[quote=CA renter]There are many problems with our economy, and many possible solutions; but scapegoating public union workers totally ignores the root causes of our problems and prevents us from being able to establish workable, common-sense, solutions that acutally address the REAL causes of our economic distress. We need to move away from this nonsensical partisan bickering and focus on what will make this country strong and successful again. The problem is at the TOP, not the bottom.[/quote]

I disagree. With the unions in place, the problems runs right through from the top to the roots. Many, probably the vast majority of public service workers, IMHO, *WANT* to do the right thing. The Union, combative management, and insane bureaucracy saddles them in an organization that tolerates mediocrity. saddles them carrying a subset of low-performers and systematic drains money out of core services and into the bureaucracy.

Teachers are in classrooms with 20-30+ students. The students are funded at nearly $10K a pupil yet the teachers lack basic supplies while districts like LAUSD spend hundreds of million on building a single school campus. Remember the furloughs last year and the expose captured of the DMVs in LA intentionally creating massive lines?

It’s a case of one bad apple, the question is is the one bad apple 1%, 10% or 20%? 80% percent, I assume, really want to work and do the right thing for the State. The other 20% are in it for themselves and unfortunately, between the union rules and general Government culture in place won’t let them be dealt with.