FDR vs. Wisconsin Teachers Union
by PubliusFrom The Washington Times:
The big issue in Wisconsin today is whether or not public sector workers should have collective bargaining rights. In an Aug. 16, 1937 letter to Luther Steward, the president of the National Federation of Public Employees, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt had something to say about that:
[M]eticulous attention should be paid to the special relationships and obligations of public servants to the public itself and to the Government.
All Government employees should realize that the process of collective bargaining, as usually understood, cannot be transplanted into the public service. It has its distinct and insurmountable limitations when applied to public personnel management. The very nature and purposes of Government make it impossible for administrative officials to represent fully or to bind the employer in mutual discussions with Government employee organizations. The employer is the whole people, who speak by means of laws enacted by their representatives in Congress. Accordingly, administrative officials and employees alike are governed and guided, and in many instances restricted, by laws which establish policies, procedures, or rules in personnel matters.
Roosevelt would have absolutely rejected the mass demonstrations aimed at blocking access or regress from the state’s legislative building, and at keeping children out of school:
Particularly, I want to emphasize my conviction that militant tactics have no place in the functions of any organization of government employees.
Upon employees in the Federal service rests the obligation to serve the whole people, whose interests and welfare require orderliness and continuity in the conduct of Government activities. This obligation is paramount. Since their own services have to do with the functioning of the Government, a strike of pubic employees manifests nothing less than an intent on their part to prevent or obstruct the operations of Government until their demands are satisfied. Such action, looking toward the paralysis of Government by those who have sworn to support it, is unthinkable and intolerable.
Yet now we have a president of the United States using his political organization, Organizing For America, to encourage militant tactics that would obstruct the operations of a SOVEREIGN state government, in order to keep collective bargaining of the sort that the great liberal icon and friend of unions, FDR, said has “distinct and insurmountable limitations.”
Read the whole thing here. We win this fight or we lose. It is that simple.
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271 Comments
He said collective bargaining has it's 'distinct limitations.' Uh huh. Tell that to Trumka, and Obama!
Also isn't it Deriliction of Duty for the entire Democrat Senate to flee the State of Wisconsin? If it isn't it should be.
I make a motion that refusing to vote as an elected official is a violation!
Good job Gov Walker! America supports you.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST – is inherent in the entire concept of public employee unions. The simple fact that they can influence their counterpoint negotiators (elected officials) by way of contributions to their campaign funds, necessitates that the contracts be decided by public referendums (tax payers)
The TERRORIST UNIONS are engaging in a "wildcat strike", a clear violation of Wisconsin and Federal labor laws.
The democrat COWARDS are committing fraud against the taxpayers of Wisconsin and violating their oaths of office to fulfill their constitutional duties.
Governor Walker give the democrat COWARDS twenty four hours to return to their posts or declare their seats vacant and hold appoint replacements for them.
Give the union members until Monday to return to their jobs or declare their contracts null and void.
The legislative LAWLESSNESS and this act of UNION TERRORISM must be brought to an end!
I'm seriously tempted to drive up to Madison WI for the counter-rally tomorrow, despite the fact I have a long-promised engagement with family and friends. I'm getting very, very angry over the actions of the unions and the Dems.
"militant tactics have no place in the functions of any organization of government employees." …….. My personal favorite line from this nice article about FDR.
There should be NO public sector unions.
Make them illegal and close them down. If the workers strike fire them and hire someone who is unemployed and will appreciate the job !
" Governor Walker give them twenty four hours to return to their posts or declare their seats vacant and hold appoint replacements for them!!! "
Great idea !
Even the FDR would not put up with what the Wisconsin Teacher's Union is doing. Wisconsin Teachers have forgotten that they are not the employees of the Governor, but of the state.Under FDR the union would not exist.
I wish I was closer because I'd definitely drive there. But CA is a bit far. ;-D
These "Teachers"? http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/education/...
What would Reagan do?
He'd fire them all.
"Yet now we have a president of the United States using his political organization, Organizing For America, to encourage militant tactics that would obstruct the operations of a SOVEREIGN state government"
Gee, and here I thought obama fashioned himself after FDR. Or was that Lincoln?
Ahhhh, Reagan?
JFK.
Oh, who can keep track?
These modern unions would club President Roosevelt IN HIS WHEELCHAIR faster than you can spell SEIU. Bunch of savages. Trumka and Jackson, GET OUT! Take Feingold with you. This is OUR state.
