Reuters cites a Weekly Standard article that laid out the endgame - by changing the law to allow state bankruptcies, and then forcing states to go bankrupt by cutting their funding and undermining their ability to borrow, states would be able to reopen contracts with public employees. Not only could wages and benefits then be cut for current workers, but pension benefits for retired workers would also become fair game for cuts, as has happened with retired auto workers and others whose private sector pensions have been slashed after corporate bankruptcies.
It's no surprise that California Republicans like Issa and Nunes are leading this fight - they know that public employee benefits are one of the last vestiges of a middle-class workforce in the state, and that those unions are one of the last lines of defense against the right.
California already has one big battle come up in early 2011 over the state budget. Looks like we'll have another in 2011 with this federal effort to force us into bankruptcy. And with Barack Obama busy caving to the right whenever possible, we'll have to win this fight on our own.
Hell, I don't think Obama will cave on this.
I think he will actively look to help Repubs destroy the unions, reopen contracts, lower wages, and scale back pensions for both current workers AND retirees.
That's what he did with the UAW.
Why wouldn't he do it to ALL the unions?
Where is the U.S. Constitution in all of this?
ReplyDeleteThey don't care about law or justice or fairness or anything - just busting the unions, breaking union contracts, and feudalizing the middle class.
ReplyDeleteThe same people who can't wait to reopen union contracts sanctimoniously defend corporate contracts as sacrosanct.
I totally agree that this is the future for us all. That's why I'm not going to retire this year even though I'll have 25 years in. A cut in my pension and a dubious future for social security will not allow for a decent quality of life in my old age. Be wary and be prepared!
ReplyDelete