tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7665280159887667854.post6788804440001261258..comments2023-11-03T08:36:57.066-04:00Comments on D.C. Exile: Public Sector Unions in WisconsinUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7665280159887667854.post-80511059280451295002011-02-18T15:47:55.150-05:002011-02-18T15:47:55.150-05:00Lots going on with your comment Colin, so let me r...Lots going on with your comment Colin, so let me respond to some points.<br /><br />- I like reading in general. Mr. Meyerson is not a "favorite" or "preferred" columnist of mine. But his column was what got me interested in the topic, which is not to say it defines my position on the topic.<br /><br />- I absolutely condemn any connection Meyerson or the Wisconsin protesters make between Gov. Walker and Hitler. That Meyerson draws a ham-handed parallel between Mubarak and Walker is regrettable.<br /><br />- I don't much care for the Dems taking flight to avoid the vote.<br /><br />- I thought my "net positive" comment would draw scrutiny and I am unprepared at this point to properly defend it. Perhaps in the future.<br /><br />- Regarding investing in the future, not all government invests are sound. For some government investments calculating the return is quite difficult, thought the benefit is obvious. My point was not all government investment is reckless and wasteful.<br /><br />- Regarding all bullet points related to education, my post didn't talk about education in any specific way and so I feel no need to address it here. This is an issue where you and I are on different sides, but again, I don't think it's accurate or helpful to say "government should not be involved in education."Jasonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04621444962752348431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7665280159887667854.post-63271245648447582302011-02-18T15:35:15.243-05:002011-02-18T15:35:15.243-05:00* I would urge you to reconsider your desire to re...* I would urge you to reconsider your desire to read anything Harold Meyerson, a self-described socialist, has to offer. The man is one of the most economically illiterate members of the commentariat out there. The column you reference is predictably vile, drawing nonsensical parallels between the revolt against dictator Hosni Mubarak and Governor Walker, who was democratically elected (rather handily too).<br /> <br />* I've noticed that this comparison between Walker and Mubarak has been an ongoing theme in the Madison protests, which have also featured references to Hitler and even crosshairs. Given your past condemnation of "hateful, violent rhetoric" from the Tea Party I am sure you join me in condemning such ill-considered language, which applies to Meyerson. <br /> <br />* I'm rather surprised given your past condemnation of GOP obstructionism in Congress that you didn't take the opportunity to criticize Democrats for leaving the state in order to ensure no vote would take place, thus thwarting the democratic process. <br /> <br />* Why do you believe the elimination of private sector unions "has not been a net positive for workers"? If one compares right-to-work states versus those with forced unionism, the RTW states <a href="http://www.mackinac.org/article.aspx?ID=9422" rel="nofollow">tend to have better economic performance</a> with lower unemployment and higher growth. It strikes me as preferable to be a non-unionized auto sector worker in a company that doesn't go bankrupt than a unionized worker in a company that struggles to stay solvent and requires taxpayer bailouts. <br /> <br />* Like you, I wish the governor had placed firemen and police officers in the same bucket as teachers. I suppose half a loaf is still better than nothing.<br /> <br />* Teachers also lack the ability to collectively bargain in VA, I think it's difficult to make the case the state suffers from an unusually poor education system. It therefore seems difficult to believe that Democratic opposition to the governor's proposal is rooted in the best interests of the children, but rather a desire to ensure a continued flow of funds to a chief constituency. <br /> <br />* I'd recommend this <a href="http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2011/02/18/wisconsin-the-hemlock-revolution/" rel="nofollow">column from Joe Klein</a> on the subject. <br /><br />* You speak of the need for government to "invest in the future." Investment implies that some sort of return is intended, and for some government spending this arguably makes sense. More spending on police should yield a return in the form of reduced crime. But much of what government "invests" in yields a miserable, or even negative return -- the war on poverty being a notable example. Government spending on education, meanwhile, typically produces results that are the same or inferior to private schools at a higher cost. Just as it makes no sense to invest in a product that yields a 2% return when another one would get you 5%, we'd be better off having this money allocated by the private sector instead of government. High speed rail is an obvious case. <br /> <br />* I can't help but notice that children who attend private schools are continuing to learn while their counterparts in public schools have to deal with teachers that, in many cases, are involved in a de facto and illegal strike. This is yet another reason why government should not be involved in education.Colinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03573575140584770666noreply@blogger.com