Chicago teachers have a 13% raise (over four years) offer on the table, but that is not enough. They set a strike date of October 11 because the city wants the union to contribute more than 2% for their underfunded pensions, among the worst funded pensions in the nation.
The Chicago public school system is bankrupt. Its bonds are deep in junk status.
If mayor Rahm Emanuel had any brains, he would be begging Governor Bruce Rauner and House Speaker Michael Madigan for legislation that would allow municipalities and taxing bodies the right to declare bankruptcy.
There are two words that describe the current state of affairs: Greed and Corruption.
What follows is a guest post courtesy of Union Watch.
Rampant Union Greed in Chicago by Larry Sand
The Windy City’s teachers union is on the verge of yet another strike.
In 2012, Troy Senik wrote “The Worst Union in America,” a title he bestowed on the California Teachers Association. As a former member and longtime critic of that union, I certainly had no quibble with his selection. But now, CTA is facing serious competition from the Chicago Teachers Union.
As reported in last week’s post, CTU, an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers, is gearing up for a strike. It would be the union’s second in four years, despite the fact that the median salary for a teacher in Chicago is $78,169. When you add another $27,564 for various benefits, the total compensation for a teacher – good, bad or middling – becomes almost $106K per annum. (Please keep in mind teachers work 180 days a year, while employees in other professions typically work for 240 to 250 days.) In retirement, the average Chicago teacher receives a hefty $50,000 a year.
The main sticking point for the union and the Chicago Public School system (CPS) is the so-called pension pick-up. Teachers there (and elsewhere) have what’s called a “defined benefit plan,” whereby in retirement – come hell, high water or recession – a teacher’s pension is not affected. In most places, teachers and the school district share the contributions equally, but not in Chicago and some other municipalities in Illinois. Teachers there are supposed to chip in 9 percent of their salary to fund their own pension. But as things stand now, teachers contribute just 2 percent, with the school district (read: taxpayer) picking up the remaining seven. The city, which is in dire fiscal straits, is asking teachers to pay the full 9 percent. But lest the poor teachers need to reach for the smelling salts because they are being asked to kick in more for their own retirement years, Chicago is offering them an 8.7 percent salary increase over four years to help offset the teachers’ pension payment.
So, as the union demands more and more money, the schools end up with less and less. As reported by the Chicago Tribune, CPS still needs to come up with at least $300 million to balance its fiscal 2017 budget. “The school system still faces huge, $700 million-ish teachers pension payments this year and annually into the future. It still has too much real estate to serve its dwindling number of students. And its credit is maxing out.” As a result, Moody’s has just downgraded CPS further into junk status.
As if the union’s insistence on yet more money is not deplorable enough, there is a new addition to their basket. When CTU held its strike vote last week, it didn’t do it the traditional way – by secret ballot. Nope, the union had its teachers authorize a strike via “petitions” circulated at schools, meaning that everyone knew how everyone else voted. Think there may have been an intimidation factor at work here? And why on earth would they need to resort to such strong-arm tactics? The teachers voted by a 7 to 1 margin to strike in 2012 – when voting was done in private. As it turns out, the margin this year was 86 percent affirmative, just about what it was in 2012.
If the method of voting sounds dictatorial and totalitarian, it fits right in with the union’s leadership. CTU president Karen Lewis, who revels in her inflammatory style, makes Donald Trump look downright demure. Just a few of her egregious comments:
- At the City Club of Chicago in 2013, she blamed the city’s education woes on rich white people. “When will we address the fact that rich, white people think they know what’s in the best interest of children of African Americans and Latinos—no matter what the parent’s income or education level.”
- After the tragic Sandy Hook school shootings, Lewis blamed Teach for America, the organization that successfully enlists high-achieving college graduates to teach at hard to staff schools. Referring to TFA vice-president David Rosenberg, Lewis said “… policies his colleagues support kill and disenfranchise children from schools across this nation.”
- Earlier this year, Lewis compared the Illinois governor to ISIS: “Rauner is the new ISIS recruit. Yes, I said it, and I’ll say it again. Bruce Rauner is a liar. And, you know, I’ve been reading in the news lately all about these ISIS recruits popping up all over the place — has Homeland Security checked this man out yet? Because the things he’s doing look like acts of terror on poor and working-class people.”
