Sunday, April 12, 2009

Stupid Government Tricks

Ace brings some bad news.

”After her sport utility vehicle sideswiped a van in early February, Shirley Kimel was amazed at how quickly a handful of police officers and firefighters in Winter Haven, Fla., showed up. But a real shock came a week later, when a letter arrived from the city billing her $316 for the cost of responding to the accident.”

I know. Posting that will only get the attention of the local grabbers.

That's probably related to this:

The pay gap between government workers and lower-compensated private employees is growing as public employees enjoy sizable benefit growth even in a distressed economy, federal figures show.

Public employees earned benefits worth an average of $13.38 an hour in December 2008, the latest available data, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) says. Private-sector workers got $7.98 an hour.

Overall, total compensation for state and local workers was $39.25 an hour — $11.90 more than in private business. In 2007, the gap in wages and benefits was $11.31.

Because, on the whole, Gummint employees DESERVE more than others, you see.

War is peace.

WOLVERINES!!! (A pointed reminder of the Tea Party)

9 comments:

capper said...

A) The private sector could have the same benefits if they unionized and increased their bargaining power.

B) I doubt that included Christmas bonuses, any other kind of bonuses, and trips to Puerto Rico that the private sector gets. In the public sector, we don't even get a Christmas party.

C) The largest cost is benefits. The largest costing benefit is health care. The best way to lower taxes and keep them down is to control the cost of health care, but every time that is proposed, you tea party people scream bloody murder.

So stop yer belly-achin'. This is what you wanted.

Amy said...

What about cost v. benefit? How many of those jobs are NECESSARY and not just make-work?

1. Unions. Had their purpose. No longer serve it.

2. You don't get a Christmas party in the public sector because of something called "political correctness." My dad worked for the County for years, and they had Christmas parties until some big wig worried it might "offend" someone.

3. Health care. Tying health care to employment is, you're right, a bad idea. But so is tying it solely to government. It doesn't work well in Canada, or the UK, and it wouldn't work here. Obama can't even seem to find a candidate without tax problems...he won't be able to find suitable people who know how to run health care.

The only way to lower the cost of health care is to make it like car insurance: totally free-market. I can go from State Farm to Geico to Nationwide and look for the best rates and the coverage I want.

It would work with health care too.

And, lastly, unlike people in the Obama administration who think you can fix financial problems by printing more money, the private sector relies on the consumer and not the forced largess of the taxpayer.

This isn't "what we wanted." It's the exact opposite, as a matter of fact.

Anonymous said...

Who gets a Christmas bonus or trips to Puerto Rico? capper's been smoking the good stuff again.

Dad29 said...

Capper sez: "Join the SEIU!!"

capper said...

Amy-

The need for the unions is growing. Look at all the lawsuits that WalMart faces and loses to prove that point.

As for the Xmas parties, that may be. We still have them, but the unions pay for them.

As for healthcare, what we got is more expensive and just as bad, if not worse than anyone else's. As for making it like car insurance, it already is, but the employers are the shoppers because you can get better deals with larger numbers, supposedly. If health insurance was done your way on a person by person basis, most people would get dropped at the first serious illness or be charged exorbitant rates, just to keep profit margins up. Then those people would end up on the public insurance, raising your taxes.

Anony, Duh, Associated Bank was going to go to P.R., and they all get bonuses.

Dad-

Do you even pay attention anymore, or do you just sit and watch Lawrence Welk, and then rant?

Dad29 said...

No, Cap.

I take all my lessons in linear thinking from you!

That's why I believe that when union thugs sue Wally World it means that the OTHER 99.95% of Wally's workers are demanding union representation.

That's why I believe that the most expensive benefit program in the Universe has NOTHING to do with 'who pays for it,' but only has to do with whether it is 'better' than other health insurance and pension plans.

See, I don't watch Loony Tunes...

capper said...

I see. That is why you thing that Wally World employees, who aren't unionized, are union thugs. And that is why you think that those same employees, suing for pay owed to them, or to keep from being locked in the store against their will and against the law, are calls for unionization.

And that is why you can't tell the difference between the SIEU, AFSCME, UAW and AFL-CIO.

It's cuz you're so sharp. Gotcha.

And other jokes?

Dad29 said...

Can you say "SALT", Capper?

capper said...

NaCl?