Sovereign debt your all on the hook no matter how responsible you are.

[Bob111]

Quote from oldtime:

I hear ya, I don't like it anymore than you do. Even FDR said there should never be public unions.

On the other hand, what does a school teacher do? They can just quit because the pay is too low, and I suppose if enough quit, the market will increase their pay.

or they can band together and say, "Raise our pay or we will all quit."

here we go. no need to unionize,just quit ,if you don't like it.
public service suppose to be a low paying,boring job where one can receive SMALLER than private sector pay in exchange for early retirement and SOME guaranteed benefits. what we have now is exact opposite and i see no signs of slowing down. more- i see no intention of slowing it down. no single meaningful word about what needs to be done,to put the budget in order. NONE.
as this "sequester" kicks in-i would not be surprised,if some kind of "threat" pops up,just to keep defense spending going at same rate or greater. they already scaring us on TV. media is screaming that we are going to be helpless,unarmed-all because of those cuts. all over the evening news yesterday. stop acting like an asshole world wide bully and maybe then -there is will less threats. no need for another super stealth(read-super expensive and potentially useless) jet or missile.