Why all the sudden demonization against public employees?

[KillCapitalism]

Lately it seems as if public employees in the US are a bigger enemy than Al-Qaeda. All I see on tee vee are talking heads who are claiming public employees are greedy slackers with a sense of entitlement.

Let me tell you first hand what it's like to be a public employee. I worked in IT for the state of Missouri several years back in positions similar to help desk and network admin. My work responsibilities were the same as many in the private sector, but I was paid way less. People I knew with similar positions in the private sector were making 50% more than I was in some cases. They would often get yearly bonuses, or raises that ranged anywhere from 5-15% of their salary. I would receive a 3% raise per year at the governor's/legislatures discretion, which meant if they didn't think they had the funds to give us raises, they didn't. Also, we did not receive bonuses.

The only real leg up we had on private sector employees was a true pension. My friends only had 401K plans available to them which we have all seen are very vulnerable as their value is based on that casino we know as the stock market. Our pensions were a necessity to us, they were a trade-off. You were guaranteed a decent pension in turn for low wages during your working years.

I'm not sure where the hate comes from, maybe it's the fact that public sector employment has been more stable than the private sector, or the fact that public employees have secure pensions instead of hollowed out 401K's. Jealously probably plays a role in all of it, but one thing that I can tell you is that no one I knew was ever jealous of my salary.

Where do you all think the rage comes from?

[AlabamaLibrul]

1. Because it's easy and they're not here to defend themselves

I chose the words in my subject very deliberately.

[RandySF]

2. And if they do try to defend themselves

They are accused of "being political".

[Hissyspit]

18. GOP Propaganda Strategy - Watch RACHEL MADDOW:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x554515

[HereSince1628]

28. Yep.

[olegramps]

38. Their strategy is identical to the fascists.

When unionized labor went from 36% to 6% and are those who are unionized continue to receive decent pay and job benefits they automatically become the scapegoat who are blamed for destroying the economy. It is totally analogous to what transpired in Germany when the Jews were blamed for the country's economic conditions. This game has been played again and again throughout history by demagogues who exploit an undesirable situation by appealing to the masses with outright distortions. The rabid Republicans have no desire to improve the situation, but to actually exacerbate it to gain power. This is just warfare on the working class to totally enslave them to corporations.

[Rex]

3. Because the paymasters know how bad the economy is and will

kill off as many jobs as needed to make that bonus check. Papa needs a new megayacht!

[upi402]

4. Last big block of unions, which are in the way of Repukes getting elected

That's why they don't care of public sector jobs go away.

"Where are the jobs?"- Boner to Obama
pffft used car salesman

[BlueMTexpat]

6. +1,000! nt

[malaise]

22. It's always about the money

Follow the money - ReTHUG government have looted public sector workers pension funds.

[Johonny]

36. They hate unions

it really is that simple.

[tabatha]

5. Big business wants to get rid of unions and regulations.

They don't make enough money as it is.

[RandomThoughts]

7. Thats interesting that you say that.

Thinking back on life, I never really wanted a big salary, or thought that was that important.

Although some form of money makes sense, especially since due, the concept of having to have much money wasn't as important as having fun at work, and being able to work in some way that was better.

And I rarely feel rage or anger, I can see it, but keep it out of reach, even when irritated, it is not those things. And I have many reasons to be enraged, I rarely touch on those feelings, since they feel like a slide to something else. I really believe it is a path to a darker side.

There were two times I was very angry to the point of rage, once was when a really sad ww2 suicide poem was read in college class without feeling, the other time was when someone got mad at me while not understanding the concepts I was explaining around a shoplifting incident.

[KillCapitalism]

8. Oh, and I saw something freakin' insane from Glenn Beck today.

I wasn't watching, but a friend of mine DVR's his show for comic relief.

According to him, did you know that the state employees of Wisconsin and their unions are incahoots with middle eastern protestors and it's all been carefully orchestrated? Also, they're all apparently in bed with Iran & Hamas, and the goal is to create chaos leading to worldwide revolution.

Man, that guy has really lost it.

[KT2000]

9. they wore out the immigrant hating

and are following orders to hate the next group on the list - public employees.
They want privatization of all government.

