Four Days In

What Indeed
Of all the new governors, John Kasich, Republican of Ohio, appears to be planning the most comprehensive assault against unions. He is proposing to take away the right of 14,000 state-financed child care and home care workers to unionize. He also wants to ban strikes by teachers, much the way some states bar strikes by the police and firefighters. “If they want to strike, they should be fired,” Mr. Kasich said in a speech. “They’ve got good jobs, they’ve got high pay, they get good benefits, a great retirement. What are they striking for?” (NYT, 1/4/11)

We love teachers, but one of the shibboleths of the Left is that they are overworked and underpaid. Not true and Kasich dares to speak it. Good for him.

Christie Cuomo
Salary cuts for New York State employees will begin at the top, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced on Monday. Mr. Cuomo said he would give back 5 percent of his $179,000 salary, or $8,950, in order to “lead by example” as the state grapples with its huge budget deficit. (NYT, 1/3/11)

Back-to-back good days for Cuomo.

The Kitchen Sink
"The reckless Republican repeal of health care is a budget busting bailout for insurance companies that will kill jobs, raise Americans' taxes, and deny critical care to women and children. It is unconscionable that Republicans plan on ramming the bill through the House without exploring the disastrous impact repeal will have on Americans," said Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., the outgoing chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee. (Foxnews.com, 1/4/11)

So a symbolic vote (for now) to repeal Obamacare will blow the budget, destroy job-creation, raise taxes and put women and children at risk all the while helping the evil insurance companies. Why didn’t Miller add that it would weaken America’s image in the eyes of foreign countries, increase global warming and destroy the hard-fought rights of union workers? No need for a thoughtful discussion, might as well wrap together all the Left’s issues.