Scott Walker is looking forward to making REAL money…

Wouldn’t you consider the $144,423 that Scott Walker makes as Governor of Wisconsin is a good salary? Gee… it would make MY life a lot easier. Walker, however, told right-wing radio host Charlie Sykes, that he was about to “make some real money” if he were to leave politics and enter the private sector:

And if we fail to win, it will take us down the path we see, failing, people like the people in Illinois, down in Springfield, and I for one don’t want that. Not because this job is that important to me, ‘cuz frankly my wife in some ways would love it if I’d go back to the private sector and make some real money.

So I guess he doesn’t care what happens in his upcoming recall election… and if that’s true, why doesn’t he just quit? Most of Wisconsin would be happy if we did.

 

And as long as we’re talking about Wisconsin I’d like to say “Hi” to my son in Milwaukee. Chin up, Bud!

Related articles

• “I saw a bald eagle flying over the [Wisconsin] Capitol.” (althouse.blogspot.com)
• Governor Walker’s Wisconsin Lost 3,900 Private-Sector Jobs In December, Nation Added Jobs That Month (dekerivers.wordpress.com)
• Governor Walker’s Wisconsin Lost 11,700 Private-Sector Jobs In November From October (dekerivers.wordpress.com)
• Union-Busting Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker ‘Far Off Pace’ From Delivering On Job Creation Promises (thinkprogress.org)
• Why Can’t Gov. Scott Walker Stop the Job Losses in Wisconsin? (crooksandliars.com)
• Scott Walker Rallies Against Recall Efforts At CPAC 2012 (huffingtonpost.com)
• On and To Scott “the American Assad” Walker, the Godless, Soulless, Spineless, Bloodless, Heartless Governor of Wisconsin (spwg22.wordpress.com)

Quote of the Day – Wisconsin Governor Walker denies health care for his constituents

Wisconsin (unfortunately the state my son and his fiancee live in) will turn down $37 million from the federal government that had been awarded to help implement health care exchanges under President Barack Obama’s health care reform law, Gov. Scott Walker said Wednesday.

This is regarded as a purely political decision by a Governor who is currently facing a major recall petition (over one million signatures) to remove him from office.

The American Cancer Society is among many organizations commenting on the situation:

“A robust, consumer-friendly health exchange designed specifically for Wisconsin would greatly expand access to care to those who need it most, while preserving what already works. It’s unfortunate the (Walker) administration is deciding to ignore this reality.”

- Allison Miller, Wisconsin government relations director for the American Cancer Society.

One would hope that Wisconsin could get this turkey out of office as soon as possible and elect someone who has the concerns of the citizens ahead of party.

Wisconsin Supreme Court Election Update:

As of 9:30 this morning:

clipped from www.huffingtonpost.com   Scott Walker’s ‘Waterloo’: 19 Counties Flip To Democrats In Wisconsin Supreme Court Race   Walker Flipped A divisive budget battle between labor unions and Gov. Scott Walker (R-Wis.) turned a state Supreme Court race into a nationally watched bellwether on the electorate’s mood heading into a recall campaign and the 2012 elections. Nearly 1.5 million people turned out to vote, representing 33.5 percent of voting-age adults — 68 percent higher than the 20 percent turnout officials had expected. JoAnne Kloppenburg has already declared victory, with the vote tallies showing her beating incumbent David Prosser by just a couple hundred votes. The race is expected to head to a recount. Significantly, 19 counties that went for Walker in the 2010 elections this time flipped and went for Kloppenburg, including LaCrosse (59 percent), Sauk (56 percent) and Dunn (56 percent). Justices on the Wisconsin Supreme Court serve 10-year terms, and unseating a member is extremely rare.

Wisconsin’s First Turnover… Let’s watch for more…

“Liberalism is trust of the people tempered by prudence. Conservatism is distrust of the people tempered by fear.” ~William E. Gladstone, 1866

Received this in the e-mail this afternoon:

They just announced — only minutes ago — the final precincts in the WI Supreme Court race and we won!!

WI Republicans are in a panic. There will be a recount, but the damage is already done. In fact, district by district results show major problems for the WI Republican Senators across the state — especially for Republican Senator Dan Kapanke where JoAnne Kloppenburg won his district handily.

As you know, Kapanke is the first of the Republican Senators to have a recall petition filed on him. Let’s see if they can add more to the list…and hold out until January so they can recall Gov. Walker.

