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Mort Zuckerman Is Back, Blasting American Socialism; Or How America’s Public Servants Are Now Its Masters
The man who has rapidly emerged as the most vocal Obama critic, Mort Zuckerman, has just penned his most recent scathing anti-administration missive, this time focusing on the schism in US society between "preferred-status" public and shunned private-sector employees, concluding that "Americans cannot maintain their essential faith in government if there are two Americas, in which the private sector subsidises the disproportionate benefits of this new public sector elite." Is this most recent split in US society being cultivated to take the place of the Wall Street - Main Street dialectic, which even Obama is now forced to realize is a fight he is set to lose (just imagine how anti-Obama Cramer would get if stocks drop by 0.001% during the teleprompter's next media appearance)? Certainly, in a society that exists simply on the basis of a simple ongoing "us versus them" distraction, while the true crimes continue unabated behind the scenes, this is not an impossible assumption. Here's a suggestion to Mort and whoever else wishes to peddle more such diversions: how about framing the next conflict where it rightfully belongs: as that between America's people and its criminal ruling elite?
Full Op-Ed below:
America’s public servants are now its masters, first published in the Financial Times
by Mort Zuckerman
There really are two Americas, but they are not captured by the
standard class warfare speeches that dramatise the gulf between the rich
and the poor. Of the new divisions, one is the gap between employed and
unemployed that President Barack Obama seeks to close with yet another $50bn stimulus programme.
Another is between workers in the private and public sectors. No
guesses which are the more protected. A recent study by the Mayo
Research Institute found that “private-sector workers were nearly three
times more likely to be jobless than public-sector workers”.
Political
tension is bound to grow when jobs disappear faster in the private than
the public sector, just as compensation in the former is squeezed more.
There was a time when government work offered lower salaries than
comparable jobs in the private sector, a difference for which the public
sector compensated by providing more security and better benefits. No
longer. These days, government employees are better off in almost every
area: pay, benefits, time off and security, on top of working fewer
hours. Public workers have become a privileged class – an elite who live
better than their private-sector counterparts. Public servants have
become the public’s masters.
Take federal employees. For nine
years in a row, they have been awarded bigger average pay and benefit
increases than private-sector workers. In 2008, the average wage for
1.9m federal civilian workers was more than $79,000, against an average
of about $50,000 for the nation’s 108m private-sector workers, measured
in full-time equivalents. Ninety per cent of government employees
receive lifetime pension benefits versus 18 per cent of private
employees. Public service employees continue to gain annual salary
increases; they retire earlier with instant, guaranteed benefits paid
for with the taxes of those very same private-sector workers.
More
troubling still is the inherent political corruption. Elected officials
tend to be accommodating when confronted by powerful constituencies
such as the public service unions that agitate for plush benefits and
often provide (or deny) a steady flow of cash to election campaign
funds. Their successors will have to cope with the inherited debt burden
– and ultimately the nation’s taxpayers are stuck with the bill.
As
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has pointed out, spending on retirement
benefits for California’s state employees is growing at three times the
rate of state revenues, now exceeding $6bn annually and growing at the
rate of 15 per cent a year. In other states, however, the politics of public pensions
appear to be changing. In Michigan, Governor Jennifer Granholm, a
Democrat, recently enacted a teacher pension reform that should save
about $3bn over 10 years by increasing the amount workers must
contribute. Illinois raised its retirement age for newly hired public
workers from as low as 55 to 67. Chris Christie, the Republican governor
of New Jersey, decided that even if it took bruising clashes with
public worker unions, public service compensation reform was essential
for the fiscal health of the state. His stance surprised many, but it
made him a national figure.
There is no quick fix to deal with the
billions in unfunded liabilities. Public service employees are almost
impossible to fire, except after a long process and only for the most
grievous offences. What is more, the courts have ruled in many states
that pension increases granted by elected bodies are vested benefits
that must be paid no matter what, precluding politicians from going back
and changing past agreements.
The only fair solution is to take
the politicians out of the equation and have fully independent
commissions in charge, fixing the scale of salaries and benefits for
public-service workers and establishing an affordable second retirement
tier for new employees. More reasonable retirement ages should be in
order, such as 65 for general employees and 55 for public safety
employees. This would take nothing away from the existing benefits of
current employees.
A fundamental rethinking of the public
workforce is necessary. Americans cannot maintain their essential faith
in government if there are two Americas, in which the private sector
subsidises the disproportionate benefits of this new public sector
elite.
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Failure in the masses only.
Lang lebe der Individuen! Lang lebe der Kämpfer!
Prosit!
Absolut!
I can't figure out if you mean that as a slight to Hamilton's character, or admiration...
Dude, I love the avatar but your gonna get a fatwa put out on your ass if you're not careful. Better hope TDs got a tight hold on his database.
