Isn't it funny how teachers go on strike in Chicago and both political Parties

[No Elephants]

criticize the teachers, but football referees go on strike and everyone critizes the team owners?

Don't get me wrong: Solidarity with all union members.

But you care so much that a football call is correct and not that class size is correct for American kids?

[madfloridian]

1. Unions good for NFL players, not for teachers.

That is the message being sent. I agree.

[Divine Discontent]

3. because the rich are always right and better than the folks making under 200k a year

that's what their message says to me.

not sure what's going to happen even if Obama wins, because if the nutbag party still controls the House, then what?

[No Elephants]

4. DD, you know that I 'm a cynic who gives cynical answers to questions like

"not sure what's going to happen even if Obama wins, because if the nutbag party still controls the House, then what?"


My cynical answer would be "About the same that happened from January 2009 to 2011, only much easier for Democcrats to explain to their base."

For example, if there had been fewer Democrats in the House during that time, just think how easily Democrats could have blamed Republicans for lack of a public option in Obamacare. Heck, Democrats blamed the Obama tax cuts on Republicans, even though Democrats had nice majorities in both Houses from January 2006 through January 2011 and the Obama tax cuts deal was done in 2010.

And, yes, I do know about the sixty vote senate rule. I also know that whichever party holds the senate can change it with only 50 or 51 Senators at the start of any session. Maybe that is why the Senate claims to be session continually. Sigh.

We really do have a very convenient system for whichever Party controls to shift blame for gridlock and legislative failures to the opposite Party.

Neither Party seems inclined to change that, perhaps because conventional wisdom is that no one loses re-election because of bills that don't pass, but people do lose elections because of bills that do pass. So, the Parties trade off blaming the other for blocking legislation.

My not cyncial answer would be: I'll get those wascally Weepublicans!

[Enthusiast]

2. They were against the NFL union too.

But public sentiment is more aligned with good officiating so they softened their position.

[No Elephants]

5. I thought Obama came out in favor of having regular refs officiate, as opposed to the scabs?

Er, replacement referees.

I'm guessing he did not do that when Chicago teachers struck his former chief of staff, the one he may have helped put in the Mayor's mansion by striking a deal with Daley? Just a guess, though.