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Something truly incredible is happening in Wisconsin. Yesterday the protests against Governor Scott Walker’s bid to strip public employees of collective bargaining rights grew to about 13,000 before it was all done. The one public hearing on the bill lasted 17 hours, and Democrats picked it up again to continue to receive public comments. The Madison School District closed all schools because of what amounts to a wildcat strike by local teachers.
I just got word of the latest numbers. THIRTY THOUSAND people are out at the state capitol today (Here’s a pic). Phone calls are pouring in to legislative offices. Students are walking out of class in support of their teachers. State Sen. Robert Rauch (D) called it “the rebirth of the progressive movement in Wisconsin.” And the Republicans are starting to get nervous.
Sen. Dan Kapanke of La Crosse told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he did not know where Republicans stood on the proposal that drew more than 13,000 protesters to the Capitol on Tuesday.
When asked about the position of Republicans, Kapanke said he didn’t know the answer.
Sen. Luther Olsen of Ripon told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that there will be changes to the bill, but he didn’t know yet what they were.
Specifically, when asked where Republicans stood on the bill, Kapanke said, “That’s a really good question. I don’t know.” Republican lawmakers met behind closed doors today.
It was only a day ago that Republicans confidently predicted they had the votes in the Senate and Assembly to pass the bill. But that confidence has waned. Governor Walker has a news conference scheduled for later today.
There’s a recognition here that Wisconsin’s Republicans have stepped out further on the ledge than anyone else in rolling back labor rights, and that whether or not they’re successful will guide other battles in other states. This is the birthplace of AFSCME, the first state to guarantee public employee labor rights in 1959.
If labor manages to block the bill, Walker has threatened furloughs for up to 6,000 public workers to make up for the cost. But labor would be in a much stronger position to fight that if they can stop Walker here. For the first time today, Walker said he was open to making changes to the bill, though he added that he wouldn’t “fundamentally undermine the principles.” There’s talk of a recall if Walker pushes through with this.
Listen to these young people staying in the Rotunda:
“I just think it’s really crappy,” said Alison Port, a 19-year-old freshman from Wauwatosa as she clutched her laptop and her Green Bay Packers blanket. “Let’s take all the rights away. If he starts here, where’s he going to stop? What else is he going to throw at us? It’s only going to get more extreme.” [...]
“So many people are against this,” UW-Madison senior Kylie Christianson said early Wednesday as she sat in the Capitol rotunda on her blanket, putting the finishing touches on a protest sign. “His job is to help us, not to hurt us.”
A local reporter is tweeting the latest from inside the Capitol. Also here.
More when I have it.
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Oh, this is so inspiring! Go People!
DemocracyNow had an excellent intervview on this issue yesterday. The key for me was this: “What’s troubling to me is this talk of calling out the National Guard, this talk of really repressively putting down protests in the state of Wisconsin, a state with a great progressive tradition and a state that, as I said before, the rest of the country is watching. The fact is, Wisconsin is not broke. The Fiscal Bureau of Wisconsin just said in January that it will end this year with a $123 million surplus. So the fact of the matter is that this is not being done because of a lack of money.
From here
So people go on offense to defend progressive values and Republicans are flummoxed.
Maybe there is a lesson here.
Maybe this will be our ‘Tunisian’ moment. Let’s hope so.
This is from the UK Guaridan:
“Wisconsin is rapidly becoming a disturbing showcase of where America as a whole is headed, as Tea Party political ideas takeover the Republican party. What began as a ragtag scattering of conservative activists two years ago is now starting to have real political power and putting its anti-government, slash-and-burn ideas into practice in ways that impact millions of Americans.”
LINK.
It’s be great to have your reactions to this ubetchaiam, DavidKalb & Knut.
I think the lesson here, when this is coupled with the story David is covering, is that conservatives are pushing change far beyond where they have public support – which creates an great opportunity for push back. In fact, while this may be an extreme case, most of the agenda is pretty unpopular. The lack of push back has made them arrogant. If you could create these sort of protests everywhere, I suspect the public would rise up against the TP. Question is, how do you create it?
I thought it was a Stone cold Lock that they had 16 votes in the Senate? No? Worried about their personal perks now? That’s what they get for backing the Sociopath Walker. He actually believes that WI National Guards will shoot at protestors just because he tells them to. A Dangerous Demagogue in the mold of that other Wisconsin shame, Joe McCarthy.
