Bait and Switch

As most of those who would read this endeavor, I've been following the Right Wingnut nonsense in Wisconsin and elsewhere.  And, as usual, the Right Wingnuts are out to blame and punish the victims.

For those that might not know, public sector workers (other than the Feds, and that's another episode; I was directly involved in that one for about a decade) have themselves to blame for this situation.

Here's, in general, how it went.

1) the state/municipality cries poor mouth during negotiations, saying that the government/taxpayer can't afford to pay the teachers/cops/firefighters/etc. equivalent wages based on education/experience/skills.  They offer to offset this with slightly better benefits; health and retirement in particular.

2) the workers, through their unions, take the bait.  No one particularly wanted the jobs; cops and firefighters decades ago didn't always even have to be high school graduates.  There have been reports of college degreed individuals being denied police officer entry because they would be bored (I have a specific memory of such news stories, but no link at the moment; I expect one can find such).  Teachers were especially poorly treated.  My sixth grade teacher showed up at our door one summer day, selling Compton's Encyclopedia.

3) states and municipalities routinely underfund both the health insurance and retirement accounts; it's not in the interest of a politician to pay for something which doesn't put fannies in the voting booth next election.  There have been news reports about this for decades.  The bill mounts.  No one cares. 

4) the unions, like Obambi today, refuse to hold the Right Wingnuts feet to the fire over time (Democrats, too; don't get cocky).  The problem gets worse.

So, now the Right Wingnuts lie about the issue (Christie in New Jersey being particularly blatant), and seem to be getting away with it.  Once again, misery (the disappearing middle class) demand company.  They're actually buying the Reagan-esque meme that the poor folks have caused the Great Recession.  Stupid people.