JOHN STOSSEL: Unions Working With Politicians to Rip YOU Off

tank

EOG Dedicated
Re: JOHN STOSSEL: Unions Working With Politicians to Rip YOU Off

Again you have no clue about the Koch brothers.See what companies they own and how much they are subsidized and how they spend more then most companies combined.
 

tank

EOG Dedicated
Re: JOHN STOSSEL: Unions Working With Politicians to Rip YOU Off

Campaign Cash: Corporations Get More Power, Political Parties Get Less

, Koch has found ways to funnel money to the Tea Party in just about every way imaginable. But it’s most sinister maneuver was the establishment of two right-wing front groups that keep their donors anonymous. After Citizens United, we’ll never know how much money Koch is funneling to the Tea Party, and his front groups—FreedomWorks and Americans for Prosperity—provide the same cover for other elites. How much cover? Americans for Prosperity brags that they’ll spend at least $45 million on the 2010 elections, while FreedomWorks plans to throw in another $10 million.
As Stan emphasizes, these two groups are the major organizers of all things Tea Party. They provided logistical organizing for Glenn Beck’s 9/12 rally, held over 300 rallies against health care reform and hosted “voter education” workshops pushing the glories of deregulation to anyone who would listen. They even have an unofficial partnership with Fox News, hosting conservative Fox personalities at their rallies, which are, in turn, promoted by Fox programming. Glenn Beck is even featured in advertisements and fundraising pitches for FreedomWorks.
The anonymity provided by Koch’s front-groups is critical to the Tea Party’s appeal. In popular media, the Tea Party is often described as a grassroots coalition of ordinary, mad-as-hell citizens. That image is hard to sustain in the face of a wildly expensive top-down campaign orchestrated by billionaires. As Stan explains:
The armies of angry white people with their “Don’t Tread on Me” flags, the actual grassroots activists, are not the agents of the Tea Party revolt, but its end users, enriching the Tea Party’s corporate owners just as you and I enrich Google through our clicks.
Of course, Koch isn’t the only man operating anonymous front-groups. The Citizens United decision allowed corporations to spend unlimited amounts of their own cash directly influencing elections. But so long as that money is laundered through a third-party, they can keep these expenditures out of the public eye.
 

tank

EOG Dedicated
Re: JOHN STOSSEL: Unions Working With Politicians to Rip YOU Off

Who's Raising Money For Tea Party Movement?


A nagging question in the Tea Party movement has surfaced again: Who's actually paying the bills? Some Tea Party leaders announced earlier this month that they're forming a fundraising corporation. Its goal is to raise money from other corporations and rich individuals. But they set it up so it doesn't have to disclose who those donors are.
The head of the Memphis Tea Party is a burly businessman named Mark Skoda — a forceful presence on the national Tea Party scene.
And just as forceful at the Tea Party convention in Nashville, Tenn., where he held a press conference to roll out the new fundraising operation: the Ensuring Liberty Corp., a tax-exempt 501(c)(4), which would be followed by the establishment of the Ensuring Liberty Political Action Committee.
The PAC would be a normal political committee, following the contribution limits and full disclosure requirements of federal election law.
The 501(c)(4) is another story.
Skoda told reporters about the significance of having that tax-exempt status.
"As you know, election law allows 501(c)(4)s to raise and recruit funds that allow us to go ahead and encourage people to participate in the PAC. It allows us a greater latitude in which to execute our strategy," he said.
And he made a pledge.
"We will do that in a systematic way, with transparency that is obviously lacking in too much of the political process today," Skoda said.
No Limits
 
Re: JOHN STOSSEL: Unions Working With Politicians to Rip YOU Off

Yep, like any political movement, there's loads of money in the grassroots tea party movement (if you build it, they will fund) but unlike the Kenyan's socialist unions feeding at the public trough and waging class warfare dividing the country, not a single a dime is being stolen from taxpayers. It's all private funds. Btw, for the Disclose Act Nazis: this ain't 1930s Germany where we have to show the government our papiere on every financial transaction.

I'm ecstatic "corporations and rich individuals" are stepping up to the plate to help the tea party take our country back. The Washington/Wall Street elite (as ACCC calls them) who bought virtually the entire Democrat party and much of the RINO establishment, are entrenched and powerful. Tea party patriots (veterans, stay-at-home moms, small business owners, college students....anyone who loves liberty and wants the Constitution restored) need all the firepower they can get. :thumbsup
 

tank

EOG Dedicated
Re: JOHN STOSSEL: Unions Working With Politicians to Rip YOU Off

Yep, like any political movement, there's loads of money in the grassroots tea party movement (if you build it, they will fund) but unlike the Kenyan's socialist unions feeding at the public trough and waging class warfare dividing the country, not a single a dime is being stolen from taxpayers. It's all private funds. Btw, for the Disclose Act Nazis: this ain't 1930s Germany where we have to show the government our papiere on every financial transaction.

I'm ecstatic "corporations and rich individuals" are stepping up to the plate to help the tea party take our country back. The Washington/Wall Street elite (as ACCC calls them) who bought virtually the entire Democrat party and much of the RINO establishment, are entrenched and powerful. Tea party patriots (veterans, stay-at-home moms, small business owners, college students....anyone who loves liberty and wants the Constitution restored) need all the firepower they can get. :thumbsup
Still a clueless idiot!!Yes poser the corporations spend all that money to help out the middle class in your fantasy world so keep your idiotic rambling up in Canada where a night watchmen like yourself is stupid enough to buy that!You would be stupid enough to think they want what is best for our country[ your not included in that ]
 
Re: JOHN STOSSEL: Unions Working With Politicians to Rip YOU Off

Thursday, October 28, 2010

- Your Union Masters



As you probably know, the people of NJ have been subservient... some might even say at least partially enslaved... to the same master for some time now. That master is the labor unions. Political parties come and go, but until Chris Christie (a name we now say in my house with a substantial degree of reverence) no one and I mean NO ONE, stood up to the unions.

They didn't dare. The unions voted as a block. Their members all received the same continual class warfare indoctrination and believed that taking from those who earned it and giving to those who didn't was just fine ... so long as they were on the receiving end. They manipulated the labor laws and political contribution legislation to gain massive economic advantage over other groups, and used that to influence elections. The public official who offended the unions would see their competitor gain a big advantage in contributions from union PACs.

They were the power behind every throne; the force behind every battle. They made the rules of the game then played the game as well. They made institutionalized envy a fixture in NJ's public policy debate.

We're on to them now, and that great hero of the humble tax payer, Chris Christie, is finally pushing back against the worst abuses of big labor. The unions, particularly the civil service unions, were a parasite that was bleeding the host nearly dry. And now finally, it seems he's managing to turn the corner on the worst of NJ's problems from big labor.

Now it's the federal government's turn. But if there is one thing you can say about Barak Obama, it's that he's no Chris Christie. On the contrary, Barak Obama has always been a product of the unions efforts to enslave the rest of the country as they have NJ. He's the figure head - the sock puppet, carefully fitted over the hand of big labor. He's the president from central casting, if central casting had been taken over by the AFL-CIO. He was presented as the post racial, post partisan president; totally above the usual political fray, and concerned only with the working class and ensuring 'redistributive justice'.

Many of us are on to the union's game now. The image of Obama from the election has fallen away and we can now see that the man behind the curtain is the same old infantile, economically illiterate Democrat we've grown accustomed to. And the while we used to ask what a 'community organizer' actually does, we now know that radicalizes victim groups and divides people by race and class to try and gain a personal political advantage. He's an empty suite - delivered to America by the labor unions and their vast political treasure chests.

His popularity has fallen now that people see what he really is, but the unions haven't given up. The civil service unions are the biggest spenders in this election cycle, by quite a lot. And to get the country back on track after this election cycle is won, we'll need to implement legislation to prevent civil servants from organizing into unions. We will also need to take the rest of the teeth out of the worlds of US labor law that has driven so many production jobs overseas.

Eliminating the unions is to make America more of a meritocracy. Merit is a better way to reward people than union politics, politically motivated wealth redistribution. But that's in the long term. In the short term we just need to keep shining light on the cockroaches. :thumbsup
 

tank

EOG Dedicated
Re: JOHN STOSSEL: Unions Working With Politicians to Rip YOU Off

Of course we have to eliminate the unions so everyone will be making minimum wage and the corporate masters can have more.When unions are less then 10% of the workforce and they are still trying to get rid of them that say's a lot about their agenda.Glad smart people can see through it but some of the stupid ones like Joe still carry the corporate masters lunch pale for them willingly.

