We Are One - Illinois (MGT 444) - 3 views

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  #1 Josh Kruger on 11 Dec 11

   

  I stumbled on to this site after doing a google search for 'work and family'. Interesting site to say the least. It's entirely devoted to fighting legislation that could cut pensions for public employees. They actually have quite a vast membership and/or number of affected parties (mostly state unions and other organizations tied to state functions), but I could not figure out from the site exactly who started the movement, maintains it currently, etc.
  
  I presume the credibility of this site is probably sketchy at best. Obviously they have an agenda to promote, and money is at the core of that agenda. When money is the only real motivator, it's hard to believe that honesty is held as the best policy.
  
  I will say this about the site - it does seem to have one key point that, if true, would lend a huge amount of credibility to their cause. According to the PensionTruth statement, "For decades, Illinois politicians shorted or skipped the employer contributions required by law, creating the nation's largest pension debt." (weareoneillinois.org, 2011). If that is factual (they really provide nothing beyond a meager description) then it would lend some credibility to their case, and I personally would fully support their cause.
  
  Ultimately, it's a pretty divisive issue. There are those that believe public pensions cost the state too much, although I personally believe that this is largely in due to political rhetoric to further their agenda of cutting the pensions they themselves may have very likely underfunded. I would like to see the site prove more of its case. On the other hand, many people value public employees the same as the military, as most of them are there to do the greater good and help the public, so undercutting them like this would be substantially distasteful. I noticed on the site log of events that it appeared legislation was passed to amend the details of the pensions, but I'm not entirely sure how (even after viewing a separate site here http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=512&GAID=11&DocTypeID=SB&SessionID=84&GA=97). Looks as though the actual debate is ongoing and has been postponed several times.

   

  <div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">I stumbled on to this site after doing a google search for 'work and family'. Interesting site to say the least. It's entirely devoted to fighting legislation that could cut pensions for public employees. They actually have quite a vast membership and/or number of affected parties (mostly state unions and other organizations tied to state functions), but I could not figure out from the site exactly who started the movement, maintains it currently, etc. <br /> <br /> I presume the credibility of this site is probably sketchy at best. Obviously they have an agenda to promote, and money is at the core of that agenda. When money is the only real motivator, it's hard to believe that honesty is held as the best policy. <br /> <br /> I will say this about the site - it does seem to have one key point that, if true, would lend a huge amount of credibility to their cause. According to the PensionTruth statement, "For decades, Illinois politicians shorted or skipped the employer contributions required by law, creating the nation's largest pension debt." (weareoneillinois.org, 2011). If that is factual (they really provide nothing beyond a meager description) then it would lend some credibility to their case, and I personally would fully support their cause. <br /> <br /> Ultimately, it's a pretty divisive issue. There are those that believe public pensions cost the state too much, although I personally believe that this is largely in due to political rhetoric to further their agenda of cutting the pensions they themselves may have very likely underfunded. I would like to see the site prove more of its case. On the other hand, many people value public employees the same as the military, as most of them are there to do the greater good and help the public, so undercutting them like this would be substantially distasteful. I noticed on the site log of events that it appeared legislation was passed to amend the details of the pensions, but I'm not entirely sure how (even after viewing a separate site here <a href="http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=512&GAID=11&DocTypeID=SB&SessionID=84&GA=97" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=512&GAID=11&DocTypeID=SB&SessionID=84&GA=97</a>). Looks as though the actual debate is ongoing and has been postponed several times.</div>

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  #3 terrance gayles on 11 Dec 11

   

  This is site is a sort of oxymoron but it is dynamic in the sense Illinois as a state is corroding al aspects of unity and trust. The trust of public employees is constantly being usurped by the shade legislation and politics that run Illinois. There ideas here could possible grow into some grass root movement either for th bad or the good.

   

  <div class="cArrow"> </div><div class="cContentInner">This is site is a sort of oxymoron but it is dynamic in the sense Illinois as a state is corroding al aspects of unity and trust. The trust of public employees is constantly being usurped by the shade legislation and politics that run Illinois. There ideas here could possible grow into some grass root movement either for th bad or the good.</div>

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