Message From Wisconsin: What We’re Losing

I say losing – instead of lost – because the jury is still out. The fat lady has yet to sing.

We have not completely lost. But we are losing. We are losing the war of words. We have lost control of the discourse. The dialogue. 

My mother is to blame for everything that is wrong with this country today. My mother, the immigrant, who came to this country in her mid-30s with 10 years of teaching experience behind her. My mother, who re-trained as a teacher in this country during the bad economic times of 1970’s, New York City. My mother, who waited for years to get a permanent teaching job in the public school system. My mother, who really didn’t teach that many years. My mother, who in her retirement, is far, far, far from rich, but well-taken care of enough that my sister and I don’t have to lose any sleep. My mother, who as a fairly young widow, put her two daughters through school at fine East Coast colleges.

My mother was a public servant. She entered into a social contract with the citizens of her adopted city, to serve. Her salary would never be great, but in return she would have deferred benefit when she needed to be taken care of. She would have a decent pension and health care in her old age. And maybe because a few worries would be taken off her head during her senior years, she would have the where-with-all to continue to contribute to her society, in other capacities.

And now, everything is her fault. And the fault of others, like her.  Public servants.

So yes. We are losing. We are losing the war of words. We have lost control of the discourse. The dialogue.

And there is no better evidence of that fact than the trial balloon Mitt Romney thinks is acceptable to float.

Romney said of Obama, “he wants another stimulus, he wants to hire more government workers. He says we need more fireman, more policeman, more teachers. Did he not get the message of Wisconsin? The American people did. It’s time for us to cut back on government and help the American people.” 

Better yet, watch the video, if you can stomach it.

 

I would be lying if I said I knew what the message from Wisconsin was this week. I can’t wrap my head around it. Can’t put myself in the place of those who support Gov. Walker.

But my message to the Democrats? We have to fight the war of words. We have to take back the discourse. We have to take control of the dialogue. We have to burst the trial balloon.

And I am not sure we have the guts to do it.

On The Wisconsin Recall

A quite interesting analysis from Talking Points Memo on the chances Republican Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker will face a recall:

Is it still possible for Wisconsin Democrats to recall Gov. Scott Walker, following their narrow failure last week to take control of the state Senate via recall elections? New survey numbers from Public Policy Polling (D) suggests that the answer is unclear -- and a lot would seemingly depend on whether they can recruit a top candidate, such as former Sen. Russ Feingold.

Walker's approval rating is still underwater, with 45% approval to 53% disapproval. However, a later question asked: "Would you support or oppose recalling Scott Walker from office before his term is up?" The answer was 47% support, to 50% oppose -- down slightly from a 50%-47% support margin in a PPP survey from late May, though both are within the margin of error.

Lots of factors at play, here of course. The narrow failure of – and very high expectations associated with – the Democrats to take control of the State Senate last week via that particular recall process. Failed expectations, of sorts. And of course, as noted in the article, the sizable number of people in the state who are generally opposed to the concept of recall elections regardless of the state-of-the-state. I am somewhat sympathetic to that argument, myself.

Folks may simply be suffering from recall-related burnout – the State Senate recall process was intense, by anyone’s definition. Sentiment may change as the ramifications of Gov. Walker’s budget implementation become obvious, and the effort may pick up steam. Or the opposite may happen, even if things get worse.

I am hopeful the good people of Wisconsin won’t fall into the collective depression that seems to be sweeping the country, and stick to the notion that change is possible. However they define change, and whatever they want that change to be.

Today From Wisconsin

As lots of folks are telling us, today is D-Day in Wisconsin. Six Republican state senators are facing a recall, largely because they supported Republican Gov. Scott Walker in his drive to limit the collective bargaining rights of public employees. Two Democratic senators face their own recall next week. If the Democrats can come out ahead with a net of three seats, they will take control of the state Senate.

From the Madison-based, Progressive Magazine:

If the Democrats win, they will be able to put the brakes on Walker’s runaway train. And they’ll set the stage for a huge confrontation with Walker six months from now, when he may have to face a recall himself, probably against none other than Russ Feingold.

