Caveat Lectores on the Evils of Unemployment Benefits

There is a Harvard professor who is apparently a rightwing nut job tea bagger as well. Robert Barro writes in the Wall Street Journal recently that jobless benefits are the root cause for continued high unemployment rates.

http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/careers/did-millions-reject-jobs-and-stay-on-unemployment/19686576/?icid=main%7Chtmlws-sb-w%7Cdl3%7Csec3_lnk2%7C180254

That is kind of like saying that the reason so many people get sick is because they have insurance to pay for the treatment; therefore, we should eliminate healthcare insurance to make the world a healthier place to live.

Or… we could eliminate law enforcement and do away with crime. No more fire department would mean no more fires.

I think I’m gonna call a BULLSHIT foul on that theory.

And oh yes, have a nice Day?

Wjc

Caveat Lectores by Jeff Carnes
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Caveat Lectores on Return to Political Sanity

As midterm election day approaches and the Dems are wallowing in disorganization and what appears a tacit admission of defeat, I have to make one more attempt to salvage what could be a turning point toward sanity in government.*

On the local, state and national levels, the Dems may have squandered an opportunity to get us back in the direction of having a government which works for all the people instead of the corporate world and the wealthy. Please do not get me wrong here, I am all for economically successful people and a thriving business environment. However, it seems that in order to adequately appease the greed of the wealthy and corporate interests, we must do so at the expense of the largest segment of the economy… everybody who is not rich.

That is BULLSHIT.

Tea baggers may have ignorantly boorishly tried to follow their hearts in their infancy, but they have been totally co-opted by the portions of the right wing dedicated to serving corporate masters. If the right wing nut jobs and tea baggers are victorious, they will turn back the clock at least one hundred years on our successful system of government and contemporary social democracy. The wealthy corporate interests will prosper and these ignorant dupes will suffer right along with you and me. (Before you condemn me as a fascist, communist or a socialist, do a little research into the definition of contemporary social democracy.)

The right wing nut jobs and tea baggers, in the name of freedom from the alleged oppression of government, want to close the border; eliminate Social Security and any social program of which they do not approve or profit from; make sure our failing healthcare system continues to fail; eliminate collective bargaining, the minimum wage and overtime for workers; reverse Roe v. Wade; privatize all government services they can. They want to place us back in a time in history when woman and minorities had no rights, workers were practically slaves to their corporate masters, public education did not exist, the old and ill had only to die to relieve their suffering, business could make all the unregulated and untaxed profit the markets would endure.

If you would like to facilitate the catastrophe to occur, you should vote for one of these idiots or maybe just not vote at all.

If they are successful in sending a majority to Washington and other governmental venues, one bit of news that could be encouraging is that government will be made up of a contingent of incompetent politicians so incapable of governing they will be no more successful than other right wing nut jobs have been in the recent past. Reagan and Bush; Newt Gingrich and other right wing nut jobs were most successful at raising the national debt and punishing the poor and elderly for living. Oh yeah, I almost forgot; they were in charge when the middle class began to disintegrate. Oops, my bad.

That is little consolation for me.

*When the Lector started the Caveat Lectores Blog in 2009, the reason was to focus mainly on issues relevant to public employees both union and non-union. However, with the upsurge of right wing and tea bagger politics, I could not resist the temptation to Rant at will because the nonsense was too much temptation for me to ignore. Along the way we found over 8000 readers.

A few weeks ago, I decided to cut back on the political rhetoric. Frankly, I was having so much fun that I was spending most of each weekend pecking away at the keyboard drafting my “prosaic masterpieces.” The need to make money to pay the bills and work on the remodeling project to convert an 86 year old house into my law office required more time and less ranting.

I also realized the Lector had the potential for becoming irrelevant because of my near fanatical and intense dislike for right wing nut job rePuPlicans and tea baggers; so I retreated a bit and began to prepare to focus on issues of employees in a hostile environment known as public employment.

