The Bishop and the Butterfly: Murder, Politics, and the End of the Jazz Age

    Of Envy and Upside

    By Flavius on Wed, 03/09/2011 - 12:09am |

    In the discussion of  "overpaid"  Public Service workers, some one compared them with young lawyers carrying a  heavy debt load acquired on the way to passing the bar. And wondered whether those lawyers might resent the PS workers.  Or vice versa (I  wondered).

    Let us assume that Joe Taxclerk might be fairly confident that some day he'll reach $60K/year. And young Sally Lawyer might hope to reach that - but can't be as sure as Joe.

    Won't Sally resent Joe's good fortune ?  Maybe even vote to cancel his collective bargaining rights?

    But, hold on, what's the upside; the most either Joe or Sally can dream about earning? For Joe, chances are it's still five figures. For Sally, more. And hey, a few wins, a few clients and it could be six.

    Is that a reason for Joe to envy/resent Sally?

    Or maybe they're both doing what they wanted to do and getting the compensation that goes with it.  No reason for envy. Or resentment. Or trying to interfere with collective bargaining.Maybe they should just go out on a date. And no one brings up what they earn.

    Comments

    Oh I hope they fall in love.  I'd like that.

    But seriously, anyone making less than $45K a year is struggling, these days.  And I don't care about what pensions a person has, I just want to ensure unions stay strong.  Because if they fail, we lose so much. 


    by LisB on Wed, 03/09/2011 - 12:36am

    Er, meaning....I don't have pension envy.  I want all of us middle and lower class to be able to get by without having to struggle, and that doesn't necessarily mean I want gov't handouts.  I'd rather see our government create jobs, create clean energy that doesn't cost as much, give us good public schools without raising taxes, etc etc.  Are those things hand-outs to the poor?  I don't think so.  I call it smart governing.  Smart governing, smart spending.  That's what I want. 

    Let's cut our Defense Budget and get out of this hole. 

     


    by LisB on Wed, 03/09/2011 - 1:16am

    I agree Lis cut the defense budget. Close the miltary bases we have scattered around the world. defending our allies, while our country goes broke.

    How much do these other countries contribute to our defense budget? Is it a money maker or a drain?  

    Leave our safety net alone or were coming after defense. We will have our safety net, or what is it we are defending?  


    by Resistance on Wed, 03/09/2011 - 1:50am

    I'm all for supporting our troops, number one.  I have military in my family and elsewhere and I support our boys and girls and men and women in the military.  But yeah, do we need all of those bases?  Do we need all of these defense contracts and good ole' Cheney's Halliburton ties (now under other names, of course) and all this spending?  No, I don't think so.  Not when our bridges are crumbling and our children need better schools.  We can be much smarter about how we treat our military.  If it was up to me, we wouldn't have wars at all, we'd have diplomatic talks and maybe some quiet covert operations and whatever else it takes to keep our young kids out of uniforms running around with guns in their hands.  We'd have more money to spend on what we need here in the States. 

    But I'm not the POTUS and I'm not in charge of anything other than my two cats, and even they let me know now and then that I'm not the queen of them either.  :)

    So I just hope for peace.

     


    by LisB on Wed, 03/09/2011 - 2:14am

    Joe needs to make a good wage, in order to afford Sally's services.

    Both parties have a mutual interest in STOPPING THE EXPORTING OF JOBS.


    by Resistance on Wed, 03/09/2011 - 1:58am

    Yes to all the above


    by Flavius on Wed, 03/09/2011 - 8:36am