When I first heard about this on the news yesterday, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Apparently, Wisconsin Democrats fled the state house to avoid a quorum being reached; in other words, the democrats wanted to make sure that the number of lawmakers in attendance at the state house was not high enough for a certain vote to be taken. The vote they were avoiding was whether to pass a bill that would lesson the control wielded by public unions in the state.
Today, state policemen were sent out after the fleeing lawmakers, who had apparently escaped to Illinois. Meanwhile, Wisconsin public schools closed for the second day in a row due to high numbers of teachers calling in sick.
Why is all this happening? Budget cuts.
Like the Federal Government, states are running up disastrous amounts of debt–so they’re trying to cut spending. The problem is, wherever spending is cut, someone is going to lose services, benefits, or pay–and nobody likes it. I don’t think I’ve heard one situation where the targeted group or program throws its collective hands up and says, “You’re right. You couldn’t afford me in the first place, so you’ve got no choice but to stop pretending like you can.” Even if that’s exactly what’s happening.
Wisconsin, like many other states, has been living beyond its means. And it’s a problem that lots of private citizens have–not just the governments. But just like when any American family realizes they’ve put more on their credit cards than they can pay for, some of that stuff has got to go back to the store.
As for the reprehensible behavior of the Democratic lawmakers when they ran away rather than do their job–their actions are that of a large child having a temper tantrum because he isn’t getting his way. This “child” (politicians) thinks all he has to do is plug his ears nice and tight and close his eyes, and he’ll get what he wants.
How to use the Government’s Bad Behavior As An Example – of What Not to Do
As parents, we naturally try to shield our kids from the nastiest of what’s going on out there in the real world – at least until they’re ready to understand it. But if it’s not anything graphic or or inappropriate content, then certain bad situations can serve as excellent examples for us to show our kids about how we should act.
3 Lessons to Teach Your Kids, Using the Government’s Bad Behavior as an Example of What to Avoid:
1. The Evil:
Maryland elected officials run away from their responsibilities. Not only do they refuse to vote on a bill–they keep it from being voted on, at all.
The Lesson – What You Can Teach Your Kids
Stand up to your responsibilities. They are your commitment, and living up to them makes you dependable and trusted among your peers. In meeting your responsibilities head-on, you also serve as a good example to those around you.
2. The Evil
Habitually over-spending on budgets so that the debt grows larger and larger–with no end in sight.
The Lesson – What You Can Teach Your Kids
Live within your means. That doesn’t mean you can never splurge–just that you cannot consistently spend more money than you bring in. This kind of behavior gets millions of Americans in deep trouble every year as their credit card bills and interest rise beyond what people can ever pay off. This is exactly what the government has been doing with their budget, only to a much greater extent. Which is why they’re now in serious trouble. (OK, it’s one of the reasons.)
3. The Evil
Change is always difficult – especially when we have to give up things you’ve grown accustomed to having. And people who are having their things taken away from them can get so upset, they may even become angry – and irrational.
The Lesson – What You Can Teach Your Kids
If you realize you’re making a mistake in the way you’ve been doing things, it’s up to you to change it before it does harm.
Don’t be angry that things can’t be the way you want – just understand that if you want something, you’ll have to get it another way-or perhaps on a different occasion.
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Related Huffington Post article: Wisconsin Protests Have State GOP Sending State Troopers After Democrat