Deficit reduction proposals

Eliminate unions tomorrow and by Monday a whole lotta policemen, firemen, school teachers and a whole host of others will be arriving at work Tuesday to discover they now make $18,000 a year. Just look at the disparity between union and non-union newspapers for crissakes.

 

Exactly my point for why firemen, policemen and the like need unions. They deserve special protection and more money than most because of the nature of their jobs. I'm not completely anti-union, but I don't believe that unions are always necessary in a given workplace.

 

I'm in the opposite boat. Given what I've seen over the last decade I've gone from, "these unions are all bloated and corrupt," to, "You know, these unions are all bloated and corrupt, but sonofabitch at least it's something."

 

I've said it here until I've been blue in the face: If it wasn't for unions in this country, we'd all be working 80 hours a week for 10 cents an hour in dangerous buildings.

And from the mid-1940s through around 1970, we saw the benefits of having unions. There was a rise of a middle class (except, of course, for African-Americans, who had their own additional issues to deal with down south). The rich was still getting rich, but they had to share it.

Now, it's "Screw you, I've got mine."

And I still like my proposal that I put on the previous page, although I don't think it would make much of a dent in the deficit. Tax any campaign contribution over $100 by 50 percent and allow anyone to give as much as they want.

 

This is the 21st fucking century, with an ever-expanding global economy. This ain't 18-fucking-80. The issue of unions, their influence and their pros and cons go a little deeper these days.

 

Yes. People in Bangladesh work 100 hours a week for a dollar a day. Welcome to the 21st fucking century.

 

Yeah, I forgot to factor in 130 years of inflation.

 

I don't understand your logic. Because of the nature of their jobs, policemen and firemen have more leverage than most working folks.

Conservatives have a warm and fuzzy for law and order types, shiny badges and discipline. So that's why you single them out.

Not because they need special protection.

 

PS: Unemployment rate rose to 9.8 percent for November. Arguing about the budget deficit today is completely insane. If the economy doesn't improve, the deficit will increase no matter what gets cut from the budget or what taxes are raised. See Ireland for how that works.

 

I'd cut the US Postal service down to three days. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. It can go to five days a week during the month of December.

I'd pull out completely from Iraq and Afghanistan. We can't afford to police the world anymore. Sad, but true.

Flat tax at about 20 percent. If you make $50K, you pay $10K. If you make $100K, you pay $20K. No tax shelters, no exceptions.

Tax the hell out of cigarettes and alcohol. If you want it that badly, you're going to pay for it. I would do the same thing on foreign luxury cars if you want to drive a Mercedes or a BMW, you're going to pay for the right to do so. Same for (non-fishing) boats. Want one? Fine, but it'll cost you. Same thing for luxury items like diamonds etc...

I'll stop there and let you all tell me I'm crazy.

 

Are you trying to kill newspapers that rely on mail delivery and do not have carriers?

 

Yes.