''We will also need to take the rest of the teeth out of the worlds of US labor law that has driven so many production jobs overseas''

This comment from the hit piece above say's it all.Yep they want you to be just like the workers over in China!!.When they are done with you they can just throw you on the curb to die while they get another 14 year old to replace you.Fascist sick pukes like the scab Joe love this until they come for him and it is too late.
 
Re: JOHN STOSSEL: Unions Working With Politicians to Rip YOU Off

Of course we have to eliminate the unions so everyone will be making minimum wage and the corporate masters can have more.When unions are less then 10% of the workforce and they are still trying to get rid of them that say's a lot about their agenda.Glad smart people can see through it but some of the stupid ones like Joe still carry the corporate masters lunch pale for them willingly.

''We will also need to take the rest of the teeth out of the worlds of US labor law that has driven so many production jobs overseas''

This comment from the hit piece above say's it all.Yep they want you to be just like the workers over in China!!.When they are done with you they can just throw you on the curb to die while they get another 14 year old to replace you.Fascist sick pukes like the scab Joe love this until they come for him and it is too late.

Funny you keep mentioning China -- they practically OWN our ass thanks to your mafioso left union bullshit and socialist government policies. "Looking out for the worker", my ass! 2938u4ji23

The next Republican president needs to sign an executive order making every state a right to work state, union dues taxable to the unions, as well as revoke every anti-trust law that applies to unions.

Also, the GOP should take DETROIT, and every left wing ghetto across the country, and hold them up as modern liberalism tested. The Results are in: EPIC FAIL. It'd be a great campaign. Then offer free market solutions aimed at these failed communist zones.

No more public service unions strangling the taxpayer!

No more teacher unions strangling the children!

No more private sector unions strangling the private sector and siphoning every last bit of wealth offshore!

 
Re: JOHN STOSSEL: Unions Working With Politicians to Rip YOU Off

Teachers Spent $9M On Cosmetic Surgery in 2009

Published : Thursday, 28 Oct 2010, 12:19 PM EDT

BUFFALO, N.Y. - The state-appointed authority overseeing Buffalo public school finances says taxpayer-covered cosmetic surgery rung up by the city's teachers totaled nearly $9 million in 2009.

The Buffalo Fiscal Stability Authority reports that last year's costs for such elective procedures as chemical peels and other skin treatments are up $8 million over the 2004 tab for cosmetic surgery provided under the teachers' union contract.

School district officials say teachers or their dependents accounted for 90 percent of the approximately 500 people who received cosmetic surgery last year. About 10,000 district employees are eligible for the benefit.

The president of the teachers' union says the union has agreed to give up the benefit in the next contract.

Copyright Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

:doh1 2938u4ji23
 
Re: JOHN STOSSEL: Unions Working With Politicians to Rip YOU Off

Unions Give More Campaign $$ To Dems Than Corporations To GOP

<small>October 29, 2010 | Filed Under AFSCME, Chicago, Constitution, Democrats/Leftists, Elections, GOP, Government, Government, Corruption, Liberals, Public Employees Unions, Republicans, Unions, Warner Todd Huston | </small>

-By Warner Todd Huston

The left’s meme about campaign contributions since the Supreme Court beat down some of the McCain/Feingold Act has been that the Republicans are awash in illicit political donations from those eeevil corporations — and unfair donations at that — and this puts the poor Democrats at a disadvantage. Why all those evil rich corporate raiders are burying the Democrats, dontcha know?

The truth is a far different animal, however, as Democrats haven’t lost a step in fund raising due to the millions upon millions that their favorite special interest have given them. The fact is unions have donated far, far more to Democrat politicians than corporations have mustered for Republicans.

The Wall Street Journal has a great piece following the union money trail and it finds that the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) is the single biggest outside donor in all of American politics. And while they donate to some Republican in local elections, AFSME donates almost exclusively to Democrats for federal elections.
The 1.6 million-member AFSCME is spending a total of $87.5 million on the elections after tapping into a $16 million emergency account to help fortify the Democrats’ hold on Congress. Last week, AFSCME dug deeper, taking out a $2 million loan to fund its push. The group is spending money on television advertisements, phone calls, campaign mailings and other political efforts, helped by a Supreme Court decision that loosened restrictions on campaign spending.
There is a quote in here that I love, too. I’ve been saying this for years as proof of why public employee unions like AFSME should be made illegal.
Some critics say public-sector unions are funded by what is essentially taxpayer cash, since member salaries, and therefore union dues, come directly from state budgets.

“Public-sector unions have a guaranteed source of revenue—you and me as taxpayers,” said Glenn Spencer, executive director of the Workforce Freedom Initiative at the Chamber of Commerce.
That’s right, unions give politicians money to make favorable laws for unions. Politicians then make favorable laws for unions so that unions will give them even more campaign cash and unions oblige so that politicians can then give them even more favorable laws and regulations. It’s a vicious circle from which the voters are wholly cut out. It is an incestuous relationship that enriches the unions and the politicians at the expense of the taxpayers who don’t have any influence at all on the sweetheart deals gong on.

This country needs to again make public employee unions illegal like they were previous to 1958.
:thumbsup
 
Re: JOHN STOSSEL: Unions Working With Politicians to Rip YOU Off

Funny you keep mentioning China -- they practically OWN our ass thanks to your mafioso left union bullshit and socialist government policies. "Looking out for the worker", my ass! 2938u4ji23

The next Republican president needs to sign an executive order making every state a right to work state, union dues taxable to the unions, as well as revoke every anti-trust law that applies to unions.

Also, the GOP should take DETROIT, and every left wing ghetto across the country, and hold them up as modern liberalism tested. The Results are in: EPIC FAIL. It'd be a great campaign. Then offer free market solutions aimed at these failed communist zones.

No more public service unions strangling the taxpayer!

No more teacher unions strangling the children!

No more private sector unions strangling the private sector and siphoning every last bit of wealth offshore!

Why do you spend so much time and effort posting negative comments about unions when it's corporations and politicians that are allowing so much outsourcing , illegal immigration, and unemployment? Many unions try to preserve jobs by having contracts with job protection language. It seems that something like that should be the goal when unemployment is such a problem.

If you get your wish and all private sector employment is minimum wage and non-union, I hope you enjoy going to stores like Wal-Mart where you can never get assistance or even a hello or thank you from anyone who works there. You get what you pay for - union businesses that pay higher wages and benefits will have better service and quality.

 

tank

EOG Dedicated
Re: JOHN STOSSEL: Unions Working With Politicians to Rip YOU Off

Teachers Spent $9M On Cosmetic Surgery in 2009

Published : Thursday, 28 Oct 2010, 12:19 PM EDT

BUFFALO, N.Y. - The state-appointed authority overseeing Buffalo public school finances says taxpayer-covered cosmetic surgery rung up by the city's teachers totaled nearly $9 million in 2009.

The Buffalo Fiscal Stability Authority reports that last year's costs for such elective procedures as chemical peels and other skin treatments are up $8 million over the 2004 tab for cosmetic surgery provided under the teachers' union contract.

School district officials say teachers or their dependents accounted for 90 percent of the approximately 500 people who received cosmetic surgery last year. About 10,000 district employees are eligible for the benefit.

The president of the teachers' union says the union has agreed to give up the benefit in the next contract.

Copyright Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

:doh1 2938u4ji23
And in Joe Canada's world people will only do what their FASCIST masters tell them to do right Fascist?
 

tank

EOG Dedicated
Re: JOHN STOSSEL: Unions Working With Politicians to Rip YOU Off

Funny you keep mentioning China -- they practically OWN our ass thanks to your mafioso left union bullshit and socialist government policies. "Looking out for the worker", my ass! 2938u4ji23
Yes and this is because of unions!!Total dumbshit statement of the year.Congratulations dipshit.

The next Republican president needs to sign an executive order making every state a right to work state, union dues taxable to the unions, as well as revoke every anti-trust law that applies to unions.
More Fascist bullshit from the Canadian poser.Keep your Fascist shit north of the border.

Also, the GOP should take DETROIT, and every left wing ghetto across the country, and hold them up as modern liberalism tested. The Results are in: EPIC FAIL. It'd be a great campaign. Then offer free market solutions aimed at these failed communist zones.
More Fascist bullshit from the idiot.Thank God your in Canada.

No more public service unions strangling the taxpayer!
We have choices in America you Fascist idiot!!
No more teacher unions strangling the children!
If you was a student in America they would want to strangle your dumbass!!

No more private sector unions strangling the private sector and siphoning every last bit of wealth offshore!
Again Americans have the right to choose you Fascist piece of shit!!Go spread your puke to the other Fascist's idiot.

