I really sympathize with those who are basically on the public dole and understand the horrible stress they must incure.

Only government jobs count. Government jobs are union jobs. Union jobs pay union dues. Union dues fund political campaigns. Only government jobs count.

“Four legs good. Two legs better.”

I’ll bet there’s a benefit somewhere for you or your family from a continuation of the EXCESSIVE pay, pensions, and benefits, Civil Servants NOW get away with.

Hopefully, we’ll succeed in changing that real soon. If I were you, I wouldn’t count on it being there for the long haul.

And John, I’m sorry you’ve sunk to name-calling. Thought you had more sense than that. Apparently, however you live in a place where you have no need for public services. Must be nice.

Yes they are … if not by pay alone, then DEFINITELY via their oversized pensions and benefits. You see, at EVERY(yes EVERY) pay level, the taxpayer paid-for share of Civil Servants’ pensions and retiree healthcare is 2-4 times (6 times for safety workers) greater than that of the employer paid-for share of the pensions & retiree healthcare benefits of comparably paid Private sector workers with the SAME years of service and the SAME age at retirement.

And you thisk this is fair … when taxpayers pay for 80-90% of it ?

Sorry, but it’s NOT …. and were gonna change it…. pronto.

In a place called “Fantasyland”.

Steve from sactown, you are just parroting the same thing you always have-and refuse to see relaity. Most likely b/c you’re a public employee

I now believe the likelihood of this happening (soon enough and with sufficient formula reductions) is so low that a much better direction, and perhaps the ONLY way to avoid the financial disaster bearing down on communities throughout the nation is to OUTSOURCE 90+%of all Civil Servant positions.

The CRITICAL CRITICAL CRITICAL need is to STOP the further growth of the pension liability from the excessive pension formulas granted EXISTING employees, and the ONLY way to do this quickly and VERY effectively is OUTSOURCING.

And guess what … it’s ALREADY been tested … and the sky didn’t fall in … and the residents of Maywood, CA seem very pleased with the results of outsourcing 100% of their employees. Read all about it here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/20/business/20maywood.html?pagewanted=2

This judge is showing an extreme lack of common sense:

WHAT make Civil Servants so “special” ??????

I imagine that your ideological brethren were saying the same thing back in 1935 when, in the midst of the Great Depression, Social Security was created. Somehow we made it to 1940 and beyond. Same will happen this time.

And Steve, we probably do agree on some foreign policy issues. And I am more than willing to cut unnecessary programs–like farm subsidies to agri-business, tax breaks for oil companies, etc. But I do not agree in the right-wing philosophy of cutting programs from the bottom up…in other words starting with those who are the weakest and poorest and need government the most.