Submitted by Elaine Magliaro, Guest Blogger
There have been some new developments in the Wisconsin story since my last post on the subject, Is the Scott Walker Story Just the Tip of the Koch Brothers Political Iceberg?. More than six hundred comments have been left 
at that post—and it takes a long time to load the page. I thought it best to write up a new post for people who would like to continue the discussion on the subject of Governor Scott Walker, the protesting workers in Wisconsin, Walker’s anti-union budget repair bill, the AWOL Democratic state senators, and various and sundry other things related to the subject.
Today, I’m just providing links to some news stories on the subject for you.
Wisconsinites were locked out of their capital building. WBAY (ABC)
Scott Walker’s budget defunds Planned Parenthood and targets contraception access. (Huffington Post)
AFL-CIO plans another big rally at the Wisconsin Capitol for this Saturday. (TPMDC)
“fUNY how Moore failed to mention that the congress was far left after the 2006 elections.
Man he is good at revisionist history, but then so was the Old Soviet Union.”
There are other comments from me but first let’s look at Maury’s game to see his disingenuousness: Congress was “far left” after 2006 only when a know-nothing, like Maury denotes it as such. His “far left” is right of center by any knowing construction. “Far Leftists” would be socialists and Bernie Sanders is perhaps the only socialist in Congress. Maury’s “far left” is used as an epithet rather than a rational explanation, because from any political science perspective it is simply not true.
His use of an epithet would be akin to saying almost all Republicans are fascists. A nasty statement out of line with reality, but then that’s Maury’s game. One can see this in likening Moore’s beliefs to revisionist history “like the Soviet Union.” So he throws in another jab by implying Michael Moore is a communist, which he isn’t.
That is the game you’ve got going Maury, but you’re very clumsy and obvious in your technique.
Maury,
The facts are important. The Wisconsin pension plan is one of the strongest in the country. Wisconsin was not in a deficit until Walker pushed through tax breaks for corporations. And you are forgetting thast this union bashing was not for the purpose you are claiming. State Senator Fitgerald already admitted that it was all about making it tougher for Obama to carry Wisconsin. The sad part is that the Teapublicans have actually helped the Democrats and Obama with their obvious and admitted power play!
A Google search? Oh, my achin’ head!
Funny how Maury still thinks that the oft repeated talking point that curtailing collective bargaining rights will help balance the budget is somehow a fact. Tsk, tsk. Talking points do not a fact make.
It’s also pretty damned amusing that Maury conveniently forgets that the unions offered – several times – to make concessions but Walker, like the petulent and obstinate child he is, dismissed them all. And, that this somehow makes this madness the unions fault when if the child Walker had at least sat down and negotiated with the unions, this whole mess could probably have been avoided.
But no, in Maury’s universe, up is down, right is wrong and the rich are the poor, oppressed people.
maury, maury, maury….
Misery likes company…..The crap you are spewing is priceless….entitlement programs…..Yes….let them take a hit…The people that actually receive any benefit out of this are the employers…..google up Peckam industries….They sell products to the Auto Manufacture…. while taking deductions for hiring the people that you complain…. also they pay these people a training wage….as soon as they work 4 months they are let go and transferred to another company owned by the owner of peckam….slimy people they are….
fUNY how Moore failed to mention that the congress was far left after the 2006 elections.
Man he is good at revisionist history, but then so was the Old Soviet Union.
Elaine M:
a simple google search shows that, at or a little bit above, 50% of the federal budget is the amount spent on social entitlement programs. Defense is 17%.
While I don’t think the budget is going to be balanced on the backs of federal/state workers, I do think it is a good first step in trying to balance budgets. Wisconsin and other states have large pension liabilities they are trying to get under control. They cannot do it if collective bargaining is in place. Current union concessions are only good for 1 year, big deal.
Please forgive me if I already posted the following. I’m having a hard time keeping track of all the “Wisconsin” stories.
TPMDC
Wisconsin GOPers To Huddle With Corporate Lobbyists In DC After Worker Rights Vote
Evan McMorris-Santoro | March 10, 2011
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/03/wisconsin-gopers-to-huddle-with-corporate-lobbyists-in-dc-after-worker-rights-vote.php?ref=fpb
More details on the upcoming fundraiser for members of the Wisconsin state Senate GOP in the headquarters of a prominent DC lobbying firm are coming to light.
In short, when members of the state Senate caucus that just voted to strip state workers of their collective bargaining rights gather in the downtown DC offices of a lobbying firm founded in part by Haley Barbour, they’ll be among friends.
The BGR Group, the lobbying firm Barbour helped to found in 1991, has long been known for its ties to the GOP. Among its executives are Bob Wood, a former aide to Tommy Thompson, the Republican governor of Wisconsin for 14 years. And on BGR’s past client list is a large energy company – and that’s raising eyebrows with watchdog groups.
On Thursday, the Public Campaign Action Fund, a nonprofit advocate for campaign finance reform, pointed out that WE Energies, an energy utility based in Milwaukee, has spent more than $300,000 on lobbying with BGR since 2009.
Executives with the company gave more than $10,000 to Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s (R) 2010 campaign. And WE Energies’ ties to the Republican state Senate caucus run even deeper than that: Heather Leibham, who has worked for the company in state regulatory advocacy, is the wife of state Sen. Joe Liebham (R), who cast his vote against collective bargaining rights this week along with 17 of his Republican colleagues.
Somewhat lost in all the labor-based controversy surrounding Walker’s budget plan has been controversial language in the budget that critics have said could mean a big payday for energy companies in Wisconsin. TPM’s reporting has suggested those fears may be unfounded.