I think Russ Feingold’s first mission with his new organization should be in his hime state.
Thanks so much, DavidKaib. At the moment, the Repugs seem to be doing really well creating the protests, huh? Here’s more from a local news outlet:
Walker gins up ‘crisis’ to reward cronies
“To the extent that there is an imbalance — Walker claims there is a $137 million deficit — it is not because of a drop in revenues or increases in the cost of state employee contracts, benefits or pensions. It is because Walker and his allies pushed through $140 million in new spending for special-interest groups in January. If the Legislature were simply to rescind Walker’s new spending schemes — or delay their implementation until they are offset by fresh revenues — the “crisis” would not exist.”
LINK.
I hope this gets front paged at FDL ASAP.
This needs to become a focused issue to follow.
Wow. I think there should be a boatload of recall signatures to gather.
That is amazing. There could hardly be a better example of the Predator State.
fantastic.
John Lennon sang
God Bless the Madison WI. Protesters. Joe Hill is with you today and all of American Labor. Our past Labor Leaders fought hard for the right to Organize and the right of Collective Bargaining.
And our Norseflamethrower says he’s going back tomorrow. This has got legs people and will only grow since Walker is doubling down.
AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND…
Citizen David Dayen:
Thank you for the reporting from Madison (it’s much better’n Ed Schultz’s)…I guess I know now why I haven’t been able to get through to our union organizers today ‘cuz they’ve been on the phone with folks like you. Please see my comment immediately downstream…all I will tell you here is that there were 5,000 people INSIDE the rotunda and 17,000 OUTSIDE yesterday and the teachers unions hadn’t even mobilized yet and the unions from Milwaukee were doublin down today.
I don’t think we’ll be able to kill the thing dead, but I hope that we can turn 2 more Senate votes to get ‘em to pull it until the smoke clears. In any case, there is life in our politics and I saw a whole bunch of elected Repofascists scurrin’ around lookin like they’d seen the ghost of John Brown.
The Teabag fascists with the help of the Obama administration have just reunited the labor movement and awakened the college kids…remember 1968!!
KEEP THE FAITH AND PASS THE AMMUNITION, THIS IS A BATTLE THAT NO ONE IS GUNNA FIGHT FOR YOU!!
Can we please lock that idiot Obama in a room and make him watch footage of these protest for a couple of days?
It’s our January 25th! Wisconsin for the win!
On a more serious note, California’s new Governor Jerry Brown put a freeze on state hiring yesterday.
Sounds like the next step may be job cuts. As if we haven’t already lost enough teachers.
California’s jumping off point? I’d like to think so.
Norske, I’m happy for you and Wisconsin. Well done.
Second that! Kudos.
I do remember but this is not anti-war but fighting against the Fascists who want to take away all an employee’s rights to organize and bargain in the work place… Back to Serfdom when they paid you want they wanted to and you better just shut up//OR..
A friend in Wisconsin emailed me a couple days ago and told this story:
A friend who works for the post office was told by her boss that she needed to report every worker who called in sick the next day, as they would be dealt with appropriately. “I can’t do that,” she said. “Why not?” her boss followed up. “Because i’ll be calling in sick,” she said sweetly.
I just emailed Russ Feingold at his new PU (stinky name) website, and asked him to stand with the workers at a commenter’s suggestion.
ON WISCONSIN!!!!
Citizen nahant:
“I do remember 1968 but this is not anti-war…”
Oh but citizen nahant, yes it is about the war(s) and the people who are wakin up to that fact are the youngsters, the teachers and the unions who weren’t with us in 1968. I spent 14 hours with 22,000 folks yesterday and I saw what we didn’t see in 1968…there is a real student-worker alliance here that didn’t exist in ’68. If it had we would have been outta Viet Nam before 1975 and Bobby Kennedy mighta lived to see the White House.
I am hopeful this uniting of the generations continue for the good of all. Many of our younger generation see what is happening in our country and feel like their futures are being robbed by the rich and are will to stand up against it.. Indeed maybe this will be our January 25th when the people say enough is enough and force change.. This surely cannot go on where the people are continuously Robbed of everything including their dignity…
LOCK & LOAD!! Time we fight back..
Maybe we learned something about democracy from Egypt.
DDay, thanks so much. Even the criminal Milwaukee Archbishop is coming out in support of workers
Listecki says hard times do not negate workers’ rights
Maybe those hardhats learned something in the past 40 years.
