Atlas Shrugs

"America Cannot Do a Damn Thing"

“We have announced that wherever America does something evil, the first place that we target will be Israel,” Revolutionary Guards Rear Admiral Mohammad-Ebrahim Dehqani was quoted as saying by Iran’s student news agency ISNA Story here. It's always been about America, Israel is merely America's proxy. No matter what the media tells you, it ain't about that tiny oil-less, strip of desert (Israel).

America cannot do a damn thing -- .Ayatollah Ruhollah, Late Iranian leader (01/01/1979)

This enemy is on a fanatical mission to take away our lives and liberty ...The passengers and crew of United 93 had the blessed opportunity to understand the nature of the attack and to launch a counterattack against the enemy. This was our first successful counterattack in our homeland in this new global war. David Beamer, Father of Todd Beamer, killed aboard United 93 on 9/11/01

The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing. Albert Einstein 
More at FDD 

 

NY TRANSIT STRiKE: TRO DUH BUMS OUT!

Update: STRIKE BUST! NYC transit workers union leaders agree to a return to work while strike talks continue [I wouldn't give them one plug nickel more, they are overpaid as it is. Cut back those pensions and raise retirement age.]

Mr. Toussaint, who earns a salary of $101,990,“Provided that the pension issue comes off the table, that would be a basis for us to go back to work,” Mr. Toussaint said at a late afternoon press conference yesterday.    But the MTA chairman, Peter Kalikow, called that demand “outrageous,” and said the point is “rapidly approaching” where bargaining with the union would be “futile.”

Mayor Bloomberg appeared resolute in his position that the union’s 33,700 members return to work before negotiations continue, once again lashing out at the union’s leadership for calling the illegal strike that is now in its third day. Mr. Bloomberg, who described the traffic yesterday as “chaos on the streets,” said the strike was crippling businesses, especially retail stores. Mr. Bloomberg increased the force of his rhetoric, calling the strike “illegal” “selfish” and “unconscionable.” He was real good I tell ya. Natural Born Leader.

Of course you knew the other looters would come out of their caves. Looter  Weingarten of the United Teachers Federation called discussion of the pension issue illegal,said any attempt by governments to address the rising cost of pensions should be discussed jointly between labor leaders and government leaders and away from the pressures of a negotiating table. Mind you, no one person did as much harm to the NYC public school system as Weingarten. She took a once great institution and made it a trough for the unmotivated, uninspired, and the tenured.

The Judge said jail time is a "distinct possibility for Touissaint". But I don't think Poussaint should be jailed, so he can do a Mahatma Gandhi? uh uh. I think the strikers should be ordered back to work and if they break the law they all get fired.
NEXT!

New York pays too much for everything, and the state is slowly dying. NEW YORK MEDICAID SPENDS MOST AMONG 10 MOST POPULOUS STATES New York State’s Medicaid program pays for the biggest share of doctor and hospital bills among the nation’s most populous states, according to a report released yesterday. “This is just more evidence that New York’s Medicaid spending is too high. In a nutshell, New York State provides notably lavish benefits to an unusually high number of enrollees,” an employee of the Business Council of New York State, Matthew Maguire. — Associated Press. Read more here

New York has not recovered from 9/11, no matter what anyone one tells you. Read my previous post here on the dismal state of New York's finances

NY Transit STEEEEEEERIKE! Yer OUT!

Negotiations Monday broke down once again over pensions. Pensions? A Roth IRA yeah, a pension? No way. After bitterly criticizing the MTA's desire to raise the current retirement  for new employees to 62 from 55 (IMAGINE THAT!), the authority wussed out and dropped its demand. How nuts is that? Lifespan increases every year, it's now at what, 77? So these people retire at 55 and we pay a fat pension for 22 years. Touissaint had the gall to push to reduce the retirement age even further to 50! Read that again! Instead, the MTA countered with new employees having to pay 6% of their salary toward their pension instead of the current 2%. Madame Touissaint said nyet.

The Union's 33,000 members were at odds on such issues as wages, health care and pension contributions. I don't know about you, but I ain't got know pension and I pay for my medical. Hellloooooooooooooo are they crazy?

Train operators, station agents and cleaners earn between $47,000 and $55,000 a year before overtime. Brand spanking new subway drivers already make 52,000 a year. The MTA's final offer exceeded 10% over a three year term, far too generous if you ask me. Still, Touissaint that bon vivaint summarily rejected out of hand. [Hits forehead]

Mind you, this is  worst week of the year for this to happen for retail. DEADLY.  Deadly for an already struggling city. Adding devastating economic in$ult to serious injury.

The Judge Fined the Union One Million Dollars a Day. That's a good start. Now it's time for Pataki to lead.

Governor Pataki, someone I have had little use for, has an opportunity to here to make an historical stand (much needed) while shoring himself up for a presidential run. Previous to this idiotic suicidal move by the leftarded union, I would never consider Pataki a contender. But history has a way of ripping the status quo to shreds. PATAKI SHOULD FIRE THEM ALL IF THEY DO NOT RETURN TO WORK. This is really a no brainer, a gift to Pataki from the political gods.

Pataki is  no dummy. He had enough saychul to get out of Giuliani's way on 9/12/01 and stand just to the left of him, one step back. Smart.
On Friday, Gov. George Pataki urged the union to keep working with the MTA. "When it comes to a strike, I have three words: Don't do it," Pataki said. Now, has he got the testicular fortitude to back that up?

"We have two words for the governor, which is 'respect us,'" Mr. Toussaint said.
I got two words for you Touissaint: "You're fired." (I kept it clean, notice that?)

Mr. Toussaint ordered the city's subways and buses to be shut down "immediately," WTF died and made him Caligula?

