Dan, how many members of the groups you mention are actually town residents and can actually vote for BOS members?

malcolm: and many understand that their wages, pensions, health benefits , vacations, overtime pay, work breaks, 8 hour day, and working conditions , safety regulations are because of the unions not the bosses.

Tyler, I didn't realize that unions paid for wages, pensions, health benefits, vacations, overtime pay, work breaks, 8 hour day and etc.....

Who pays for that again? I think thanks are in order for the business owners!

Patricia: Here it is- employees do the work; bosses get the revenue from the work employees do; the revenue is used to pay the employees. Unions are there to make sure the workers get a fair wage and benefits for the work they do, and that bosses pay them a fair wage and benefits for the work they do. No workers, no revenue.

Or is it no revenue, no workers? Elements of the union mentality: reliance on confrontation and intimidation, resistance to innovation and suppression of initiative; collectivism, entitlement, self-centered intransience, pettiness. And God forbid an employee should actually adopt the business’s goals and objectives; no, the relationship must be adversarial. The union support of the D's and their pro-illegal platform that drives down the "fair" and laughably-named "prevailing" wages gives a me "a thrill up my leg".

Mike, still waiting for Mikes History Trivia piece. You seem to think you are much smarter than most Americans. Guess you are the only one with history 101 or polisci 101 knowledge

Iron Mike, just a non-partisan clarification here: a quick check of Govtrack shows Markey has sponsored 489 bills in his Congressional career, with 30 passing the House. Some of those were resolutions. That's a fairly average output, nothing too remarkable.

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/browse?sponsor=400253#current_status=4

This is true, even on a local level parents get inundated with e-mails from groups like WAE to vote for "their" candidates if they value education. Voters rarely take the time to do their own research - they are either so entrenched they vote party lines only, or are so busy they vote how their friends tell them to.

All the unions have done for me lately is taken my Twinkies away.

The union does not own my vote. What is with the mentality that everyone who is not pro union is anti family, anti middle class? What we need is more politicians and more voters whose opinions are not bought and paid for.

Aah Rev, you too are blinded by the numbers....

There are no more union jobs in industry. Those jobs were chased south,...then overseas....

There are only two (2) classes of union jobs left, - construction, and 'Public Sector'.

The constructions unions stay tuned to Obama, Patrick, and Senator Squaw when they talk in code ...'crumbling roads and bridges', ...meaning taxpayer funded paybacks for union votes.

The 'Public Sector' union members listen closely when Demagogues like Obama talk about... 'investments in our kids' education' [raises for union teachers],...and making sure...our First Responders are trained and ready [pay raises for fire and police].

It's all code for job security and pay raises for union people to vote Democrat [Socialist].

But soon there will be a tipping point – since these SAME Democrats are ALSO filling our state with ILLEGALS [47,000 'missing' EBT cards], and welfare layabouts.

At some point there won't be enough private wage-earners left to be taxed to cover the hordes of union piggies trying to eat at the public trough.

Mike the police unions wern't on the destroy America tour like the others.

We are all compensated for the value of our work, albeit imperfectly. The alternative is to carry the dead weight with the result that no one works since there is no incentive. Yet again the demographics are unavailable except through the commentary supporting the EBT crowd.The young, the disabled and the elderly must be supported. The rest of you get to work - whatever it may be.

I totally fault the Teachers Rev,...

They keep telling kids – from a very early age – that they must share everything,...and 'that in a country this rich....”.

Worse, they fail to teach History, Geography, Government, Civics, or Economics. They DO teach 'accepting diversity'...

Mind you – they work a short day in heated / air-conditioned comfort, with every conceivable holiday and snow day off, - have ALL SUMMER OFF, and retire earlier than us working folks....

Then some have the gall to file for 'disability'.

If ANY group has betrayed the ideals of our Founders, and set into motion the eventual decay and destruction of our Republic, - it is unionized socialist teachers.

@Iron mike, Yeh yeh yeh iron mike, it's the overpaid teachers that are ruining this country. Really?. Do you know any teachers. The teachers I know are at work before 7 am, they don't leave until 3 pm or later, thats 8 hours days according to my math. Plus they are responsible the care and safety of kids. Not a job I want, and if you actually had to hear what the school superintendents try to pull over on the teachers you would see why they have unions. This is another brilliant move by the republicans to get the middle class to fight against the middle class while the rich elite laugh all the way to the bank

For the teacher bashes and police bashes, if they are such great and easy jobs, instead of complaining about how much better they have it than you , why Don't you become a teacher or cop. I will never get that, boohoo, my life sucks and teachers and cops are getting something I don't and have it better than me...

Been in aUnion since I was 17 yrs old allways paid in to Social Securety and Taxes. Im a Union Thug ..Boilermakers 651 for thats 49 years and still a member.The Unions are doing just fine here in Boston and other parts of the country. If your a union member doesn't mean you supported Obama. Mostly public service Unions did.

NOT !! , There is a big difference between Public Service Unions and in house and contractors. Doesnt even make us Democrats. The Democrats closed all the ship yards Kennedy's and Brooks. We are not all the same. Public Unions and MBTA are Hostile Unions,Steel workers ship fitters plumbers carpenters I ron workers are no.

David is right. As much as I do not like unions the private sector unions like the one he belongs to know that there are limits as to what the employees can pay and do not make ridiculous demands. Public unions like the MBTA, Police, Fire demand more and more and more and the spineless politicians always cave in to them and then we have a state like Mass that is in the condition it is in.
I know a couple union people and they actually wish they were not forced to be in unions. They also think for themselves when it comes time to vote.

Thats a cop not a hardworking tradesmen.

This is actually pretty comical. One chance encounter with a single police officer has now led you to lump them all together as politically ignorant socialists?

This site is better than most stand-up routines.

As politely as possible....

Try to understand there exists NO clear-cut dividing line between socialism and communism. BOTH are statist systems, - BOTH allegedly exist to better the lives of the people....

BUT,...BOTH require deadly force to implement,...although it can be argued that Obama is attempting to do it with guile and trickery.

Socialism as witnessed in Nazi Germany was the STATE control of private industry, banking, commerce, transportation, etc. Selected elites were allowed to be in the NAZI Party.... Selected 'enemies and undesirables' were rounded up and shot, or gassed.

Communism as witnessed in Russia and China is the PEOPLES' ownership of everything, - farms, fishing, manufacturing, transportation, banks, schools, etc , - BUT...ALL of it CONTROLLED by the PARTY. Selected elites were allowed to join the Party. Selected 'enemies and undesirables' were shot, gassed, starved, or sent to the gulags and re-education camps.

BOTH SYSTEMS required massive secret police and prison systems/ extermination camps. BOTH required the government to propagandize their own people – and stir up fear of minorities and/or a foreign force.

In BOTH systems, the STATE is supreme, the people are subjects of the state.

And most importantly BOTH have failed (USSR) or are failing (France, Greece) wherever they have been implemented.
China has realized this and is very slowly coming around to capitalism.
Margaret Thatcher said it best "The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money [to spend]."

Iron Mike, you'd better brush up on those history lessons. National Socialism (or Nazism) is NOT socialism. To misinform is worse than not informing at all.

