Pirate's Cove

Of course, they want to do this because it just makes sense, not because they are big meanies like those Republicans In Wisconsin. So, will all the usual Left side agitators show up and protest at the NY Times building? State Workers and N.Y.’s Fiscal Crisis

At a time when public school students are being forced into ever more crowded classrooms, and poor families will lose state medical benefits, New York State is paying 10 times more for state employees’ pensions than it did just a decade ago.

That huge increase is largely because of Albany’s outsized generosity to the state’s powerful employees’ unions in the early years of the last decade, made worse when the recession pushed down pension fund earnings, forcing the state to make up the difference.

Although taxpayers are on the hook for the recession’s costs, most state employees pay only 3 percent of their salaries to their pensions, half the level of most state employees elsewhere. Their health insurance payments are about half those in the private sector.

In all, the salaries and benefits of state employees add up to $18.5 billion, or a fifth of New York’s operating budget. Unless those costs are reined in, New York will find itself unable to provide even essential services.

Not mentioned is that it was generosity of Democrats in Albany. Unions raise money for Democrats, campaign for Democrats, get Democrats elected, and then Democrats wash the union’s backs with very generous contracts.

To point out these alarming facts is not to be anti- union, or anti-worker. In recent weeks, Republican politicians in the Midwest have distorted what should be a serious discussion about state employees’ benefits, cynically using it as a pretext to crush unions.

See? If the Times editorial board says it, they are just being reasonable, responsible, and adult. If Republicans do it, they have some ulterior motives and are just big meanies. Are we clear on that? Just because the Times wants to use pretty much most of the Wisconsin (and Ohio) plan, doesn’t mean they are anti-union or anti-worker, of course not.

New York does not need that sort of destructive game playing. What it needs is a sober examination of the high costs of wages and benefits, and some serious proposals to rein them in while remaining fair to hard-working government employees.

Me thinks they doth protest too much. But, of course, they say that Gov. Cuomo, a Democrat, is doing it correctly. Either way, he seems to be attempting to bust some of the power of public sector unions in New York, so, get on your little bikes, hop in your kool aid powered vehicles, and head to Albany, Liberals! Show us what Democracy looks like with a good old fashioned loud, and filthy, along with property destructive, demonstration. Or, are you demonstrating in Wisconsin and Ohio simply because there is a Republican in the Governor’s mansion?

Reading further on, and reading into what they write, what the Times editorial board wants is to change collective bargaining rights for pay. Interesting, because Scott Walker doesn’t want to do that. They like that Cuomo wants to increase the State retirement age, increase worker contributions to their own pensions, and end the use of overtime in calculating pensions. Also, they like that Cuomo wants to increase the contributions made by workers to their own health insurance. Pretty much what Wisconsin and Ohio are doing, yet, the Times is cool with Cuomo. I wonder why? Couldn’t be because he’s a Democrat, right?

Unlike Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin, Governor Cuomo is not trying to break the unions. He is pressing them to accept a salary freeze and a reduction in benefits for new workers. The unions need to negotiate seriously.

They just had to let you know that yet again, so all you union peeps don’t show up in Albany and destroy the place, despite being almost the same plan as Big Meanie Scott Walker has offered. Of course, Walker doesn’t want to raise the retirement age, at least that I can find. So, looks like Cuomo just wants you public sector workers to slave away for a few more years. Time to get on your protest boxes, Liberals. I dare you.

Oh, BTW, the Times also wants to raise taxes on the rich to go along with this. Shocker.

Crossed at Right Wing News and Stop The ACLU.