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Wisconsin Governor to Missing Democrats: Do Your Job

el diablo has found fertile ground.
 
How about them apples huh! As a matter of fact, that deficit for 2011 came from a source not reported by anyone, MOST ESPECIALLY NOT mr. BOO. (Sorry Boo, rough way to get to know you. Hi! I'm doctorhugo.) The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled just this past Tuesday that the state must repay a medical malpractice fund more than $200 million it took to balance the budget three years ago, potentially throwing the current budget into disarray…, because...by now you guessed it. Yep! The state budget is projected to finish the current fiscal year on June 30 with a balance of $45 million, not enough to absorb a $200 million hit. That about takes care of that, so let's recess Ding-Dong School for today. Oops! One minor additonal comment. Of course it's not TOO toooooo important, BUT...that $200 million movement occurred when Doyle was governor and the demonRATs ran both Houses of the Wisconsin legislature.:roll::lol:

You're actualyl pretty close, but not exact. I don't believe the state has a 45 million surplus, as you seem to indicate.

The WI budget is currently scheduled to finish the fiscal period ending 06/11 137 million in the hole. This was mostly due to shortfalls in state medicare. I knew the $200 million raid by the former governor (Doyle) was in the courts, I didn't realize they had ruled on it yet - did that just come down today? Anyway, adding the 200 mill that has to be repaid leaves the state in a nearly $400 mill hole.

As you correctly indicated, the tax cuts that Ezra Klein and Rachel Maddow were trying to claim caused the shortfall, haven't even taken effect yet. Those tax cuts will affect the next fiscal period.
 
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Maggie said:
You didn't even read it. It was about one small group in one county. Do your homework. And what's "meme"?

Broaden your horizons. It's not just about Wisconsin. It's about an attempt at union-busting across the nation. Public unions are and have been making concessions.


A teachers union that has been reluctant to make concessions in the past gave big at the negotiating table this week – agreeing to pay cuts, higher medical co-pays, furlough days and the suspension of an annual bonus.

Elk Grove teachers union agrees to concessions; members to vote - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Naugatuck (WTNH) - Facing a nearly $1.5 million deficit, teachers in Naugatuck agreed to concessions to avoid layoffs.

Naugatuck teachers agree to concessions | wtnh.com connecticut

In a contract breakthrough that eluded the previous Milwaukee Public Schools administration, the teachers union leadership on Friday agreed to concessions on health benefits that will save up to $50 million over the next two years.

MPS, teachers union reach deal on contract - JSOnline


SYLVANIA, OH (WTOL) -The union representing teachers in Sylvania schools has agreed to concessions resulting in $1.4 million in savings.

Sylvania teachers agree to concessions to save jobs - WTOL.com - Toledo's News Leader |

Hudson teachers had a contract until next September, but agreed to concessions Monday in hopes of persuading voters to approve an operating levy on the Nov. 2 ballot.

It’s a one-year contract beginning next September that includes no raise in base pay and a modification in the current contract that increases the teachers’ contribution toward health care to 10 percent beginning in January.

Hudson teachers agree to concessions

It's not just teacher unions. Other public unions have been making sacrifices as well.


AURORA — Union Local 1514 American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees has become the third employees union to reach a concession deal with the city of Aurora for 2011, the city announced Thursday.

Third Aurora city workers union agrees to concessions - Beacon News


Santa Barbara County’s largest employee union, SEIU Local 620, has agreed to concessions for this upcoming year that will save the county nearly $8.5 million.

The Santa Barbara Independent County

NORTH RIDGEVILLE Mayor David Gillock said members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3442 were hoping for salary increases. However, after union negotiations earlier this month, they took some concessions.

After reaching the collective bargaining agreement, the city’s AFSCME and non-bargaining union employees effectively will give up 4 percent of their income for at least the next two years, with 10 furlough days to be taken over the course of a year.

North Ridgeville union agrees to concessions | cleveland.com
 
Wisconsin State Constitution requires:

"Oath of office. Section 28. Members of the legislature, and all officers, executive and judicial, except such inferior officers as may be by law exempted, shall before they enter upon the duties of their respective offices, take and subscribe an oath or affirmation to support the constitution of the United States and the constitution of the state of Wisconsin, and faithfully to discharge the duties of their respective offices to the best of their ability."

