Bill Bennett's budget fix for California: Do what Scott Walker did

[alp227]

What does former US education secretary Bill Bennett think is the best solution to California's latest budget problems? Do what Scott Walker did! "Pension reform is key to California's budget crisis", he writes:

California should look to Wisconsin. Gov. Scott Walker closed a large budget hole without raising taxes or cutting education but by going straight to one of the roots of the problem -- public employee unions. Last summer, Walker required union members to contribute 5.8% of their pay toward pensions and 12.6% of their health insurance premiums, while also reforming collective bargaining agreements for government workers.

At first glance, Walker's reforms appeared to be political suicide. But as the returns come in, and schools aren't closing, draconian cuts aren't being made and taxes aren't getting higher. Walker's success leaves his opponents with little ammunition.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, Walker's Democratic opponent in the June recall election, hardly mentions Walker's union reforms anymore. With Walker opening a lead in recent polls, top Wisconsin Democrats are angry that the Democratic National Committee is unwilling to invest heavily to recall him.

Wisconsin recently reported that property tax bills for the median homes fell by 0.4% in 2011, the first drop in more 13 years.

Bennett also points out that Democratic governors and legislators of Illinois, New Jersey, and Rhode Island have passed pension reforms, in contrast to such reform being stalled in the California legislature. However, did Walker not see that Wisconsin's legislative analysts found the budget to be balanced BEFORE Walker's anti-collective bargaining bill? Sounds like Bennett is taking part in the GOP union-busting strategy of pitting middle class worker against middle class voter.

[WI_DEM]

1. STFU Bill Bennett or better yet, go to the track.

[JHB]

2. He had so much success with the Drug War, he must know what he's talking about!

(BTW: note for teabaggers and their FOX herders: do you know what "director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy under President George H.W. Bush" is? The Drug Czar! If you were up in arms about Obama's "czars", it's a neon sign saying you haven't paid attention to public affairs for a quarter century!)

[EC]

3. But a massive amount of people lost their jobs

from the schools and other public services and classes have 40 or so students in them. That's good?