By God, there's two brand names we can trust! Grover "Date Rape" Norquist and Newt "Serial Adulterer" Gingrich, together again... You'll notice they're not talking about replacing those pensions with anything else, nor are they expressing even the mildest concern about what happens to the retirees who need that money. Because, after all, the real benefit of this "helpful" legislation will be to break public employees unions, who somehow persist in voting for Democrats.

Another day, another act of organized theft against ordinary working people. This is what we can expect from today's corporate parties, where regular people are so far down on the list of concerns, it's hardly worth mentioning:

Former House Speaker and possible GOP presidential contender Newt Gingrich is pushing for federal legislation giving financially strapped states the right to file for bankruptcy and renege on pension and other benefit promises made to state employees.

Proponents of the measure — which include Americans for Tax Reform, a Washington lobby group that fights tax increases — said the legislation is desperately needed to clear the way for struggling states to slash costs before they go belly up, and should be regarded as a preemptive move that could preclude the need for massive federal bailouts.

“It's in the short-term and long-term interests of government workers and taxpayers to start those reforms now, rather than having to pick up the pieces after a crash landing,” ATR President Grover Norquist said in an interview.

“We are working with people inside and outside of Congress on this issue,” said Joe DeSantis, a spokesman for Mr. Gingrich, whom Mr. DeSantis said is considering a bid to be the Republican presidential candidate in 2012.

Yep, Joe. I'll just bet you are -- working with people outside Congress, I mean. All kinds of people!