A lot of stuff happened today. I just watched as the Wisconsin Senate decided to break the impasse by separating the collective bargaining provisions from the budget bill. It was most interesting to hear the complaining from the unions and the sympathizers as they moved forward. I guess I am not intellectual enough to understand how elected officials who believe it is better to run away is a responsible course of action.
Speaking of not being intellectual enough, I also learned the NPR CEO Vivian Schiller has resigned following the release of a video yesterday showing an NPR fund raiser Ron Schiller slamming the conservatives and tea party movement, showing his basic contempt for anyone who didn't think as he did, while he was wooing two people who he thought represented the muslim brotherhood willing to donate $5 million to NPR.
The most interesting dialogue was Schiller's statement he didn't think NPR needed federal funding. I am all for supporting that position. But then I am not intellectual enough to understand how elitists who believe America is usually wrong should be funded with my tax dollars.
4 comments:
Pink Floyd's song "Money" keeps rolling around in my head. Lately, watching the news, I've just been sitting there with my mouth open with nothing left to say. Or perhaps too much to say...
I always enjoy reading your thoughts.
Am looking forward to the movie "Atlas Shrugged".
(Although I'm going to read the book first.)
One of the current administrations good ideas, much discussed in the campaign, is "transparency." It is a shame to think it takes "stings" and "ferrets" to reveal the actual mindsets of various institutions, public fund spenders, cultural influencers, etc. but perhaps that is what it takes because transparency seems to be hard to come by otherwise.
That old saying comes to mind ...small minds discuss other people...great minds discuss ideas... This nation needs to get off stereotyping and ad hominen attacks and deal in principles, ideas and solid historical wisdom application. And of course when a ferret finds a talking rodent...well the ratty ideas become pretty clear, don't they?
As you know, I'm quite pleased that the Wisconsin bill has been passed. Not because I want people to be hurt, but because I became convinced early on in my adult life that unions bore no resemblance to the "fightin' for justice and the little guy" image that they've so benefited from. My experience with them (in two jobs) has been that they don't give a damn about me, but care a great deal about the partisan exercise of power. This abuse of power hurts this country, I believe, and I see no legal reason why the unions need to be protected.
Carol,
Thank you for the comment. I had never heard of "Atlas Shrugged" and while I had heard of Anne Rand I wouldn't put it past me to think her profession involved balloons and tassels. Like you, I intend to read the book.
Jeanette,
It has become obvious over the past two years "transparency" was nothing more than a marketing slogan for this administration, kind of the "whiter whites" for the Obama administration. As you've seen from me the discussion of ideas does not appear to be an option in todays political arena.
W.B.,
At one time I was convinced unions had served their purpose and were no longer needed. I was convinced Industrial management was more enlightened and better educated. I am no longer as hard over as I once was. In business, and perhaps governmental service, there needs to be some sort of check and balance arrangement. I am not saying todays unions are capable of that, but if owners and managers are left unchecked we/they are certainly capable of reverting back to the same abuses that led to the original establishment of unions and guilds. I don't know the right answer, but clearly what we have with the service unions in WI is not it.
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