Posted on 10/15/2005 12:06:14 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has once again demonstrated how dishonest and hypocritical he is by his appearance at the recent Topanga fires here in Southern California. How could Schwarzenegger in good conscience force a group of firefighters to stand behind him in mock support while he simultaneously attacks firefighters' pensions, benefits and livelihoods?
This act is the epitome of insult. His conduct in this case is particularly reprehensible considering that he recently rejected almost all of the recommendations put forward by a Fire Service Blue Ribbon Committee, a committee he commissioned, that was intended to improve public safety during urban interface fires such as the recent Topanga incident.
Obviously this is another case where the Wall Street big-wigs that control Schwarzenegger's puppet strings yelled "Action!" and the governor went to work, attempting to bolster his sagging image and approval ratings on the backs of the very people that he and his Big Business supporters are attacking.
California voters need to realize, in regard to Proposition 75 [Paycheck Protection]and the governor's efforts to destroy public employees' pensions, that this is not about saving the state and the taxpayers money; rather it is an attempt to funnel public employee retirement money out of CalPERS and into the pockets of the governor's Wall Street cronies, while diminishing the positive influence that CalPERS has historically exerted on behalf of stockholders nationwide.
CalPERS and by extension public employees have become a target because of CalPERS' success and because of its stance that it cannot in good conscience invest assets from its $190 billion pension fund with companies that are more concerned with paying multimillion dollar salaries to their CEOs than they are with looking out for the best interests of their employees and stockholders.
--snip--
(Excerpt) Read more at ocregister.com ...
"and is a member of the Glendale Fire Fighters Assn."
That explains the hysteria in this article. Talk about someone whose strings are being pulled! It's this guy, not Arnold. The unions are desperate, which is just as it should be.
It's almost soup (special election day) !
The more a political candidate gets maligned and attacked, and accused of inane things like starving little children and beating up old people, the more likely he is to be a conservative.
The left have been hysterical in their attacks on Schwarzenegger, including the stupid political jihad to keep him from smoking his cigars in his office, and all this crap about his hurting CA schools and firefighters. Historically too, you look at how many of the good guys have been similarly demolished:
1. Charles Keating -- did you know he is a big cultural conservative, he protested big time against the showing of "Deep Throat." They finally got him with the whole Keating5 scandal. Someone go look at the facts and tell me how he broke the law!
2. Nixon
3. Reagan
4. Santorum: see Santorum thread on this site
It makes sense -- the more potent a candidate, the more vulnerable the left feels and the more important to destroy him utterly. Also to some extent you know he must be a conservative, because conservatives would attack people on ideas, not personal issues. And Republicans don't have the backbone to attack anybody. Therefore it's the left who are attacking them.
Marxism didn't work in Russia and it wouldn't work here. Give it up, troll.
Yeah. Attacking one of their own is quite hysterical.
The fire chief (of 6 months) retired a short time back after 30 years on the force. He is 50 years. His dad was chief. He got promoted, waited 6 months, then retired.
Guess what, 3% * 30 years * average of last 5 years = >$5,000/mo in retirement! At 50! Not 67! Not 65! Not 62! At 50!
Now why can't social security be so good to me!
And why is it that public servants have a better health and retirement package than taxpayers?
Because we elected the Ba*****s! And we get what we elect!
Same way Clintoon forced the military?
Well, he did it as a PR move. He should have done it because they’re way too damned expensive and the taxpayer is being screwed by them.
Remember the last big round of fires a couple of years ago? On the radio they listed one (they listed a bunch but I specifically remembered this one) that pulled in something like $87K base and $145K overtime. Yes, it’s over $200K/yr.
Yes, I realize there are a bunch of smoke jumpers and USFS firefighters that make OK money but not near that. The ones I know claim that they get ok pay it’s just that it takes them about 6 months before they actually see a check. I’m mainly talking about city FD guys.
Now, no, they don’t do it every year of their career, but they sure as hell do it typically the last three or five years of their career. They eat up overtime to artificially inflate their wages because that’s how their pension is determined.
It’s not uncommon because I had a cousin in Maryland and an uncle in Texas that did the same thing.
One in Texas had his last five years of earnings (not base pay – total pay) averaged and he got 50% of that. He’s pulling in something like $107,000/yr in pension at the age of 51 (when he retired after 30 years).
One in Maryland retired after 25 years and it was the same with him except they averaged last 3 years. He retired at 48 and claims to be pulling in ~$120K.
Think of that – if he lives to be 78 years old he will have drawn his damn-good pension for 5 years longer than he actually worked.
Lets not mention the health coverage that you’d kill for.
So no, the firefighters (and to a lesser degree, the police - they do the same thing) have already voted themselves into your pocket BIG TIME and they want to stay there - they don't want dopey Arnold screwing up their gravy train.
The unions are running TV attack ads 24/7 here in California.
Kerry takes on Schwarzenegger over union power
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1502175/posts
"This represents part of an ongoing effort by the Republican Party to create an unfair playing field, to change the balance of democracy in America," Kerry said.
"They are willing to try to take away the democratic rights of working Americans," said the Massachusetts senator, who was speaking to reporters at a fire station with Democratic Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
Sen. John Kerry, left, D-Mass., waves at a Los Angeles City firefighter along with Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa as the fire truck gets set to leave on a call Thursday, Oct. 13, 2005, at fire station No. 3 in Los Angeles. Kerry was on hand to speak at a news conference to show his support for voting no on California's Proposition 75, which would require unions to get permission before dues can be used for political purposes.
Washington state passed a law requiring unions to get annual signed permission before being able to take members' money for political lobbying. Now 80% of them opt out. No wonder these guys are scared.
a little snippet from an article
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RS - What do you think of Arnold Schwarzenegger becoming governor of California?
Kerry - Well, first of all, Arnold's a friend of mine. I've known him for a long time, and he's a capable guy. I mean, he's smart and capable. I would have preferred that there had been no recall. I went out and campaigned against it. But I understand the anger that existed out there.
---
Which begs the question ,, am I your FRiend, FO?
I support Prop 75, after all.:)
Are you calling NormsRevenge a troll???? That's nice, coming from someone who signed up three months ago.
I think it was aimed at the firefighter, :-\..
Or,, ..
Hey wait just a darn minute.. LOL
And obviously Kerry's 'friendship' with Arnold didn't stop him from actively campaigning AGAINST the propositions Arnold is pushing to reform CA.
PS. I am glad to hear you are voting FOR 75. Are you voting yes on the other reform props, such as 76?
Why? Is it trailing in the latest polls? :-)
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