Wisconsin Legislature Data

Also Wisconsin law requires: "946.12 Misconduct in public office. Any public officer or public employee who does any of the following is guilty of a Class I felony:

946.12(1)
(1) Intentionally fails or refuses to perform a known mandatory, nondiscretionary, ministerial duty of the officer's or employee's office or employment within the time or in the manner required by law"

Wisconsin Statutes 946.12 - Misconduct in public office :: Lawserver
 
Just because someone posts a bunch of links doesn't mean anything. When one researches those links one finds what mr. Boo didn't want you to find as he figured a bunch of links would scare everyone off. Not so. I can spot that smoke blowing technique. Fact is that Brian Beutler at TPM said Republican Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker “ginned up” a “budget shortfall“. Can you figure out what happened next? All the left-leaning sheeple lined up and started bahhhhhing in chorus as Ms.Bouie at The American Prospect said Walker’s deficit reducing plan was “a ginned up crisis“. Political fiction writer Steven Benen says Walker is insincere, so you see Boo is just parroting him. The constitutionally confused Ezra Klein claims the and so Klein brazenly went on to explain that the governor called a special session of the legislature and signed two business tax breaks and a conservative health-care policy experiment that lowers overall tax revenues (among other things). The new legislation was not offset, and it helped turn a surplus into a deficit. Sounds good and appears to indict the Guv, but grab your drawers before they hit the floor. That's what Boo wanted you to believe, but even Klein was forced to change his mind in an update to that same post. Did I miss that update in your post Boo? The $130 million deficit now projected for 2011 isn’t the fault of the tax breaks passed during Walker’s special session.

How about them apples huh! As a matter of fact, that deficit for 2011 came from a source not reported by anyone, MOST ESPECIALLY NOT mr. BOO. (Sorry Boo, rough way to get to know you. Hi! I'm doctorhugo.) The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled just this past Tuesday that the state must repay a medical malpractice fund more than $200 million it took to balance the budget three years ago, potentially throwing the current budget into disarray…, because...by now you guessed it. Yep! The state budget is projected to finish the current fiscal year on June 30 with a balance of $45 million, not enough to absorb a $200 million hit. That about takes care of that, so let's recess Ding-Dong School for today. Oops! One minor additonal comment. Of course it's not TOO toooooo important, BUT...that $200 million movement occurred when Doyle was governor and the demonRATs ran both Houses of the Wisconsin legislature.:roll::lol:

I'm gonna take a break 'cause it took me about 10 minutes of hard diggin' to find all this out and I'm due for a non-union break. Feel free Boo to go forth and confirm that I haven't posted any misleading information here.

Great post Doc, but you did forget one thing, Wisconsin also got nearly 2 billion from the stimulus bill to boot, that money isn't coming for this present budget
 

what self respecting poster would cite OPINION pieces by david vines, a STUDENT at madison, and ezra klein, the drug tested founder of JOURNOLIST?

LOL!

meanwhile, cnbc, last thursday:

State Pensions Scramble to Avoid Bankruptcy

multi trillion dollar shortfalls

it is what it is, ie, hardly news

cope, progressives

it's all YOURS
 
Wisconsin State Constitution requires:

"Oath of office. Section 28. Members of the legislature, and all officers, executive and judicial, except such inferior officers as may be by law exempted, shall before they enter upon the duties of their respective offices, take and subscribe an oath or affirmation to support the constitution of the United States and the constitution of the state of Wisconsin, and faithfully to discharge the duties of their respective offices to the best of their ability."

Wisconsin Legislature Data

Also Wisconsin law requires: "946.12 Misconduct in public office. Any public officer or public employee who does any of the following is guilty of a Class I felony:

946.12(1)
(1) Intentionally fails or refuses to perform a known mandatory, nondiscretionary, ministerial duty of the officer's or employee's office or employment within the time or in the manner required by law"

Wisconsin Statutes 946.12 - Misconduct in public office :: Lawserver

You will also note, that each of these state (there are more then one now) those elected officials are fleeing to Democratic controlled states, we have already seen that the democrats have no need, want or will to uphold the laws of this country.
 
