Sooooooo Happy It Is Over!!

[whitedust]

WI had recall elections yesterday & governer Scott Walker won the recall election. All the negative TV ads & telephone calls from both sides really wears you down & more to come this Fall with the presdential election. Why do we respond to negative selling? I always stayed away from negative selling in my sales & marketing life & worked well for me. Tell me your position on issues & what you want to do to make things better & leave it at that.

 

[yamahauler]

The WI majority has spoken for a 2nd time! Congrats to them for keeping a good governor in there to do his job. To bad they couldn't put something in there that said if he is re-elected, it will let him finish out this term and then next. Well done Wisconsin!

 

[upbarleyboy]

The people have spoken, and it's clear the majority feel Gov. Walker is moving things in the right direction. It certainly is nice to finally see a conclusion (at least temporarily), but it will be along time before the dust settles. Wisconsin is so divided, it's ridiculous. Until all parties can learn to work with, and not against each other, the division will continue to grow. Did you see the video of Mayor Barrett getting slapped in the face?? All because he conceded prior to the final votes being tallied.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yGYfFQjybs

Now I'm not a big fan of Barrett, but I gained a new respect for him after this incident. His composure was remarkable. I don't condone ever hitting a woman, but in this case, I would have loved to see him lay her out.

 

[gary_in_neenah]

I voted in the morning on the way to work but we were still getting Robo-Calls after 5 o'clock on Election/ReCall Day. I believe the only people that enjoy the Silly Season are the TV Stations, they have something to Yak about daily and the Ad Revenue continues to pour in regardless of the outcome. Some of their commercial breaks would have 3 or 4 opposing ads in a row!

But the best Bumper Sticker that I saw throughout; NOT HAPPY WITH WHAT YOU GOT? RECALL SANTA!

 

[jr37]

The story I heard on Barret getting slapped is that the woman asked if she could slap him for conceding before all votes were in. Barret said he would rather give her a hug and she slapped him anyway.

 

[whitedust]

The story I heard on Barret getting slapped is that the woman asked if she could slap him for conceding before all votes were in. Barret said he would rather give her a hug and she slapped him anyway.

That is exactly what is wrong with some people! There are winners & losers & sometmes you have to accept what others want & you can't always have things your way. The entire recall election was a sham & sour grapes over 1 policy. Give me a break....times are changing & each State has to make budget cuts to balance their budgets & Walker did what he had to do to avoid a larger tax burden. All governments world wide will have to do the same thing so get used to it.

 

[jr37]

Whitedust, I agree with you 100%.

 

[ezra]

Only110% of the population of Madison voted yesterday and still lost lol

I pray many more leaders follow the blueprint to responsibility

 

[Deleted member 10829]

A great message it did send! One thing that stuck out to me was that 36% of voters with a union member in the family, voted for Walker. That alone speaks volumes! Since Walker made being a member of the public unions optional, membership has dropped 50% last year in the largest union in WI. Wow!!

This is just the beginning. Even 2 towns in California, yes California, voted overwhelmingly to have public workers pay some of their benefits. I think it was 67% in San Diego and 70% in the other town.

 

[whitedust]

A great message it did send! One thing that stuck out to me was that 36% of voters with a union member in the family, voted for Walker. That alone speaks volumes! Since Walker made being a member of the public unions optional, membership has dropped 50% last year in the largest union in WI. Wow!!

This is just the beginning. Even 2 towns in California, yes California, voted overwhelmingly to have public workers pay some of their benefits. I think it was 67% in San Diego and 70% in the other town.

To me States & cities have to be careful with public worker pension funds. To me Fire Fighters & Police put their lives on the line everyday 365 days 24x7 for the public & their pensions need to be there when they retire. Teachers have 9 month a year job not a life risking job & just not the same.

 

[Deleted member 10829]

To me States & cities have to be careful with public worker pension funds. To me Fire Fighters & Police put their lives on the line everyday 365 days 24x7 for the public & their pensions need to be there when they retire. Teachers have 9 month a year job not a life risking job & just not the same.

Most, if not all, have exempted police and fire fighters from this. I know that's the case in WI.

 

[whitedust]

Most, if not all, have exempted police and fire fighters from this. I know that's the case in WI.

Yes Walker did it the correct way & still pissed off so many people. To me the issue was way overblown to what really happened.

 

[arctiva]

To me States & cities have to be careful with public worker pension funds. To me Fire Fighters & Police put their lives on the line everyday 365 days 24x7 for the public & their pensions need to be there when they retire. Teachers have 9 month a year job not a life risking job & just not the same.

Thats B.S right there. They chose there job and shouldnt have better or special treatment. There allready makeing 50/60/70k a year or more if they cant set aside some funds for a pension on there own then its too bad for them.

 

[sixball]

Thank you Wisconsin for making me think this country my be seeing what needs to be done. We may have some hope yet.

