Et Tu, Wisconsin?

[nomb]

What am I missing here? I thought Feingold losing was just a freaky aberration, this is the home of LaFollette and progressivism after all, a place where I don't recall ever hearing even so much as a tea-party peep. But then I don't live there. Still, how is this even remotely possible?


"Among key provisions of Mr. Walker’s plan: limiting collective bargaining for most state and local government employees to the issue of wages (instead of an array of issues, like health coverage or vacations); requiring government workers to contribute 5.8 percent of their pay to their pensions, much more than now; and requiring state employees to pay at least 12.6 percent of health care premiums (most pay about 6 percent now)."

"His proposal would make it harder for unions to collect dues because the state would stop collecting the money from employee paychecks.

He would further weaken union treasuries by giving members of public-sector unions the right not to pay dues. In an unusual move, he would require secret-ballot votes each year at every public-sector union to determine whether a majority of workers still want to be unionized.

He would require public-employee unions to negotiate new contracts every year, an often lengthy process. And he would limit the raises of state employees and teachers to the consumer price index, unless the public approves higher raises through a referendum. Exempted from those changes would be firefighters and law enforcement personnel."

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/12/us/12unions.html?src=me&ref=general

That article in the NYT's just blew me away, absolutely unimaginable anywhere. But in Wisconsin? I can't even wrap my head around it.

[PeaceNikki]

1. Yeah. We're fucked.

:(

[HereSince1628]

2. Well, we aren't fucked without a fight, and BTW it's called RAPE

I wouldn't want anyone to think that Walker pleasured state employees or Wisconsin Labor in general.

[Kahuna]

13. But...but...punish the Dems!!!!!

The Dems will always be fine. It's those of us who live with the consequences of the attempts to "punish" them who suffer.

[rucky]

3. These new governors are bonkers.

Ohio, Florida, Wisconsin - not to mention our "brother" in Alabama.

edit for Idaho

[HereSince1628]

4. You see, if your union gave money and supported Walker, you're exempted...

This use of payola and the obvious level of corruption that it represents, is typical of Phalangist dictatorships throughout the 3rd world. Let's be clear about just what type of a society Scott Walker is promoting.

Walker would NEVER want your to pay union dues when you could give that money to HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mzteris]

5. see what happens when people

"don't vote" for the Democrats because they want to "send a message"?

Think well and hard on this before you do the same in 2012. Look where it's getting WI!

[HereSince1628]

8. That's a leap, and blames the victims

union members are generally more motivated to vote than others.

[mzteris]

10. not blaming the union people

just all those who say 'wah' Obama's not giving me MY pony so I'm not voting for any democrats! hmmmph" mentality.

Not only the union members are being hurt by Walker. He's hurting ALL of Wisconsin!

[saras]

24. Does this mentality really exist in any significant numbers?

It shows up a lot in accusations, but never seems to be followed by data.

And he's NOT hurting all of Wisconsin, just people with your values. Those who don't mind being dirt-poor, stupid, unhealthy, and abused - as long as their hatreds are catered to - are doing just fine by him, as are the uber-wealthy.

[texshelters]

22. See what happens when your Democratic

President and his White House spend their first two years insulting progressives and their base, fighting more with them, then taking on the Republicans where they are vulnerable?

How many Democrats really challenged the Republican lie machine. Two of the most prominent lost, Feingold and Grayson. But we still have Weiner and Kucinich and B. Lee, etc.

Part of this is on the President and his team and their attacks on the progressives. Basically, they demobilized them.

Besides, the two party monopoly thrives on this fake contest between the parties. Power always swings back and forth between them, but it consistently stays with corporations and moneyed with a few exceptions in the 30s and 60s.

Peace,
Tex Shelters

[undeterred]

6. Extremely high moron turnout for the Nov 2010 vote.

Some morons are remorseful already.

[midnight]

7. New Berlin I read was the home to the New Order.... Something I was not aware of, but

was wondering how many others from Wisconsin were? For several years I have experienced first hand police state tactics, and believed it was because I was in Sennsenbrenner land, but it sounds like it is not, and now state wide.... Sadly Peace Nickie understands..... We are in deep trouble....

