rubicon - i did read your entire post. and i found that it is unfortunate that you are not an equal opportunity credit giver so that you could recognize the good works done by many of the public workers who do not feather bed, connive and/or malinger - but who get up every day and go to work to serve all of the residents of their state, county or municipality.

public employees in n.j. do have a legal right to representation and collective bargaining, given to them in the legislation thru the new jersey employer-employee relations act.

and our gov has assured all n.j. public workers that his recent pension and benefits reform legislation will ensure retirement pensions and benefits for future retirees for years to come. this might be because pension fund members will be paying an increased contribution for both their pension and health benefits pkgs; and because the state is finally going to start paying their share of pension funding - which it had not done for 17 of 10 years. perhaps other govt leaders can take a page from his book.

was glad to read that you can be equally upset by corporate leaders, too.