Public Pensions and Health Coverage

When I went to the University of Dayton, one of my housemates was studying Elementary Ed., and he majored in what he called "Kiddy Lit" or Children's Literature. This friend of mine was the butt of many jokes because a degree in Elementary Ed was a ticket to what we thought was a lifetime of poor paying jobs. Were we wrong! Over the past few decades, government jobs, and I include teachers and police in this broad category have gone on to outdistance the private sector, not only in pay, but in benefits, notably retirement benefits and health coverage. Who could have predicted the salaries and pensions that are available in some of these fields and while we the taxpayers helped to create the systems and scenarios that educate our children and protect our communities, the continued funding of these salaries and benefits is unsustainable. Education is a critical component of the development of our children and society yet in some locales the high cost of public education is driving property taxes up annually. How can we as a society continue to fund and pay for systems that seemingly cost us more than we as a group can afford. The Unions will decry heresy when they read this, and they must do so to stay in business and protect their members. Unions were never created to allow one side to have an advantage over another. Unions came into prominence in the early and mid 20th Century to level the playing field in labor relations not to put the Unions and members in positions of dominance as some are. American society has some tough choices ahead. The fiscal tightrope act that all levels of government are walking can not continue. What happens to America if the European Union falters? What happens to the free world if Iran or North Korea start acting up with their nuclear weapons? We Americans must once again recreate ourselves into a financially sustainable society. Tough decisions must be quickly and with great wisdom. All sides and all levels of America will be forced to compromise for us to survive and grow and move forward. This will take courageous leaders, in government, labor and society. Anyone interested?