Wisconsin Collective Bargaining Update

Let's hope the following is but one of hundreds of similar instances in the state of Wisconsin and around the country. Let's also hope that the BPFM starts to report on these little victories. Don't hold your breath, though.

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.

Hat tip: Betsy's Page

Tigerhawk Talks Race, Crowds and WI

Protesters of Undetermined Race

Why come to think of it, those crowds DO look overwhelmingly white, don't they?  Funny, the Tea Party crowds were sliced and diced racially by the Bought and Paid For Media, but they haven't been able to bring themselves to draw such a fine distinction here.  Tigerhawk has. 

Wisconsin Governor Not Willing to Let Christie Have All the Fun!

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker--in office all of about, oh, a month, is rapidly rising in the esteem of the conservative establishment.  Check out the coverage of what's going in in Wisconsin on Drudge--pretty interesting stuff.

Walker is going after public sector unions in a big way.  You remember, the folks who hold local schools and government hostage to their civil right not to pay for any of their healthcare or pensions--those people.

Walker is showing a lot of political courage here, and Democrats in Wisconsin are on the wrong side of the times on this one.  Folks across the nation are fed up with their own healthcare costs and are in no mood to listen to whiners with defined benefit pensions.

And of course, it's only the right who uses over the top political imagery. 

Bailed Out Firms Giving To Republicans

Which is of course, double-plus bad, according to the bought and paid for media.  Ironic though, that the firms "bailed out" are often discussed in the context of having been bailed out in no small part to save a million--mostly  union jobs.  Yet the colossal money coming in from unions doesn't come under the same scrutiny.  Same again for public sector unions and their donations---was the stimulus not largely designed to aid states so that they could keep public sector union employees on the job?  Again--don't hold your breath on the BAPF media drawing this same comparison.

Chamber of Commerce Eclipsed By AFSCME

So long as it was the Chamber--contributing largely to Republican candidates who support a pro-business, pro-capitalist, pro-markets approach--the Obama Administration and the bought and paid for media (but I repeat myself) were apoplectic about the influence of all this money in the process.  Will we hear similar wails now that AFSCME has eclipsed the Chamber?  Don't hold your breath.

Obama At Odds With Teachers Union

There's been a sleeper of a little story brewing lately about a school district in Rhode Island (or as its residents say, "Roe Dylin") in which a bunch of teachers have been fired because of horrific student performance. Well, not just horrific student performance. They've also been fired because of their intransigence in agreeing to actually do anything about the situation. It seems President "Card Check" Obama has weighed in on the subject in support of the firings, and Randi Weingarten of the teachers' union is none too pleased!

I'm pleased that the President supports clearing away the educational underbrush, I'm pleased the administration of Central Falls High School has fired the teachers who would not act, and I'm pleased to see Randi Weingarten squeal. There's really no down-side to this story, well, except that fact that a school full of students is being failed by a system that believes money equals concern, and that more money equals more concern. Sounds to me like Central Falls High School would be a prime candidate for a voucher program....