Off Topic…sort of…Walker knows how to hit a bee’s nest.

[Trace One]

meh..taking care of my busted eardrums..

read often and widely..

[Alan Ray, RLA]

So, the taxpayer is represented by the politicians, says Ms T. One…..God help us all !!!!

T one, you can read Ann Colter yourself. I don’t need any political hack to inform me about your talking points….I prefer to do my own thinking.,,,and by the way, I teach Advanced Design to Hort. students that are interested in being their own bosses someday. I do not teach nor are they interested in political b.s…..how is that possible?

It apears to me that Unions are the Mafia’s money laundering arm of the Democratic party….That is just an observation from the south where we get by somehow  without most of them. So get angry over that Ms. one.

[Alan Ray, RLA]

Well said Andrew.

[Thomas J. Johnson]

I don’t think protesters should be inside the capital building. Being in a confined space like that creates too many opportunities for things to get out of hand and for injuries to result. Yes, it is the public’s building but every building has an intended purpose and carrying capacity.

The bottom line is that the government has gotten too big and cannot control it’s spending. I support people who make an effort to correct the situation over those who only complain about the situation and offer no solutions.

http://webreprints.djreprints.com/2630340769761.pdf

[Josiah Lockard]

Having been in a union before, often times I found it to be a shelter for mediocrity, whereas those of us with ambition and the desire to advance were usually told to sit down and shut up. Looking back now I’m glad I got out when I did. Beware the pitfalls of group-think. Long live ambition! ( It’s one of the principles that built this country.)

[Ben Yahr]

Another example of spouting off talking points that are factually incorrect.

 

In Wisconsin, public employees that hold at least a four year degree earn 25% less than similarly qualified private sector employees.

 

http://www.epi.org/publications/entry/6759/

[Jason T. Radice]

First, a quick Google shows the EPI report to be a non credible source…EPI is a pro-labor organization with most of its contributions coming from labor unions.

 

There are also serious flaws with the EPI study. One, it does not take into account additional compensation, such as much higer benefit contributions for the public sector. Their model is also statiscally flawed according to the National Review who claims that it does not factor in apples-to-apples comparisons, but rather groups. The statistical “adjustments” of the EPI study are flawed because they only account for years in service with a similar education. It does not take into consideration one VERY important factor, position. It is not an apples-to-apples comparison. 

 

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/260337/are-wisconsin-public-employees-underpaid-jim-manzi   

 

National Review is a partisan publication, but you need to see the other side before you can make a decision. See, I can do that, too. I citied a partisan organization.

 

Take lawyers, of course the private sector win here because of statistical means. The partner who owns the private firm is factored in, and they make a TON of money. There simply is no equivalent position in the public sector, so the numbers will be skewed horribly (your 25%). Very often, there are no comparible positions between the private and public sectors which also throw off these blanket statistics. In areas where there is overlap, such as teachers, public do make more than private in salary and benefits.

 

 

According to a USA Today (supposedly neutral) which factors in additional compensation, the numbers show public do make more than private sector. 

“In an earlier job-to-job comparison, USA TODAY found that state and local government workers make about the same salary as those in the private sector but get more generous benefits.”

 

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2011-03-01-1Apublicworkers01_ST_N.htm

 

The truth is, no acceptable or reputable study exists to quell the discussion because too many factors are different between the public and private sector compensation models. Unless the numbers are generated by a non-partisan group (such as the Labor Dept., you cannot trust them).

.

[Alan Ray, RLA]

I don’t know why but Ms. Trace sent a very derogatory comment about southerners and then it was deleted….by whom I wonder? No one has ever claimed utopian status here but our state has managed to balance its budget…unlike USSCalif.

anyway Ms. trace, I just now read an article from Yahoo News today entitled “America’s Comeback Cities of 2011” those cities are Orlando, Chattanooga, Nashville, Jacksonville and Charlotte, in that order…..oh, my, those are all SOUTHERN cities….I guess you’ll now quote Michael Moore…

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