>The sickening sniveling of government employees.

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Following the broken clock syndrome, the Columbian actually prints an editorial that is right on the money.

In this case, it calls for privatizing services as a cost containment idea.

The money quote is in the first graf:

For 2010, all levels of government should resolve to stop coddling public workers by exempting them from the recession that has devastated virtually every corner of the private-sector economy.

Will the new year result in further reality checks?

Who knows… but I wouldn’t bet on it.

That said, the focus of this post isn’t the editorial… it’s to the whining, cry baby, punk-assed responses to it by our so-called “public servants.”

NO ONE working for the people should have these attitudes.

If you don’t like it, then QUIT.

One blithering idiot wrote:

If you think someone making $170,000 per year is over paid, you better start reading 10K’s of public companies. Why do you think government cannot retain top talent. Because they can easily double their money going outside.

It’s this kind of arrogant garbage that turns my stomach.

That any moron believes this is simply not possible. The idea that any public employee stays in their job out of some sense of noble sacrifice is absurd.

In THIS economy, if any of THESE arrogant putzes “go outside,” then they’re going to be unemployed.

That the scum unionist/government workers commenting on this issue believe we OWE them is simply sickening.

Here’s a clue: If you don’t like what we pay you, then QUIT.

Pack it in. You should be FIRED for being the ungrateful scum you are to begin with, but recognize this: you are owed NOTHING.

We are in a RECESSION. FIVE HUNDRED PEOPLE WOULD APPLY FOR YOUR JOB AT ANY PAY SCALE.

Our economy is in a shambles. Millions can’t find work of any kind and you express this bogus, fake outrage?

If, in fact, any of you ever DID work in government, then I pity those who you worked ON. You miserable creatures have no business having ANY job, let along a job working for the people.

And there’s absolutely no lie these scum won’t tell to support their point:

Can anyone tell me, then, why a Blackwater/Xe employee can earn $1,000 per day when our senior special ops officers at the top of military pay scale make $50,000 per year, most boots on the ground earning not much more than half of that?

There is absolutely nothing in the link in question to back up any of that tripe.

God, but you lot make me sick.

Comments

I have been a Public servant for 32 years and a Columbian subscriber for as many. This is typical of the Columbian to blast public servants. We all work hard at our jobs and to lambast our pay is a low blow. If you think someone making $170,000 per year is over paid, you better start reading 10K’s of public companies. Why do you think government cannot retain top talent. Because they can easily double their money going outside.
I urge all Public Employees to call the Columbian like I did and CANCEL your subscription. Enough is enough.

markmisky — January 3, 2010 at 9:07 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

I’ve long wanted to know if the Columbian was an owner’s paper or the people’s paper. This editorial answers my question, but, Mr. Campbell, events of the last year have exposed your idea of privatization as a sham.

The health insurance industry has been crying for the past year that they can’t compete with a PUBLIC HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN. Forces for privatization have more or less defeated the public option in health care reform because PRIVATE INDUSTRY admits they can’t COMPETE with the work that efficient and cost effective government workers do. In short, (if we can believe what PRIVATIZED health insurance sellers have been saying) we’d end up paying more of our hard earned dollars for privatized services than we do when government workers perform them. That just doesn’t make much sense.

What really bothers me, however, is your contempt, Mr. Campbell, for the intelligence of your reading public. You must believe that we’ve already forgotten last year’s debate over private versus public health insurance and which group of workers would perform the work more cost effectively and efficiently. Do you think none of us have been following that debate or that our memories are so short? But that’s been my experience with the Republican Party. They depend on some peoples’ short memories or lack of interest in American history to keep reviving old ideas like trickle down economics or that we ought to deregulate everything so that corporate criminals can wreak havoc on the American economy while enriching themselves at our expense.

The irony of all this is the tremendous burden now devolving on government services to shore up the safety net that Republicans like Mr. Campbell have so devastatingly destroy over the last quarter century. We need government services more than ever at this point in our history. We haven’t needed government workers this much since the 1930s when another greedy bunch of Republicans let private industry run wild in the country and darn near destroy America’s middle class.

