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photo courtesy Dave Dayen
MADISON, WI (FDL) – Thousands of people have turned out in Madison today to protest the budget repair bill, which passed the State Assembly in a wildcat vote Thursday night. Members of several unions, most prominently the Plumbers and Steamfitters union of Madison and Milwaukee, were out in force. Madison schools are closed today, so many teachers and students are out as well. And while labor has brought numbers, the students really kicked this all off and still are the nominal leaders of this movement. The local teaching assistant’s association at UW-Madison has done a lot of the ground-level organizing work as well. It’s odd yet inspiring to see students walking and leading the crowd in union chants.
Some bagpipers from the Firefighter’s union led the crowd up to 10 Doty St., site of that now-infamous Koch Brothers lobby shop. Thousands packed the street, which was temporarily closed off to cards, for the noontime rally. The lobbyists have apparently begun the work of taking the Koch name off the door.
This is just the beginning of two days of action in Madison. The number that organizers and plugged-in folks are throwing around is 100,000 for the protest and concert tomorrow. The West Wing’s Bradley Whitford, a native Wisconsinite, will emcee the event, and I heard an unconfirmed report that Steve Earle will be playing. In addition to that, nationwide rallies are happening across the country. John Nichols from The Nation made a prediction this afternoon – he believes that 1 million people will be out in solidarity with Wisconsin public employees tomorrow. You can find the rally near you here.
Now, at 4:00 CT, apparently law enforcement at the Capitol will begin to restrict the upper floors of the Rotunda to protesters. This is the beginning of a movement to shut down the Capitol that will probably happen tomorrow night. With the professional police association opposed to the restriction and planning to sleep in the Capitol tonight, I don’t know if this will actually come off. But it should be interesting.
This is the one city in America right now where some stranger can come up to you and say, “I hear talk of a general strike.”
…this last pic is for Atrios:
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LOL at that last photo!
Bring on Bruce Springsteen!
I don’t know what keywords did it, but it drew an ad “Click to plan your trip today. South Carolina. Made for vacation.”
The funny thing about this was that I was debating whether to go to the 50-state Solidarity rally in Columbia or Raleigh. There is public transportation to Raleigh and not to Columbia; that sealed the deal.
It will be interesting to see how many folks turn up in Southern capitals. Teachers are being hammered with layoffs and pay cuts all over; there is some degree of collective bargaining but it suffers by being in a right-to-work environment.
Thanks DDay.
In case anyone missed it, the NYT’s tax expert, David Cay Johnsonton rips the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and other local media for their Really Bad Reporting on Wisconsin Protest Issues
So is Obama going to make a surprise visit or is David Axelrod a complete Moron on political matters?
Its political malpractice not to show up to your local rally if your a Dem.
Any pics of that? Might turn out to be iconic.
Lovin’ your on-the-ground tweets, David! Excellent reporting, as usual.
I don’t think the unions are doing their jobs in Wisconsin.
In the Wisconsin Senate, the Republican Party currently controls the chamber by a 19 to 14 margin.
Considering how pro-union Wisconsin is, I would bet that of those 19 Republicans, at least 3 could be vulnerable in their districts if they continue to back this bill.
I’m surprised the unions haven’t done one or both of the following: Inform the most vulnerable Republican Senators that the unions will contribute x-million dollars in campaign contributions to their opponent in the next election. Or more directly offer the Republican x-million dollars in campaign contributions in the next election if he should happen to prove to be a “friend of the union” by showing opposition to this bill.
What no news of the faux Popular Tea Bagger movement throwing a Counter Protest to stop the evil Unions from grabbing their taxes?
No Sarah? No Glen, Rush, Newt, Jeb I would think the Popular Tea bagger movement would show up to cheer Gov Walker on I mean hey if he wins this is the biggest defeat for the Left and Unions since Reagan fired the Air traffic controllers and fixed SS.
Don’t the Baggers want to be part of history surely if the election numbers were accurate Wisconsin has a bunch of Tea Baggers so where are they?
Why are no GOP Presidential Candidates in Wisconsin right now the GOP needs to win Wisconsin as much as Obama does to be President.
What happened I thought the Unions were going to start submitting recall petitions on the GOPers voting with Gov Walker?
How does this end?
With both sides being so heavily and publicly invested, it is hard for me to see a politically plausible resolution to this.
You funny.
How so?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisconsin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egypt
So if we get 100,000 in a state like Wisconsin and Wisconsin is how much smaller population wise than Egypt ( does anyone have any Egypt crowd size numbers they trust?) then how much bigger must the protests in Wisconsin get before they reach Egypt size?
That means one side get utterly defeated then the worry is the defeated side will seeing the law failed them will go extra legal to get their way.
Oh wait the GOP has been doing that since Nixon. If we lose the GOP has to worry about us going extra legal.
One of my HS classmates lives (or used to) in Madison. IIRC he taught in a community college; should be retired by now. I don’t have his email but have emailed someone who should have it. Will comment if I can contact him & get his read.
There is no peaceful politically plausible resolution to this. To much is on the line publicly neither side can back down without losing face. The Dems are use to surrendering however if they leave Illinois and go back to Gov Walker then we the Left can get Unions to support a third party candidate.