What a Fascist idiot.Thank God you are Canadian.
 

tank

EOG Dedicated
Re: JOHN STOSSEL: Unions Working With Politicians to Rip YOU Off

Why do you spend so much time and effort posting negative comments about unions when it's corporations and politicians that are allowing so much outsourcing , illegal immigration, and unemployment? Many unions try to preserve jobs by having contracts with job protection language. It seems that something like that should be the goal when unemployment is such a problem.

If you get your wish and all private sector employment is minimum wage and non-union, I hope you enjoy going to stores like Wal-Mart where you can never get assistance or even a hello or thank you from anyone who works there. You get what you pay for - union businesses that pay higher wages and benefits will have better service and quality.

When you know what the Fascist agenda like Joe's is, it is easy to understand.In the Fascist world people should work for minimum wage and be slaves.Dipshit is not smart enough to realize he is going to be the slave, but of course Canada is not included so this piece of shit wants to see America fail and be poor.He is not smart enough to put it all together and wonder's why so many people are going on public assistance.When you are a minimum wage night watchmen like Joe you are envious of others and fall for the Fascist line every time.Watch this Fascist spew his stupid shit and it is easy to see.
 

tank

EOG Dedicated
Re: JOHN STOSSEL: Unions Working With Politicians to Rip YOU Off

[
[/INDENT]That’s right, unions give politicians money to make favorable laws for unions. Politicians then make favorable laws for unions so that unions will give them even more campaign cash and unions oblige so that politicians can then give them even more favorable laws and regulations. It’s a vicious circle from which the voters are wholly cut out. It is an incestuous relationship that enriches the unions and the politicians at the expense of the taxpayers who don’t have any influence at all on the sweetheart deals gong on.

This country needs to again make public employee unions illegal like they were previous to 1958.
:thumbsup


List these favorable laws that the unions are getting from politicians.Name one or admit how stupid this is.Only a Fascist dipshit would buy that crap.
List all these sweetheart deals while you are at it.
Americans can decide for themselves whether they want unions or not and we do not need a CANADIAN FASCIST trying to tell us what to think or need to hear the Fascist line that your dumbass is spreading.
 
Re: JOHN STOSSEL: Unions Working With Politicians to Rip YOU Off

School Pensions Sucking Up Per Pupil Cash

By Tom Gantert | Oct. 26, 2010

Michigan government's two largest pension systems offer public sector employees benefits that are out of line with those in Michigan's private sector and are not likely to be affordable long-term, according to a new study published by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy.

The state's two biggest public sector pensions are the Michigan Public School Employees' Retirement System (MPSERS) and the Michigan State Employees' Retirement System. The study's author was Rick Dreyfuss, a Mackinac Center Adjunct Scholar.

The study found that most private sector companies provide pension benefits only through a 401(k) plan or some other type of "defined contribution" plan. But MPSERS is a "defined benefit" plan where a retiree gets a predetermined monthly retirement payment typically based on years of service and a multiplier.

The school districts are facing a 6.4 increase to 20.66 percent in payments they make for pension and retirement health care benefits. That increase took effect Oct. 1. That means for every $1 the school districts pay an employee, the district has to kick in 20.66 cents to MPSERS.

The MEA has filed a lawsuit over its employees having to pay an additional 3 percent contribution to MPSERS.

James Hohman, fiscaly policy analyst at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, said the MEA lawsuit means that schools have to set aside an additional $187 per pupil for teachers' benefits.

"The MEA's lawsuit effectively sends the message that schools don't need an additional $187 per pupil," wrote Michael Van Beek, the Mackinac Center's education policy direction, in an email. "This is a clear instance of the interests of school employees and their unions trumping the interests of parents, students and, ultimately, taxpayers."

2938u4ji23

~~~~~
See also:
School Pension Reform Stalls in Senate

Breaking News: House Vote Would Force Charter Schools Into Underfunded Pension System

Legislators Link Common-Sense Reforms to Tax Hikes

Focus is on state employee benefits

Why Colorado Matters to Michigan
 
Re: JOHN STOSSEL: Unions Working With Politicians to Rip YOU Off

Michigan Loses $2.5 billion Yearly Income; Right to Work States Gain Billions

By Tom Gantert | Oct. 21, 2010

Michigan lost $2.5 billion in income from 2007 to 2008 as people migrated out of the state, trailing only California ($4 billion) and New York ($2.52 billion) in lost income, according to a calculation by The Tax Foundation.

The Tax Foundation, a non-profit, non-partisan educational organization in Washington D.C., provides a "migration calculator" that can track where people are moving and taking their paychecks with them.

The data comes from the IRS and its Statistics of Income division, according to The Tax Foundation. The migration data uses IRS tax returns from each year and includes social security numbers. That allows the IRS to track movement of taxpayers as well as income.

The calculation also shows that the top ten states hit the hardest in terms of gross lost income were all forced-unionization states. 2938u4ji23 Yet, nine of the 12 states that showed the largest growth in income were right-to-work states.:thumbsup The National Right To Work Legal Defense Foundation defines states as right-to-work if the law guarantees that no person can be forced, as a condition of employment, to join or not to join, nor to pay dues to a labor union.

"This just says workers and all Americans are voting with their feet for states that respect the worker's freedom not to join and pay dues to union officials just to keep their jobs," said Patrick Semmens, the director of legal information at the National Right To Work Legal Defense Foundation. "Americans want to work to get paid not to pay union bosses to get work."

Southern states were the biggest winners in attracting income. Florida had the biggest increase with $4.5 billion in added income and Texas was second at $2.8 billion.

"These results show that right-to-work is a great attraction to employers, and with that, good paying jobs," wrote Paul Kersey, director of the labor policy at the Mackinac Center For Public Policy, in an e-mail.

"It's time we faced up to the fact that the union movement in Michigan has become a destructive force badly in need of accountability and discipline. Right-to-work is the best way to make unions accountable to the workers they exist to represent." 91023i2ndw;l

~~~~~
See also:
Can Michigan Become a Right-to-Work State?
Two GOP Reps Help Dems Dump Right-to-Work
Union PAC Money and Michigan's Members of Congress
Critics Say Congressman McCotter Supports "Bailout" of Union Pensions
Michigan Is Tops for Toughest Job Search
Strings May Be Attached When a Politician Has the Union Label
Lawmakers ask Congress to approve check card
Right-to-Work Bill Rejected
 

tank

EOG Dedicated
Re: JOHN STOSSEL: Unions Working With Politicians to Rip YOU Off

The bi polar CANADIAN NUT is working overtime to find smear articles against the union!Hey Markie....the school board is the ones that decide how the money is allocated .:LMAOLike I have shown in many threads those southern states are the biggest welfare states in the nation.Let them stand on their own instead of getting $1.20 back for every dollar while other states that subsidies them get their fair share back.
 
Re: JOHN STOSSEL: Unions Working With Politicians to Rip YOU Off

Poll: Union Members Overwhelmingly Oppose Union Boss Political Spending on 2010 Midterm Elections

Despite DC union officials? agenda, union membership think stimulus plan and healthcare bills were failures, and oppose keeping Pelosi as Speaker

Washington, DC (November 1, 2010) ? A nationwide poll of 760 union members from both the private and government sector conducted last week demonstrates a staggering disconnect between union members and the national union officials who claim to represent them. The scientific survey was conducted October 26-28 by long time pollster Frank Luntz.

The poll asked various questions regarding their union leadership and the 2010 midterm elections. The poll found that 60 percent of union members oppose their union bosses? political spending in the 2010 midterm elections, viewing it a wasteful use of union dues and treasuries to protect incumbent Democrat politicians in Washington, D.C.

Despite Big Labor?s 2010 political spending blitz ? led by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) union bosses? $87.5 million ?incumbent protection program? ? nearly 60 percent believe that a mostly even balance of power between Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill is best for America and the same number would rather that money be spent working with employers to create new and better jobs. A majority of union members even believe that union boss political spending should be used to ?throw the bums out? instead, and half support replacing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi with someone else while only 30 percent want her to remain Speaker.

In light of Big Labor?s 2010 political spending spree, 59 percent of union membership would actually vote to replace their own ?union leadership? if given a secret ballot election to do so.

Half of union members view President Obama and the Democratic Congress?s healthcare reform bill as a failure, while only 37 percent view it as a success. Majorities also view the 2009 stimulus bill and the 2008 corporate bailouts as failures. Overwhelming majorities oppose future government spending and debt to rejuvenate the economy; and two-thirds of union members instead trust entrepreneurs, small businesses, and employers to lead America to better job growth.