BTW The Great One is lighting the idiots up again as I type, It's almost a religious experience.
And rightly so.
Personally, I'd go further and charge them with contributing to the delinquency of minors.
Off topic….10 reasons you should not use Google !
http://www.infowars.com/dont-be-evil-10-ways-in-w...
Halle-friggen-lujah!
Praise the Lord, and pass the ammunition.
Never retreat. Reload.
"I make a motion that refusing to vote as an elected official is a violation!"
Well, that would have wiped obama out early in his political career.
President of the United States?
He is nothing but a goddamned whore, indebted to his UNION Massah.
A Militant Mufti, masquerading as our President.
I'll be there, I'll put up a sign for you!
I just wouldn't be good in Scott Walker's position. I wouldn't be able to resist tweaking these union goons.
No, I'd get on national television and put out a call for unemployed educators all around the country to please submit their resumes to the State House in Wisconsin, as it looks like we're about to have a LOT of new openings.
The Madison issue has been nationalized. It is no longer about adding a few percentage points to what they pay towards pensions and health care (which is still half of what other public employees pay). It isn't about the fact that the local town managers need to be able to set pay and pension figures (right now they can't because of collective bargaining) for public employees so that local leaders will not have to layoff some employees to pay the remaining employee salaries. It isn't about any of this anymore.
This is THE FIGHT for unions from all across the country. This is huge for them. And the longer it gets drawn out the more union people will show up. They'll bus them in from Puerto Rico if the have to.
Then I would arrest them for vagrancy.
This is an affront to any person who works for a living.
It is the Non-Producers, demanding more from the Producers.
They contribute not one iota to the GDP. They are nothing but a drain on the society and economy as a whole. They are despicable.
Cowboy, I just found this: http://www.cnbc.com/id/41655262
They don't usually put this kind of crap out on a Friday evening unless they know the jig is up.
Remember how Bear Stearns and Lehman Bros. went down?
They announced "trouble" on Friday and they collapsed the following Monday, sh!t is about to hit the fan.
Thank you Missy.
Personally, I believe the market will reset to DOW 5,000.
Thanks. If I can't get there, I'll be there in spirit.
"It is the Non-Producers, demanding more from the Producers."
Smells like communism to me.
I'm in the Chicago area, which is about a 3-4 hour drive to Madison. If this had happened last weekend or next, I'd be fine and could go. /blah/ Timing inhales deeply.
God, even FDR was opposed to these statist goons masquerading as public union employees.
Krauthammer called this young GOP gun evidence of how deep the GOP bench has become. CK called Walker's presser on the national stage tonight a "home run" as it made the points of majority rule and fiscal sanity, while calling the opposition (nicely) cowards and blowhards. He also told Obama to focus on the Federal budget problems and to (nicely) butt out of his state's issues.
I think the GOP has just found a new name to talk about as the next POTUS…this guy is impressive.
Try to catch some video of richard trumpka screaming with the protesters today. After seeing a few seconds of that, I was ready to get in my car and drive up from Florida.
How memories fade when they're inconvenient. Democrats always fight for the rights of the union man?
It seems that back in 1944, the ever-egalitarian transit workers in Philadelphia defiantly stood up for their right to strike. It seems they took some offense or another about black workers "stealing" white jobs.
Go look up "Philadelphia transit strike of 1944" at Wikipedia and see how Franklin Roosevelt handled it. He brought in federal troops, and the strike lasted five days. Workers were told to report to work the next day or be fired, lose their right to apply for other jobs (a certificate was required in those days) and lose their draft deferments, which meant almost immediate draft notices. The workers showed up for work the next day, and 8 black transit workers were given non-menial jobs at the Transit Authority for the first time.
And there's also the Air Traffic Controllers' strike during the Reagan era.
An illegal strike is an illegal strike.
Remember it was JFK who allowed federal employees to unionize. I feel that it is a conflict of interest since that would be like me acting as both employer and employee to determine my pay, benefits, etc. Some how this doesn't seem correct. What is wrong with this picture?
I was ready to go up there when they started carrying signs comparing Gov. Walker to Mubarek.
You said it, brother.
Unfortunately, you may be aiming too high…
Sadly I think we are about to actually go the way of the Weimar Republic…
FDR = EPIC FAIL…
Sorry folks, the RATS icon FDR was nothing more or less, than a Progressive/Socialist, and proved that his dogmatic social engineering applications of Keynesian economics was a massive failure. Sad to say, had WWII not appeared, America's great depression would have lasted much longer, and would have been more devastating.