And a Democratic win would send a signal to other Republican governors that they’ll pay a price if they follow Walker’s lead and try to destroy the right to organize or decimate public education, which Walker has also done.

And it’ll send the message that resistance works.

If the Democrats prevail, the voters of Wisconsin will be sending a message to every other Governor who has been trying to use corporate dollars to crush the power of labor. And budget cuts, of course. Ohio, here. Michigan, here. Indiana, here.

Not so much of course, if the Republicans prevail. And Gov. Scott Walter could be the new darling of the Republican party.

Ed Schultz broadcast his MSNBC television show last night from Madison, and will do the same today. His segments were great.

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We should all watch the results tonight. They will be a test of today’s political mood.  And from the looks of it this morning, the jury is still out.

This Day in Labor History

Just as a County Circuit Judge struck down Wisconsin's controversial collective bargaining law today, the Maine state legislature has revised a "right to work" bill.

From Wisconsin:

Ruling that Republicans in the State Senate had violated the state’s open meetings law, a judge in Wisconsin dealt a blow to them and to Gov. Scott Walker on Thursday by granting a permanent injunction striking down a new law curbing collective bargaining rights for many state and local employees.

Judge Maryann Sumi of Dane County Circuit Court said the Senate vote on March 9, coming after 13 Democratic state senators had fled the state, failed to comply with an open meetings law requiring at least two hours notice to the public.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments in the case on June 6 , and Republican lawmakers are hoping that the court overturns Judge Sumi’s ruling and reinstates the law.

From Maine, thanks to Rachel Maddow:

In Maine, the state legislature has revised a bill that would make membership in a public-employees union optional. They call it "right to work," and there's no finer way to siphon power from unions and drive wages down -- that's why business interests want these laws and union workers hate them. Indiana Republicans gave up on a "right to work" bill this year rather than pick this particular fight.

But in Maine, a "right to work" bill has just come back around on the fast track, the Lewiston Sun-Journal reports. Governor LePage has been negotiating with school and other state workers -- weakening their unions now would help him. "It's the continuation of the anti-worker sentiment of this governor, from the labor mural to child labor laws," Chris Quint of the Maine State Employees Union tells the paper. "We're going to fight this thing every step of the way."

 Let's hope that as Maine goes, does-not-go-the-nation.

Yesterday's Vote In Wisconsin

A powerful reminder of why judicial elections matter.  Especially today.  Especially in Wisconsin.  Even if you don't believe judges should be elected. Could be coming to your state, soon.



We are looking at a tight, tight race showing challenger JoAnne Kloppenburg ahead by only 300-some-odd votes over incumbent Justice David Prosser, a former Republican speaker of the Assembly. Those opposed to Gov. Scott Walter's proposal taking away most state workers’ collective bargaining rights remain hopeful that a change in the Supreme Court's ideological balance might up the chances the law will ultimately be stricken down.

Gov. Scott Walker said this afternoon that the spring election results show there are "two very different worlds in this state."

"You've got a world driven by Madison, and a world driven by everybody else out across the majority of the rest of the state of Wisconsin," Walker said at a press conference in the Capitol.

Walker said he didn't believe the election was a referendum on his policies, saying the results reinforce Wisconsin's status as a "purple" state. He attributed other victories by Dem-backed candidates outstate to local factors, while noting that conservative candidates such as Jim Ladwig in Racine also emerged victorious Tuesday. In particular, he said the results in the race for his former post as Milwaukee County executive reflected its status as a "dark blue county."

Now, on to perusing what this all might have to say about the chances the eight Republican State Senators who voted in favor of the law, will actually be recalled...

As Wisconsin Goes, So Goes Ohio

This is what happens when you vote against your own best interest, and hand Republicans control of your State Assembly, State Senate, and Governor's Mansion.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Labor stronghold Ohio assumed center stage Wednesday in the fight over collective bargaining rights for public workers as the state Legislature passed a bill that was in some ways tougher than that seen in Wisconsin and sent it to the governor.