Appeal to greed all you want, Mr. Campbell… I hope Vancouver’s citizens’ memories aren’t so short as that of others in the past.

aintnogod — January 3, 2010 at 11:19 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

markmisky-I totally agree with you. The employees of our local agencies HAVE experienced the effects of the recession the same as private-sector employees. I’m tired of all public servant employees being lumped in together. I have been a public servant for 18 years and my salary has never (and will never) come close to $170,000. Not even half of that. And, I have not received any type of salary increase for two years and yet have had my costs (insurance, etc) raised. And, the agency I work for has lost many jobs and laid off a good deal of hard-working employees and will continue to lose more. Why isn’t the Columbian asking those good people if they have felt the pain of the recession? Can government do more? Sure…But, it almost seems as if no one will be happy until all government workers are either laid off or are paid nothing above minimum wage. I wish everyone would remember that public employees are just hard-working people trying to support their families the same as any private-sector employee. Are there some bad public-sector employees? Sure…but I have run across a great deal of private-sector employees who could learn a lesson about customer service as well.

Countrygolden — January 3, 2010 at 11:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Mark,
So help me understand your point. Are you saying we owe you?
Are you saying that you cannot be competitive? I too was a public servant, retired after 29 yrs. in the fire service. Were we competitive, yes..partially anyway. Cheaper labor can always be found, no matter what the job. Quality is what people should be bringing to the table. When there is no significant difference in quality, why should people be forced to pay more? Public servants should remember that it is the quality of their work that insures the security of their job. Now is that always true…of course not…”stuff happens”. The true challenge for public servants and unions is finding the balance in cost for quality. You cannot price your quality out of your particular market. Even the best firefighters have a ceiling on what they can charge the public for their services. Why….the public will not / can not spend more than they can afford for firefighters, police, teachers and all of the other public servants.
Government should not expect to hold the best talent. If anything, government should expect to be the “minor leagues” in the talent game. Why…because the private sector has more capital for the “talented”. The public sector’s biggest asset was job security….if you worked hard (quality) you could expect to reach retirement. Somewhere the quality got sidetracked to “you owe me”. Maybe it was the poor leadership, due to the best leaving, I don’t know. I do know that in the public sector, Leadership skills are often sacrificed for management skill. “do what you are told…not do the right thing”.

jmac — January 3, 2010 at 11:36 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Just another note….The Columbian’s success or lack of it lies in it’s ability to deliver quality service. Our use of this forum is an example. The printed page is fast becoming an anomaly. The ability to recognize trends and move fast to capitalize on those are really the essence of the private sector…..the public sector would be wise to acknowledge that, where and when it is appropriate (always the $64,000 question).

jmac — January 3, 2010 at 12:02 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Can anyone tell me, then, why a Blackwater/Xe employee can earn $1,000 per day when our senior special ops officers at the top of military pay scale make $50,000 per year, most boots on the ground earning not much more than half of that?

We, the people, are paying for both. Which is at less cost to the taxpayer?

http://thinkprogress.org/2006/03/30/b…

Mrs_T — January 3, 2010 at 12:50 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

To Jmac. My point is not with privatization it is with the Columbians consistent lambasting of what public employees make. I have been a subscriber to this newspaper for 31 years until today and at least 2-3 times a year they blast public servants wages, benefits or quality of work. I work for a federal agency where I see what people make and public employees in most cases are underpaid especially those in leadership roles. Go read some 10K’s of public companies and see what a CEO of a Fortune 500 company makes. Multiples of 170k per year. Senior managers in my agency are normally offered 2-3 times what they were making as a federal employee when they leave. I want Scott Campbell to print the salary and benefits of the top 10 Columbian employees. I wonder how much Scott made after forcing his company into bankruptcy. I will also add that this is not a newspaper but the AP Vancouver. When was the last time the Columbian broke a good story? My God, I got more in-depth reporting from the Reflector and that is free. The Reflector stumped the Columbian AGAIN this past week with CTRANS plan to raise our sales tax to pay for their empty buses and LIGHT RAIL.

markmisky — January 3, 2010 at 1:07 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

markmisky – I think there is a very out-dated feeling that the public sector salaries are superior to private sector. That may have been the case 30 years ago, but certainly no longer. If it were not for the benefits packages (insurance, retirement) they would not be competitive at all anymore. Yes, I was a county employee for 8 1/2 yrs. Wages for my position were (and are) higher in the private sector.

