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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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 think those of us who were part of the current Tea Party movement from the beginning, who  definitely question our government, anticipated attacks from the media, liberals, and progressives. We knew that this movement was at risk of being hijacked by the GOP if the Tea parties grew our numbers of grass-roots activists significantly. However, considering that the neoconservatives destroyed the political party that once represented conservative Americans, I had hoped they had been fully exposed and duly disposed. We knew these war-hawkish windbags were slick as proven from their exodus of the Progressive Democratic Party ranks. They then proceeded to utilized their chameleon-like attributes to create the Progressive Republican faction. We knew they had the big bucks and the support of media king neocon, Ruppert Murdock.

During the nauseating Presidential campaigns of 2008, we got to see how severely fractured our political system is. The choices from the so-called two major parties were a flaming progressive and a moderate progressive. It felt more like choosing between two Democrats. Let’s turn our attention to Republican Progressive faction of the GOP. I don’t believe I need to prove John McCain is a progressive. Unfortunately, for Sarah Palin, guilt by association makes her a progressive. To top off that guilt by association, Palin’s vetting as a VP candidate was handled by master neocon Henry Kissinger. Seeing that most media outlets and political blog/forum sites have examined and scrutinized Palin endlessly, I won’t partake in that activity. Unfortunately for America, she has become a cult star, with a following eerily similar to those of Obama cult movement leading up to his Presidency.

This is the same cult-like behaviour that pushed Obama into the Presidency. These cult followers are the ones who can tell you who won American Idol in 2006, but can’t tell you who the first five Presidents of the United States were, or recite any of the U.S Constitution, or name the capital of Rhode Island. The mindset of the majority of the voting public is ass-backward. Heck, I bet if you took Palin, dressed her up in a super skimpy tight skirt, put a guitar in her hand ,and let her lip sink next to Bruce Springsteen at a U.N. global warming relief benefit, she would win the hearts of millions of mindless Progressive Democrats. Even though they currently claim to hate her, I think they’re just mad they got stuck with Hillary.

By the way, my background (in no particular order) – I despise politicians, love statesmen, question my governments’ motives, dislike most TV, loath the liberal entertainment business, think all media is in the tank for progressive globalism, believe that financial mad scientist (banks and federal government) gamed our economic system for private financial gain at the expense of 99.9% of Americans, think 80% of American are mindless sheep, that credit is a great banking scam, materialism is overrated, think that there’s only one major political party in America, don’t believe the Constitution of the United States is a “living, breathing document”, and our Constitutional Republic is the best governmental system to ever exist. Oh yea, and I think Sarah Palin is a GOP Neocon plant.

The Tea Parties in 2009 experienced a groundswell of grass-roots organizing that was impressive. On cue, the liberal media began their attacks. Those attacks were often constructive in terms of the information the media was willing to dig up in order to discredit the Tea Party patriots. Of course, one of the media’s rallying cries was that this was GOP astroturfing, and in fact, they provided evidence of GOP involvement in a couple of purported Tea Party organizations. It appears GOP rank and file are trying to lure these former GOP, now pissed off Neo-Tea Partiers back under that crusty and moldy big tent. No surprises, right.

Then Sarah Palin was announced as a keynote speaker at a purported Nashville Tea Party-related event, where tickets were available in the $325.00 range. I’m not going to analyse this either, but many of us saw it coming. The primary focus of the Nashville convention was how to take back the GOP. So, the same people who killed the GOP now seek to utilize this true grass-roots movement to re-fill their ranks and return to Bush-Oligarch, war-hawking policies that have contributed to America’s demise. Now the GOP has found religion since the Democrats in control happen to be a bit more progressive than they are. So now, Sarah Palin, former running mate of Progressive Republican John McCain is now a Tea Party patriot, with the backing of Fox News. She collects speaking fees at these so-called Tea Party events to donate to her PAC that donates to the pack of Cap-n-Tax/Amnesty supporters like John McCain and Lindsey Graham. Sarah Palin is an “old school” GOP shill and very Neo-conservative on defense. Her “common sense mantra” ad infinitum ironically seems to affect her cult followers that lack the common sense needed to reign in an out of control government.