Amid shouts and jeers in both chambers, the House passed a measure affecting 350,000 public workers on a 53-44 vote, and the Senate followed with a 17-16 vote of approval. Republican Gov. John Kasich will sign the bill by the end of the week.

Senate President Tom Niehaus threatened to clear the chamber ahead of final legislative action on the bill as pro-labor protesters shouted insults at senators and threatened to unseat them in the next election.

All I can say is, "RECALL and REFERENDUM."  And coming from California, I can tell you now that it's not going to be pretty,

Teacher Firings In Providence

This is shameless:

After two hours of contentious discussion, the School Board voted 4 to 3 Thursday night to send out termination notices to each of the city’s 1,926 public school teachers.

More than 700 teachers jammed a high school gymnasium to tell school officials that their hearts were broken, their trust violated and their futures as teachers jeopardized.

“How do we feel? Disrespected,” said Julie Latessa, a special-needs teacher, before the vote. “We are broken. How do you repair the damage you have done today?”

At stake here is the fact that the teachers will be outright fired, rather than laid-off.  Under layoff provisions, teachers are returned based on seniority.  This may not necessarily the case when dealing with fired teachers.  No one knows for sure

At first I thought this was a just a silly power play on the part of the new mayor, Angel Taveras, mostly representative of the type of cluelessness so often found in school districts around the country.  Lay everyone off because you don't really know what all else to do, and then call most people back.  Now I am not so sure.

I do know that right now I am irked by own support of the mayor's candidacy this last summer.  Son of Dominican immigrants.  Former Head Start kid.  Harvard graduate. Respected attorney.

For the sake of his own political future, the new mayor better fix this one, and fast.  Providence has come too far, too fast to risk the future of its students.

As Wisconsin Goes, So Goes Ohio

And over in Ohio:

Ohio took its first step Wednesday toward passing sweeping legislation that would curtail collective bargaining rights for public sector workers by banning strikes and putting the power of breaking labor impasses in the hands of local elected officials.

Amid boos and shouts of “shame on you,” the Republican-controlled Ohio Senate voted 17 to 16 for the bill, with 6 Republicans voting against it.

The bill is expected to be passed next week in the House and signed into law by Gov. John Kasich, who issued a statement applauding the Senate vote. Democratic lawmakers said they would take it to a ballot referendum this fall.

The only way the bill got out of the necessary committees, was through the removal of two Republicans State Senators considered to be pro-union:

It took the removal of two -- count 'em -- union-sympathetic Republicans from Ohio state Senate committees, but supporters of Gov. John Kasich's (R) plan to limit collective bargaining rights for state workers were able to move their plan one step closer to Kasich's desk today.
By a vote of 7-5, a State Senate Committee charged with reviewing the collective bargaining proposal -- known as Senate Bill 5 -- moved the bill toward a floor reading and its expected passage. Shortly after that, a similarly close vote moved the bill out of the Senate Rules Committee.

In the end, the two State Senators who were stripped of their committee memberships in order to get this thing though, joined all 10 Democrats in voting against the bill.

Playing dirty.  Getting their way.

70,000 Voices, Minus One

The voices we heard from Madison, Wisconsin this week.

The voices of at least 70,000 protesters at the State Capitol this weekend. Out in the snowy, cold. Voices speaking out against Gov. Scott Walker’s plan to end most collective bargaining rights for state workers.

The voice of Capitol Police Chief Charles Tubbs, as he announced that the protesters would not be cleared from the Capitol.

Police decided not to forcibly remove protesters after thousands ignored a 4 p.m. Sunday deadline to leave so the normally immaculate building could get a thorough cleaning. Capitol Police Chief Charles Tubbs said no demonstrators will be arrested as long as they continue to obey the law.

"People here have acted lawfully and responsibly," Tubbs said. "There's no reason to consider arrests."

The lone, representative voice of labor on yesterday’s Sunday morning shows, Richard Trumka, defending the silence of one voice so many want to hear on this one – the voice of President Obama.

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka gave his blessing Sunday to President Obama's handling of the labor standoff in Wisconsin.