Especially if Obama does not show up and support us!
I think towards the (preliminary) end in Egypt, there were > 10 million protesters. Wisconsin would need close to 1 million to be equivalent. But Wisconsin can be happily ignored by the elites. The day it will really be happening for you is the day 10 million enter DC, sit down, and refuse to budge, coupled with a coast to coast general strike, and maybe the odd unexplained fire in various “party” headquarters (the “one” party of your one party state I mean).
You have quite a way to go.
Oh I’ll bet you think that’s a dandy idea alright. You can’t deal straight up with Republicans because those same Senators you’re talking about would go to the police and either complain about blackmail or bribery depending on which of your “solutions” they use. Nice try but I doubt you motives.
I assume you’re asking me, even though your comment didn’t show a response to me. If I got it wrong, you’ll correct me.
I find you funny bc you seem to live in a world that seems such a quaint relic of the past, when there were 2 political parties and pols’ words, while not entirely honest, could to some extent be taken at face value.
When in fact, the real world has moved completely beyond the model your comments seem to represent.
Sorry, alan — but I must protest — how’s about we continue the good work of driving $$$ out of politics, even if it means a complete and comprehensive reform from beneath the bottom (think DEEP democracy) up?
Indeed you are correct that we have quite a ways to go. But still, this is a very good first step. Let us hope the will of the people prevails for a change.
I would prefer not to see any of the solutions you offer, albeit that is the typical political response. For me, I would prefer to see the will of the majority of the “small people” – not David Koch and his Plutocratic buddies – prevail without any money changing hands. Wouldn’t that be a refreshing change? It’s possible.
Ouch! Remind me not to get on the receiving end of your sharp wit.
I will be going down to the Capitol here in Sacramento tomorrow and considering we have light rail here there really is no reason even the most financially strapped locals can’t get out and join in. “Power concedes nothing without a demand, never has and it never will.” –Frederick Douglass Put that in your comfortable shoes President fencesitter-in-chief Obama. Oh wait, nevermind, fence-sitters that refuse to walk their talk don’t need shoes. WTH was i thinking?
I am so excited…folks in Nebraska…a red state from heck…are marching tonight in solidarity with the teachers in wisconsin. My union electrician husband just grabbed my son, and his gloves to stand in the snow and march. I am so excited. I have to pick my daughter up…or I would be right there with him.
If it’s happening here…this is a movement…keep moving.
Is that photo our Norske by any chance? LOL!
Go Nebraska.
IIRC, there are at least six GOP Senators who are “recall-eligible.” I heard a lot about that strategy before the Walker tape. Per DDay’s prior reporting on this, the GOP in Wisconsin appears to be losing law enforcement. If the GOP can’t get endorsements from law enforcement and public safety unions, it’s a huge surge for Dems.
It looks to me now like the Dems are willing to play a long game. They can tie Gov. Dropout to the Koch’s. They may want to see how much they can taint any Republican who votes with Gov. Walker on anything.
April 5 is a special election to replace Walker as Milwaukee County Executive. Walker’s guy in that race is Jeff Stone, who just approved the Budget Repair bill in the State Assembly. He’s against a trust fund baby, Chris Abele. Everyone will be watching that election.
That includes an election for the State Supreme Court, which has been infiltrated by wingnuts. AFAIK, JoAnne Kloppenburg could bring the court back a little bit from abyss of wingnuttia.
OT
KO claiming to go public again tonight.
I’m predicting a half a million state-wide in WI. Thanks for your seeming tireless coverage.
That sounds like an no choice election to someone like me who knows nothing about it. Could you add flavor? Is Walker’s guy pulling the same bs about not telling what he’s really going to do if elected? Is the trust fund baby in corp’s pocket, as the phrase would seem to imply?
OT here but have to share this. McClatchy article says at a S.Carolina Repub. shindig a lady says she’s supporting Michele Bachmann for Pres. over Palin cause Bachmann is “Palin with a brain”. Can’t recall the last time I cried and laughed so hard at the same time.
The rebirth of America starts tomorrow across our great nation!
Our Koched-up nation and all the tea-bag drags will see what real organizing looks like and hear how working class people respond when told to surrender their rights!
LO is a panelist this Sunday on Meet the Press, with Walker as guest.
I live in the real world. In that world, cynicism has its place, but does not fully inform it.
Apologies for butting in with Chris Abele info
Leave the Koch Bros alone!!!!
Their work for freedom won’t be silenced…or something…
Folks should realize that several national one day strikes and work slowdowns will be necessary to put a stop to this nonsense. We’re long past the time when mere rallies will have any effect. The moment Walker signs the Union busting bill into law, no interstate trucker should exceed 40 mph on any highway in the US.
The only thing that workers can do to retain their dignity against the bosses, is to withhold their labor and their commerce.
Sadly this should have happened when Reagan shut down PATCO. It’s probably too late now.
Hear, hear.
Hot diggity dawg!
“Sadly this should have happened when Reagan shut down PATCO. It’s probably too late now.” & sadly I agree.
“RealCynic” = Teabaggista?
