Well said. But we must ask ourselves why has so much vehemence developed, and continues to increase, against public employees? It now colors every debate about taxes and spending in Oregon, in a very unhealthy way: Oregonian against Oregonian.  I know I'll be accused of blaming the victim, but the unions' absolute intransigence and litigiousness on the issue of pensions has played a role. If they offered even one tiny concession to help balance this budget, it would go a long way toward beginning a healing process.