Chris Christie: "This is the Crap I Have to Deal With From The Teachers Union" (VIDEO)
Video: New Jersey Governor Chris Christie in Gloucester Township, Camden County discussing the teachers' union and educating children in New Jersey -- Sep. 14, 2010
Awesome new clip.
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I'm not picking on teachers. But sacrifices must be made in order for states to remain solvent. In New Jersey, prior to Christie's changes, no teacher or anyone in their family ever paid a 'dime' for health care from the day hired until their death.
Christie is asking for a 1.5% contribution (that's 1.5 not 15) from teacher salaries toward future health care coverage. Coming from the private sector where 20-50% required health-care contributions are commonplace, I have exactly zero sympathy for irate educators.
Furthermore, as long as we're on the subject, let me be clear about my position:
- I have nothing against public employees, teachers, cops, etc. My problem is with the outrageous benefits they recieve on OUR DIME. Who the hell gets a pension anymore anyway...no one EXCEPT public employees. If their pension is underfunded and performed poorly in the stock market then the rest of us taxpayers, who have NO PENSION, are forced to bailout the folks who do. It's fundamentally an issue of fairness.
Meanwhile:
TRENTON, N.J. — The security guards at the headquarters of New Jersey's pension fund have never seen anything like it before: lines of public employees extending out the door and into the street.
Day after day, workers come in droves to apply for retirement. They often line up before dawn.
The rush has been set off in part by Republican Gov. Chris Christie's campaign in this cash-strapped state to make government employment — and retirement — less lucrative.
Since 2008, New Jersey and at least 19 other states from Wyoming to Rhode Island have rolled back pension benefits or seriously considered doing do — and not just for new hires, but for current employees and people already retired.
After telegraphing his intentions for months, Christie spelled out the details of his proposal Tuesday. They include: repealing an increase in benefits approved years ago; eliminating automatic cost-of-living adjustments; raising the retirement age to 65 from 60 in many cases; reducing pension payouts for many future retirees; and requiring some employees to contribute more to their pensions.
"We must reverse the damage caused by fairy-tale promises that have fattened benefits and pensions to unsustainable levels," the governor said.
To be sure, the looming benefit changes are not the only reason many public employees in New Jersey are retiring. Some say they want out for the usual reasons — to spend time with the grandchildren or go fishing, for example — or complain that government layoffs and other cutbacks are making work unbearable. But other employees figure that by retiring now, they can lock in certain benefits before it is too late.
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Previously on the Bail:
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Screenshot
Awesome new clip. Runs 90 seconds.
Sep 15, 2010 at 3:54 PM
Reader Comments (11)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xzy0GBejMc
Two years later, my company is again producing profits as we'd become accustomed to; at industry high levels. Our people are tired, sometimes cranky and most times overworked. But we are again hiring, giving raises and performing at an unbelievably high level. And in a recent engagement survey, our co-workers rated their experience in the top 10% of all companies using this instrument.
Why does this matter? Because, simply put, we were honest with our co-workers. We made the tough decisions. We all shared in the process and the sacrifices. And now we are able to perform.
What do you think the odds are that will ever be the case with the New Jersey teachers union? Or any "gotta get mine" government funded group?
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=203989
Obama is spending stimulus cash on his 2012 campaign, he is a dog.
After decades of expanding political clout, organized labor is finding voters increasingly unreceptive to its high-tax message.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703466704575490043018544042.html
Brand new story from today...posted after my article so it wasn't included...
Where is the power that so many fear?
Currently approximately 14% of the workforce in the USA are unionized. That's only less than half of the rate in Britain, where 43% are unionized, and much less than Sweden where 87% are unionized. In public service out of the total 14%, only around 43% of them are unionized. Many do not vote party line. Union membership has been falling for 50 years along with compensation and benefits for all of society.
Christie and all politicians should lead by example and drastically slash their own wages, end their retirements and start up non matching 403b's that are payroll deducted, and drop their medical for the good of the taxpayers and America as a whole.
After all, it is what they want us to do. LEAD POLITICIANS, LEAD!!! to the bottom of the abyss.
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I agree completely...still you have to be impressed by what christie accomplished...he cut $11 billion in spending, balanced the budget and did it without raising income or property taxes...
Their retirement comes out of our pocket, so they are really not concerned with markets, or they would not keep repeating the cycles of indulgence for their true masters so willingly.
But we all know that WILL Neaver happen, but it works every time they want us Sheeple to re-elect them, dont it.
Their retirement comes out of our pocket, so they are really not concerned with markets, or they would not keep repeating the cycles of indulgence for their true masters so willingly.
&&&&&& we all know who thier "Masters" are, dont we..................... For 20 years I've said, "WTF" I can vote but it means Nothing.
The masters control the voting machines, and it will turn out just the way they will it to be. Our voive is in the Toilet, with the rest of the people. Please dont give up hope, its not all lost, yeat.....................