Smells like a bunch of blood sucking leeches trying to drain the last drop of lifeblood from their host organism. I am not familiar with Wisconsin Law. I would love for their Governor to find something therein, that he could state "Effective this date and time, your UNION is officially disbanded and you are no longer recognized as a collective bargaining unit. Furthermore, you are all fired and you now have one hour to vacate the Capitol, after which, you will be found in contempt and arrested.
These are the End Days for Unions…the TeachingZZZombies are filled with Hatred, Corruption and will, next week, take back control of your children…Hell NO…fire them all!!! And your Whitehouse is spending your tax dollars to push teachers into RIOT MODE…criminal and UNCONSTITUTIONAL…they have your kids….on Monday Morning…poisoning them against you!!!
These are the End Days for Unions…the TeachingZZZombies are filled with Hatred, Corruption and will, next week, take back control of your children…Hell NO…fire them all!!! And your Whitehouse is spending your tax dollars to push teachers into RIOT MODE…criminal and UNCONSTITUTIONAL…they have your kids….on Monday Morning…poisoning them against you!!!
MONDAY MORNING- THESE FREAKING INSANE UNION MONSTERS TAKE BACK CONTROL OF YOUR CHILDREN!
These are the End Days for Unions…the TeachingZZZombies are filled with Hatred, Corruption and will, next week, take back control of your children…Hell NO…fire them all!!! And your Whitehouse is spending your tax dollars to push teachers into RIOT MODE…criminal and UNCONSTITUTIONAL…they have your kids….on Monday Morning…poisoning them against you!!!
From what I'm reading, there's one strong reason why they are fighting Wisconsin so hard.
"The primary reason the White House and the Democrats are fighting the movement to end collective bargaining is that dues will no longer be mandatory for teachers in the unions once they can no longer bargain."
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2011/02/the_m...
That would be one POWERFUL victory for the nation if it turns out to be true. No more democrat slush funds.
This is a very pleasant surprise : http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/02/18/palestini...
It has been a very good day !
More so like Wilson or the peanut farmer.
If FDR could see the genie he let out of the bottle with the nanny state he would pee down both trouser legs and kill over.
Bless me Father (Signum Crusis and clenching my rosary)
I never attended a public school until college and I can assure you in the future when I'm blessed with children of my own they will never attend public schools either.
thanks for sharing that. i was reluctant to follow the out come of this out of greed of a good mood. Scott Walker and congressional voting today had me on cloud 10.
Ouch, that must sting for all the statists….being told off by another statist. Aside from the part about public welfare (a nonexistent concept), twas a helluva quote.
Just remember everyone, there are FAR more of us than there are of them (Unions and their thugs).
Heh…except it's not in the constitution. The constitution basically states:
Article IV section 7
"may compel the attendance of absent members in such manner and under such penalties as each house may provide"
but the senate rules and the constitution don't actually have rules / penalties.
I agree. But let's not be naive to not point out what led to the Depression and what enabled FDR to make it much worse…the FED.
"Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country"
contrasted with JFK's actual actions….
and contrasted with our demagogue-in-chief today…
what a crock of ****.
I wouldn't get too excited about that, Gary.
"Hillary Clinton: Israeli Settlements 'Illegitimate'"
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/hillary-clinton-is...
The UN veto was nothing but a political CYA. They haven't ended their assault on Israel.
New laws need to be passed to prohibit protests in residential areas. Make it a felony to prevent scofflaw activists from getting off easy.
This could be such a great country if the far left Huns weren't controlling and pillaging it.
Going to tea party in Madison tomorrow…keep thinking I should get a helmet first
Cowboy, I apologize but I have been very busy with family, etc. How is your friend? I know I have asked this before, but I have not seen your response for whatever the reason. I have prayed for him constantly. My son is doing fine. He is trying out for his high school baseball team. His older brother was a star and he does have potential but obviously he has had some bad luck. I thank the Lord everynight that he is alive and I simply can not believe he has a chance, I repeat a chance to make the team.
Interesting interview with McCartin labor historian which would suggest that, while FDR was against public sector unions (and public sector union strikes) he might've changed his mind after the war.
http://www.salon.com/technology/how_the_world_wor...
