A Wisconsin Balanced Budget - What's Really Necessary?

As we all know, about 3 weeks ago, Governor Walker signed the so called "Collective Bargaining" bill which got separated from the actual Budget Repair Bill. This, was in part due to the fact that Unions supposedly had too much power, and that in this day and age, they're just costing the public way too much money.

Which we're all entitled our opinion. Of course some people want to talk about how public school teachers make too much money, and how they shouldn't get so much because it's taken out of taxes, and it's not fair because public workers make so much more than private workers. When I asked about the teachers, I was told she doesn't care how much the private teachers are paid because she doesn't pay them. Fair enough, but then don't go complaining about how public teachers make so much more, when you don't know how much private teachers make. Yet when asked for proof, she complains about why she has to do all the work... she's doing the complaining. Then don't talk about how private teachers are so under paid.

In this particular blog, it states how the Wisconsin "Union Law" will likely be on hold for 2 months. This particular bill is being held hostage in the courts, by a judge who is questioning the legalities of how this got passed, and so the Republicans either must wait through the court process; or vote again, this time following what ever standard operating procedure they're supposed to do.

Now mind you, this is talking about the "non-fiscal" end of the Budget bill, to help balance the budget. Yet the bill that got passed has nothing to do with the actual budget, it's about busting some unions but not others. At least the police and fire fighters get to keep their collective bargaining rights. It's just the teachers who are restricted in this portion of budget repair.

Thing is, I don't understand why people are so up in arms about the teachers, but no other group, when it comes to the collective bargaining. If they are asking for too big of sticker price, the answer is no, with a counter offer. Keep bargaining, and the median level will be reached, if one end or the other won't do.

Back to the balanced budget... I've kept wondering HOW, the busting of Unions in the public sector will help balance the budget. You see, I'm pretty good at getting along and/or communicating with people of different cultures, linguistic/ethnic backgrounds, and more... I'm NOT always keen on the specifics of economics, since I understand the basics of micro and macro economics. So I kept asking, and never quite got that question answered...

But then, here is an interesting article about the Wisconsin Budget would balance without union bill. This was my opinion all along, that the union busting measure was only to point the finger at "the bad guy" while not really contributing to the balancing of the Wisconsin state budget. There are other ways that are more efficient to balance this budget, and it can come, when we find an efficient way to cut/spend the state tax money.

I'd also like to see some of the top executives paid for by the tax payers to willingly take a pay cut.

Please feel free to come in and comment, my blog is open wide to the public. While you're here, give honest opinion, and if you tout your opinion as fact, proof, or it's only an opinion.

Your recipe for the blog:

Sarma - an Eastern European cabbage roll delight.

Take a head of cabbage, and place in large pot of water, with 1 cup vinegar (I prefer the apple cider, since it's flavor is more pleasant) and simmer until you have a head of sour kraut. You may drain the juice of a can if you wish, also. Cool to temp you can work with. Take some of the outer leaves and cover bottom of a baking pan.

While you're waiting for the cabbage to sour and cool, get out about 1.5 - 2# ground pork. Add in about 6-8oz rice. Add about 2Tbs onion powder, 1 Tbs garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste, 1/2-1 tsp celery seed, 1 tsp paprika, 1 Tbs parsley, a dash of Worchestershire Sauce and optionally use 1/2 tsp basil. Mix well with your hands.

Wrap some of the meat mix into the cabbage rolls, you don't want them too big or too small. Place over the layer of cabbage in baking pan. Use the small pieces of cabbage to wedge in between the rolls. If you opened the sour kraut, feel free to spread this over the top. You may substitute grape leaves for your cabbage, if you wish.

Bake covered at 350F until fully cooked.

Ibanitza - a side to go with your sarma.

Take a package of fillo dough, and place into the bottom of a well greased round cake pan. Saute a large minced onion, along with some ground pork. Layer into the fillo dough. Layer back and forth until full. Drizzle top with olive oil. Bake @350F until golden brown at the top.

You may use bread dough instead of fillo dough. It's good.

Traditional Ibanitza -

In a bowl, mix up about 6 eggs, 12 oz sour cream, 16 oz cottage cheese, and about 16 oz softened cream cheese. Blend well.

Grease well a 9x11x13 cake pan, layer some fillo dough, about 2 or 3 sheets at a time.

Pour a bit of the cheese mix, layer with another 3 sheets, and every other layer of fillo dough, use oil and butter alternately, ending the top with the fillo dough and oil. Make sure that the corners are well pressed and such, so they don't get too dry and bubble over.

Bake until golden brown.

One or the other of the ibanitza goes well together with the sarma.