Related Articles

• Wisconsin Democrats File First Petition To Recall Dan Kapanke (huffingtonpost.com)
• Wisconsin Dems file 30,000 signatures to recall Kapanke, twice what’s needed (dailykos.com)
• It’s On Like Donkey Kong!: Wisconsin Has The Signatures For Recall Of Republican State Sen. Kapanke (crooksandliars.com)
• BREAKING: First Republican Recalled …boldprogressives.org (ynative77.wordpress.com)
• Dems to force recall of Wisconsin GOP senator (thehill.com)

Wisconsin GOP attacks Judge Sumi(‘s lifestyle!)

clipped from www.salon.com Excerpt from the Dane County Republican broadside: Judge Maryann Sumi The Republican Party of Dane County recognizes that Judge Sumi is a leftist living in Dane County. Her friends are leftists living in Dane County. Her son is a left wing activist in Dane County. She goes to cocktail parties held by leftists in Dane County. She shops at organic gourmet food shops run by leftists living in Dane County. If she were to enforce the law of Wisconsin and do what was in the best interest of the people of Wisconsin, she’d be exiled from her lifestyle. She’d lose her friends! The leadership of the Republican Party of Dane County have all made the choice to stand against the Dane County elite. We accept that Left feels righteous vandalizing our homes and keying our cars. It’s only fair. We disagree based upon logic and principle. That is intolerable! We prioritize the Constitution and the well being of the people of Wisconsin over foie gras at cocktail parties. That’s the choice we made. She shops at organic gourmet food shops run by leftists! Off with her head! But I’m confused — surely someone who cares so deeply about her food would eschew foie gras — made from obscenely fattened ducks — would she not?

Related Articles

• Childish Wisconsin GOP Taunts “Leftist” Judge (theawl.com)
• Are Young Interns Writing Dane County Republican Press Releases? (dekerivers.wordpress.com)
• Wisconsin Republican officials: We’ll continue to implement the collective bargaining law, despite the judge’s TRO (hotair.com)
• Meanwhile in Wisconsin, Another TRO (volokh.com)
• Maryann Sumi Blocks Law – Again (freedomeden.blogspot.com)
• Wisconsin judge declares union law not in effect (thestar.com)
• Wisconsin Judge Blocks Gov. Walker – Again (blogs.forbes.com)

BoldProgressives.org releasing new commercial supporting recalls in Wisconsin: focus on education…

This exhibits another increase in support of the anti-Scott Walker and the Republicans Movement. Take a look:

If you want to donate to this program, go to: secure.actblue.com

Related Articles

• Right now in Wisconsin (ynative77.wordpress.com)
• Campaign to recall Wisconsin Republicans gaining steam (shortformblog.tumblr.com)
• Recall elections in Wisconsin … (ynative77.wordpress.com)

Scott Walker Decides to Become King of Wisconsin.

First, here is the story from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Collective bargaining law published despite restraining order

In a stunning twist, Gov. Scott Walker‘s legislation limiting collective bargaining for public workers was published Friday despite a judge’s hold on the measure, prompting a dispute over whether it takes effect Saturday.

The measure was published to the Legislature’s website with a footnote that acknowledges the restraining order by a Dane County judge. But the posting says state law “requires the Legislative Reference Bureau to publish every act within 10 working days after its date of enactment.”

The measure sparked protests at the Capitol and lawsuits by opponents because it would eliminate the ability of most public workers to bargain over anything but wages.

The restraining order was issued against Democratic Secretary of State Doug La Follette. But the bill was published by the reference bureau, which was not named in the restraining order.

Laws normally take effect a day after they are published, and a top GOP lawmaker said that meant it will become law Saturday. But nonpartisan legislative officials from two agencies, including the one who published the bill, disagreed.

“I think this is a ministerial act that forwards it to the secretary of state,” said Stephen Miller, director of the Legislative Reference Bureau. “I don’t think this act makes it become effective. My understanding is that the secretary of state has to publish it in the (official state) newspaper for it to become effective.”

Walker signed the bill March 11. Under state law, it must be published within 10 working days, which was Friday.

It hasn’t been printed in the Wisconsin State Journal, the official state newspaper, as other laws are. Late Friday, State Journal publisher Bill Johnston said in an e-mail that the notice for the law had been scheduled to run but had been canceled. He did not elaborate.

La Follette urged caution Friday, saying the measure has not been published yet by his office. He said he believes the law cannot go into effect until he directs the State Journal to publish it, which he has not done.

Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) said it didn’t matter that it hasn’t appeared in the paper.

“It’s published,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s law. That’s what I contend.”

OK, Got it? Walker and Fitzgerald have decided that state law is meaningless when it applies to what they want to do and they are moving ahead, despite the court order and the lack of official publication by La Follette in the official state newspaper.

It would seem that Walker and Fitzgerald… and the state Republican legislators that back them… do not require the law or the judicial branch or even the wishes of the citizens of their state to carry out whatever they want to. If anything laid the basis for revolution, this is it.

Walker has decided to be KING.

Related Articles

• WI Republicans Publish Collective Bargaining Bill Despite Restraining Order (crooksandliars.com)
• Union law published despite restraining order – Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (news.google.com)
• Wisconsin GOP to ignore judicial restraining order and act as though budget repair bill is law (dailykos.com)
• Wis. union law published despite court order (msnbc.msn.com)
• Court Restraining Order Ignored: Wisconsin Anti-Collective Bargaining Bill Published Anyway (themoderatevoice.com)
• Now It Is Time For The Judiciary In Wisconsin To Make A Point (angrydd.wordpress.com)
• Oh my: Wisconsin collective bargaining law officially published – despite judge’s TRO (hotair.com)

So what’s new in Wisconsin?

