You might think so if you followed media coverage of events in places such as Wisconsin and Ohio.
But Bloomberg Businessweek takes a closer look and finds that some Democratic politicians ca read the handwriting on the wall as well.
Now, in Illinois, it’s the Democrats who find themselves playing the heavy when it comes to reducing the state’s pension burden. Public sector unions, the party’s traditional allies, have returned fire with a million-dollar ad campaign. Meanwhile, Democrats in states such as Connecticut and Massachusetts are pushing for similar concessions.
In Illinois, where pensions have been underfunded for decades, Democratic House Speaker Michael J. Madigan says it’s time to consider cutting benefits. Senate President John Cullerton, also a Democrat, is backing a bill to make retirees pay a bigger share of premiums for health care and to force school districts to shoulder more of the teacher-retirement costs.
Forcing those who live on the taxpayers’ dime to pay some of the bill for their health care? Shocking.
