Wisconsin: end of week one

Thanks for being out there, and for posting that video.

So, if the House Republicans were to desert Washington, and hide somewhere in Mexico, this would prove that Obama was incapable of governing? I’m at somewhat of a loss for where the difference would be found.

I don’t know about “prove,” Brett, but it seems like in that case Obama would be incapable of governing.

And in a country so steeped in bipartisan bonhomie as America, surely if Obama had forced those republicans to run to Mexico, it would mean that he had been very very bad. I mean, they only want to help him for the good of America, right? If he can’t get along with them under such bipartisan goodwill, surely it’s proof that he’s not fit to govern…

This is my first time posting here. I’m in Wisconsin and the AFL-CIO has started airing television commercials. The commercial is focused on firefighters and has a firefigher as the main announcer. What is great about the commercial is the final line at the end. (I’m paraphrasing here) “Governor Walker we agreed to your cuts. This is about preserving our rights.” It’s really important that everyone involved keeps hammering this point home.

It’s a beautiful building.

The original post referred to the Republicans as the “Reps”–doesn’t that sound entirely too wholesome, like their “Rep”resenting something other than unenlightened self interest? Let’s start a thread on something else, more truly representative with which to refer to our erring brethren. I’ll start: how about “Pubes”? It’s vaguely salacious, and conviently offers reference to their obvious self concern.

Gov. Walker is another drone motivated by money and power and with no Heart and Compassion for the people who work hard everyday for a living. He is no better than a dictator or a Hitler. Hitler did the same thing in May of 1933, which is to jail union members and abolish them. These acts are how democracy dies and a tolitarian society is born.

It’s not going over like a lead balloon, it’s popular with some, unpopular with others. The others are in a position to skip work to protest, apparently without the consequences people would face in the private sector for such an action. The ones it’s popular with are pretty much stuck with having to show up for work, and aren’t terribly impressed that they’re paying for people to protest.

It appears to me the Wisconsin Republicans have found a workable strategy, though: The 20 quorum only applies to financial bills, so the Republicans are queuing up a series of non-financial bills, such as voter ID, which Democrats can’t block unless they come back.

In the mean while, to answer my own question: If House Republicans fled to another country so that no laws could be passed, it would not prove that Obama was incapable of governing, it would prove something about House Republicans. And it doesn’t demonstrate that Walker can’t govern, if Wisconsin Democrats flee to another state, any more than it proves that you can’t drive if somebody shoots out the tire of your car.

It just proves they’re sore losers.

Shorter BB: I have internalised the interests of my paymasters and declare them identical to the natural order of things.

If you’re this resentful that none of YOUR current political allies will come protesting when you have your work contract and future plans arbitrarily curtailed or changed, without recourse, it’s because you have the wrong political allies. Unionise, Brett! You’re halfway there but gazing in the wrong direction — the extremely rich and powerful are not your pals and buddies!

The last poll I gave something like 54 against the bill, 41 for. USA Today had a poll yesterday showing that nationwide 61% would oppose a bill like the one in Wisconsin if it were proposed in their state. Brett’s getting really boring, and it is worth remembering that he actually knows nothing at all about how anyone in Wisconsin thinks or feels about this. A fun update in an hour or so.

Shorter Brett:
“I know you are because you said you are”.

Thanks for all the updates.

Brett Bellmore 02.23.11 at 1:46 am

“So, if the House Republicans were to desert Washington, and hide somewhere in Mexico, this would prove that Obama was incapable of governing? I’m at somewhat of a loss for where the difference would be found.”

Just to help you out on that whole ‘no memory except the current news cycle on Fox’ thing that you have; the GOP spent two years doing maximum obstruction, and just about every right-winger in the media and every on the internet blamed President Obama.

Make that “maximum obstruction” within the law, while the Wisconsin Democrats’ obstructive tactic is outside the law, which is why they had to flee beyond the jurisdiction of state police.

To live outside the law you must be honest.

“Madison – Today, Governor Scott Walker signed Special Session Assembly Bill 5 which requires a 2/3s vote to pass tax rate increases on the income, sales or franchise taxes. ”

Why can’t this law be repealed with a simple majority vote?

The others are in a position to skip work to protest, apparently without the consequences people would face in the private sector for such an action

Did you miss the part where it was pointed out that private sector works will retain their right to strike, and it’s only being taken from public sector workers?

I know they will. But private sector workers, most of them, are subject to summary firing if they lie to their employers about why they missed work. I certainly am.

And that’s what a “sick-out” is: A lie. That’s it’s an implausible lie doesn’t change that. And most private sector employees are well aware that, in the teachers’ place, they’d likely lose their jobs.

Maybe I should stop giving people ideas, but it wouldn’t be that hard to pretend to accept 9 of 10 (or 19 of 20 or whatever) sick notes from teachers and fire the remainder. The Romans weren’t noted for timidity, but they only found it necessary to decimate.

Maybe I should stop giving people ideas, but it wouldn’t be that hard to pretend to accept 9 of 10 (or 19 of 20 or whatever) sick notes from teachers and fire the remainder.

And how do you think that would end?

I’ve always liked “Work to Rule”.

As an Italian living in Holland I am probably an unlikely commenter on US events. However, here it comes:

I was a foreign exchange student in Waushara County at the end on the ’90s. Then 17, I was inhebriated by the American way of life, and stayed staunchly pro-US even in the dark days of the Iraq invasion (you might not remember, but some 90%+ of European public opinion was against. It took me a lot of effort to stand my ground).

For various reasons, I did not return to the US until last September. What I found broke my heart: the lowering of working conditions, unemployment, general hopelessness and diminished expectations, the fascist Beck/Tea Party/Fox propaganda, the awareness that those who created the whole financial mess are essentially above the law.

To Wisconsinites and Americans of either political camp this may mean nothing, but protesters in Madison are restoring my hope in the US as a land of freedom and democracy. God bless you and good luck.