Mark Zieman (R-naturally) calls state employees "Bottom Feeders"

[Bluzmann57]

Senator Mark Zieman,R,Postville, recently referred to Iowa State employees as "Bottom Feeders". Included in his rant were not only AFSCME members, but teachers and police.
Excerpts of his remarks; "...We have the Iowa state education Association. We have the Iowa Association of Community College Trustees, the School Administrators of Iowa, the Iowa Association of School Boards...". He included many others in his rant and concluded with these remarks. "Every Fall when I start going to meetings, I get to meetings and here they are, the bottom feeders, out there with their hand out. They've got their hands out". So as you can see, he included not only organized labor, he took off on everyone who is employed by the state, except for lawmakers. For complete text and an audio link, go to www.qctimes.com/opinion. There is a link there.
One last note. We, as Iowans, need to contact this guy and tell him that maybe he doesn't respect those who educate our kids, those who protect us, and those who keep our roads fixed, etc., but we sure as hell do.

[Wickerman]

1. check your link, please

this is a very worthwhile story and I'd like to send it to Iowa friends and family if we can locate it:

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[rurallib]

3. try this

http://www.qctimes.com/internal.php?story_id=1049956&l=1&t=Opinion&c=22,1049956

[izzie]

2. Very interesting remark he made.

How does some one get in to office thinking like that? Who would vote for him.

[Debi]

4. every republican that thinks government employees are the reason

our taxes are so high. If we could just get rid of police, fire, DHS, etc. and let the private sector take care of things think of the money we'd save. Oh, and the elected officials need a raise....thanks ;).

[Wapsie B]

5. One of the biggest lies of the gop

is that privatizing services reduces government spending. Those agencies that are privatized are now taken over by private contractors. Those contractors have their snouts in the public trough. There is no savings to the taxpayer.

[Debi]

6. Don't they negotiate themselves into a monopolizing position

with the City/County/State and then hike the rates for their services? And of course the City/County/State at that point can't afford to fire the private contractor and start up public services again. Taxpayers just get stuck.

[Broke Dad]

7. Rednecks love Zieman

Zieman is from a redneck district. They elected him when his dad who held the seat retired and died. They love him. His poll numbers in the district probably went up when the story broke.

The dork doesn't even know the real definition of a 'bottom feeder." He said it related to where pigs eat. He needs to visit the deep parts of the Mississippi River so that he meet the first Iowa "bottom feeders." They eat stuff that falls overboard and/or sinks. If brains were dynamite, Zieman couldn't blow his nose.

[Bluzmann57]

8. Yeah as a guy who fishes

I know about bottom feeders. I have grown up in Mississippi River towns and enjoy hooking a catfish every now and then. However, if I knew that the fish ate Zieman's remains, I'd throw it back. The fish would have suffered enough. Welcome to DU! Think you'll like it here.