And oh yes, have a nice Day?

Wjc

Caveat Lectores by Jeff Carnes
8500 Readers in 576 Cities, 46 States and 26 Countries
Read at your own risk.
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Caveat Lectores on Moral to the Story for Politicians

The Lector received this in an email and decided to pass it along. I hope it becomes viral.

HEAVEN AND HELL

While walking down the street one day a Corrupt Senator was tragically hit by a car and died.

His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance.

"Welcome to heaven," says St. Peter. "Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we're not sure what to do with you."

"No problem, just let me in," says the Senator..

"Well, I'd like to, but I have orders from the higher ups. What we'll do is have you spend one day in hell and one in heaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity."

"Really? I've made up my mind. I want to be in heaven," says the Senator.

"I'm sorry, but we have our rules."

And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell.

The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a green golf course. In the distance is a clubhouse and standing in front of it are all his friends and other politicians who had worked with him.

Everyone is very happy and in evening dress. They run to greet him, shake his hand, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at the expense of the people. They played a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster, caviar and the finest champagne.

Also present is the devil, who really is a very friendly guy who is having a good time dancing and telling jokes.

They are all having such a good time that before the Senator realizes it, it is time to go.

Everyone gives him a hearty farewell and waves while the elevator rises...

The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens in heaven where St. Peter is waiting for him, "Now it's time to visit heaven…"

So, 24 hours passed with the Senator joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good time and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns.

"Well, then, you've spent a day in hell and another in heaven. Now choose your eternity."

The Senator reflects for a minute, then he answers: "Well, I would never have said it before, I mean heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better off in hell."

So St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell..

Now the doors of the elevator open and he's in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage. He sees all his friends, dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black bags as more trash falls from above.

The devil comes over to him and puts his arm around his shoulders.

"I don't understand," stammers the Senator. "Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and clubhouse, and we ate lobster and caviar, drank champagne, and danced and had a great time. Now there's just a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable. What happened?"

The devil smiles at him and says, Yesterday we were campaigning, Today, you voted…"

Vote wisely on November 2, 2010.

Also remember to vote early and often.



And oh yes, have a nice Day?

Wjc

Caveat Lectores by Jeff Carnes

7500 Readers in 498 Cities, 46 States and 22 Countries
Read at your own risk.
Lectores Labor Consulting 813-240-8165
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Caveat Lectores on Rally to Restore Insanity

When the Lector heard that Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert teamed up to combine their Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear, I knew Caveat Lectores had to make an effort to counter something that makes sense out of nonsense. There will be none of that at Caveat Lectores.

Caveat Lectores announces the House on Devil’s Neck and the Devil’s Neck International Convention Center will be open on October 30th to accommodate all those who could not attend the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear.

Although the DNCC does not have a television for people to watch or a phone, we do have a lake with Alliburton Gator and lots of mosquitoes this time of year to keep everyone busy and active. DNCC calls this event the Rally to Restore Insanity. There is no thematic focus or cause to promote. With only three days before the elections, we all need some rest from anything worthwhile or stressful.

There will plenty of liquid beer-flavored refreshment and smokables as well as carbohydrate replenishment for those who get the munchies.

As you know, last week we announced the appointment of Roberto “Well Hung” Burnett as Executive Director of DNCC, but he never showed up for work. Dr. Hooby Boo has graciously returned and will be in charge of the festivities. He is pretty laid back these days, and this no agenda weekend is just what he needs to get back into harness. There will be no charge for the event but a required love offering of $250.00 per person to cover the cost of housing and feeding the masses is expected.

Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert and Opera Winfrey will wish they had thought up the Rally to Restore Insanity at the Devil’s Neck International Convention Center.

Call 1-800-UBDUPED for reservations. Cash Only!

And oh yes, have a nice Day?

Wjc

Caveat Lectores by Jeff Carnes7500 Readers in 498 Cities, 46 States and 22 Countries
Read at your own risk.

