NYC transit strike update
The transit workers have decided to go back to work.
For a fairly comprehensive discussion of the main sticking point, pensions, (see here) this NY Times article.
I am going to admit being extremely torn on the issue of pensions, whether they be private or public sector.
On the one hand I want balanced public sector budgets and competitive private enterprise.
On the other hand I ask why is it always the lower and middle class that have to sacrifice?
Take the private sector. Workers are asked to tighten their belts, accept an increasing share of health and pension benefit costs, lower salaries, etc etc to "remain competitive" while CEOs and Boards of Directors grant themselves obscene compensation and benefits. Hey, how come the big wigs do not have to contribute towards being lean and mean? Executive compensation of American corporations eclipses compensation awarded to executives of foreign companies.
Take the public sector. Congress votes for cuts in programs that benefit the lower and middle class and then what do they do? They cut revenue by granting tax cuts to the most fortunate that even exceed the amount of the benefit cuts. They pass changes to the military retirement system that forces soldiers, sailors and airmen to either accept less or serve longer and what changes, what sacrifices, did legislators enact to their own retirement programs?
Why is it that the "movers and shakers" can always justify sacrifices that need to be made by the "average Joe" but always find someway, somehow to exclude themselves from the sacrifices? They always seem to find a way to force the "average Joe" to sacrifice and then find a way to justify giving even more to the fortunate.
In today's modern world I think I can accept that the "average Joe" does indeed have to make some sacrifices. However I want the fortunate to do a little sacrificing too, and that is not happening, in fact what we are seeing is quite the opposite.
For a fairly comprehensive discussion of the main sticking point, pensions, (see here) this NY Times article.
I am going to admit being extremely torn on the issue of pensions, whether they be private or public sector.
On the one hand I want balanced public sector budgets and competitive private enterprise.
On the other hand I ask why is it always the lower and middle class that have to sacrifice?
Take the private sector. Workers are asked to tighten their belts, accept an increasing share of health and pension benefit costs, lower salaries, etc etc to "remain competitive" while CEOs and Boards of Directors grant themselves obscene compensation and benefits. Hey, how come the big wigs do not have to contribute towards being lean and mean? Executive compensation of American corporations eclipses compensation awarded to executives of foreign companies.
Take the public sector. Congress votes for cuts in programs that benefit the lower and middle class and then what do they do? They cut revenue by granting tax cuts to the most fortunate that even exceed the amount of the benefit cuts. They pass changes to the military retirement system that forces soldiers, sailors and airmen to either accept less or serve longer and what changes, what sacrifices, did legislators enact to their own retirement programs?
Why is it that the "movers and shakers" can always justify sacrifices that need to be made by the "average Joe" but always find someway, somehow to exclude themselves from the sacrifices? They always seem to find a way to force the "average Joe" to sacrifice and then find a way to justify giving even more to the fortunate.
In today's modern world I think I can accept that the "average Joe" does indeed have to make some sacrifices. However I want the fortunate to do a little sacrificing too, and that is not happening, in fact what we are seeing is quite the opposite.
posted by Little David at 12/24/2005 10:20:00 AM
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