Caution: Children Playing (II)

The Democrats claim the Republican attack on unions is “class warfare”. They are right! The Republicans are trying to level the playing field between public union workers and private sector workers. Union workers receive anywhere from 10% to 175% better pay and benefits than private sector workers doing similar jobs. What’s worse, private sector workers are much more productive (i.e. Post Office vs. Fed Ex or UPS, Fannie vs. AIG, etc.) and have to work, on average, 40% longer to retirement. Is this fair? Of course not! It is time, once and for all, for public workers to pay their fair share and stop living off the wealth of private sector workers.

The statistic that really exploits union futility is comparing the proficiency levels of students that attend private schools to those that attend public schools. Students that attend private schools have proficiency levels (for math, science, problem solving, and reading) that are nearly double when compared with those students in public schools. And private school teachers and administrators have benefit levels that are 25% lower than unionized teachers and administrators. Some may argue that this is not an apples to apples comparison since wealthier kids are more likely to attend private schools. This is true; but in cities like Washington D.C. the difference between a public and private education is even more glaring. Socioeconomically challenge kids, who benefited from the D.C. voucher program, fared much better than the national average when tested for proficiency levels. The reason for this is simple; unions drive up costs, but they are there to advocate and protect teachers and administrators, not the students. Unions are not about improving the education of students, period. Hence, bad teachers are protected whereas; bad teachers working at private schools are held accountable and they are dismissed if they are failing their students. This is why unions complain and cry foul every time government money flows into private schools and why they worked so hard to shut down the successful D.C. voucher program. Private schools make a public education look bad and they therefore, make union and union members look bad.

The media has been comparing those protestors in state capitols in the same light as the Arab protestors in Egypt, Tunisia, Bahrain, or Libya. This is so off base it is comical. Are they saying the big bad Republicans have ordered the military or National Guard to wipe out the protestors? Instead, pundits may be more accurate to compare the U.S. protestors with those recent protests by the Greece, French, Irish, and British. These protests, as well as the U.S. protests, are over budget cuts effecting welfare and public pay. What is the culprit for these protests? Socialism, this is exactly what happens when we become a “Welfare State” or a “Nanny State” where people are dependent on the government for their existence and require support groups such as unions to advocate (think) for their existence. What more can we expect from life if we are unable to think and advocate for ourselves? This is a sad state of affairs. Is it too much to expect each American be responsible and be able to plan for their retirement? Of course not!

I can’t wait to see what the next children’s game our spoiled rotten politicians will play next. Hopefully, it is a session of dodge ball – at least this may be somewhat entertaining.