College Students In These Union Protests

[PrinceofWands]

I'm not going to read it, want to summarize briefly?

It more or less IS a summary. It's 160 sparse pages, barely larger than paperback size. The portion dealing with who participates is 29 pages. Anything less than that is a useless 'talking point' with no substance. Quite a bit of it has been touched on in this thread, though just brushing the surface of understanding regarding it.

Also of interest in this discussion would be Democratic Phoenix: Reinventing Political Activism, by Pippa Norris. I have a few dozen others for anyone looking for a larger biblio to draw from, but these two pretty well cover the basics.

Seriously people, if you can't be bothered to gain even a child's level of understanding of a topic, just stop trying to participate in social issues. You can go swill beer and work your job and let those of us who bother to know know things take care of the important stuff.

 

[senseamp]

It's not about the unions, it's about Republican war on the middle class. Unions are just a battle in removing any counterforce to corporate influence and it's drive to turn the US into a cheap labor banana republic tax shelter using the GOP.

 

[Nebor]

It's not about the unions, it's about Republican war on the middle class. Unions are just a battle in removing any counterforce to corporate influence and it's drive to turn the US into a cheap labor banana republic tax shelter using the GOP.

Maybe instead of complaining you should position yourself to thrive in the new banana republic, since you seem to be one of the few that has the foresight to see it coming. :thumbsup:

 

[uli2000]

What makes you think they will never be in a union? Sure, the union stereotype is the blue collar worker, but there are plenty of professional's unions.

 

[Red Dawn]

What makes you think they will never be in a union? Sure, the union stereotype is the blue collar worker, but there are plenty of professional's unions.

The Trade Unions such as they are will always exist, not much the Republicans can do to them. Unfortunately for the White Collar Worker their own are envious of them having the job security that a Union will afford them and those who are envious will do anything to make sure they lose that, even if it means voting against their own interests. By lowering the value of their fellow White Collar Workers who are in the Union they will eventually lower the value of their own worth.

I feel bad for those today that go to school, get a degree and accumulate debt for their education so that they start their working lives already in the whole with no guarantee that they will even be Middle Class, unlike a couple of decades ago when a degree virtually assured you a decent career.

The future American Workers are going to be more educated but less compensated and there is going to be even a greater disparity of wealth between them and the Privileged Few

 

[soundforbjt]

Care to provide details and fact about Dick's organization and give us some budget figures as well.

We know for a fact that public employee unions provide millions of dollars per year to Democrats and spend millions more on top of that.

Is Dick Armey providing similar funding?

I'd love to, but unfortunately, these groups like Armey's and Americans for Prosperity, etc. , don't have to disclose their donations. See how that works? Let's them hide the facts, so they can "claim" it's grass-roots.

Koch brothers fund AFP and Armey himself "claims" 15 to 20% of donations come from corps.

 

[ConstipatedVigilante]

I'm a college student in Madison and I find the pro-union students to be really annoying. Most of them seem to be drunk when they're protesting; it's generally just a big party for them. They're incredibly ignorant of what the real politics are - they just take talking points from the talking heads.

 

[Red Dawn]

I'm a college student in Madison and I find the pro-union students to be really annoying. Most of them seem to be drunk when they're protesting; it's generally just a big party for them. They're incredibly ignorant of what the real politics are - they just take talking points from the talking heads.

At least according to you

 

[soundforbjt]

I'm a college student in Madison and I find the pro-union students to be really annoying. Most of them seem to be drunk when they're protesting; it's generally just a big party for them. They're incredibly ignorant of what the real politics are - they just take talking points from the talking heads.

So, you've been there with them while they were protesting, therfore you saw they were drunk?

 

[ConstipatedVigilante]

So, you've been there with them while they were protesting, therfore you saw they were drunk?

Yes. The bars in that area have been getting great business lately.

 

[soundforbjt]

Yes. The bars in that area have been getting great business lately.

Glad to see you were protesting!!:thumbsup:

 

[Red Dawn]

Glad to see you were protesting!!:thumbsup:

Nah he was probably unsuccessfully trying to get laid

 

[her209]

I'm a college student in Madison and I find the pro-union students to be really annoying. Most of them seem to be drunk when they're protesting; it's generally just a big party for them. They're incredibly ignorant of what the real politics are - they just take talking points from the talking heads.

What are the "real politics"?

 

[soundforbjt]

Nah he was probably unsuccessfully trying to get laid

No, he said he was with them when they were protesting and was annoyed that they were drunk, I'll believe he was telling the truth, and that he thinks that protesting the awful bill passing is serious business and shouldn't be an excuse to be drinking.

Or, he is lying and wasn't there with them protesting as he claimed. :sneaky:

 

[ConstipatedVigilante]

No, he said he was with them when they were protesting and was annoyed that they were drunk, I'll believe he was telling the truth, and that he thinks that protesting the awful bill passing is serious business and shouldn't be an excuse to be drinking.

