An old proverb regards truth as the first casualty of war. Logically, for truth to become war’s casualty it must be present to begin with. War is then a level above politics, at least in the way Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY) practices the craft.
It’s no surprise to find Democrats spinning the standoff between Wisconsin’s Senate Republicans and public employee unionists. But Rep. Israel’s spin is so unbelievable that he has abused even the politician’s privilege of dancing around the truth. He sounds like a cheating child who’s tossing a tantrum because his playmates won’t play fair.
Rep. Israel’s rearrangement of reality was unveiled in a fundraising email from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Israel blasted Wisconsin Republicans’ “blatant assault on worker’s rights,” especially since the reorganization of public employee collective bargaining rules passed without Democrat participation. He called the GOP’s tactics “outrageous” and “unconscionable.”
But what right have employees lost, save the “right” to pay tribute to labor unions in order to earn a living? As for the Democrats’ absence, no one overthrew their caucus and exiled them to Illinois. Democrats ran for the tall grass of their own accord. Oh, and while we’re on the subject of unconscionable, it was Rep. Israel’s congressional colleagues who employed bribery, clandestine Christmas Eve votes, and threats to bypass the voting process altogether in order to enact ObamaCare.
Outrageous and unconscionable? Look in the mirror Steve.
Was anyone inspired at the site of marching Wisconsin teachers? Steve Israel was and thinks you should’ve been, too. But why? These teachers walked out on their pupils, proving their allegiance to unions exceeded their concern for students. These teachers called in sick when they were perfectly fit and trashed the capitol grounds in Madison. Inspirational? Please!
Rep. Israel hailed the “Wisconsin 14” as a reminder to everyone of what it means to be a Democrat. Democrats abdicated their duty to Wisconsin’s taxpayers when they went into hiding. They ran away rather than deal with the consequences of their lost majority. This is what it means to be a Democrat. And Israel calls the “Fleeing 14” heroes? Cowards I say, the whole lot of them. And remember, it was one of their own, Steve Israel, who said Wisconsin Democrats exemplified the party’s highest standards.
The “Fleeing 14” weren’t concerned with public employees. They were concerned with securing continued support from unions in the form of campaign donations. The real issue in Wisconsin wasn’t “worker’s rights.” It was union monopolies. Wisconsin can now become a right to work state where employees can’t be forced to pay tribute to labor unions in order to attain jobs.
In short, Wisconsinites may soon be liberated, free to make their own decisions regarding employment and unionization. Wisconsin’s Republicans upheld the concept of individual liberty and free association, which Democrats routinely oppose. And Steve Israel proved that truth was never part of the Democrat's rhetorical war.
Showing posts with label labor unions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label labor unions. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Sunday, March 13, 2011
WWRD: What would Reagan do?
I omitted posting this column, which originally appeared on American Thinker. Sorry for my oversight. AWH.
Event the casual observer will notice the regularity with which President Obama invokes the ghost of Ronald Reagan. When Obama speaks about American leadership he’ll call on Reagan. If he’s focusing on fiscal solvency he’ll call on Reagan. Both are ironic, since America has become tepid internationally and experienced exponential spending growth under Obama’s administration.
Obama cites Reagan rather easily for such a decidedly leftist president. You have to wonder how many people are falling for his bluff. Obama needs to alter his image if he desires to prove his affinity with Reagan. The union showdown in Wisconsin grants the President an opportunity to achieve that goal. Failing to follow a Reagan course will confirm Obama’s rhetoric as politically-driven hot air.
Thousands of Wisconsin’s public employees, most notably teachers, have walked off their jobs. Union bosses claim the employees are demonstrating for their collective bargaining rights. Actually, they’re staging a de facto wildcat strike. Employees have called in sick when they aren’t ill, and doctors are allegedly providing excuses so those employees can receive their sick pay. In short, the public employees and their sympathetic physicians are irresponsible, undependable liars. The protesters are receiving paychecks from public funds under false pretenses, which make them cheats and thieves as well.
Many Christians wear “WWJD” bracelets. When they face a moment of truth they ask, “What would Jesus do?” Wisconsin is a moment of truth for Obama. A “WWRD” bracelet will remind him to ask, “What would Reagan do?”
He needn’t guess. History shows him exactly what President Reagan would do under similar circumstances. When air traffic controllers walked off their jobs in the summer of 1981 President Reagan told them not to let the door hit them on the way out. Controllers called Reagan’s hand and discovered that he wasn’t bluffing. If Obama truly desires credibility as our 40th President’s disciple--a President whose popularity is waxing, by the way--he can build it in Wisconsin.
Obama, however, hasn’t embraced the attitude toward Wisconsin’s public employee unionists that Reagan held toward air traffic controllers. Actually, he has taken a diametrically opposite position. Not only has he refused to denounce the protesters, he has embraced them. And for what cause other than the unionists’ demand that Wisconsin continue to fund their wants with money the state doesn’t have? That’s not Reagan-like, Mr. President.
