Oh, Wisconsin and another RAD

I have a general dislike for Wisconsin. Perhaps it's that whole Minnesota-Wisconsin rivalry. Or perhaps it's the fact that I sometimes drive in Woodbury and the complete disregard for all driving norms goes out the window with Wisconsin drivers. I mean, honestly, either learn to drive or stay off of our roads.

Okay, that rant is over. But, now I will rant about the situation that is happening for them politically.

Here's the skinny, I am, technically, a worker of the government. But, I am not in a government union. Therefore, I think I can see the situation from both sides of the coin. You guys, local governments are financially drying up. You can blame this on whoever you want to politically (I blame dems, but that's because I'm a fiscal conservative), but it's not going to solve the problem that we don't have enough money to continue paying government workers the way that we are paying them. This isn't just the case in Wisconsin, but I'd be willing to guess it's the case all over the country.

I don't think this is just because of the economic downturn, but I also think that baby boomer problem that people have been warning us about for years is starting to rear it's ugly little baby booming head. The working world is top heavy. People are retiring at a later age, working less days of the year, producing less work at a later age in life and yet being paid more for it. That's a problem in both the government and the private sector.

The thing with the government is that a lot of government employees are unionized, which allows them to hold onto their salary raises and yearly inflation increases even though their employer can't really afford it.

All I am saying is that government employees, much like employees in the private sector, may need to make some sacrifices in order to help get our economy back on track.

So, let's get back to Wisconsin. What appalled me in Wisconsin was those elected officials who chose to hide like little babies instead of fighting for their constituents. Even if you feel like you are on the losing side, the least you could do is stick around so that your voice is heard. That's what we elect you for. And I know a lot of people who have applauded their civil disobedience, but come on that's not really civil disobedience. Civil disobedience is when Washington DC decided to chop down a bunch of cherry trees in order to build the Jefferson Memorial and ladies chained themselves to the trees in protest. They were arrested and the trees were still chopped down, but their voice was heard. Now, that is civil disobedience.

Civil disobedience is not hiding with your tail between your legs because you don't like what the government is going to do. Thoreau would laugh in their faces.

And I would RAD them on my blog. So, there you go, my second RAD of the month is to the elected Wisconsin officials in hiding for their total Random Acts of Douchebaggery.