But It's For The Children

Teacher unions and union-represented teachers’ associations control/dominate America’s public school system. You wonder why our public school system is a joke? It’s called socialized schools brought to you by the “defender of worker’s rights”. You know, class struggle and all that.

You can never claim true ownership to your home because you rent it from the government in the form of property taxes. Public school systems in America are largely funded by your property tax dollars. So as the employers of these teachers, why do these taxpayers allow their employees to join unions in order to keep a firewall between their employers?

So here’s what you get for a return on your tax dollars:
Paying union member dues to unions so teachers can strong arm and extort taxpayers.
Paying union dues so unions can lobby elected official to make policy detrimental to you
Paying union member dues to run huge political ad campaigns for politicians who oppose your views.
Having teacher unions sue the taxpayer.
Having unions refuse concessions in times of economic hardships.
Having unions demand more money while school budgets are being cut.
Union strikes.
Current union campaigns for governments to raise property taxes, income taxes, user fees, ad infinitum.

Unions should be banned in all government institutions, especially the public school system. It’s all about the children my ass. It’s about political power and the “class struggle between workers and labor”. Please get these corrupt institution’s tentacles unwrapped from the taxpayer. I urge you support the abolition of teacher unions in public schools in America.

To close, let us look at a sample of benefits the American taxpayer earned from teacher unions in 2009-2010:?

Union money flowing into Oregon tax campaign
As of Dec. 15, the biggest donations in support of the measures have come from the Oregon Education Association ($827,000), and local and national organizations of Service Employees International Union, which represent state employees and health care workers ($742,826 combined) …to prevent possible cuts to schools, social services and public safety, including prisons. ( me – union jobs)

Southern Lehigh teachers contract to get vote Monday
June 20, 2009
The Southern Lehigh School Board will vote Monday on a proposed three-year teachers contract that would allow the district to avoid a strike in September.

Anheuser-Busch, union, politicians join to oppose beer tax hike
March 30, 2009

School budget woes require team solution
February 10, 2010
The preliminary projection shows a tax increase of at least 10 percent. At the same time, I am disappointed and concerned the teachers contract includes an average 4 percent salary increase for next school year.

State Teachers Union Continues Push For Penny Tax
April 6, 2009

Teachers reject renegotiation
January 27, 2010
The Bangor Area teachers union has rejected a request by the administration to renegotiate the union’s contract and consider pay cuts to help

Teachers to strike for 20 days
October 15, 2009

Even the sidewalk is an issue on the first day. Pickets told to get off school land.
Whitehall-Coplay property taxes may soar
Preliminary budget for school district calls for 7.27 percent increase, far over state index

Next school year, teacher salaries are scheduled to rise 3.6 percent, for a spending increase of $888,354. Benefit costs are rising 18.2 percent, roughly $1.49 million. Included in that amount is a 20 percent medical insurance increase and a 72 percent retirement cost increase

Teachers union touts poll support for penny tax
April 07, 2009

Teachers union spends big on 2009 lobbying
Feb. 25, 2010

The Wisconsin Education Association Council spent nearly twice as much as any other organization to lobby lawmakers in 2009, according to the Government Accountability Board.

The state’s largest teachers union reported spending more than $1.5 million and 7,239 hours lobbying,Teachers union spends big on 2009 lobbying

Teachers union blasts Horsford on education
Friday, March 13, 2009

War of words points to fraying of coalition to stanch budget cuts the hotel room tax increase for education funding approved this week…came in the form of an initiative petition, crafted by the teachers union and three major gaming companies.

The OEA was disappointed to learn today that at least two Oklahoma school districts are passing their tax responsibilities onto the National Board Certified teachers (NBCTs) in their districts.

The Arizona Education Association and Gov. Jan Brewer have joined forces in a campaign to convince voters to pass a 1-cent sales tax increase…for the next three years to pay for education and public safety program
Feb. 23,2010

Palm Springs Teachers Association
January 2009
C. T. A. is in favor of a state sales tax increase of 1% that would raise about $2 billion dollars specifically for schools and classrooms in particular.

Tax collections are down for the year and are projected to decrease further, next year. These anticipated revenue declines of $4 million and contractual increases of $6 million have left the town facing a $10 million deficit.
April 15, 2009

The Carpet City Chronicle recently obtained an email sent by Enfield Teachers’ Association President Mary Lombardo to Board of Education Chairman Andre Greco: The Executive Board has already given you the answer that there will be no concessions…We do not plan to make any public statement. Past practice has proved that to be a mistake.