- Then there is the typical union boss hypocrisy: She rails against corporate “fat cats,” all the while pulling in over $200,000 a year, owning three homes, including one in Hawaii. (Second-in-command at CTU, Comrade Jesse Sharkey, a leading member of the revolutionary International Socialist Organization, makes well over $100,000 in total compensation.)
The teachers could strike as soon as October 11th. It’s up to Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel and Governor Rauner to stand up to the CTU leadership and their outrageous demands and put a halt to the mugging. Enough taxpayer money has been extorted by the union without the mayor and governor kicking in another penny. And the union can’t claim that its teachers are doing a bang-up job: Just 30 percent of 4th grade CPS students are proficient in math and by 8th grade that number sinks to 25 percent. In reading, 27 percent of 4th graders are proficient as are 24 percent of 8th graders. Taxpayers should not be expected to sink any more of their money into an ineffective school system.
As of now, the hard working people of Chicago – already the highest taxed in Illinois – are getting overpaid teachers, failing kids and a union that wears its greed proudly on its sleeve. CTA, you have some serious competition.
Larry Sand, a former classroom teacher, is the president of the non-profit California Teachers Empowerment Network – a non-partisan, non-political group dedicated to providing teachers and the general public with reliable and balanced information about professional affiliations and positions on educational issues.
End Guest Post
Hopefully the above article opens up your eyes to what is happening in Chicago.
Chicago offers salaries that are among the best in the nation, provides benefits among the best in the nation, and has schools among the worst in the nation.
Mayor Emanuel was foolish enough to pass a series of tax hikes, the biggest in history, nearly all of which goes straight into the pockets of the unions.
That was not enough for the unions. And it never will be.
Mayor Emanuel, please take your brains, wherever you left them, and put them back in your head. Ask the Governor and Speaker Madigan for bankruptcy legislation.
Bankruptcy is the only solution.
Related Articles
- July 30, 2016: Chicago Pension Situation Improving Says Mayor: Careful Analysis Uncovers Lies
- May 19, 2016: Chicago Pension Liabilities Jump 168%, Understated by $11.5 Billion
- March 18, 2016: Chicago Public School System Threatens Massive Tax Hikes Via “Backdoor” Bond Guarantee
- February 13, 2016: “Bond Girl” Blasts Chicago Public School Bonds, Says “CPS Genuinely Insolvent”
- January 20, 2016: “B” Word Hits Chicago: Illinois Governor Proposes Bankruptcy for Chicago Public School System
- October 28, 2015: Chicago’s Sheep Dogs Approve Mayor’s Tax on Sheep; Quote of the Day “It’s Not a Piece of Art”
- September 23, 2015: Chicago Tax Collector Hath Arrived With Massive Tax Hike: Emanuel Says “No Stone Unturned … Not Done Yet”
Mike “Mish” Shedlock.
I’m sure Calpers is buying Chicago hinky paper and Illinois is buying California bonds. Who else would?
“The Chicago public school system is bankrupt. Its bonds are deep in junk status” ~ Mike Shedlock, Sept 30, 2016
Even the “deplorables” who support Trump can understand this. Hillary’s voters continue to be steeped in denial.
So Mish why do you still live in the Chicago area?
Mish lives in southern Illinois if I’m not mistaken.
Mish lives about 40 miles from Chicago, in a different county.
Yeah. Closer to Wisconsin. I should have guessed from looking at his photography.
Mish lives in McHenry County which has the highest taxes in Illinois.
I welcome this news which will be national once the strike starts. It’s in Obama’s home town and will hurt his party (i.e., Hillary).
Hillary grew up in a well-to-do northern Chicago suburb. She was originally a conservative republican but apparently got radicalized (democrat-ized) in college. Leaving all her ethics behind her seems to have worked out well for her.
Bill probably convinced her there was a lot more dirty money to be had as a liberal democrat than as a conservative republican.
Then a light came on.
there is no end to chicago teachers greed.
and it gets passed on from generation to generation
I
I know a good number of them and they think they worked hard and have been underpaid.
They have no clue what work is like in the real world. Where there is competition and the need for results oriented performance. And actual performance reviews whether you want it or not.
you are right on and it applies to all of us, who have the ability to read this email. IMO
Kids will be better off with no teachers and will learn more. These teachers are going to have to be taught something themselves. They could use some math education, you can’t get more out of zero dollars than zero.