Public unions are and have been making concessions.

not enough

too late

wisconsin is gonna write FUNDAMENTAL REFORM

and it's gonna spread far and wide

deal with it
 
Broaden your horizons. It's not just about Wisconsin. It's about an attempt at union-busting across the nation. Public unions are and have been making concessions.

You list these concessions as if they're a bad thing. I see o attempt to "bust unions" from what you've posted. I see an austerity program that's long overdue.
 
You're actualyl pretty close, but not exact. I don't believe the state has a 45 million surplus, as you seem to indicate.

The WI budget is currently scheduled to finish the fiscal period ending 06/11 137 million in the hole. This was mostly due to shortfalls in state medicare. I knew the $200 million raid by the former governor (Doyle) was in the courts, I didn't realize they had ruled on it yet - did that just come down today? Anyway, adding the 200 mill that has to be repaid leaves the state in a nearly $400 mill hole.

As you correctly indicated, the tax cuts that Ezra Klein and Rachel Maddow were trying to claim caused the shortfall, haven't even taken effect yet. Those tax cuts will affect the next fiscal period.
I referenced this:
State Rep. Mark Pocan, co-chairman of the Legislature's budget-writing committee, said it was too early to know whether the decision would force lawmakers back into session to take action before they are scheduled to return in January.

"We just really don't know at this point," Pocan said.

The state budget is projected to finish the current fiscal year on June 30 with a balance of $45 million, not enough to absorb a $200 million hit.
Source: Court says Wis. must repay malpractice fund $200M - BusinessWeek
I tried going for a non-biased source. Given who they quoted I didn't doubt the veracity of the $44 million. Can you show me corroboration for that being incorrect? I do note now that that portion is not in quotes, but one is given to believe it's from the same source given the in-context continuity.
 
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Maggie said:
You list these concessions as if they're a bad thing.
Actually it is a bad thing when you start going backwards through no fault of your own. But the point is that public (and private unions) are and have been giving up recently bargained gains in their living conditions. They're not the big mean, greedy people out to destroy the taxpayers, as betrayed. They're struggling and just trying to get by, like many others. It's a little disheartening to adjust your financial standards downward, while trying to tread water, and then have someone come along and give you a shove on the head.

Maggie said:
I see o attempt to "bust unions" from what you've posted. I see an austerity program that's long overdue.
No, I didn't post anything on union-busting in that post, but what's going on in Wisconsin is but a bigger part of the assault on unions from the right and that didn't just start a couple of weeks ago.
 
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not enough

too late

wisconsin is gonna write FUNDAMENTAL REFORM

and it's gonna spread far and wide

deal with it

Walker has let the genie out of the bottle. The Labor Movement, after years of steady decline, will surely benefit by these showdowns in WI, OH, and IN - just for starters. As this plutocrat putsch unfolds, look for more citizen awareness, and strong public objections to their agenda.

Blowback is an activist reactionary's constant companion. Throughtout history they have inevitably jumped the shark and ruined the best laid plans of the plutocrats.
 
Walker has let the genie out of the bottle. The Labor Movement, after years of steady decline, will surely benefit by these showdowns in WI, OH, and IN - just for starters. As this plutocrat putsch unfolds, look for more citizen awareness, and strong public objections to their agenda.

Blowback is an activist reactionary's constant companion. Throughtout history they have inevitably jumped the shark and ruined the best laid plans of the plutocrats.

I see the Unions diminishing further as States are forced to slam the Unions down and the Public realizes how badly the Unions have driven both Government and Private sectors to the edge of disaster.
 
Actually it is a bad thing when you start going backwards through no fault of your own. But the point is that public (and private unions) are and have been giving up recently bargained gains in their living conditions. They're not the big mean, greedy people out to destroy the taxpayers, as portrayed. They're struggling and just trying to get by, like many others. It's a little disheartening to adjust your financial standards downward, while trying to tread water, and then have someone come along and give you a shove on the head.


No, I didn't post anything on union-busting in that post, but what's going on in Wisconsin is but a bigger part of the assault on unions from the right and that didn't just start a couple of weeks ago.

Corrected for a grammatical error that really throws off your point.

You're not going to get much sympathy out of private sector employees making half as much and paying 4 times as much into their pensions.
 
Actually it is a bad thing when you start going backwards through no fault of your own..
BWG, that describes life in general. It describes every aspect of the free market.