If working people don’t stand up the Democrats and the Republicans will destroy all workers rights. Not one peep out of the national “leadership” of the Democratic party decrying the power grab by the right wing. Their silence is deafening. The Democratic Party does not support the working and middle class. The Revolution is on!
That was the first thing I noticed about the Egyptian demonstrations Norske, the inter-generational mix, that and the high spirits of the crowd in general.
I believe the union workers have finally digested the fact that the Reublicans have been conning them all along, there won’t be any hard-hats throwing things at demonstrators anymore, they’ll be marching too.
It’s a myth that’s been purposely nurtured, that organized marching and civil-disobedience don’t work, it does, and it will work.
Let’s see Scott Walker try and put the cork back in this jug.
Gee, and the Rs and Ds were doing sooo well at destroying the labor movement when they kept it below the radar…
Fuckin’ Teabaggers ruined everything.
He’d just doze off and dream about being president one day.
But that would ultimately require fooling all of the people, all of the time, and you know what that famous republican said about that.
Just logging in to voice my support for this coverage and all the great links, and commentary provided by you dday and many other people in this thread….a million thanks.
I appreciate what all those people in Wisconsin are doing..peacefully protesting their gov’t to ensure that it is truly a gov’t of the people, by the people and For all the people. They have my support and respect.
If Americans can learn anything from Tahrir Square it is that enough people can get rid of the elite fascists who dominate them.
If we could mount similar continuous demonstrations we might be able to take back our democracy.
I think the people will win this one in Wisconsin.
Well, how about: “Why are the workers who already bailed out the banks, already bailed out AIG, already are paying for two unpaid-for wars, and already support a government that is primarily funded by — and for — Wall Street being asked to take yet another financial hit?”
This is a salvo in what I expect to continue: the banksters aren’t giving up easily, and a fool like Walker is probably going to dig himself in deeper.
Part of pushing back will be making clear how much we’ve all been forking out to support the best Congress (and legislatures and governors) that corporate money can buy.
In the end, it will require campaign finance reform; however, for the moment it’s just heartening to watch people refuse to keep getting screwed.
Ditto.
Has the hippie bashing started on the TV yet, or are they just ignoring this one?
Hard to follow the propaganda at work…
The Koch boyz got impatient. They must be gettin’ old.
There was always the frogboil model.
Matt Taibbi’s new article at Rolling Stone is a wonderful explanation of some of this. The greed and lust for money has gotten out of hand because our government refuses to hold people responsible for their illegal actions.
Living in Illinois and not having read the comments yet after reading the headline (my disclaimer in case some one has already suggested this) someone mentioned yesterday that a recall petition could only be initiated after a year in office.
Imho, they should start passing out the petitions right now, forget the year waiting, and let Gov. Walker and the Repubs. know that this is definitely going to happen now, 6 months, or a year from now.
O how I hope that this is a stepping stone to the rebirth of progressive movements.
Now back to reading the comments.
Photos of democracy in Wisconsin
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=30062&id=141631369229860
It’s not on the NOOZ, even Cenk. CNN is frantically showing ME protests.
Shsssssh
Many thnx for the photos. Go People!
Thanks for the link. I’ll read it later. But I would quibble with your setup:
I would characterize it as USG rewarding greed, and private coprs wallowing in it, which is VERY far removed from merely omitting to hold people responsible.
I went to undergraduate and law school in Madison from 1965 to 1972. I also participated in lots of protests and saw my first Grateful Dead concert there on my first acid trip.
Those were the days, so y’all know I loves my badgers.
Nevertheless, for a little comic relief here’s a scene from Raul’s Wild Kingdom.
Probably describes how Obama and the Koch-heads feel right now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gx6TBrfCW54
I think you have to check the law closely. Having been involved in one recall effort (albeit not in Wisconsin) I know that the laws are generally very specific about when you can start, and when you must complete, the recall petition process.
Lots of times you can’t apply for the petition before a certain date, then you have to get it approved (as to form) by the local or state office that handles election matters, then you usually have a certain period of time during which you must publish or otherwise notice it to the public, and after that you have a set period of time to collect and submit the signatures for validation.
NPR is covering it as public employees camped out. No mention that there’s a teacher’s wildcat strike, no mention that any of the general public is attending the protests, no mention of size.
Boy, is Taibbi the best, or what? If there aren’t weren’t journalism awards named for IF Stone and Pulitzer, someone who invent the Taibbi. (Or maybe the “Taibbi Takedown” award.)