Local: how'd you like that "Mike explanation". That simpleton answer is nowhere close. You know when "Nazi Germany " has to be interjected into the " explanation" that you are in Right Wing La La Land

Maybe you'd care to explain how you see 'today's American society' as being different than the nation our founders brought forth...?

Careful Mark.

If you start telling the union rank & file the truth about their underfunded pension and retirement health funds, - their leaders will slash your tires, bash in your skull, and ...[wait for it]...claim 'big business Republican fat cats' did it.

Why do you think municipal leaders and union leaders were so VERY keen on ObamaCare? Answer – it would cover up those illegally underfunded retirement health plans.

Why do you suppose Obama and Senator Squaw are so keen to get government hands on 401K plans? Yep – they'll cover the underfunded municipal retirement funds [and of course those 12 million ILLEGALS].

EVERY union member and EVERY municipal employee should take a hard look at Detroit, – once the 3rd biggest and 3rd richest US city, – it's about to go into receivership! HINT: It hasn't voted for a Republican since 1931.

"France has been voted the best counrty (sic) to live for the past 8 years"

Citation, s'il vous plait.

France may be a great place to live, I have been and hate it, but they are in a financial free fall. http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2013/01/09/france-economy-crisis/
Most of the problems stem from the socialistic society that has been created there.
Sure it all sounds good when you read about it in a book, but when everybody that has the money leaves the country when they are taxed too high, the country will collapse.
To see the US future, if we continue on the current agenda pushed by Obama, Reid and Pelosi, just look to the other side of the Atlantic.

Unless they intend to be rude, - most people spell God with a capital G.

Your god's not the boss of everyone.

Also, your contempt for teachers is unintentional high comedy.

John Gault: International Magazine that has been doing country surveys for 30 years and publishes a Quality of Life Index. France was on top for the 5th year in a row.

Do you mean International Living magazine?

In their 2011 rankings, USA ranks #1 and France ranks #4.

Try again.

Mark: There are criminal acts of extortion, embezzlement in some unions . Most are ancient history, just like there are criminal acts in banking , corporations, private sector . Thing with corporations is that CEO's can arrange salaries of 20 million plus perks, golden parachutes, stock options and it is perfectly legal. ever hear of the sub prime mortgage debacle, Bernie Madoff, WR Grace ? Of course you have. Stop me when you've had enough. All greed.
The discussion here is about Union voting, not Union corruption. Unions have bettered the standard of living of their members and their families, primarily how the middle class was formed.

So is the MBTA missing a good chunk of change as well. They are all robbing.Unions.banks,Polititions and the list goes on.

Just wondering: What exactly are the Patch's "Terms of Use"?

Can be found here. http://wilmington.patch.com/terms
I have read all the posts as they came in email notifications and did not see any that warranted being deleted. No profanity was used in any of them. Nobody threatened anybody. Just some good old fashioned American political disagreements.
Everything has been G rated.
I have read much worse comments on the Sun, Globe and Herald sites and they are allowed to be kept up.

Rob C., you missed this part....

"Patch expects all of its users to be respectful of others. This means that whether you are being complimentary or critical, whether you are agreeing or disagreeing with the subject of an article or another user’s comment, you should act in a civil manner and refrain from personal attacks – after all, these are your neighbors. "

Users in Westford and Chelmsford have asked me frequently offline to take a very strict interpretation of this. Anyone I see putting up a comment that has nothing but an insult of another user on any story that is posted in Westford or Chelmsford will be deleted.

I think the cause Rev, - is a case of GIGO...

In the early days of Computer Science, GIGO meant 'Garbage In = Garbage Out'; - another way of saying that computers weren't going to make geniuses out of fools, or honest men out of liars. It's just that their erroneous and/or fraudulent output would be lined up neatly on tractor paper....

In the case of the offspring of Massachusetts union families and campus liberals, - - it's very much the same phenomenon; - they were bottle-fed pro-union liberalism, long after other babies were chewing solid food....

Plimperton: Democrats don't travel. That's a new one. Relevance, Raleigh ? Familiar with your mother's basement; write your sermons there? Bus trips count? Suggest the Republicans go cold turkey on the Drudge Report for a week. I'll supply the prozac.
This is a simple matter of failure to comprehend , not communicate, communication by way of psycho talk notwithstanding

Nonsense. The decay of our country is the rich Wall Street thieve stat manufacture power outages like Enron to rip of the public, wall street manufacturing the banking crisis enabled by the repeal of anti trust laws on big banks and gambling with shareholder money. But sure, it's the big bad overpaid teachers that caused the recession... Gimme a break

According to Andrew this would be allowed because it is not a direct attack on a user. It is blanket statement about teachers in general.
He does have a point but not all teachers fall into this category. Back in the late 80s when I went to CHS I had a social studies teacher that was always pressing a very liberal agenda, always badmouthing Reagan and Bush and praising Dukakis and Carter. I find that behavior in a teacher to be unacceptable. A teacher should remain neutral and teach and allow the children to make up their own mind as to where the want to end up politically. All of a teachers personal political beliefs should be left in the car, not brought into a classroom. That goes for both right and left leaning teachers. I have heard that this is still going on with many teachers in many different school systems, so his comment does have some merit but should not include ALL teachers.

So Dan: those teachers that teacher our kids, increase the MCAS scores, get higher SAT scores and college entrance are destroying our Republic? " Betray our Founders", "Republic", "socialists". All the Glen beck brainwash buzz words in one sentence.
Like Thomas Paine , one of our Founding Fathers, once said: " To argue with a person, who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead."

http://www.huppi.com/kangaroo/L-hitler.htm

WOW!
Can't believe how some people really think what they type.
I like to believe that we each have a mind of our own.

Mike, as though today's eighth graders even have time to decide where to bury you and your tinfoil hat, ya coot. Shame on your family for not having your ice floe ready.

@Rob C: from teachers to radical Muslims, to MATH teachers to Obama flaws being taught by those math teachers, to re-electing Obama, to low-information voters to 8th graders and how much medical care you're worth. Get all that rob? Make sense? How would you describe that if someone walked up to you on the street and said that?

Iron:re: union participation. So sayeth the Michael man: " you find a few [unions] left" ????? Just a few , Mike?
14% of the work force in the United States are members of unions. There are about 150 million ( est.)in the US labor force.
I'll be kind to you here, knowing your dislike for unions and bias in presenting them, but the TRUTH must be known. need to watch you like a hawk, lest you stray for the divine path. So sayeth the lord.

You'll find a few left – nothing like the days when the textile and garment industries were major employers in every Mass mill town. Today there is nearly ZERO manufacturing taking place in Lowell or Lawrence – once the cradle of the Industrial Revolution.

Nobody is building ships in Fall River – or automobiles in Framingham.

The shipping industry largely abandoned Boston – because the teamsters and longshoremen competed to see who could steal the most cargo.

The unions and their paid Democratic pawns killed all the golden geese – the industries and the jobs are gone. Still, there were those union firefighters from Methuen, collecting signatures for Lynch in Westford – 'because they had to...'.

Kind'a like a dying cancer patient begging a hospice visitor for a cigarette...

And the BIG DIG? How many leaks have they found so far? How sub-standard was that concrete? And you want to tell me none of those union workers knew?