Mrs_T — January 3, 2010 at 1:12 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Feeling that public sector salaries are superior to private sector salaries is a relatively new phenomenon, Mrs T. Years ago, public sector employees actually made a low wage. Nowdays with the Unions, benefits, and job security, you can’t really say that any more, especially during this Recession.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with anyone scrutinizing public sector salaries or comparing the cost of privatization since we all pay for those public employees. We have a right to examine our expenses.

clarkcountie — January 3, 2010 at 3:32 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Would everyone agree that the predominate perception is that, public employees overall compensation package is desirable? Who is the largest employer in the U.S. if you include, municipal, county, state, and federal, as opposed to private? Taking a position that is in the public sector involves a degree service to the “public trust”, and along with that goes the perception that we are not getting our monies worth because historically the overall compensation package has been so sought after. Isn’t the point of the discussion that, why should anyone’s compensation be above reproach or examination?

S_Mac — January 3, 2010 at 3:44 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

>The "No on I-1033" folks stopped by my blog and THANKED me for my analysis!

>.
People here pretty much know that I’m rabidly supporting I-1033, the “Give control of our money back to us” initiative.

Oddly enough, one of the many groups vacuuming up our tax dollars swung by and left this little gem:

Thanks for this analysis of the press coverage of … Thanks for this analysis of the press coverage of I-1033. For more info on this initiative and other races, check out the Progressive Voters Guide – a one-stop resource on who and what to vote for if you want to see real progress in Washington.

The Progressive Voters Guide can be found at http://www.ProgressiveVotersGuide.org; it is available via email by request at info@fusewashington.org. Get the guide and vote for progress.

Cheryl Murfin, (David Hirning)
Fuse Communications Director, Cheryl@fusewashington.org
Publish Reject

Now, look… I’ve got a sense of humor as much as the other guy… but this?

I post it, along with the addresses in it, because I figure that by now, if you’re gonna buy the lies of the left on this, there’s nothing I can do about it anyway.

But man… to “thank” me for MY “analysis?”

What do you suppose are chances they didn’t read it?
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>Boeing Bails Out of Washington State: 787 line to be set up in….. South Carolina!

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So, Boeing pulled the rip cord after bailing out on the Soviet Socialist Republic of Washington, with our democrat and union-controlled government, putting the second 787 line in ol’ South Carolina.

And who can blame them?

Given the choice between setting up a huge business expansion here in the land of regulation, permits, unions, taxes and fees and South Carolina, is their ANY possibility that anyone would stay here?

With the move of corporate HQ into the hell-hole scum pit known as Chicago, Boeing sent the governmet of this state a message… a message our leftist leaders, who’ve been taking the Lazy B for granted for decades, chose to ignore.

Well, democrats and unions… have you heard THIS message?

Aerospace News

boeingairplanemanufacturingairbusEADSSeattle

t_omni_path = “pi|blogs|aerospace” t_omni_pagename = “pi|blogs|aerospace|staff blog” t_omni_pagetype = “staff blog” t_omni_articleid = “pi_blog_183489”

« Boeing holds emergency meeting for 787 employees | Main | Boeing says why it picked South Carolina »

showBlogTools(‘183489’);

Boeing picks South Carolina for 787 line

A worker walks past one of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliners at the production facility in Everett. A second production line for the airplane will be going to South Carolina. Washington State hoped to land the second line. (Joshua Trujillo/seattlepi.com)

Boeing has decided to put its second line for building the 787 in North Charleston, S.C., not Everett.