In regards to their own union representation, a plurality of union members disapprove of the job America?s ?labor leaders? are doing and view their union hierarchies as less honest and principled than 50 years ago. A whopping 72 percent of union members think union bosses should be held more accountable to workers and 63 percent think union officials are overpaid. Sixty-six percent think union officers mostly look out for themselves instead of ?the little guy.?

Eighty percent supported the Right to Work principle that union membership and dues payment should be voluntary and not required as a condition of employment. Nearly 90 percent of union employees surveyed favored more union hierarchy disclosure and accountability.

?As top union officials are pouring an estimated one billion dollars into re-electing Democrats into Congress, a large majority of union members actually oppose the union bosses? political agenda? said Mark Mix, President of the National Right to Work Foundation. ?That?s why it comes to no surprise that union members would like to replace their own union leadership, and overwhelmingly support the Right to Work principle for all of America?s workers.?

To view the complete poll results, click here.
 

tank

EOG Dedicated
Re: JOHN STOSSEL: Unions Working With Politicians to Rip YOU Off

Poll: Union Members Overwhelmingly Oppose Union Boss Political Spending on 2010 Midterm Elections

Despite DC union officials’ agenda, union membership think stimulus plan and healthcare bills were failures, and oppose keeping Pelosi as Speaker

Washington, DC (November 1, 2010) – A nationwide poll of 760 union members from both the private and government sector conducted last week demonstrates a staggering disconnect between union members and the national union officials who claim to represent them. The scientific survey was conducted October 26-28 by long time pollster Frank Luntz.

The poll asked various questions regarding their union leadership and the 2010 midterm elections. The poll found that 60 percent of union members oppose their union bosses’ political spending in the 2010 midterm elections, viewing it a wasteful use of union dues and treasuries to protect incumbent Democrat politicians in Washington, D.C.
I have been telling you this forever!!Glad it finally has sunk in...over 40% of union members vote Republican.That is a fact!!

Despite Big Labor’s 2010 political spending blitz – led by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) union bosses’ $87.5 million “incumbent protection program” – nearly 60 percent believe that a mostly even balance of power between Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill is best for America and the same number would rather that money be spent working with employers to create new and better jobs. A majority of union members even believe that union boss political spending should be used to “throw the bums out” instead, and half support replacing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi with someone else while only 30 percent want her to remain Speaker.
It does not matter want they want unless they are voting in her district.Are you saying the unions choose who leads the HOUSE??:+clueless

In light of Big Labor’s 2010 political spending spree, 59 percent of union membership would actually vote to replace their own “union leadership” if given a secret ballot election to do so.
They have an election every 4 years and it is a secret ballot!!How in the hell do you think they do it?Roll call??2348ji23e

Half of union members view President Obama and the Democratic Congress’s healthcare reform bill as a failure, while only 37 percent view it as a success. Majorities also view the 2009 stimulus bill and the 2008 corporate bailouts as failures. Overwhelming majorities oppose future government spending and debt to rejuvenate the economy; and two-thirds of union members instead trust entrepreneurs, small businesses, and employers to lead America to better job growth.
This is funny since it was the unions pushing Obama's healthcare without having a clue what was in it.Now that they are finding out just how screwed we are they do not like it.

In regards to their own union representation, a plurality of union members disapprove of the job America’s “labor leaders” are doing and view their union hierarchies as less honest and principled than 50 years ago. A whopping 72 percent of union members think union bosses should be held more accountable to workers and 63 percent think union officials are overpaid. Sixty-six percent think union officers mostly look out for themselves instead of “the little guy.”
What labor leaders?The stewards,committeemen,bargaining chairmen, president????Nothing is stopping them from running if they do not like the way things are going is there?How much more accountable do they want them?They negotiate the contract and their is nothing else to negotiate for 3 or 6 years so what else can they do in the mean time?

Eighty percent supported the Right to Work principle that union membership and dues payment should be voluntary and not required as a condition of employment. Nearly 90 percent of union employees surveyed favored more union hierarchy disclosure and accountability.
Then why did they vote the union in then??If 80% do not want it then why did they vote to unionize??Every local union has disclosure and accountability at it's monthly meeting so why are these questions not being asked there?Do they even go to the meetings?Evidently not!!

“As top union officials are pouring an estimated one billion dollars into re-electing Democrats into Congress, a large majority of union members actually oppose the union bosses’ political agenda” said Mark Mix, President of the National Right to Work Foundation. “That’s why it comes to no surprise that union members would like to replace their own union leadership, and overwhelmingly support the Right to Work principle for all of America’s workers.”
President of National right to work foundation!!:LMAO:LMAO:LMAOCan anyone with a brain see where this is going or who is behind this?:LMAO:LMAO:LMAOSure they would, that is why they voted in the union to begin with right??:LMAO
Now according to the president of the national right to work foundation they do not want the union.Where do they come up with this shit at??What kind of dumbass would by this shit besides Joe?

To view the complete poll results, click here.
This is funny as hell.Thanks for the laughs!!
 

tank

EOG Dedicated
Re: JOHN STOSSEL: Unions Working With Politicians to Rip YOU Off

From the national right to work foundation.:LMAO:LMAO:LMAO:LMAO
You cannot make this shit up.:LMAO:LMAOSomewhere their is a sheep in Canada buying this crap.:LMAOFunny how the word doctor that took this supposed poll cannot show who the union members are that supposedly took it and how they identified if they were union or not:LMAOI know how Joe voted!!:LMAO
Good God thanks for the laughs.You are funny as Hell!!
 

tank

EOG Dedicated
Re: JOHN STOSSEL: Unions Working With Politicians to Rip YOU Off

Poll: Union Members Overwhelmingly Oppose Union Boss Political Spending on 2010 Midterm Elections

In light of Big Labor’s 2010 political spending spree, 59 percent of union membership would actually vote to replace their own “union leadership” if given a secret ballot election to do so.
].

This gives it away right here!!Every election is done by secret ballot but the national right to work fools think they can pass this shit off to dipshits like Joe that believe it.Yeah they are elected by roll call Joe.:LMAO:LMAOHow stupid can the sheep become??Keep bringing more humor funny man!!Thanks again Joe!!
I have to print this one up and take it to the Hall.The fella's there get a good laugh from the stupid shit you post and this one is going to be your biggest hit ever!!
National right to work poll!!:LMAOWhat kind of dumbass sheep would buy this shit??:LMAO
 

tank

EOG Dedicated
Re: JOHN STOSSEL: Unions Working With Politicians to Rip YOU Off

I love question 39 in the poll.It states ''news reports''are saying the union is spending over a billion dollars on this election with no proof what so ever and they wonder why so many was not happy with it and voted the way they did.Just like when Rush Limbaugh had Luntz do a poll with rigged questions I know without a doubt who had these questions asked !!The national right to work foundation could not be behind this right before the election could they???NNNNNAAAAAAWWWWW!!No way!!:houra
 
Re: JOHN STOSSEL: Unions Working With Politicians to Rip YOU Off

Union: Campaign for Dems, or Else

Union: Campaign for Dems, or Else - Unions - Fox Nation



Union members in Maryland were threatened with punishment if they didn't campaign for Democratic candidates or volunteer as poll watchers, according to an email obtained exclusively by Fox News.

The email was sent to members of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, requesting volunteers to walk in a parade with Democratic Maryland Senator Barbara Mikulksi and Gov. Martin O'Malley.

Their participation was also requested on Nov. 2 to work election polls.

"I have been informed by our representative, Jim Bestpitch, if we do not participate in the above activities; Jim advised he would see that our Election Day Holiday would be negotiated out of our contract," wrote Mike Pyles, president of Union 553 in the city of Cumberland.

The email has some union members wondering if they are being extorted, but Bestpitch told Fox News that was not case.

"That was miscommunicated wrong," Bestpitch said. "The way the email was worded - it was wrong."

2938u4ji23 :doh1
 

tank

EOG Dedicated
Re: JOHN STOSSEL: Unions Working With Politicians to Rip YOU Off

Union: Campaign for Dems, or Else

Union: Campaign for Dems, or Else - Unions - Fox Nation



Union members in Maryland were threatened with punishment if they didn't campaign for Democratic candidates or volunteer as poll watchers, according to an email obtained exclusively by Fox News.
Poll watchers are already decided 6 month in advance by the county!!:LMAOBut nice try!!:LMAO

The email was sent to members of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, requesting volunteers to walk in a parade with Democratic Maryland Senator Barbara Mikulksi and Gov. Martin O'Malley.
Wow!!Sounds awful threatening requesting volunteers!!:LMAO

Their participation was also requested on Nov. 2 to work election polls.
Again the county chooses who works election polls months in advance.Does Fox News think people are stupid enough to think someone can just walk up and do it that day with no training?:LMAOThe Fox News sheep are dumber than I thought.