Globalization and outsourcing had more to do with the decline of manufacturing than unions. Of course, once the multinational companies found out how much cheaper labor was/still is in China, the game was over.

I lost my job as a electronics technician,I did very well in maths,my union last only four months in Raytheon long ago.Did colleges also.Been out of work almost 3.5 years.Having a hard time to get a job. Why there no jobs available in my field? Went to the unemployment office. They told me to write a letter to the congressmen.I did.Why you congressmen abusing holding the jobs over 65 years old while we under 50 years can't get a JOB?! Is that a good answer for a letter? Are there too many old people with six digits are like that? Wondering? Tell me ,WHO GOT MY JOB?! Could I get a job in my country where I was born here?

Mike: all wrong as usual. You divert down the wrong historical road. Your far right ideology takes you there. It was cheap labor as in overseas sweat shops. That is why we had unions to begin with.

Miles: Union members and other working people have one thing in common . They work, not beg. They add to productivity not direct the traffic. With a name like that, don't be hating.

Rev, not true! The issue is they make the hammer in China and sell it here for the same $15. They pocket the profit from making a lower quality product for less money. I talked to a Titleist VP when they moved jobs from New Bedford to China. He told me no one would pay $320 for a driver so they had to make them for less to cut the cost. A year plus later the price was $350 and I asked him about it. He gave the same BS story. Then Titleist announced bonuses for the executives. HUGE bonuses. That is where the savings went.He also complained that the Chinese workers were stealing their product off the lines.
Blame is shared by both unions and greedy executives. Many companies are moving back to the states because the theft of IP in China is an enormous drain on the profit margin. They make 3 drivers and 2 get to market while one is sold on the black market for half the price.

Your Eminence, I generally agree with your statement that consumers bear part of the blame in outsourcing, but one cannot spank the consumer without also slapping the wrists of some major retailers, whose buying policies -- making vendors reduce product costs year over year -- are a huge part of the problem.

If you've ever shopped for blue jeans -- a quintessential American product -- and wondered why the material feels thinner, or why the rivets are smaller and fewer, you can look to some major retailers for forcing the hand of companies to first outsource, then to make incremental quality reductions to continue dropping prices.

I say all this as a committed capitalist who actively goes out of his way to buy American.

Pimperton: and you're happy with that going on? the end result of which is that all the American jobs are lost and the families bankrupt, foreclosed and forced on Welfare.
What would Jesus do?

Pimperton IV: A CEO walks into the Board Room. He see that the corporation can layoff 2000 Americans that get $18 an hour , and can move the factory overseas, hire 12 year olds for $6 bucks , working 18 hours a day. The CEO lights a cigar , asks that his stock options be increased and ships the jobs to Southeast Asia.
Praise the Lord. Early tee time at the country club golf course , then dinner on the company charge card. Then blame Barack for all these welfare takers. Ya we need to dispel that myth.

As a Union Member I would go for Lynch. Why because he is in touch with reality being a hard working Iron Worker. He knows what it is to have to struggle to feen family.Im sure the Boilermakers,Blacksmith,Ship Fitters will endorse him. Common sence and reality is what you need. Look for the Union Label.

What incentive is there for me to look for the union label?
If I can get two identical products/labor, 1 union and 1 nonunion, why would I choose the union product and pay more for it?
If I need a plumber to install a bathroom. I have two choices, plumber 1 who was the head of his plumbing class and works for himself at reasonable rates, or plumber 2 who was bottom of his class and works in a union shop and charges twice as much. End result is the same, a bathroom that doesn’t leak and job done at half the price by a better plumber.
Look at all the fine work done by Unions for the state. Big Dig, all union labor 20 billion over budget and is already falling apart. Roads in the state, cost twice as much per mile for construction as NH(DOT website) and last half as long as NH roads.
Trying to see the cost advantage to the union labor mandate for state/federal work.

Kennedy - 47 years in office
Byrd - 58 years in office
Pellosi - 26 years in office
Reid - 43 years in office

What's your point?

Nancy Pelosi -- in office for almost three decades (1987).
Harry Reid -- in office for almost three decades (1987).

But I'm not saying Nancy Pelosi doesn't accept responsiibility for her actions. Remember what she said as to why Obamacare needed to be passed first and then debated on. "We have to pass the bill in order to find out what's in the bill". "It's like a refrigerator, we can open up the back and look at the wires but we still don't know what makes it cold".

Pinperton: sounds more like the Republican leadership that says "no" to everything than our beloved re-elected President Barack Hussein Obama, a joyous, practicing Christian that takes his faith in the Lord seriously. Barack was a community organizer just like JC. You can relate to that , oh pious one.

Right Reverend: my "happy" comment had to do with CEOs shipping american jobs overseas and what you recommend we actually do about it. What I got from His Holiness was a diatribe on disliking Barack Hussein Obama. praise be to jesus; answer the question posed, Old Albany Oracle. Part of the brainwash is ignoring the subject and trajecting into safe philistine right wing territory. Oh Sage , cometh forth with a solution , something the Republicans west of Albany would be proud of.

Reverend:"Judge not, lest ye be judged" - so sayeth the Lord.

What's my point ? Are they over 65 ?

Snodgrass, were you handing George Bush the same inheritance BS when he took office after Clinton. The bubble was bursting during Clinton's last year. Queue the crickets......

Love it!

PolitiFact does a pretty good job keeping up on everybody's status. Here is Obamas page. http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/obameter/
They do a good job and are very neutral.

fred: i'll help you out. Simple case of lack of cooperation on the Republican's part who would rather see the country fail than have President Barack succeed. Deep seeded racial resentment. Clear now?

Ah the race card. Ladies and gentlemen we have a winner...Tyler Jozefowicz. Tell us Tyler when does the war on women resume? This November or the 2014 midterms?

Mike: both progressive Democrats are fine with me. Let me guess on the Republican side: Winslow ( corpotate Republican at home at the country club-nothing there); Gomez( RINO that contributed to Obama, $500 to a DEM in Md, requested that Duval Patrick appoint him interim Senator with no experience); Libertarian- couldn't get the signatures; Sullivan, anti-women, anti-abortion, pro-gun , anti-healthcare, anti-union, anti-immigrant, anti-environment, pro- foreign outsourcing, anti-minimum wage, pro-war, follows Ryan in decimating Medicare, McConnell in decimating Social Security; repeal Roe v. wade, back filibusters so nothing gets done, keep corporate loopholes). Ya , that be your boy.

It would require they display in public the courage of their 'convictions'.

BUT, when you say 'convictions' to a MassDEM, - they quickly think about the Three Speakers – and they pull up their hoodies and slink away...

Or, and this is most likely the case, many of the folks here are actually unenrolled voters who are waiting to hear from all the players, on both sides of the aisle, before making a decision. They understand that it's just as foolhardy to oppose someone without listening to their position as it is to offer blind support...and definitely as foolhardy as mindlessly regurgitating shopworn talking points that they picked up during last night's "Hannity" broadcast.

It's pretty simple say "no" to something but it takes a lot more thought to understand why you're saying "yes."

...AND...Drudge, the Blaze, Breitbart,...and my blog Rev!

Please don't forget my blog!

