Fix That Budget

I have what I think is a brilliant idea on how to fix the Budget of the State of Ohio. It's a short read, and by the end of this you will either agree with me, or flame me in the comments, I guess.

We can apply this brilliant idea anywhere they are facing budgetary shortfalls, like in Wisconsin, so Governors Walker (WI), and Kasich (OH), so everybody, please listen up.

You rail against public workers being overpaid, of having too generous of pensions, of Healthcare costs being too much for the State to bear, and you are right. But the lowly police, firefighter, and teachers' salaries are not the ones that are too high--it's YOURS.

Cut back every politician's salary to the average earnings of someone living in their DISTRICT back home. But also, there needs to be a cap on politicians' salaries so no one can earn more than the average worker in the STATE earns per year.

I wonder how much of a dent *that* idea would put in the 8-billion-dollar-plus budgetary shortfall.

As to Healthcare costs, our representatives have fed at the public trough for too long. Voting themselves raises and plan increases while their constituents choose between food and healthcare. So, elected officials AND their families should be prohibited from having ANY healthcare plan as long as there are any State residents uncovered.

If the Senator's wife makes 5 million a year, and the company pays it all, their families should be prohibited from having healthcare insurance. It is all paid out-of-pocket, until they fix this mess THEY allowed to happen by their greed and shortsightedness. Furthermore, once everyone is covered by basic healthcare, then the representatives have earned being put on the crappiest plan offered. If they would like to buy their own insurance above and beyond that, they are more than welcome.

If we can pass an amendment to our State Constitution here in Ohio that says "No Gay Marriage" and we can pass an outright ban on Smoking in public places, then passing a bill that codifies my ideas about representatives' compensation should be childs-play!

I don't care if all the people in office resigned tomorrow, the workers' pay should be unaffected. What do these absolute ignorant politicians think, that by cutting wages and jobs (thereby DECREASING tax money collected) that they will magically fix the budget?

This is attempted Union-Busting, plain and simple. The thing is, Union members aren't paid much more than you, public workers aren't paid more than the private sector either! Look at Kasich claiming he has to offer beaucoup bucks to all his lobbyist and party pals to attract them to such lowly jobs! You can't have it both ways, GOP, either public workers are overpaid, or you have to pay extra to lure people away from the private sector.

You would have to implement financial controls, basically putting representatives' finances under a microscope and make them declare everything they get from meals to gifts to keep them from being bribed. BUT you would attract people who care about the people of the state they are representing.

If the politicians want a raise they will make sure their constituents have good-paying jobs they can raise a family on. If they want healthcare, they will find a way to cover every citizen in the State of Ohio. The Republicans whining and crying and spitting and pissing and moaning for decades, so WHY don't we do exactly what they have been asking us to do and TIE *THEIR* COMPENSATION to their ACTUAL PERFORMANCE.

Thank you, hope you have a great day, and think about passing this, and watch who resigns, they never were in it to help people except for themselves anyway.