Just received this in an e-mail from the Daily Kos (to be honest, it was a fundraising letter):

Wisconsin Republicans say the state is too broke to pay for teachers, but they just gave the 26-year-old mistress of a union-busting Republican Senator a state job with a fat raise. It’s a classic Republican scandal filled with hypocrisy, cronyism, and their special version of “family values.”

Here’s the story. Last year, Wisconsin Republican state Senator Randy Hopper left his wife to live with a young Republican political operative. Last month, as Governor Scott Walker unveiled legislation calling for deep cuts in state workers’ salaries and collective bargaining rights, Hopper’s mistress was hired by the state on the advice of Scott Walker’s cabinet as a “communications liaison.” Further, her salary is 35% higher than her predecessor’s.

Randy Hopper is now facing recall.

What is it about Republicans that, no matter what kind of principled stance they claim to be making, they always undermine it with something like this? And they all work together doing it, so you can’t say it isn’t planned. That also means they lie during campaigns and, once they have the majorities they engineer, they go ahead and do what they intended to do… in this case bust unions, get rid of teachers and reward their own.

I’m getting really tired of this… I only wish Democrats had enough guts to go in and make things right. Maybe those 14 Democratic State Senators in Wisconsin are stronger than our Federal donkeys.

Related Articles

• Governor Walker’s Admin Gave Married Senator Hopper’s Girlfriend Job With Big Raise, Former Job: Persuasion Partners (unaskedadvice.wordpress.com)
• Wisconsin Republican hypocrisy deepens on 35% raise for Randy Hopper’s mistress (dailykos.com)
• Girlfriend of Wisconsin Republican state Senator gets state job, 36% raise (dailykos.com)
• Song About Wisconsin State Senator Randy Hopper (dekerivers.wordpress.com)
• Young Lobbyists in Love: The Randy Hopper Story (theawl.com)
• WI State Sen. ‘Randy Hopper Knows How To Create Jobs.’ Yep, For His Young Lobbyist Mistress! (crooksandliars.com)
• Girlfriend of Wisconsin Republican state Senator gets state job, 36% raise (alternet.org)

A Judge gets in Scott Walker’s Way… Collective Bargaining Not Dead yet

John Case in his morning mailing passed on this information from John Wojcik in Peoplesword:

Judge Maryann Sumi

A Dane County judge, at 10:30 AM on the 18th, issued a temporary restraining order blocking implementation of Republican Gov. Scott Walker’s bill that would destroy collective bargaining rights for public workers.

In her ruling, Dane County Circuit Judge Maryann Sumi wrote she was issuing her order because a legislative committee likely violated the state’s open meetings law when it rammed through the bill suddenly on March 9.

The restraining order was in response to a lawsuit brought by Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne.

In order that any bill become law in Wisconsin, it has to be published by the Secretary of State.  The restraining order from Judge Sumi prevents Secretary of State Doug LaFollette from publishing the law, as he had planned, on March 25 which would make it take effect on  March 26.  LaFollette, a Democrat, was in no hurray to publish the law anyway.

The judge noted that Conference Committee meetings to move forward legislation can be called only after 24 hours of notice unless there is an emergency. Wisconsin Republicans gave only two hours notice and no emergency could be proven, the judge said.

The court victory is seen as a maj0r loss for Walker and puts the future of the law into question. The labor movement and its allies drew hundreds of thousands to the state Capitol
protesting the legislation and, as you recall, 14 Democratic state senators flee to Illinois to block the vote on the measure.

Stephanie Bloomingfale, the state AFL-CIO secretary-treasurer stated:

“Today justice prevailed. In Wisconsin and America we have a democratic process for passing legislation.”

Wisconsin state senators and state representatives are not scheduled to
meet again until April 5.

Related Articles

• Breaking: Judge issues restraining order blocking WI budget-repair bill (hotair.com)
• Federal Judge Blocks Publication of Wisconsin’s Anti-Union Law (crooksandliars.com)
• Just In: Judge in Wisconsin blocks Walker’s Union Busting Bill (skydancingblog.com)
• Wis. law to limit collective bargaining is on hold – Arizona Daily Star (news.google.com)
• Judge Issues Temporary Restraining Order Halting Wisconsin Collective Bargaining Law (outsidethebeltway.com)
• Judge Temporarily Blocks Wisconsin Collective Bargaining Law (mediaite.com)
• Judge Halts Implementation of Anti-Union Law in Wisconsin (news.firedoglake.com)

And the Truth will set you Free…

This really blows a hole in what the Tea Partyers claim is the real desire of the American People.

Madison Wisconsin, March 12, Protest of Gov. Walker's elimination of union bargaining rights.