Bishop Pimperton: Right wing Hate Radio does a good job , 24/7. I'm sure you do a good job in the pulpit . media matters has estimated that FOX news has given Republicans about 54 million in free advertising last election How about that eye of a needle bibical reference. Praise jesus.

Tyler,

Just like the Boston Globe is not in the bag for every Dem that runs in this state.

By the way Tyler still waiting for an answer, I know the question is a tough one.

Richie M: FOX News does it every day , non-stop, been doing it for decades and claiming they are " fair and balanced" ( you deny that?). You pick one item out ( which is not verified) and you think you made your point? No comparison , my man.

Did Peter Jenning from ABC News finished high school? Did Brain William from NBC
News did only six credits of college?

Buccciarelli: for the record , I said "amen" to a previous post. Please don't get carried away because you were caught bullying in the past and are attempting to redeem yourself. I am responding because you went after me personally. Cute with the " certain individual" stuff. . Nothing initiated by me.

Great shot Rev! That's gonna hurt and leave a welt!

Of course he has a job, - he cleans up his room every week...

Reverend Raleigh: I have been to the corporate mountain. Who do you think is shipping American jobs overseas, the Sisters of Saint Joseph?

Careful Ron, next thing you know you will be accused of cyber bullying by the bully himself.

ron & Anna: I'm over here. Speak to the hand. Making things up again , and reinforcing them in group session, are you? Gossip, and bearing false witness are mortal sins, so sayeth the lord.

Ron: I don't respond to character attacks and insults, even when Anna is cheer leading in the background. " Misreading a post"? That a real heineous offense. posing hypotheticals that do not exist? Grow up to put it mildly. Next thing you will be accusing me of being a bad person by responding to your immaturity.
Hint: don't make it personal. Nes pas?

ya know Mike: CEOs are shipping jobs overseas that do not even have union shops. You never explained what your work experience is , since you know so much about unions. Hate teachers, hate unions, hate Obama, hate Democrats , hate liberals , designate them Moonbats. Everyone is a " socialist" . According to your definition every country in the WORLD is a socialist country, except for the few commie countries , especially Communist China that we do business with, unless you can come up with a Capitalist Utopia somewhere
Your work experience in the private sector, length of time and position?

Careful Tyler, your're once again about to let your mouth overload your carrying capacity...

Many of us have wondered if you even work - or have ever worked? You've never answered. [Cleaning up your room doesn't count...]

So I've worked since I was 14 - in 5 states - in union and non-union shops - w/ and around 10 different unions [may have forgotten one or two], negotiated union contracts, broken strikes, and never lost an arbitration.

I've watched unions destroy at least 4 plants....where today there are only rats, bats, and pidgeons...

Tyler,

Waiting...

Mike: so you bust unions ( if you can be believed). I'm not impressed. Something to be proud of?

ron johnson: answer- none of your business. How many time a week do you beat your wife?

No wonder why I never got a job for the past 3.5 years! There cyber bullies on my COMPUTER!

Where is that written in the US Constitution? Article and Section please...

We don't live in the 18th century anymore, and we have evolved as a society in terms of governance.

So... what you're saying is that is not in the Constitution. Got it.

It's been said that leaders and heroes are born, and come into their own when the going gets tough...

I guess it's true of cellar children too,...in a sad way.

Blessed Reverend: You worked at 14? Then became a reverend? Somewhere along the line you were a CEO , in 5 states, none the less. Fantastic!. Worked your way up the ranks , but settled on doing god's work.
Meet Iron Mike. Worked at 13. Was a union buster , worked in 10, maybe 20 manufacturing plants,was an arbitrator, so had to be in management, or maybe a snitch for the company. Just a few weeks ago, he was in the military for 30 years , got a meager government pension but complains about the impending socialist storm a brewin. You guys are too much. maybe I'll get out of my cellar, and live closer to the refrigerator on the first floor. Ops, cell phone battery needs chargin.

They put cookies on my COMPUTER!

Iron Mike, the unions created the middle class in this country. However, over time, with America losing its competitive edge in manufacturing, they did contribute to the decline of that industry, I'll grant you that, because they were unwilling to slash the wages and benefits of their members to compete with the labor forces in Asia, South America and elsewhere. Should they have given more concessions to the corporations and their shareholders? Hindsight is 20/20, but that would have been a bitter pill to swallow, given the fact that they fought hard over the years/decades for their wages/benefits through collective bargaining. And there was no guarantee that the jobs would still be there and not shipped down South or overseas.
As for the symbiotic relationship between unions and the Democratic party, well, that goes with the territory, I guess.

Anna, the kind of people who would pervert theology or human ideals in the name of a political cause – are men like Mohammed, Cromwell, Hitler, James Jones, and Marshall Applewhite...

Never drink Kool-Aid offered by such people....

Hey Anna:let me help you; praise the lord. what do you think jesus was doing? jesus threw the money lenders out of the temple- translation bankers. He hung around with 12 men and a prostitute, Mary Magadeline, never married ( states anything to you?). Had a brother named James , according to the Bible. Was a hippie - check out the long hair and sandals. Was a pacifist- turn the other cheek. Organized and preached to the people, assembled them, collectively ministered to them- translation community organizer. Walked on water , raised the dead, changed water into wine , all on psychotic drugs. You have been helped, the lord has answered , praise the lord, in jesus name, the lord be with you and your spirit too!

Just be careful around those 'religions' which decide when you live and / or die – and how.

Maybe they're ~ not ~ religions...?

Rob C: you can vote for whomever you want . Your history shows you are all over the map. Confused person. To think that there are not racial roots in Obama hatred is to be naive. It's all code words. I haven't seen one sensible thought that has arose from any of your posts. Mention Republic? Talk about "silly "comments. Another example of you being all over the map. Does Republic have anything to do with unions, the topic at hand? I told you that a Johnson vote was a wasted vote. You added the 'idiot" part. You confuse political advocacy for talking points. I know exactly what a Republic is. Just testing your brain waves. talk about " silly" stuff. My conclusion at this point is that you are close to brain dead.

Blessed Revevend: do your kids know you quit your job as a CEO, became a man of god, gave their inheritance to the Church of What's Happening Now, doing the lord's work, preaching to the likes of the Iron Mike to save his bucolic soul and are now fighting the war from the pulpit against creeping socialism?

Cindy Sheehan has lost a lover, Sean Pen, Danny Glover, Harry Belafonte, professor Cornel West, Joe Kennedy, the Russian military export ministry, and the Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will all be attending his funeral. What we used to call a 'target enriched opportunity'.

Maybe Obama will send the Village Idiot, or Lurch, or Hillary – or all three.

The funniest part...? He got both his cigars AND his cancer treatments from Fidel Castro!

Sean Penn, not Sean Pen.

And Iron Mike,

If you have enough time to make this many comments, you have enough time for that World War I blog you owe us all.

Jon: you must remember that you are dealing with an ex-CEO turned pastor of the flock( bad career move) and government lifer( reaping the benefits if socialism) turned union buster ( authoritarian character disorder and company snitch). Take consolance in the fact that in their waning years they can pipe dream and fight the evil government, its police force and its commander-in chief , dissing political opposites, all the while praising the attributes of the Constitution, devised by property and slave owners. all men are created equal, so sayeth the lord. Let freedom ring.