Amid some criticism on the left that Obama could do more to boost unions in their demonstrations against Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, and his proposal to eliminate most collective bargaining rights for public workers, Trumka said the president was doing just fine.

"I think he's doing it the right way," Trumka said on NBC's "Meet the Press"

Voices from the Congressional Progressive Caucus saying just the opposite. The emphasis is mine.

"I think the statements the president made supporting collective bargaining and organized labor are important," Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) told reporters on a Wednesday conference call organized by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee. "I think that there is more to do.

While the issue is clear and in front of us in Wisconsin, it does have national ramifications...There's a bully pulpit there that the president has and I think it needs to be used, it needs to be used to rally national support, and I hope that role is part of I believe the president's undertaken aggressively because this is not just an isolated regional state fight in Wisconsin. This has ramifications for national policy...I don't think you can turn the cheek on this one, this is one where you have to be very firm.

His co-chair, Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) made the same point Wednesday evening on MSNBC.

"Of course I'd like to hear more from President Obama," Ellison said. " He's made some statements, he should get credit for that, we'd like to hear him make some more statements. I think President Obama should come to Wisconsin and stand with the workers."

The silencing of voices, as the Wisconsin State Assembly cut off debate on the proposal, in the wee hours of the morning.

After a bitter, 61-hour debate that was the longest in living memory, the sleep-starved state Assembly voted in just seconds early Friday to approve a watershed proposal repealing most union bargaining rights held by public workers.

Just after 1 a.m., Republicans cut off debate on Gov. Scott Walker's bill and in pell-mell fashion the body voted 51-17 to pass it. In the confusion, nearly one-third of the body - 28 lawmakers including 25 Democrats, two Republicans and the body's lone independent - did not vote on the bill at all.

All Democrats voted against the proposal along with four Republicans - Dean Kaufert of Neenah, Lee Nerison of Westby, Richard Spanbauer of Oshkosh, and Travis Tranel of Cuba City.

Democrats erupted after the vote, throwing papers and what appeared to be a drink in the air. They denounced the move to cut off debate, questioning for the second time in the night whether the proper procedure had been followed.

But, perhaps best of all this week was the voice of Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker getting PUNKED! He took a 20-minute call from investigative journalist Ian Murphy from the on-line magazine Buffalo Beast, as he pretending to be billionaire and big-bucks-Walker-supporter David Koch.

So much has been said, written, video-taped about this encounter. But, the voice of Cenk Uyger on his MSNBC television show right after the encounter, says it all. He is incredulous. As well, he should be. A remarkable encounter.



Baseball bats.  Advertising dollars.  Trips to "Cali."

We like to think that through the voices of our elected officials, we get a glimpse into how they think.  What they want to accomplish.  Despite what Gov. Walker has said about his public policy imperatives, it's not brain surgery what he thinks.  His budget proposal is about nothing but trying to strip workers of their rights in Wisconsin, and then taking his show on the road.  But, as despicable as that is, at least it's as public policy stance.  What is remarkable about his telephone encounter with the fake Koch brother, is that it tells us not what Gov. Walker (really) thinks about an issue of our day, but who really he is. 

And if you're no careful, once in a while a lone voice when left to its own devices, can do just that.

Come Sunday

It’s a start:

Today, ThinkProgress and others noted that the Sunday morning news shows did not feature any labor movement leaders or members last week — and none had been booked for this weekend — despite the ongoing protests in a host of states.

A Main Street Movement of workers, students, and lawmakers has come together to push back on conservatives attempting to strip collective bargaining rights from public employees, yet the Sunday shows hadn’t see fit to include any of their voices, instead opting for a slew of conservative commentators and Republican governors.

However, ThinkProgress has learned that NBC’s Meet the Press today booked AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka for Sunday. We applaud NBC’s decision and encourage the other networks (ABC, CBS, Fox News, and CNN) to also give a voice to working people.

Good, but not good enough. I know the fix is in, but really. It’s not just about giving a voice to the working people – it’s about honest, intellectual exchange.