Lectores Labor Consulting 813-240-8165
LectoresIT.com
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Caveat Lectores on Sartorial Correctness, Revisited

Recently, the Lector became aware of a possible issue with an allegation some firefighters were politicking while wearing their uniforms. There was an additional allegation the firefighters exhibited some “acting out behavior” toward an opposing candidate. No doubt, the complaint originated with an unfriendly elected official who believes that public employees should be forbidden from participating in the electoral process. Imagine that.

The allegations were probably untrue or at the very least overblown, but the scenario causes the Lector to reflect on some issues that should not have to be addressed at all but….

Wearing what might appear to be a firefighter uniform is not a good idea even if legal. The members should be out there assisting and supporting a candidate not announcing who they are. These days the only people who need to know the firefighters are working for a candidate are the insiders in the campaign. Leave the uniforms and Union T-shirts at home in most cases. I realize some people disagree with me on this, but I stand by my advice. We discuss political invisibility at length in my lobbying seminar.

Very few people vote for a candidate because some FF union tells them to. Public endorsements are warm and fuzzy to the members and loser candidates who want to wrap themselves in a fire fighter's turnout gear for a few votes but ineffective in today's political climate. Money and sweat equity are effective.

The members should be educated on how much they can hurt the cause by "acting out" their frustrations no matter how reasonable.

While I do get a charge out of "screwing around" with the unfriendly politicos, it is usually not a productive thing to do. I suspect the adverse party here has embellished what actually happened, but all must remember that you probably do not live in a community that supports unionism. Low profile and guerrilla warfare works far better than "in your face" activity. The reason public sector unions do so poorly in various adversarial situations is because they do not have enough "friendlies" to support them. Pissing off the ones who are the decision makers without putting them out of office is a guaranteed loser idea. You have to win them over or defeat them. Merely annoying them will serve no productive purpose.

The simple facts are that the public does not care about you or your welfare so long as you show up when they call.

PR means making the public respect and support you. Pissing off the general public and the politicians is counterproductive.

The above statement comes from a labor consultant with 36 years experience watching public employees screw up because they are human. Politics is not for humans.

The Lector addresses these and other important methods to gain success in The Survivor’s Guide to a Successful Public Sector Union.

Here is the Caveat Lectores Rant from nine months ago.

Today’s rant has been festering inside me for at least a quarter century. Now that I have a forum, here it comes. It has to do with the appearance union leaders make before the public. This is more than a little sensitive to some and will rile up those who do not agree with me but…..

Union leadership needs to move away from the notion that they always need to look and dress alike to show unity. That methodology works fine when you want to show unity and strength. It works fine when you want to rally the troops. Everybody wearing a union logo ball cap and shirt is fine for union meetings, conventions, picnics, charity events and generally any group outings for union members and where group unity is valued.

HOWEVER…. Stop looking like the Three Stooges, Village People or the Harlem Globetrotters when you go to public hearings, private hearings, private meetings, public meetings, negotiations, grievance meetings, political functions or any type of situation where you need to blend in. Wearing union garb is not as good an idea as it seems to many of my brothers and sisters. Here are some reasons why:

• Politicians, friend and foe, and management are not impressed with the union uniforms.

• If a politician does not know who you are without your showing him/her your union baseball cap, you are a loser in the lobbying profession. You must have a relationship that has already made you well known.

• Sadly, not all politicians are comfortable appearing in all public arenas with union folks. You must blend in the picture.

• Management, politicians, business people and the general public should not be able to tell the difference between labor and management by what you are wearing unless you are wearing better looking conservative clothes than them.

• Casual and poorly fitting or worn clothing of any kind is not appropriate in a professional setting.

• Business casual for union people should be nothing less than a collared shirt, trousers and possibly a blazer for the men. Women’s clothing should be similarly appropriate. I never wear a slit skirt or a “wife beater” to a business meeting and neither should you. By not understanding that fact, some people subtly place themselves in an inferior position they must later overcome.