Jon: Sounds like you speak of yourself. Belittling people suggesting that they overweight all because they don't support your position on biking.

Old Mikie: union busting and military service all at once? Maybe the military training , killing people etc., qualified you for depriving workers of their livelihood. End result , American jobs shipped overseas. Quite patriotic of you. Happy with that result? Sleep on it . Those union people , working hard ( any complaints about their work?), out of jobs, can't support their families , but your lacky bosses are comfortable. Really prefer the jobs going to Commie China? So it's commie jobs vs. American workers. You prefer the Commie jobs. see where that far right sickness brings you? Dude, report to the basement!

Tyler,

You can disagree with Iron Mike, I do as well on ocasion, but you have crossed the line when you denigrate his years of service. What have you done in your life that qualifies you to attack anyone that has served.
Andrew, you have allowed this to go too far and I also can't understand the constant hectoring of Mike to do anything, I do not believe he owes you or the patch anything. I would ask you to watch the attacks more carefully.

ron johnson: suggest you take a minute and read his ignorant, abusive , insulting posts before coming to your right wing brother's defense. This is a pattern with him; dislike someone's left of center proposals , and the personal put downs start. You had no problem , stood silently by when the insults went the other way. The line was crossed when he suggested I lived in my mother's basement, didn't work and was a taker. What does that have to due with the issues being discussed. If you do not dignify the personal attacks with a response, the bully persists.

I needed this bit of levity this morning after going through some of these stupid comments ... not all, to be sure. So, thanx!

Dave, SS is not the end-all for a lot of folks, barely enough for some to pay for their meds, food, housing, and on and on. So, I think retiring to collect SS and live a comfortable life is a delusion and most people I encounter continue working to make ends meet, of have other means of support. And, no, you are correct I think, SS does not dip into town caufers,(SP) nowhere near what is expended on Gov.t. pensions, health insurance, and other.

Anna, on this we agree.

Dave,

Who retires after 20 years in either system? Are you telling me that a Tewksbury DPW person who starts working for the town at the age on 19, can retire with benefits at 39? Or to extend your assertion to 25 years at the age of 44. I don't think that is correct but I am open to you presenting an example? The only 20 year retirement I know is for the US military. An employer pays 7.65% of each employees salary to SS. I am not sure where you got the information that they would not pay anything.

Can't get a job,went to see two doctors to find out why can't find a job. They told me to take medications, the people who study my head.They don't believe me that I try to get a job in Cambridge ,Ma. on "Simply Hired.com" on "System test "and "test technician",when I pull down the profiles of these jobs,it said," Cambridge ,United Kingdom" That why I went to see these doctors, I think I should apply for disability.

Bucciarelli: never suggested you were a Republican. Make every attempt to ignore your inaccurate posts except when you mention me with the sarcastic" your buddy TJ" remark. Do yourself a favor and keep me out of your conversations, however difficult that may be. Sense the hypocrisy when you give others a free ride.

"You are entitled to your beliefs but please do not try to indoctrinate me into your way of thinking."

Words no missionary has ever heeded.

Banks, I think about the poor underfed and under-appreciated sharks each and every time Obama goes swimming.

ron johnson: any words of wisdom for the key protaganist, or does he get a free ride?
FYI information , i can take it and sense that Mike can also. it's you I worry about, bad karma being what is. Hate this dialogue but my name keeps coming up. To ignore it is to let the bully persist. that is my last word for the day, so sayeth the lord.

You're kidding, right? Without the private sector, just how many people do you think will continue to be employed? Make sense, will you. A true standard bearer would never portray himself as the lord, rather would embrace fellow humans and softly encourage them to his way of thinking, not brow beat, insult, devalue, and would accept differences in thought and not cry about being bullied, which is his very own method of operation. Let's see if he keeps his "last word" statement. Picture this ... a 4'11", 115 lb., 76-yr.-old woman, a homemaker no less, is doing all this bullying. Imagine. Not an ounce of good sense, no good manners, and no respect for wisdom of elderly or survivors of military experience, just a lot of bluster and posturing and abuse, yet he feels bullied. So, who is the bully? And, always turns off topic in any blog presented to begin a political tirade that generally has no place or reference in the discussion. And now, lecturing on Jesus Christ as tho he's written the new testament himself. Your soulmate, your brother is less than a gentleman and more an insufferable snob, refusing to accept that there is more than his way. I feel sorry for you if you really believe what you say and hope you come to your senses and start to think for yourself.

Anna, his response was sarcasm.

Did you know that the Pope resign early! You know why he did that,because he don't want to be a selfish person.He follow God's rule,"DON'T BE A SELFISH PERSON,YOU ARE OVER 80 YEARS OLD. GIVE THE CHANCE FOR THE OTHERS AT ST.PETER SQUARE TO GET YOUR JOB!" That was the massage from god to him.He did the right thing and so are the others should do the same thing who are over his age in a six digits salary.

Me over 80, me make $100,000 me retire

Upset> ...the massage from god...

That sound heavenly!

Ron, worry about yourself. It seems nobody in this thread needs a white knight. I'm officially embarrassed to call any of you my neighbors.

Kerry,
Thanks,but I do just fine. I am not sure how I am anyone's white knight, but if that is intended as a insult, I am not sure it is. You want to defend hate and spitful comments go ahead. I am for one not sure that I would want you as a neighbor if that is the case.

:)

Anna, I'm glad I don't live in Wilmington. You were one of the many in this thread I spoke of.

Glad I don't live in Chelmsford either. I wouldn't want you to hoot and holler, at 76 you shouldn't be hollering at anything really.

No Banks ... Not referring to your name being a surrogate. I think you can figure it out. What's with you anyway, when have I ever bullied you (or anyone ... all a matter of perception due to lack of self esteem) or given you cause to call me a snob? FYI, I am not a resident of Wilmington and far from snobbish ... I just call 'em like I sees 'em and if that appears snobbish to you I can't do anything about it.

Oki Doki Kerry Oki ... I get you, you will never age, you will fade away and I am too old to express opinions that you do not concur with. I, too, am very happy not to be your neighbor so don't come calling if you ever need a baby sitter, or a recipe, or a cup of sugar ... Ever ask your parents for a bit of this or that? Ever tell them they are too old? Who are you to decide what I should or shouldn't be doing? You an expert of some sort, maybe in geriatrics? FYI, I'm probably more fit in body than a lot of your lovely neighbors and friends and I have a thinking mind to go with it. Try keeping your words soft and sweet when referring to us oldies ... you just may have to eat them one day. And if you can't be kind, at least be vague. Hope your offspring will treat you with more kindness than you demonstrate. Your day will come, count on that.

The collectively bargained and agreed assault was on the taxpayers. The protection of under performing teachers squanders valuable resources and is directly related to the continued decline of Americas academic achievement despite leading the world in investment dollars.

