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Stopping Walker's Steamroller In Wisconsin
The night that the Wisconsin Senate Republicans got together and forced through Scott Walker’s union-busting bill, many Wisconsinites cried foul. The state’s open-meetings law required more notice unless there was a true emergency.
Last week, a Republican-appointed judge ruled with the protesters that the session that passed the bill may have violated the law, which requires twenty-four-hours’ notice on a vote. Judge Maryann Sumi put a stay on the bill, blocking its implementation. Teachers and other state employees retain their union rights.
The people of Wisconsin, I told the Left Forum on Friday, stopped a steamroller. Their willingness to fight, to keep showing up in greater and greater numbers, not only held off the bill but put the GOP in a place where they were desperate enough that they violated the law. They inspired the fight back in other states—Indiana’s state Democrats are still out of state, holding up a vote on a similar bill.
And Judge Sumi's decision puts paid to all those who say progress is achieved through one set of tactics or another. Voting or protest, law or disobedience—Wisconsin stopped this Walker steamroller through a combination of them all: direct action/legislators' actions/legal challenges/protest and above all organizing.
The fight isn’t over—Republicans plan to appeal the decision, and the legislature has a chance to take up the bill again. Meanwhile, the recall organizing efforts go on, and Walker’s budget makes mincemeat of desperately needed healthcare and education programs in the state. It’s going to take every tactic in the book to turn back the steamroller for good.
But it’s worth it right now, I think, to stop for just a minute and acknowledge what’s happening in this country.
When was the last time you heard about a Tea Party rally?
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9 Comments so far
Show AllI haven't heard of a Tea Party rally in awhile, but their website shows a map of Tea Partiers in each state that's pretty impressive, on the surface. In many of the cities shown in the northern and western states there are no numbers of members shown, which only means someone may have signed on to be a contact person there.
Bwahahah --- one of the great things going on in Wisconsin is that we're dealing with total idiots. Make no mistake, they are dangerous, like 2-year-olds playing with a box of matches. They have power and carry big hammers. But oh are they stupid.
The latest is the appeal of last Friday's ruling by a judge to temporarilly restrain the publishing of their bill eliminating collective bargaining.
The state's Attorney General, J B ( "Junior Butthead" ) Van Hollen, filed the appeal, but not under his name. He filed it "for" our Secretary of State Doug LaFollette. As his name implies, he leans pretty far to the left of Der Gov. He's let everyone know he wasn't informed or consulted.
It's possible the appeal will not be valid. It's a giggle a day from these clowns.
Read all about it here: http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_1cd4920c-541c-11e0-8303-001cc4c03286.html.
Stay tuned.
Gee, Tea Partiers don't need government and they don't need the people's rights accorded them in the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
Seems since the Koch funded Rethuglicans got their way, the Koch funded Tea Partiers got quiet.
You are telling me that the people did not know who they were electing into office?
I think the people are just stupid, lazy and greedy. But, the people are getting what they want.
rat4,
You said it and I didn't. I am not offended and agree with you 101%. BTW are you a Democrat? You will get the screw regardless whether you vote Democrat or Repug. The Green and third are dead. So what should we do?
Voting for the lesser of the two evils or stay home, seem to me pointless. If you think Obama and the Democrat are the lesser evils, you are dead wrong. I really don't need to tell you all about Obama past two over years. But, this I can promise you. The next term will be even worst and harsher then previous years. Wanna bet? I never bet unless I am absolutely certain.
"Indiana’s state Democrats are still out of state, holding up a vote on a similar bill." -- Why am I not seeing reports on CommonDreams and other media sources about Indiana? Are we doing a disservice to the Indiana Democrats by not giving them the media explosure they need? We can't just cover Wisconsin and leave everyone else out to dry.
Good point. Let's turn up the heat on Common Dreams.
PLEASE. Lets not forget MICHIGAN.
MM and all concerned. Very bad stuff from Gov. Rick- slick and sick. Crony capitalism- Rick is stealing from the elders and the poor to move more benefits to his base- the corporations. Fiscal management= no democracy. Ricks got new management plans in place to “turn over” local government and schools so that all of your elected officials will have no power. Power to the state- a real power grab from the xGateway guy. Is Rick a friend of the Koch brothers? Or is it just Dow Chemical and Big Insurance? RECALL RICK SNYDER.
walker, a reverse robin hood, the sheriff of fitzwalkerstan has displayed no interest in bargaining in good faith or negotiating—he said so. He is deceitful and beholden to special interests—shown in prank call from koch. His brand of leadership is out of step with Wisconsin. No bid sale of state utilities—smells of bush/cheny. He has lost creditability. He should RESIGN and spare the state a costly recall election. After all, we can’t afford it as he said “we are BROKE”!!
scooter, your reign is going to be 9-10 months. Starting April 5, you, fitzys, and your other clones, one by one, are going to be swept out like the dirt on the floor and into a dumpster.
UNITED we stand—divided we BEG