The Great Union-Busting Thread

[derspiess]

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin companies will get a small tax break for every new job they add under a bill signed Friday by Gov. Scott Walker.

The deductions will be worth between $92 and $316 per job depending on the size of the company and its tax bracket, according to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau. The Republican-authored plan will cost $67 million over the next two-year budget, contributing to the state's projected $3.2 billion shortfall.

Oh Christ!  It's a fucking jobs bill!  Of all the stories I've read on Wisconsin you'd think at least one would have bothered to mention that. 

To add, Walker campaigned heavily on the corporate tax cut and cutting public employee benefits.  Corporate taxes had been pretty high in Wisconsin-- higher than in Illinois even after they raised their corporate tax rates in January.  Not that it matters to Seedy, but if you're going to attract new businesses to your state, it makes sense to be competitive in terms of tax rates.

[CountDeMoney]

To add, Walker campaigned heavily on the corporate tax cut and cutting public employee benefits.  Corporate taxes had been pretty high in Wisconsin-- higher than in Illinois even after they raised their corporate tax rates in January.  Not that it matters to Seedy, but if you're going to attract new businesses to your state, it makes sense to be competitive in terms of tax rates.

The state's 5 percent sales tax rate hasn't increased since 1982. The 7.9 percent corporate income tax rate hasn't gone up since it was created in 1981.

LOL, it's been the same rate for 30 years.  Absolutely stifling.  Nice try, Teabagger.

[grumbler]

What oligarchs want is free reign for their businesses and low personal taxes.  That means no taxes and no regulation, more or less.  With unions destroyed, Democrats would lose their deep pockets, and Republicans aided by the free speech of the oligarchs' deep pockets would come out on top.

I think you are mistaken in supposing that Walker wants to destroy all unions.  The unions that contributed to republicans, like the state police union and the local police and firefighters' unions, are unaffected by Walker's plan.  If you are simpy making the point that Walker's policies are nakedly partisan, you are correct, but I think only the dimmest bulbs couldn't see that already.

[Admiral Yi]

To add, Walker campaigned heavily on the corporate tax cut and cutting public employee benefits.  Corporate taxes had been pretty high in Wisconsin-- higher than in Illinois even after they raised their corporate tax rates in January.  Not that it matters to Seedy, but if you're going to attract new businesses to your state, it makes sense to be competitive in terms of tax rates.

What Seedy said.  AFAICT there is no "corporate tax cut," not in the sense that most people would use the term, to denote a decrease in the marginal tax rate on corporate profits.  There's a one time credit for new employees hired, up to a whopping $332.

You've been bamboozled by the advocacy media son.

[DGuller]

I think you are mistaken in supposing that Walker wants to destroy all unions.  The unions that contributed to republicans, like the state police union and the local police and firefighters' unions, are unaffected by Walker's plan.  If you are simpy making the point that Walker's policies are nakedly partisan, you are correct, but I think only the dimmest bulbs couldn't see that already.

All unions, some unions, the effect is in the same direction.  The unions that are under attack will get destroyed, and so will the associated deep pockets.

The point wasn't about naked partisanship; I am in agreement that people who don't acknowledge it shouldn't even be taken seriously.  The point was about whether the destruction of unions should be viewed as a good or bad thing, on balance, even if it's obvious that Walker is highly disingenuous. 

I'm conflicted, because I hate unions, but I also hate crony capitalism.  If the former is replaced by the latter, we're much worse off for that. 

[Josephus]

I've read that the number of Americans who are unionized is incredibly low. i can't remember the number but wasn't it in the teens or something? Maybe 30 per cent, don't remember.  And of those uniionized workers, the majority belong to civil service unions; which means that busting those unions, in effect, will end the unions in America.

[derspiess]

What Seedy said.  AFAICT there is no "corporate tax cut," not in the sense that most people would use the term, to denote a decrease in the marginal tax rate on corporate profits.  There's a one time credit for new employees hired, up to a whopping $332.

You've been bamboozled by the advocacy media son.

So Seedy links one article & you assume that's conclusive?  Here's another.  Though it expires after a couple years & is targeted toward companies that relocate to Wisconsin, it's still a tax cut: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-31/wis-gov-inks-tax-cut-bill-for-businesses-into-law.html

[Barrister]

I've read that the number of Americans who are unionized is incredibly low. i can't remember the number but wasn't it in the teens or something? Maybe 30 per cent, don't remember.  And of those uniionized workers, the majority belong to civil service unions; which means that busting those unions, in effect, will end the unions in America.

[Josephus]

I've read that the number of Americans who are unionized is incredibly low. i can't remember the number but wasn't it in the teens or something? Maybe 30 per cent, don't remember.  And of those uniionized workers, the majority belong to civil service unions; which means that busting those unions, in effect, will end the unions in America.

But not in Canada. 

[DGuller]

Meh, I don't see New York or New Jersey unions going anywhere.  Even Chris Christie said that he loved collective bargaining.  It's a shame, because those two states truly do need a couple of divisions of Pinkertons to save themselves from financial abyss.

[Neil]

But not in Canada. 

Trends in the South often follow up here.

[grumbler]

So Seedy links one article & you assume that's conclusive?  Here's another.  Though it expires after a couple years & is targeted toward companies that relocate to Wisconsin, it's still a tax cut: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-31/wis-gov-inks-tax-cut-bill-for-businesses-into-law.html

None of the tax cuts take effect during the current budget, so don't impact the current deficit.

I am a bit surprised, though, that Walker didn't claim he would finance the tax cuts by means of a magical reduction in "fraud and waste."

[Gups]

What Seedy said.  AFAICT there is no "corporate tax cut," not in the sense that most people would use the term, to denote a decrease in the marginal tax rate on corporate profits.  There's a one time credit for new employees hired, up to a whopping $332.

You've been bamboozled by the advocacy media son.

So Seedy links one article & you assume that's conclusive?  Here's another.  Though it expires after a couple years & is targeted toward companies that relocate to Wisconsin, it's still a tax cut: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-31/wis-gov-inks-tax-cut-bill-for-businesses-into-law.html

Isn't it a tax break rather than a tax cut? With a price tag of $1m it doesn't sound very impressive

[derspiess]

I've read that the number of Americans who are unionized is incredibly low. i can't remember the number but wasn't it in the teens or something? Maybe 30 per cent, don't remember.  And of those uniionized workers, the majority belong to civil service unions; which means that busting those unions, in effect, will end the unions in America.

Thank God it's not 30%.  It's 7.2% for private sector employees and 12.4% for public employees according to wikipedia.

[derspiess]

I am a bit surprised, though, that Walker didn't claim he would finance the tax cuts by means of a magical reduction in "fraud and waste."

That only works at the federal level, apparently.