Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin: Union buster or Politician buster, Referendum on politician’s pay & back to Democracy

As we watch how a small Wisconsin government may mirror the larger one with a large shut down over insignificant spending cuts, which really are increasing borrowing costs, reducing funding for late submission, & taking away education and services from the people, I find that democracy is really not working. As we all know that the people lead any democratic system; it would be much more beneficial to have the government employees put their salary and budget up to vote on a local level referendum, which is Switzerland’s canton system as normal. This way if district 1 of Wisconsin wants to limit the say $152,000 chief justice salary or the 137,000 governor salary, they can or even teacher’s salaries.

Instead of a Union buster or saving pennies, why do we not allow the people to value their teachers and politicians for their service to the state and country through a referendum on their salaries and that of all politicians? Naturally, this should not be a weekly ordeal, merely for budget time. Still, if popularity is an issue and service is questioned, a reduced salary would have more of an impact at forcing a resignation than most scandals. The reduced salary will force the corrupt politician to search for illegally obtained funds, as well as weed out those that already are largely PR representatives of certain companies or are the Koch brother’s limitless representation.

In understanding behavior change and the actions that lead to support and success for change, are those seen and emulated, so that start change on has to do it oneself first. Thus, if the governor wants to implement change via reducing the budget, the first place to cut and live spartanly, would be his own office. Perhaps, this should be implemented by all current employed government officials taking a 5% pay cut ($30,000 to $28,500 or a 150,000 to 142,500). This naturally will impact the poor teacher and highly paid politician similarly, despite the poorer teacher feeling more of a cut. If everyone is taking pay cuts, losing jobs, and things are not going well, eventually the people will favor that person performing a better service for less money with a raise or by reelecting him/her. Interestingly, the state can save 5 times the money by cutting the highest earner, while saving 1/5 the dollar value by cutting the lower earner. So, if we followed the most efficient means of saving money without sending someone into unemployment, we could reduce the high wage earners first. One of Germany’s great successes so lavishly praised in the economist is that they did not fire excess work. Rather they put them on part time, which maintains consumption and productive members of society, albeit at reduced personal earnings and pay expenses.

Naturally, the highest earner has more experience and is more qualified, yet currently the higher paid have done anything but a service for the country, albeit many teachers have produced exponentially more to the economy than most. Thus, while the more experienced will find themselves earning less & perhaps consider leaving, this will provide a change of guard, so that true reform can flourish.

While I see no real need for politicians to earn over the average salary, I do find that many educators would and should receive a wage that represents their return on time and energy. Given that educators turn out some of the most productive return on time creations, human capital, which directly provides employment, benefits society with inventions, & provides untold products to consumers, the real benefit of paying educators is invaluable. As we see educators often providing a service regardless of a limited benefit for them, their pay may actually rise. Contrarily, it should pan out that politicians will enjoy lower pay, more regulations on their “donations” from a democratic people, which tell the politicians where the buck stops.
When can we send a pink slip reading, thank you for your service of being a politician or sorry we only value you at 40,000 or even less. Regardless of being a lawyer, doctor, or any other profession, if you are not doing the public much good, go use your talent elsewhere. Benjamin Franklin and many founding fathers thought of public service as just that a service for the old retired philanthrope, not a paying job for a college drop out. Let us return to our start with politicians earning what they produce, not the hate, blame, stupidity or other negative side effects of having them in public view.

Reform to politician’s pay is an issue for 2012 and an issue with every voter, who sees their position becoming redundant; yet all those politicians claiming to need to cut expenses, while earning a fat pay check with benefits. The leader starts to cut spending, not by cutting his staff’s wage, rather by cutting his own. That being of course, if he wants to maintain confidence, good will, and a good work environment with his people. It will be interesting to see how this union busting protest in Wisconsin pans out, as they are defiantly showing how politicians mis-lead, by giving the other guy the boot and taking their cake without showing real behavior change of yes taking a pay cut, instead of fighting to give one to others, possibly more deserving of that pay raise than you mister Walker earning the 19th highest salary of Governors.