Yes We Can!

All week I’ve heard teachers / union activists Wisconsin compare themselves to the protestors in Egypt.  They say they are fighting for freedom like those brave folks in Cairo who died by the hundreds.

To say the least I don’t see where the comparison is?

The Egyptian protests started in part due to rising food prices.  The Wisconsin protests are in part over the state paying for Viagra.  Not much a comparison there.

The protestors in Egypt were battling a true dictator but in Wisconsin the governor was just sworn into office in January.  Not much comparison there.

So let’s make another comparison.  The protestors are saying the Wisconsin Governor Scott is acting like a dictator so let’s look at definition of a dictator.

Dictatorship

1. a country, government, or the form of government in which absolute power is exercised by a dictator.

2. absolute, imperious, or overbearing power or control.

3. the office or position held by a dictator.

 

Imperious, I don't see it. So is the problem in Wisconsin a dictatorship or soemthing else?

Now let’s look at the definition of a monopoly.

Monopoly

1. exclusive control of a commodity or service in a particular market, or a control that makes possible the manipulation of prices.

2. an exclusive privilege to carry on a business, traffic, or service, granted by a government.

3. the exclusive possession or control of something.

4. something that is the subject of such control, as a commodity or service.

5. a company or group that has such control.

6. the market condition that exists when there is only one seller.

 

Exclusive privlage, exclusive possession or control of something.  Sound like the US school system?

Public schools are government run monopolies.  Parochial or Private Schools are only a small percentage of the U.S. school system.  In most states, 80% or more of property taxes go to pay for the schools even if your kid is in a private school.  The   Teacher’s Unions have now grown to such size that their power is almost unmatched in today’s political system.  To say that they have a growing monopoly is an understatement.  The Democrat senators in Wisconsin fled the state because they were so afraid that the cuts may pass even if they vote against it.

Wisconsin like 47 other states is broke.

In response to this Wisconsin teachers shut down entire school districts because they want their way.  They refused initially to even negotiate for any concessions but recanted when their collective bargaining agreement was thrown into the mix.  Breaking that would break the monopoly which will change things forever in Wisconsin and the rest of the country.

Most people will agree that monopolies are bad things.  It’s clear now that when the economy is good public school monopolies are a nuisance.  When the economy is bad they are an unsustainable drain on the country that could bankrupt Wisconsin and the country.