Joe Lordi weighs in on Wisconsin teachers

It is clear that the only reasonable inhabitants of Wisconsin on either side of the school teachers' union debate are those within the state house. I will not attempt to rewrite the book of why unions in 21st century America are hurting our economy or work ethic... I will say only that those in favor of the teachers' union rights have stupidly chosen to use children in their scheme to evade paying for what teachers and other public sector employees pay for in other states. Honestly, using young, impressionable youth that will take any excuse to rally behind a cause is a Machiavellian power play. The malleable youth get some time off of school so that they can carry ignorant signs that say "hands off our education"... I'd take that over algebra any day. Maybe more correctly they should say "teachers back in the classroom to do what they get paid to do, so that my education isnt wasted any further". My father was a politician, a county commissioner... A democrat. Strange that I should turn out to be a conservative. I remember when I was only seven or so years old, I participated in a march through the streets of downtown Youngstown to support a half cent sales tax increase. Litte did I know then what I do now... That that is the Democratic party's answer for just about everything- raise taxes. Now, to the money... Many public school teachers in other states already pay for some if not all their benefits. Guess what, those states aren't in the red. Wisconsin is battling a budget crisis and it can either start with making teachers pay for some of what they have been getting free ( which gives them one hell of a head start if this becomes the law of the land), or it can hold massive layoffs, which I am sure those teachers would just adore. By the way, how many of those teachers are closer to death than they are to retirement? You know, every school system has a huge percentage of bitter old hags that live for teaching and nothing else. They refuse a buyout year after expensive year, and chpose not to retire. What do they care if they have to pay a bit for only the next few years. Next, on tp the fact that these people are EDUCATORS! Not martyrs, though they would certainly have you believe so, constanytly whining about the high stress level of what they do as though they were the only Americans to ever work for an honest day's wage, even though they were the ones who chose such a career path. Dear teachers, do you know who else has a stressful job? Police and firefighters qnd paramedics! They literally risk their lives to save ours when we need them to. We are not slashing their benefits nor are we eliminating their right for collectivr bargaining. Also, they cannot strike, and justly so. You have such a right and it means you are not as important as they. Think about that. So, if you keep what your greedy union thugs want to keep benefit wise in a time of national fiscal emergency the likes of which we have only rarely seen, these unfortunate but necessary austerity measures will have to be passed on to employees who matter more. Deal with it.