This from Alternet:

clipped from www.alternet.org Madison Rally Bigger Than Biggest Tea Party Rally Police estimated up to 100,000 people turned out in Madison, WI yesterday to protest Gov. Scott Walker’s (R) assault on unions, making it bigger than any protests the city has witnessed, even those during the Vietnam War. The Madison rally is part of a much larger Main Street Movement of average Americans demanding fairness in labor laws, social spending, and taxation that has emerged in Ohio, New Jersey, Florida, Michigan, and elsewhere. But yesterday’s rally in Madison is noteworthy because at 85,000-100,000, it was bigger than the biggest tea party protest, the September 12, 2009 rally in Washington, D.C., which turned out only an estimated 60,000-70,000. For two years, tea party activists and their allies in the GOP have claimed that the hard-right movement represents the true beliefs of the American people. But the crowd in Madison and numerous polls tell a different story.

Related Articles

• Madison Rally Bigger Than Biggest Tea Party Rally (kaystreet.wordpress.com)
• Rep. Kucinich Fires Up Madison Workers’ Rights Rally (redantliberationarmy.wordpress.com)
• Largest Wisconsin protests ever: 85,000+ people in Madison’s streets (boingboing.net)
• Chomsky: Why the Fate of Democracy Is at Stake in Madison | | AlterNet (chomskywatch.wordpress.com)

My wife directed me to this article at Alternet:

clipped from www.alternet.org Wisconsin Firefighters Shut Down Bank That Funded Walker Everybody knows the GOP‘s biggest weakness is money, so why not hit ‘em in the sweet spot? That’s what many amazing Wisconsin firefighters did yesterday when they collectively began withdrawing their funds from Madison‘s M&I Bank — whose executives and board members were among the highest donors to Governor Scott Walker‘s campaign. Heeding a call by Firefighters Local 311 President Joe Conway to ‘Move your money,’ union members withdrew over $100,000 from the bank, with some reports stating that number is as high as $192,000. Either way, it was a hefty enough chunk of change that M&I shut its doors and closed for the day at 3PM. Anecdoctally — ‘M&I Bank received $1.7 billion in bailout money via President George W. Bush’s Troubled Assets Relief Program. The bank was acquired by the Bank of Montreal in December of 2010 for $4.1 billion in stock,’ reports Dane101.

There are so many ways to show action against the group that ignored the public and carried out this travesty in Wisconsin (and other places… these activities can be applied anywhere.)
It’s as simple as not buying Bounty paper towels to keep money from going to the Koch brothers.

Related Articles

• Wisconsin: Hurting Walker by Boycotting One of His Biggest Donors, M&I Bank (dailykos.com)
• Wisconsin Unions Call For Boycott Of Local Bank Over Walker Support, Withdraw Funds (crooksandliars.com)
• Wisconsin Could Lose $46 Million in Federal Funds Thanks to Walker’s Anti-Union Bill – Source: AlterNet (curmilus.wordpress.com)

Here’s what Class War looks like – a Chart

I picked up a very good comparison of the amount of money Scott Walker and his allies in Wisconsin are ready to cut from the budget that effects middle class and union workers to the amount of money given away as tax breaks for the wealthy (reprinted from a Daily Kos post by greywolfe359):

On the left you have the “shared sacrifices” and “painful cuts” that the Republicans claim we must make to get our fiscal house in order. On the right, you can plainly see WHY these cuts are “necessary.” The reason? Because we already gave away all that money to America‘s wealthiest individuals and corporations.

This just mirrors what we’re seeing in Wisconsin, where Governor Walker (R-Koch) claims that ordinary public sector workers need to fork over at least $137 million to save the budget. Problem is, he just gave away $117 million in tax breaks for his corporate pals. This is out and out class warfare. The big corporations in America have decided that they can get even richer by raiding the public treasury. It’s time for the middle class to stand up and defend itself!

Greywolfe359 also gives us this music video for Unions standing up to the Wisconsin Class War:

Related Articles

• Labor Lambasts Walker, GOP Senators (thepage.time.com)
• Scott Walker’s real agenda in Wisconsin | Michael Hudson and Jeffrey Sommers (guardian.co.uk)
• Michael Moore On Wisconsin: ‘This Is War’ (huffingtonpost.com)
• Union-Busting: ‘An Attack on All Working People’ (beavercountyblue.org)
• Wisconsin Protests Spark Ad War (huffingtonpost.com)
• Wisconsin Protesters Removed From State Capitol By Police (huffingtonpost.com)

Then They Came for the Trade Unionists (a quote for this evening)

Thursday 10 March 2011

On this day, it behooves us to remember the words of Martin Niemoller.

“First they came for the communists, and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a communist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a Jew. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.”