He outlines both sides of the argument pretty well. Why the right/conservatives are pissed as well as why progressives are. Some interesting historical perspectives as well. Thought some might enjoy.
Maybe the State should shut off the water in the Capitol Building as a cost saving measure….lol
As a retired military man and federal service employee I know that collective bargaining cannot be extended to state or federal employees and the military. To do so would result in breakdown of government and anarchy such as we see in Wisconsin.
Thank you for asking.
I figured you did not see my responses to you.
They sent my friend home for three weeks with massive doses of antibiotics. They wanted to make sure his system was free of any germs (I guess). He goes back this weekend and gets treatments next week.
Again, thanks for asking.
Agree, the fed was a part of the great depression puzzle.
Remember the president and his democrat followers are dependent upon the unions for support and funds, in other words bought.
It is indeed sad that the teachers and many parents brought the children into the mob activities.
The teachers have it made now ! A 8.5 month work year, make $51000. avg salary, contribute nothing to their retirement and healthcare and in many states they can apply for unemployment during their three month vacation.
History if tough properly from the 1930s on ward this would not have happened when Kennedy got elected…
Part?!?! No sir, it wasn't a part. It was the cause. Prior to the Federal Reserve's establishment, banks had a set, limited amount of credit that DIRECTLY AFFECTED interest rates. In other words, banks had a set amount of money. When someone would withdraw money from that bank, the interest rates for everyone else who had money in that bank would go down. When someone would deposit, they'd go up. Then came the Fed. The Fed extended an (what you might as well call) unlimited amount of credit to US banks. Don't have enough money in your bank? No problem, have some credit. Consequently, interest rates were kept up artificially (without banks having the actual money proper to those rates) and the vast overabundance of wealth (which was also aided by Pres Coolidge cutting income taxes in half) that Americans were presented with led to the insane over-speculation and subsequent crash. It doesn't take a genius to realize what happened when people started trying to withdraw funds from those banks.
Central banks are responsible for every single depression in modern history. The one we're in now is no different.
Oh and in '33 the US Gov't went bankrupt and was bailed out (and ENSLAVED) by the Fed. Wasn't FDR great?!? How benevolent of him!!
Just go. I wish I could.
Let us know how it goes.
Uhhhbama, the Three Trillion Dollar President, is in a league all by himself, John.
We need more people to pull a Reagan on these public sector butts. I'm sure there are those more than willing to have just to have a job right now.
You know something on the left is really bad if an extremely left-winged role model to these people didn't even like them.
Oh thank goodness. Condemning Israel is something they, and us, cannot afford.
Also, Hillary is nothing more than a rat. Best to ignore her.
we all saw this one coming and it had to come. its just the beginning.
All elected, and appointed officials must take an oath of office. To me, ALL of these Wisconsin RAT senators are in dereliction of their duties. I don't know what the Wisconsin state constitution, or state laws spells out, but seems to me there should be consequences of some kind!
DISGUSTING DISHONORABLE DEMOCRATIC DESERTION!
DID ANYONE CONSIDER THAT ILLINOIS is the jumping off place for Obama's re-election? Can't trace e-mails, people to the White House logs and all that. Did anyone consider that ah yes, the angelic crew of Rahm Emanuel and Axelrod are orchestrating this entire thing?
We are in the midst of a civil w…….. This is not pretty and will probably get worse. If they can do this in Wisconsin they –that is the unions–can do it in other states. If they can do it at the state level they can do it at the federal level. etc etc etc. The shining light to Egypt and the Middle East (alas we know who's hands were dirty in that including Trumpka) is showing them ROTTEN sportsmanship, ROTTEN government cooperation and ROTTEN bipartisanship. Great!
God bless Walker and the others with COURAGE. DESERTION IS NOT AN ACT OF COURAGE.
Make sure the real story gets out. Make sure every single person in Wisconsin knows how little Walker is asking for. Make sure the teachers who took students out of class get disciplined. Make sure the students know THEY will be paying for this Democratic stunt.
PS No wonder there are these poll numbers (and they are going to sink every day that passes)
Politico Poll–WOW!
A new poll from the Washington-based Clarus Group asked:
Do you think government employees should be represented by labor unions that bargain for higher pay, benefits and pensions … or do you think government employees should not be represented by labor unions?
A full 64% of the respondents said "no."
Of course the Communist Party USA (CPUSA) had this to say about Wisconsin:
Occupation of Madison Continues for Third Day http://peoplesworld.org/occupation-of-wisconsin-c...