Cities can’t afford schools anymore. The bank has printed too much education inflation. Maybe its time to automate teaching via the Internet.
Yeah, from the statistics reported here, it would seem to be hard to do a WORSE job at education then the current schools are doing. So if the pols had any brains, they would just tell the union to go f–k themselves and move on to something less costly. It reminds me of a baseball story – a famous home run hitter had a great season for a last place team and come contract time, wanted a raise. The GM refused, saying “We coulda finished last WITHOUT you.” Chicago can likewise finish last without the teachers.
If you hire a contractor, do you hire him to complete a job to a specification, or do you hire him to make 20 dollars an hour? What exactly has Chit’cago schools been turning out except debt?
https://seattleducation2010.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/initiative-12401.jpg
Another reason to vote for Trump and his charter school proposal!
good point
Trump’s plan is to eliminate the federal DOE, Common Core, and make it easier to create Charter Schools
I pray that I live long enough to witness the collapse of the public education and public safety employment Ponzi scams.
The sight of teachers, cops and firefighters chasing union officials down the street for lying to them for the last 30 years would make my day.
Liz and I live in Prairie Grove Il (Crystal Lake zip)
We bought property in Montana and have our escape planned
Timing uncertain
Mish, I bailed out of Lake Villa in 2013 and moved to 18 acres of woods in northern Kentucky. The cost of living is much lower and you do not have to get as many permits from the rulers in order to do things. I liked Lake Villa but could not afford to retire there, the good people of Illinois are getting screwed.
Mish – the compensation is grossly understated. Here in NC a teacher makes an average of $50’000 a year just in salary now. They contribute piddling to their “pension”, which will pay the average teacher who started teaching at 22, $36’000 a year if they retire at 52 – and then take another job, which most do, some moving to another state and starting all over again, to take a second pension at 62. Anyway, they pull in over $1 million in retirement by 82, paid IN under $100’000 to get that million. So, divide $900’000 by 30, and you need to ADD $30’000 to EVERY YEAR THEY “WORKED” – so, it is an average of $80’000 in cost JUST FOR SALARY to the taxpayers – like you said, for 180 days. Let’s say 200 just say the liars can say NOTHING about how “hard” they work – that is 75% of the AVERAGE worker’s year, so they make a prorated rate of $106’666 in a state the median HOUSEHOLD income is under their AVERAGE salary of $50K!!
In my county in Florida, the median teachers salary is $42,000/year. They pay 3% of that into the State’s pension program. The school district adds $6,200 and change for the pension. The vesting period is 10 years and most don’t last 10 years, so they never see a penny. The average pension payment is $8300/year. That’s not a lot but it counts lower paid folks who retired 30 years ago, as well as people who may have only been in the system for 10 – 15 years.
The only people who really make out are senior administrators and principles. They have 6 figure salaries and are in a different class that pays out a higher percentage of their high five.
Florida has a state based system, so local taxpayers don’t have a direct liability. The State’s investments also have had enough of a return to more than adequately fund the program.
Our teachers are also unionized, but some important differences in Florida:
1. It is a conservative state. Florida dems are to the right of Illinois Reps.
2. Public servants are barred from striking. They can go to arbitration for disagreements only, and the union doesn’t pick the arbitrator. Striking leads to automatic termination.
3. Being controlled at the state level, unions can’t get local pols to jack up rates.
4. The State has a constitutional amendment to guarantee pensions. So politicians know they have to be conservative with pensions.
It seems to work. Cops and firefighters are in a whole different and outrageous league. But they are our heroes so they deserve it, of course.
There is still one can to kick before declaring Chicago’s teacher pension system bankrupt. Teachers often must take college courses on a continuous basis to remain certified. Teachers have to pay the tuition and fees out of pocket. Those courses offer no cost benefit since they are at a content level far beyond what is needed for public education. Illinois could simply change the law so teachers would not have to take those courses, and then redirect that money to the pension system.
The immediate benefits are teachers become pacified, the pension becomes another politician’s problem, taxpayers pay for fewer state college professors. The long term benefits include lower pensions obligations since teachers would be paid less than their current trajectory as they would not accrue additional college credits, and college professors receive lower pension checks once laid off.
The system is so unstable that educators are pitted against educators.
here is an issue on that–if the go for a masters they get a pay raise and higher pension. pension is based on last 3 years earnings, not average earnings, which s why wages get spiked near the end.
