"The Democratic-controlled Statehouse in Massachusetts voted earlier this week to strip public employee unions of their collective bargaining rights, as part of the state's budget measure. It passed by a vote of 157 to 1.

That's precisely the same action taken by Republicans in Wisconsin, where it sparked a massive democratic outcry and weeks of rowdy protests.

The Massachusetts legislation would allow local municipalities to make unilateral changes to agreed-upon benefits, like health care, bypassing the need for union approval."

Source: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/04/29/massachusetts-dems-vote-to-strip-public-unions-of-bargaining-rights/

So instead of passing a single payer health-care bill that would halve the cost of care while covering everyone and thus save the state hundreds of billions, they decide to go the super-dumb way: Do what Republicans do. That is stripping of their bargaining rights on health insurance.

What a massively stupid move in a time when Democrats could really benefit from taking distance from Republican standpoints. This is why the Democratic Party gets ridiculed. They promise and come up with the best ideas when they are in the oppositions. But once they run legislature, they are almost exactly like the ones they oppose.

Also:
"According to The Associated Press, the budget also cuts $800 million from the state's Medicaid-like program MassHealth, and strips more than $65 million in aid to state agencies and municipalities."
Source: http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2011/04/28/mass_house_approves_304b_state_budget_proposal/

Again. Incredibly stupid decision making because politicians feat that the single payer health-care system could be too successful.

Maybe the unions will realize that both parties sold out and form a new Labor Party. Well that requires that those union voters begin to boycott hypocrites instead of following them like stupid lemmings. Look what it did in Vermont where we have the Vermont Progressive Party. They will soon have single payer health care.