• Not all settings require the same boring clothes, but make sure you can identify who you are trying to impress and dress at least as well as they do.

• Over dressing can be as damaging as under dressing. Good fashion judgment is a must.

• Your cause is what is important … not your comfort.

If you do not normally wear business clothes, buy at least one properly fitting blazer type jacket and a couple of broad cloth white or blue shirts that fit. Assume they will shrink and you will gain weight so buy them ½ size larger than you normally buy. Get two conservative ties that match the shirts.

There is more for me to say on this topic. I have already done enough to piss off some but have caused others to nod in agreement.

And Oh yes… Have a nice day?

wjc

Caveat Lectores by Jeff Carnes
7500 Readers in 498 Cities, 46 States and 22 Countries
Read at your own risk.
Lectores Labor Consulting 813-240-8165
LectoresIT.com
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Caveat Lectores on “Public Employees under Attack”

The Lector found this in an AFL-CIO blog called “Today’s Workplace.” It is worth a read. My suggestion is to go to the Blog site and subscribe.

October 13th, 2010 | James Parks

The people who teach our children, protect us from crime, put out fires in our homes and make sure our water is clean are under attack. Conservative pundits and politicians across the country are using the economic crisis to attack public employees and portray them as privileged compared with everyone else. They use the fact that public employees, many of whom are union members, have been able to keep their well-funded pensions, reasonable hours and decent pay to stir up rage from those who have lost these benefits in the private sector.

Many cash-starved state and local governments have used these same arguments as a cover to cut services, personnel and pension benefits to balance their budgets and weaken unions.

Several new studies should put those arguments to rest. The Economic Policy Institute (EPI) found that state and local public employees are actually underpaid. In “Debunking the Myth of the Overcompensated Public Employee: The Evidence,” Rutgers University professor Jeffrey Keefe found that, on average, state and local government workers are paid 3.75 percent less than similar workers in the private sector.

The study also found the benefits that state and local government workers receive do not offset the lower wages they are paid. The differential is greatest for doctors, lawyers and professional employees, the study found. Read Keefe’s report here.

Public employees also work hard for their lower pay, often putting themselves in danger. According to the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR), nearly two in five state and local government workers—more than 1.4 million— worked in either physically strenuous jobs or jobs with difficult working conditions. Notably, almost half (47.5 percent) of local government employees between ages 55 and 65 held such jobs. If the retirement age were increased, the report says, many of these workers, due to the physical challenges of their jobs, would have to leave the workforce before they are eligible for full retirement benefits. Read the CEPR report here.

Writing in the New York Daily News, Dan Morris of the nonpartisan Drum Major Institute for Public Policy says the attacks on public employees are absurd and dangerous.

…if public-sector workers become cheap, expendable labor, they will contribute less to the tax base and spend less, blunting private-sector job creation. A healthy public sector is just as good for the investment banker as it is for the unionized electrician.

EPI estimates that every 100 public-sector layoffs result in about 30 private-sector layoffs because the subsequent loss of income dampens consumer spending and thus weakens the economy.

Says Morris:

The race to the bottom is a callous attempt to lower expectations for employment at a time when millions of people are counting on them to be raised. No victory worthy of the name can be achieved on those terms.

This article was originally posted on AFL-CIO Now Blog.

About The Author: John Petro is an urban policy analyst at the Drum Major Institute for Public Policy. He runs the Progressive Urban Model Policies (PUMP) Project, a first-of-its-kind initiative to organize and share best practices in policy design and implementation. His writing on urban issues has appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle and his recent research has been covered in Politico, The New York Times, Reuters, and other media outlets.

And oh yes, have a nice Day?

Wjc

Caveat Lectores by Jeff Carnes

8000 Readers in 498 Cities, 46 States and 22 Countries
Read at your own risk.
Lectores Labor Consulting 813-240-8165
LectoresIT.com

Caveat Lectores on Facebook

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