I know of a former school superintendent who retired at age 55 and his pension has been well documented in the newspapers at over 300k a year. He moved to a warm climate and took another jobs ad superintendent so when he retires at age 65 he will have 2 hefty pensions from one career.
Granted he as CEO and that does carry long hours and stress. Rank and file employees and liberals do not understand why high level execs get a of more pay–albeit that 97 million pay packages for crooks is not appropriate. It should be all about what one accomplishes. If you are a commissioned salesperson and generate a lot of sales its ok to earn a lot of money
“Hold them accountable!”
~ Andrew Breitbart
As a small business owner dealing with hassle, stress, and risk – all I can say is –
I Want To Be Reincarnated As A Civil Servant
just for history–back in the early 70’s when boomer were getting out of school and starting to work getting married, I dated a number of (female) Chicago and some suburban school teachers.
Their “deal” and reasoning then was it was a great job due to summers and holidays and weekends off.
Winter break and spring break. And the hours are school children hours-8 3:30ish.
They all figured they would get married and their spouse would be the major wage earner. Thus the lower pay and benefits was not of importance.
Then boom somewhere after they had kids strikes occurred all the time and the School Boards in the burbs, comprised of all neighbors even board members, residents and a lot of teachers, could not stand a strike so the unions got their ways.
voila, at age 55 salaries were spiked and they retired early.
forget it was not affordable. forget they chose a profession they knew up front did not pay much, they did not care.
I’ll give you another one, guys became teachers due to draft deferments. I actually went for a chicago school interview. I wound up saying screw it I wanted to follow my profession and did and enjoyed it even with real stress as I advanced and huge travel and huge working hours et al, After spending time in Army olive green. Something else the teachers conveniently forget. Teachers have no clue what stress is.
Most in my mind are prima donnas, –nice people mind you. But also no clue of reality. Even today they do not get it as retired teachers,
I could go on and on. The problem now is high end taxpayers continue to leave
Its not just IL but California and other areas with “diversified” population where the growth now is lower end and they use the system rather than give to the system. Thus there is no way out for IL, influx of low paying taxpayers, outflux of high paying taxpayers–get the picture?
in 1970 illinois had just started its state income tax, and had a 4% sales tax. The tax on my house in Cook county was 2800 and today its 16,000. Mich used to post gas taxes around the country–IL is way up there, not as much as California.
the state has run out of places to tax but it will go on and more businesses wlll leave IL. Rauner knows the problem but the democrats will not allow fixing the problem.
So this will go on until Chicago and Illinois actually run out of money-then pensions and free healthcare to teachers end.
Note: the police and firemen are different. They earn their pensions and take on extreme risk almost all the time, and do it with pride, dignity and skills.
Yeah, I now the argument for teachers, I stil hear it all the time from friends, when they are not at second homes in Florida or on a cruise. One teacher I know realizes the truth. He was telling me that if he “capitalized ” his pension using even a 5% rate of earnings he would need 4.5 million on which to retire.
slightly different subject–soc sec and medicare–did you all know that a non working spouse gets 1/2 of the working spouses social security and pays in nothing and gets medicare and paid in nothing–Where is the fairness there?
If the government was run like a business nobody would want to work in government
I will retire out having earned a significant income over decades and paid in the maximum for the last 15 years. Couldn’t have done it without an equally hard-working wife who paid in very little. She deserves every penny.
Social Security is not a retirement program. It is an insurance program to make sure people don’t starve when they can no longer compete in the market.
Jon–I am talking about spouses who did not work. Often their spouses did very well so they did not have to work. They get 50% of the spouses soc sec benefit and paid in nothing and paid in zero to medicare. thats hardly fair –your wife if she worked as you say deserves to get a benefit for what she paid in, but I believe she qualifies for 1/2 of yours.
Since the system is BK thats a problem, both situations.
if you are collecting soc sec and medicare, and have not paid in its wrong esp if you get a sizeable benefit such as 1/2 of spouse.
furthermore if you are earning income when you collect benefits you pay tax on your soc security.
Their friends TELL them to get a divorce–so she can stay home and collect welfare while he works.
They come here and game the system and that’s one reason the Chicago School system is poor.
this entire situation is a big problem and nobody certainly in congress or in state legislaures are willing to tackle the real problems.