[butterfly77]

9. Some of the same people who voted against ..

Feingold and others because they listened to the teabaggers are now shaking in their drawers.

[Dawson Leery]

11. Don't forget the Democrats who skipped this election.

Many of them took their disappointment with Obama and decided to let Feingold lose.

[HereSince1628]

19. Walker only won with 52 and a fraction percent...

it isn't like democrats didn't turn out...it's more that the job losses made many people angry at the status quo.

People do vote for reasons that make more sense emotionally than logically.

[elocs]

12. A lot of what happened here in WI you can lay at the feet of the unpopular incumbent Doyle

who pretty much pissed off everyone and had sunk to an new low approval rating of 38% last summer. At least he was smart enough to realize that he could never be reelected.

[47of74]

14. Wisconsin is the same state that gave us Joseph McCarthy

[HereSince1628]

17. Yes, and the same genetic stock that gave Germany the Nazi's

and I don't think either of those two things have anything to do with Walker's radical attempts to implement what is after-all the step child of Ronald Reagan's union-Busting agenda.

[texshelters]

23. Interesting use of "race" (genes) as a determining factor in genocide

much like the Nazis did with the Jews.

You are confusing social history, politics and geography with genes here. That is dangerous.

I could list the thousands of Germans that have contributed to science and culture, or I could point out all the atrocities committed by almost all "races" or nations of the world, but I'll leave that to you.

Peace,
Tex Shelters

[HereSince1628]

25. Hardly, you just missed the sarcasm in what I wrote.

[texshelters]

26. Generally, people

don't use the term Nazi with sarcasm. Nice try though.

Peace,
Tex Shelters

[katanalori]

18. and Greta Van Suestren.

I grew up in Appleton, and I am aghast at what is happening in WI now.

[Peregrine Took]

15. No more trips to Door County or Milwaukee for us.

Michigan here we come!!

[Angry Dragon]

16. Gov. of Wisconsin declares war

The governor has declared war on the damn commies that have destroyed the state.
Declares he will have the National Guard shoot down their neighbors, friends. and family members.
Sees no reason why people should have the right to band together and work for better working conditions.
He says he can not see any reason why they can not just rape and pillage like he and his friends have to get ahead.

[texshelters]

20. This BS is everywhere, Wisconsin is not an exception

People are willing to give up their rights, their wages, and their jobs for the fantasy of flag, god, and the American dream whereever you go. I felt the same about Minnesota until I remembered that outside the cities, people are isolated and fearful and only right-wing radio reaches them.

I live in the "right to work" (for lower wages) state of Arizona, so I am not surprised by the things the Republicans pull.

To paraphrase Porfirio Diaz:

Poor Wisconsin, so far from god, so close to Michelle Bachmann.
http://bachmann.house.gov/District/6thDistrictMap.htm

Peace,
Tex Shelters

[HereSince1628]

21. There is a difference between ending negotiation rights, and hard bargaining

And there surely is a difference between a transparent political process and an attempt to ram down radical changes in a matter of days under intimidating threats to use the National Guard to suppress opposition dissent.

Stealing away labor rights that the United Nations recognizes is NOT going to save Wisconsin a penny toward it's budget woes. Determined well argued negotiation probably could save the state money.

So when Walker and his anti-union GOP legislature and chamber of commerce and the myriad jealous tea-bag supporters go after rights to negotiation there is a different game being played. This is an opportunistic play to take advantage of the cover of dealing with the state's financial situation to ram into law a strategic victory for ANTI-labor forces in the state. The Bradley's (the Wisconsin folks who paid for the Project for the New American Century aka NeoCons) and other rich ideologues are looking to reverse a century of effort to gradually accumulate labor protections and mostly peaceful coexistence between government and its unions in the matter of the first few weeks of Walker's governorship.

It's a revolution not for the people, but for the Boyars.