Schools For Fair Funding
A coalition of 74 Kansas school districts made good on a threat today by formally asking the Supreme Court to reopen a key lawsuit that prompted huge increases in school funding.

Sentinel exclusive
February 06, 2009

The state’s teachers union is betting that parents and educators are so fed up with budget cuts that they’ll help pass a penny sales-tax increase to raise money for schools…to avert an “education disaster,” said Mark Pudlow, spokesman for the Florida Education Association, which is proposing the bill.

Kirk Dillard Endorsed by Teachers Who Want Higher Income Tax State Senator Kirk Dillard has been endorsed by the Illinois Education Association.
January 29, 2010

Kingston school district, teachers’ union at impasse
February 3, 2010

The contract between the district and its teachers’ union, whose membership includes the district’s approximately 700 teachers

Harlem Federation of Teachers AFT/IFT local#540
“The IFT still supports an income tax increase this year to prevent layoffs in schools and in state government.

Well, this is just a sample of what unions are doing to our public learning institutions. Not all public school systems are unionized and I do have sympathy for those non-union teachers who are cast in this negative light.

Teachers are not unlike most Americans currently facing economic hardships. Why should unionized government workers be able to hold the taxpayer hostage, over pay, insurance, benefits, pensions, etc.. if their demands are not met, while those of us out here  are paying these  teacher’s salaries. The unions’ unwillingness to concede on issues while pressing the government to hike taxes on those that pay their salaries show what part they should play in our children’s education. None!

Possibly, the non-unionized teachers should push to ban unionization in the public schools instead of swelling the union’s ranks.

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In case you didn’t notice Harry Reid’s switch from the bi-partisan jobs bill to “his bill”, apparently he went with the Union’s Plan as outlined in the job’s bill letter dated 2-18-10.

Here are the highlighted points in the letter:

• We join the President’s call to Congress, and strongly urge the House and Senate to enact bold legislation that provides immediate relief to people who are out of work and employers that are unable to maintain their workforces. As included in the House legislation, it is critical that substantial fiscal relief be made available to help stabilize State and local governments, and to preserve essential services and safety net programs in our communities and the jobs of tens of thousands of workers around the country.

• Of equal importance…legislation must provide tools for ensuring that stimulus funds go to…those regions where homeowners were targeted by unscrupulous mortgage lenders.

• Appropriate $40 billion a year for two years to create employment opportunities for unemployed and underemployed residents of distressed communities.

• Funds Allocation:

5% for Indian tribes and discretionary grants,
30% allocated to states to be re-granted to small localities
65% to metropolitan cities and counties under the Community Block Grant formula.

• Invest $1 billion to hire workers to maintain and rehabilitate abandoned and foreclosed properties in neighborhoods by appropriating a second round of funds for the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP).

• Provide a work sharing tax credit, as proposed by Rep. John Conyers (D-MI)- The tax credits would be used to pay firms to shorten the typical workweek or work year, while keeping pay constant.

• Extend through FY2011…existing TANF Emergency Contingency Funds, which can be used to create subsidized jobs, as well as to improve access to cash assistance and other one-time assistance for low-income families.

• Provide $20 billion for school maintenance and repair…this could generate 250,000 skilled maintenance and repair jobs.

• Provide $50 billion in capital funds for the lowest-income school districts.

• Prioritize investments in public transportation,

• One percent of all dollars for infrastructure investment should be dedicated to creating a pipeline of workers ready to step into apprenticeship programs and construction careers…ensure that public agencies and contractors receiving federal funds utilize Community Workforce Agreements.

• Prevention of foreclosures

• Allocate $10 billion of appropriated TARP funds to HUD to provide fixed-rate, low-interest loans to unemployed people facing foreclosure who don’t qualify for other assistance.

• Allow homeowners to rent back their homes at market rates for up to ten years following foreclosure…modeled after the Fannie Mae “Deed for Lease”

• Support “cram down” provisions to allow bankruptcy court judges to approve changes to mortgage contracts for homeowners in bankruptcy

Endored By:
AFL-CIO
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
Asian American Justice Center
American Association of People with Disabilities
Campaign for Community Change
Center for Responsible Lending
Coalition on Human Needs
Communications Workers of America
Demos
Economic Policy Institute
Half in Ten
Japanese American Citizens League
Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
National Congress of American Indians
National Council of La Raza
National Partnership for Women and Families
Policy Link
Service Employees International Union
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
United Methodist Church, General Board of Church and Society
United Methodist Episcopal Churches
United States Student Association
United Steelworkers
USAction