[travelingtypist]

10. It's not all of a sudden.

But yeah, I think you hit the nail on the head with the jealousy. Private sector jobs just don't have benefits like X days of paid leave and sick time, the pension, excellent health benefits (lower copays and such). Plus if anyone has ever been mistreated by an unhelpful DMV worker or other public sector worker might play a part.

[Hardrada]

11. Our local courthouse people have their jobs for life

and as much job security as the pope. I know they are not paid a huge amount but some would envy them their job security AND the fact that how they got these secure positions is a complete mystery to very many of us. This could contribute to some resentment though in our county they are not surly or truculent as some were in the past or over in Clinton County.

[silverweb]

12. They're part of the big, bad government.

The same government that the reTHUGs want to defund, privatize, and drown any remains of in the bathtub.

When the government is completely crippled, the big corporate boards of directors who have backed the reTHUGs and guided this whole process will step in to take over, and that is their ultimate goal.

[Kablooie]

13. It seems everyone and everything related to government is to be considered bad.

Everything except the Republican congress folk and conservative Supreme Court members.

Everyone else in government is evil.

[Kablooie]

14. Dupe. (Why does the system duplicate posts so often?)

[reggie the dog]

16. it gets gas sometimes

may have been those Rosalita Refries man...... :+

[reggie the dog]

15. because we are highly unionized

more highly than most professions in the private sector. and the attack is international

[Major Hogwash]

17. And the states want out of those pension plans because they can't claim bankruptcy.

I read all about it here at DU.
It's incredible how many Republican Governors there are, and they still elect Republicans as Governors in a lot of those same states.

Hell, if they want to balance the budgets in those states, and solve their fiscal problems, all they have to do is outlaw Republicans from being elected Governors -- problem solved!

[OneGrassRoot]

19. Campaign strategy: Unions vote democratic n/t

[Shandris]

24. Yeah, one of the nightly MSNBC shows had this on it.

A segment from Fox showing Karl talking about how much money the Unions lost in dues, so they had less money to contribute in the midterms. Made perfect sense, in that sleazy, slimy, repugnant, reptilian Republican way.

[lib2DaBone]

20. Because they are the only ones left working...

Also.. the last remaiing Unions that could possibly put up any opposition to total corporate control..

[soryang]

21. It's a necessary stage of the fascist movement

The substitution of informal and corporate power for government power requires the dismantling of traditional government power, this requires attacks on and intimidation of public employees.

Only the military, gestapo, and police powers will be left empowered.

[quaker bill]

23. The Koch brothers n/t

[AngryAmish]

25. Times are hard

People think the jobs are cushy.

[Reader Rabbit]

26. History is rife with similar scapegoating.

When times are hard, people want someone to blame. Most people never come into contact with the billionaires who are truly responsible for the tough times. They do, however, know a public employee or two. If that public employee is still employed when others are not, or if that public employee has benefits that others do not, it's far easier to blame and bash him or her.

Think about the Middle Ages when the aristocracy and the church would blame the Jews for every little problem. Get the peasants to expend their energy and anger at a minority that is different from themselves, and they will eventually go back to work like good little drones without ever identifying the real culprits—those with wealth and power.

[TBF]

27. The rage is that we are all being treated poorly by the ruling class, but some

don't realize where to direct their anger. They buy into the left vs. right stuff and that division just takes over. It's so sad watching this. Together we workers can be so much more effective.

[Darth_Kitten]

29. It's up in Canada, too.

We are ungrateful, over-paid, and under-worked here, too. :sarcasm:

:(

[MadHound]

30. The public sector is the last great bastion of the unions,

And our corporate masters want to destroy the unions.

Not to mention that public employee pensions are too tempting for them to pass up.

And it provides a convenient scapegoat, somebody for the corporate media to get the public all hot and bothered about while the real culprits continue to laugh all the way to the bank.

[Atman]

31. It's very simple. They VOTE in large numbers, and they vote Democratic

There really is little more to it. Unions spend huge amounts of money in GOTV drives, and it is entirely for Dems.

[Yupster]

37. I think this is the right answer

Public service unions decided to become highly partisan and spend huge amounts of money and hours of footwork and telephone time trying to get Democratic candidates elected.

Now the Republicans won.

Should they be surprised that they're being targeted?

