Fear and Loathing In Minnesota
Okay, day 5 of the partial Minnesota government shutdown. No one dead, no one injured by the shutdown. Heck, I'm not sure any one has been even slightly inconvenienced (other than the 9,000 NON-ESSENTIAL state workers). That is, unless you give any credence whatsoever to the Star Tribune. In that case, it's Armageddon....
First, there's the classic fear mongering...
"In the past few days, the Health Department has responded to reports of outbreaks of salmonella, Legionnaires' disease and West Nile virus with a staff reduced from more than 1,300 to 196, union officials said."
If only we could have gotten a budget agreement done on time, there wouldn't have been any mosquito bites or potato salad left in sun. Legionnaire's disease? Last time that was an issue, Jimmy Carter was president. Please governor Pawlenty do something quick, ebola is knocking at the door.
Then there is the deep concern of the public servants....
"I don't rely on an emergency to do my job. Everything I do is essential," argued Bart Andersen, a road and bridge maintenance worker. About 600 inspectors have been deemed unessential as of Friday, the first day of the partial shutdown. Andersen said the lack of inspections could result in road hazards and threats to public safety.
"One pothole can destroy the driving public's day," he told special master Ed Stringer, a retired Supreme Court justice appointed by the courts to make recommendations on determining essential services.
One pothole? You've got to be kidding! What about the hundred unrepaired potholes I hit on the way to work every day prior to the shutdown? I guess those weren't a risk to destroy my driving day, only a risk to destroy my vehicle's alignment.
And finally, the compulsory sympathy plea...
Merrideth Herried, 44, of Woodbury, who ran the help desk for child care services at the Department of Human Services, set up a table with cookies, sweet rolls and chocolate chip bars. "Laid Off. Help Me Feed My Kids," read a cardboard sign near a jar of dollar bills.
Like thousands of other employees, she is taking paid vacation. But she'll need a resolution soon to the budget impasse if the vacation pay is to show up on her July 22 paycheck. And she only has one week of vacation coming....She's not the only state employee short on vacation time. About 4,000 of the more than 9,000 employees who were put out of work had fewer than 80 hours of vacation that they could use during the first two weeks of a shutdown.
It's been five days, she has a week of paid vacation, yet suddenly her kids are starving? Sorry, but get in line behind Latrell Spreewell. Some how is it possible that many of those state employees with less than 80 vacation hours might have been paid for that time off earlier in the year? Poor things -- arleady forced to have a paid week off. I've had two days.
And the media hypnotist drones... "You will pay high taxes for non-essential services. You will feel good about it. You will pay high taxes...The "shutdow" is a distaster. You will believe..." In this case however, it is the Star Tribune that is in a trance. And, if they ever do wake up, may they look in a mirror to see just how non-essential THEIR service is.
UPDATED to include the link to Strib article
First, there's the classic fear mongering...
"In the past few days, the Health Department has responded to reports of outbreaks of salmonella, Legionnaires' disease and West Nile virus with a staff reduced from more than 1,300 to 196, union officials said."
If only we could have gotten a budget agreement done on time, there wouldn't have been any mosquito bites or potato salad left in sun. Legionnaire's disease? Last time that was an issue, Jimmy Carter was president. Please governor Pawlenty do something quick, ebola is knocking at the door.
Then there is the deep concern of the public servants....
"I don't rely on an emergency to do my job. Everything I do is essential," argued Bart Andersen, a road and bridge maintenance worker. About 600 inspectors have been deemed unessential as of Friday, the first day of the partial shutdown. Andersen said the lack of inspections could result in road hazards and threats to public safety.
"One pothole can destroy the driving public's day," he told special master Ed Stringer, a retired Supreme Court justice appointed by the courts to make recommendations on determining essential services.
One pothole? You've got to be kidding! What about the hundred unrepaired potholes I hit on the way to work every day prior to the shutdown? I guess those weren't a risk to destroy my driving day, only a risk to destroy my vehicle's alignment.
And finally, the compulsory sympathy plea...
Merrideth Herried, 44, of Woodbury, who ran the help desk for child care services at the Department of Human Services, set up a table with cookies, sweet rolls and chocolate chip bars. "Laid Off. Help Me Feed My Kids," read a cardboard sign near a jar of dollar bills.
Like thousands of other employees, she is taking paid vacation. But she'll need a resolution soon to the budget impasse if the vacation pay is to show up on her July 22 paycheck. And she only has one week of vacation coming....She's not the only state employee short on vacation time. About 4,000 of the more than 9,000 employees who were put out of work had fewer than 80 hours of vacation that they could use during the first two weeks of a shutdown.
It's been five days, she has a week of paid vacation, yet suddenly her kids are starving? Sorry, but get in line behind Latrell Spreewell. Some how is it possible that many of those state employees with less than 80 vacation hours might have been paid for that time off earlier in the year? Poor things -- arleady forced to have a paid week off. I've had two days.
And the media hypnotist drones... "You will pay high taxes for non-essential services. You will feel good about it. You will pay high taxes...The "shutdow" is a distaster. You will believe..." In this case however, it is the Star Tribune that is in a trance. And, if they ever do wake up, may they look in a mirror to see just how non-essential THEIR service is.
UPDATED to include the link to Strib article
posted by Nordeaster | 4:02 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home