Socialism Alert – Those that endorsed such a plan are complicit in bringing about a total socialistic makeover of America. The job creation that the unions have in mind are union jobs. Unions serve no purpose other than to enrich it’s leaders and develop large Democrat voting blocks. However, there’s a bigger threat from unions as they consolidate more power by their continued efforts to turn all public-service jobs into union jobs. The result will be an increased creation of inefficient government jobs that are a taxpayer liability. These jobs pay more than most equivalent private sector jobs, with very lavish benefits, including retirements and pensions (with minimal employee contribution) financed by the taxpayer. Then they can take that taxpayer financed salary to pay union dues and contribute to a socialist political party. When they feel the need for higher salaries, they demand it and strike if refused. Then there’s a good chance they will sue you (the taxpayers) when they don’t get their way.

Their answer: Not to cut back on publicly-financed jobs, or pay more of their insurance contributions, or furlough some workers, or take a pay cut. They want to add more government workers and raise property taxes, taxes on food, taxes on payroll, new user fees, new fines, etc..

They want to promote and support these socialistic goals for America:

AS LONG AS THEY DON’T HAVE TO PAY FOR IT!

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Declaration of Tea Party Independence

I. As the course of human events winds its way through History, it has found some paths lead to Tyranny and some to Liberty. In seeking a path to Liberty, a great and powerful movement is now rising from every corner of our land. Created by the Will of the American People, it rejects unconstitutional domination by the Government that is supposed to be its servant. This movement has arisen, in large part, because our elected officials have failed us.

For much of its history the United States has been a land of prosperity and liberty, sound policies such as fiscal responsibility, constitutionally limited government and a belief in the free market have safeguarded this condition. In recent years however, Congress, the President, the Federal Reserve Board and the Courts have replaced those practices with profligate government spending and expansion of the government power beyond what is constitutionally permissible.

This course, if not reversed, can only lead to economic collapse and tyranny.

Therefore, Individuals acting through the Tea Party Movement, seek to restore the policies, which are proven to safeguard liberty and prosperity for all. We will organize, demonstrate and vote until this restoration has been achieved. We will stay focused on this goal and remain INDEPENDENT from any persons or political parties who seek to distract us from this end.

Many seek to define this Movement, to use it, to lead it, to co-opt it, to channel it, to control it, to defeat it.

WE WILL NOT LET THIS HAPPEN.

The Tea Party Movement is in agreement with our Founders that the government that governs least governs best. We believe that Capitalism – NOT GOVERNMENT – is essential to the creation of wealth and a vastly reduced government provides the foundation for a thriving Capitalist system.

The Tea Party Movement of America embraces and serves people of all races, creeds, religions, and political affiliations, and we declare ourselves to be independent of all those forces that seek to manipulate our actions or control our destiny.

II. We Declare ourselves INDEPENDENT of the Democrat Party and its power drunk junta in Washington DC, which is currently seeking to impose a Socialist agenda on our Republic.

We reject arrogant Left-wing politicians who furtively hide from public scrutiny, as they cut corrupt deals loaded with earmarks and pork in order to produce 2000 page pieces of legislation so purposely incomprehensible, they do not even bother to read them before foisting them upon us.

We reject the endless creation of myriad federal government agencies that drown free enterprise and local control in the swarms of education, energy, ecology, and commerce bureaucrats who style themselves “czars” sent to harass us.

We reject the creation of federal government regulations and agencies which demand the States pay for unfunded Federal mandates.

We reject a Democrat Party which refuses to give credence to our demands for just redress of grievances and which insults and seeks to demonize our legal right to peacefully protest the unjust laws it inflicts upon us.

We reject a profligate Government that is spending TRILLIONS of dollars on worthless socialist schemes designed to bankrupt us and put the American people in a position of dependence on the State, as peasants begging for their very sustenance from self-styled “educated classes” and so-called “experts”.

We reject a foreign policy which bows and scrapes and apologizes before the world for America.

We reject an Attorney General of the United States who offers succor and rights to vicious terrorist murderers and seeks to protect them with a mock civilian trial when such enemy combatants, captured on the field of battle, should be tried in secure military courts.

We reject the claims of an un-elected Federal Judiciary to violate the separation of powers by demanding its decisions be enforced by the other coequal branches of government, regardless of how unconstitutional the other branches of government may think those decisions are.

We reject all acts that ignore or diminish the 2nd and 10th Amendments to the US Constitution and we seek to have all powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution to be reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

III. We Declare ourselves INDEPENDENT of the Republican Party, which has in the past manipulated its Conservative Base to win election after election and which then betrays everything that Base fought for and believed.