“The decision has been reached,” Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon told reporters in front of the Everett Machinists Hall.

Joshua Trujillo / P-I

Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon talks with Boeing Machinist Charlie Grieser outside the union hall in Everett after announcing that Boeing’s second 787 production line will be going to South Carolina.

Seattlepi.com photographer Josh Trujillo reported that Reardon said: “We have to move forward … there are still thousands of men and women who work for the company in this community.”

Reardon said the the aerospace giant and the machinists have to continue talks to ensure that jobs stay in the region.

“We have to make a conscious decision in the state of Washington,” he said. “Are we going to throw are hands up and say, ‘We did the best we could?’ … the relationship between Boeing and Machinists have to be improved. We have to resolve those differences.”

Boeing made the official announcement moments later. “Boeing evaluated criteria that were designed to find the final assembly location within the company that would best support the 787 business plan as the program increases production rates. In addition to serving as a location for final assembly of 787 Dreamliners, the facility also will have the capability to support the testing and delivery of the airplanes,” the company said in a statement.

It said it remains committed to the Puget Sound region and that it will continue to build 787s in Everett.

The announcement ends weeks of speculation, debate and negotiation. Boeing and the Machinists union were reportedly deadlocked over a deal in which the labor group would promise not to strike should the second line be in Everett.

Boeing employees in Everett were disappointed by the decision and insisted Everett was the right place for the second line.

“We have the skill and manpower here in Everett to produce the second line, but we haven’t been given that chance,” said Zen Jenne, a union member who has been with Boeing for three years.

“I’m angry, I hurt for the workers, I think the company made the wrong decision,” Gov. Chris Gregoire said at a news conference in Olympia.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., who was rebuffed by the company after she asked them to continue talks with union workers, said “I really believed that the two sides could’ve come together and had a good deal for both Boeing and the Pacific Northwest, and unfortunately we can’t reach that now,” she told KING5 news.

“Very clearly, they were a stone’s throw apart in providing some real job stability, which Boeing has been telling us a long time that’s what they wanted. I thought there was time…to make that agreement and unfortunately Boeing saw it differently.”

Workers at the South Carolina plant recently voted to remove the union from the North Charleston plant.

Boeing’s engineering union blasted the decision, saying it “will hurt a program already stretched to its limit.”

“We are astounded that Boeing has chosen to compound the problems of the 787 program by further fragmenting the supply chain,” said Ray Goforth, executive director of the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace (SPEEA), IFPTE Local 2001. “There is no credible business case for this decision.”

A number of SPEEA-represented engineers and technical workers are already in South Carolina. Goforth said the union will follow members and the work as Boeing expands operations in Charleston for the new 787 line.

State lawmakers just completed an incentive package to bring the line to South Carolina.

Meanwhile, Washington state officials, including U.S. Sen. Patty Murray and Gov. Chris Gregoire, urged Boeing and the Machinists to keep talking.

South Carolina officials reacted with glee at the announcement.

Gov. Mark Sanford called it the largest infusion of jobs and capital investment in that state’s history.

He said it “represents not only enormously good news for our state’s economy, but also a telling dividend from our state’s continued efforts to better our business climate. For us, that means lowering taxes, easing regulatory burdens in our state’s tort and workers’ compensation systems, and keeping South Carolina a right-to-work state.” Sanford said.

In Everett, Charlie Grieser, a 767 quality team leader and a member of the Aerospace Machinists union, said he felt betrayed by Boeing.

He noted that the company was given about $3 billion in tax breaks in 2003 to build the 787 in Washington state.

“They were given that money to build the 787 here. Not half the 787 here,” Grieser said, a 32-year company veteran. “I think this is going to poison all of the state on Boeing.”

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>Who do I-1033 opponents have to lie so much and terrify people into voting against this?

>.
As I anticipated, our despicable rag of a paper is going into a full-court press to aid their fellow fringe leftists and to make sure they can scam additional taxbreaks from their democrat masters in the legislature.

