LONG ISLAND BULLETIN BOARD

Follow the money. First, virtually all union money, especially public unions , goes to democrats (see figures above). Just trying to point out that school unions own the democrats. Second point, corporate america contributes 50/50 to dems and rep (check out website above). As you would expect they're trying to buy influence on both sides of the aisle. however, all big, bad corporate conspriacy theories aside for a moment, businesses create wealth and jobs (not sure who else can do this..certainly not govt. or unions) and public unions cause your taxes to go up because they get paid more than the service they provide is worth because as I said above they are in a quid pro quo relationship with democrats: you elect them, and they'll maintain the status quo.

Don't you find it the least bit curious why the Federation of municipal and state workers over the last 20 years donated $40 million to democrats and $500,000 to republicans and the Teachers assoc. $27.6 million to democrats and $2 million to republicans. Even if you're a lifetime democrat who will never change his/her stripes, don't these figures give you reason to think for a moment as to what the heck is going on? Of course if you're a member of one of these unions I appreciate that you'll keep riding the gravy train to the last breath and rationalize away any and all arguments. enjoy it while it lasts because Greece, France and Wisconsin are coming home to roost sooner or later . the current model is simply not sustainable.

So true, business has created wealth, for themselves. How many jobs have they created. The last 3 bubble on Wall street, how many jobs.
If the public has well paying jobs, they have money to spend on the economy. When the rich get money, they don't create jobs, they create scams to keep their money and send jobs over seas.

I guess what you are blind to is that even though NYSUT up till now owns the assembly the corporations have done nothing to help our economy all they do is make a very small group of people very rich. They ship american jobs over seas , you can't say unions are doing that, they dont pay taxes and they are destroying the middleclass. How you can be so observant of the evils of the working class and so blind to the truly big money and greed of corporations is interesting to say the least. Again explian oil delpletion allowances to me and how they unions are making out there and while you are at it explain the insurance industry.

Want to compete with China and other emerging economies...eliminate all corporate taxes tomorrow. Because corporations really don't pay taxes...raise their taxes and they pass the cost on to you and I in the form of higher prices.

Don't kid yourself, big governemnt is the real problem. It is the very nature of big and growing government that causes unions and corporation to seek to buy influence. Return govt. to its approrprite role (defend the country, build some roads and make sure the rule of law is followed) and there would be no need for all this influenece buying. What is frightening is that the governments share of GDP is growing every year. As it grows, politicians power increases as they get to hand out more and more goodies (the goodies are of course your tax dollars being redistributed to others. But don't worry, it's to build a fair and equitable society. Only good intentions with the govt!). This is an immoral arangement that results in unions and corproations behaving badly. But they are simply responding to the signals from big govt.

Two great quotes from Jeferson on this topic (obviously a man ahead of his time):

- A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have.
-My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government

It's not a corporations job to "help" the economy. It's their job to make profits for their shareholders aka...you and I. The governments role should be to create an environment via low taxes, limited regulation , small govt. etc. that fosters entreprenreialism. Corporations have no choice but to do what they do or else the stockholders, you and I (primarily through our pensions, 401ks ,etc) wouldn't but their stocks.

The point of the original post though is to realize that if you want better schools at reduced costs it starts with refrom at the top. And as long as public unions own the democratic party the reform will be hard to come by. You need voters to back more of the Walkers and Christies of the world to have any shot at making meaningful progress.

Discussing the role of big government, the relative "evil" of corporations, the positive or negative influence of all unions is wonderful sport but I think misses the intent of this website.

As Sarah Palain would say "how's that working for you?" You making a lot of money in the stock and off of corporations? Are you kidding me. Have you seen the Gov't bail out to the corporations. Did you get any of that money?

Stop wasting your time trying to change the minds of the "corporations are evil crowd". They're the same people that think the CIA, Cuba and the Girl Scouts were behind the JFK assination.

Suggest reading End the Fed by Ron Paul. Great book that details the root of all evil is in big govt. check it out available in the library

Two great quotes from Jeferson on this topic (obviously a man ahead of his time):

- A government big enough to give you everything you want, is big enough to take away everything you have.


good quote ! my liberal friends all agreed with it when i told them it came from JFK !!!!

but when i told them the real source of the quote was Gerald Ford .... yes that Gerald Ford they laughed .

maybe i should have told them it came from Jefferson !!!!
but most liberals would have confused Thomas Jefferson with George Jefferson !

If what you say is true why did we spend 100s of billions bailing out wall street with taxpayer money?
And the "limited regulations" you talk about are written by corporations to help them and to keep others from competing with them on equal footing. regulations work both ways,and corporations know their are "good" regualtions and "bad"

We shouldn't have bailed anyone out. That was a mistake of both administrations. Can't blame big business for taking the money (just like you can't blame the teachers. blame the unions and politicians), blame big govt. for giving it to them. Also, much more of the cause of the economic collapse was big govt overreaching and not big biz. Do yourself a favor and read End the Fed by Ron Paul. He's been the "tea party" for 20 years now screaming for small govt and pointing out the evils of big govt.

The real bottomline: capitalism, with all it's warts and imperfections, has given rise to the greatest standard of living in the history of mankind. We can adjust and adapt to a gobal economy with all its inherent risks and concerns. But we can't do it if we have a govt growing to unsustainable size and scope. We're very close to having a govt. the size of Greece and France from a govt. share of total GDP perspective. And since govt. essentially creates nothing, all they do is move money from one group to another, we're in trouble if we don't fix the problem soon.

Almost sounds like a money laundering scheme. IF 95% of public union contributions go to democrats, as another writer stated and supplied the backup for, then this is very fishy as how can you get 95% of a group of people to agree on the same thing unless there is some deal behind the scenes. Then contrast that with the data from the website that shows corporate contributions are divided equally between the two parties. How can public unions so favor the democrats? no wonder half the the Dems in the wisconsin senate are in hiding.