[PVnRT]

32. I don't think it's "sudden"

It's been simmering ever since Reagan - the right-wing now just finally has enough ideologues and power to start declaring open war.

The rage is nothing more than the same old wedge-issue idiocy. Public employees now occupy the same niche as abortion, guns and gays. Once this Wisconsin bill passes (let's face it, it will), expect their legislature to start talking about cutting taxes on businesses to "create jobs."

[Bluenorthwest]

33. It is just Union Busting tarted up with Tea Bags

Union Busting and nothing else at all. I mean, the Governor of Wisconsin is a public employee making over $137,000 plus many perks. He pays approximately 6% of his own Health Insurance Premiums, the rest is on the public hand out plan. I do not hear him offering to cut his own salary in half, nor does he speak of giving back his benefits.

[Ganja Ninja]

34. If you can't write a $20,000 check to a politician then you aren't worth shit.

Don't feel alone.

[ljm2002]

35. The rage is ginned up by (mostly) Republican politicians...

...trying to make one sector of the working class jealous of another sector, so they can prevent unity and also, of course, so they can proceed with their union-busting of one of the last sectors of the workplace with substantial unionization.

It was working really well, too, until Walker overstepped by coming right out and saying they shouldn't have any collective bargaining rights, and that he was ready to call out the National Guard. That got everyone's attention.

[csziggy]

39. In addition to the other reasons, it's an excuse to privatize public services

So instead of public employees doing the jobs required by law, politicians can hand out big contracts to for profit companies to do them. Jeb Bush pushed that in Florida, claiming it would save money. I have no idea why anyone would think moving jobs from public employees - who on average earn less than equivalent public sector employees - and turning them over to companies - whose entire existence is to make profit for the owners and whose employees tend to earn MORE than public employees - would save money.

Personally, I think is is an easy path for political favoritism and graft, especially when the politicians, like Jeb Bush, ignore the law and give no bid contracts that last long past when they leave office.

[treestar]

40. Makes no sense

They work in return for their wages like everyone else.

If people don't like big government, they need to stick to that rather than demonize the employees.

[siligut]

41. Nazi Tactics 101

http://econfaculty.gmu.edu/wew/articles/fee/tactics.html

Nazi Tactics
written by Dr. Walter Williams

Prior to the 1930s, Germany was Europe's most hospitable country for Jews. While Jews were only one percent of the population, they were one-fourth of Germany's law and medical students. In some German cities, Jews were the majority of doctors. While Jews were only five percent of the Berlin population in 1905, they paid 31 percent of all income taxes collected. For Germany as a whole, Jewish income was more than three times the national average. In his book, Migration and Cultures, Dr. Thomas Sowell adds that Jews were so highly integrated into German economic and social life that in nearly half of all Jewish marriages during the 1920s one of the spouses was Gentile. During World War I, Jewish-American publications were investigated and prosecuted by the U.S. Government for writing favorably about Germany, a nation at war with the U.S.

He goes on to explain the use of the Nazi Tactics that vilified the Jews. Then he talks about how smoking has been given similar treatment and our response. The article is a one page, simple read, but quite powerful.

[socialist_n_TN]

44. Now wait. According to some we're not supposed...........

to use the "N" word (Nazi) when talking about our fascist opposition. :)

[siligut]

46. The TACTICS of the Ns, not the Ns, their tactics

See how I did that? Plus I had Dr. Walter E. Williams to support my stand. :)

[Motown_Johnny]

42. The Citizens United decision gave corporations and unions the ability

to contribute unlimited amounts of money to political advertising (over simplifying but I assume you are aware of the ruling).


By breaking unions, this helps tip the balance of that new found power farther to the conservatives.


Public worker unions are easy targets because the politicians have some direct influence upon their members. It would be much harder for them to directly attack unions like the UAW.


This is all about money for campaigns and the (R)s attempt to buy our election process outright.

[SOS]

43. Diversion

Banks (and their employees in Washington) are trying to shift the blame for the economic
catastrophe of 2008.

A recent similar example was the blame placed on Iraq for 9/11.
Utterly false, but it served the interests of the oligarchy that owns and operates this country.

[dkofos]

45. The rage is manufactured by the RW media.

And they say we don't manufacture anything in this country anymore.