Turd,
You seem like a nice guy...why don't you lend him your hat?
To paraphrase Patrick Henry, "Give me liberty, or I will fuck you up. I'm not dying either."
Since you brought up my avatar--I couldn't give two shits about the 9/11 mosque but I would LOVE for someone to ask why we haven't restricted immigration from majority-Muslim countries. Are we OBLIGATED to let the world pitch a tent on our front lawn?
I'm against burning the koran. Unless you throw in the bible, the pope and any jew who has a game about not being able to work on sunday.
There are no holy thoughts, there are no holy books, there is no singular source of wisdom. Rules only agrandize rulers.
Hey Turd
What's wrong with a picture of our President as an avatar ??
Nothing, just as long as you make him look like a clown or a joker.
+ Were not the American Founders the exceptions to "power currupts?" The answer is no. Our revolutionary brothers and founders were brilliant but once their new regime was fully operational, they launched a gov't owned cental bank, a bond scam, unconstitutional Louisianna Purchase and defaulted on debts France then followed up with an unconstitutional war with France. So B9K9 is right on, if these mountains of men couldn't be trusted with power, who can?
Seems that a tax payer revolt is long overdue.
the revolution is here now. it is evident in strategic default, taking 2 years of unemployment comp. rather than min. wage, credit card defaults, gold purchases, accumulation of guns and ammo, real estate tax tribunal appeals, the tea party sentiment, the "vote them out" attitude, and the proliferation of micro-breweries.
You caught me off guard with "the proliferation of micro-breweries," but I like the sentiment.
"the revolution is here now. it is evident in strategic default, taking 2 years of unemployment comp. rather than min. wage, credit card defaults, gold purchases, accumulation of guns and ammo, real estate tax tribunal appeals, the tea party sentiment, the "vote them out" attitude, and the proliferation of micro-breweries."
My leg is tingling ;-)
yes a vat and ceo tax now !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just came across my wire. FTIW. I think this may be old news to some, btw.
WAYNE ALLYN ROOT: Overwhelm the system
Barack Obama is no fool. He is not incompetent. To the contrary, he is brilliant. He knows exactly what he's doing. He is purposely overwhelming the U.S. economy to create systemic failure, economic crisis and social chaos -- thereby destroying capitalism and our country from within.
Barack Obama is my college classmate ( Columbia University , class of '83). As Glenn Beck correctly predicted from day one, Obama is following the plan of Cloward & Piven, two professors at Columbia University . They outlined a plan to socialize America by overwhelming the system with government spending and entitlement demands. Add up the clues below. Taken individually they're alarming. Taken as a whole, it is a brilliant, Machiavellian game plan to turn the United States into a socialist/Marxist state with a permanent majority that desperately needs government for survival ... and can be counted on to always vote for bigger government. Why not? They have no responsibility to pay for it.
-- Universal health care. The health care bill had very little to do with health care. It had everything to do with unionizing millions of hospital and health care workers, as well as adding 15,000 to 20,000 new IRS agents (who will join government employee unions). Obama doesn't care that giving free health care to 30 million Americans will add trillions to the national debt. What he does care about is that it cements the dependence of those 30 million voters to Democrats and big government. Who but a socialist revolutionary would pass this reckless spending bill in the middle of a depression?
-- Cap and trade. Like health care legislation having nothing to do with health care, cap and trade has nothing to do with global warming. It has everything to do with redistribution of income, government control of the economy and a criminal payoff to Obama's biggest contributors. Those powerful and wealthy unions and contributors (like GE, which owns NBC, MSNBC and CNBC) can then be counted on to support everything Obama wants. They will kick-back hundreds of millions of dollars in contributions to Obama and the Democratic Party to keep them in power. The bonus is that all the new taxes on Americans with bigger cars, bigger homes and businesses helps Obama "spread the wealth around."
-- Make Puerto Rico a state. Why? Who's asking for a 51st state? Who's asking for millions of new welfare recipients and government entitlement addicts in the middle of a depression? Certainly not American taxpayers. But this has been Obama's plan all along. His goal is to add two new Democrat senators, five Democrat congressman and a million loyal Democratic voters who are dependent on big government.
-- Legalize 12 million illegal immigrants. Just giving these 12 million potential new citizens free health care alone could overwhelm the system and bankrupt America . But it adds 12 million reliable new Democrat voters who can be counted on to support big government. Add another few trillion dollars in welfare, aid to dependent children, food stamps, free medical, education, tax credits for the poor, and eventually Social Security.
-- Stimulus and bailouts. Where did all that money go? It went to Democrat contributors, organizations (ACORN), and unions -- including billions of dollars to save or create jobs of government employees across the country. It went to save GM and Chrysler so that their employees could keep paying union dues. It went to AIG so that Goldman Sachs could be bailed out (after giving Obama almost $1 million in contributions). A staggering $125 billion went to teachers (thereby protecting their union dues). All those public employees will vote loyally Democrat to protect their bloated salaries and pensions that are bankrupting America . The country goes broke, future generations face a bleak future, but Obama, the Democrat Party, government, and the unions grow more powerful. The ends justify the means.
