Such a lot hoopla over taxes--
Face it--there are only 2 types of people for higher taxes--those who depend on taxes for their livelyhood and those doing the political postering. Don't belive in 60 years I've ever heard anyone say--They need to raise my taxes.
The ordeal in Wisconsin is huge--and will certainly shape 2012 elections.
You only have to look at post office vs fed ex and ups--ones goes billions in the hole every year the others are profitable. The gov needs to be down sided dramatically not expanded.
Lots of info coming out most were not aware of-and even union members are tired of being forced to contribute financially to political party they do may not agree.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703293204576105760131773034.html
The Showdown Over Public Union Power
At last, politicians and voters are fighting back against the most potent lobby for government spending and ever-higher taxes.
Government workers have taken to the streets in Madison, Wis., to battle a series of reforms proposed by Gov. Scott Walker that include allowing workers to opt out of paying dues to unions. Everywhere that this "opt out" idea has been proposed, unions have battled it vigorously because the money they collect from dues is at the heart of their power.
Unions use that money not only to run their daily operations but to wage political campaigns in state capitals and city halls. Indeed, public-sector unions especially have become the nation's most aggressive advocates for higher taxes and spending. They sponsor tax-raising ballot initiatives and pay for advertising and lobbying campaigns to pressure politicians into voting for them. And they mount multimillion dollar campaigns to defeat efforts by governors and taxpayer groups to roll back taxes.
Early last year, for example,
Oregon's unions spearheaded a successful battle to pass ballot measures 66 and 67, which collectively raised business and income taxes in the state by an estimated $727 million annually. Led by $2 million from the Oregon Education Association and $1.8 million from the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), unions contributed an estimated 75% of the nearly $7 million raised to promote the tax increases, according to the National Institute on Money in State Politics.
Also in 2010,
teachers unions and public-safety unions in Arizona were influential players in the successful ballot campaign to increase the state's sales tax to 6.6% from 5.6% to raise an additional $1 billion. Some state business groups also supported the tax increase in the vain hope that the legislature would roll back business and investment taxes. The public unions, by contrast, wanted the tax hike precisely to avoid government spending cuts.
In Washington state there was a ballot measure last November that would have raised $2 billion by imposing an income tax on those earning more than $200,000. The media portrayed the political fight as a battle among the rich. That's because William H. Gates Sr, father of Microsoft founder Bill Gates, supported the tax, while Microsoft's current chief executive, Steve Ballmer and Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos opposed it.
But unions were the real power behind the scenes. According to Ballotpedia.com, state and national SEIU locals gave $2.5 million, while the National Education Association and Washington teachers union locals contributed $900,000 to the $6 million campaign for the new income tax. In the end, Washingtonians voted down the tax, in part because they feared it would eventually be expanded to everyone.
Tax and spend--sound familiar?
++++++++++++++++++++++++
--pulse check on issue
What Should the Wisconsin Governor Do?
<LABEL class=pds-feedback-label>Negotiate a compromise bill with State Senate Democrats 5.2% (7,234 votes) </LABEL>
<LABEL class=pds-feedback-label>Ask Republicans to pull the bill and find another way to cut spending 1.79% (2,497 votes) </LABEL>
<LABEL class=pds-feedback-label>Draw a line in the sand: If you want to keep your job, get back to work -- otherwise, you're fired
92.21% (128,364 votes) </LABEL>
<LABEL class=pds-feedback-label>Other (post a comment) 0.8% (1,108 votes) </LABEL>
Total Votes: 139,203
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2011/02/21/decide-wisconsin-gov-scott-walker/
