The House That Jack Built

I am wayyyyyy late on this, so I will just add my .02.

1) Let’s have none of this nonsense that banning unions from collective bargaining has anything to do with the budget.  In Wisconsin, the unions had already agreed to more then enough concessions to balance the budget and then some.  The bottom line is:

Say what you want about unions.  There are some good ones and there are some bad ones.  However collective bargaining is part of how capitalism works.  Take it away, and you move to fascism.  Individuals and corporations with similar interests collectively bargain all the time.

A union’s job is to represent the workers in a way that partners with the employer and promotes the trade.  If the contract hurts the employer, it ultimately hurts the workers as well.  Let’s assume that is exactly what happened with the public employees unions in Wisconsin.  What did the unions do?  They conceded all the financial gains they negotiated in order to preserve their jobs.  Exactly what they were supposed to do.

So let’s talk about what is REALLY going on here.

1) Many (not all) unions have been turned into forced contribution political PACS for the Democratic party.  (Sad but true).  Further, they don’t promote the trade at all.  Rather, they reward a lack of productivity.  (Again, not all)

2) Realizing #1, Mr. Walker, as part of a general RNC plan (which include Republican Governors nationwide) is trying to strip unions of their ability to function, which in turn, will eventually severely hamper their ability to raise money and collect democratic votes.  (yeah, yeah, I know this is not news.  As I said, I am way late on this)….  Geez…  Did he REALLY think we wouldn’t find out?

With a massive recall effort of all Wisconsin Republicans in both houses of their legislature, Republicans have really shot themselves in the foot.

OK…  So it’s been almost 13 months since my last post.  I took a break from blogging for a while.

But with everything going on and sooooo much to blog about,  I can’t help myself.

This Blog (as the tagline states) is dedicated to cutting through the B.S. in American Politics.  My Republican-supporting readers are sometimes offended, because unfortunately, there is about 100x more B.S. from the Republican party, than from the Democratic party.  (Notice I didn’t say conservative, I said “Republican”.  There is a HUGE difference.)  Democrats tend to be more incompetent than corrupt B.S.’ers.  (although they have their share as well)

Anyway…  I’m back (in case anyone missed me) 

Jack

Hannity was yanked from his Tea Party appearance yesterday by Fox News and ordered back to New York.

According to Fox’s official statement, they didn’t like the Tea Party profiting from Hannity’s appearance.

I guess the idea of a “News” organization promoting a political rally didn’t at ALL strike them as unethical?  No ethics problem, just a $$$ problem.

Hat Tip to Crooks and Liars!  I have been trying to find video of Tom Coburn on O’Reilly for days now.

O’Reilly invited him on to discuss his outing of Fox News for its constant misinformation.  (OK I’m being very polite here).

This thing is soooooo hilarious.  It starts out with O’Reilly saying (and I quote) “Bias by Fox News senator, really?” After nearly snarfing my iced tea, I continued to watch.  O’Reilly says to Coburn “You don’t know anyone on Fox News because there hasn’t been anyone who has said that you would go to jail if you didn’t buy health insurance.” It took me until now to stop laughing.  The video picks out only a couple of 5 or 6 DOZEN times every single Fox Anchor (and almost EVERY guest) has said it.

The one with Beck AND O’Reilly is hilarious.  Of course neither of them has ever read the bill or has ever even understood the issue of healthcare reform.

Tom Coburn

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Once again, kudos to Mr.  Tom Coburn, who claims to want to debate on the FACTS!  You NEVER hear that from a Republican.  Are Republicans FINALLY claiming some independence from Fox News???  If there were a debate on facts, that would then leave out Hannity, O’Reilly, and Beck for starters.  NONE of them even KNOW the facts, let alone have any desire to learn them.  Then there is Greta Van Sustren (who once had a respectable legal show on CNN) who would actually have to ask tough follow-up questions when guests came on and said things like Obama has raised income taxes on the middle class 40%.  (Like that will ever happen)

ok…  I get it.

After realizing that her own state legislature (even her own party) had completely lost confidence in her, (coupled with the fact that she was caught red-handed on dozens of occasions taking her family on expensive trips (at state expense), Sarah Palin decided to call it quits as Governor of Alaska.

And her new job?  Anti-Obama one liner ROCK STAR!

Students at CSU Stanislaus got a hold of the contract with Palin for her speaking engagement there.  (The link contains the whole document)

She normally gets at least 100k per engagement, but CSUS reportedly got a bargain at 75k!

She also demands (among other things):

• Pre-screened questions.  (And a pre-screened ASKER of the questions).  She clearly could not handle a non-screened question.
• A Lear Jet (Lear 60 or larger) (or First Class Airfare from Anchorage, at HER discretion)
• 3 hotel rooms (one of them a suite)

I am ALL for capitalism, and Mrs. Palin has EVERY right to market herself and make any demands she likes.  (Even pre-screened questions).   However, as the the California Attorney General, Jerry Brown (the man responsible for exposing the James O’Keefe/Pimp fraud) pointed out, why are California taxpayers footing the bill for this nonsense?

CSU Stanislaus has responded that the money has come from a private foundation (not State University funds), and that they expect to raise between $100k and $200k.  Ok.  Fair enough.  If raising money to support the University is the goal, then more power to the foundation, Mrs. Palin (and her private jets and multiple hotel rooms), and the university.

However, if the goal is to provide a conservative point of view to the political discussion at the university, why not bring in someone who understands the issues, and doesn’t require pre-screened questions?  (Just saying)

WOW.  I had to read that twice!

From WaPo…

All I can say is… Good riddance!  I’m sorry, Andy Stern has given Unions a BAD name.  His “recruiting” tactics at SEIU included secret deals with the Obama administration to secure Union contracts for government employees (even AFTER their employers had been fired), fraudulent “pizza parties” where people were told they had to fill out a card to get a piece of pizza (not knowing that the card was a vote for SEIU at their workplace), late night visits to people’s houses, spreading false rumors about anti-union activity at their employers.  (And that’s JUST the beginning!)

I don’t know who will replace him, but I hope it’s someone better.

This is from Bush speechwriter David Frum’s blog.  I won’t comment other than to say that I find it very interesting and moving.