-- Raise taxes on small business owners, high-income earners, and job creators. Put the entire burden on only the top 20 percent of taxpayers, redistribute the income, punish success, and reward those who did nothing to deserve it (except vote for Obama). Reagan wanted to dramatically cut taxes in order to starve the government. Obama wants to dramatically raise taxes to starve his political opposition.
With the acts outlined above, Obama and his regime have created a vast and rapidly expanding constituency of voters dependent on big government; a vast privileged class of public employees who work for big government; and a government dedicated to destroying capitalism and installing themselves as socialist rulers by overwhelming the system.
Add it up and you've got the perfect Marxist scheme -- all devised by my Columbia University college classmate Barack Obama using the Cloward and Piven Plan.
Not sure who Wayne Root is but he clearly has been spending a lot of time listening to Glenn Beck.
Wayne Allen Root? You don't know Wayne Allen Root? The Rootster? The Rootmyster? Me either.
I always heard him referred to as The Rootmaster General.
As long as we're playing...his family lives near a famous body of water known as the Root Canal.
No doubt earned his GED while working underground at Roto-Rooter.
His favorite drink is root beer.
I'm rooting for him.
Can you guess his favorite movie?
How about his favorite band?
:)
Band - Rusted Root'
Very good I might add.
http://ilike.myspacecdn.com/play#Rusted+Root:Ecstasy:144190:s67810.6572....
Holy cow! This is like being on Reddit. Is this the Reddit of finance?
In his interview on CNBC, Erin Burnett said, "You are so root!"
While all of you were cracking me up with the root jokes, I did a Google search for Mr. Root.
No mention of Alex Haley or LeVar Burton though...yuk yuk
http://www.rootforamerica.com/
Fair Play to the essay.
It was Bush's buddy, Hank Paulson, (X-CEO), and Neel Kashkari, ( X-Vice President), both of Goldman Sachs who got their jobs at the treasury to manipulate public opinion so Goldman could be bailed out. All in 2008. They engineered the bailout structure through AIG, (also bankrupt),(also got 85 Billion), to give another 700 billion to all who lost money. Including foreign banks like LYG, RBS, UBS, BCS, HBC and many others. Goldman was bankrupt. Lloyd Blankfein was CEO of GS when this happened and received record pay bonuses for past performance when they needed bailed out. HUH. Bonuses for what. Another interesting factoid is that John Snow, (former executive of GS), left the Treasury so Hank could also bail out John Snow’s Chrysler Corp. Did Chrysler really need the money or was it just a hand out to old buddies. Goldman are squids sucking the life out of the lower middle class of America. Now Neel Kashkari, (let’s say Goldman), wants to Steal Social Security. They never quit legalized stealing from the poor of America. They have made those who earn less than 50k a year poorer. Most Americans do not even make that much. They, (GS), are addicts. This bailout, was the biggest THEFT to taxpayers of this decade. I don’t think they can beat this. Unless they do get away with stealing Social Security. What I can’t understand is why so many want to cover up this bailout, brush it aside, forward the blame to others, and change the topic. Are we, Americans, so short minded and forget so soon. I know the media brainwashes us, but Geezzzzz. Think of the facts here. Is Goldman the ultimate Vampire ? Most think so. We do know this, Obama said we want our money back. Well, when’s our payday. We want it all back. Shut down Goldman, No Problem. Just get our Money Back, including the 100 million dollar bonus Lloyd Blankfein got for the bailouts. He did not earn that either, he stole it from us. That was also paid for by our taxpayer money.
Rocker,
You've peddled this cut-and-paste stuff before. Take it back over to HuffPo and stick it back in that compost heap.
Here's the old bat, Frances Piven, in the flesh:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELvINNajtCQ&feature=player_embedded
A demon in the flesh, that old hag.
Yoda meets the Hairball.
Yikes!!
Turd, look into him and I think you'l like what you find. His father was basically the founder of the modern Libertarian party. He is no Glen Beck, trust me there.
Wayne Root WOOT! Nah, never heard of him. Sounds like one of Glenn Becks Mormon minions.
You've never heard of Wayne Allen Root?
I guarantee you if you live in Las Vegas you'd have heard of him.
He owns the biggest legal sports bookmaking operation in the country.
Before that, he was a HUGE illegal bookie and a well known figure in the casino sports book world, with "da right connections" to all "da right playas".
