Happenings in Wisconsin

Posts : 289

Has anyone been following what has happened in Wisconsin? The newly elected Governor is trying to abolish the teacher's union and collective bargaining. Mitch Daniels here has been making rumblings of doing the same thing here.

Quote :: The full import of that switch has become apparent on the streets of Madison, Wis., this week. At least 25,000 union Wisconsin protesters amassed Friday morning in and around the Capitol to protest the governor’s plans. Earlier in the week, there had been as many as 40,000. Schools have been canceled, and one rally lasted a marathon 17 hours.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2011/0218/Wisconsin-protests-why-week-of-rage-matters-to-rest-of-America

Posts : 9728

The Gov is creating a phony budget crisis. It's good old fashioned Union busting by the Repubs.

Posts : 875

It's their own damn fault for staying home last November. Same goes for Indiana. I posted in another thread somewhere around this forum that Indiana specifically had the same amount of Republicans turn out that they did in the last couple of elections. Democrats on the other hand stayed home.

Posts : 9728

Paul,I truly believe that after the next 2 years of insanity that we're going to have to endure with the GOP in charge of the house,Democrats will be just as excited to vote as they were in 2008.

Instead of focusing on creating jobs and stimulating the economy,they're going back to the same old social issues like abortion.

Posts : 289

Check this out...typical repuk
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker signs tax cut bill into law

Quote :: MADISON — Companies that relocate to Wisconsin won't have to pay income taxes for two years under a bill signed into law Monday by Gov. Scott Walker. Even though he has yet to explain how he'll pay for everything in light of the state's projected $3 billion budget shortfall.

http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20110201/APC0101/102010421/Wisconsin-Governor-Scott-Walker-signs-tax-cut-bill-into-law#ixzz1EQ6BCpl6[/quote]

Posts : 3993

The gov wants to take away their negotiating rights, bottom line, right?

Posts : 3993

chuckmo48 wrote:

Check this out...typical repuk
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker signs tax cut bill into law

Quote :: MADISON — Companies that relocate to Wisconsin won't have to pay income taxes for two years under a bill signed into law Monday by Gov. Scott Walker. Even though he has yet to explain how he'll pay for everything in light of the state's projected $3 billion budget shortfall.

http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20110201/APC0101/102010421/Wisconsin-Governor-Scott-Walker-signs-tax-cut-bill-into-law#ixzz1EQ6BCpl6

[/quote]

That's been going around for a long time.

Not enough to entice any company to relocate there for just a two year break on income taxes. What's the U.S. coming to? Every state keeps thinking the answer is musical chairs with corporations.

The real problem is the damn outsourcing. That needs some looking into.

One thing I'm sick of hearing about is asking a candidate how he/she "feels about abortion". It's sickening to even bring it up.

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Artie - you're right - limits on abortion, reiterating marriage just for man and woman, going after unions.

Posts : 875

KarenT wrote:: Artie - you're right - limits on abortion, reiterating marriage just for man and woman, going after unions.

I want to know how any of those things create jobs.

Are the jobs inside of women's crotches?
Are the jobs inside of a married heterosexual bedroom?
I suppose neutering unions might take one middle class job and turn it into 2 or 3 minimum wage jobs.

Posts : 6988

Artie60438 wrote:: Instead of focusing on creating jobs and stimulating the economy,they're going back to the same old social issues like abortion.

Yeah, they really need to get their priorities in order. I'd hate to see them focusing on saving the lives of innocent babies when there are so many union teachers unable to buy that third car.

Posts : 3520

happy jack wrote:: I'd hate to see them focusing on saving the lives of innocent babies...

Glad to see the argument is still only about quantity of life, not quality.

happy jack wrote:: ...so many union teachers unable to buy that third car.[/b]

But we better make damn sure the rich can afford their 4th boat and their 3rd vacation home with their tax cuts, right?

Any actual data supporting your contention that these teachers are ridiculously overpaid and living the high life?

Posts : 6988

Heretic wrote:: Glad to see the argument is still only about quantity of life, not quality.

