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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: DMaA who wrote (365553)	5/22/2010 9:33:43 AM
From: gamesmistress	3 Recommendations Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 793955

This is what the public employees unions really have to fear. Central Falls, RI - the town with the school that fired its high school teachers - has filed for receivership. The Bankruptcy Option Filed under: Economics, Government — DRJ @ 6:03 pm [Guest post by DRJ] In my view, there are two ways for local, state and federal governments to resolve their fiscal problems and deal with their underfunded pensions and entitlements. One way is to limit benefits and get serious about budgeting. The other is to file for federal bankruptcy relief or state receivership. The City of Central Falls, Rhode Island, has chosen the receivership option: “As I posted two days ago, the City of Central Falls (whose slogan is “A City With a Bright Future”) filed for receivership, the state equivalent of bankruptcy. Rhode Island law does not allow a municipality to file for federal bankruptcy protection, but provides the state receivership alternative. A temporary receiver was appointed by Rhode Island Superior Court Justice Michael Silverstein, an experienced business lawyer and well-regarded judge. The Petition (embedded below) for appointment of a receiver details the financial problems, and highlights two items, pensions and union contracts. First, Central Falls’ “actuarial accrued liability” for pensions exceeds $35 million, but there are only $4 million in assets. The annual contribution required by the actuaries for 2009 was $2.7 million, of which the City actually contributed $0. No funds are available for 2010 contributions. Second, of the $18 million budget, $6.5 million is for employees with collective bargaining agreements. According to The Providence Journal, “City Solicitor John T. Gannon said the city is in the middle of all its municipal employee union contracts. Mayor Charles D. Moreau has been trying to negotiate concessions, he said, but without success.” The implications of the Central Falls receivership are enormous. Under receivership, the receiver has the power to modify all contracts, including union contracts.” Central Falls may become a legal battleground because unions, in particular, fear the domino effect if governments choose to abrogate their contracts via bankruptcy or receivership. If that happens, maybe these courts will have stiffer legal spines than those in the GM and Chrysler cases. patterico.com

To: DMaA who wrote (365553)	5/23/2010 7:37:22 AM
From: Tom Clarke	Respond to of 793955

Media Rides to Dick's Rescue Chris Healy In the days since Richard Blumenthal was caught red-handed misspeaking about his Medal-of-Honor actions with the motor-pool in New Haven, some members of the media have taken the predictable step of applying First Aid to their wounded comrade. Reporters in Connecticut over the years have had the classic love-hate relationship with Dick Blumenthal. On the one hand, he and his office has properly feed them interesting stories about the evils of capitalism, provided them with statistics and well crafted prose on the impending lawsuits filed to protect the frail and helpless, and all spell checked for an early deadline. Blumenthal produces product - clean, easy and unassailable without a need to find a contrary view. The reason: most of Blumenthal's targets are either counseled not to so a settlement can be reached, or they are truly helpless and without resources to withstand the full power of the state to subpoena records and undergo rigorous depositions. On the other is the maudlin Blumenthal, whose staff berates reporters over the silliest omissions or castigates them when the proper emphasis is not placed on Blumenthal's true mission - to slay the evil corporate beast. Blumenthal himself is not beyond calling reporters himself when they stray from his line or, in one noted case, added a middle initial to his full name. When Blumer is not around, reporters talk contemptuously about him, mock his slicked down hair and his aversion to eye contact and small talk. But like most abused people over the 20 years, they keep coming back to him for more. And so, when Ray Hernandez of the New York Times wrote a completely air-tight story, one that would have ended a Republican candidate's career before the paper hit the recycling bin, the liberal media jumped to and smirked at the effort. "Well," some huffed. "you can't hold Dick Blumenthal to that kind of standard," or "it was a dumb thing to say, but he corrected himself later," or "no one thought Vietnam was worth fighting in, anyway." Lost in this protective order of Dick Blumenthal is the deferment issues and the claim by the Attorney General that he was on "active duty" status, which theoretically could have put him on a flight to Saigon One deferment in particular would have required someone up the food chain to make a phone call. And the active duty claim is also nonsense, according to any military source. The Marine Reserves were as active as the Ready Reserves, meaning you would call the NYPD before them in case of a national emergency., The dissemblers in the media often forget they mocked Dick Cheney for his deferments and for George W. Bush's service in the Air National Guard, even though in the latter case, 43 learned to fly a A-3. National media have been less kind to Blumenthal about his misstatements and his terrible explanation. The Times, Washington Post and even Chris Matthews have scorched Blumenthal, which must kill him, because that is the crowd he pines for rather than the smaller Connecticut papers and stations. The Connecticut media was a means towards Washington and now that venerated group has shown their contempt as well. It is sad that such a horrible fraud by Dick Blumenthal is compounded by a lack of courage by the very people who know him the best. makebluered.blogspot.com