Republicans open to letting states declare bankruptcy to break public worker unions?

[dkf]

I heard this yesterday on either MSNBC or CNBC.

I can easily imagine them wanting to do this, but anyone else hear more?

[eleny]

1. What's next - repealing child labor laws?

[baldguy]

7. We'd be able to compete with third-world countries again!

[old mark]

2. The public sefvice unions are tjhe largest group of unions remaining in the US - the GOPers

would LOVE to destroy them all, have tried everything they cpould in the past - I heard that NJ's Governor Christie is giving seminars omn how to bust state workers and teachers unions to incoming GOP governors, such as ours here in PA.

Of course they will try - they hate us.

mark

[madrchsod]

6. wisconsin and iowa are out to break the unions.

[notesdev]

3. One of two things is inevitable for a great many states

1) bankruptcy
2) default

if the former is not allowed the latter is a certainty.

Anyone seen what the budget prospects of IL, CA, NY look like recently? IL is on the verge of losing the ability to function as a government because they don't pay their vendors, and their vendors are going out of business as a result. They're even seeing state lawmakers evicted for non-payment of rent! CA is on the same path, having resorted to IOUs (an illegal state-issued currency btw) for two years running. NY is just a little bit further behind.

People are going to need to get out in front of the wave of belt-tightening and make some hard choices before those choices are forced on them. Those who do will be immeasurably better off than those who do not.

[Turbineguy]

4. When ideology trumps reason.

[madrchsod]

5. yes

but bankrupting a state has some really issues that no one really wants to talk about.

[dkf]

9. I'm trying to figure out what the implications are.

Have you seen any pieces on this?

[rurallib]

8. This will be a co-ordinated effort from Wahington on down

There will be money for war, there will be money to give to businesses for big tax breaks to bring their businesses to town, there will be money for business tax relief.
But there will not be money for government workers. Look for the teachers unions to be even more targeted than today.
Repubs will cut off any federal help for states and governors will use this to cut all social services.

[dkf]

10. Right now the states are getting a third of their budget from Washington.

They got a bailout but need more funds for who knows how long.

Meredith Whitney says she expects they will start needing to sell state assets like parks. Sad.

[MedicalAdmin]

11. Sad? No, it was planned.

[dembotoz]

12. i would hope and pray that the people of the state would rise up

and impeach any fool that did this.


If crap like this would not set our base and the independents off
Then is truly is all over.

[seafan]

13. See this thread.

here

Also, Sam Seder subbing on Countdown two nights ago covered this.


It's coming.