Political Irony

5 Comments

1. patriotsgt wrote:

   I have know idea what Sorensen is trying to convey except the standard political line. ABC did some fact checking and Wisconsin has lowered unemployment, wages statewide have increased and they now have a projected surplus while reducing taxes.
   i think thats why the recall failed. While it’s not perfect in this economy any positive movement should be recognized. Like any trend time will tell, but prior to Walker they were trending in the wrong direction.

   http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/06/wisconsin-recall-fact-checking-the-walker-economy/

   I think unions in corporate america are a good thing and serve a great purpose to improve the quality of life for many people. I do not believe public sector unions serve the best interest of the tax payers. Governemnt employees have the vote and can replace those in charge, whereas corporate employees cannot. It benefits politicians to give into unions for donations and votes, whereas corporate leaders think about sales, and profit and how benefit increases serve the interest of the company. Their gain comes from increased productivity and ultimately profit. Politicians rely on increased taxes to fullfil their promises. And sadly they often mismanage the contributions by union employees to pensions who agree to increased contributions.

   Monday, June 18, 2012 at 11:49 am | Permalink
2. Iron Knee wrote:

   PatriotSgt, the article you linked to says that the number of jobs increased, which is not the same thing as lowering unemployment. For example, in the last US jobs report we actually added jobs, but unemployment went up (because people looking for jobs went up), but that didn’t stop Republicans from blasting Obama on the jobs report.

   The article says the number of jobs increased by 10,121 (a paltry 0.36%). I can’t find population data for 2011, but from 2009 to 2010, the population of Wisconsin increased by 32,212 — so it looks like unemployment probably went up in Wisconsin, not down.

   It may be true that wages went up, but as the article says, Wisconsin wages were lower than the national average. Also, the economy is improving, so you would expect wages to go up. What I would like to see is Wisconsin’s numbers compared to the nation as a whole. Only then could you evaluate whether Walker’s policies were good for the state.

   And as the article points out, Walker may have reduced the state deficit, but only because he cut the salaries of state and local government workers, including teachers (by increasing their contribution to health insurance and pensions).

   I’m not necessarily disagreeing with your larger point, but that article does not do a particularly good job of fact checking the economy in Wisconsin.

   Monday, June 18, 2012 at 4:55 pm | Permalink
3. PatriotSgt wrote:

   I agree the repubs are blasting Obama for anything, and some of that is understandable being election season and all. They don’t give him credit for the things he’s done and tried to do. They won’t acknolwedge any improvement and are probably hoping it doesn’t improve until after the election.

   It just seems the right goes after Obama, even if it’s somewhat positive similarly the left has gone after Walker, even if it’s somewhat positive. I don’t see much difference between the two. Neither side will admit that the other has any good idea, which I think is a shame since there are a few good ideas on both sides. Winner takes all is just the wrong way to run a government IMHO.

   Monday, June 18, 2012 at 5:09 pm | Permalink
4. patriotsgt wrote:

   #3 was me

   Monday, June 18, 2012 at 5:10 pm | Permalink
5. Iron Knee wrote:

   PatriotSgt, somehow I knew that, even before you said so. It must have been, ah, the false equivalence? But I edited #3 to put your name on it anyway.

   Do you really believe that Obama never said nice things about Reagan? That he didn’t adopt Republican ideas for health care, immigration reform, and other problems (and even said he was adopting good Republican ideas)? Only to have the Republicans reject their own ideas once they are adopted by Obama. Gosh, he even modeled his health care reform on Romneycare, which Romney now wants to eliminate.

   However, I will also say that Jeb Bush recently praised Obama (on immigration).

   But even more important than praise is actually voting for something. In that area, there is no equivalence — the Republicans have definitely been the party of no, obstructing everything.

   Thursday, June 21, 2012 at 3:39 pm | Permalink