We reject the idea that the electoral goals of the Republican Party are identical to the goals of the Tea Party Movement or that this Movement is an adjunct to the Republican Party.

We reject the Republican Party professionals who now seek to use the Tea Party Movement for their corrupt and narrow political purposes.

We acknowledge that standing on our principles does not mean throwing out our common sense; we will NOT abandon our principles in the name of a nonexistent bipartisanship or a misguided devotion to an illusion of “pragmatism”, which disguises a desire to betray us in its name.

We reject the scare tactics of the Republican Party, which seeks to herd us into voting for candidates who supposedly represent the “lesser of two evils” in the name of fealty to the principle of small government and then having to suffer such candidates as they betray that principle. We are not well served by parasites whose livelihoods depend on the very State whose power to reward or sanction we elected them to limit and proscribe.

We insist that the Tea Party Movement does NOT consider the election of Republicans in and of itself to be necessarily beneficial to our goals.

We demand the Republican Party understand that we reject its attempts to co-opt us. WE WILL WORK AGAINST THEM when they oppose our views by trying to force Republicans In Name Only (RINO) on us. When Republicans are in accord with their Conservative Base as well as the Independent voters who align with it, IT WINS; when they are NOT in accord with the Conservative Base and the Independent voters who align with it, IT LOSES.

We reject RINO money; we reject RINO “advice”; we reject RINO “professional experience”; we reject RINO “progressivism”; we reject RINO support of Big Government; we reject RINO back room deal making; we reject RINO pork spending; we reject false RINO professions of Conservative views and we reject the RINO’s statist subversion of the principles of small government for which the Republican Party is supposed to stand.

Republican Party attempts to ignore the will of the Base, as it did in 1976, 1992, 1996, 2006 and 2008, resulted in disaster; when it embraces the will of the Base, as it did in 1980, 1984 and 1994, it wins historic victories.

We demand the Republican Party recognize that while the Tea Party Movement cannot guarantee their aid will help them win elections, it is very likely WE CAN MAKE THEM LOSE if they are disdainful of our goals.

IV. We Declare ourselves INDEPENDENT of the Media, which has proved itself to be anything BUT a fair and balanced enterprise and which focuses more on entertainment, fear mongering and shock value than investigation and unbiased fact.

We reject the fiction that an unbiased media still exists; there is friendly media and there is unfriendly ENE-media. The Tea Party Movement refuses to give false credence to the self-aggrandizing, self-deluding lie that ANY PART of the Fourth Estate is free of the self-serving agendas of those who own them.

V. We Declare ourselves INDEPENDENT of self-styled “leaders” who claim to speak for the Tea Party Movement. This movement is not a brand name to be used to sell product; nor is it a logo to be used to justify profiting off its name.

We reject those who seek to personally capitalize on our popularity and momentum by trying to associate with our cause.

We reject the idea that the Tea Party Movement is “led” by anyone other than the millions of average citizens who make it up. The Tea Party Movement understands that as a Free People, we need to SAVE OURSELVES, BY OURSELVES, FOR OURSELVES. The Tea Party Movement is not “led.” The Tea Party Movement LEADS.

VI. We are united in our common belief in Fiscal Responsibility, Constitutionally Limited Government and Free Markets. This threefold purpose is the source of our unity in the Tea Party Movement.

We reject the idea that the Tea Party Movement must all be unanimous in our specific policy views in order to win. We recognize that the current situation requires we come together in confederation to achieve the MANY MUTUAL GOALS we all seek to accomplish.

We recognize that the current situation requires that we concentrate on the many things we have in common rather than those few things about which we may disagree.

We are the Tea Party Movement of America and we believe in American Exceptionalism.

We believe that American Exceptionalism is found in its devotion to the cause of Liberty.

We believe that Liberty is based in rational self-interest, in freedom of thought, in free markets, free association, free speech, a free press and the ability granted us under the Constitution TO DIRECT OUR OWN AFFAIRS FREE OF THE DICTATES OF AN EVER EXPANDING FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WHICH IS AS VORACIOUS IN ITS DESIRE FOR POWER AS IT IS INCOMPETENT AND DANGEROUS IN ITS EXERCISE.

We believe that either fate or history has chosen this Country to be a beacon of freedom and prosperity to the whole world because of America’s belief in and vigorous defense of political and economic Liberty. The United States has been the instrument of Liberty against the many tyrannies that have threatened the people of this world.

