rick.baird@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
Tom,
The IUOE really doesn't have a lot of power over how our bridges are built.
Rick,
If true, I don't see how that would make many of us feel better
about our bridges. However, the specific statement concerned
legislation and they indeed have significant influence along with
other related organizations.
to compare them with the NEA, the most powerful union in the nation,
and their legislative agenda, is just a bit silly, don't you think?
No, not since the comparison is appropriate. And it was only one
example in a list that could have extended to perhaps every career
area where legislation and/or regulation is involved.
their legislative agenda:
http://www.nea.org/lac/index.html
recent letters to congress:
http://www.nea.org/lac/letters/index.html
I suggest that a more direct link is:
http://www.nea.org/lac/priorities.html
However, how much of anything on the pages you pointed to or on the
legislative priorities pages seemed outside of reason to you? I
found little to be disturbed about. On balance, it looked very good
to me. Where was the problem?
A particular element that concerned me was the one concerning
universal health care. I can't quite come to grips with it yet, but
I can't come to grips with the sheer exorbitant cost of a lot of
health care today either. And because we're currently speaking in
terms of "union" and teachers are hardly seen as being regularly
overpaid, I can forgive some expression of support for health care
cost relief.
the power they wield is enormous, and 95% of their political
contributions go to democrats.
don't republicans have children too?
Sure, I'm married to one. But what sparks your thought that
Republicans make the lives of teachers better in general? Clearly,
teachers overall seem to feel differently. Perhaps they have reasons.
Nevertheless, why shouldn't they have power? They represent
"teachers". Teachers choose their representatives. We have a hundred
million children, so there's little reason to think there won't be a
lot of teachers. With a lot of 'anybody', there will be a lot of power.
But, what power are you concerned about?
Tom Liotta
