Republicans Rage Against Public Sector Workers

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On the national scene and in the state of Wisconsin, republicans have not been shy about their planned attacks against public sector workers.

In Wisconsin, Gov. Scott Walker is expected to balance a $137 million budget shortfall for this fiscal year on the backs of public service workers among other evil plots to cut into the state's low income health care plans and K12 funding.

In Congress believe it or not, our Rep. Paul Ryan joined Rep. Devin Nunes and Darrell Issa in introducing the Public Employee Pension Transparency Act.

It's hard to deny anybody in government who wants more transparency, right? Except these three congressmen, along with the majority of the republican House caucus, voted against a Democratic bid in January to require members to publicly disclose whether they will continue to participate in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. Nearly all House members and their families receive health coverage under this taxpayer-subsidized, privately operated plan, along with millions of civil servants and federal retirees and their spouses.

So how about little transparency huh? Not a chance.

But what does Ryan have to say about the Public Employee Pension Transparency Act?

“We need to ensure that state and local governments are accurate and honest in detailing their financial liabilities, including the cost of pension plans for public employees. The Public Employee Pension Transparency Act will make government more accountable to taxpayers by shining a light on the financial soundness and unfunded obligations associated with these plans, and I’m honored to join Representatives Nunes and Issa in sponsoring this common-sense legislation." -- Rep. Paul Ryan

Shine a light, yeah. The financial liabilities of public employee pension benefits need to be more accountable to the taxpayers, I can agree to that. But what about the Republicans taxpayer supported health care benefits? Well, they're special. Just move along now - there's nothing to see.

Shouldn't the American people have a right to know the truth about the liabilities of the health insurance benefits being run-up by congressionals and paid for by taxpayers? Quite frankly, if Republicans have nothing to hide, there’s no reason why they would try to hide their government-run health care and they should have embraced the democratic effort to ensure that the taxpayers have a more transparent accounting of the true nature and costs of the health care benefits covering members of congress. Don'cha think?

However, Ryan's so-called "Public Employee Pension Transparency Act" is more than just shining a light on accountability. It also establishes a federal prohibition on any future public pension bailouts by the federal government. Ryan wants to make sure that if the equity in these pension funds are unable to fulfill their promise, obviously at no fault of the employees themselves, that those workers will not have access to the same treatment his contributor base on Wall Street had when they nearly went belly up.

That Ryan, he's such a sweet, sweet guy.

Through all these multiple assaults against the currently employed American worker by republicans, it's easy to forget about the 800 lb. gorilla in the room - the unemployed. When are the jobs?

Watch Rachel Maddow Report On The GOP's Top Priorities.