Another Setback for Gov. Rick Scott

Score one for public employees (for now):

http://www.news-journalonline.com/ne...tribution.html


Ocala Mike

[GenuineRisk]

This is what really stuck out in that article:

Their lawyers argued the law violates contract, property and collective bargaining rights guaranteed by the Florida Constitution. A 1974 law that eliminated employee contributions to the retirement system also describes pension benefits as a contract right. It was passed at that time in lieu of a pay raise.

What's frustrating about the ongoing attack on "benefits" is that health insurance and pension aren't presents from the boss to the employee; they are part of the employee's pay, and were agreed upon years ago because the boss, whether private or public, didn't want to pay employees what they were worth. So they negotiated lower pay at the moment for benefits later. And now that "later" has arrived, the bosses are all trying to get out of paying them. And somehow it's being spun as the workers' fault- for expecting an employer to honor an agreement. Because shut up, that's why.

Right you are. I am retired from NY State (25 years), and also put in another few years as a Florida state employee (no pension). I realize I'm from another era, but when I hired on with NY in 1972, it was with the understanding that government work paid less than comparable work in private industry, BUT THE PENSION AND OTHER BENEFITS MADE UP FOR IT.

Glad I hit the system when I did, because this present day assault on public employees would be maddening.

Ocala Mike

[Riot]

Stripping government workers of rights, balancing budgets on the backs of employees, denying contract fufillments - it's all part of the published Republican-ALEC-Republican Governors Association plan.

There's not much money left to strip out of our government for the private profiteers, but the Republicans are intent on getting every last penny they can, even if all that is left to scavenge on the state and national level is government worker pay, pensions, benefits, and Social Security and Medicare to be "privatized" (given to private corporations)

The Republicans used the Bush years to virtually finish fully privatizing war to shovel money to their corporate friends (Haliburton, Xe, etc). They already ensured the oil industry in the US runs on massive government subsidies which is the only thing insuring their profit.

Time to take the last little bit before the GOP implodes. The "Tea Party" 80 in the House have screwed up the scheme, by refusing to vote for "government controls" that the GOP demands (not being good GOP voting sheep). So right now, alot of the privateering depends upon the actions of the GOP Governors.

[Riot]

Originally Posted by Ocala Mike

Glad I hit the system when I did, because this present day assault on public employees would be maddening.

Ocala Mike

Coming out of the 1950's and 1960's, the newly-created middle class was there for three reasons: you could afford to purchase a home on one salary, raise your kids, etc; and when you retired, you had the trifecta of security:

1) your savings account (which paid 5% interest over the years you saved)
2) your company pension
3) social security
4) equity in your house to leave your kids.

The introduction of "investment vehicles" in the 1980's stole retirement money from the savings accounts. Companies couldn't afford to offer routine pensions any more. There is no housing equity any more due to the finacial disaster created by the banks and Wall Street. And now the GOP is trying to steal and privatize all that is left of "available money" floating around the USA, government pensions and Social Security.

The only thing preventing the Republican Party from wholly-owning everything in America is the Judicial Branch of our government. But with rulings like Citzens United, they are trying.

That's why this falls' presidential election is so important: the next president will appoint likely two Supreme Court judges.