These scum have printed ANOTHER article full of lies from government union hacks who want nothing to stand in the way of their continued pay and benefit raises… and there’s nothing these scumbags won’t say… no lie they won’t spew, to get those the most gullible to believe their garbage.

Case in point?

“The passage of 1033 would result in at least one closure of a fire station,” said Mark Johnston, president of the Vancouver Firefighters Union. “People are going to die needlessly, their houses are going to burn down.”

That any paper would print such slime is the issue at hand. This disgusting display is the kind of puke that Tim “The Liar” Leavitt barfs up on a daily basis. Why a union scumbag would think that lying to the people by trying to frighten them into voting against something is simply beyond comprehension.

And, of course, the Columbian engages in their usual lies by calling these union trough sucking scum a “diverse group.”

Since they were ALL union… and since they are ALL paid from tax payer dollars… there is precisely ZERO “diversity.”

But then, these lying assholes know that. For them, it’s all about their agenda.

And for these scum to say that the measure “intentionally misleads the voters” in the face of THEIR campaign of lies, exaggerations and misleading is the kind of rank hypocrisy this paper and those they support are known for.

Without 1033 in place, these scum will engage in massive tax increases. When combined with the massive tax increases the empty suited, anti-American racist bigot in the White House these scum 4endorsed…. well, pretty soon, we’re talking about paying a LOT more in taxes, and in a hurry.

That these scum have to lie about this is the thing.

They WANT the current system of ripping off those who actually go to work or own a business so they can take our hard earned money away from US and give it to their democrat supporters.

That these scum WANT this kind of system is illustrated by their failure to offer any alternative. It’s illustrated by their despicable lies as a campaign tactics. It’s shown by their deliberate failure to EVER mention that this measure DOES allow for growth, and it DOES allow us to vote to exceed the caps this measure requires.

Why do they always fail to mention that? Why are the leftist scum in charge of our government and government unions SO terrified of the will of the people?

Why do they ALWAYS ignore the will of the people aspect… or the fact that the legislature can change this initiative on the first day of session if they so choose.

They go so far as to dell us that we’re going to DIE if this things passes.

What kind of lowlife scum are these that would use false fear as a reason to terrify people into supporting THEIR position?
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>Time to start locking up some teachers: Kent teachers vote to defy court order to return to work.

>.
So, the scumbags that are the majority of the members of the Kent teachers union have told a judge to get screwed.

Now, it is illegal for teachers to strike in this state, and these particular scum seem to think that while the rest of us suffer (I’ve lost an average of 54% of my revenue since last June) they are somehow worthy of special consideration for their part time jobs.

Clearly, they are not.

At this point, were I the Kent school board, I would start by firing every striking teacher.

Were I the judge in this matter, I would get an alphabetical list of these worms and then I would start locking them up at the rate of say, five a day. I’d put them in with the worst criminals Kent or King County has to offer, and I’m sure there are some beauts.

Back in the day when I was on legislative staff, my boss actually had a constituent wrongly locked up in the Purdy Correctional Center form Women. I actually had to go there a few times, and while I was there, I was struck by the fact that some of the women there would not have looked terribly out of place as defensive tackles for the Seahawks.

Imagine some of these union agitators, holding our children hostage, being forced to share a cell with one of these Bubbettes over night.

Man, the stories they’d have to tell.

Anyway, one or two nights of that, and they’d be begging to come back to work.

Meanwhile, the school district could hire from a wide variety of junior, younger teachers laid off from other districts.

This would have the advantage of sending a message to these criminal law breakers that if you break OUR laws, you’ll go to prison like any other criminal.

And, by the way…. if you don’t like it?

Quit.

It’s a pity that I don’t have children in the Kent school district. If I did, I’d be in court to get a contempt order at 9 a.m. tomorrow.

The teachers unions have done more harm then any other to our children. And it’s time to make them pay, like they’re making our children and the district’s support personnel pay.
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