Thats why I say running out of cash will force the issue.
Retire early? No more. Teachers are now forced to retire at age 70 or die on the job.
Give them a big raise. We cannot have our children go without a first rate education in the Chicago public school system. The children come first. Give them a big fat raise. What’s the problem with another check written by a bankrupt government.
are you serious? I hope not How do you propose that big raise is paid for when current levels of cost cannot be met?
So if they strike then their existing contract is over ? Let them strike for a few months then rehire back under lowest possible pay and benefits contract to get them to return. I think they would still have a pretty good deal with a 30% pay and benefits cut. Maybe even attract new teachers from other districts too. Or alternatively rent out existing school buildings to various charter school groups effectively outsourcing the payroll.
The strike missed school could be replaced with special summer sessions to bring instructional days up to standards. – I really should be Mayor of Chicago – problem solved with 5 minutes of thought.
Attract talent from other area’s by cutting pay, solid gold logic right there! 30% compression cut is a good deal? Lol you have list your mind. CPS has a hard time attracting talent already, hence the higher than average starting salary. I’m sure people will line up to take shit pay.
Nice unpredictable childcare need for several months sounds like a dream to all the low income parents, people will love that. Disruptions like that are hard for everyone with kids, even higher income people will have issues with this.
Your head is so far up your ass maybe you would make a good politician.
As reported – median pay with benefits = about $100K . 30% cut brings pay down to $70K . That is still very good pay compared to the people paying the taxes.. Maybe I should reconsider my new profession and switch to teaching instead. Certainly should require less contortions re: ass compared to being a politician.
A quick search on the Chicago PS employment website reveals about 800 openings for masters degree teaching staff. Total teaching staff now employed for CPS around 20,000. Very low less than 5% vacancy. $100K median wage seems acceptable to 95% of the current staff. Maybe they would take less. Simply lower wages until openings begin to increase. That way you will know the proper level to set wages. Also bring in qualified teachers from South America who may be willing to work for less money especially teaching Spanish classes. These are the standard tools used by managers outside of government to control payroll costs. These are the conditions that everyone else has to deal with that doesn’t have a government job.
““When will we address the fact that rich, white people think they know what’s in the best interest of children of African Americans and Latinos—no matter what the parent’s income or education level.”
CTU president Karen Lewis is a racist.
No, she is a slovenly hog and a glittering jewel of profound ignorance.
“…the total compensation for a teacher – good, bad or middling – becomes almost $106K per annum.”
Robotics is a solution that should be considered.
Money from special tax districts could be key to averting teachers strike
The union argues the mayor has millions of dollars at his disposal from special taxing funds that could be used to protect jobs and ensure teachers get raises they believe they deserve as City Hall asks them to contribute more toward their retirements.
………
The CTU has long called on Emanuel to tap money from those tax increment financing districts, or TIFs, to bail out a cash-strapped district that has struggled to keep schools operating and to make required payments toward teachers’ pensions.
Ald. George Cardenas, 12th, has led efforts in the City Council to push Emanuel to use TIF money to help shore up the CPS bank account. Cardenas said he met late last week in Emanuel’s office with CTU representatives and the mayor’s top aides in a bid to hash out an agreement on using surplus from TIF funds to prevent a walkout.
“We want to avoid a strike of course, and a (TIF) surplus could give a win to everyone. I want to find a win-win,” Cardenas said. “The mayor can claim a victory on avoiding a strike, the CTU can claim victory on the finances of the (school) district and we can all move forward.”
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-chicago-teachers-strike-politics-met-1002-20160930-story.html
What a bunch of one sided garbage you are spewing. The median income you state is no where near that number. To make that amount as a teacher you would need to have a 25 year teaching experience and hold a PhD at the very least. You also do not mention that teachers don’t pay into social security for them to have retiring income. And also you don’t mention that politicians in Illinois and Chicago for years raided the teacher pension like thiefs. There is no money for schools by choice. Giving it to private charter schools, text book companies and testing companies. There are many schools in Chicago who have a student body well over a thousand students and there is only a principal and one secretary. No assistant principal. No nurses. The closes comparison to teaching is slavery. Teachers are oftened asked to not only teach at school but also take additional roles with no additional pay.