Regardless, Republicans may be stepping on to a political landmine when they arrive at the ritzy offices of one of DC’s most powerful lobbying firms next week.
Watchdogs say the BGR fundraiser — which requires attendees to drop at least $1,000 on the state GOP to get in the door — is another in a long string of examples of optical fails by Walker and the supporters of his budget since the controversy began.
“This fundraiser is far more a celebration and reward to the Wisconsin Republican delegation for its leadership in attacking labor unions and turning back union rights,” Craig Holman of Public Citizen told TPM. “It accurately reflects that the battle of Wisconsin is in fact a highly-funded campaign orchestrated by national political players. Its origins and support span from the Koch strategy conference held in Rancho Mirage to the lobbyist fundraising event held in DC.”
The Republican state Senators are scheduled to land at BGR headquarters on Wednesday.
I’m thinking the left’s best shot is to enlist the creative contingent (a/k/a the Hollywood liberals) to bombard the right with some incredibly shaming campaign ads and short films and documentaries.
Otteray,
Walker is a wretched little man. I feel the urge to retch every time I listen to him speak.
SIYOM = Stay in your own movie.
You’re doing fine job so far.
Bob,Esq.,
I agree. That’s the reason why they want to eradicate unions.
SIYOM?
I saw Mortimer Snerd Walker on the TV machine this morning. He was talking earnestly about the benefits of busting the unions would bring. Like making it easier to fire teachers. Although he did not use those exact words, his meaning was crystal clear. I could only stand a couple of minutes of lying, so had to turn it off. Felt afterward as if I needed some industrial strength brain bleach.
Elaine,
I agree; although I agree more with an observation Rachel Maddow has been making all week. It’s not just about busting unions; it’s about destroying one of the last major campaign contributors to the democratic party. With unions out of the picture and Citizens United giving corporations license to act as robber barons, seems to me the last line of defense, other than a public swing to the left and the left acquiring the spine to act without seeking permission or approval from the right, is some weird/creative legal argumentation.
SIYOM,
Bob
Mrs M:
To your points,in the street they like to say ” I feel you” when making a point in a conversation,I think Michael Moore qualifies for that honor here.
HISSYSPITTING!
Rachel Maddow: Michael Moore w/ Handcuffs for Wall St. “This Is Class War; These Protest Do Matter”
MSNBC The RACHEL MADDOW Show – 9 March 2011: Michael Moore Interviewed.
MOORE: “This is war, this is a class war that’s been leveled against the working people of this country… The fact that they think they can get away with this… What happened three years ago in 2008… they realized that they could get away with murder. They realized that they could literally loot the treasury, they could play with people’s pension funds on Wall Street, they could destroy the economy, they could essentially do what they could to eliminate the middle class, and there would be no response from the people. There would be no revolt. People would just take it. And people just took it.”
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Hissyspit/8829
Bob & Swarthmore mom,
I think it’s important to keep track of what’s going on in states other than Wisconsin too–states like Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania. What’s happening in Wisconsin is just the tip of the iceberg. I believe there’s a concerted effort on the part of some rich industrialists, right-wing groups, and the Republican party to eliminate unions and collective bargaining for workers in this country.
Maury,
I don’t hold any particular ideology. I believe that workers should be treated with dignity and respect and should be giving a living wage. I’m anti-war. I believe in programs like Social Security and Medicare.
The dire financial problems that our state and federal governments are now faced with were not caused by public workers. Two wars and the Wall Street bailout have certainly helped to drain the US treasury. Huge corporations that pay little or no taxes have added to the problem. Jobs that pay well have been outsourced to other countries. Add in foreclosures and the great drop in property values. There are many contributing factors to the fiscal problems we must now address–and the Republicans choose to cast blame on public sector workers and the elderly who receive Social Security and Medicare benefits. Shame on them!
Yes, Elaine should receive the award and this will be a continuing story into the 2012 elections. Breaking the unions under the guise of balancing the budgets is the republican theme. They have money on their side. Rove has raised 120 million to take down Obama and the Senate. He doesn’t have a candidate yet but he is hoping for union buster Mitch Daniels to run. We will have to make it up with union money and feet on the ground.
Elaine,
Seeing how well you’ve kept an eye on the ‘pre-union busting’ activities in Wisconsin, might I suggest you start a new thread regarding the legal challenges to follow?
I’m guessing that we’ll begin to see some creative legal theories popping up in this weekend’s papers.
Remember, “When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.”
And the workers who got screwed in Wisconsin can’t afford off the rack thinking by ‘Semi-pro’ attorneys.
Stay in your own movie,
Bob
P.S. If there were a ‘Rachel Maddow Award’ for keeping track of this story on this blog, you would have more than earned it.
Elaine M:
the left is just as monolithic as the right or as libertarians or as any political or religious ideology. There may be some minor/subtle differences but for the most part we are all guilty of “herd” thinking. And we all think our particular ideology and outlook is so “fresh” and new.
The only difference is that I know economic collectivism doesn’t work because of the empirical evidence of the last 150-200 years. Progressives think it just hasn’t been done right yet. That is not the problem, it just simply doesn’t work and no amount of hope is going to make it so.
The world would be a whole lot better off if progressives just give it up and stop wishing. Stick to gay marriage, abortion, legalizing drugs and racism. You all are good at protecting people’s civil/social rights (And god only knows that a good many right wingers want to usurp those freedoms). Protecting economic freedom? Not so much.