Or, he is lying and wasn't there with them protesting as he claimed. :sneaky:

I was there, but I wasn't protesting. I was walking with my girlfriend and my brothers to a bar. All the bars have the protesters' signs leaning outside since they went in for drinks. I don't really care if people are drinking while they protest, but it's just not the best way to be taken seriously.

And I'm totally for the bill. The state needs to cut costs. Unions keep bargaining for public sector wages (public unions should not be allowed anyway - the government has no vested interest in profit and therefore none in screwing workers) and that results in more people being fired. The state budget needs to be cut and forcing people to actually pay into their own retirement is a great way to do it.

 

[soundforbjt]

I was there, but I wasn't protesting. I was walking with my girlfriend and my brothers to a bar. All the bars have the protesters' signs leaning outside since they went in for drinks. I don't really care if people are drinking while they protest, but it's just not the best way to be taken seriously.

And I'm totally for the bill. The state needs to cut costs. Unions keep bargaining for public sector wages (public unions should not be allowed anyway - the government has no vested interest in profit and therefore none in screwing workers) and that results in more people being fired. The state budget needs to be cut and forcing people to actually pay into their own retirement is a great way to do it.

So, you lied.

I asked if you were there when they were protesting and you answered yes.

Now, you claim you were walking to a bar (I'm guessing) near where they protest, saw some signs against the wall and assumed the protesters were drunk while protesting....got it.

 

[ConstipatedVigilante]

So, you lied.

I asked if you were there when they were protesting and you answered yes.

Now, you claim you were walking to a bar (I'm guessing) near where they protest, saw some signs against the wall and assumed the protesters were drunk while protesting....got it.

Huh? They're protesting at the capitol, which is surrounded by businesses. I was were they were protesting. An awful lot of people around there are walking around, not just standing in the square. A lot of them go into the bars and leave their signs. So yes, they go inside and drink, then probably protest some more. They get pretty belligerent. And nice little ad-hominem attack there without having the balls to come out and say anything directly. You were all for everything I typed until I mentioned that I'm against the bill. Nice switch-up.

 

[jackschmittusa]

Been a while since I've been to Madison, but my recollection is that the bars were always full of college kids. And yes, a great place to get laid.

 

[Londo_Jowo]

Face it we all know they were in the bars sipping milk and eating quiche. They would never ever partake in alcoholic beverages when protesting.

 

[soundforbjt]

You were all for everything I typed until I mentioned that I'm against the bill. Nice switch-up.

Your sarcasm meter must be broken!! I was getting you to prove my guess that you were'nt really there with "drunk" protesters as you claimed.

You saw some in a bar in a college town, big difference.

 

[trenchfoot]

Your sarcasm meter must be broken!! I was getting you to prove my guess that you were'nt really there with "drunk" protesters as you claimed.

You saw some in a bar in a college town, big difference.

Hey, I'm not going to dispute his observations. From factoring in his join date, he's a very well-seasoned college student with a master's feather stuck in his mortarboard and presently working on his PhD.

 

[FuzzyBee]

They aren't in the workforce but they will be... I was in college and I'm in a union now. As a result I've been sick for a week, and didn't have to worry about going to work sick, because the union negotiated 21 sick days a year.


Makes a lot more sense for college students to protest for collective bargaining than for some old retired guy on Social Security taking MY tax dollars to protest socialism and taxes....

A MONTH of sick days a year?! Wow, I bet productivity is through the roof!

 

[FuzzyBee]

The Trade Unions such as they are will always exist, not much the Republicans can do to them. Unfortunately for the White Collar Worker their own are envious of them having the job security that a Union will afford them and those who are envious will do anything to make sure they lose that, even if it means voting against their own interests. By lowering the value of their fellow White Collar Workers who are in the Union they will eventually lower the value of their own worth.

I feel bad for those today that go to school, get a degree and accumulate debt for their education so that they start their working lives already in the whole with no guarantee that they will even be Middle Class, unlike a couple of decades ago when a degree virtually assured you a decent career.

The future American Workers are going to be more educated but less compensated and there is going to be even a greater disparity of wealth between them and the Privileged Few

I'm sure none of that has to do with the cheapening of the "education" provided by many college degrees these days.

 

[Red Dawn]

I'm sure none of that has to do with the cheapening of the "education" provided by many college degrees these days.

I wouldn't know, it's been over 25 years since I attended college.

 

[tk149]

The protests have been going on for four weeks now. I've been wondering who's been attending.

Most people I know get 3 or 4 weeks of total vacation time per year, and I believe this is true for the majority of full-time workers.

Most people I know are not willing to dump 4 weeks of vacation to spend time protesting. Maybe a week, but FOUR weeks?

That tells me that a LOT of the people there are not day workers.

Some are likely 2nd or 3rd shift workers, but even they need to get some sleep, and I have a hard time believing that anyone sleeping at the capitol is getting good restful sleep.

That leaves students (UW-Madison is within walking distance of the capitol building), retirees, and paid union supporters.

Not really representative of the entire WI electorate.