Average salary for Wisconsin teacher: $89,000 salary and benefits. Average private sector employee $61,000 salary and benefits.
Wisconsin statute governing “misconduct in public office”
946.12 Misconduct in public office. Any public officer or public employee who does any of the following is guilty of a Class I felony:
946.12(1)
(1) Intentionally fails or refuses to perform a known mandatory, nondiscretionary, ministerial duty of the officer’s or employee’s office or employment within the time or in the manner required by law; or
946.12(3)
(3) Whether by act of commission or omission, in the officer’s or employee’s capacity as such officer or employee exercises a discretionary power in a manner inconsistent with the duties of the officer’s or employee’s office or employment or the rights of others and with intent to obtain a dishonest advantage for the officer or employee or another;
FOR FREE VIAGRA????
Would this apply to the vacationing Democrats? Very Interesting.
Hey Statists, YOU LOST!
Your representatives are running from their elected duties (but only for so long).
Unionism, particularly of the public kind, is DEAD. I look forward to similar bills passing within the legislatures of a number of states. I never thought Wisconsin (the birthplace of collective bargaining) would be the first, but it is the revelation so many of us in this country have waited for.
Our money will remain ours. Now get off your a_ss and get to work!
Kennedy was paying back George Meany of the AFL/CIO for bringing in the union votes by giving him the collective bargaining executive order.
Wall Street destroyed the pension funds with their mortgage backed securities schemes. Stop blaming the working class.
Wall Street destroyed the pension funds with their derivatives trading and mortgage backed securities schemes. Stop blaming unions and working class people. Stop being a tool.
take a camera too and a buddy for back up.
You are a tool. The pension funds were destroyed by wall street mortgage backed securities schemes and derivatives trading. Stop blaming working class teachers for wanting a decent salary and healthcare benefits.
So you hate the working class and prefer the rich keep getting richer. You are a useful idiot.
Remember when the Air Traffic Controllers (Federal Employees) went on strike… Reagan simply fired them all and replaced them. It might be tough for a while but Wisconsin should simply fire everyone striking. I bet there would be thousands of candidates lined up around the block next day looking for a non-union job. Wisconsin public employees don't need unions since the state passed laws over 100 years ago that guarantees certain employee rights and benefits. Reminds me of when I was a California State (non-union) employee over 20 years ago. We had better benefits before the unions came into power.
"Public sector employees" are employed by TAXPAYERS, not the unions. Fire all of them , then make it illegal to join a union. Enough of these parasites.
You are a psychotic bag of pus. Grow a brain before you utter another syllable asshat.
Bonehead. Let's all go back to 16 work days, no child labor laws, no safety regulations, and we can pay workers 3 dollars an hour. You really are a useful idiot.
Well said FDR! Far too intellectual for conservative rubes to understand. Thanks for trying!
Yeah, the government needs to control us MORE!
Its like you completely forgot there is a word called "negotiation". And for sure the meaning is long gone from your understanding.
is it not rather disingenuous to negotiate a settlement and then just reneg on it without cause? It was stupid negotiating by the government in the first place that got us where we are. Funny how the right is suddenly an ally of government when its levers are used to shove things down other peoples' throats. I knew it all along. I'm inside you, I 'm you, sad but true. OPT baby.
I know, how terrible, working class people want a decent wage, health benefits, and a retirement. F*ck them. Give it all to big business. Why do working class right wingers constantly work against their own interests?
I think you're right there is something just not right about it. But not the reason you state. Your reason makes no sense frankly.
They're a different type of worker, being employed by government. I'm still working out for myself how it all fits together and what the right answer is, but, I do think public workers should have a right to unionize like any other private worker. But there is just too much intersection between unions and government in our current state.
"How reality fades when its inconvenient." That's the application of your concept to Republicans today. Another example: Democrats like to forget they used to be the racist party, Republicans like to ignore and deny they are now the racist party.
LOL!
spam!
A mind is a terrible thing to waste, that's good for you, you'll never suffer that.
Good point John. Too bad Obama wasn't wiped out. We're much wiser now though and it was a painful learning curve for two years.
You are right. We need to monitor our classroom teachers and professors. They're mostly socialists, indoctrinating our children while WE pay for it!
That's the general feeling right now. How can they flee the State to avoid voting? "Houston we have a loop-hole here!"
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