Believe it not I’m not one of those “Sarah Palin haters”. In fact, I kind of like her, but knew something was wrong when she became a GOP mouthpiece. I even think she’s pretty hot (not as much as Bachman though), but I’m not going to turn into a drooling cult-like zombie offering my unconditional support. Then I would find myself having to justify my stupor and claim that even though I oppose progressive Republcans, my idolatrous attraction to Palin excuses her support of progressive Republicans. Then I could erroneously claim that my support of Palin, who supports John McCain and Lindsey Graham, doesn’t indicate that I’m progressive and then proceed to call anyone stupid who disagrees. That seems to be the MO of these Palin idol worshippers. Sarah Palin seems like a nice person, but unfortunately, I think most of the true Tea Party patriots know that Palin is very effective GOP spokesperson and master recruiter of the newly branded and healed political party. That’s perfectly fine, but Palin does not represent the Tea Party patriots.

For those still having doubt about Sarah Palin’s alliances to the GOP and the GOP’s desire to turn the Tea Party patriots into your standard rank and file progressive Republicans, she clears it up clearly in a speech given at an Arkansas GOP fundraiser this past Tuesday. Here is what CBS reported:

“Now the smart thing will be for independents who are such a part of this Tea Party movement to, I guess, kind of start picking a party,” Palin said. “Which party reflects how that smaller, smarter government steps to be taken? Which party will best fit you? And then because the Tea Party movement is not a party, and we have a two-party system, they’re going to have to pick a party and run one or the other: ‘R’ or ‘D’.”

Palin said that the Republican platform best meshed with the Tea Party’s creed.

Palin reinforced her neoconservative tendencies, when prompted to answer a pre-screened question as to what was America’s biggest threat. In a remark that would make Dick Cheney and Bill Crystal proud, she indicated

“that a nuclear weapon in the hands of a regime or terrorist group was the biggest threat to the country.”

In other words, “boo, Al Qaeda is still under your bed”. How about stopping our government and banks from their brutal and relentless financial pillaging of America, while they send in their vultures to pick through the carcass of American capitalism. That, in turn, has resulted in a crash of our economy with high unemployment numbers. The other major threat comes from the Federal Government that does not obey our Constitution, which they consider obsolete. I’m afraid that’s not the response you will get from a neocon.

So, Ms. Palin, please stick to the GOP Rhinos and Neocons because that’s what many of us are running away from. We don’t have to pick a party. How about we pick or approve the candidates and if you choose to go against us, your challengers could be rewarded. Listen to us and we’ll guide constitutional government back into place. Keep trying to destroy the Tea Party movement and you will eventually align a host of people from the left and the right that will render America’s two party system obsolete. Come on. I dare ya.

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This is not a Democrat-Republican issue. This is not about the fact that since KIrk is still voting, why couldn’t the Senate go ahead and ram healthcare legislation through Congress.  This act is about an unrepresentative Congress. Perhaps some Massachusetts voters could argue that Kirk’s vote still represents their views, but it doesn’t change the fact that this one vote affects how every American is represented in Congress.

Breitbart’s BigGovernment covers the issue very well here. It is spelled out that once Scott Brown (R-Ma) was elected, Kirk became a non-member of Congress. Regardless of the support or opposition to whatever legislation Kirk is voting on, members of both parties should have not allowed the vote.

Logic leads one to conclude that the Republicans have not opposed Mr. Kirk’s voting because it allows some of them to actually not have to vote yes on unpopular and insane legislation that they really support.

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That’s what Obama will say. And technically he may be right. But he’s going to let a lot of tax cuts expire.

The targeted tax provisions were enacted under the Bush administration’s Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001. Among other things, the law lowered individual tax rates, slashed taxes on capital gains and dividends, and steadily scaled back the estate tax to zero in 2010.