"I have been informed by our representative, Jim Bestpitch, if we do not participate in the above activities; Jim advised he would see that our Election Day Holiday would be negotiated out of our contract," wrote Mike Pyles, president of Union 553 in the city of Cumberland.
They get the day off paid??Wow now I am just as envious as Joe!!Damn!!

The email has some union members wondering if they are being extorted, but Bestpitch told Fox News that was not case.
It sure sounds like they are to me.I mean you have to register with the county 6 months in advance and be selected and take training to work as poll officials months in advance and the union expects you to just go up there and get one of these jobs that day?Only a Fox viewer would believe that nonsense but hey .. Joe bought it.:LMAO

"That was miscommunicated wrong," Bestpitch said. "The way the email was worded - it was wrong."
Don't worry only the Fox sheep and their masters would believe this shit!!

2938u4ji23 :doh1
Fox News.:LMAO
 
Re: JOHN STOSSEL: Unions Working With Politicians to Rip YOU Off

Salaries of local government brass top Biden's, Cabinet secretaries'

Montgomery County's top administrator banks a higher salary than the vice president of the United States. Ditto for Fairfax County's executive.

And the District's police chief is paid more than the chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court and speaker of the House. Dozens of local officials earn better wages than the nation's marquee power players under compensation packages that soar past those for comparable positions statewide, showing that smaller-scale, public-sector jobs don't always come with a pay cut.

The benchmark for managers' salaries has jumped well beyond the six-figure plateau, as some command wages around a quarter-million dollars each year. Those in charge of the behind-the-scenes operation of thousands of municipal workers often enjoy better pay than elected officials. (See table below.)

Montgomery County Chief Administrative Officer Timothy Firestine earns more than $266,000 annually, and Fairfax County Executive Anthony Griffin nets $240,000 -- even with pay freezes. D.C. City Administrator Neil Albert, who also fills an appointed position, makes $225,000.

Yet, that money is pocket change compared with the salaries of school superintendents and higher eduction officials lining the upper echelon of county and state payrolls. Outgoing Montgomery County Schools Superintendent Jerry Weast, for example, earned nearly $500,000 this year, including benefits.

Some analysts say the lucrative salaries are excessive considering the massive shortfalls afflicting jurisdictions throughout the Washington region.?

"It's not as if there is a shortage of talent all around the East Coast for government positions," said Pete Sepp, executive vice president of the National Taxpayers Union. "Eventually, the argument that you have to raise pay to attract good people runs into a brick wall. These salaries are simply ratcheting up expectations."

But defenders say local governments have to overcome the cost-of-living shock that keeps otherwise qualified people from applying for top posts.
"I think the salaries are fair," said Fairfax County Supervisor Jeff McKay, D-Lee. "There is no more expensive place to live than Northern Virginia.

It's not only that; we're competing with the federal government. It's the only way to remain competitive."

McKay said the county is having trouble finding someone to fill outgoing Transportation Director Kathy Ichter's post -- she earned more than $156,000 this year.

Even without overtime pay, Fairfax has nearly 800 employees bringing in salaries of more than $100,000 a year.

Still, department heads in Montgomery are paid upward of $40,000 a year more than their counterparts across the Potomac. The average employee costs taxpayers roughly $100,000 annually between compensation and benefits, a recent report from the county's Office of Legislative Oversight found.

And at least 50 county managers and directors are paid more than Gov. Martin O'Malley's $150,000 base salary -- including County Executive Ike Leggett's spokesman Patrick Lacefield, who makes $165,000. Nearly 1,200 employees make more than $100,000 when overtime is included.

"It's not that surprising," Lacefield said of the discrepancy between local and state salaries. "Sometimes the people at the state level don't have as much responsibility as those at the county level."

Critics brushed aside that logic.

"In my opinion, there are many senior managers receiving wages significantly above the market value," said Gino Renne, president of the Montgomery County Municipal and County Government Employees Organization, who contends his members are bearing the burden of excessive administrative salaries. "Trust me, I work with them every day. These are not the brightest people. These are consummate bureaucrats focused merely on maintaining the status quo."

To combat shortfalls, the District and Fairfax and Montgomery counties froze salaries this fiscal year.

The affluent Maryland jurisdiction also furloughed all nonschool employees, and officials say salary reductions are on the table as a way to combat seemingly annual budget shortfalls.

