The Wisconsin Cheese Showdown

[Sbane]

I don't even care if it was about the budget,

At least you're being honest. It's still a disgusting power grab, but at least you are acknowledging that it is, correct? Are you fine with corporations being the only ones capable of funding campaigns now? It's quite disgusting what your party is doing just to gain a little more power. It really is.

Anyways, enjoy. Go shoot your gun and pray for the gays and muslims or whatever it is you guys like to do.

[Sbane]

At least you're being honest. It's still a disgusting power grab, but at least you are acknowledging that it is, correct?

It's busting power, not grabbing it.  

Dude, if Republicans refuse to take money from their corporate buddies, I'll call it even. This is a complete power grab by the Republicans who want to neuter the union's influence in elections. I don't even think this will necessarily help Republicans (especially looking at the long term), rather it will make our corporate masters even more powerful. Is that what you want?

Trust me I know the abuses unions do. But the answer is to reign those practices in. The answer is to negotiate hard with them, like private companies do, so the taxpayers don't end up giving plush benefits. At the same time workers should be able to have a say in their pay, their work environment, as well as organize politically. I think the last part is very important until we get real campaign finance reform, perhaps even an amendment to the constitution. Until then money in US politics will continue to be a huge issue.

[Sbane]

BTW, Republicans, what are your thoughts on companies financing campaigns without asking their workers whether it's ok (because in reality the company is speaking for all it's employees)?

[Sbane]

BTW, Republicans, what are your thoughts on companies financing campaigns without asking their workers whether it's ok (because in reality the company is speaking for all it's employees)?

For one thing, the company can't collect compulsory dues out of a paycheck of someone who is not in the company with the protection of law.

That money is coming from somewhere. Why could it not go into my paycheck instead of some politician's pockets?

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Can anyone please explain how they have been personally negatively affected by public sector unions?

Higher taxes?

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Yeah public sector unions obviously drive up taxes way higher than companies that abuse loopholes in the system to pay no corporate tax. No question.

Both do of course. And that is only when the unions recieve bloated benefits, which isn't true in a lot of cases. But in a lot of places the unions are to blame.

[Sbane]

This is a complete power grab by the Republicans who want to neuter the union's influence in elections.

Can't you see that is the problem?  That is why public sector labor cartels need to be illegal.   FDR was smart enough to foresee the problem they would cause.  To protect workers, have voluntary worker associations.

I would like to end the influence of corporations and unions on elections. Are you with me?

[Sbane]

Walker and the WI Republicans had the same right to do this that Obama and a Democratic congress had to pass PPACA, and have the potential to face the same consequences.

No, the voters didn't want this when they elected them, but let's face it, many people voting for Dem Senators in '06 weren't thinking too clearly about health care reform. It's how our two-party system works, no actual platform commands 50% of the vote. If union members and their families lost touch with why voting Democratic 100% of the time would have been in their interest, this is the reminder that eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. We'll see if they can win back anything they've lost in future elections, the same way the tea party is fighting to win back the right to get pre-existing conditions back as a reason to deny coverage, etc. Game on, I guess.

It is amusing isn't it? One side wants workers to have the right to organize, while the other side wants to deny the sick health insurance. It's sickeningly funny.

[Sbane]

If money made elections, Tom Foley and Linda McMahon would be Governor and US Senator right now. Oh, and Jerry Brown wouldn't have won by a huge margin in California.

It tends to affect policy making more than elections, which is more important imho.