have merit in a business world where the company has  a chance to to decide if they want to negotiate in fairness.

The problem I have is with government employees that are overpaid, over funded, have pensions that would boggle your Unions mind. That are unworthy of the wage, unworthy of thier pension, and are bleeding this Country dry.

I'm mad about all of that. I'm also mad as hell that in recent years most jobs that have been ''created' are Government  jobs...no real jobs, just a socialist 'CKFREASH' type of job. Do freaking nothing, add nothing to society, collect a healthy pension and salary from people who actually freakin' work.

That is NOT MY 'American Way"...that is SLOTH.

You have a narrow view of California and Massachusetts, two of the most liberal states in the country.  It's not like that everywhere.

PS - My (sort of) Mother-in-law is the director of one of those unions.

[RIVERS]

You have a narrow view of California and Massachusetts, two of the most liberal states in the country.  It's not like that everywhere.

PS - My (sort of) Mother-in-law is the director of one of those unions.

Perhaps I do have a myopic view of local business and politics, i will admit that, but I know everything as it pertains to local news.

I try to keep-current with goings-on across the Country, but that is not always possible.

I DO know what is going on locally and State-wide for sure, and I'm pretty up to snuff with what is happening around the World...I do pretty well as to keeping current and such.

[Rick]

I've thought quite a bit about it 'Rick'., and again...let me say I am NOT anti-union in a private business.

I'm 100% anti-union when it pertains to Government employees.

They do not deserve benefits that  are overblown and unworthy of them.

It is not that i have a problem with Unions per/se. Unions have merit in a business world where the company has  a chance to to decide if they want to negotiate in fairness.

The problem I have is with government employees that are overpaid, over funded, have pensions that would boggle your Unions mind. That are unworthy of the wage, unworthy of thier pension, and are bleeding this Country dry.

I'm mad about all of that. I'm also mad as hell that in recent years most jobs that have been ''created' are Government  jobs...no real jobs, just a socialist 'CKFREASH' type of job. Do freaking nothing, add nothing to society, collect a healthy pension and salary from people who actually freakin' work.

That is NOT MY 'American Way"...that is SLOTH.

I've given many examples of companies and I would assume municipalities, that are not union and have gone under.  What caused that?  Who did they blame?  Not everyone has a union, but they sure are convienient to have around when things get tough.  They are the perfect whipping boy for blame.  The bowels of city hall can be full of do-nothing clerks, auditors, assistants, consultants, analysts, and political appointees, but when times warrant, let's blame the garbage men, the sewer workers, street pavers, water dept. guys, and other unionized personel.  Let's get rid of them.  When the water main breaks in the middle of the night, the street caves in, and they need someone quickly to work all night, they can get a few of the clerks and mailboys to fix it.  Better yet, lets just replace them all with illegal immigrants.

[CKFresh]

Why don't you just keep it short and say the vast majority of people are smarter than you.

Because you are living proof that this nation is full of mental midgits.

By the way, good response 

[RIVERS]

Because you are living proof that this nation is full of mental midgits.

By the way, good response 

Nice of you to log-on and give me your best...pretty week , BTW.

[RIVERS]

I've given many examples of companies and I would assume municipalities, that are not union and have gone under.  What caused that?  Who did they blame?  Not everyone has a union, but they sure are convienient to have around when things get tough.  They are the perfect whipping boy for blame.  The bowels of city hall can be full of do-nothing clerks, auditors, assistants, consultants, analysts, and political appointees, but when times warrant, let's blame the garbage men, the sewer workers, street pavers, water dept. guys, and other unionized personel.  Let's get rid of them.  When the water main breaks in the middle of the night, the street caves in, and they need someone quickly to work all night, they can get a few of the clerks and mailboys to fix it.  Better yet, lets just replace them all with illegal immigrants.

All I'm saying is that there is a huge storm coming...and there is little to be done about it unless folks collectively think and work together to solve the problem at hand. Sweeping any problem under the rug is not the answer, it's got to be confronted and dealt with.

That is one of the problems...politico's are more concerned about winning votes than taking hard steps that are solutions. Once in a great while someone who is elected to office is unafraid and is also smart enough to actually solve a problem or three.