He (not Lefty Rosenthal) was the model for Robert De Niro's character "Ace" in the movie Casino.
alright, I confess to knowing zero about Wayne Allyn Root - but this lengthy off-shoot thread, ending with your post above, nudged me into a quick wiki. . .
yeah, bootstrap kinda guy. . . then he goes on to sports TV & gambling, among many many other noteworthy traits - and an author too!
looooove the last title. . .how is this guy not president yet? his picture alone is worth a thousand words (one of 'em being "gettefck")
stay classy amkra!!
How can Obama be pushing this agenda so confidently?
Because it has worked out in Europe already.
US today = around 1970 Europe.
And Europe has not collapsed yet...enjoy your socialist future.
The French do, as do most of Europe. Europeans are generally happier and healthier than Americans. Their downfall is the imporation of American-style crony capitalism, beginning with Thatcher in Britain (which is one of the reasons Britain is in such bad shape) and going parabolic in places like Iceland, Ireland, and Greece. If only they had held to their socialism, they could have laughed the US all the way into the dustbin of history.
Crony capitalism is a form of socialism which is a bad thing no mater how you slice it. I'll keep up the fight for individual freedom, thank you very much.
You can laugh all you want just stay the hell out of my way.
Socialism always fails because "the socialists" always eventually run out of other people's money.
You can get people to support you without supporting back for a short space of time but it eventually falls apart.
A Socialist- a very generous person (with other peoples money).
Yes, they could have laughed at us in their teeny flats, while going to the laundromats. Perhaps they would have laughed as their country died demographically around them. But of course their elites thought ahead and imported N. Africans to breed for them, smiles everyone, smiles... Even funnier is the almost complete lack of social mobility, born into a plumbers family and have a brain for physics, too damn bad, pick up a wrench serf..
Their socialism would never had left the dustbin of failed ideologies to be imposed by their elites without benevolent America to shield them from the bear.
TOOL
Try re-imported if at all.... Term Mercantilism was originated in Europe to describe an incestuous relationship between big business and government, long before AmeriKa was independent.
A book recommendation for you - http://www.amazon.com/Welcome-Obamaland-Have-Future-Doesnt/dp/1596985887
Thank you, looks like an awesome and truthful read.
Pretty sure Europe didn't have a massive, soul crushing debt in the 70's. I could be wrong, though.
He's a libertarian who loves to drop the columbia classmate crap, he usally follows it with " I didnt know him or ever see him on campus" but they were classmates? He loves the story of when reagan was shot columbia students celebrated like Howard students when OJ got off. Libertarians need better leaders , come to think of it...
The back-story emerges.
seriously, a quick wiki will give you some beginner pointers to anyone you might be curious about. . .
sorry, who could resist a repeat of that title. . . dude's PERFECT for this country!!
Anyone who claims to be a libertarian leader...isn't.
That's because he spells libertarian with a big L.
yea , right, lets blame ObaMA . He is in power a few months and gets credit for many years of criminality.
Not sayen it aint the wrong direction he has taken, but his handlers knew that before we did.
... comment moved.
... and I thought "Wayne's World" was all about ball caps, mullets. and dubies... who knew?
BO brilliant, huh?! That's why he hides his academic records. That's why he blows it every time he goes off the remarks prepared for him. Note also that the wifey is kept out of the spotlight, because she is a gaffe-prone bonehead. Men don't marry the intellectually inferior, unless they are hot or rich, and Ma O is neither.
BO is a socialist, but he is not a brilliant socialist. BO is a sophomoric boob, and every day that becomes more evident. The ordinary American has more sense than this guy. And that is why his ship is sinking quickly.
Interesting that Zuckerman continues to be such a public, Obama-bashing figure. I can't help but wonder what it is he is trying to accomplish. I can't imagine he has simple, benevolent motives.
He's got the dough. Maybe he wants to be the father-figure of a new, third party. Sort of a 21st century Perot. I don't know but something smells fishy.
I with you. One polemic might make sense, you know maybe the kielbasa didn't agree with him one morning, set him off his groove. But now we get a steady stream of these things and I'm thinking "Zuckerman for Mayor" or something around 2012.
The oligarchs sense they have the upper hand. If a CEO can buy the governorship of CA, then they can have it all. Senate seats for a song, statehouses even cheaper, the Whitehouse eventually, hell probably a seat on the SCOTUS if they need a post-retirement hobby.
I am not joking. This is going to become obscene. Eventually they'll hold the nuclear trigger de facto and not by proxy, then I guess we'll see what happens in the business world.
The Chinese and evil Muslims will simply occupy all of Central Asia because the CEO-oligarchs will not use force. Bad for business.
Rinse and repeat for smaller powers in other regions.
Mafioso turn out to be terrible imperialists. Heck, maybe it's all for the best. Might as well just decentralize as the oil stops or goes to $10/gallon at the pump (unless you have the CorporateState Official Swiper swipe card).
