I like pointing out when there is something both a Republican and Democrat can agree with and so I suggest you head over and read Buffalo Pundit’s thoughts on a recent threat by NY Gov. Patterson to layoff 8,900 public employees whose union was unwilling to negotiate concessions during our very dire state economic situation.
Simple choice, keep your job with a few concessions or lose it. You would think a union whose duty is to bargain for employees would understand a job with concessions is better than no job at all, especially during a national downturn. Nope, the union leaders are out saying they are going to defy the governor and give nothing.
The thing about our Governor? He is both crazy and politically immune enough to actually do it. Patterson is one of the most disliked governors in our history and has almost no political capital to lose. That means if he wants he can make decisions no one else can. He can actually get things done! Imagine that. No need to worry about reelection as that probably won’t happen. No need to worry about dropping polls, they aren’t going up. He has a job, he can do it.
While I don’t share Pundit’s sentiments generally about unions he was willing to point out what should be obvious and understandable to all and I respect that. While I don’t think Patterson is a magnificent Governor by any stretch, if he is willing to follow through and do these layoffs I respect him a heck of a lot more than most elected Republicans who have caved time and again to government growth and shirking their responsibilities to sound and good governance in favor of political gain.