[RIVERS]

I've given many examples of companies and I would assume municipalities, that are not union and have gone under.  What caused that?  Who did they blame?  Not everyone has a union, but they sure are convienient to have around when things get tough.  They are the perfect whipping boy for blame.  The bowels of city hall can be full of do-nothing clerks, auditors, assistants, consultants, analysts, and political appointees, but when times warrant, let's blame the garbage men, the sewer workers, street pavers, water dept. guys, and other unionized personel.  Let's get rid of them.  When the water main breaks in the middle of the night, the street caves in, and they need someone quickly to work all night, they can get a few of the clerks and mailboys to fix it.  Better yet, lets just replace them all with illegal immigrants.

You have a point..and I see it 'Rick', but at the same time I hope you understand what I am trying to impress upon folks.


Look, I'm not trying to screw-over folks that have earned benefits....it's the opposite actually. Anything that has been contracted in terms of pensions is contractual law and can only be re-neighed by bankruptcy.

This is what I'm afraid of, folks pensions are voided by bankruptcy...those debts are the last to be paid.

Underfunded pensions will screw the very folks that you have spoken of (just like I will be screwed by SS, come my day)...only difference is that the Fed Gov will never go bankrupt.

[Rick]

You have a point..and I see it 'Rick', but at the same time I hope you understand what I am trying to impress upon folks.

Underfunded pensions will screw the very folks that you have spoken of (just like I will be screwed by SS, come my day)...only difference is that the Fed Gov will never go bankrupt.

I've been on SS for awhile now, and I thought I would never see it either.  But should we treat SS recipients the same as we treat union members?  You blame unions for the plight of pension funds, but do you blame those on SS as well?  Just another point I want to make-I paid into SS for 40 years, many years I paid the max.  Now that SS is in bad shape, do you blame me, or the people who ran, borrowed-from, and mishandled it?  It's ridiculous to blame unions in the same situation.  Don't you get what I'm saying?

[CKFresh]

Nice of you to log-on and give me your best...pretty week , BTW.

Pretty "week." Yes, it's been a pretty week in Cincy. Lot's of sunshine etc...

Were you telling me it's been a "pretty week" in So Cal? No surprise there.

[Poe]

Pretty "week." Yes, it's been a pretty week in Cincy. Lot's of sunshine etc...

Were you telling me it's been a "pretty week" in So Cal? No surprise there.

Careful, you're in 'Poe' territory here.  Evidently if you correct or make sport of people's poor spelling and grammar it makes you an elitist when they're not angry and a jackass when they are.

Damnit!  That's a dangling participle.

[RIVERS]

I've been on SS for awhile now, and I thought I would never see it either.  But should we treat SS recipients the same as we treat union members?  You blame unions for the plight of pension funds, but do you blame those on SS as well?  Just another point I want to make-I paid into SS for 40 years, many years I paid the max.  Now that SS is in bad shape, do you blame me, or the people who ran, borrowed-from, and mishandled it?  It's ridiculous to blame unions in the same situation.  Don't you get what I'm saying?

Nope, i don't blame recipients of funds.

I do blame Fund-managers that have conflict of interest working a better deal for themselves (knowing the fund cannot possibly be supported), and screwing the future of those funded.

'Rick'...would you take an extra $150 a month right now...knowing the there is no way that one of your kid's pension would have any hope of being funded in the future???


That's what this is all about.

Personally?, I don't give a rats-ass,... I'm pretty much set for life (I hope). I just don't want others to get screwed.

[RIVERS]

Pretty "week." Yes, it's been a pretty week in Cincy. Lot's of sunshine etc...

Were you telling me it's been a "pretty week" in So Cal? No surprise there.

Ohhhw, I spelt a word wrong.

Won't be the last time...I guess that wouldn't happen if I 'cut/copy/paste' already written articles and such.

[RIVERS]

Careful, you're in 'Poe' territory here.  Evidently if you correct or make sport of people's poor spelling and grammar it makes you an elitist when they're not angry and a jackass when they are.

Damnit!  That's a dangling participle.

Either way, I think we all can do with-out any references to your 'participle'. 

Have you heard of a detachable penis?...the true definition of the dreaded 'dangling participle', if you ask me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byDiILrNbM4



(You don't wanna watch)