You're Fired!

Published on: 3/14/2011

It was always amusing to watch Donald Trump give one of his apprentices the boot. 

Sure, I understand that job terminations are serious business but how can you possibly take a guy with such a miserable comb-over seriously.  Especially when it's fake reality television anyway.

This letter was published in the old-school, paper edition of WauwatosaNOW last Thursday:

Aside from Mr. Zurawski’s porcine analogies there are actually a few things upon which he and I are in agreement. 

Why does the writer reserve such venom for school teachers?  What about the public works folks like the woman that drives the snowplow on my street?  Or cops, custodians, city attorneys, city hall staff, firefighters, librarians or parks and forestry employees?  Are not the water department people deserving of scorn?

What is it about the teachers?

And why is he itching to fire someone?

When Wisconsin’s chief executive fell for a prank call he volunteered that one of the most defining moments of Ronald Reagan’s political career - not just his presidency – was when he fired the air traffic controllers.

There it is again.  You're fired!

Just last week I encountered the same thing in a brief exchange between two individuals.

Those lazy union people should be dismissed.  They should all be fired.  It is about time the taxpayers made an example of them!

Why is everyone snapping at one another nowadays.  Has someone poisoned the well? 

Mr. Zurawski has high expectations of our new Governor.

Scott Walker will clean up Wisconsin. Then we should have him clean up our country.

I agree.

With the high expectations part.  Not if cleaning-up Wisconsin means sacking large numbers of people to advance the price of one's political stock.  That's like insider trading.  Pump and dump.  Besides, it would be untoward to give the boot to a few more just for good measure while measuring for the new White House drapes.  Nevertheless, corporate CEOs give people the old heave-ho all the time.  It's good for the bottom line. 

And our CEO has national ambitions. 

I read somewhere that the new collective bargaining law allows for state employees to be terminated for three unexcused absences during a state of emergency declared by the governor.

According to Peter Davis, general counsel of the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission, the provision appears to tighten long-standing anti-strike laws.

This drama has all of the hallmarks of a very carefully conceived and so far - perfectly choreographed political chess game. And we all know that there is nothing like terminating a large number of people to appeal to your base.

For sure it would remove all doubt about being a pushover.  It might even launch a career in national politics.

I think Mr. Zurawski and I would agree on that as well. 

It's going to be interesting watching the next couple of acts in the performance.