Union Good Fellas Meet A Bankrupt City Of San Bernadino

Remember those classic, but profane lines from: Good Fellas?

Now the guy’s got Paulie as a partner. Any problems, he goes to Paulie. Trouble with the bill? He can go to Paulie. Trouble with the cops, deliveries, Tommy, he can call Paulie. But now the guy’s gotta come up with Paulie’s money every week, no matter what. Business bad? F*ck you, pay me. Oh, you had a fire? F*ck you, pay me. Place got hit by lightning, huh? F*ck you, pay me.

Well,: the unions have the exact same philosophy. Ask San Bernadino.

San Bernardino, now bankrupt, has suspended payments to Calpers, the largest government worker pension fund in California and the county. The city is already so broke it is having trouble paying for normal services and is worried that it will be completely unable to meet its other obligations if Calpers insists on being paid in full and on schedule.

But Calpers wants its money anyway. In effect, it is demanding that pensions trump not just other creditors but also the city’s responsibility to provide vital services like police, fire, and education. Anxious to avoid setting a precedent that would allow other bankrupt cities to suspend their payments, Calpers is suing the city in a state court.

You need to keep police officers on the street? F*ck you, pay us. You need firefighters to keep the city safe? F*ck you, pay us. Your kids need to go to school? F*ck you, pay us. That’s how the unions view the people. It’s time the people returned the favor.

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