[My] Life in Wisconsin

Mayhem in Madison

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."
A. Einstein


Walker- Our Dictator- Forming Martial Law

As you probably already know, I have been reading and reading about our beautiful state being turned into something straight out of the cold war.
Take heed Illinois and Ohio- you are next.

One of my hopes is that the teachers I know and respect will be able to know that I am behind them 100%

I have compiled a list of items pertinent to this all.
I can only hope that you will bear with me as you get through it all too.

 

  • Here's where the story stands now.

 

So far the unions have agreed to all the financial concessions in Walker's bill.      (Go figure)... 

  • The remaining fight is over the rights of workers to negotiate with their employer. That's it. It has nothing to do with money and everything to do with breaking the union.

Despite those concessions Walker refuses to negotiate with anyone, even moderate Republicans. And Walker refuses to answer why he's seeking to end collective bargaining rights if this is solely a matter of balancing the state's budget.

 

__________________________________________


As I have already posted elsewhere:

The fight for 2012 is underway. The first battle is in Wisconsin.

What the hell is wrong with people that actually stand behind our power hungry governor?

IMHO, Walker is a bumbling, ignorant boob. (And Wisconsin needs a mastectomy).

Let us not forget that Wisconsin had a budget surplus going into this year--until Walker gave $140 million to big business.

Walker has done everything in his power to make it easier for the Kochs to rape Wisconsin's natural resources and pillage its workforce. A Koch company just laid off 158 workers in Green Bay despite the fact that demand was steady and the Kochs themselves took home 11 billion dollars.

Remember too that WALKER DROPPED OUT OF COLLEGE BECAUSE HE HAD 2.3 GPA.
I have 4 daughters that are brighter than that; (heck, I have grandbabies that are {brighter} than that)!
It doesn't take a genius to figure out why Walker is out to get the teachers- they always flunked himhehehe

Green Bay, WI rose from relative obscurity from the paper mills and their other factories. Without these unions GB would have gone the way of "the poor leading the poor" long, long, ago...

I have a VERY good friend, 52, that chose to retire as a guard from GBCI, (read 'prison') on Friday last- And after 25 years; rather than lose the retirement she worked for her whole life.
I have known her well for 40 years.

Another very good friend is a teacher...  Go figure.

i am proud beyond words of my democratic senators in Madison. (Or where ever they are today)-
I am also very proud of my sister Kris who drove all the way to our capital to have her own voice heard.

IMHO, whomever backs this idiot Governor is beyond psychiatric help


___________________________

I also (re)posted this:

The only bit of union support for Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is evaporating as the executive board president of the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Association expressed regret for their earlier endorsement of Walker. The union went one step further and even apologized for it..

 

By in large the budget bill contains a significant carve out for local police officers, firefighter and the Wisconsin State Patrol--groups that supported Walker in his election bid.  

Critics have called the carve out political payback and a key step in trying to pit government workers against each other.

 

<span>Meanwhile members of the police and firefighters unions member marched Sunday in a sixth day of protest and in support of those unions whose benefits and rights are in the cross-hairs.</span>

 

And the Madison Chamber of Commerce is losing patience with Walker as well, suggesting his remaining supporters come from outside of Wisconsin, such as the powerful Koch brothers, Walker's second largest campaign contributor.

 

  • Here's where the story stands now.

 

So far the unions have agreed to all the financial concessions in Walker's bill.      (Go figure)... 

  • The remaining fight is over the rights of workers to negotiate with their employer. That's it. It has nothing to do with money and everything to do with breaking the union.

Despite those concessions Walker refuses to negotiate with anyone, even moderate Republicans. And Walker refuses to answer why he's seeking to end collective bargaining rights if this is solely a matter of balancing the state's budget.

 

  • For their part the "Wisconsin 14" have vowed to stay out of the state until Walker negotiates. They are doing this despite Republican threats to begin passing non-budgetary bills that do not require their presence for passage.

 

The above from : www.care2.com

 

______________________________

 

May our God bless not only our teachers, but our "Wisconsin 14", our State Patrol, all county, city police, and our firefighters- (Not to mention the Madison Chamber of Commerce, and even our moderate Republicans)!

 

Finally, the truths are settling in...

And might I say: "It's about damn time."