I'll miss those Israeli oranges, NZ kiwis, Chinese melamineware infant food bowls etc....but I don't think the world economy can survive a big business takeover.
Ironic.
Here, let me correct that for you:
Good comment.
But it's Mafiosi (plural). Scrive bene l'Italiano, per favore.
"This is going to become obscene." Going to? As if this isn't obscene enough yet.
"Rivers and seas boiling! … The dead rising from the grave! ... Human sacrifice! Dogs and cats living together!" - Ghost Busters
My guess is it's the ole divide and conquer idea assassination method of having the wrong person say the right thing. That way it discredits the idea on both sides.
My favorite example was a few years ago when the CEO of Exxon came out and called ethanol a form of genocide, due to the pressures it puts on the food supply and thus the poor.
On one hand, you've got all his typical peers/supporters dismissing the idea outright, as they have already promoted ethanol as "America's escape from foreign oil dependence," and aren't about to change their minds now. Meanwhile, on the other hand, all of the greenies who already believed this would sooner die than to publicly agree with him.
It seems that Machiavelli is alive and well.
In our little burg, the city government says the budget outlook for next year is "sobering". The term is kind of funny and appropriate because they spent money like drunken sailors during the run-up from 2004 to 2008. So now they're faced with "three bad choices", poor babies! They might actually have to lay off some people now that the Obama bucks have all been spent, just like in the real world.
Got $100 FRNs that say your Mayor calls a press conference to proclaim he can't afford to pay cops, firemen, or prison guards without a tax increase.
Got another $100 FRNs that say not a single reporter asks whether there's any other spending that could be cut first.
Bingo!
Waste the tip of the spear first so the public feels the pain and responds as intended.
Fundamental premise, budgeting 101.
So, um, 2% of the workforce is getting a sweet deal?
Mort Zuckerman is the posterboy for what really ails the nation, which in the first paragraph he dismisses: Wealth disparity.
Hey, middle class people, the ones you should hate are slightly better off middle class people. Mort Zuckerman should be disembowled in public.
Hey, middle class people, the ones you should hate are slightly better off middle class people. Mort Zuckerman should be disembowled in public.
Why should one not be upset when one is forced to pay the government for services which are neither requested or required?
(r) and (d) are both the same. the globalists, like mort, intend to take away as much as possible from the middle class. just a matter of time until barry double crosses the teachers union. maybe they deserve it, but mort is no loose cannon, he's doin' a little front running.
SCREWED
http://williambanzai7.blogspot.com/2010/09/screwed.html
About time more attention was paid to the insanity that is public sector compensation.
Ignorance is bliss for most people, they just don't realize how cushy some of the government deals really are.
How about a 90 % tax rate on assets over 100 million dollars Mort.
Unless of course you don't think you could live on 100 million you fucking douche
bag.
how about no tax rate...
http://www.bullionbullscanada.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15203:the-solution-to-sovereign-insolvency-part-iii-taxation-salvation&catid=47:us-commentary&Itemid=132
Step away from your computer and create something for yourself and stop attempting to determine what others get by on. Fucking Dumbass. The irony of me taking up for a rich guy.
What are you an apologist for the rich as they steal your present, future and kids futures. For what all for the opportunity that exists even remotely of you joining their ranks. Give me a fucking break bud. I create something everyday with my hands on steel, probably only one of a few manufacturing jobs that hasn't been offshored by the whores you support to the bitter end.
That kool-aid must taste good! How many glasses have you had?
People who create wealth through voluntary exchanges in a free market are not the problem regardless of their success or income level. Redistribution of wealth from the producers to those due political favors is the problem.
Those people are at the heart of the problem, when they manipulate the rules of the exchange, externalize most costs as disease, sickness and death to those least able to protect themselves, use the power of the sovereign to do so. The producers in this reality are those with the closest political connections most of the time.
Otherwise, if we had a transparent system, I'd agree with you. But the game's rigged.
Of course the game is rigged (individuals and by extension markets are not free). But lots of folks don't realize that "the game" is rigged and buy into the lie that free markets and voluntary action are the cause of our political and economic problems.
This is populism at it's worst -- when the common man has learned to hate freedom.
..uh you know the whores I support? Your a werker . I hope the God of your choice blesses you. My problem is your telling mortimer wtf to get by on? You work with steel and now your the arbiter of where his wealth goes? riddle me that.
If Mort doesn't like it he can leave and so can you, you facist fuck. What no one should pay taxes. I bet yo support both wars too. With what money do you think bombs are built with? Or did God give them to us. You should secede. I agree. I'm so sick of apologists like you. I'm actually on this site to read finance but in the last couple months it's been polluted by the politics of people who could care less about America or capitalism only their ideal of what it should be.
PS. Sorry for any typos or missplellings as I am typing rather fast.