Why should public teachers be insulated by taxpayers from this reality?

Where is the innovation in teaching? Why do teachers seem to be getting more and more advanced degrees to teach high school kids? Because they tie salary to them in their pay structure. In the real world you get paid by job duties and performance typically...not simply a degree. Sure fire way to get laughed in the real world, put on your job application you're a genius. It's a clear indicator someone is an idiot.

Why do they have such extraordinary job stability and how much is that worth? We call that risk-reward. Where is the public sector "risk"? How much does this cost, how much is it worth?

What about these pensions that pay out $50K-$100K per year...these are valued at something like $1.5-$4M dollars. It's like hitting the jackpot.

Health care has evolved to have Doctors, PAs, RNs, Urgent Care, etc. Your average medical care is achieved by LESS education. Where is this downard pressure in teaching? It's reversed (!).

What about a typical corporate ladder. Yeah, you may start answering phones or working the mail room, but as you're trusted you take on more and more responsibility and rise up in the company based on your skill, work ethic, etc. You get paid more for the new job role, not just because you've been there a while. So why is someone teaching high school for 30 years, essentially the same material over and over, expecting to have a steadily climbing salary? If they love it, fine...but you don't need more and more money for that job because we can just hire someone less expensive who needs the money. The teacher needs to move on. 10 years, either enjoy your 3% raise, or get a new job.

It's not meant out of personal spite. I have family and friends that teach, I know who they are and what they do, and what they make. But anyone who has experience in our marketplace, the engine that pays these people, sees obvious fundamental issues with how it operates. It's natural to want to fight for a sweetheart deal, that's why the innovation of the U.S. form of government *was* such a huge positive change in the world. It took that sweetheart deals away from those who didn't earn them (the nobles, ruling party, etc.)

Staying at one job for 30 years with millions of value in pension and good overall salary and health insurance on top of that, is not "struggling". Until you compete in the marketplace, the idea of "struggle" doesn't really enter into the picture. It's scary to let go, but if teachers are as skilled and educated as they claim, surely they will have no issue competing with the rest of us idiots.
 
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I see the Unions diminishing further as States are forced to slam the Unions down and the Public realizes how badly the Unions have driven both Government and Private sectors to the edge of disaster.

I'm well familiar with the meme - blame unions for budget deficits and a bad economy. It's well-orchestrated and found abundantly on literlly every right wing echo chamber outlet. I don't 'debate' talking points.

I see Walker's putsch leading on only one outcome - strengthened resolve in the worker's camp, and for them a better definition of their foes here - the plutocrats.

So far the Billionaire Coup (Frank Rich's term) has been quite successful, but don't count the people out just yet.
 
Walker has let the genie out of the bottle. The Labor Movement, after years of steady decline, will surely benefit by these showdowns in WI, OH, and IN - just for starters. As this plutocrat putsch unfolds, look for more citizen awareness, and strong public objections to their agenda.

Blowback is an activist reactionary's constant companion. Throughtout history they have inevitably jumped the shark and ruined the best laid plans of the plutocrats.

too abstruse, abbie hoffman

ie, not in times like these

FT: US Public Pensions Face $2.5 Trillion Shortfall

cuz TWO POINT FIVE TRILLION DOLLARS of underfunded public TRUST---that's an awful lotta reaction

seeya at people's park, pal, put on patchouli
 
too abstruse, abbie hoffman

ie, not in times like these

FT: US Public Pensions Face $2.5 Trillion Shortfall

cuz TWO POINT FIVE TRILLION DOLLARS of underfunded public TRUST---that's an awful lotta reaction

seeya at people's park, pal, put on patchouli

No content, only silly right wing school yard taunts.

Funny how these staunch deficit hawks can sit around watching literally any one of their Great Leaders blow trillions and trillions on unfunded wars, unfunded tax-cuts for the wealthy, huge unfunded Medicare give-a-ways to Big Pharma, give the Pentagon a blank check year after year etc - and not blink an eye. Now? They're all mini-scrooges screaming like Chicken Little, frothing at the mouth.

Another era, more smoke screens and hypocrisy. Some things never change.
 