Menachem and I (i) will see to it that corporations pay their fair share, (ii) that the Republicans put country first for a change rather than continually obstruct because they harbor deep seated racism, that (iii) corporations will quit on their own from shipping jobs and factories overseas, and (iv) that AIPAC will quit treating Palestinians as second class holocaust victims . Menachem and I plan on working together to expose the militia right wing hate groups that feel the evil government will come and take their guns. Right, Manachem. Menachem is own his own ,however , in stating that "we" need to stamp out the private sector. In that regard, menachem misstates my position and adds a bit of unnecessary hyperbole. we forgive menachem for that stretch of the position. Business has its place , and the government has its place. Menachem , however, thinks that the government is a form of socialism and is destroying our way of life . Manachem and I part ways on that issue, however. I believe government has a role in the economy and society. That is where my brother Menachem and I part company. See Menachem thinks the government is evil and I don't, and republicans are right in saying "no" to anything Barack . Right, Menachem?

Credit Henry Ford for the 8 hour day and creating a middle class. Unions had their place and time and neither is now.

Russ: are you an absolute nutcase? Largess? I work for a living ; am not a union member, but if i worked in a union shop i would be an enthusiastic member. Why? because union people work had , and deserve not to be dumped on by maggot bosses that would just as soon outsource to save a buck or move overseas in a heartbeat. I contribute to the Social Security fund; I contribute to Medicare; I pay state and federal taxes; I pay property taxes; excise taxes. What's you're complaint now? Like maybe we should respect workers and union members, who, after all add to the productivity of this country. Bosses would sell the country out if it comes to making a buck. suggest you devote your attention to that side of the isle, brother russ. so sayeth the lord; he'd a kind and passionate lord and a liberal; listen to his teachings. no CEO, that lord!

We're no longer in a national economy, we're in a global one. Products and services which could be developed in the US are now being made in foreign countries, most notably India and China, which have vast pools of cheap labor. Saddling an American company with unrealistic and inflexible labor costs effectively makes it impossible for those companies to compete. Unions, as currently constituted, are aiding and abetting in their own demise. Godspeed to them.

I watched a good portion of Rand Paul's "dessertation" yesterday and I noted the empty seats. I quit watching, but kept the TV on and listened as I went about my business. More quaint than quaint and quainter still were the remarks by the press secretary after it was over. Thanks for providing this feed.

A dessertation sounds delicious.

Ron P: propaganda dude. Sen. Paul, a libertarian at that, and 15 Republicans just participated in a Senate Filibuster , their aim being to stiffle the nomination of our new CIA director, under the pretense of drone surveillance right here in the US of A. saw a few drones flying overhead just tonight . Praise the lord. Why? Because the CIA director is an Obama nominee; any other Republican president their mouths would be shut just like they were when we invaded Iraq on a pack of lies, 2 trillion dollars later.
Any evidence of drones? Of course not, except on the paranoia right wing blog sites. It's that government tyranny thing where the teabaggers and gun nuts might have to go to war against the local police, our servicemen and the commie commander-in-chief, so sayeth the lord.

And would the Huffington Post and Ron Wyden also be a part of that teabaggers and gun nuts lobby, Tyler? The blog is paraphrasing a story that appears in the HP.

Ron Wyden, the lone Democratic joiner, said that he could only speak for himself when asked why more Democrats didn't join. "I thought it was an opportunity to demonstrate that on some of these key issues with respect to balance between liberty and security, there are progressives and conservatives that can find some common ground."

And Wyden makes a lot of sense, because Barack Obama will not be President forever. And while you may enjoy playing political chicken games with the 4th and 6th amendments, the reality is that there will probably be a President someday who is not one of your guys. And he or she will have tremendous power to order drone strikes against American citizens on American soil, and you probably won't be able to rest assured that Great Progressive Intentions(TM) will be his or her guiding principle.

I give Wyden a lot of credit and much respect, but I have to laugh at the "I'm doing too important stuff to worry about protecting American citizens" response from your boys and girls. What important stuff would that be? They have not even offered a budget in seven years now? They claim they can't do anything because of procedural filibusters from the Republicans. The only thing they can do is pretend to be progressives in their personal lives and play silly games in their professional ones.

Ron Powell: you know what they say. if you don't have an issue , make one up. drones : that's big brother issue. At war with our country,yet? Another reason to have the AR-15s , right? Semis are not needed for home defense , so let's come up with government tyranny. jesus saves.

So Tyler, who are we to thank for the 5 day 8 hour work week and a livable wage?
Henry Ford who started it on his own (evil business owner), the unions (who you have said numerous times are to thank for it) or FDR (who you just gave credit for it to).
As far as I can tell, history says that Mr Ford is the one to thank.
Unions are only interested in one thing and one thing only.
That is extorting money (union dues) from its members and lining their own pockets with it.

Rob C: I give the credit to FDR who enacted a national law, the Wagner Act, so every company , not just Ford Motor Company, are required to adhere to the 8 hour work day. the rest of the million or so companies failed to act. You applaud one and neglect all others. Strange. Your cheap shot thrown in there at the end about unions is another piece of right wing phantasy. Unions represent their membership in negotiations, collective bargaining , benefits, pension, vacation , sick pay, maternity leave, work breaks , safety concerns, lockouts, vacations , fair wages, seniority, worker disputes and resolutions . It happens to be the law of the land now , thanks to FDR, since businesses would not do that on their own. So sayeth the lord. But you knew all that but purposely avoided any mention it. Your union hatred got in the way.

Give credit to non-union firms who manage to keep about 87% of the US work force gainfully employed despite the lack of "protection" by the unions. Some applaud the 13% while ignoring the 87%. Strange indeed. How is it that an architect is not paid $10 per hour? Is it union representation or the laws of supply and demand in the labor market?

Mr. G: FDR pushed the Wagner Act which applies to ALL unions, including public sector unions , whose members cannot be outsourced.to China, that godless commie trading partner of ours, and India. Public unions are here to stay, my man. here to stay,I say, union busting , company goons, firings and retribution notwithstanding. All power to the worker and the middle class which makes this country great. Praise be to the lord, the Virgin Mary and the Democratic party.

Militant tactics have no place in the functions of any organization of government employees. Upon employees in the Federal service rests the obligation to serve the whole people, whose interests and welfare require orderliness and continuity in the conduct of government activities. Unions and their puppet democrats serve to only foster division in their us vs. them posture and contribute nothing to the health of the economy – the government does not create wealth (or productivity), only the private sector on which teats the public servant unions continue to milk dry.

...and German ancestry, some Italian as well. Not a happy thought, much like this drone on Americans on American soil today. Thank Heaven we appear to be done with that, for now at least. I applaud him for baseball, it's my love and I think it has seen us through hard times, giving us at least a thing to look forward to and take our minds off troubles, much like the early hey-day of the movie industry.

Jamaal, what in the world does the detention of the Japanese population in America during WW2 have to do with the discussion of labor unions? FFS! I swear, posters like you must have ADD or some sort of disorder!

Jamaal,
If Deval's proposed income tax raise goes into effect, the owners of the company I work at are talking about packing up shop and moving the company 10 miles up the road to Nashua.
We currently have 27 employees and only 6 (1 is a founder of the company) live in MA, the rest already live in NH. That means that 21 individuals payroll taxes will disappear from the states income. The rest of us that live MA might pack up and move up north as well. I know for a fact that we are not the only company throwing this idea around.
How is the state going to support all the welfare recipients with more and more jobs leaving the state?
Massachusetts, soon to be in the same situation as California.
Keep up the good work Libs.