BTW, I regard facism as the marriage between business and givernment which is exactly what the right and people like Mort are espousing. It will quickly turn ugly. I simply can't believe that teachers have become the problem and the likes of Dick Fuld are the FUCKING victim? I knew I shouldnt have clicked on this page but there weren't as money comments on the true finance articles.
these pages are "true finance" articles as well, believe it or not. . .
wide-angle perspectives trade wisely, eventually not at all. . .
This just the way things were in Malaysia when I was there in 2004. An entire new city built just for government and elegant housing for those employees. Upper tier emplyees lived in the best houses and those below in lesser digs.
The entire thing was pretty disgusting.
As a federally employed bureaucrat, I can assure you that my job is plenty miserable, bureacracies inflict plenty of torture upon the bureaucrats themselves. We may be difficult to fire but a technique often used is to make your life so miserable that you quit.
I definitely have a lot of sympathy for the anti-public sector crowd, and I know I am lucky to have a job right now, especially one that pays so well and provides the benefits it does. If I had not gotten on the federal gravy train in 2008 I would likely be perpetually unemployed or marginally employed. However, I resent being labeled as "elite" - most of us are maybe barely middle class. An $80k salary is doesn't go far in the D.C. area. Furthermore, consider the student loan debt that must be incurred to get many of these federal jobs.
And what exactly will crushing us accomplish? Life in the private sector won't be any better - your jobs are still outsourced to China and India. Maybe the fed will have more $$ to ramp stocks?
The union argument really should only apply to state government employees because federal employees are not allowed to strike. The purpose of our union is really just to shine a light on the totally inept and arbitrary conduct of management. They have basically no negotiating authority.
Are you on lunch break? Or is this porn time?
Just kidding...Its porn time
Where's those damn youtube thumb-up buttons.
"And what exactly will crushing us accomplish? Life in the private sector won't be any better..." I humbly beg to differ, though I have no ill will towards you personally and do not wish to see you "crushed"... I only wish to see you forced to get a job in a productive sector of the economy, not a sector which exists solely due to confiscating the products of the hard work and productivity of others. Particularly at a time the only way we are paying for your job "...that pays so well and provides the benefits it does" is by 1. taking $ from productive citizens who already have a very hard time making ends meet, and on top of that 2. creating 2.4 trillion dollars of debt in the last 19 months alone to 'provide' the difference.
In short, I strongly disagree with your contention the "life in the private sector wil not get any better." On the contrary, I believe that a massive reduction in the size and scope of government, and the destruction of jobs like yours, is ultimately the ONLY way things will get better.
And I really do not give a rats ass how much student loan debt you have. You made your decision, now suck it up and deal with the consequences. Do not use it as a justification to take my hard-earned $ from me.
I am basically in agreement with everything you say... If there were a remotely comparable ($$) job available in the productive sector I would gladly take it!
With respect to student loan debt... I won't get into it but I am sure you're aware that many young people have an oppressive amount of it due to federal interference in the student loan market driving up tuition rates.
I only bring up the student loans to demonstrate that we are not exactly living 'high on the hog'. Again, I agree with your basic point re: the size of government.
I give you Respect, PJ- that's a straight-up answer. And if dotGov downsizes, as it surely must at some point, don't forget that 45 grand in rural PA or Iowa goes alot farther than 80g in DC.
Head out to Middleburg this weekend and find yourself a very rich fat chick in jodhpurs to marry. Problem solved.
dupe
Bottom line Poopy, is that most of us, no offense meant here, don't want to pay for you we want you to pay for yourself.
@poopyjim
Thanks for the share. Do any of your co-workers read ZH as well? Just curious.
lol NO, I believe I am the only one. Most if not all of them are kool-aid drinkers.
I have one question poopy, is there a picture of Geithner or Bernanke hanging on any wall within a radius of 5 feet from your desk?
If so, you know what we would all like for you to do.
The beauty is, that once they become morbidly obese on the Kool-Aid, they can apply for social security disability!
Too funny.
Morbid obesity is grounds for SSD, even though you know what brought that about in the first place.
Any "all you can eat buffet" is like the People of Walmart pictures.
Simply amazing to watch a 400lb guy in a scooter piling more microwaved crap onto his plate.
Actually it's sickening, but still amazing!
Is alcoholism grounds for SSD? If so I'm well on my way to qualifying.
Yes and so is drug addiction.
Maybe 10% of the Federal Civil Service workforce are worth a damn. Rest of them should be doing jobs Americans won't do.
There, I just saved Uncle Sam 90% of his annual labor expenses.
Having said that, the real problem is the Ruling Class Hyperwealthy, whom Obama & Bush work for.
