The Poison of Unions
So, yesterday I mentioned that I feel like I live at Smith’s. I haven’t even been home 12 hours yet and I’m getting ready to head back for another long day. I really don’t mind the work, it’s fun to meet lots of people and have co-workers again, but I don’t like the random shifts and only knowing my work schedule barely 3 days in advance. So… maybe this plan for a non-techy job is kinda backfiring on me.
Yesterday I was watching CNN on my break at work (it’s on the TV’s in the Deli) and they showed a poll they did recently: Do you have confidence in either President Bush or President-Elect Obama in fixing the economy? The numbers were ridiculous – 12% said yes. TWELVE. Now, here’s my take. President Bush is responsible in part for spending a lot of money; however I really don’t hold him responsible for the ‘crisis’ that we are in. That was put into motion years ago by congressmen out to make the world fair, where everyone can buy anything – you just need to slacken your standards. But, this has been beaten to death.
The ‘Crisis of the Month’ now is Detriot. They’re broke and almost broken. And NO ONE in the media or politics is pointing the blame at the right place – the United Auto Workers Union. They’ve been crippling the industry for decades. The Big 3 have no money because everything they earn goes towards paying past employees long retired and barely holding on to current employees. Even if there is no work for a current employee to do, they’re not allowed to lay them off so they pay them even if they don’t go in for a shift! And guess who’s right at the front asking for $25 billion? The UAW President. He won’t bend one inch to lessen the benefits of the workforce, rather he’d prefer they kept they’re overpaid, over-benefits jobs and let us, the taxpayers, fund that lifestyle.
And sadly, no one can lash out towards them because of the backlash that would happen. Unions are so intertwined in any major industry that you have to keep silent – the businesses are held captive by the Unions. Gas is back to levels we haven’t seen since 2000 and yet the airlines still can’t make a dime. Lately they said it was high gas prices and we bought into it; but now what’s the problem? One word – Unions. Southwest doesn’t have a Union and they’re doing just fine.
So, back to the poll, am I part of the 12% that believes politicians are going to fix the economy? Nope, not with the fixes they keep suggesting. As one wise Senator has said, giving Detroit $25 billion only delays the inevitable 6 months. Oh, and if I recall correctly, guess where most of that $25 billion is asked to go – Unemployment and benefits. What a joke.
November 21st, 2008 at 9:13 am
My feeling, to be honest, is that there is a lot more involved here than we’re being told. That is the feeling I get when nothing government does makes any sense. When the “informed” people (you and me who actually care and pay attention to what these clowns are doing) start scratching their heads in wonder at the sheer stupidity, where do we draw the line and start demanding to know what is going on here? We are being told that this “stimulus package” is for the purpose of “saving our economy”. Even someone with as little economic training as I have can tell you that there is no way in hell this package is going to do anything but make things worse, and we have hundreds of Washington politicians up there telling us that we need another one. What? Are you kidding? WHY? And I’m starting to want the REAL answer, because the one they are giving us doesn’t make any sense.
November 21st, 2008 at 10:52 am
You both need to watch a movie called I.O.U.S.A It is amazing what they have put together about this countries past, present, and future. Beth and I both saw it a couple weeks ago and it is great
November 26th, 2008 at 3:36 pm
You hit it on the head Joel.