Index of SPPS Budget Discussion http://www.e-democracy.org/stpaul/spps-posts.html _________________________________________ Charlie Swope St. Paul says: "Bob Treumann argues that the transit workers should not have the right to strike."
I didn't say that at all. I said that they are striking against their customers, not against the owners. I said this is different from a private sector strike, which it is. They have the right to withold services, but we don't have the obligation to agree with their demands. ===================================================== In reaction to my statement: "Employers have absolutely no control or responsiblity for the cost of health insurance." Mary Baker says: "This is not true. I work for 3M and my job was negotiating contracts for professional services (like 3M's health care " This illustrates another reason why health benefits should not depend on where you work. When I had health insurance for my eight employees several years ago, my rates went up 30% one year and 20% the next year. Nobody stopped by to ask me if I wanted to negotiate for lower rates. Whatever rate discounts are given to the huge corporation are made up by the little guy with no ability to negotiate. Health benefits that are tied to employment give an unfair advantage to big buyers, while increasing the costs for individuals and small business. This harms individuals who are unemployed, small businesses, independent workers, contractors and employees who do not work for big corporations or the public sector. It also stifles innovation and risk-taking and harms our economy in general. The reason we have high costs is not, as Tom Swift claims, because of law suits, but because the medical industry in the US is profit driven and we, as a society, do not place any restraints on them. Why is it OK to limit lawsuits with so-called 'tort reform' but is is not OK to limit profits? Both are price controls imposed by government. The right wingers are quick to provide price and profit protection to the big-corporate world, but providing any protection to the public is out of bounds. I recently read that anti-rejection drugs needed by a person with a kidney transplant will cost $2000 per MONTH and be needed for the rest of the persons life. That is pure extortion. There is no limit to greed. There is only resistance, and that is what we must provide. Supporting the union demand for more taxpayer support just gives the health industry more easy money. =================================================== Bob Treumann Saint Paul _____________________________________________ SPPS Budget Reduction Forum - Feb. 23-27 Co-Sponsored By NEAT: http://www.stpaulneat.org/ _____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/