_________________



http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20110220/GPG0101/110220005/1207&located=rss
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker: No compromise on worker rights bill
Wisconsins governor predicted today that his state would lead the nation in weakening unions that have negotiated compensation packages that taxpayers can no longer afford...

http://www.salon.com/technology/how_the_world_works/2011/02/18/fdr_and_wisconsin/index.html
Friday, Feb 18, 2011 09:01 ET
Why FDR would support the Wisconsin protests
A labor historian explains: Roosevelt opposed government unions, but by the '50s he would have changed his mind

http://multiply.com/gi/tnj2012:journal:681
Wisconsin Protests Spread to Other States
Michael Cooper and Katharine Q. Seelye, The New York Times
Intro: "The unrest in Wisconsin this week over Gov. Scott Walker's plan to cut the bargaining rights and benefits of public workers is spreading to other states. Already, protests erupted in Ohio this week, where another newly elected Republican governor, John Kasich, has been seeking to take away collective bargaining rights from unions. In Tennessee, a law that would abolish collective bargaining rights for teachers passed a State Senate committee this week despite teachers' objections. Indiana is weighing proposals to weaken unions. Union members in Pennsylvania, who are not necessarily facing an attack on their bargaining rights, said Friday that they planned to wear red next week to show solidarity with the workers in Wisconsin."
READ MORE:
http://www.readersupportednews.org/off-site-news-section/52-52/5001-wisconsin-protests-spread-to-other-states

______________________________________


http://cosmicrat.multiply.com/links/item/200
Why Every Single Worker Should Be Watching Wisconsin
http://www.leftinalabama.com/diary/7771/why-every-single-worker-should-be-watching-wisconsin
by: Almoderate
Sat Feb 19, 2011 at 16:18:47 PM CST
I don't belong to a union, and I never have.  And while my husband is a public worker, he's never belonged to a union, either.  I suppose the closest we've come to having any family who is unionized are those in my family who are teachers and police officers.

But regardless of union affiliation, every single American worker should be concerned about what's going on in Wisconsin right now.  Why?  Because the unions are the only thing left standing between your rights and your employer.

This is not random.  It's not sudden.  It's not coincidence.  It's strategic.

______________________________________


INViTE http://cosmicrat.multiply.com/links/item/199/What_Wisconsins_governor_is_really_threatening_-_War_Room_-_Salon.com   


What Wisconsin's governor is really threatening - War Room - Salon.com    Feb 19, '11 3:47 PM
for everyone
Link: http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/02/18/taylor_wisconsi...

"Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has declared war on state workers, almost literally.
First, he proposed a state budget that would cut retirement and healthcare for workers like teachers and nurses, and strip away nearly all of their collective bargaining rights. But even more significantly, he announced last Friday that he had alerted the National Guard to be ready for state workers to strike or protest, an unprecedented step in modern times."
Why FDR would support the Wisconsin protests http://www.salon.com/technology/how_the_world_works/2011/02/18/fdr_and_wisconsin/index.html


PlasticJesus said:
The way I see this, Gov. Walker is simply "picking on" those he CAN pick on while trying to balance this budget. $300 million dollars saved over 2 years against a 3.6 Billion dollar shortfall? Sure, it's something, but not enough. If he WERE truly committed to balancing the budget and believed that this was the way and the means to do it, why did he choose to leave out the Police, The Firefighters and the State Highway Patrol? Aren't these also public employees with flush benefits and taxpayer funded pensions? Couldn't even MORE money be saved by including them as well? Why isn't this a straight across the board attack? I mean this isn't supposed to be personal, it's supposed to be about balancing the budget and what's best for the Wisconsin taxpayer, right? So why the favorites Scott? State and Federal government do not have a revenue problem, they have a SPENDING problem. So let's take a look at ALL state spending across the board, not just select groups.
2/18/2011 5:25:44 PM

The more I hear from this schmuck walker, the more I know this is all about making Wisconsin a unionless state and nothing about asking public employees to give concessions. If he succeeds in removing all of his opposition, he can run wild with power. God help us if that happens. Stop this tyrant now

126778 wrote:
It's time for the workers on the front line to take back control of this country and I am a Republican
2/18/2011 8:23:07 PM

________________



More later - I'll try to be back after my infusion today.
I do look forward to your comments!

XOXO, Me

 

PS

Please check this when you have time:  http://www.goodporkbadpork.com/tag/senate/

Robert Creamer: Wisconsin Governor’s Attack on Labor May Backfire on Radical Right

 Saul Alinsky used to say, "you can always count on your enemies." That may turn out to be true in the case of the Wisconsin Governor's attack on the right of state workers to choose a union.

Scott Walker's plan was a blitzkrieg attack that would catch the opposition with its defenses down, like Germany's attack on Russia at the beginning of World War II. His goal was to emasculate the ability of public service employees to negotiate with the state over their salaries and working conditions, and begin the destruction of the unions that represent public sector workers all over America.

 Wisconsin was to be the first state to fall. Then other states with radical right Governors - like Ohio and Indiana - would follow suit.

 Well, the first casualty of war is the plan. Turns out that - at least for now - Walker's expectation of a lightning-fast victory has been thwarted by a determined Democratic Senate caucus that left the state and denied the Senate a quorum. But just as importantly, the right's entire nationwide plan has been put in jeopardy by the fact that when the alarm sounded, everyday citizens throughout Wisconsin and around the nation, answered the call.

_______________________________

ALSO

A letter to recall Scott Walker
http://www.unitedwisconsin.com/#wpcf7-f1-w1-o1