Maybe a reson to vote Dem.

[Soverytired]

The military is not the same as other public service occupations. I don't find this analogy to be reasonable.

Incorrect. The controllers were not treated unfairly in regards to the law at the time. Reagan had every legal right to do what he did. My argument is that the law itself is unfair and should be changed.

I am in favor of a minimum "living wage" of $10/hr indexed for inflation.

(Interesting. We're actually closer on all this whole mess than I originally thought)

I chose the military because it's an obvious example of one government occupation that simply cannot be allowed to strike. You concede then that some public institutions can't then, nes pa?

How about the TSA? Should THEY be allowed to strike? US Customs? Border patrol? IRS? US Corps of Engineers during hurricane recoveries? CIA?

Personally, I don't think any government union should be allowed to strike. The public treasury always appears bottomless, and pressure would simply be too great not to concede every time to any government union demand.

As to the minimum wage . . . I was not speaking of a federally mandated min wage (I'm not necessarily opposed to it). I was talking about a government decreed PILOT wage.

Your line of reasoning is that:

1. Pilots can't strike without government permission
2. One or the other parties will be union friendly enough to grant them that right without restrictions

I counter with:

1. With proper unity, pilots already have this ability. However, things are simply not that bad in the pilot community to inspire this kind of unity.
2. If you ceede this power to the federal government, why stop there? Why not just have Congress dictate what you can earn?
3. This would be a very bad idea, because I guarantee you, the flying public is going to be perfectly ok with you maxing out at $70k/year.

 

[PCL_128]

You concede then that some public institutions can't then, nes pa?

In very limited circumstance, yes.

How about the TSA? Should THEY be allowed to strike? US Customs? Border patrol? IRS? US Corps of Engineers during hurricane recoveries? CIA?

Yes to everything except the CIA (which isn't unionized anyway). In fact, I wrote to my congressmen to urge them to approve measures that would allow TSA employees to strike. They have just as much right to improve their working conditions that every other labor group does. The right to unionization is a basic human right. When you join the military, you give up some of your rights. Not so when you become a security screener.

As to the minimum wage . . . I was not speaking of a federally mandated min wage (I'm not necessarily opposed to it). I was talking about a government decreed PILOT wage.

Yes, I would support a government mandated minimum wage for pilots as part of an overall re-regulation package. I also support complete re-regulation of the airline industry and a reestablishment of the CAB.

 

[CA1900]

I don't disagree with them wanting more . . .it's human nature. I disagree with their methods.

Honest question: Your employer changes the rules after you got there, and requires you to work free overtime every week. If you don't work it, you're fired. They flatly refuse to negotiate the overtime issue. What would you do?

 

[Carl_Spackler]

Slaveowners in early America, and Hitler in Germany decided who counted as human. I guess we are doing it all over again today.

I agree. Right now the law says that an unborn baby is not a person, but when a pregnant woman is murdered, the killer is charged with killing two people. The irony. I think Roe v Wade will be overturned eventually.

 

[Soverytired]

Honest question: Your employer changes the rules after you got there, and requires you to work free overtime every week. If you don't work it, you're fired. They flatly refuse to negotiate the overtime issue. What would you do?

Me? I work for airlines. I waited for the union to fix things, and that didn't work at all (I was begging for a chance to walk a picket line) So I left and found a much, much better job. This is what most people with regular jobs do, and this is why union membership has been declining for decades.

But we're not talking about regular jobs. We're talking about a highly specialized technical skill that is totally monopolized by the US government (ATC). It's an absolutely critical component to the nations infrastructure, and as such, they simply cannot be allowed to strike any more than the US Military could during a time of war (or peace).

A shutdown of ATC is literally a mater of life and death. Organ transports, medivacs, and lifeguard flights would all terminate. A strike of any length would mean the immediate furlough of thousands, if not tens of thousands, of airline pilots . . . but I'm sure you'd be happy to take one for your union brothers, eh? It could trigger a recession in good times, and a full blown depression in weak times.

So what to do? Clearly, the second ATC union got it's stuff together and negotiated for just about everything they could ever want: insanely high pay, early retirements with bloated federal pensions, massive overtime pay, day care centers on area facilities with doctor's visiting the kiddies, exercise facilities on the property, abolition of any kind of dress code . . you name it.

So I guess the short answer is :

• I'd wait for a friendly administration then rape the taxpayer for every penny I could, even at the expense of an efficient and modernized ATC system.

• Then I'd make sure my dues were spent spreading the myth about how stressful my job was and how much of a superman I was and how I deserved every penny (even though all I needed was a high school diploma to do it).
• Oh, and I'd resist any updating to a 50 year old ATC system, because any reform might show just how unnecessary many of the controllers really are.

 

[G-force]

Getting Oil Prices Lower!!

Just curious...how would a Rep. bring oil down?

Show your work...