I suspect the other networks will turn around on this one. But we’ll have to see just how good the debate will really be.

Fire All The Teachers, Why Don't You

Very distressing news from (one of) my former hometowns. The city of Providence, RI will be sending layoff notices to all of it’s 1,926 teachers.

In an e-mail sent to all teachers and School Department staff, Brady said, “We are forced to take this precautionary action by the March 1 deadline given the dire budget outline for the 2011-2012 school year in which we are projecting a near $40 million deficit for the district,” Brady wrote. “Since the full extent of the potential cuts to the school budget have yet to be determined, issuing a dismissal letter to all teachers was necessary to give the mayor, the School Board and the district maximum flexibility to consider every cost savings option, including reductions in staff.” State law requires that teachers be notified about potential changes to their employment status by March 1.

Rumors abound that it’s really the new mayor, Angel Taveras behind the plan.

Taveras, in a statement issued Tuesday night, said the uncertainty around the city’s finances, combined with the March 1 deadline, led to this decision. Because it is too early to be certain of all possible changes to the school budget, Taveras said, issuing dismissal notices to all teachers “provides maximum flexibility” going forward.

An action like this is reflective of pure incompetence. Any (moderately) well-run institution that does even a modicum of planning can do better than this. And, in a time when it is important to get all community stakeholders – parents, business leaders, volunteers, donors – believing in public schools as institutions that should be supported with faith, time, money and effort, this can only lead to votes of no confidence.

And while I don’t believe for a moment that Mayor Taveras and others behind this plan are explicitly anti-union, I do fear that the prevalent sentiment in America right now makes actions such as this one increasingly possible. It’s in the water.

And when the operative words are "maximum flexibility," the outcome can never be good for the working man and woman.

How The Midwest (WIll Be) Won

Thanks to Chris Hayes, for telling the truth on the Tuesday night edition of MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show, about the (non) connection between high union membership rates, and state budget shortfalls.

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Take a good listen to the start of the segment bringing in Washington Post columnist Ezra Klein, @ 8:50:

Unionization does not drive fiscal crises. Definitely not right now. Now, we don’t want to go too far with that. Pension funds, health care benefits, these things do matter for state budgets. They are a drag, just as, and we should be very clear about this, giant corporate income tax cuts are a big drag on state budgets, loss of revenues are a big drag, overspending is a big drag. But budgets are complicated. But I want to go a step further with what you’re saying here. Excuse me there. I want to go up a step further with what you’re saying, because it is important to realize that when the states made these promises to their workers they made a deal. They said, we’ll get your work now if you let us defer payment for it until later. That wasn’t a bad deal for the state. There’s a sort of narrative out there that these greedy workers got too much money. They got too much benefits from the state. Right now, they actually got less than what they figured they were totally promised. And, in the end the people who are going to pay here are these workers, not the states. The idea that the people who are coming out on the top of this are these overcompensated unions is really, frankly, a little bit atrocious. They basically got the short end of the stick here.

And thanks, Gov. Christie, for telling me that union members constitute their own class, receiving “rich health and pension benefits." Giving the term “class warfare” a whole new definition. And in New Jersey, of all places.

"Political Enemies and Thugs"

Why am I not surprised:

On Saturday night, when MotherJones.com staffers tweeted a report that riot police might soon sweep demonstrators out of the Wisconsin capitol building, one Twitter user sent out a chilling response: "Use live ammunition."

Later, the Tweeter was revealed to be Jeff Cox, a deputy attorney general for the state of Indiana.

When Mother Jones staffer Adam Weinstein responded, Deputy AG Cox tweeted back that the demonstrators were "political enemies" and "thugs" who were "physically threatening legally elected officials."

In response to such behavior Cox said, "You're damned right I advocate deadly force." He later called Weinstein a "typical leftist," adding, "liberals hate police."

As I said this morning, it’s a short road from Wisconsin Gov. Walker insinuating state workers and protestors are “outside agitators," to the real possibility of violence.