I am a trade unionist, and yesterday in Wisconsin, they came for me. They came for you. They came for every working person in America, and their intent could not be more clear. Governor Scott Walker, along with the Koch Brothers and the right-wing radicals of the Republican Party, moved in darkness and with shameless deceit to gut the ability of dedicated laborers to bargain on an equal footing for the right to earn a living wage and to have access to decent health care.

by: William Rivers Pitt, t r u t h o u t | Op-Ed (there is more)

I’d like to thank my wife, Ellen Smith, for pointing this piece out to me.

Related Articles

• Pastor Martin Niemoller recalls a troubled time (atung.net)
• Deja Vu all over again? (kaystreet.wordpress.com)
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Today begins a response by workers to the Wisconsin Senate’s surprise move last night…

Today people are returning to the Wisconsin capitol building to protest the act of the Republican Senators and the approval they have received by Scott Walker. The organization of trade unions is becoming intense and recalls of some legislators and a build up to recalling Walker (which cannot happen until next January by Wisconsin law) are in process.

Frank Emspak of the Workers Independent News in Madison stated:

“We’ve had democracy by deception here. You’re talking about disenfranchising millions of people, not only in Wisconsin, but also throughout the Midwest, and basically saying that working people, in an organized fashion, have no right to participate in the electoral process. That is what the Republicans are doing.”

And there was this statement by Gerald McEntee, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME):

At a time when we should be pulling together to create jobs, Governor Walker and the legislators who back him are more interested in stripping nurses, teachers, correction officers, bus drivers and EMTs of their rights. This is a question of right and wrong. The governor is tearing Wisconsin apart when voters want real solutions to the problems they face.

This is about more than Scott Walker’s arrogance. He is tossing aside basic American values. Public workers fought long and hard for the right to collective bargaining. Martin Luther King, Jr. died defending that right for AFSCME sanitation workers in Memphis. We are not going to allow a small group of radical politicians in Wisconsin destroy what Americans have fought generations to win.

Only one Republican, Dale Schultz, voted against the bill last night. Schultz is a moderate Republican who previously proposed a compromise. His vote is likely to protect him from a recall effort by unions and Democrats.

Shultz stated:

As someone who as spent the better part of the last four weeks working toward and hoping for a compromise, this is a difficult night.

I’ve had the honor and privilege of representing folks in Southwest and South Central Wisconsin for 28 years, and where I come from ‘compromise’ isn’t a dirty word.

I’ve received tens of thousands of emails, thousands of phone calls and letters, and spent hours meeting with thousands of citizens in my district. I’ve heard personal and heartfelt stories of friends and neighbors, and they ask for just two things.

First, be inclusive by listening and working with your colleagues on both sides of the aisle to reach a compromise which addresses our fiscal crisis. Second, public employees are willing to make sacrifices on things like wages and benefits, but we need to preserve collective bargaining as a tool which has helped keep labor peace in this state for decades.

Ultimately, I voted my conscience which I feel reflects the core beliefs of the majority of voters who sent me here to represent them.

Because of the Wisconsin law that prohibits a recall until an elected official has served one year in office, only eight of the Republican Senators, who violated the open meeting rule and the 24 hour public announcement policy by eliminating collective bargaining last night, may currently be recalled. These are:

* Robert Cowles
* Alberta Darling
* Sheila Harsdorf
* Luther Olsen
* Randy Hopper
* Glenn Grothman
* Mary Lazich
* Dan Kapanke

The protestors will have until January of next year to get the 500,000 signatures needed to recall Scott Walker. Meanwhile, Walker has been a Uniter, not a Divider: he has united the Unions, the Democrats, the people of Wisconsin and voters all across the unites States. Perhaps we could get the Republicans to run him for President.

Related Articles

• Labor Vows To Step Up Recall Effort Against Wisconsin GOP (huffingtonpost.com)
• Wisconsin Passes Anti-Collective Bargaining Bill (outsidethebeltway.com)
• You: Wisconsin Senate Advances Bill Opposed by Unions (nytimes.com)
• Wisconsin Senate GOP bypass Democrats to cut union rights – Seattle Times (news.google.com)
• Union supporters to rally after Wisconsin Senate passes restrictions (cnn.com)
• ‘General Strike!’ Thousands Storm, Reoccupy Wisconsin Capitol in Response to Legislative Votes (redantliberationarmy.wordpress.com)
• Wisconsin Senate Limits Bargaining by Public Workers – New York Times (news.google.com)
• Wisconsin Republicans Sneak Through Union-Busting Bill without Democrats (blogs.forbes.com)
• Labor Lambasts Walker, GOP Senators (thepage.time.com)
• What Happens Next in Wisconsin? (politicalwire.com)
• Wis. GOP Bypasses Democrats On Collective Bargaining (promoteliberty.wordpress.com)
• The name for what Scott Walker, The Wisconsin Republican Senators and David Koch are trying to pull is called “structural adjustment” (iflizwerequeen.com)
• Art Levine: After GOP’s Union-Stripping, Labor Launches 9 A.M. Friday Protests Across Wisconsin. Strikes Next? (huffingtonpost.com)

Walker screws the Democratic Senators… and the People of Wisconsin…at the last minute…

…screws the Union workers, too. Screws Wisconsin actually.

