Off-Topic

So, what you're saying is, Scott Walker and the WI Republicans were right, and the union protestors causing havoc in the capital and the fleeing Senate Democrats, were pretty much just assholes?

The teachers on TV a little while ago screetching about "the end of demoracy" were amusing. Makes me want to slap some people. After the house, state senate and Gov vote and approve selective state employees loss the ability to collectivelt bargain over benefits (not wages) = the end eh? Give me a break

What hath this school-destroying, child-hating bill wrought?

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The Kaukauna School District, in the Fox River Valley of Wisconsin near Appleton, has about 4,200 students and about 400 employees. It has struggled in recent times and this year faced a deficit of $400,000. But after the law went into effect, at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, school officials put in place new policies they estimate will turn that $400,000 deficit into a $1.5 million surplus. And it's all because of the very provisions that union leaders predicted would be disastrous.

In the past, teachers and other staff at Kaukauna were required to pay 10 percent of the cost of their health insurance coverage and none of their pension costs. Now, they'll pay 12.6 percent of the cost of their coverage (still well below rates in much of the private sector) and also contribute 5.8 percent of salary to their pensions. The changes will save the school board an estimated $1.2 million this year, according to board President Todd Arnoldussen.

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In the past, Kaukauna's agreement with the teachers union required the school district to purchase health insurance coverage from something called WEA Trust -- a company created by the Wisconsin teachers union. "It was in the collective bargaining agreement that we could only negotiate with them," says Arnoldussen. "Well, you know what happens when you can only negotiate with one vendor." This year, WEA Trust told Kaukauna that it would face a significant increase in premiums.

Now, the collective bargaining agreement is gone, and the school district is free to shop around for coverage. And all of a sudden, WEA Trust has changed its position. "With these changes, the schools could go out for bids, and lo and behold, WEA Trust said, 'We can match the lowest bid,'" says Republican state Rep. Jim Steineke, who represents the area and supports the Walker changes. At least for the moment, Kaukauna is staying with WEA Trust, but saving substantial amounts of money.

although hardly ever held up to scrutiny John Kennedy's executive order allowing unions in teh federal sector may have been the single worst act of his presidency. This was something Roosevelt, Truman, and Esinhower all declined to do.

Excellent. If for no other reason than it was absurd to have a recall. If Dems didnt like the policy, vote them out after their term. But to call a recall when the Dems fleed the state and refused to perform their civic responsibility is silly.

I've seen alot of liberals/progressives claiming a victory of sorts, that they "sent a message" and "stood up to the Koch brothers' money," because there were certainly no big-monied special interests on the recall side of things!

This is no victory for liberals. These were supposedly the 6 most vulnerable republicans. Fact is the publics sympathies for unions has more or less evaporated.

There's some truth to that in terms of the actions of the political machines and the media, but I think a lot of ordinary citizens are just paying attention to what's been going on since Walker took office, and are reacting accordingly. There are good fiscal results coming from some of his reforms, most notably the public sector collective bargaining reform.

Absurd amount of money spent last night. Dems outspent Pubs 2:1, but rediculous amounts spent by both really in the grand scheme of things.

I firmly believe recalls should only be allowed in cases of inpropriety, but oh well.

Action:Reaction

The Dems (unions, really) made it a stand or fall election, the Pubs had no choice but to follow suit.

Everyone's favorite cheese eating Governor is back in the news

Dude, what happened? He was everyone's hero such a short time ago and it looks like everyone is bailing on him like he was a cruise ship in Italian waters. Such loyalty.

One million sigs, that is going to be tough to disqualify that many.