Governor Scott Walker's Policies Should Be the Gold Strandard: Rein In Public Employees Greed

THE DOCTOR IS IN
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LAS VEGAS - Hello America, and how is the world treating you?

Wisconsin union workers march and protest and commit fraud as they do it. Many of these public workers, especially teachers stayed away from their paid job and forced schools to close for a number of days. They pulled a sick out. These same employees that called in sick joined other public employees that were bused into the Wisconsin Capitol in an effort to show large protest numbers .Is what they did fraud? I would think so. The employees left their job and then instead of staying home (if they were indeed sick) chose to march on the Capitol and protest. Is that fraud against the taxpayers?

A few days ago many of these union workers who have been protesting for days were picking up sick leave slips from their union representatives who had pads and reams of slips at the protest and the union protesters had a doctor that was present sign the sick leave slips.Yes, I would suggest that's fraud. I would also suggest further that both the protesters and the doctor(s) who was present signing the sick day slips should be held accountable for their possible illegal actions.

Here's some of what occurred at this protest: For those that watched the television coverage they could see a very competent female television person/reporter posing some hard questions to a union representative that was handing out these (bogus) sick leave slips. She confronted and asked the representative if it was a fraudulent act to hand protesters sick leave slips and then direct them to a doctor standing by so that he could sign the slips. The union representative answered in vague terms and at times would not respond. The reporter then asked the union representative why the act could not be construed as fraud saying: "I stood in line and picked up a sick leave slip?" And, I'm not even a member of this union. The representative's answer- - nothing.

What a racket these union people have going for themselves .They were not working at the position they were hired to perform, (i.e., teaching our children) but instead they fake illness and want to receive credit and/or pay for the sick day(s) and cheat the parents of the children (taxpayers) by not showing up for their work which they were hired to do. Then , they are sleazy enough to have sick day slips signed by an on site doctor. One of my questions would be: Does the hard working private sector taxpayer want these type persons teaching their children? I wouldn't.

Kudos to Governor Scott Walker. I sincerely hope he stands his ground and curtails the bargaining power of these public employee unions. This governor is doing the right thing. If there is no money to pay wages and benefits something has to give. The unions do not want to hear there is no money . They just continue to make outrageous, greedy demands wanting the lawmakers to continue to tax and penalize the private sector workers and their families so that they can continue their slopping at the trough.

The unions actually feel that they are "entitled", no matter what. Each year or every contract term they pressure the lawmakers for guaranteed annual salary step increases, cost of living ( COLA's ), merit pay, bonuses, vacation and sick time, pension and retirement benefits and free, or near free health care for themselves and their families for life. Each and every contract date they push for more and more benefits for themselves and often time the sad part is that the lawmakers continue the giveaway bonanza just for union support at the polls. No one in the private sector could ever imagine getting such benefits as these public employees are being given.

Back in the early 1900's unions may have been a good thing. They had good intentions. They were originally designed for the private sector worker to improve their working conditions and provide equal, fair pay for the job being performed. Unions were never intended for "PUBLIC EMPLOYEES". I would think at this point in time that Wisconsin is sorry they ever began the movement to unionize these public employees back in 1959.

In today's modern times unions are not needed anymore because we have laws on the books looking out for equal pay, discrimination, and good working conditions and workers rights in most every occupation in the nation. Public employee union members only look to better their own financial future and look at their job as only a guaranteed position that they cannot be fired from without years of litigation. Union bargaining rights should be abolished completely. Example: An acquaintance of mine had reason to go to a county social center recently, at the county office there was a long line and seven (7) windows were available but only two (2) were manned by the public employees. However, sitting at a table not ten feet away behind the counters were at least seven public employees gabbing and passing the breeze ignoring the long line of taxpayers that came to them for help. Example#2: How many time have you gone to the post office or the Motor Vehicle Department and the same situation existed where there are maximum number of employees collecting paychecks but a minimum number of employees actually doing the job they are paid to do? Many stand around watching others do the work even though customers are waiting for service. Another example, I recently saw a newscast segment and I observed at least six (6) county road workers by a pothole. One man was repairing the area but there were five(5) others were just standing there, doing absolutely nothing other than watching this guy do the work. Unions? Public Employees? That type of work is par for the course for these people. One person does the job and five or six other are on the payroll just collecting money just because they belong to the union.

Every private sector worker goes on their job knowing exactly what the pay scale is.They can either take the position or look elsewhere. They have no guarantee that the salary will increase each and every year and they do not know if their salary will be reduced. They do not receive automatic pay step increases for their work, they do not have a guaranteed pension/retirement plan nor do they have the opportunity to enjoy free medical care. And as to to their pension, a private sector worker is lucky if they have a (401 (k) plan.

I submit that all of the public employees, such as police officers, fire men and women, teachers, and all other who currently enjoy the obscene salaries and benefits as a public employee should be:
1. Put into the Social Security program (as all private sector workers are required to be in).
2. Immediately remove all public employee pensions and retirement plans and place all of those people into a (401(k) retirement vehicle like all private sector workers.
3. Cease all automatic step increases for a job position. Quote an annual salary as in private sector work. The person either can take the position or look elsewhere for a job.
4. Stop all (COLA's), No one in the private sector can count on receiving annual pay increases.
5. End all automatic sick and vacation pay. Adjust sick days and vacation pay in parity with a private sector employee. Sick days, (only a few days a year) ; vacation pay (within first three years of employment, one week vacation, after five years, two weeks, after ten years on the job the public employee gets three weeks vacation, after fifteen years, possibly four weeks vacation, as the agency may see fit.
6. No free or near free health care for public employees and their families for life. Let public employees do the same thing as any person in the private work force. Most private sector people have to pay a large share of their health plan costs and it's not guaranteed for life. Put all public employees in the same health plans that the private sector worker has to depend on.

Public employees have been on a gravy train for decades and even now President Obama is trying to pander to the unions for their votes in the next election by siding with the powerful unions in this Wisconsin situation. His acts of supporting the unions seems to be akin to extortion or bribery. For example, "I'll look out for you and give in to all of your obscene demands if your union members vote for me."

The spineless politicians have been playing this game for years of " I'll give you anything for union member votes." It has been played out over and over again on city, county, state and federal levels. In fact, in this Wisconsin dispute the incompetent lawmakers (mostly Democrats) actually ignored their job of representing the people of their state and ran out of the state and went into hiding instead of standing up in the state Capitol and discussing and voting on Governor Walker's bill. It's their job to do the states business and register their voice in votes for or against an issue and NOT run out of state.

What a bunch of losers these runaway lawmakers are. They abandoned their job, the taxpayers and the country instead of addressing the matter in the state chambers. These idiots that left the state should be arrested and also should be thrown out of office. But, anything for the vote, right? Because of actions like these most every city, county, state government is on the brink of bankruptcy.

Instead of insisting that public employees rein in their greed the lawmakers continue to dole out lavish salaries and benefits at the expense of the hard working private sector employee.

I say it's time for Governors to stand up to these PUBLIC EMPLOYEE unions and say "NO." We have one brave, intelligent lawmaker in Wisconsin doing just that, where are the others across the country?

I would suggest that each and every state in the nation should go into bankruptcy which would allow them to negate and void out all union contracts. Once the contracts are null and void the states could begin from square one and use reasonable and prudent hiring practices offering a reasonable salary and set terms and conditions like the private sector employees adhere too. - And, that's my opinion. Make your own decisions. You decide.

Bradley W. Kuhns, Ph.D., O.M.D.
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Dr. Kuhns can be reached by e-mail at:
bradleykuhns@gmail.com