I’ve gotten the impression from your postings over the years that you believe humans are the cause of all the troubles in the world, and that the fewer humans there are, the better, and that Mother Earth would be in her most desirable state if the only life form was alga. I don’t share that view.

Heretic wrote:: But we better make damn sure the rich can afford their 4th boat and their 3rd vacation home with their tax cuts, right?

What does that have to do with dismembered babies?

Posts : 2141

Heretic wrote:

happy jack wrote:: I'd hate to see them focusing on saving the lives of innocent babies...

Glad to see the argument is still only about quantity of life, not quality.

happy jack wrote:: ...so many union teachers unable to buy that third car.[/b]

But we better make damn sure the rich can afford their 4th boat and their 3rd vacation home with their tax cuts, right?

Any actual data supporting your contention that these teachers are ridiculously overpaid and living the high life?

Yeah, well the Wisconsin teachers make an annual average of income of $46,390...

http://teacherportal.com/teacher-salaries-by-state

I certainly wouldn't characterize it as being "ridiculously overpaid."

happy jack wrote:

Heretic wrote:: But we better make damn sure the rich can afford their 4th boat and their 3rd vacation home with their tax cuts, right?

What does that have to do with dismembered babies?

I thought the topic of this thread was about the "Happenings in Wisconsin." I'm sure that you can find an "abortion" thread to resurrect if you're hell bent on discussing "dismembered babies." Or start a new one?

Posts : 6988

Scorpion wrote:: I thought the topic of this thread was about the "Happenings in Wisconsin." I'm sure that you can find an "abortion" thread to resurrect if you're hell bent on discussing "dismembered babies." Or start a new one?

I'm not the one who brought up the subject of abortion on this thread.
Perhaps you'd like to have a word with Artie?

Artie60438 wrote:: Instead of focusing on creating jobs and stimulating the economy,they're going back to the same old social issues like abortion.

Posts : 2141

happy jack wrote:

Scorpion wrote:: I thought the topic of this thread was about the "Happenings in Wisconsin." I'm sure that you can find an "abortion" thread to resurrect if you're hell bent on discussing "dismembered babies." Or start a new one?

I'm not the one who brought up the subject of abortion on this thread.
Perhaps you'd like to have a word with Artie?

Artie60438 wrote:: Instead of focusing on creating jobs and stimulating the economy,they're going back to the same old social issues like abortion.

Yeah, well as you know, threads go off-topic all the time. I'm simply trying to steer the discussion back to the original topic.

Posts : 6988

Scorpion wrote:

happy jack wrote:

Scorpion wrote:: I thought the topic of this thread was about the "Happenings in Wisconsin." I'm sure that you can find an "abortion" thread to resurrect if you're hell bent on discussing "dismembered babies." Or start a new one?

I'm not the one who brought up the subject of abortion on this thread.
Perhaps you'd like to have a word with Artie?

Artie60438 wrote:: Instead of focusing on creating jobs and stimulating the economy,they're going back to the same old social issues like abortion.

Yeah, well as you know, threads go off-topic all the time. I'm simply trying to steer the discussion back to the original topic.

Yeah, well as you know, I'm not the one who went off-topic on this thread.
Perhaps you'd like to have a word with Artie?

Posts : 875

Scorpion wrote:: Yeah, well the Wisconsin teachers make an annual average of income of $46,390...

http://teacherportal.com/teacher-salaries-by-state

I certainly wouldn't characterize it as being "ridiculously overpaid."

I'm fairly certain that's a lower-middle class salary at best.

Posts : 6988

paul87920 wrote:

Scorpion wrote:: Yeah, well the Wisconsin teachers make an annual average of income of $46,390...

http://teacherportal.com/teacher-salaries-by-state

I certainly wouldn't characterize it as being "ridiculously overpaid."

I'm fairly certain that's a lower-middle class salary at best.

Any way of knowing if the averages factor in full-time teachers only, or do the considerably lower annual salaries of substitute teachers skew the overall results?
Bear in mind also that teachers work only 9 months per year and have those additional 3 months to supplement their annual income in some other endeavor.