To be fair, Obama can’t follow Reagan’s example in practicality. The Madison marchers are state employees whereas the air traffic controllers were federalized. But he can adopt Reagan’s attitude. Don’t bet the farm on that happening. Obama is light years from filling Reagan’s legacy in this area, or any other for that matter. Each reference he makes to Reagan is as much smoke and mirrors as his claim that healthcare reform reduces the deficit or the stimulus package created jobs.
If Obama possessed even the slightest interest in emulating Reagan he would support Governor Walker’s attempt to restore fiscal discipline to Wisconsin. The Governor’s plans aren’t unreasonable. In fact, they reflect nothing more than what millions of private sector employees deal with every day. Poor economic conditions affect private sector pay and benefits. Budget constraints should have a similar affect on the public sector. Carrying a union card and paying a monthly tribute shouldn’t shield public employees from fiscal reality.
What would Reagan do? He would support Gov. Walker’s attempt to address Wisconsin’s fiscal reality. He couldn’t deal with these strikers like he dealt with the air traffic controllers, considering they are state employees. But he wouldn’t hold them up as the supreme example of America’s work ethic either.
What will Obama do? He’ll cater to the unions who keep his campaign coffers flush with cash and he’ll bolt from any proposal that promises to slow government’s growth. Obama will prove that his budget hawk rhetoric is as empty as Nancy Pelosi’s head and that the only commonality he shares with Reagan is having parked his derrière in an Oval Office chair.
Event the casual observer will notice the regularity with which President Obama invokes the ghost of Ronald Reagan. When Obama speaks about American leadership he’ll call on Reagan. If he’s focusing on fiscal solvency he’ll call on Reagan. Both are ironic, since America has become tepid internationally and experienced exponential spending growth under Obama’s administration.
Obama cites Reagan rather easily for such a decidedly leftist president. You have to wonder how many people are falling for his bluff. Obama needs to alter his image if he desires to prove his affinity with Reagan. The union showdown in Wisconsin grants the President an opportunity to achieve that goal. Failing to follow a Reagan course will confirm Obama’s rhetoric as politically-driven hot air.
Thousands of Wisconsin’s public employees, most notably teachers, have walked off their jobs. Union bosses claim the employees are demonstrating for their collective bargaining rights. Actually, they’re staging a de facto wildcat strike. Employees have called in sick when they aren’t ill, and doctors are allegedly providing excuses so those employees can receive their sick pay. In short, the public employees and their sympathetic physicians are irresponsible, undependable liars. The protesters are receiving paychecks from public funds under false pretenses, which make them cheats and thieves as well.
Many Christians wear “WWJD” bracelets. When they face a moment of truth they ask, “What would Jesus do?” Wisconsin is a moment of truth for Obama. A “WWRD” bracelet will remind him to ask, “What would Reagan do?”
He needn’t guess. History shows him exactly what President Reagan would do under similar circumstances. When air traffic controllers walked off their jobs in the summer of 1981 President Reagan told them not to let the door hit them on the way out. Controllers called Reagan’s hand and discovered that he wasn’t bluffing. If Obama truly desires credibility as our 40th President’s disciple--a President whose popularity is waxing, by the way--he can build it in Wisconsin.
Obama, however, hasn’t embraced the attitude toward Wisconsin’s public employee unionists that Reagan held toward air traffic controllers. Actually, he has taken a diametrically opposite position. Not only has he refused to denounce the protesters, he has embraced them. And for what cause other than the unionists’ demand that Wisconsin continue to fund their wants with money the state doesn’t have? That’s not Reagan-like, Mr. President.
To be fair, Obama can’t follow Reagan’s example in practicality. The Madison marchers are state employees whereas the air traffic controllers were federalized. But he can adopt Reagan’s attitude. Don’t bet the farm on that happening. Obama is light years from filling Reagan’s legacy in this area, or any other for that matter. Each reference he makes to Reagan is as much smoke and mirrors as his claim that healthcare reform reduces the deficit or the stimulus package created jobs.
If Obama possessed even the slightest interest in emulating Reagan he would support Governor Walker’s attempt to restore fiscal discipline to Wisconsin. The Governor’s plans aren’t unreasonable. In fact, they reflect nothing more than what millions of private sector employees deal with every day. Poor economic conditions affect private sector pay and benefits. Budget constraints should have a similar affect on the public sector. Carrying a union card and paying a monthly tribute shouldn’t shield public employees from fiscal reality.
What would Reagan do? He would support Gov. Walker’s attempt to address Wisconsin’s fiscal reality. He couldn’t deal with these strikers like he dealt with the air traffic controllers, considering they are state employees. But he wouldn’t hold them up as the supreme example of America’s work ethic either.
What will Obama do? He’ll cater to the unions who keep his campaign coffers flush with cash and he’ll bolt from any proposal that promises to slow government’s growth. Obama will prove that his budget hawk rhetoric is as empty as Nancy Pelosi’s head and that the only commonality he shares with Reagan is having parked his derrière in an Oval Office chair.
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