Rob C: Bye bye. NH has a higher unemployment rate than MA. Good luck with the property taxes up there. MA has an educated workforce and attracts more workers than we lose. Your fabricated example does not make the whole. Your last remark about " Libs" shows your hate filled attitude, though.

So much misinformation from Tyler, so little time to set the record straight.

On a per-person basis, Massachusetts residents are among the highest-taxed in the nation. Including fees, each Massachusetts resident paid an average of $7,290 to state and local governments in 2011, the 10th highest in the nation. New Hampshire ranked 37th among states, with each resident paying an average of $5,436 in 2011, according to the Federation of Tax Administrators, an association of state tax authorities.

New Hampshire has the fourth-highest median household income in the nation, at about $64,000, while Massachusetts has the eighth-highest at a little more than $59,000. So New Hampshire has no problems attracting an educated labor force.

New Hampshire's unemployment rate in January was 5.8 percent; Massachusett's unemployment rate was 6.7 percent.

Was there anything that Tyler actually got right? MA has an educated workforce and attracts more workers than we lose. That was the only sentence in his comment that was not inaccurate.

Guess what, Jamaal.....SIGN THE GUEST BOOK AT THE BORDER, THEN GET TO THE BACK OF THE LINE, AND WAIT YOUR TURN! That's our immigration policy. If you don't like it, tell your 'cousins' they can always go back to where they ORIGINALLY came from!

Ron Powell back at you: looks like you are on my trail so i'll pay you some attention to you, hallelujah, praise Jesus, so my fans don't actually believe your distortions;
1. I mentioned NH PROPERTY taxes , not taxes in general, i.e., " good luck with property taxes". NH has the third highest, some say the highest property taxes paid in the country, the Union Leader's attempt to dispel notwithstanding- CORRECT.
2. " MA has an educated workforce and attracts more workers than we lose"- CORRECT.
3. hate filled remark about " Libs" -CORRECT
4. As to unemployment rates, NH has a labor force of 702,000 (thous) whilst MA has 3,400,000 ( million), so the rates hardly tell the story.
5. I did not mention median or any income , you did.
So your statement that "that is the only comment that was not inaccurate " is INACCURATE
I like NH so don't make this regional combat. It's your attempt at distortion that is distasteful, so sayeth the Lord

Ron Powell back at you: looks like you are on my trail so i'll pay you some attention to you, hallelujah, praise Jesus, so my fans don't actually believe your distortions;
1. I mentioned NH PROPERTY taxes , not taxes in general, i.e., " good luck with property taxes". NH has the third highest, some say the highest property taxes paid in the country, the Union Leader's attempt to dispel notwithstanding- CORRECT.
2. " MA has an educated workforce and attracts more workers than we lose"- CORRECT.
3. hate filled remark about " Libs" -CORRECT
4. As to unemployment rates, NH has a labor force of 702,000 (thous) whilst MA has 3,400,000 ( million), so the rates hardly tell the story.
5. I did not mention median or any income , you did.
So your statement that "that is the only comment that was not inaccurate " is INACCURATE
I like NH so don't make this regional combat. It's your attempt at distortion that is distasteful, so sayeth the Lord

It didn't get any better the second time you posted it. Rob was complaining about income taxes being so high in Massachusetts that he would have not choice but to move his business to New Hampshire. You responded, "Good luck with the property taxes up there." The implication being that any gains from paying less income taxes would be offset by paying higher property taxes. Otherwise, your remark makes no sense. If you believed that property taxes were higher, but the overall amount of taxes a business pays in New Hampshire were lower, it would be irrational to reply with, "Good luck with the property taxes." I am assuming that you are a fairly bright and rational individual.

In regards, unemployment rate, you were the one who introduced it as a metric. I merely challenged you on the accuracy of the facts you stated -- namely, that the unemployment rate is lower in Massachusetts than it is in New Hampshire.

In regards to labor income, you mentioned that Massachusetts has an educated workforce. Since median income correlates with the level of education, I pointed out that the median income in New Hampshire is higher, suggesting that New Hampshire also has no problem attracting an educated workforce. I believe that I so indicated that in my original comment -- check and see.

I have no intention of engaging in regional combat, just pointing out false and misleading statements. QED.

The Right Reverend surfaces to castigate the working man, even those in Greece.
What would jesus do?

Ron Powell: You take my literal wording and attempt to stretch the meaning of points to suit your purpose by drawing skewed inferences does not make your argument, once you have been caught redhanded perpetrating inaccuracies.
You have no other choice to redeem your soul and preserve your salvation. Trying to interpret through inference my intent does not bolster your arguments, it also fails. You need not raise convenient inferences where there are none that can be inferred . You can hear from me, firsthand, Brother Ron, in the actual words of the declarant. I addressed property taxes . Period. I did not address median income ; You did. Period. Your education /income inference fails, a mortal attempt to interject income where heretofore there was no discussion on my part. education was my name stay. Nice try, but we got ya the first time.

Kind of weird response, because I assumed that your original comment was sane and rational. By inferring things, I was actually helping make you look better and not worse. To get where you are now, I would have to assume that your original comment was insane and irrational. So much for giving you the benefit of the doubt.

Markey and Lynch epitomize this incestuous relationship. Their votes for open ballot (card check), Davis-Bacon, Obamacare, etc. serve to their reelection, not to the taxpayers. Public unions are not moral, ethical, or intellectual in their basis - it's purely political. And it's worked so well that California's pension costs soared 2000% in a decade. Markey or Lynch will see to it that Massachusetts follows that path to ruin with the help of AFSCME, MTA, et. al.

No, but his brother James was. never saw any of Jesus' carpentry work. Did you? How was pay back then , anyway.

Ron: " ... just pointing out false and misleading statements." Raising so-called "inaccuracies". Those were your words. You were'nt giving me the benefit of any doubt. You tried to backtrack, create the appearance of " inference",and it backfired.
I'm not making this up , man. No big deal. Life goes on. Shalom.

The filibuster was a filibuster to stop a vote on nomination of the CIA Director, not a vote on drones. Drones? Another right wing non-issue. That is what was happening. the reason Rand Paul was there- CIA nominee. Hello! notice that bush's name surfaced . Praise be with the lord. After the filibuster they had the vote on the CIA Director; there was no vote on drones. Obama's man was approved.
I thought this thread was about unions.

It was holding up the vote on Brennan but it was ABOUT drone attacks on US citizens in the US. Holder was vague in a committee meeting and Paul wanted an absolute answer. After Holder gave the firm answer of no in writing, Paul ended the filibuster.

Not exactly, Bob. Attorney General Eric Holder provided Paul with the following answer:

"It has come to my attention that you have now asked an additional question: "Does the President have the authority to use a weaponized drone to kill an American not engaged in combat on American soil?" The answer to that question is no."

In other word, Holder, or rather the President, whoever he/she is, determines that an American citizen is or is not engaged in combat on our soil OUTSIDE a US Court of Law? Doesn't Holder has to FIRST PROVE in a US Court of Law that "this particular" American was indeed engaged in combat on American soil? According to the US Constitution, I would say he MUST do that first, but what do I know, I'm not a Constitutional Lawyer like our beloved leader is.