“What is a cynic? A man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.” — attributed to Oscar Wilde
Can U spell “G-E-N-E-R-A-L S-T-R-I-K-E” marching right into Mayday…?
I agree, but I really think the Republicans were all-in from the very beginning. They worked out the odds and decided that with Citizens United they could alienate every public sector worker (unions are pro-Dem anyway) and put an end, once and for all, to Union money providing support for the Democratic Party. Put the unions in a position where they are too weak to contribute, or pass laws making it nearly impossible to do so, or both. They’re going for the jugular and the Unions didn’t expect it–I know my Union had no idea that this was planned because, yes, Democrats were supported, but absolutely nothing was said about removal of collective bargaining and preventing the Union, as a group, from contributing to political campaigns. That may be the Achilles heel of Democrats–we tend to believe in the inherent goodness of mankind and can’t imagine that a large group wants to do us harm.
As the PTB have so aptly pointed out, these types of “movements” are fluid, and predictions are purely speculative. Momentum is key here, and that is why it may be possible we will get to your tactics but without keeping momentum going it’s impossible to get there. I’m thinking a MAY DAY workers strike isn’t totally out of the realm of possibility. It should have happened with PATCO, but it’s NOT too late now. So are you gonna join in and see if we can get to your tactics or just sit on the sidelines claiming this or that needs to be done?
Good as any summation of Walkers potential criminal behavior from John Nichols yesterday and another take on potential misuse of state aircraft by Governor Gullible with a lot of background info on state “personalities,” from this Progressive WI blogger.
Found my district assembly WI representative as I was heading up to visit the senior center with the cat today. He passed me in his rural farmer car and rural costume clothing, doing over seventy (and maintained it or better) as he pulled about three miles out in front of me in less than a minute, before he turned down his side road and into his drive way at 3:28 PM. Wondering if Walker flew him north today or if he drove from Madison.
Is this what you had in mind?
How can they prevent the unions from making campaign contributions when corporations can?
I think a boycott would be more effective.
I’ll be out in Nashville at the State Capitol at noon. This is a right-to-work state, which attracted a number of auto factories because of it’s anti-union policies, but I hope there will be a good turnout.
They prevent the unions from collecting dues from their members. Then, to stir the pot they require the union to hold an election every year. Essentially, they starve the union for cash so there isn’t enough left to contribute.
Froma strategy viewpoint it seems like it would be good to let the districts that changed hands in a close race that they will be looking at a recall. If Walker won’t shift then we need 2 of the GOP to blink.
I looked at ballotopedia and it looked like a couple of districts were originally in the hands of Dems and decided by under 5000 votes. I have to wonder if these GOp candidates want to be finished before they even finish a term in their seats?
I hate to keep beating this point home but where is Obama? The national Dems say they are focused on cutting spending and creating jobs to become distracted on the problems of the Unions? What BS…and the national media lets them get away with this crap?! Cent and Ed are the only two national media types to call them out…yes the GOP are bastards but the Dems are too..remember when the Tea party crowd was out hollering and generally acting like bozos? There were there GOP leaders with them ..so where are the Dems with the Unions? I did see Dennis K leading a rally (or at least he was speaking w/passion)but I have not seen anyone else..
Think about how great was to see Bernie Sanders giving his all when standing up against the Bush tax cut in Dec..now remember Obama brings in Bubba and the media goes wild…what does Bubba do? Tells us all how great the Bush taxes are for all of us and the jobs are coming!…Bernie gets cast aside by the media and the passion we had watching him becomes a footnote
Wheeeeee! A fellow Nebraskan on FDL . . . will wonders never cease?!!
Rally at the Capitol today at noon. Let’s hope more than 20 people show up.
While I agree with you 100% and noticed that there must be more than 1 million Americans who work for state and federal governments, I have one aeronautical question to toss your way:
Seen many elephants flying over your neck of the woods lately? :-)
doremus
I had to go to the Wikipedia to be able to seem somewhat informed since you and eCAHNomics are having or had a bit of a dust up.
And the answer to question #1 is: It would appear that a fascist state allows only one party, ever.
And question #2 is: When was the last fascist state with only one political party quietly and peaceably voted democratically out of power? The operative word is voted. :-)
I guess you might call me a jaded cynic. I prefer the moniker of abject realist.
And FWIW: I am constantly surprised that most people who call themsevles progressives, etc. haven’t quite figured out that the game is completely rigged, money call the shots, and for all intents and purposes American democracy is DOA, kaput, dead. :-(
A million people, huh? 500 here, 1000 there, even D.C. couldn’t muster more than a few hundred. Yep, the movement has begun, the only question what sort of movement is it?
Boy howdy, was that estimate off or what?
Why were you so foolish to predict the most optimistic numbers? Now you have become the butt of jokes from the right because the numbers can’t match your magical prediction? Why do we have fools who only exist to make us all targets of the right? Don’t believe me? Check out Memeorandum. They on the right are laughing at us because of innocents like Dayen. We need more savvy progressives. Please. Think before you post, FDL.
Smells fishy. You’re ‘of the left’?
This was…
John Nichols. Go away.