bhughes@washingtonexaminer.com

<style>table { }.style0 { vertical-align: bottom; white-space: nowrap; color: windowtext; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; font-family: Verdana; border: medium none; }td { padding-top: 1px; padding-right: 1px; padding-left: 1px; color: windowtext; font-size: 10pt; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; font-family: Verdana; vertical-align: bottom; border: medium none; white-space: nowrap; }.xl24 { font-size: 17pt; font-weight: 700; font-family: Arial; }.xl25 { font-family: Arial; }.xl26 { font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 700; font-family: Arial; }.xl27 { font-family: Arial; border-width: medium medium medium 0.5pt; border-style: none none none solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color teal; background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(221, 221, 221); }.xl28 { font-family: Arial; border-width: medium 0.5pt medium medium; border-style: none solid none none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color teal -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color; background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(221, 221, 221); }.xl29 { font-family: Arial; border-width: medium medium medium 0.5pt; border-style: none none none solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color teal; background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; }.xl30 { font-family: Arial; border-width: medium 0.5pt medium medium; border-style: none solid none none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color teal -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color; background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; }.xl31 { font-family: Arial; border-width: medium medium 1.5pt 0.5pt; border-style: none none solid solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color teal teal; background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(221, 221, 221); }.xl32 { font-family: Arial; border-width: medium 0.5pt 1.5pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color teal teal -moz-use-text-color; background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(221, 221, 221); }.xl33 { font-family: Arial; background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(221, 221, 221); }.xl34 { font-family: Arial; border-width: medium 0.5pt medium medium; border-style: none solid none none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color teal -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color; background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(221, 221, 221); }.xl35 { font-family: Arial; background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; }.xl36 { font-family: Arial; border-width: medium 0.5pt medium medium; border-style: none solid none none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color teal -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color; background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% white; }.xl37 { font-family: Arial; border-width: medium medium 1.5pt; border-style: none none solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color -moz-use-text-color teal; background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(221, 221, 221); }.xl38 { font-family: Arial; border-width: medium 0.5pt 1.5pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color teal teal -moz-use-text-color; background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(221, 221, 221); }.xl39 { font-style: italic; font-family: Arial; }.xl40 { font-weight: 700; font-family: Arial; text-align: center; border-width: 1.5pt medium 0.5pt 0.5pt; border-style: solid none solid solid; border-color: teal -moz-use-text-color windowtext teal; background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(153, 153, 204); }.xl41 { font-weight: 700; font-family: Arial; text-align: center; border-width: 1.5pt medium 0.5pt; border-style: solid none; border-color: teal -moz-use-text-color windowtext; background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(153, 153, 204); }.xl42 { font-weight: 700; font-family: Arial; text-align: center; border-width: 1.5pt 0.5pt 0.5pt medium; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-color: teal teal windowtext -moz-use-text-color; background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(153, 153, 204); }ruby { }rt { color: windowtext; font-size: 8pt; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; font-family: Verdana; display: none; }</style> <table style="border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed;" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="660"> <col width="388"> <col width="83"> <col width="103"> <col width="86"> <tbody><tr height="17"> <td class="xl24" height="17" width="342">Who makes more?</td> <td class="xl25" width="83">
</td> <td class="xl25" width="83">
</td> <td class="xl25" width="66">
</td> </tr> <tr height="16"> <td class="xl26" height="16">Base salaries of top Washington-area officials</td> <td class="xl25">
</td> <td class="xl25">
</td> <td class="xl25">
</td> </tr> <tr height="14"> <td class="xl42" height="14">Official</td> <td class="xl42">Salary</td> <td class="xl25">
</td> <td class="xl25">
</td> </tr> <tr height="13"> <td class="xl27" height="13">President Obama</td> <td class="xl28" align="right">$400,000 </td> <td class="xl25">
</td> <td class="xl25">
</td> </tr> <tr height="13"> <td class="xl29" height="13">Montgomery Chief Administrative Officer Tim Firestine</td> <td class="xl30" align="right">$266,266 </td> <td class="xl25">
</td> <td class="xl25">
</td> </tr> <tr height="13"> <td class="xl27" height="13">Fairfax County Executive Anthony Griffin</td> <td class="xl28" align="right">$240,186 </td> <td class="xl25">
</td> <td class="xl25">
</td> </tr> <tr height="13"> <td class="xl29" height="13">Vice President Biden</td> <td class="xl30" align="right">$230,700 </td> <td class="xl25">
</td> <td class="xl25">
</td> </tr> <tr height="13"> <td class="xl27" height="13">D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier</td> <td class="xl28" align="right">$225,813 </td> <td class="xl25">
</td> <td class="xl25">
</td> </tr> <tr height="13"> <td class="xl29" height="13">D.C. City Administrator Neil Albert</td> <td class="xl30" align="right">$225,000 </td> <td class="xl25">
</td> <td class="xl25">
</td> </tr> <tr height="13"> <td class="xl27" height="13">Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi</td> <td class="xl28" align="right">$223,500 </td> <td class="xl25">
</td> <td class="xl25">
</td> </tr> <tr height="13"> <td class="xl29" height="13">U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts</td> <td class="xl30" align="right">$223,500 </td> <td class="xl25">
</td> <td class="xl25">
</td> </tr> <tr height="13"> <td class="xl27" height="13">Montgomery Police Chief Thomas Manger</td> <td class="xl28" align="right">$216,603 </td> <td class="xl25">
</td> <td class="xl25">
</td> </tr> <tr height="13"> <td class="xl29" height="13">U.S. Supreme Court associate justices</td> <td class="xl30" align="right">$213,900 </td> <td class="xl25">
</td> <td class="xl25">
</td> </tr> <tr height="13"> <td class="xl27" height="13">Montgomery Department of Corrections Director Arthur Wallenstein</td> <td class="xl28" align="right">$210,621 </td> <td class="xl25">
</td> <td class="xl25">
</td> </tr> <tr height="13"> <td class="xl29" height="13">Fairfax County Attorney David Bobzien</td> <td class="xl30" align="right">$201,560 </td> <td class="xl25">
</td> <td class="xl25">
</td> </tr> <tr height="13"> <td class="xl27" height="13">D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty</td> <td class="xl28" align="right">$200,000 </td> <td class="xl25">
</td> <td class="xl25">
</td> </tr> <tr height="13"> <td class="xl29" height="13">U.S. Cabinet members</td> <td class="xl30" align="right">$199,700 </td> <td class="xl25">
</td> <td class="xl25">
</td> </tr> <tr height="13"> <td class="xl27" height="13">U.S. Congress majority and minority leaders</td> <td class="xl28" align="right">$193,400 </td> <td class="xl25">
</td> <td class="xl25">
</td> </tr> <tr height="13"> <td class="xl29" height="13">U.S. Court of Appeals judges</td> <td class="xl30" align="right">$184,500 </td> <td class="xl25">
</td> <td class="xl25">
</td> </tr> <tr height="13"> <td class="xl27" height="13">Montgomery Executive Ike Leggett</td> <td class="xl28" align="right">$175,000 </td> <td class="xl25">
</td> <td class="xl25">
</td> </tr> <tr height="13"> <td class="xl29" height="13">Prince George?s County Executive Rushern Baker</td> <td class="xl30" align="right">$174,540 </td> <td class="xl25">
</td> <td class="xl25">
</td> </tr> <tr height="13"> <td class="xl27" height="13">Rank-and-file U.S. senators and representatives</td> <td class="xl28" align="right">$174,000 </td> <td class="xl25">
</td> <td class="xl25">
</td> </tr> <tr height="13"> <td class="xl29" height="13">Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell</td> <td class="xl30" align="right">$166,250 </td> <td class="xl25">
</td> <td class="xl25">
</td> </tr> <tr height="13"> <td class="xl27" height="13">Maryland Gov. Martin O?Malley</td> <td class="xl28" align="right">$150,000 </td> <td class="xl25">
</td> <td class="xl25">
</td> </tr> <tr height="13"> <td class="xl29" height="13">Gov. Bob McDonnell?s Cabinet members</td> <td class="xl30" align="right">$145,153 </td> <td class="xl25">
</td> <td class="xl25">
</td> </tr> <tr height="14"> <td class="xl31" height="14">Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler</td> <td class="xl32" align="right">$125,000 </td> <td class="xl25">
</td> <td class="xl25">
</td> </tr> <tr height="14"> <td class="xl25" height="14">
</td> <td class="xl25">
</td> <td class="xl25">
</td> <td class="xl25">
</td> </tr> <tr height="16"> <td class="xl26" height="16">Montgomery versus the rest of Maryland</td> <td class="xl25">
</td> <td class="xl25">
</td> <td class="xl25">
</td> </tr> <tr height="14"> <td class="xl40" height="14">Position</td> <td class="xl41">Montgomery</td> <td class="xl41">Average county</td> <td class="xl42">Difference</td> </tr> <tr height="13"> <td class="xl27" height="13">Chief administrative officer</td> <td class="xl33" align="right">$266,266 </td> <td class="xl33" align="right">$144,228 </td> <td class="xl34" align="right">85 percent</td> </tr> <tr height="13"> <td class="xl29" height="13">Police chief</td> <td class="xl35" align="right">$216,603 </td> <td class="xl35" align="right">$116,243 </td> <td class="xl36" align="right">86 percent</td> </tr> <tr height="13"> <td class="xl27" height="13">Director of Corrections and Rehabilitation</td> <td class="xl33" align="right">$210,621 </td> <td class="xl33" align="right">$106,062 </td> <td class="xl34" align="right">99 percent</td> </tr> <tr height="13"> <td class="xl29" height="13">Director of Finance</td> <td class="xl35" align="right">$195,624 </td> <td class="xl35" align="right">$121,928 </td> <td class="xl36" align="right">60 percent</td> </tr> <tr height="13"> <td class="xl27" height="13">Director of Human Resources</td> <td class="xl33" align="right">$195,247 </td> <td class="xl33" align="right">$108,485 </td> <td class="xl34" align="right">80 percent </td> </tr> <tr height="13"> <td class="xl29" height="13">Director of Information Technology</td> <td class="xl35" align="right">$194,537 </td> <td class="xl35" align="right">$111,511 </td> <td class="xl36" align="right">74 percent</td> </tr> <tr height="13"> <td class="xl27" height="13">Office of Management and Budget director</td> <td class="xl33" align="right">$194,537 </td> <td class="xl33" align="right">$123,265 </td> <td class="xl34" align="right">58 percent</td> </tr> <tr height="13"> <td class="xl29" height="13">Permitting Services director</td> <td class="xl35" align="right">$194,537 </td> <td class="xl35" align="right">$114,586 </td> <td class="xl36" align="right">70 percent</td> </tr> <tr height="13"> <td class="xl27" height="13">Public Works and Transportation director</td> <td class="xl33" align="right">$193,766 </td> <td class="xl33" align="right">$125,487 </td> <td class="xl34" align="right">54 percent</td> </tr> <tr height="13"> <td class="xl29" height="13">Fire chief</td> <td class="xl35" align="right">$190,000 </td> <td class="xl35" align="right">$132,875 </td> <td class="xl36" align="right">43 percent</td> </tr> <tr height="13"> <td class="xl27" height="13">Director of Economic Development</td> <td class="xl33" align="right">$180,000 </td> <td class="xl33" align="right">$106,778 </td> <td class="xl34" align="right">69 percent</td> </tr> <tr height="13"> <td class="xl29" height="13">Director of Public Information</td> <td class="xl35" align="right">$165,000 </td> <td class="xl35" align="right">$83,063 </td> <td class="xl36" align="right">99 percent</td> </tr> <tr height="13"> <td class="xl27" height="13">Deputy administrator</td> <td class="xl33" align="right">$161,661 </td> <td class="xl33" align="right">$110,118 </td> <td class="xl34" align="right">47 percent</td> </tr> <tr height="13"> <td class="xl29" height="13">Parks and Recreation director</td> <td class="xl35" align="right">$161,975 </td> <td class="xl35" align="right">$104,778 </td> <td class="xl36" align="right">55 percent</td> </tr> <tr height="14"> <td class="xl31" height="14">County Council president</td> <td class="xl37" align="right">$94,351 </td> <td class="xl37" align="right">$55,016 </td> <td class="xl38" align="right">71 percent</td></tr></tbody></table>
 
Re: JOHN STOSSEL: Unions Working With Politicians to Rip YOU Off

Public Pension Cost Cover-Up? The Union Effort to Kill Transparency

The usual (and not so usual) suspects don't want you to know how much your grandchildren owe.