I referenced this:
Source: Court says Wis. must repay malpractice fund $200M - BusinessWeek
I tried going for a non-biased source. Given who they quoted I didn't doubt the veracity of the $44 million. Can you show me corroboration for that being incorrect? I do note now that that portion is not in quotes, but one is given to believe it's from the same source given the in-context continuity.

Well, I don't want to dig too far, because it's not too big a contention. But, this is the first i've heard of it, and I have been following the story pretty closely since i live very close to WI (in N. Illinois).

But here is an article from the Milwauke Journal Sentinel that was projecting the $137 million budget shortfall as far back as 11/2010:

Wisconsin

The Doyle administration report Friday projected the state would have a paper-thin surplus of $10 million this year out of an annual budget of $13.54 billion.

But the surplus figure didn't account for potentially higher costs in several state agencies. The current projected shortfall in state Medicaid programs alone is about $148 million, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau. In October, the Office of the State Public Defender estimated its shortfall for this year at more than $9 million. The potential shortfall in the Department of Corrections has not yet been released but could be significant, given the size of the state prison system.

As for the court case, you are correct that the courts ruled that the democrats illegally raided $200 million from a fund. However, this case is still with the courts and they will be the ones to decide when it has to be paid back. They aren't yet sure if it will have to be included in the current fiscal period or the next. That is unless, of course, a ruling came out today on the timing of paying back the fund that I am not aware of.

On edit: I now see that the article you posted came out a few months before the one I posted. Apparently they had one of those phantom surpluses half-way through the fiscal period. That obviously quickly dried up and became a deficit just a few months later.
 
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You must be kidding. You impune a governor, any governor, as to his/her integrity for NOT cowtowing and bowing down to a bunch of lawbreakers. "They've agreed.." you said...to what? Conditions they set as irresponsible lawbreakers. Up their collective wazoos!

You want something to whine about? I'd like to see Republicans in every damned district these coward representatives represent draft recall petitions and send them in to the Gov! Then you'd have something to wring out your bloomers about. Gimme a break.

Law breakers? Cowtow? That's funny stuff. Not acurate mind you, but funny.
 
Actually it is a bad thing when you start going backwards through no fault of your own. But the point is that public (and private unions) are and have been giving up recently bargained gains in their living conditions. They're not the big mean, greedy people out to destroy the taxpayers, as betrayed. They're struggling and just trying to get by, like many others. It's a little disheartening to adjust your financial standards downward, while trying to tread water, and then have someone come along and give you a shove on the head.


Nope, this isn't about Private Unions.

It's about Gov workers indeed raiding the Tax Payers...they work for the TAXPAYERS......they do not have the "right" to go on strike.

No, I didn't post anything on union-busting in that post, but what's going on in Wisconsin is but a bigger part of the assault on unions from the right and that didn't just start a couple of weeks ago.

Feel free to show wher any of this is about Private Unions...I'll be patient.
 
I'm well familiar with the meme - blame unions for budget deficits and a bad economy. It's well-orchestrated and found abundantly on literlly every right wing echo chamber outlet. I don't 'debate' talking points.

I see Walker's putsch leading on only one outcome - strengthened resolve in the worker's camp, and for them a better definition of their foes here - the plutocrats.

So far the Billionaire Coup (Frank Rich's term) has been quite successful, but don't count the people out just yet.

Of 30 comparable countries, the United States ranks near the bottom. Take math - Finland is first, followed by South Korea, and the United States is number 25. Same story in science: Finland, number one again. The United States? Number 21.

high school graduation rates, the United States is 20th on the list. Germany, Japan, Korea and the U.K. all do better with graduation rates of 90 percent or more. In the Unites States, it's just 75 percent.

Where does the United States outrank Finland? On the amount spent per student: just over $129,000 from K through 12. The other countries average $95,000.

Only a liberal can seen the sense in backing a union, that is at the very heart of this nonsense. Higher costs and diminishing results is not a good business practice, and even more so when we are talking about the future adults of our country.

"you" may be behind this, but the American public, well .... not so much.
 
I don't 'debate' talking points.
Why not? Forums are for the open exchange of ideas and opinions. Are you that fearful of trying to make intellectual points instead of vague, vacuous and extraneous one-liners?

I am curious about one thing since you appear to have an opinion on unions and I'll keep it simple. Do you see all unions as pretty much equal?
 
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