Alpern at Large: What really happens when Americans question their governments

By: Ken Alpern, Chair
Alpern@MarVista.org  

ALPERN AT LARGE-We live in a world of ridiculous "connections":  Question governmental decisions and policies and you're a traitor or gadfly. Question a governmental leader and you're a hater. Question whether modern corporate policies are sustainable or equitable and you're a communist. Question our immigration policy and you're a racist, etc.  Now it's "question your police or DWP unions" and you disrespect our first-responders and you're against middle-class jobs. 

In other words, "shut up and take it" because we're "doing fine" and "we can afford it".  The political  spin is that taxpayers aren't broke and tapped out, they're just selfish--because the economy's in a "recovery mode".

But as the taxpayers continue to either have flat or falling wages, and increasingly wonder if they'll EVER retire, it's safe to say that any public sector or private sector union, or any corporate leadership, that demands a historically-high and guaranteed pay/retirement at others' expense is not being realistic or fair. 

Read more and comment at CityWatch.

Ken Alpern chairs The Transit Coalition and is a LA Westside Village Zone Director and Boardmember of the Mar Vista Community Council. The views expressed in this article are solely those of Mr. Alpern.