Ever heard of EXPLORATION,DRILLING,building REFINERIES??Either we do this OR everyone is going to keep right on PAYING MORE!!!
Begging the ARABS for more oil will not work either!!!!

This HAS to be done inorder to KEEP YOU and THOUSANDS of PILOTS EMPLOYED!!!!

 

[acaTerry]

How about the TSA? Should THEY be allowed to strike?

Oh, you TEASE me!!!!! I wish they would

 

[Herman Bloom]

Ever heard of EXPLORATION,DRILLING,building REFINERIES??Either we do this OR everyone is going to keep right on PAYING MORE!!!
Begging the ARABS for more oil will not work either!!!!

This HAS to be done inorder to KEEP YOU and THOUSANDS of PILOTS EMPLOYED!!!!

Oil prices are responding to the exploding demand being generated in China and India. Drilling more won't fix it; we need to get truly "energy independent" and start figuring out how to meet that demand (which will continue to grow exponentially) profitably by innovating new (clean) energy solutions. That should make any true capitalist smile.

 

[labbats]

Oil prices are responding to the exploding demand being generated in China and India. Drilling more won't fix it; we need to get truly "energy independent" and start figuring out how to meet that demand (which will continue to grow exponentially) profitably by innovating new (clean) energy solutions. That should make any true capitalist smile.

The U.S. has known for decades that at least 8.5 billion proven barrels of oil sit off its Pacific, Atlantic and Gulf coasts, with the Interior Department estimating 86 billion barrels of undiscovered oil resources.

Yeah, let's get to hugging those trees and have a sit in to discuss the merits of caribou in Alaska and ignore the BILLIONS of barrels just off our coastline.

 

[Carl_Spackler]

I don't have a problem with developing new energy technology. I think it should be funded by investors who want to take a risk and reap the possible rewards. I don't want the government spending my money on things like ethanol, which is looking less and less viable every day. Even the newspapers that normally drink the ethanol kool-aide are starting to second guess it.

 

[Smacktard]

Oil prices are responding to the exploding demand being generated in China and India. Drilling more won't fix it; we need to get truly "energy independent" and start figuring out how to meet that demand (which will continue to grow exponentially) profitably by innovating new (clean) energy solutions. That should make any true capitalist smile.

That should help things out...in about 2 decades.

 

[mtsupilot376]

What about a viable libertarian candidate? I know it is probably too late for it to make a difference this time around but we should really be looking into this down the road.

 

[PCL_128]

What about a viable libertarian candidate? I know it is probably too late for it to make a difference this time around but we should really be looking into this down the road.

You've already got one. Bob Barr, former Republican Congressman from GA. Probably the best candidate the Libertarian party has ever had. He's anticipating being on the ballot in 48 states. I encourage all would-be McCain voters to consider Barr instead.

 

[Herman Bloom]

You've already got one. Bob Barr, former Republican Congressman from GA. Probably the best candidate the Libertarian party has ever had. He's anticipating being on the ballot in 48 states. I encourage all would-be McCain voters to consider Barr instead.

Yes....ahem....I would also encourage all would-be McCain voters to vote for Barr. Ahem.

 

[acaTerry]

You've already got one. Bob Barr, former Republican Congressman from GA. Probably the best candidate the Libertarian party has ever had. He's anticipating being on the ballot in 48 states. I encourage all would-be McCain voters to consider Barr instead.

Problem with that is, that just enough votes would be deflected and we'd get stuck with Obama (Jimmy Carter, part II).

 

[PCL_128]

Problem with that is, that just enough votes would be deflected and we'd get stuck with Obama

That's exactly what I'm hoping.

 

[acaTerry]

That's exactly what I'm hoping.

I can't stand behind Obama for life issues. Besides that, he talks too much about what's wrong but has not offered a word on what he would do to fix it all. Seems the easy way to run for office is to just point at everyone else and dodge the issues.
I think I may run next time!

 

[PCL_128]

Besides that, he talks too much about what's wrong but has not offered a word on what he would do to fix it all.

If you just go to his website, you'll see that he has extremely detailed policy proposals on every subject imaginable.

 

[Soverytired]

If you just go to his website, you'll see that he has extremely detailed policy proposals on every subject imaginable.

This is true.

But talk is cheap.

His legislative record (and lack thereof) and inability to reach across the aisle on anything speak volumes.

Do you see Obama standing up to some of the major scumbags in his own party?

Sources say: "No."

 

[CopilotDoug]

This is true.

But talk is cheap.

His legislative record (and lack thereof) and inability to reach across the aisle on anything speak volumes.

Do you see Obama standing up to some of the major scumbags in his own party?

Sources say: "No."

This can't be repeated enough. I agree with alot of what Obama says. But the guy has no balls and has PROVEN he has a tough time making decisions.

Put him in office and it we'd be begging for business as usual.

Unfortunately, put McCain in office and it will be business as usual.