They could still make-up a form and have people sign it as a petition demanding he resign from office. They could probably get a half million by the end of the week.
The first time I went to Madison it was a biz trip to talk to State of Wisc employee pension fund managers. The salesman who traveled with me was in his 40s, married, a real Ted Kennedy type in all ways except rich: looked like him, had the Massachusetts accent, drank a lot, and played around. It was the beginning of the school year, we arrived early enough the day before the meeting to stroll around the lake in the late afternoon. The coeds were sunbathing. His tongue was hanging out, a faint trace of spittle, another obvious sign of lust. He could barely contain himself.
NPR has totally gone downhill.
How about a fund raising drive to organize for the future recall? I’d sure rather send money to support something like this than to support reelecting the corporate administration in Washington. After all, what they really want to stop is the organizing and what we desperately need is a new broad based national labor movement.
The New York Times has pix and a top billed article now (the inset on the side is at the top of their online page front page).
I’d throw a donation in for that.
But, it’s only torture when bad people do it. Bad people.
I don’t ordinarily recommend Californian precedents to anyone, but if California can recall a sitting governor for being nothing more than a Democrat, perhaps Wisconsites can recall a governor for being an incompetent firebrand out to destroy workers’ rights and willing to disrupt the lives of thousands of students, hospitals and their patients, library patrons and public servants in the National Guard, police and fire services – the backbone of every community in the state – in order to do it.
His threat to call out the Guard before strikes were even threatened means that he’s working from the anti-abortion rights playbook. He hopes to elicit a violent response to his absurd tactics so that he can claim justification after the fact and do what Reagan did to air traffic control union members – fire them all and start over, never mind the danger and cost of doing so (he’ll blame that on someone else, too).
Pity that nearly everyone in Wisconsin followed events in Tunisia and Egypt, enough at least to know that peaceful, persistent protest, non-violent civil disobedience, works wonders, not the least in its ability to shine a bright light on the violence practiced by such political leaders. They just use a pen, not a gun, and hide behind their office desks and uniformed guards.
Seems to me that the most dangerous, certainly the most blindly ambitious and inept, public employee in Wisconsin right now is its governor. BTW, I don’t believe he’s a union member.
Pathetic. Just pathetic.
Thnx for the update, though, ondelette.
Damned straight.
And some real news reporting, please. There are more people in Capitol Square than there are protesting in Bahrain. The numbers are even Stephen with those in Iran. So we should be hearing a message soon from Secretary of State Clinton asking all sides to be peaceful, and warning Governor Walker not to shut down the Internet, and to allow the voices of the people to be heard, I think.
And a speech from President Obama about how “Capitol” means, well, “Capitol” or something very close to that, in English, and how America is a country built on the backs of the working people, and how ultimately, Governor Walker must derive his authority to govern from the consent of those people protesting in
TahrirCapitol Square. The Metropolitan Bus Authority has already said it won’t fire on the people and has declared a Bus Detour until Sunday.Imish Walker! Azad Wisconsin!
Watch the environment shift …
“Restoring Economic Sovereignty: The Push for State-Owned Banks”
Ellen Brown – Civil litigation attorney; author of “Web of Debt”
Posted: February 15, 2011 04:24 PM
“JPMorgan Consolidates Trading Platforms to Cut Costs, 3,000 Jobs by 2014” (by Dawn Kopecki, Feb. 16, 2011, 12:04 PM PT)
“Bank Run In Ivory Coast” (Feb. 16, 2011)
“How Allstate Used Sampling To Confirm JPMorgan/WaMu Lied About Virtually Everything When Selling Mortgages” (Feb. 16, 2011)
Truly inspirational to see.
Part of an e-mail from a friend in Madison. She was marching with her son yesterday. She is a retired state employee also.
As a follow up. For the first time in who knows how many years, the Madison schools closed today for I guess you could say political reasons. By 11:00 PM last night 40% of teachers had called in sick. I got a call at 600 AM asking if they could bring my 10 year old grandson over for the day. He and I took the bus downtown for a real life social studies class. We participated in a HUGE rally. He carried a sign, shouted, sang chants, etc. I think he was a little overwhelmed at first, but then really got into it. My son was so happy I took him and only sorry he could not also have participated. He teaches in a different district and they did not close. I have heard rumors that the finance committee is ready to make some concessions. Hopefully it’s not just a rumor.
Jane
Fixed it for ya.