 

[russholio]

Thats B.S right there. They chose there job and shouldnt have better or special treatment. There allready makeing 50/60/70k a year or more if they cant set aside some funds for a pension on there own then its too bad for them.

Wow....do you feel the same way about our military people?

 

[whitedust]

Thats B.S right there. They chose there job and shouldnt have better or special treatment. There allready makeing 50/60/70k a year or more if they cant set aside some funds for a pension on there own then its too bad for them.

That is pretty harsh for people that put there lives on the line for you 24/7. All we are saying is keep their pensions within a sustainable budget. I never saw an old firefighter or police person because their job is too physically demanding & they have to get out in mid 50s or so. If you don't see the difference you need to walk a mile in their shoes or any 55 year old shoes.lol

 

[jerkbait_1075]

Arctiva,

WOW?????? I dont know where to begin....... Other than saying "you are very wrong". Take a look at my profile. 19 years law enforcement total as my full time job and I have worked the same partime job I had since high school. MAN YOU ARE SO RIGHT I'M JUST GETTING RICH AND LIVING THE GOOD LIFE AS A POLICE MAN.

 

[jerkbait_1075]

Articva,

I have been the secretary of my department police pension fund for the last 10 years. Let me give you some facts about police pensions in the state of Illinois at least.

Fact 1. I pay 10% out of every check to fund my pension. No exceptions
Fact 2. This payment is automatically taken out. If I have a rough month and need a little extra at home "sorry charlie"
Fact 3. The amount that the city has to contribute each year to my pension is a "variable amount" dependent on the amount of employeee contributions (cops paying in) and the amount of penisioners being paid out off set by the performance of our invested funds as a whole. Short story when the markerts are good and the the returns are good municipalities and tax payers get by without paying nearly as much. Even when the markets are bad Actuarial assumption (actuaries are hired yearly to forcast fund performances and future liabilitie) offset the need for drastic liabilities to be assumed by city goverment or tax payers.
Fact 4.

 

[jerkbait_1075]

Fact 4. THE SOLE REASON THAT 99.99% OF ALL POLICE AND FIRE PENSION FUNDS APPEARING TO BE IN TROUBLE IS BECAUSE A VAST MAJORITY OF CITIES HAVE UNDERFUNDED (NOT PAID WHAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO) FOR YEARS. This has caught up with Municipalities. How come Cops are required to pay their share of the deal by State Statute but for years if a city didn't feel like paying their share that year, they simply didnt with no penalties to them. IS THAT RIGHT???? And the funny thing about city not paying their fair share. This didn't occur recently when the economy tanked and things were hard for municpalities, NO, this occurred years to the prior when times were more than likely good for most cities. From a city goverment perspective "the perverbal Chickens have come home to roost".

Fact 5. 99% of all police and fire get into this line of work partially because of the promises of Pension. The old "want to help people", "love the work" is also true but you ask any cop if they would get into law enforcement if there was no pension and 99% would probably say no.

Fact 6. If you think many cops are making 50k plus you are crazy. 19 years on and I am just getting to that mark. And really 50k in todays world, you consider to be "glamourus"???? I agree that 50k is respectable but to make it sound like a luxury is a bit much. You may have heard of cops saying that they make 50,60,70k a year. True. But I would venture to guess that most of those are including OT pay in that salary.

Fact 7. In the state of illinois OT DOES NOT count towards pension. Pension is solely based of base salary at retirement. Please tell me what departments are paying base salaries of 50-70k. I want to work there. Sure Suburbs and major cities may but you have to compare that to the cost of living.

Fact 8. Most, More and More every year, of Illinois police departments are agreeing to changes in their contract concerning the language and their share or retiree health insurance. In my department we just willing negotiated it away to all new hires in the future.

Fact 9. Most (almost all) illinois police officers do not pay social security and there by WILL NOT get it at retirement age.

I urge you to better educate yourself before passing judgement. This is the way it works in illinois. Perhaps its different in your state and if it is and that what your referring to than I apologise but this topic strikes a nerve with me

 

[fusion]

Thats B.S right there. They chose there job and shouldnt have better or special treatment. There allready makeing 50/60/70k a year or more if they cant set aside some funds for a pension on there own then its too bad for them.

Sorry Whitedust, but I agree with arctiva 100% here. They chose the job - nobody forces them to be cops, it's a choice.
And I wouldn't make these guys out to be martyrs. If they don't work in the inner city of Milwaukee (WI), they certainly don't have their lives on the line on a daily basis. The danger associated with being a cop is grossly overstated.
A guy in Afghanistan is in a different category than any copy, so it's an insult to the members of the military to put them in the same category.
Generally speaking, there is no reason at all a police officer can't be responsible for his own retirement savings, just like 90% of the private sector employees are these days.