The handful of dissenters included the president of the Transport Workers Union International, the union's parent organization, Mike O'Brien, indicating internal fissures within the union that could deepen as the transit strike continues. Those who attended the meeting of the executive board said Mr. O'Brien urged Mr. Toussaint to hold off on calling a strike, arguing that contract talks were heading toward an equitable resolution for the union.

The Transport Workers Union opposes any real cost-cutting efforts, such as a plan to restructure all above-ground rail operations into a single new subsidiary, and all bus operations into another—a consolidation that could save $210 million over three years. Why the resistance? The new bus division would have the authority to cut civil-service protections for new employees—who would still have their union security, of course, but transit workers are accustomed to two layers of insulation from management.City Journal via:Winds of Change

“Transportation Workers Union (TWU) officials are not only holding New York City and its economy hostage to their self-serving demands, but they are potentially jeopardizing the jobs of New York City’s 30,000 mass transit workers.

“These union officials have a public-be-damned attitude and are holding a gun to the head of New York City’s business owners and workers. The costs of this illegal strike to New York’s working families will be enormous.

“Moreover, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) officials may ultimately have no choice but to fire the illegal strikers in order to uphold the rule of law and to preserve New York’s security and economic vitality. President Ronald Reagan took similar action to protect the travelling public when he ordered the firing in 1981 of illegally striking air traffic controllers who refused to return to their jobs.Stefan Gleason, Vice President of the National Right to Work Foundation

Fausta says Bust Toussaint

UPDATE: Bloomberg make a tough, smart, ballsy speech at his press conference. Tells the Union get back to work now. "CALLS STRIKE ILLEGAL AND SELFISH" "Hurting the working people. People making 10, 20 30 thousand a year, not  50 60 thousand without overtime. If those people don't get paid, those people dont eat." Bloomberg says we shouldn't be negotiating while they are on strike. Bloonberg ROCKS! If you can catch on TIVO or Dish it's a spech worth seeing. I have a new respect for him

Pataki press conference on now. WTF? He is talking about a crime law?!?! FOX pulls the press conference, promises to return if he talks transit strike. Is this guy lobotomized? Someone take him off his meds! Geez, if he gets elected dog catcher in 2006 it will be a miracle.

OK PATAKI speaks. Comes on strong. "You can't benefit from illegal acts". Pointing a finger, 'YOU CAN'T WALK AND TALK AT THE SAME TIME!"
Very good Georgie boy.

UPDATE:

A Non-Teaching Moment Opinion Journal

Add another person to the list of irresponsible characters involved in New York's wretched transit strike: Randi Weingarten, head of the city's teachers' union.

Ms. Weingarten appeared at a rally on behalf of the transportation union to cheer for its efforts to grab a 24% three-year pay raise as well as write into its contract a limit on the number of disciplinary actions that can be taken against its members for misconduct. Of course the looter comes out to stand up for her  fellow looter. She told a local TV station that the illegal strike was justified because the playing field "isn't fair" between the union and management. She said that justified the union's "civil disobedience." LOOTER!

Weingarten did nore to hurt our children than one person. No school vouchers, no charter schools, no firing, no reductio in tenure, she destroyed whatever shot we had to teach our children well. That's another union whose day wuill be numbered.

NY TRANSIT STRIKE: FIRE THEM ALL

                   Fire them all.
Me, Scrooge? NO! The transit workers union is guilty of that, striking at the height of the Christmas season  in the freezing cold. How dare they?

The transit worker makes a better living than cops or fireman.

This strike is illegal. This strike wreaks hell on the common folk. I am not sure if Bloomberg has the balls that Reagan did but they should all be fired, every last one of them. How dare they?

Cogito ergo, sum............in their case I exist, therefore give me a raise. Uh Uh.

Many members of the union are not in favor of this strike at all, and feel fortunate to have landed such a cushy job. But the hard left union has their own agenda. Transit Workers Union president, Roger Toussaint, knows that the real battle occurs in the public eye. Alicia Colon believes New Yorkers have become so used to having their creature comforts safeguarded and indulged that principles and logic are easily ignored.

I have no love for the unions. My father had a small business growing up and I saw first hand the ILGWU put him out of business. When I joined The New York Daily News I had to pay UNION dues even though I didn't want to join the union. And while I loved my career at The News I was told repeatedly by union reps that I was "overproducing", making the labors of my less than motivated co-workers look inaedquate. *spit*

New York has not recovered from 9/11, no matter what anyone one tells you. Read my previous post here on the dismal state of New York's finances.

A big chunk of what has passed for private-sector job growth in New York has also occurred in industries that are nominally private but are actually supported by tax revenues and therefore don’t create wealth but at best merely redistribute it. These industries—health care and social services—have accounted for nearly half the city’s job growth in the past 12 months and now represent 18 percent of all “private”-sector jobs in the city. Moreover, concentrated in areas like nonprofit social-services agencies, home health-care services, and nursing homes, these are mostly low-wage jobs. The typical home health-care job in the city, for instance, pays about $25,000 a year. New York will never earn back its title as one of the country’s leading entrepreneurial centers when tax-supported low-wage jobs account for so much of its economic growth.

Anyone who has watched the long decline of New York’s economy—which today employs nearly 200,000 fewer people than 35 years ago—will understand what’s happening, because it has happened before, repeatedly. The city’s economic slide began in the mid-1960s, when city and state pols began sharply raising taxes to pay for an expanded social agenda—saddling New York with the heaviest tax burden among U.S. cities. Today, Gotham taxes residents and businesses at about 75 percent more than the average of the next ten largest American cities—and that startling percentage is growing.

Best STRIKE coverage at New York blog News Copy-kick ass and take names Bob! It seems Ohio is having it's fair share of transit crimes here

UPDATE: Tuesday evening: TROW DAH BUMS OUT!