Thank you for acknowledging that Obama works for TPTB. I am sick of hearing all the Leftist apologist crap that Obama is our "savior" and is trying his darndest to help the masses against the machinations of the elites. Bullshit. He works for the elites. And I get tired of people responding to criticisms of Obama with "well, Bush did this" and "Bush did that." Well no SHIT Bush did a lot of fucked-up shit; just because someone criticizes Obama doesn't mean that that person supported Bush (I hated him for one), and just because Bush contributed immensely to destroying our country doesn't mean we can't criticize Obama for CONTINUING THE SAME POLICIES. What, did his vote for the bailouts, his appointment of NYFED Prez Geithner as Treasury Secretary, his insane contributions from Wall Street skip his retarded socialist supporters' notice?
And just how much are you compensated for your misery?
Good Im glad you federal employees are in hell I hope it kills you.
I worked government jobs for roughly 3 years in my 20's. I was miserable.
I understand the need to build experience and keep a job in this economy, but my advise is to think about how and when you'll get out of government employ and do it as soon as you can.
Another factor is that depending on your job type, govt experience can become a detriment to moving to the private sector. They figure you have been brainwashed.
Americans cannot maintain their essential faith in government if there are two Americas, in which the private sector subsidises the disproportionate benefits of this new public sector elite.
Gee, Mort... so close yet so far. Say it with me slowly... ITS THE FED STUP-ID! The new public sector elite are merely the beneficiaries of the Fed's wreckless looting policy. The private sector had dibs last time around, remember?
http://www.thepersonaltrainerswife.com/ Check your premises Mr. Zuckerman
The Mort Zuckerman travelling show is self-serving, at best. He can even be right and still be disingenuous.
Mort. Hey look, he's one of us.
Math check:
1. Annual cost of failed colonial wars/utterly useless military-industrial boondoggles: $1 trillion
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_budget_of_the_United_States)
2. Cost of failed bankster scams/Wall Street bailouts (doesn't include Fannie and Freddie): $9.1 trillion
(http://nomiprins.squarespace.com/storage/reports/bailouttallyjuly2010.pdf)
3. Cost of a minimal staff of civil servants necessary to run a nation-state of 306 million people: $140 billion
(http://www.opm.gov/oca/10tables/indexGS.asp)
4. Cost of watching Zuckerman make a braying, let-the-debt-serfs-formerly-known-as-the-American-middle-class-eat-cake jackass of himself: priceless.
Nailed it! +10^carlsagan.
Instead of colonial wars of occupation, we could have bombed the shit out of them to make our points for pennies on the dollar, so save $1T.
Let failed firms fail and save $9T.
Presume only have of all Americans have jobs, of which only half of them pay taxes and you get $10T/100M taxpayers=$100K per.
Hey, pretty soon this is gonna be real money for me and my kids...
Oh yah, those public worker fat cats are in control with their humungous 50-100k per year salaries. It's not the rich with those millions upon millions making big political contributions who are in control. That's what those public employees want you to believe but it's really those middle class workers pulling everyone's strings.
agreed. Whats the problem with someone working for 25 years and then retiring with full salary for another 35 years? I saw an example of a representative retired in the 60's @upper $40's and lived into her 90's making over $ six figures. These people provided much needed leadershit. Damn millionair jews are the problem? sage like my muther fuckin ass.
I see you have never heard of a labor union. Here's a hint, labor union bosses become super wealthy, and it doesn't come from being incorruptible.
Wow, it's so easy to single out people who are in Unions in this thread. Like shooting fish in a barrel.
Izzat so?? Unions are a necessary evil, like police. Both exist in response to a bigger problem, both are comprised of fallible, corruptible individuals, either can get out of hand if given too long a leash.
BTW, heard about the scabs running the uranium enrichment plant in Metropolis, IL after the union got locked-out? Only one explosion so far.....
....nope. never belonged to a union, but I respect anyone's right to organize.
Of course folks have the right to organize. That's not at issue. But to what end do labor unions organize?
Unions are very powerful and well funded organizations but I have yet to see a union which decided to simply purchase a factory or other means of production and let the downtrodden workers run it for themselves.
If owners and management are such a burden to union workers why do these unionists continue to work under these managers rather than just take their ball and go home?
At first glance your right. However, when union leadership bundles 20,30 40 million in dues and starts supporting the very people that grant them raises and do the "negotiating" for me, we have ANOTHER problem Houston..
Who appointed Zuckerman to be the leader of the revolt? Why not Trump?
Trump has to come inside on windy days.
If that is the criteria, I nominate Telly Savalas (yes I know)
Who loves ya, baby?
HAHAHAHAA
Typical. Bash the party that's going to lose to curry favor from the future majority. Been going on for decades. These people have no shame.
don't you just love it when you see a fascist declaring that socialism is bad for the people?
So in other words the problem in this country is with the bastard that lives down the street from me making bank on that $90,000 a year government salary and his big fat fucking government pension. Remind me to kick his ass during the fantasy football meeting we have this weekend.
