Problems Without Solutions

03Mar11

I don’t know why I continue to read stories about union protests in this state anymore.  They’re simply rhetoric and hate and a total lack of education of a problem.  Ironic though that the problem is a lack of education when it comes to those in the teaching profession.  Let’s take a look at some of the quotes from yesterday’s teacher rally in Providence, and ask each one the same question, “What would you do to fix the problem?”

Let’s start with Randi Weingarten, the head of AFT:

“Something is insane in Providence,” Weingarten said, standing on the steps of City Hall. “On a week where teachers and students were taking a well-deserved break, a secret plan was being hatched in Providence. They thought no one would be there to hear it.”

Right.  I’m sure that Angel Taveras had this planned out all along.  He waited until one of those weeks off that teachers get during the year to inform them of his diabolical plan.   Why did he do this so early in the year?  Why in February?  It’s state law.  It’s a state law that the unions asked for, so their people would have about six months to potentially look for a new job.  You asked for it!

Fire everyone — that was their plan.

This is one of the main things that bother me about unions.  They stand up there at their rallies and spread lies.  Taveras has said time and time again, that not everyone will be fired and not a single person has been fired yet.  Everyone was simply given a notice that they could be fired at a later date.  However the vast majority will be back on the job later.

Oh yeah and Randi?  What solution do you have to helping plug the $70M deficit that David Cicilline left the city in?  Nothing?  Ok, thanks.

“This is dismantling the progress that the work force has made in the past 100 years,” said Trish McGovern, a Cranston teacher.

ASTROTURF!! The progressives and the left often loved to scream about astroturfing going on during the last election cycle.  They’re not real protesters, they’s say.  A protester with no skin in the game?  Astroturfer!

“It’s about the rights of the normal working person,” said William Louis, a union member from Groton, Conn. “We bailed out the banks and the CEOs. Let’s go after their bonuses.”

Groton, CT?  Another Astroturfer.  Is anyone at this protest from Providence?  That aside, the guy has a point.  Billions were paid out to save the banks, but the intent there was to protect the little homeowner, especially the ones on the bubble of losing their home.  However in their infinite wisdom, Congress handed out those billions with very few strings attached.  Don’t want to actually put that money back to work?  Ok, no problem, Congress said, just vote for me again.  If you don’t like those TARP votes from Congress, then vote those people out of office.  Yet Reed, Whitehouse and Langevin have persisted.  As for the issue at hand, that’s a federal issue, here we’re talking about city (not even state!) issue.  Apples and oranges.  Isn’t it ironic that in the list above, of our Washington delegation, I left out the fourth, Cicilline, who actually created this whole mess?

“What did we do wrong?” said another.

The one that actually does have a point.  What’d the individual teachers do wrong to get fired?  Actually, nothing.  But that’s the way things work in any business.  When revenues are down or you’re running a deficit, cuts have to be made.   People have been getting laid off from their jobs for the last 2-3 years.  What’d they do wrong?  Nothing.  I know it’s not good, but that’s where we are.

However, where were the signs with solutions?  How would you fix a $70M deficit?  Other than the non-sequitur offer to go after Wall Street, there were none.

Weingarten’s tone was harsh: “Mass firings don’t fix the budget. They say, ‘This is a city that doesn’t care about schools.’  ”

Ugh.  Straight up union thuggery.

“You agreed to a labor-management collaborative,” George Nee, president of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO, told the crowd. “You agreed to Race to the Top. And it got you fired. Mr. Mayor, support collective bargaining. Let’s not go down the road with Wisconsin.”

Huh?  What does Race to the Top have to do with this?  Why are these people allowed to spread these kind of lies.  “The Red Sox didn’t make the playoffs last year and it got the teachers fired!”  “It was cloudy Saturday and it got the teachers fired!” “A butterfly flapped its wings in China and it got the teachers fired!”  Each one is just as correct as George’s statement.  The reason that notices were sent out, not teachers actually fired, was because David Cicilline left the city with a $70M budget hole that needs to be closed.  It won’t be done completely on the backs of teachers, but when the school department is running a major deficit, cuts will need to be made.  And George, what does this have to do with collective bargaining?  It seems that Taveras is following the contract perfectly.  That’s what collective bargaining is about, right?  Or does it only work when it’s on your side?  The difference between Providence and Wisconsin is night and day.  But I guess we won’t let the truth get in the way of a good George Nee rant.

Why does anyone listen to these people at all?

 

Filed under: Democrats, Education, Providence, Unions   |  Leave a Comment
Tags: lies, teachers, thuggery