I have been
following Rhode Island politics for the past year, starting with the landmark
pension reforms pushed by General Treasurer Gina Raimondo. I also read about
the consequences when cities refuse to reform: Central Falls, Rhode Island. I
will never forget the lament of one retired fire-fighter, who commented about his
pension "haircut" from the emergency manager instead of a
"beheading".
"It was a
scalping!" he retorted.
From Detroit to
Rhode Island and even to my home state of California, where a fifth city
will be declaring bankruptcy because of unsustainable public sector pension
obligations, taxpayers, city residents, and anyone else who believes in the
public compact of our local leaders are all getting scalped by public sector
union thuggery, which demands too much yet offers nothing.
Liberal (and
some would argue progressive) Democratic President Franklin Delano Roosevelt
warned about granting collective bargaining rights to public sector employees,
and now these unjust associations are tying up statehouses across the country
and forcing leaders to cancel major services or go bust.
After reading
about the protests at Roger Williams Casino Park, I have learned that Rhode Island’s
public sector unions are fomenting a boycott, with politicians’ assistance, to
oust a conservative radio host, one of their harshest critics.
Now unions are
attacking the media? These undemocratic activists must be stopped. Wisconsin
Governor Scott Walker and Michigan’s Rick Snyder fought back against public
sector unionism. When will Governor Chafee, Speaker Fox, and the members of the
General Assembly do the same?