Public Servants Are Now Our Masters: The New Slavery

In Hal Weitzman's article, "Battle of Madison tests US stomach for longer struggle" (FT, February 23), it is important to understand that the Governor of Wisconsin's effort is to curtail the power of Public Employee Unions, and not Unions (private) in general.

Mort Zuckerman's highly instructive article in the FT, "America's public servants are now its masters" (September 10, 2010), points out that "public sector employees have become a privileged class." For example: private sector workers are nearly three (3) times more likely to be jobless than public sector workers; public sector employees are better off in every area: pay, benefits, time off and security, on top of working fewer hours; ninety per cent of government employees receive lifetime pension benefits versus 18 per cent of private employees; public sector employees are almost impossible to fire; public-sector unions are a mechanism for involuntary transfers of money from taxpayers to the Democratic Party; approximately 62 per cent of Obama and the Democratic Congress's Stimulus Program of $787 billion went to support public service employees; and, for the past two years and the first time in recent memory, Obama and his Democratic cohorts could not find “one cent” for an Annual Cost of Living increase for America’s Retired Military and Senior Citizens, but public sector employees experienced no such hardship.

It was Obama who crowed after the 2008 election, that "elections have consequences." Precisely, and the election of 2010 is no different. To my Wisconsin Democratic representatives -- go to work! The citizens of any State elect their representatives to work and represent their views -- not hide like cowards. If you disagree with a bill then you may vote against it -- but, show up, speak out, and be counted.