aolnews.com— Massive budget cuts that have already led to furloughs for government workers and increased class sizes for public school teachers are claiming another victim: libraries.
Mar 30, 2010View in Crawl 4
You do understand that publicly elected officials are the ones that determine salaries and benefits for public employees, right? And that supply and demand of labor have a lot to do with it - the public sector must be competitive with the private sector. Private companies have dropped pensions, but offer higher salaries on average, while the public sector has never paid salaries exorbitantly, but instead makes up for it with something that only a large organization can effectively offer - a solid pension.Again, if you think the public sector has so much of a sweetheart deal, why don't you just go get a public sector job?Your claim of "political pressure" is a bit odd: any time an elected representative makes a decision, there is pressure from the people that elect them. The same thing happens when shareholders' interests are considered by a private executive. So yes, there is political pressure. What do you think elected representatives who don't have to feel the pressure of their constituents would do?Back room deals? Union negotiations are frequently reported on, with both sides explaining their positions. Contract details are public and can be examined by any taxpayer. How is that "back room"?And bribery? What bribery occurred in the HCR bill? Unions expressed concern over taxation of benefit plans (which most Republicans agree shouldn't be taxed), but that taxation applied to everyone, not just union members. Unions fought for healthcare coverage for all despite the fact that almost all union members already have healthcare. Quite frankly, I appreciate their work on the behalf of all laborers. I enjoy my weekends and safe working conditions that Unions fought for over the last 100 years.You have this little worldview that all state budget problems are because of public employees unions, but if you actually look at what they get paid, it really isn't all that much. Yes, they have attractive pension plans, but they have to compete for the best employees. Personally, I want my cops, my firefighter, my building inspector, my city's engineers and water treatment plant operators, planners and permitters to be among the best and the brightest. You have to pay for the best and the brightest, so quit whining. The biggest reason there are deficits now isn't because of the cost, but rather a huge drop in tax revenues thanks to lower property values and less employment.
I'm negative on diggs, yet Glenn Beck actually stated he educated himself at public libraries where the "books are free." Please explain the buries.
You could start a library tomorrow if you wanted to and had the resources. It would probably have to be a charity library because I doubt you could make a profit on a library business. Especially competing against the states tax subsidized libraries. So people have the ability to start one it just wouldnt make any sense. If you want libraries built by someone other than the state then get the state out of the library business. If libraries disappear at that point then its probably because not enough people want them. See the horse and buggy for an example. IF they are being kept in existence purely the coercion of the state then they should go away. Being an anarchist you should realize that there is nothing the state can do that people cant so long as they dont make it illegal. Even that doesnt stop us sometimes.
In the digital age libraries are good places for street people to hang out.I'm exaggerating, but isn't technology doing to libraries what it's doing to print media like newspapers and magazines?I haven't had a library card in years, and seldom if ever go to a library.
sweetneo85Mar 31, 2010
But I thot we wuz soshlist noww...
nicobanMar 31, 2010
Are you really advocating for more govt spending on public libraries while you have an anarchy symbol as your pic? Do you see why this is idiotic?
nicobanMar 31, 2010
Its ok. She was a govt worker. They have trouble understand basic concepts. Thats why they couldnt get jobs in the private sector.
nicobanMar 31, 2010
<a class="user" href="http://www.amazon.com/Meltdown-Free-Market-Collapsed-Government-Bailouts/dp/1596985879/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;s=books&amp;qid=1270046378&amp;sr=8-2" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Meltdown-Free-Market-Collaps ...</a>You probably wont find this at a library. But if you are going to argue against free market solutions you should at least understand them whether you agree with them or not.
photojustinMar 31, 2010
You do understand that publicly elected officials are the ones that determine salaries and benefits for public employees, right? And that supply and demand of labor have a lot to do with it - the public sector must be competitive with the private sector. Private companies have dropped pensions, but offer higher salaries on average, while the public sector has never paid salaries exorbitantly, but instead makes up for it with something that only a large organization can effectively offer - a solid pension.Again, if you think the public sector has so much of a sweetheart deal, why don't you just go get a public sector job?Your claim of "political pressure" is a bit odd: any time an elected representative makes a decision, there is pressure from the people that elect them. The same thing happens when shareholders' interests are considered by a private executive. So yes, there is political pressure. What do you think elected representatives who don't have to feel the pressure of their constituents would do?Back room deals? Union negotiations are frequently reported on, with both sides explaining their positions. Contract details are public and can be examined by any taxpayer. How is that "back room"?And bribery? What bribery occurred in the HCR bill? Unions expressed concern over taxation of benefit plans (which most Republicans agree shouldn't be taxed), but that taxation applied to everyone, not just union members. Unions fought for healthcare coverage for all despite the fact that almost all union members already have healthcare. Quite frankly, I appreciate their work on the behalf of all laborers. I enjoy my weekends and safe working conditions that Unions fought for over the last 100 years.You have this little worldview that all state budget problems are because of public employees unions, but if you actually look at what they get paid, it really isn't all that much. Yes, they have attractive pension plans, but they have to compete for the best employees. Personally, I want my cops, my firefighter, my building inspector, my city's engineers and water treatment plant operators, planners and permitters to be among the best and the brightest. You have to pay for the best and the brightest, so quit whining. The biggest reason there are deficits now isn't because of the cost, but rather a huge drop in tax revenues thanks to lower property values and less employment.
diggrageMar 31, 2010
I'm negative on diggs, yet Glenn Beck actually stated he educated himself at public libraries where the "books are free." Please explain the buries.
Closed AccountMar 31, 2010
Thats a BINGO!Well said.
Closed AccountMar 31, 2010
Libraries aren't just about books. Libraries are about knowledge. This is a slap in the face to middle america.
nicobanApr 1, 2010
You could start a library tomorrow if you wanted to and had the resources. It would probably have to be a charity library because I doubt you could make a profit on a library business. Especially competing against the states tax subsidized libraries. So people have the ability to start one it just wouldnt make any sense. If you want libraries built by someone other than the state then get the state out of the library business. If libraries disappear at that point then its probably because not enough people want them. See the horse and buggy for an example. IF they are being kept in existence purely the coercion of the state then they should go away. Being an anarchist you should realize that there is nothing the state can do that people cant so long as they dont make it illegal. Even that doesnt stop us sometimes.
twobluedayApr 1, 2010
In the digital age libraries are good places for street people to hang out.I'm exaggerating, but isn't technology doing to libraries what it's doing to print media like newspapers and magazines?I haven't had a library card in years, and seldom if ever go to a library.