I know ... other topics have been brought up by other commenters and I am simply voicing my responses to them.

I thought it was a story about the Massachusetts race for U.S. Senate.

Jamaal, I don't care about your alleged Indian heritage to be honest. Why is it these days, folks have a tendency to WANT to be native American, or be affiliated with them, when clearly, their ancestors originated from another continent? Hi, my name is Miles O'Brien, but my clan calls me Chief Shining Eagle. Give me a break, please. Like I said before, if you're an illegal, then sign the guest book, get to the back of the line, and wait your turn! PERIOD!

So what is it, Jamaal? Are your 'cousins' Indian, or Latinos? Make up your mind!

Thank you.

They are moving 2,600 jobs (not 26,000) from 5 eastern states and CA (not just MA).

Well MetLife is still moving jobs from pro-Union states to" Right to work states"

Smart business decision - following in the footsteps of IBM, BMW, Boeing, Toyota, etc. in locating in right-to-work states. A move to NC from MA would have the net effect of increasing my personal disposal income more than 11%, even at the lower pay scale. Good for the company, good for the employee.

The few industries that remain viable in Massachusetts are those with large margins - pharma, biomedical, insurance, finance, etc. But I'm sure our senior senator is working hard to ensure those millionaires and billionaires at Fidelity, John Hancock, BioGen, etc. no longer hammer the middle class with their obscene profits.

Problem is that he blew a whistle on Obama in Afghanistan as well and that's why he's facing prison ... double standard for sure.

Rob,

Do you live in NH? If so, I agree that you made a good choice based on your priorities. But if you do not live there, what's holding you back in Taxashusetts?

Right now I live in MA. I would rather live in NH but the company I work for is in MA, they are curently considering moving to Nashua from Chelmsford so I may be going up to NH. For taxes it doesnt make much sence to live in NH and work in MA. MA takes your income tax and then you have to the higher property tax.

Oh he gets it. There is no way that he is truly that dense so as to believe that the whole of the argument comes down to whether he wrote "property" or "income." He knows full well what he is doing, but he's getting paid not to "get it."

Rob C: the topic was unions . Too bad it got off subject into a never ending discussion about attributes of two neighboring states. Suffice it to say that I see amenities here that are not present there. Property taxes for NH are one of the highest in the country. Your town comparison is not dispositive in the least.That is not me talking. Yes, there are offsets. There are population differences ,amenities, demographics, income strata differences. There are municipal taxes, education taxes, meals taxes , toll roads in NH as well, etc.
Final point and i'll give it a rest. I get value for my taxes. I like it here.
Your last two paragraphs are way off the wall with the free stuff, welfare, free place on the beach , waste because of unions, hand out money, MA brags about it, etc., and picking an example or two does not prove the point. Disagree with all of it and can defend the accusations, but I'm not going round and round . I have heard it many times before. Often times it goes undefended , so the myths , in my opinion , persist. Most people I know from NH live there but work here because they make more money , sales tax included.

My part about a wealthy persons relative is off the wall? Google Obama's Aunt Zeituni, that’s right, your hero is allowing his Aunt to live off the taxpayers when he could well afford to take care of her. She is a prime example of fraud in the system in MA. What about the 19,000 people still getting money direct deposited into their accounts from MA government but don’t have an address in the state. There is far too much corruption in this state when it comes to welfare.

To bring it back to unions, NH does not bend over backwards for unions like MA does. The prevailing wage law is strictly on the books to favor unions, block out smaller companies from doing jobs and drive up the cost for everything. Road construction is a prime example, NH the work is done at half the cost per mile of MA (US DOT statistic) and the roads last many times longer than MA. But to believe the hype, if you want a job done right, it has to be done by union labor. NH roads disprove that theory, don’t believe me drive any road into NH, your suspension will thank you the second you cross the border.
NH does not bend over for the police unions and have it written into the contracts that a private company doing anything near a road has to pay them overtime to sleep in their car while the work is being done. While the rest of the world just puts up a flashing light and a few road cones, MA requires a cop. This extra labor cost adds to everything in Ma.
Public sector unions are destroying MA.

Ron Powell: talking about me again? You got yourself in a jam with semantics. Sound like the type of person that would lie their way to the top. Give it up and get a life. No shame in trying to weasel your way around the terminology. It's just that you got caught. So next step, disparage the other person. You're not worth the time at this point.

No I beg your pardon I did not. You tried to make a point by being intellectually dishonest. I called out your dishonesty. The sum of your attempts to date have been to try and justify your dishonesty. You were hoping that readers would confuse property taxes with total tax burden, and thereby discredit Rob. It didn't work out for you. Since you are a paid propagandist, I don't expect you to see how you were dishonest, but I do want to help others. And now you are attempting to obfuscate this fact by starting a tangential fight -- another tactic of a paid propagandist. But you have been sufficiently discredited for your intellectual dishonesty.

I'm not sure it has anything at all to do with right-to-work/unions. The state and local governments have offered MetLife around $100 million in grants/perks. The Republicans are buying jobs with tax dollars so they can look good on jobs creation reports in NC.

I think it has more to do with doing business in a business friendly state.
Dont make it a republican only thing, how has all that money handed out by MA and the Feds to “Green Energy” companies work out? How many billions have we thrown out the window on that mess.
Before you pile on me, as far as I'm concerned, NO business should get any tax incentives or cash handouts from state, local or federal government. A company should set up shop wherever they feel that they will get the best workers at the best price, not where they get the best freebies from the government.
If a company has a good idea for a product then they wont need any help from the govt to do it. If the idea does not draw private money then it is probably not a good idea to start with.

Rob C. -- I agree. However, Green Energy research is like cancer research; you know most of the work is going to fail and that's OK. All you need is one scientist somewhere to figure it out. Oil and natural gas are running out -- maybe 50 years for oil (best case). If we don't find a replacement we are sooooo screwed.

How much cash did Deval give to evergreen in Devens?
That was for manufacture, not research. And most employees were probably from NH.
I stand by my statement that government should not give money to companies.
The company that finds the cure for our energy problems will make a fortune and its investors will also make a fortune.. They will all be taxed on that fortune Fine by me.
If government invests, we give them money for research, when they find the solution they make a fortune, the government gets stiffed on all the money they have invested, the company has many tax breaks and pays nothing and they then manufacture the product in China further screwing the government and the US workers.
So where again is the advantage to government investing in private enterprise?

Rob C. -- I think you're right!

Jesus once said that all Republicans were ruining Massachusetts. He raiseth his hand and cast them out. Time to turn the water into wine. I understand that socialist NH owns and operates , employs workers in the liquor stores, and uses taxpayer money to do all this, once you get by the toll roads, and the 9% meals tax. the Lord works in strangw ways.

I'm pretty sure that the money collected from the sale of all the liquor in those stores pays for the employees to sell it. Unlike MA, NH probably believes in turning a profit and probably makes money from those stores. Just a hunch though.
As for toll roads, ever hear of the mass pike or the Boston tunnels. Those are toll roads also.
By the way thanks to the public unions, MA has the worst financially run toll road system in the country.
9 percent meals tax is not bad, how often do you eat out.
Ever eat out in Boston? 13.25 percent meals tax there. (state sales plus 7 to the city)