Posted by LaborUnionReport (Profile)


If you?re going to be required to pay for something, common sense would say that you should have the right to know how much it costs, right? After all, no one likes surprises?especially if those surprises cost trillions and you, your children and your children?s children are likely going to have to pay for it for decades to come.

Yet, there are those who seem to think that the American taxpayers will forever just keep shoveling our money into the furnace of bailing out banks, car companies, and union pensions funds. Moreover, these same putrid people (be they bureaucrats, bankers, or union bosses) seem to think that, if they hide the truth from the the American taxpayer, we will just blindly and willingly keep bailing out failure. Have they learned nothing over these past two years?

The Ticking Time Bomb

On Saturday, three examples were given of the public pension Ponzi scheme that is beginning to unravel. In one case (Central Fall, RI), the costs have put a city into financial ruin. In Chicago, Mayor Daley is openly talking about reorganizing the city?s pension through bankruptcy. Then , of course, there?s California and newly retread governor Jerry Brown and the 30-year old legacy of union domination in the tarnished Golden State.

However, just so you know that Saturday?s three examples are not mere isolated incidents, you might want to know the following:

Yet, despite the evidence all around, there are special interest groups that would like you to believe there are no problems. ['Move along citizen, there's nothing to see here'.] To them, bankruptcy is a four letter word that shouldn?t be discussed around children and, why heck, the American taxpayers are children, after all. What they don?t know won?t hurt them! Let?s just keep ?em in the dark. That way, when everything goes bust, we?ll be long gone and they?ll be stuck with the bill!

?Figures Don?t Lie, But Liars Figure?


Right now, there is a fight going on over whether or not America will continue kicking the can of underfunded public pension plans down the road a few more years, or whether we deal with it now. In order to begin to deal with it, though, making sure that pension funds are being true with their actual numbers (as they relate to underfunding) is crucial.

This fight stems from the all-too-often boring topic of accounting and the rules that public-sector pensions report their liabilities which, according to some, are much more lenient that private-sector accounting standards.
By their own accounting, state and local government pension plans are in bad shape. In total they face an estimated shortfall of $628 billion. But that reckoning is off by five-fold.

If the rosy accounting rules used by pension funds are stripped away, the real funding gap is closer to $3 trillion?a debt in excess of all outstanding state and local government bonds.


But bad pension accounting has done more than hide a huge debt. It has driven bad policy decisions that have increased the cost of public-employee pensions?and it has encouraged pension-fund managers to take unreasonable amounts of risk in the stock market. Unless the accounting is right, many proposed pension reforms will fall short, and the fundamental problems of high cost and high risk will remain.[/quote]
By hiding the actual debt that the pensions owe, America?s taxpayers may be on the hook for much, much more than is being reported by those responsible who handle the pension funds. This is why several prominent Republicans are trying to pass a law that introduces tighter accounting standards and transparency.

On December 2nd, U.S. House Representatives Devin Nunes (R-CA), Paul Ryan (R-WI), and Darrell Issa (R-CA) introduced the Public Employee Pension Transparency Act. The bill is aimed at providing more transparent accounting standards, as well as ensuring that, if a pension fund causes a municipality, city or state to go belly up, federal tax dollars won?t be used as a trough from which public-sector pension plans can steal more money from the American taxpayers if they fail.

From Congressman Nunes? announcement of the bill:
The bill, which provides enhanced transparency for state and local pensions, also establishes a clear federal prohibition on any future public pension bailouts by the federal government.

?As we speak, lucrative pension promises are being made to public employees that taxpayers simply cannot afford. The plans themselves admit to more than a $1 trillion in unfunded liabilities,? said Rep. Devin Nunes. ?Unfortunately, the true level of unfunded liabilities associated with these plans ? perhaps more than $3 trillion ? is being hidden thanks to unrealistic accounting standards.?

Congressman Paul Ryan, incoming Budget Committee Chairman, offered the following statement regarding the Public

Employee Pension Transparency Act:

?We need to ensure that state and local governments are accurate and honest in detailing their financial liabilities, including the cost of pension plans for public employees. The Public Employee Pension Transparency Act will make government more accountable to taxpayers by shining a light on the financial soundness and unfunded obligations associated with these plans and I?m honored to join Representatives Nunes and Issa in sponsoring this common sense legislation.?


Congressman Darrell Issa, Incoming Chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee said:
?The American people have a right to know the truth about the unfunded liabilities being run-up by state and local pensions. Quite frankly, if they have nothing to hide, there?s no reason why the states and local governments who control public employee pensions should not embrace this effort to ensure that the taxpayers have a more transparent accounting of the true nature of pension liabilities.?
You can read the text of the bill here.

While the bill would tighten up accounting standards and ensure that federal tax dollars not be used to bailout incompetently under-funded plans, there are (surprisingly?or not) some special interests who are opposed to that idea.

The Usual Suspects Oppose Transparency & Accountability

Clearly, there are some entrenched interests opposed to exposing the true costs of underfunded pension plans. Most notably would be unions like the SEIU (which, ironically, attack Wall Street for its lack of accountability).
Representatives of state and local governments and unions counter that the bill, the Public Employee Pension Transparency Act, amounts to an all-out assault by the federal government on state and local government autonomy.
?It?s a terrible proposal, and we?re obviously going to oppose it,? said Mark McCullough, a spokesman for the Service Employees International Union, Washington.
And, of course, AFSCME is also opposed to the Public Employee Pension Transparency Act.

Then on Friday, the Director of Federal Relations of National Association of State Retirement Administrators (an association that oversees public pension systems) sent an e-mail to recipients of the National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems (?The Voice for Public Pensions?). The e-mail, from Jeannine Markoe-Raymond, urged NCPERS members to oppose the Public Employee Pension Transparency Act.
Resent-From:
ppn@lists.ncpers.org
From: Resent-From: ppn@lists.ncpers.org
From: Jeannine Markoe-Raymond <jeannine@nasra.org>
Date: December 17, 2010 1:11:37 PM EST
To: <ppn@lists.ncpers.org>
Subject: Urging Opposition to HR 6484
FYI - NASRA and NCTR have urged our members to write members of their Congressional delegation relaying their opposition to HR 6484, the Public Employee Pension Transparency Act, to meet with their delegation while they are at home during adjournment, and also to educate key public officials in their state regarding the inaccuracies and harmful impacts of the bill. As many of you know, the introduction of H.R. 6484 on December 2 marked the beginning of a series of coordinated articles, reports and continuous media coverage falsely asserting state and local governments are a financial wreck and are not accurately accounting for the fiscal condition of their pension plans. Repeated over and over again is the reckless claim that public pension funds will soon be exhausted and bailouts and bankruptcies are on the horizon if the Federal government doesn?t act. Press statements and supporting literature for HR 6484 are premised almost entirely on research by Joshua Rauh, whose work has been criticized for using unrealistic assumptions to exaggerate the financial condition of public plans, and recommending changes that would only serve to exacerbate their financial condition. The sample letter we circulated is below ? feel free to edit for your own use as you see fit.
Now, why would an association of administrators charged with administering pension funds paid for with taxpayers? money not want greater accountability?

Perhaps knowing who some of the NCPERS? board of directors are could help explain:

  • NCPERS? President is Pat McEllicott, former president of the Tacoma Professional Fire Fighters Union, IAFF Local 31
  • Mel Aaronson, First Vice President of NCPERS, is the treasurer of the United Federation of Teachers (UFT), Local 2, American Federation of Teachers (AFT).
  • Daniel Fortuna, Second Vice President of NCPERS, is a 30-year member of the Chicago Fire Fighters Union, IAFF Local 2
  • Tina Fazendine, NCPERS Secretary, was the Insurance and Retirement Services manager for the City of Tulsa, Human Resources Department.
  • Richard Wachsman, NCPERS Treasurer, was with the Dallas fire department for 41 years and held offices on the board of the IAFF Local 58.
  • Elmer J. Khal, Past President of NCPERS, is a past president of IAFF Local 93.
So, five out of six of NCPERS board are former union honchos?and, as The Voice for Public Pensions, they?re being asked to urge members of Congress to reject greater transparency for public pension.

Obviously, unions and the pension administrators know that their pensions are in trouble. However, attempting to mask the problem by refusing to use the same higher standards that are in the private sector is both hypocritical and unconscionable?especially as the unions expect the taxpayers to pick up the tab.

After all, if it?s our money, don?t we have the right to know?
_________________
?I bring reason to your ears, and, in language as plain as ABC, hold up truth to your eyes.? Thomas Paine, December 23, 1776
X-posted.
 