After a teacher comes home they continue to work until well into the morning hours grading thousands of papers, tests, and writing lesson plans. Teachers have no social life. They have very little time for their own kids because of the workload. And so called summer vacation is less than two months but teachers are preparing for the new school year. If they can take their own kids for a one week getaway is a rare luxury when all is said and done.
t o tell you how screwed up the Chicago teachers and the unions is, the st legislature and Chicago did not fully contribute to the pension (only because they did not have the money) and the teachers and their union bosses failed to step up and do anything when it happened. Dumb dumb dumb.
on the lesson plans? The teachers wanted the same class each year so they would not have to do lesson plans. I know that because the bragged about that.
And the teachers had 10 weeks off in the summer , the full week at thanksgiving and 2 weeks winter vacation and 1 week spring. They bitched about parent teacher conferences.
They embellish all what you say.
and they did take their kids on vacation and if they stayed til 5PM they could grade tests and papers. and not take anything home.
These are the same teachers who said they really cared about the kids but every three years went on strike or threatened.
If teaching was so bad, and the teachers had talent, do was people in the regular work force did, pick up your asses and do something else.
but remember they were “tenured” and there was no real review or accountability. –could not get that deal anywhere else.
these are the same teachers who were so on love with their professions that they could not jump fast enough at early retirement with , in IL full pension as if 65 and in most cases free healthcare for life. Until the system crumbles.
yeah, were there passionate teachers, sure. But for the most part no.
Now we have bankrupt systems and the current teachers are underpaid as the money is being funneled to pensions and healthcare for retirees and not too motivated. political correctness wise too.
when I discuss the pension with them, they smile and say its guaranteed. they never heard of “ya cannot squeeze blood out of a turnip”. nor there is “no such thing as a free lunch”
the rockerfeller foundation released a study last week where state tax corporate and individual tax revenues are in decline. The calpers and IL systems are bankrupt underfunded and tax revenues are in decline, Sales tax revenues are in decline , Motor fuel tax revenues are in decline.
If the stock and bond markets actually are allowed to go where they should be, the systems are bankrupt, nut just underfunded. The teachers will be SOL when that happens.
Overall people better start understanding where we are headed. Not just government workers and retirees.
I have to shake my head at Mish and some of the comments. I have 2 sons that are teachers and I see how well off they are. Teachers have it easy? Laughable.
So why don’t they quit and make it big in the oh so easy private sector just booming here in Illinois?
The tax payers don’t have it easy, working so that they can pay the salaries of a teachers union that strikes at the drop of a hat.
Teaching in a public school, is public service. No one in public service should be going out on strike. Roosevelt was right that public servants should not be unionized. It is a conflict of interest with being in service to the public.
Yes declare bankruptcy and get out of the education business and let private schools take over. The private schools presently pay their teachers less, but produce better educated students.
Huxley was right. People will love their enslavement.
Reblogged this on John Barleycorn and commented:
We have only gotten about a 1.5% raise for about the least eight years and felt lucky to get that. I am against public sector unionization for this very reason.
Fire them all.
Close the schools for a year, two if needed.
The teachers may be overpaid if Mish’s figures are accurate but it’s nothing compared to the greed of CEO’s and top execs and they are the pace setters in America. Everybody wants to be like them…more money for less effort.
I’d also bet that the ‘good’ teachers are as stressed as most CEOs for 1/300th the remuneration and it’s strange that Mish hasn’t said a word about Stumpf from Well’s Fargo or other instances of executive greed but he’s all over the unions.
If I had to choose which was worse I’d say that executive greed is a much bigger problem than union greed.
Blame the unions and the Fed
If CEO’s are overpaid and are ethically challenged, its the Boards responsibility to do something and if shareholders are pissed enough the shareholders should dump the board.
Steve Jobs and Bill Gates are excellent examples of CEOs that deserve everything they got.
Bob Nardelli screwed up Home Depot, and I think he got a 240 million severance package.
where I worked if you were fired “for cause” you lost your bonus and vacation or exec bonus (options) package.
Now–how about all the execs on Wall street who probably should be in jail for intentionally doing something wrong.
Or for that matter elected officials that lie.
The ethical standards of this country would improve significantly once we throw ethically challenged high profile people in jail. And not go after the small guy who does not have the resources and special friends to fight a problem, like for example HRC.. IMO it was a weak opinion that got her out from under, not a rigorous trial.