TAXPAYER UNION FOR the FOLKS (TUFF)

Scotty Anderson came in with an interesting comment this week, "Don't know why people don't try Jesus because if they don't like it, the devil will always take em back."  Made a lot of sense to me.  This seemed like a pretty logical way to introduce a major new political movement that will be headquartered right here in the Hubbard City Cafe, except on Sundays of course.  Two or three folks have been marching in the parking lot for the last couple of days demanding the folks get TUFF.  Under questioning this writer was able to find out that TUFF is the secret code name for TAXPAYERS UNION FOR the FOLKS.

Not knowing at the present time whether this is an idea that will catch on or not, it seems this idea is currently an orphan in that no one is claiming the very origination of such.  Those of us that have been following the Cafe for some time feel like it smells a little like something Butch might have started with a wink from Billy Roy himself.  Under further questioning it seems many the of folks are beginning to feel like everybody has somebody representing their interest except those few people who actually PAY TAXES.  For example when mostly Republicans want to make a tax cut which seems like it would enable folks to keep what really is some of their own money, mostly the other side being Democrats say "it isn't paid for".  In other words you have to tax somebody else to make up for not taxing those who got the cut.  Seems these government people believe it is their money not TAXPAYER'S money that  has to be paid for.

Then you have this "public employee" thing going on in most of the Yankee States.  Teachers, cops, firemen, and other people who are paid by TAXPAYERS are made to join unions, that is if they want to work.  The unions make the states take dues out of the workers checks.  They unions keep a big part of the money, and then bribe politicians with the rest with what they call political contributions.  Then the bribed politicians negotiate with the unions to raise salaries and give away pensions and health care to the people who are supposed to be public servants.  All of this is paid for by TAXPAYERS.  We have been around and round this little "circle of corruption" so many times now that the "public employees" make 30% higher salaries on average and 70% better pensions and health care than "private sector" folks (that would be the real TAXPAYERS).  Union leaders say public servants pay taxes too.  What they don't say is that they pay their taxes with the money they get from TAXPAYERS.  The more taxes they pay the more money the union and politicians will get for them from TAXPAYERS. 

In the worst cases, we have been around these circles so many times that some cops can retire at the age of 41.  Now I like policeman but I also like them working a little longer than that.  Most of these Yankee states, and even some of those in the South, are completely bankrupt.  They have "unfunded liabilities".  This is fancy talk for they have promised pensions and health care for retired employees, and they don't have the money to pay them. Guess they didn't put the money away in the "lock box" that Algore used to lie about.  Who would have thought that politicians and union leaders would have lied to the folks about the promised pensions that someone else would have to pay after those who made the promises were long gone.  As they say at the Cafe, "now the shit has hit the fan".

The unions do other little things like giving teachers "seniority" after only three years.  This means they can not be fired no matter how bad they are at teaching or not teaching our kids.  If you are to be laid off, you have to be given at least a 7 month notice in some states.  Union members have no say so as to which politicians get the contributions.   Not even which political party.  So many of the folks are contributing to politicians that they don't even vote for.  And of course in many states a new cop, fireman, or teacher has no choice as to whether they want to join the union.  Unions will not allow local schools to use "merit pay plans" to compensate good teachers and incent bad teachers to get better.  So who do you think the unions are working for, their dues payers or the kids and TAXPAYERS.   

The folks at the cafe have studied this public sector "circle of corruption" real closely.  They are unable at this date to find who in this circle represents the TAXPAYERS.  The guys newly elected to governorships in Wisconsin, Ohio, and New Jersey are trying to change some of this stuff.  Even the Democratic governors in New York and California are having to show some concern due to their impending bankrupcies.  And what do the press and unions accuse them of doing?  "Union Busting".  They are called names like Hitler and Dictator.  Demonstrators are marching against them saying the teachers only care about the kids.  I guess the cops only care about the crooks, and the fireman only care about the fires.  My Great Grand Mother, Meemaw, used to tell me, "if you lay down with the dogs, you get fleas".  Public employees have been laying down with politicians and union thugs, and now they are filthy and itching all over, and with open sores at that.  It is a shame too, because there are a lot of good cops, fireman, and teachers (even in the Yankee states).   The truth is their greed has made them lose they way.  This system is corrupt and wrong by any one's standards.  We have ignored the evil of public sector collective bargaining for too long.

What a terrible example our public employees are setting for the kids.  Liberty is freedom with responsibilities.  Public employees are not free, nor responsible when they are serving the unions thugs and sleazy politicians at the expense of TAXPAYERS and the public.

Back to TUFF.  When I ask what the folks are planning to do first, they answered, "Not sure but we might just collectively bargain (heard this on TV).  Maybe we don't pay our taxes until the government quits spending more money than they have.  You know.  Stuff like that.  Or maybe we quit paying our school taxes if our teachers are working for unions instead of us.  Seems like if all the TAXPAYERS did little things like that, the politicians might pay us a little attention, too."

Thinking about a little TUFF love,

Jim