It’s become clear that today’s public-sector union bosses do not understand (or care) that their insanely irresponsible practices of demanding “more, more and more” from taxpayers can only result in bankrupting an already-broken system of tax and spend politics.

Further, when confronted with that reality, some union bosses–like AFSCME’s union boss Lee Saunders–react like impish children poorly.

In Philadelphia, a city long mired with budgetary problems, Mayor Michael Nutter (a Democrat) has had to go to extraordinary lengths in addressing labor costs with his city’s largest labor union, the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees–better known as AFSCME.

Earlier this month, Nutter went to court to ask a judge to allow the city to impose its final offer on AFSCME District Council 33.

Nutter is seeking permission from a Common Pleas judge to implement the plan he presented two weeks ago to District Council 33, which represents 11,000 blue-collar workers. The plan includes incremental pay raises, cost reductions in overtime rules, possible furloughs, a less-generous pension for new hires and other changes.

“Union leaders have held our public employees and the taxpayers hostage,” Nutter said at a news conference. “We are no closer to an agreement today than we were four years ago.”

Nutter’s action, along with the actions of other Democratic public officials, have drawn a sharp rebuke from AFSCME’s Lee Saunders who, on Monday, called them “turncoats” and stated “it’s time to make them pay.”

via Huffington Post:

I am sick and tired of the fair-weather Democrats. They date us, take us to the prom, marry us, and then divorce us right after the honeymoon. I am sick and tired of the so-called friends who commend us when they’re running for election, but condemn us after they’ve won. I am sick and tired of the politicians who stand with us behind closed doors, but kick us to the curb in front of the cameras. I’m here to tell you that’s bullsh*t and we’re not gonna take it anymore.

Many of you know some of the people I’m talking about. Mayor Michael Nutter in Philadelphia. Governor Pat Quinn in Illinois. We’ve come to expect union-busting, anti-worker tactics from ultra-conservatives like Scott Walker and John Kasich. But now, everybody’s on the bandwagon.

Look at Nutter. AFSCME members in Philadelphia haven’t had a contract in four years, and Sister Baylor knows it. What does the mayor do? He goes to the Republican-controlled Pennsylvania Supreme Court to get a legal decision that would let him shove his contract down our throats. He’s no different from Governor Snyder in Michigan, who went to his state’s Supreme Court to get legal cover for cutting school employees’ pay. Different political parties, same political games.

Look at Governor Quinn. He has waged a relentless war on state employees – slashing pensions, driving down incomes and wiping out jobs. Last year he took the unprecedented step of terminating our contract. He is the first and only Illinois governor, Republican or Democrat, to take such a blatantly aggressive action.

I have had enough of these turncoats, and it’s time to make them pay. [Emphasis added.]

AFSCME, one of the big spenders in the 2012 election cycle clearly expects loyalty from the Democrats it gets into office. So, as a buyer of politicians, Saunders’ ire is not surprising.

The problem for union-bought politicians, however, is the fact that, after decades of mismanagement and lucrative government-union contracts, many states and municipalities can no longer afford to continue passing the costs onto the backs of taxpayers–especially as the tax base in many heavily unionized (Democrat-controlled) states continues to shrink.

Note: This is not the first time that the AFSCME union boss has let his temper flare while on stage. Last year, following Clint Eastwood’s famous “empty chair” speech at the RNC Convention, Saunders went into a tirade while giving a speech in Charlotte, kicking a chair across a stage.

In addition to a good lesson in economics–you cannot eat more than you produce, Lee–AFSCME’s boss may be in need of a good anger management counselor.
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“Truth isn’t mean. It’s truth.”
Andrew Breitbart (1969-2012)

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