He’s using a “nuclear option” to just bring up the anti-Union section of the bill to a vote, which will not require a quorum )since they now claim it is NOT budget related.)

It was also a 180-degree reversal by Walker and state Senate Republicans, who have insisted for the past three weeks that the collective bargaining provision was designed to help alleviate the state’s budget problems. State Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R) had previously said he would not attempt to pass any portions of the bill without Democrats present.

Republicans in the Wisconsin Senate voted 18-1 to strip Union rights and no Democrats were present.

These are outrageous bullying tactics, done without saying anything to the press or public (even though there is a Wisconsin law saying such a maneuver would require a 24 hour public announcement.

From HuffPo:

University of Madison-Wisconsin student journalist Talya Minsberg, who is at the Capitol, told The Huffington Post that there are vastly more people stuck outside than inside due to “airport-style” security measures. Those outside crowded around a window near where the vote was taking place, to shout and protest Republican lawmakers: “You lied! You lied! You lied to Wisconsin!” went one chant. “Shame!” went another.

A mockery has been made of the rule of law and Scott Walker will pay a huge political price for this.

Related Articles

• Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker Rejects Dems’ Meeting Proposal (kaystreet.wordpress.com)
• The name for what Scott Walker, The Wisconsin Republican Senators and David Koch are trying to pull is called “structural adjustment” (iflizwerequeen.com)
• Scott Walker, Wisconsin GOP, wavering under recall pressure (dailykos.com)
• Quote of the Day – Russ Feingold, former Wisconsin Senator, to Scott Walker, Wisconsin Governor (underthelobsterscope.wordpress.com)
• Wisconsin Republican: attacks on unions aim to defeat Obama (dailykos.com)

Scott Walker Budges!

This just in from Talking Points Memo:

clipped from tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com Governor Walker and Senator Cullen Gov. Scott Walker‘s (R-WI) office has now released documents from its negotiations with two of the 14 state Senate Democrats who had left the state in order to block budget quorum – state Sens. Tim Cullen and Bob Jauch — in an effort to demonstrate that he could give up some of his proposals that have been widely derided as union-busting of public employees. As the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports, one of the Dem point men is now only slamming Walker for releasing the e-mails: Cullen characterized the talks as “discussions” rather than negotiations since he and Jauch weren’t speaking on behalf of other Democrats. Jauch also cautioned that the two sides had never reached a final deal. “I’ve never seen negotiations be done successfully in public,” he said. “I thought they were bargaining in good faith.” • Some collective bargaining rights would be restored, relating to workplace safety. • Other issues such as classroom size and mandatory overtime would be bargainable — but both labor and management would have to agree to discuss it in order for bargaining to happen. • A provision that salary increases would be bargainable — but could not rise above inflation unless subjected to a local referendum — would be removed. The Journal Sentinel has the e-mails here.

Related Articles

• Wisconsin: Sen. Jauch Says 6 or 7 Republican Senators Don’t Want to Strip Collective Bargaining (news.firedoglake.com)
• E-mails: Wisconsin gov offers concessions on budget (cnn.com)
• E-mails: Wisconsin governor offers concessions on budget bill – CNN (news.google.com)

North Dakota solved the Wisconsin problem and made it profitable…

North Dakota is not that far from Wisconsin

… and it did it by turning pension funds into an Investment Bank. No layoffs, no Union destruction, only a predetermined shift in types of equity.

Here’s the start of an article by Ellen Brown that Truthout reprinted from YES! Magazine. Start here then go to Truthout and read the whole thing. You’ll find the solution gratifying:

clipped from www.truth-out.org How Wisconsin Could Turn Austerity Into Prosperity: Own a Bank As states struggle to meet their budgets, public pensions are on the chopping block, but they needn’t be. States can keep their pension funds intact while leveraging them into many times their worth in loans, just as Wall Street banks do. They can do this by forming their own public banks, following the lead of North Dakota—a state that currently has a budget surplus. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, whose recently proposed bill to gut benefits, wages, and bargaining rights for unionized public workers inspired weeks of protests in Madison, has justified the move as necessary for balancing the state’s budget. But is it? President Obama has charged Wisconsin’s Governor Scott Walker with attempting to bust the unions. But Walker’s defense is: “We’re broke. Like nearly every state across the country, we don’t have any more money.” That’s what he says, but according to Wisconsin’s 2010 CAFR (Comprehensive Annual Financial Report) the state has $67 billion in pension and other employee benefit trust funds, invested mainly in stocks and debt securities drawing a modest return. Read the rest of it HERE.

By setting up a State-Controlled Bank with their investment funds, which is what North Dakota did, cutting out the Wall Street investment firms’ profits and making their funds in house (created some new jobs, too.) When you read the whole article you will see why someone should give this idea to Scott Walker and the Wisconsin Republicans.