Posts : 2141

paul87920 wrote:

Scorpion wrote:: Yeah, well the Wisconsin teachers make an annual average of income of $46,390...

http://teacherportal.com/teacher-salaries-by-state

I certainly wouldn't characterize it as being "ridiculously overpaid."

I'm fairly certain that's a lower-middle class salary at best.

It's slightly below the median US household income of $49,777.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Median_household_income

happy jack wrote:: Yeah, well as you know, I'm not the one who went off-topic on this thread.
Perhaps you'd like to have a word with Artie?

Yeah, well I wasn't trying to single you out, Jack. Like I said, I was just trying to steer the discussion back to the original topic.

happy jack wrote:: Any way of knowing if the averages factor in full-time teachers only, or do the considerably lower annual salaries of substitute teachers skew the overall results?
Bear in mind also that teachers work only 9 months per year and have those additional 3 months to supplement their annual income in some other endeavor.

This site has a bit more info...

http://www.teacher-world.com/teacher-salary/wisconsin.html

Quote :: The average Wisconsin teacher salary does vary, however. One major source of salary variation is what grade level you teach. In May 2009, preschool teachers in Wisconsin earned an average salary of $23,460, elementary school teachers earned $51,240, and secondary school teachers earned $49,400. (2) Education and experience level also make a difference in teacher salaries: secondary school teachers in the 90th wage percentile earned $69,550, while the entry-level teacher salary is generally in the $30,000s. (3)

I did see something about what substitutes make when I was looking around. If I run across it again, I'll post it.

Posts : 6988

Thanks.

Posts : 3520

happy jack wrote:

Heretic wrote:: But we better make damn sure the rich can afford their 4th boat and their 3rd vacation home with their tax cuts, right?

What does that have to do with dismembered babies?

Absolutely nothing; you're not paying attention. That statement was clearly a response to your unsupported "they're too rich" comment.

It always interesting to watch conservatives praise the American Dream, but the minute a working class family gets close to actually living it, bam... "ZOMG!! F**k 'em! They're making too much!!"

I guess they don't think it will trickle down to the rest of us, either.

Posts : 6988

Heretic wrote:: It always interesting to watch conservatives praise the American Dream, but the minute a working class family gets close to actually living it, bam... "ZOMG!! F**k 'em! They're making too much!!"

Has it occurred to you that there are millions of Wisconsin taxpayers who would rather pursue their own American Dream rather than be forced at gunpoint to finance the American Dream of the members of public employees' unions?

Posts : 3520

happy jack wrote:: Has it occurred to you that there are millions of Wisconsin taxpayers who would rather pursue their own American Dream rather than be forced at gunpoint to finance the American Dream of the members of public employees' unions?

So it's "ZOMG!! F**k government employees! They should be working in the private sector!!!" My bad.

All those Wisconsin taxpayers were fine up until the ridiculous tax cuts ruined their budget. That doesn't seem to matter; the conservative worldview apparently doesn't allow such complexities. Unions = bad. Tax cuts = good. Reagan = Jesus.

Posts : 6988

Heretic wrote:: So it's "ZOMG!! F**k government employees! They should be working in the private sector!!!" My bad.

Never said that. But why should government employees have more lucrative benefit packages than most private sector workers while forcing said private sector workers to finance said benefit packages?

Posts : 289

happy jack wrote:

Heretic wrote:: So it's "ZOMG!! F**k government employees! They should be working in the private sector!!!" My bad.

Never said that. But why should government employees have more lucrative benefit packages than most private sector workers while forcing said private sector workers to finance said benefit packages?

You know you get what you pay for...if you have low entry salaries without benefits, no collective bargaining what type of teacher do you think will be drawn to that. I have already told my middle daughter and youngest son I will not pay for their college if they choose to go into teaching. Even though I taught for 34 years, I will not have my children spend upwards of $30,000-$40,000 to become a teacher that starts at $35,000, will have no rights, no guaranteed working conditions, get very little respect, and are expected to work miracles. It is not worth the aggravation!

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