The badgering of Badger union members falls upon deaf ears!

What part of the ‘shared sacrifice’ President Obama calls for do the teachers’ unions not understand? With so many people under and unemployed, do the teachers not realize how fortunate they are to have employment with taxpayers contributing towards their insurance and retirement? The badgering of the Badger union members and all of the ‘Hessians’ sent from outside the state to distort the numbers is falling upon deaf ears!

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As those at the Fed cavalierly state that full employment is several years away, many people of all ages are living through an economy that is denying them the opportunity to pursue the American Dream. Most of these displaced individuals would welcome a steady income, even without benefits. Instead of focusing upon the visible, let’s look at the invisible among us, those who are seeing their quality of life being drained as they attempt to subsist. Many of those still employed have accepted cuts in income and/or benefits, or have accepted employment below what their skills and experience could demand in a more vibrant economy. With these concessions, many of these individuals can no longer fund a 401(k), if even offered by his/her employer, and/or IRAs, or even an emergency fund. Daily life has become an ongoing emergency. For those who are Form-1099 income earners, they do not even have the benefit of up to 99 weeks of unemployment ‘benefits,’ so for many of these individuals, life has not even been this kind. The longer these individuals are denied the opportunity to earn a livable income, the less opportunity they have to have access to good quality health insurance, or invest for their retirement. The older segment of victims, who would traditionally be in their highest income-earning years, is seeing its future being eclipsed with a devastation that will be felt for extended generations. While generalities are just that, generalities, they do allow for apt comparisons. The chart of differences between private sector and public sector employees, as displayed on page A3 of the February 19-20, 2011 Wall Street Journal, acts like Dorothy’s dog, Toto, in the magic land of OZ! It pulls back the curtain on the facts that union management is proud of garnering in private, but reluctant to acknowledge in the light of day. With many states facing ‘Katrina’-like financial challenges, many people are ignorant of the changes necessary to allow states to operate constitutionally. It is human nature to resist concessions. In challenging times, aren’t we supposed to come together, and not be split asunder by those who benefit from division and jealousy? Will the ‘nimrods’ who constructed the ‘Tower of Babel of benefits’ on the backs of the taxpayers ever display the character to admit their folly? Will many who are now marching and following those who are building enmity between factions of citizens, find themselves on the opposite side, and only then realize how fortunate they had been? Aren’t we encouraged to count our blessings? Greed and jealousy have toppled many a man over the years. The character of all of us is being tested; will we answer the call, or will we shrink from our responsibilities as individuals and as a nation? Wisconsin can be a beachhead for positive change, or a modern-day Waterloo for our tepid economy!