"I know no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education. This is the true corrective of abuses of constitutional power." - Thomas Jefferson 1820

"There is a growing technology of testing that permits us now to do in nanoseconds things that we shouldn't be doing at all." - Dr. Gerald Bracey author of Rotten Apples in Education

Search This Blog

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Is this a Lesson in Hypocrisy from the American Federation of Teachers?

The Washington Examiner reports the head of the American Federation of Teachers, Randi Weingarten, has an issue with a government panel dealing with budgetary concerns...but not with her own financial situation:

American Federation of Teachers president Rhonda “Randi” Weingarten has issued a statement slamming proposed cuts from the congressional deficit commission for not pushing shared sacrifice among the wealthy, but an AFT spokesman has told The Examiner that Weingarten will not be taking a paycut from the total $428,284 she received in salary and benefits during fiscal year 2010.


It's easy enough not to sacrifice any of your paycheck and benefits when it is funded by union members' dues whose salaries are paid by taxpayers. Are you weary of the call to "shared sacrifice" that isn't shared by any of the parties calling upon the sacrifice? Is this what we call leadership?

Here is an piece chronicling Obama's vision vs. the Christie Principle which provides a clear contrast of calling others to "shared sacrifice" but excusing yourself from financial hardship. Christie addresses this idea of 'sacrifice":

At all times, and especially during a difficult economy, it is unfair for those who run government, and those who receive paychecks from government, to exempt themselves from the difficult financial decisions that other private citizens are required to make.

The "sacrifice" is more like a shell game. As the Examiner article states:

The lesson from the teachers union is clear: Shared sacrifice for thee and not for me.
















No comments:

Post a Comment

Keep it clean and constructive. We reserve the right to delete comments that are profane, off topic, or spam.

Site Meter