Now it will be suits and ties throwing things at the students and hardhats.
With that sort of turnout, the protesters better aim for more than blocking the bill. Forcing out the governor would send a message to other states trying to do the same thing.
Yep.
No shit! Stand up to bullies and they will run like wimpering maggots! People power godddddddammmit!!
Recall work should start up, and not just for the Gov.
My understanding is that he can’t be recalled until next January. He will just have to be convinced (probably by state Republicans) to resign. I don’t know how many people in the street are required for that to happen, but the more Republican public employees he PO’s the better.
He says Wisconsin has a population of 5.5 million. Say 2 million-plus adults. A million folks in demonstrations all around the state probably would make a big point. 100,000-200,000 in Madison would make some waves. He’s killed 17,000 jobs already; that should get some folks out.
It’s as what the guy from the Nation pointed out; If this asshole is successful, then the movement to emasculate unions ,especially public employee unions, will spread. What’s scary is the carveouts for fire and police units; those are the ‘first responders’ and they absolutely need to be on the side of the people, not the government.
I hope this teaches the young people that presidential elections aren’t the only ones that matter. All elections matter because you get the government you deserve. Thank you and keep up the fight to all who are participating.
Maddow’s covering it now
I learned yesterday that he doesn’t have a college degree, dropped out after his junior year to work for the Red Cross. Had a 2.59 GPA when he left. Article said that he was one of very few state chief executives in recent history without a degree. Guess he didn’t like teachers then either.
I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night,
alive as you and me.
Says I “But Joe, you’re ten years dead”
“I never died” said he,
“I never died” said he.
“The Copper Bosses killed you Joe,
they shot you Joe” they filled you full of lead.
“Takes more than guns to kill a man”
Says Joe “I didn’t die”
Says Joe “I didn’t die”
“In Salt Lake City, Joe,” says I,
Him standing by my bed,
“They framed you on a murder charge,”
Says Joe, “But I ain’t dead,”
Says Joe, “But I ain’t dead.”
And standing there as big as life
and smiling with his eyes.
Says Joe “What they can never kill
went on to organize,
went on to organize”
From San Diego up to Maine,
in every mine and mill,
Where working men defend their rights,
it’s there you’ll find Joe Hill,
it’s there you’ll find Joe Hill!
I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night,
alive as you and me.
Says I “But Joe, you’re ten years dead”
“I never died” said he,
“I never died” said he.
We stand in solidarity with you forever!
If the carve outs, as you call them (buy offs in truth) and the police and fire go along with that, then you have a choice. Eventual violence and force them to abuse their friends and neighbors and relatives – or just roll over and buy cat food, it’ll be what’s for dinner.
Thanks so much, ubetchiam.
I’m from WI. Their not only demonstrating at the State Capitol but at the home of Gov. Walker as well. In fact, certain Republican Senators homes are being demonstrated at as well. The police had to shut down the street in Wauwatosa where Walker lives. They estimated a 1,000 people showed up.
It’ll be even larger tomorrow as Ed Schulz broadcasts live. The “sick-ins and wildcat’s” are spreading. Other school districts may follow. WI. is not a red state. Many wingnuts were elected because of low turnout due to disgruntlement with Obama and the DLC Dems.
Hopefully, the people are starting to realize, it doesn’t matter who gets elected. Whether the Corporate sycophant has a {D} or an {R} behind their name, they work for us. This needs to catch on all over the country, unions need to get behind it and drive this people powered force. It’s the only chance for this country.
I second that. This is nothing more than union busting. Bust the unions and you seriouly weaken progressive voting block. It’s all about voter suppression! Democracy?
We hope your right
Really! wisconsin is not broke? We are facing a $139 million deficit for this current budget. Our next 2 year budget starting in mid-summer 2011 has a projected deficit of $3.7 billion. I don’t think this is a great approach by Walker by any means but to say Wisconsin is not broke is ludacris. We owe Minnesota $70 million plus from our shared income tax setup on the border there. We owe a medical fund that our last Govenor Doyle stole $200 million from and then was deemed unconstitutional before he left office. We have lots of problems and are far far from swimming in surpluses.
The revolution will not be televised.
Gov Walker wants to use the National Guard for union busting. He thinks he is the King of Wisconsin. Why doesn’t he just wade into the crowd and order them to disperse? Stupid, malignant mother fucker. I hope nothing bad happens to him.
*modnote: no violence, no threats.*