Last Friday the Press Sued Scott Walker to Release E-Mails Which He Claims Support his Actions…

… and, in violation of “Wisconsin Open Records Law and Wis. Stat. § 19.37(1) by withholding the requested email messages and delaying granting access to the email messages,” the Governor has, so far, refused.

This from The Isthmus’ Daily Page:

clipped from www.thedailypage.com Isthmus newspaper and the Wisconsin Associated Press today filed a lawsuit against Gov. Scott Walker over his office’s failure to respond to open records requests regarding emails received by his office. “The governor said he had gotten more than 8,000 emails as of Feb. 17, with ‘the majority’ urging him to ‘stay firm’ on his budget repair bill,” says Isthmus News Editor Bill Lueders. “We’re just trying to see these largely supportive responses.” Isthmus made its request by hand-delivered letter on Feb. 18, a day after Walker referred to these 8,000 emails and about an hour before he held another press conference saying the number had since swelled to 19,000, again mostly positive. The Associated Press, through reporter Todd Richmond, emailed its request for the referenced 8,000 emails on Feb. 18. As of today, the governor’s office and his legal counsel have not responded to these requests for records, or provided information on their status.

So now we wait to see what comes next. Can this criminal Governor do anything to justify his refusal to preserve the negotiating rights of his working citizens? Will the people in Wisconsin further stimulate the workers of the whole country to take a stand against the rich bankers and Wall Street robbers who have made billions while the average Joe has lost job, home and future?

Have a nice Monday.

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And here are some notes from Democracy For America…

This, of course, is being sent out with a fundraising request from DFA:

The Wall Street Journal reports — “Conservatives in Wisconsin are getting nervous that three Republican state senators may defect on the collective-bargaining reform vote.”

NBC news in Wisconsin reports — “four moderate Republicans are wavering and could break with the GOP and vote against Walker’s budget repair bill.”

And Talking Points Memo reports on a brand new poll by a Republican leaning pollster — “Rasmussen Poll: Almost Six In Ten Wisconsin Voters Disapprove Of Gov. Walker.”

Keep up the good work folks… Act Blue is collecting
their donations, I guess.

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Even Conservative Pollsters are showing problems for Walker in Wisconsin…

Up in Wisconsin, Scott Walker is sticking to his guns of not compromising on dealing with the unions, he’s putting up obstacles to getting into the capitol building, he’s threatening layoffs of teachers and more.

Perhaps he ought to take a closer look at the situation he’s creating. Wisconsin Policy Research Institute (WPRI), a conservative think tank, came out with a new poll and it seems that about two-thirds of Wisconsinites are turning away from him… and 80% think they’ll be voting in the next election. It should be noted that WPRI has also been very supportive of Walker publicly and has been against the protesters in their policy releases.

Some standout poll views:

Q10. Scott Walker
Strongly favorable ……………………………………….. 28
Somewhat favorable …………………………………….. 15
Somewhat unfavorable …………………………………. 12
Strongly unfavorable ……………………………………. 41
Don’t know / Refused …………………………………….. 4

Q11a. Public Employees [SPLIT A]
Strongly favorable ……………………………………….. 39
Somewhat favorable …………………………………….. 28
Somewhat unfavorable …………………………………. 15
Strongly unfavorable ……………………………………. 10
Don’t know / Refused …………………………………….. 7

Q11b. Public Employee Unions [SPLIT B]
Strongly favorable………………………………………… 35
Somewhat favorable……………………………………… 24
Somewhat unfavorable………………………………….. 13
Strongly unfavorable…………………………………….. 21
Don’t know / Refused……………………………………… 7

Q12a. Teachers [SPLIT A]
Strongly favorable………………………………………… 45
Somewhat favorable……………………………………… 25
Somewhat unfavorable………………………………….. 16
Strongly unfavorable………………………………………. 9
Don’t know / Refused……………………………………… 5

Q12b. Teachers’ Unions [SPLIT B]
Strongly favorable………………………………………… 37
Somewhat favorable……………………………………… 22
Somewhat unfavorable………………………………….. 12
Strongly unfavorable…………………………………….. 24
Don’t know / Refused……………………………………… 4

…and all this comes with a view of how Scott Walker’s Administration is being viewed:

Q9. Overall, do you strongly approve, somewhat approve, somewhat disapprove, or strongly disapprove of the way Scott Walker is handling his job as Governor of Wisconsin?
Strongly approve………………………………………….. 29
Somewhat approve……………………………………….. 14
Somewhat disapprove ……………………………………. 8
Strongly disapprove ……………………………………… 45
Don’t know / Refused……………………………………… 4

This week coming up Walker says people will be getting actual pink slips… it has been hard to tell bluffs from actualities here, but the protests are getting stronger and we’re entering the third week of growing complaints against Walker and support for teachers and unions.