Can you think of anyone else we should be pissed at Mort?
GODDAMN FUCKING OBLIVIOUS FUCK . Were you on the OJ jury. All the jew is saying is who's gonna pay for your boyfriends government pension? Put your head back in the sand. Fucking millionairs jews are the problem. Fucking racism is so fucking ignorant.
Whu? I read that twice and couldn't follow it either time. I would guess less coffee would help.
Its not the starbucks its 8 weeks and no cannabis baby. I was responding to # none assertion that his boyfriends $90 grand salary and future pension was not the problem. I should have put a question mark after the millionair jew thing. These bitchez want to shoot mortimer for telling the TRUTH. I will do better sire. No cannabis and 3 to 5 hundred a month back in my pocket, two stairs at a time, I'm flossing everynight , I 'm free and freedom tastes etc.
I strongly recommend that you go back to the cannabis.
*** Also please go get snipped,' no kids ..
You'll get nothing and like it!!
I got nothing against flossing, but you might think about using an extra-long Q-tip to run from one ear out through the other one. Just to clear out any old pot smoke build-up in there, knowwhatimean?
In fact I was on the OJ jury...the glove did not fit, what was I supposed to do??
Follow facts and conscience. You do know what a conscience is, don't you?
Con science...global warming?
If the glove doesn't fit, you must stick it on your tit!
Sorry, can't remember the address of the crackhouse.
But mainly he's pissed off because Obama still hasn't sent troops off to die in Iran for Mort's beloved Israel.
http://mondoweiss.net/2010/07/mort-zuckerman-u-s-occupations-stink-but-i...
Oh Mort is just pissed 'cause they ain't destroying the currency fast enough to support his real estate holdings.
That, and he was embarasssed when he was called out for saying he helped write one of Obama's speeches...
Bashing on public employees is becoming trendy and romantic...I blame Mish Shedlock.
How about this? Public employees take a nice pay cut. Call it 20%. Everyone else, shut the hell up and look forward to YOUR 20% pay cuts and the commensurate deflation in all your asset values. There, happy? Thought so.
Better yet, roll back government size to about 1980. But take both sides' pet monstrosities and kill them equally. Defense, cut in half. Several agencies eliminated (DOE, EPA, HHS, DOT). Amtrak, gone. How about we just mothball a few and say 'we are poor for twenty years'. Maybe we can get back to torture and wiretapping and environmental regulation and supporting nuclear power when we can afford it.
Takers??? And, do we keep the post office and national parks, or sell 'em?
Also banned: high school sports, and public jails. And eliminate tax exemptions for churches (with revenues over $1 million). None of that makes any goddamn sense any more.
I agree absolutely. Mish and Mort in 2012 on Democratic ticket---and I am a liberal who can't stand Obama.
And they could run against a wicked right wing Republican Ted Nugent/John Voight ticket?
I'd vote for that.
Screw that . The Stache and Christie or nothing .
Mort Z on Bloomberg coaching obummer on how to "Manage", be a "Leader"
Hahahahahahahhahahahahaha..................
Let's keep it simple....
Govt. is just an add on to all prices...
This cannot exceed 10%...in order to be competitive...
........................
At the moment....
The cart is before the horse....this will never work....
No need for name calling or any other labeling....
The economy just does not work this way...
..........................................
The seed money has to start from the bottom up....
...........................
If the US wants the most bang for the buck....and the fastest recovery time....this is a very simple process....
........................................
No income taxes...period.....individual or corporate....
The taxes will be in the form of a small monthly basis point charge on all cash balances....
.......................................
Now here is the end of the story....
The economy under the current admin....will only decline....thus the tax take will only go down....
..........................................
The only way to get the tax take up....is to allow for the formation of a large economy....
Done
.................................
Dramatic reduction in size of govt. HAS TO HAPPEN....
Sooner rather than later....
THERE ARE NO OTHER WORKABLE SOLUTIONS....
Counterfeiting and Accounting FRAUD....FASCISM.... are not real solutions....but this is what is happening at the moment....with no end in sight....
Logic? We dont need no stinkin logic wey.
Lets do the math.
The major portion of Obangos economic triage went (a) to Wall Street banks and (b) to maintaining government payrolls. The rest (who knows how much) went to shoveling "shovel ready" horse shit for the Department of Treasury and the FRB (Blackstone).
What are we supposed to think?
Billy, who gave AIG 172 billion? Obango? Who nationalized fannie and freddie? Untill we agree that both parties are responsible these pussies will continue to think a third party vote is a wasted vote. Agree with me nigga. Watch this, Worlds most niave man: Things will be much better with John Boehner as Speaker and Mitch McConnell as leader in the senate, fucking LOL. I think they will cut the spigot and this muther will crash, and then the Christians will get their wish. peace be upon you, inshalla.