Re: JOHN STOSSEL: Unions Working With Politicians to Rip YOU Off

What else is new? Corrupt, fat cat UNIONS trying to hide how much they are scamming the American people.

Transparency would be the end of UNIONS, so naturally they're against it. 2938u4ji23
 

tank

EOG Dedicated
Re: JOHN STOSSEL: Unions Working With Politicians to Rip YOU Off

Public Pension Cost Cover-Up? The Union Effort to Kill Transparency

The usual (and not so usual) suspects don't want you to know how much your grandchildren owe.

RS REDSTATE!!You cannot make this shit up!!:LMAO
Posted by LaborUnionReport (Profile)


If you’re going to be required to pay for something, common sense would say that you should have the right to know how much it costs, right? After all, no one likes surprises—especially if those surprises cost trillions and you, your children and your children’s children are likely going to have to pay for it for decades to come.

Yet, there are those who seem to think that the American taxpayers will forever just keep shoveling our money into the furnace of bailing out banks, car companies, and union pensions funds. Moreover, these same putrid people (be they bureaucrats, bankers, or union bosses) seem to think that, if they hide the truth from the the American taxpayer, we will just blindly and willingly keep bailing out failure. Have they learned nothing over these past two years?
No mention of Wall Street and the corporations??????No bias here and all truth right??:LMAO

The Ticking Time Bomb

On Saturday, three examples were given of the public pension Ponzi scheme that is beginning to unravel. In one case (Central Fall, RI), the costs have put a city into financial ruin. In Chicago, Mayor Daley is openly talking about reorganizing the city’s pension through bankruptcy. Then , of course, there’s California and newly retread governor Jerry Brown and the 30-year old legacy of union domination in the tarnished Golden State.


However, just so you know that Saturday’s three examples are not mere isolated incidents, you might want to know the following:




Clearly the politicians are not to blame here at all.It is all those damn unions fault and the sheep keep eating the grass that Redstate feeds them.
Yet, despite the evidence all around, there are special interest groups that would like you to believe there are no problems.

:LMAOKinda like Redstate!!the corporate rag!!!No way!!!
['Move along citizen, there's nothing to see here'.] To them, bankruptcy is a four letter word that shouldn’t be discussed around children and, why heck, the American taxpayers are children, after all. What they don’t know won’t hurt them! Let’s just keep ‘em in the dark. That way, when everything goes bust, we’ll be long gone and they’ll be stuck with the bill!

Kinda like giving the richest 2% tax breaks and then borrowing money from China to pay for them right??Why no mention of that here??:LMAOHow selective the argument is here huh??:LMAOOh well it is okay to do that according to Redstate!!Just who do they work for anyway??:LMAO

‘Figures Don’t Lie, But Liars Figure’


Right now, there is a fight going on over whether or not America will continue kicking the can of underfunded public pension plans down the road a few more years, or whether we deal with it now. In order to begin to deal with it, though, making sure that pension funds are being true with their actual numbers (as they relate to underfunding) is crucial.
No , no just keep giving out those tax breaks and then borrow money to pay for them but let's be stupid and divert our attention elsewhere.The sheep eat this shit up and like to stay stupid.Exhibit A right here.

This fight stems from the all-too-often boring topic of accounting and the rules that public-sector pensions report their liabilities which, according to some, are much more lenient that private-sector accounting standards.
By their own accounting, state and local government pension plans are in bad shape. In total they face an estimated shortfall of $628 billion. But that reckoning is off by five-fold.
2348ji23eBut yet they have the numbers here.Go figure!!

If the rosy accounting rules used by pension funds are stripped away, the real funding gap is closer to $3 trillion–a debt in excess of all outstanding state and local government bonds.

Sure!!

But bad pension accounting has done more than hide a huge debt. It has driven bad policy decisions that have increased the cost of public-employee pensions–and it has encouraged pension-fund managers to take unreasonable amounts of risk in the stock market. Unless the accounting is right, many proposed pension reforms will fall short, and the fundamental problems of high cost and high risk will remain.​


Maybe they should have given Bernie Madoff a call I heard him and Wall Street are all honest and good with a buck huh??:doh1
By hiding the actual debt that the pensions owe, America’s taxpayers may be on the hook for much, much more than is being reported by those responsible who handle the pension funds. This is why several prominent Republicans are trying to pass a law that introduces tighter accounting standards and transparency.
Yes of course!!Just like they did when it came to Wall Street regulations too right?Are you people really this stupid or do you have no memory at all??

On December 2nd, U.S. House Representatives Devin Nunes (R-CA), Paul Ryan (R-WI), and Darrell Issa (R-CA) introduced the Public Employee Pension Transparency Act. The bill is aimed at providing more transparent accounting standards, as well as ensuring that, if a pension fund causes a municipality, city or state to go belly up, federal tax dollars won’t be used as a trough from which public-sector pension plans can steal more money from the American taxpayers if they fail.
Back to those tax cuts and borrowing money to try and make up the lost revenue again.Let's don't mention that though and we can have the American people begging to be low wage workers all in the name of a few!!

From Congressman Nunes’ announcement of the bill:
You can read the text of the bill here.

While the bill would tighten up accounting standards and ensure that federal tax dollars not be used to bailout incompetently under-funded plans, there are (surprisingly–or not) some special interests who are opposed to that idea.
It can't be the corporations right??

The Usual Suspects Oppose Transparency & Accountability

Clearly, there are some entrenched interests opposed to exposing the true costs of underfunded pension plans. Most notably would be unions like the SEIU (which, ironically, attack Wall Street for its lack of accountability).
And, of course, AFSCME is also opposed to the Public Employee Pension Transparency Act.
Oh there it is!!Wheww!!Thank God Wall Street does not have the same rules or they would start a rag like Redstate to promote the opposite!!We do only need one set of rules and as long as Wall Street has them then everything is fine.:+clueless

Then on Friday, the Director of Federal Relations of National Association of State Retirement Administrators (an association that oversees public pension systems) sent an e-mail to recipients of the National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems (”The Voice for Public Pensions”). The e-mail, from Jeannine Markoe-Raymond, urged NCPERS members to oppose the Public Employee Pension Transparency Act.
Now, why would an association of administrators charged with administering pension funds paid for with taxpayers’ money not want greater accountability?
CAN'T BE FOR THE SAME REASON INVESTORS ON wALL sTREET RIGHT?

Perhaps knowing who some of the NCPERS’ board of directors are could help explain:


  • NCPERS’ President is Pat McEllicott, former president of the Tacoma Professional Fire Fighters Union, IAFF Local 31
  • Mel Aaronson, First Vice President of NCPERS, is the treasurer of the United Federation of Teachers (UFT), Local 2, American Federation of Teachers (AFT).
  • Daniel Fortuna, Second Vice President of NCPERS, is a 30-year member of the Chicago Fire Fighters Union, IAFF Local 2
  • Tina Fazendine, NCPERS Secretary, was the Insurance and Retirement Services manager for the City of Tulsa, Human Resources Department.
  • Richard Wachsman, NCPERS Treasurer, was with the Dallas fire department for 41 years and held offices on the board of the IAFF Local 58.
  • Elmer J. Khal, Past President of NCPERS, is a past president of IAFF Local 93.

So, five out of six of NCPERS board are former union honchos—and, as The Voice for Public Pensions, they’re being asked to urge members of Congress to reject greater transparency for public pension.
And the board of directors on every Corporations is a ex CEO of another company so what is the point??More stupidity that the sheep eat up.Think for shit sakes!

Obviously, unions and the pension administrators know that their pensions are in trouble. However, attempting to mask the problem by refusing to use the same higher standards that are in the private sector is both hypocritical and unconscionable—especially as the unions expect the taxpayers to pick up the tab.
:LMAOFind a mirror dipshit!!

After all, if it’s our money, don’t we have the right to know?
That is what I say about all the TIF districts and the corporate give aways but why worry about that when after all it is OUR tax dollars!Funny how that works!!
_________________
“I bring reason to your ears, and, in language as plain as ABC, hold up truth to your eyes.” Thomas Paine, December 23, 1776
X-posted.[/QUOTE]
yep more stupid b.s from the canuck
 

tank

EOG Dedicated
Re: JOHN STOSSEL: Unions Working With Politicians to Rip YOU Off

What else is new? Corrupt, fat cat UNIONS trying to hide how much they are scamming the American people.

Transparency would be the end of UNIONS, so naturally they're against it. 2938u4ji23
Just like Wall Street but you will not see Redstate talk about that will you?
 
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