I’ll tell you what I find reassuring… when I was driving home from my day-long EEG test yesterday I was listening to “What do you know?” on public radio and the host was talking to a 15-year-old girl in an interview. When asking her what she wanted to be, she said “A teacher”… he asked “Even after all that has happened?”  And her response was “Oh, yes.”

Notice she didn’t want to be Governor.

Looks like I’ll be doing the radio show alone tomorrow…

John Case is down with the cold I had for close to a week and now he’s asked me to do the 7:30 – 9:00 AM Winners and Losers show alone tomorrow.

I hope you can tune in to WSHC at 89.7 fm tomorrow (http://www.897wshc.org on line if you are out of the Eastern Panhandle area) and even call in (304-876-5369) if you want to speak your piece.

I think John has someone from a film festival coming in…don’t know much about it but we’ll see. Meanwhile, I’ll be taking calls, complaining about how Scott Walker in Wisconsin and Kasich in Ohio are helping the rich and screwing the workers… stuff like that. You’re most welcome to participate.

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Republican War on Working Families… the new Ad in Wisconsin:

Thanks to Bold Progressives.

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One way to show your support for the Public Employees of Wisconsin…

… is to boycott the products manufactured and sold by the Koch Brothers, the major financiers of Scott Walker and the anti-Union Republicans.

Do what I do… stick the following list onto your refrigerator door… then every time you go to get cream for your coffee you’ll remember what products to avoid:

KOCH INDUSTRIES PRODUCTS TO BOYCOTT

Angel Soft toilet paper

Brawny paper towels

Dixie plates, bowls, napkins & cups

Mardi Gras napkins and towels

Quilted Northern toilet paper

Soft ‘n Gentle toilet paper

Sparkle napkins

Vanity fair napkins

Zee napkins

Georgia-Pacific paper products & envelopes

All Georgia-Pacific lumber & building products
(INVISTA Products)

Lycra

Stainmaster Carpet

Wow! I didn’t realize how many fingers those slimy hands have already stuck into our lives. It’s almost like trying to avoid things made in China… but this is even worse. This is something that we see the direct results of by just turning on the television and listening to people like Walker target the American Middle Class for its pension money… while letting rich folk like the Koch’s pay less taxes!

So pass this list on to your friends. Post it on your blogs. Hell, screen it on T-Shirts and wear it like a billboard. And the next time someone asks you “But what can I do?” you can give them the list and help multiply the effect.

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“I Am Wisconsin” – 92-year-old woman, former Wisconsin resident, at Pennsylvania support rally last weekend…

Marge Holicek joins 1000 Pennsylvanians in saying “I am Wisconsin!” Capitol steps, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania:

There are other YouTube samples from all over the country popping up… perhaps Scott Walker will get the idea.

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While we are thinking about Unions…Look at all we’ve forgotten (I don’t think Scott Walker ever knew)…

PBS is running a new American Experience documentary this evening on the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire in New York City in 1911. It is an interesting and historically powerful story of the beginnings of the American Union movement… the conflict between the rich and the poor… and the use of strikes to get Union-only shops in the garment industry.

The fact that Triangle workers got some concessions in 1909 and 1910 in terms of wages and shift times, there was no change in working conditions and no collective bargaining. When the Triangle fire occurred in 1911, the ladies who worked there were inside locked doors (to keep workers from sneaking out with product when managers weren’t looking.) The 200 sewing machine workers were not alerted to the fire which began on the floor below… they were trapped. Some died in the fire… some jumped from windows, very few made it to a back alley fire escape. Many were trapped on an elevator that jammed after the first trip.

Labor was not considered the equal to management… but without that labor, the garment manufacturers would not have become wealthy. Isn’t it similar to how the citizens of Wisconsin benefit from Public Employees… teachers, firefighters, police, EMTs? While we don’t have the devastating tragedy of the Shirtwaist Fire in Wisconsin, we have people who are accused of being at fault due to their pension fund contributions…their own money…for the dismal economy. Not the bankers who overmortgaged and blew out the economy. Not the politicians who made sure the rich were not taxed on their incomes so that they could invest in those banks and stock brokerages that literally stole money from the pension funds of laborers.

In the 100 years since the Shirtwaist Fire and the major changes in Union organization and management/labor relationships it brought, we have forgotten the importance of workers and, as has been a conventional attitude of politicians from the right wing who oppose Unionism and negotiations, we are further away from the management changes that occurred over the next 4 decades.

We are back where we started from.

Just by insisting that he will not negotiate with the Public Employee unions, Governor Walker might as well be saying “your lives are meaningless.” Even when the employees WANT to take pay reductions and are willing to cooperate… but want collective bargaining, the thing that has made America from FDR to the present the symbol of the middle class glory, to remain a union option.

So now, on the Centennial of the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, let us not tolerate the destruction of unions by overwhelming management policy.

Just watching all this tonight has gotten my hackles up… I hope it has gotten to you, too.

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