Wednesday, February 23, 2011

An opinion by Gary Affolter


ADD it up   There are  500,000 more union members in the public sector than in the private sector...Why do you suppose this is true? Who participates and drives the economy? Who builds, develops, and sustains economic growth?
Who employs 88 % of the workforce?
Who pays the 7 % comprised of government workers?
Who is in more economic stress public or private?
By percentage who has the higher unemployment public or private?
Who is trillions of dollars in debt?
Who has trillions of dollars in cash waiting for government to get their act together?

Point: Take the 4.9 million Local government employees. Pick a large metropolitan area anywhere in the US. Examine the total number of small municipalities the makeup that metropolis. What if with today's technologies and advanced communications we formed Regional Governing bodies. Imagine the savings, one regional executive vs. 30 mayors, one police chief vs. 30 chiefs, 20 representatives vs. 360 councilmen on and on the savings could be in the hundreds of millions if not billions. Now think about what collective bargaining is protecting. In Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan and Indiana we need to be truthful and understand what this is really about. God Bless this change it has been long in coming. Let us not lose this moment our collective futures are at stake. (Note: Click on the graphic if you want to enlarge it.)

2 comments:

  1. Well done Gary! Well stated. What say the rest of you?

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  2. Gary, I must take umbrage at your comment; especially the last couple of sentences. When we lose our right to collectively bargain, every working schmuck in this country loses. If Walker gets his way, it's going to make Ronnie “Raygun's” waxing of the Air traffic Controllers and the repercussions forthwith look like a Sunday School Picnic. I know the Controllers were Feds and NOT supposed to strike. They went out on bad advice. But what did it accomplish? It gave the green light for every company to declare WAR on its employees. Scotty Walkers will just deal the final death blow to labor and you and your kids and grandkids will be working for minimum wage. You think I am kidding'?

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