Obey: Wisconsin Gov. Walker Is Channeling Mubarak

[kpete]

Obey: Wisconsin Gov. Walker Is Channeling Mubarak
Susan Crabtree | February 17, 2011, 4:23PM


As Democratic legislators flee the Wisconsin state capitol in protest of Republican Gov. Scott Walker's proposed budget and its limits on bargaining powers for public employee unions, one of Wisconsin's most prominent progressive leaders is coming out swinging.

Former Rep. David Obey (D-WI), a 41-year veteran of the House, the former chairman of the Appropriations Committee and an icon in Wisconsin politics, assailed Gov. Scott Walker for engaging in "political thuggery" and accused him of channeling toppled Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak before his fall.

"All I know is that last week, when people were asking where Mubarak was -- whether he had gone to Sharm el-Sheikh or Paris -- I was saying he was ensconced in the governor's mansion in Madison," Obey said in a telephone interview with TPM.

"I think what Gov. Walker is trying to do amounts to political thuggery," Obey continued. "It is one thing to say that these are tough times -- everybody's got to cut back and public employees are going to have to take cuts like the rest of us ... but he's using it as an excuse to gut the ability of workers to organize and bargain collectively. In my view that's outrageous -- and what is especially outrageous is his demand that the legislature pass this in a week's time."

the rest:
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/02/obey-wisconsin-gov-walker-is-channeling-mubarak.php

[BlueDog22]

1. Good

Good for him

[myrna minx]

2. The House is a lesser place now that Obey is gone.

I know he's enjoying his well earned retirement, but *sigh*. :-(