Six of the Republican Senators who backed Wisconsin Governor Scot Walker in his recent union busting legislation are facing the voters in recalls today. The democrats have to win only three of these to take control of the senate. Polls are hinting that at least three of these seats will change hands so it is looking good for workers in that State.
If nothing else, it is a warning to other GOP held states that they cannot use their majority to bully workers and take away their hard won rights with the sweep of a pen without ramifications. It will be interesting to see what happens as polls close in the Badger State.
EDIT: It's a nail biter! The Democrats have taken two seats and are leading in a third. They need three to take control. I wish I was there!
Well, it did not work. The Republicans managed to hold onto four of their six challenged seats. Once again we see that the majority is not always right! A bad night for working families in Wisconsin!
On The Way Home We Stopped To See Elvis
4 hours ago
Union busting is contagious in a recession / depression. It is politically expedient for the conservative right to demonize unions as the cause of the problems. In fact, there has been mismanagement of pension funds, raiding of pension funds and disparity between management and workers. Unions made significant concessions and lost retirement / pensions. Without regard for that, the final right of collective bargaining was taken away. One can only hope the voters will see past the demagogues who have the unions the scapegoat.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HldVI4InSr4
Bill in Nebr.
Croft
ReplyDeleteIt is indeed a bad night for working families. The cheddar heads prevailed over labor. No more Milwaukee beer and Wisconsin cheese for me.
Bill in Nebr.
The left believes the only working families that matter are those employed by government. It actually was a good night for working families, at least for those working families that are tax payers, and not employed by state, local, or federal government, or on the public dole. The fight across the US is pitting tax takers against tax payers. For those of you who will insist the tax takers are also tax payers, you are right, but they are still net tax takers. As for other states "being afraid", I think they will be emboldened. In Wisconsin you saw unions outspend the Republican incumbents by 10-1, and they still failed, just as they failed to win the Supreme Court contest.
ReplyDeleteWhatsnewell
ReplyDeletePublic employees didn't get the country in this economic mess. But, using your logic that anyone on "the public dole" is to blame, it is time for drastic cuts to the military, which costs us "taxpayers" billions.
Bill in Nebr.
"tax takers" ... nice. Sixteen years I worked 60 or more hours a week taking care of the most vulnerable people on the planet, those born to monstrous abusers who destroyed their souls, too many times their bodies, or killed them. I made a livable wage for that work. It was work. Heartbreaking work that plagues me still 7 years after I left that agency.
ReplyDeleteWho do you want doing that work in your free market paradise, Whatsnewell? Some private company whose only purpose is to make a profit? I can't even imagine the decision making that would go into child protection: okay, well if we remove this child and go to court, it costs X ... if we leave her here and cross our fingers, we'll save Y.
This fantasy that 350 million people can live without some functioning government to work for us is absurd and childish. I can't believe how many people have jumped on the all-government-is-bad bandwagon.
Meanwhile, an analysis of Wisconsin can be found here: http://downwithtyranny.blogspot.com/2011/08/wisconsin-dems-need-3-seats-to-take.html
That's what I really meant to say until I read your comments :-)