Nevada, Chicago And Elsewhere

Ah, those pesky outside agitators are at it again. From Wisconsin Gov. Scott Brown’s “fireside chat” last night:

As more and more protesters come in from Nevada, Chicago and elsewhere, I am not going to allow their voices to overwhelm the voices of the millions of taxpayers from across the state who think we’re doing the right thing. This is a decision that Wisconsin will make.

Pure code for the complete and unadulterated demonization of the protesters. Equating the state workers with the “outsider” – strange, different, scary and the ultimate threat. Even Gov. Brown has to know that at the first sign of the slightest dissent, any dictator will blame outside forces. Fidel Castro did it for decades. The tiniest form of foment – blame the big, bad United States. I find Brown and his ilk despicable, but at least I give them credit for truly believing in what they are saying and doing. To a flaw.  You don’t see anyone going around accusing them of being abducted by aliens.

Funny, though how those outside agitators don't include billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch.  Or their energy conglomerate  Or the nonprofit group they heavily finance.

Among the thousands of demonstrators who jammed the Wisconsin State Capitol grounds this weekend was a well-financed advocate from Washington who was there to voice praise for cutting state spending by slashing union benefits and bargaining rights.

The visitor, Tim Phillips, the president of Americans for Prosperity, told a large group of counterprotesters who had gathered Saturday at one edge of what otherwise was a mostly union crowd that the cuts were not only necessary, but they also represented the start of a much-needed nationwide move to slash public-sector union benefits.

“We are going to bring fiscal sanity back to this great nation,” he said.
What Mr. Phillips did not mention was that his Virginia-based nonprofit group, whose budget surged to $40 million in 2010 from $7 million three years ago, was created and financed in part by the secretive billionaire brothers Charles G. and David H. Koch.

State records also show that Koch Industries, their energy and consumer products conglomerate based in Wichita, Kan., was one of the biggest contributors to the election campaign of Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin, a Republican who has championed the proposed cuts.

And, speaking of someone I (have to) believe, has to believe in what he says:



While Gov. Walker’s use of language may seem benign in comparison to Glenn Beck, it is not only anti-intellectual, but it’s downright dangerous. It’s as stone’s throw from demonizing the local firefighter as an “outside agitator” out of step with the mainstream constituency, to the conspiratorial ramblings of someone like Glen Beck.

Listen closely.

Channelling Ex-Presidents In Wisconsin

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is labeling tonight's state address a fireside chat, while former Pennsylvania Republican Senator Rick Santorum likened the protesting union members in Wisconsin to drug addicts during a speech in South Carolina.

“They are acting like their drug is being taken away from them,” Santorum said.

Really.

Recall In Wisconsin

As a Californian who watched in disbelief as we got Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger through a recall process, I say to the people of Wisconsin, DO IT!

Standing Up For The People of Wisconsin

Surprise. The war on the worker bee continues:

NASHVILLE — The Senate Education Committee voted along party lines Wednesday to abolish collective bargaining between teachers unions and school boards across the state.
The vote was 6-3, with all Republicans on the panel voting for the bill and all Democrats against.

Sponsor Sen. Jack Johnson said passage of the bill — SB113 — will remove 'an albatross from around the neck of our school boards across the state' and remove a roadblock to education reform.

And that comes on the heels of Ohio:

Proposals similar to Gov. Walker's have been made in New Jersey and Ohio. In Columbus, Ohio, thousands gathered Thursday to protest a Republican proposal that would eliminate collective-bargaining rights for many of that state's 400,000 public-sector workers.

Speaker of the House John Boehner wades in:

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) stepped into the heated labor debate in Wisconsin on Thursday, backing GOP Gov. Scott Walker's proposed reforms to collective bargaining rights.

Boehner released a statement on Thursday afternoon backing Walker and his package of aggressive labor reforms that would force increased contributions by state workers to benefits and pension plans, and limit collective bargaining rights for some.

John Boehner is standing up for Gov. Scott Walker. We must stand up for the people of Wisconsin. What happens in Madison, could largely determine whether this attack on unions (successfully) sweeps the country.