The Tea Party Movement rejects the idea that America has to apologize to a far guiltier world that has been largely unappreciative of the sacrifices made on their behalf by the brave and noble members of our Armed Forces, whose sacrifice and patriotic service in our defense makes all else possible.

The Tea Party Movement rejects the imposition of “transformational change” performed on our Nation by smug elites who call themselves the “educated class”.

The Tea Party Movement understands that our Nation is NOT the same thing as our government and that America is much more than simply a militarily and economically powerful State.

The Tea Party Movement sees America as something exceptional, as something unique, as something that came into existence to fulfill the hope of all previous generations that longed for freedom. It came into existence because it is more than simply a country with land and population and riches and armaments. America came into existence because LIBERTY is an eternal concept in the mind of both God AND Man.
The United States of America came into existence because Mankind needs freedom the same way it needs food and air and property and security and love. And what is freedom other than the RIGHT to be free of the tyranny of Government and the elitist, self-styled aristocrats who seek to run it at our expense and to our detriment?

The Tea Party Movement will fight this danger to our Liberty as long as its members have breath in their bodies. When America didn’t exist men and women were compelled to invent it, BECAUSE MANKIND CANNOT EXIST WITHOUT FREEDOM AND STILL BE FULLY HUMAN.

To this goal we mutually pledge to each other, as our Founding Fathers did over two centuries ago, our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.

February 24, 2010

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Isn’t it interesting how the progressives have changed their tune, now that they are in the majority?

Could the current politicians in Washington be bigger hypocrites? I don’t think so…

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Reconciliation is bad – that is if you are having the reconciliation process used against you in Congress. In a Sept. 2008 Cspan interview with Tom Daschle, Harry is clear about not using the Nuclear Option. No embedding allowed, so here’s the link: 195169&start=3006&end=3124

In specific reference to the Nuclear Option being used by Harry Reid in the future:

Daschle : Is there any likelihood that we’re going to face circumstances like that again.

Reid: As long as I’m the leader, NO!

Now fast forward to this week:

You’d think these crooks would cover their lies better than this.  What do you expect from crazy people. So, is Harry psychotic or just a liar. or both.

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I couldn’t resist. Join Nancy for a workout. LOL

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No Arnie, you will go nowhere else in politics. How did a man, obviously a raging Progressive, become a Governor representing the Republican party. I guess this actor didn’t work out too good for the (R) party unless you’re a necon. Oh, I forgot the Republicans are controlled by the Neoconservatves.

So, his interview in a nutshell: the Tea Parties won’t go anywhere, the Republicans are the party of no, and Obama needs to keep ramming his agenda up America’s rear because it will eventually get through.

Tea Parties will especially thrive as long as we continue having Progressive Posers claiming they represent conservatism in this country. This clown can’t even speak English correctly. Hell, foreigner Hugo Chavez speaks better English than fellow comrade Schwarzenegger does.

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If you didn’t happen to catch the straw poll announcement at CPAC, you missed an odd occurrence. When Ron Paul was announced as the winner, we heard a smattering of applause and cheers that were quickly drowned out by loud boos, but when 2nd place Mitt Romney’s name was announced, the crowd cheered loudly. Go figure.. The breakdown of the vote is as follows…

• Paul 31%
• Romney 22%
• Palin 7%
• Pawlenty 6%
• Pence 5%
• Huckabee 4%
• Gingrich 4%

I know that in the past, CPAC was dominated by the GOP establishment types, but why do so many of them hate Ron Paul? I don’t get it. I don’t always agree with Paul on Foreign policy issues, but why do so many neocons label him a kook? The press and blogs, on both the left and the right, including Fox News, are complicit in propagating the notion Paul is somehow out of touch. I don’t think he’s a kook. I think he’s right on about 90% of the issues.

There were more boos in the crowd when Paul’s name was announced -vs- cheers when Romney’s name was announced. Yet, 31% of the voters in the poll supported Paul. There is a definite disconnect here and a clear split that is hard to explain.

I’m not saying that I would support Paul for president but do I prefer him over Romney. Romney is just another progressive GOP establishment puppet and he’s about the last person I’d support for president.

Romney is just another Obama style politician, who will say or do anything to get elected. He’s the same progressive who brought a failed universal heath care “mandate” to Massachusetts. He dramatically raised government “fees” to pay for all the spending, while claiming he didn’t raise taxes (fees -vs- taxes). Doesn’t that sound like the same old BS we see all the time from our politicians?

I don’t see how putting the same establishment politicians back in office is going to change anything. Is Romney kind of person real conservatives and those in Tea Party movement can get behind? I hope not.

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