If the provisions are allowed to expire on December 31, the top-tier personal income tax rate will rise to 39.6 percent from 35 percent. But lower-income families will pay more as well: the 25 percent tax bracket will revert back to 28 percent; the 28 percent bracket will increase to 31 percent; and the 33 percent bracket will increase to 36 percent. The special 10 percent bracket is eliminated.

Investors will pay more on their earnings next year as well, with the tax on dividends jumping to 39.6 percent from 15 percent and the capital-gains tax increasing to 20 percent from 15 percent. The estate tax is eliminated this year, but it will return in 2011 — though there has been talk about reinstating the death tax sooner.

Backdoor taxes to hit middle class

Aptly phrased I think

Middle-class families also will find fewer tax breaks available to them in 2010 if other popular tax provisions are allowed to expire. Among them:

Taxpayers who itemize will lose the option to deduct state sales-tax payments instead of state and local income taxes;

The $250 teacher tax credit for classroom supplies;

The tax deduction for up to $4,000 of college tuition and expenses;

Individuals who don’t itemize will no longer be able to increase their standard deduction by up to $1,000 for property taxes paid;

The first $2,400 of unemployment benefits are taxable, in 2009 that amount was tax-free.

Teachers should stop using their own money to supply the classrooms and tell little johnny and sally that it’s Obama’s Fault.

Parents should make their college kids get a job and some burger joint to make up for the taxes they have to pay for their tuition, tell them it’s Obama’s Fault

The Unemployed should know who’s fault it is they have to pay taxes on the benefits they receive, it’s Obama’s Fault.

The parallel is striking though.

These were tax cuts put in place by the Bush Administration during the last decade. those tax reductions helped led to some of the strongest growth this nation had (in spite of the speculative bubble that was created by relaxing investment rules). So we are now in an unprecedented economic downturn, and instead of taking the example from History of how tax cuts generate growth. The liberal leadership want to tax and spend us to prosperity. Well they have been trying this for 2 years now, hows that working out for us?

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Perhaps it’s old news that Sarah Palin supporters and Tea Party participants are extremely upset over Sarah Palin’s agreement to speak for a $100,000 fee at a for-profit event organized by Tea Party Nation. Considering most of the Tea Party supporters are just plain folk, I think they should be upset with Palin’ speaking fee and the fact it costs over $500 per person to attend.

Today, it’s reported that one of my favorite Congresspersons, Michele Bachmann is pulling out. Marsha Balckburn (R-TN) has announced she is cancelling her speaking engagement as well. Perhaps they claim to have different reasons for backing out, I believe Bachmann realizes the backlash she’ll experience for speaking a this Tea Party Nation event.

As reported:

Reps. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) have withdrawn from their speaking slots at the National Tea Party Convention after controversy mounted about how proceeds would be used.

The reported reason for the Bachmann and Blackburn cancellation:

Reps. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) have withdrawn from their speaking slots at the National Tea Party Convention after controversy mounted about how proceeds would be used…

“Due to conflicting advice on whether Rep. Bachmann’s participation in the upcoming Tea Party Nation Convention would be in line with the Committee on Standards, Congresswoman Bachmann has decided not to participate in the event,” said spokeswoman Debbee Keller…

The Tennessee Republican said…”I spoke to Judson Phillips this morning and let him know that I could not participate in the convention. I told him frankly that Tea Party Nation’s for-profit status has put many of his speakers in an awkward position,”

I have always had the feeling that Palin would be folded back into the GOP machine, especially with her reluctance to come right out and declare support for the Tea Parties. Even if she were to cancel her speaking engagement, her declared support of GOP Rino/Progressive John McCain is deal breaker. Seeing that Dick Armey’s FreedomWorks is not going to support any John McCain opponents (backing the establishment), maybe Sarah will go join Dick and they can promote corruption together.

Sarah Palin is a sell-out and a GOP shill.  Good luck with that Sarah Palin.

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