Cairo? Madison? Wisconsin? Egypt? Wherever, Whatever!!!

I guess the comparisons between Cairo and Madison are inevitable (puke), but could Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) have been any more condescending on MSNBC's Morning Joe today?  The emphasis is mine:

It's like Cairo has moved to Madison these days. It's just, all of this demonstration. It's fine, people should be able to express their way, but we've got to get this deficit and debt under control in Madison, if we want to have a good business climate and job creation in Wisconsin.

Oh, and later on in the interview with Mika Brzezinski he called what is going on in Madison "riots."  Really.  Riots.

Talking about people "expressing their way" as if it's an annoyance he has to put up with before shooing everyone away and getting on with it.  An annoyance in Cairo, and an annoyance in Madison.  Before the big boys with all the power and control come on in and show us how's it's done.  Such an annoyance, the little people are.

And don't forget it's a "riot."

Stupidity, or part of the non-stop, Republican lie-machine?  Sometimes I can't really tell.

Will The Nation Go The Way Of Wisconsin?

Former Democratic Senator Russ Feingold from Wisconsin is a class act.  The good people of Wisconsin gave him the boot in November, and he has nothing but good to say about his fellow citizens:



Make no mistake about this. Governor Scott Walker is using the state's budget deficit as an excuse to go after the rights of working people in Wisconsin.  A reason to do something Republicans take every advantage to do -- demonize and vilify government workers.  Every chance they get. And here, they see their chance to tear unions to shred, FAST AND FURIOUS.  At a moment's notice.

From The New York Times:

MADISON, Wis. — As furious protesters once again began gathering near the state Capitol building, state senators were expected to vote on Thursday on a bill that would sharply curtail the collective bargaining rights and slash benefits for most public sector workers in the state.

Madison public schools were closed for a second day on Thursday, as teachers called in sick to lobby at the Capitol against the sweeping proposal. More than a dozen other public school districts announced they were closed for the day as well.

Late into Wednesday evening, a legislative committee approved the measure on a 12-to-4 vote that split along partisan lines, Republicans in favor and Democrats opposed. After an emotional debate, the committee made only minor changes to the proposal put forth last week by Gov. Scott Walker, a Republican, clearing the way for what Mr. Walker hopes will be swift approval by both chambers by Friday.

No doubt in my mind other governors will try and do the same. The question is, when they do, will the people take to the streets like they have done in Madison?

Most states don't have the long (and strong) labor history written in Wisconsin. People in Madison know what the words "labor struggle" mean.  So, all I can say, is we'll have to wait and see.

Declaring War On The Worker: The Wisconsin Edition

The war against the government worker is getting nasty in Wisconsin. The people elected a real winner to run the state, this last November. Not to mention the State Assembly and State Senate.

Scott Walker says the Wisconsin National Guard is prepared to respond wherever is necessary in the wake of his announcement that he wants to take away nearly all collective bargaining rights from state employees.

Walker said Friday that he hasn't called the Guard into action, but he has briefed them and other state agencies in preparation of any problems that could result in a disruption of state services, like staffing at prisons.

Walker says he has every confidence that state employees will continue to show up for work and do their jobs and he's not anticipating any problems.

His plan would require higher pension and health insurance contributions and remove bargaining rights except in a limited way over wages.

 And lots of folks are reacting. Protests. Rallies. Vigils. People coming together all over the state in town-hall style discussion to express their feelings, and share their sentiments.

"Democracy is messy. Dictatorship is easy," said listening session attendee Bill Delaney. "We do not intend to have a dictatorship."

"And I dare the National Guard to drive the buses and repair the buses, and diaper the people in the centers," said former state employee Ruth Gundlach.

It's one thing to slash budgets, medical benefits and pension plans. It’s another thing to do it with the direct intention of squashing unions. In Wisconsin, no less.

Republicans have control in the State Assembly and the State Senate, although it’s considerably smaller in Senate. This thing could pass – Republicans control Madison.

The Governor’s Mansion. The State Assembly. The State Senate. Buyers remorse, Wisconsin?