Tweet
You may have heard about Politico’s gaffe of the year (at least so far), when a reporter confused the Wisconsin state flag, which has the year of the state’s founding, 1848, on it with the flag of the “Wisconsin local 1848″ union. There’s a Google cache of the old story, which was quickly changed.
Brian Beutler reports that this has now become a rallying cry within the labor movement, particularly as they head into recall elections in Wisconsin that could depose Scott Walker and give the state Senate back to Democrats.
“When national news blog Politico came to Milwaukee to cover Pres. Obama’s visit, they incorrectly identified the Wisconsin flag as the “flag for the local union, Wisconsin 1848.” Many people got a chuckle at the embarrassing mistake, but we think it really represents something larger,” reads a new AFSCME petition. “So let’s say it loud and say it proud! Join as a charter member of “Wisconsin Local 1848” today. We’ll share up-to-the-minute information on statewide issues that affect us all.”
And there’s a t-shirt to go along with it.
Points for creativity.
The labor movement has returned to the Democratic fold in many respects, but at least in Wisconsin, labor is driving the boat, with the politicians taking their cues from them, rather than the other way around. As we witnessed last year with the Wisconsin uprising, there was a synergy between party activities and the goals of the broader labor movement that made some sense, where it perhaps wouldn’t in other contexts (at the federal level, for example, Democrats just negotiated an FAA reauthorization bill that chipped away at labor rights, and they passed a payroll tax cut bill where practically the only group asked to pay for the measure were federal employees). In Wisconsin, at least, the success of labor and the success of the Democratic Party are mostly aligned.
Meanwhile, you have billionaire David Koch stating plainly that he will help Scott Walker in the upcoming recall, adding that “We’ve spent a lot of money in Wisconsin. We’re going to spend more.” So obviously the labor/youth/progressive/party synergy in Wisconsin is necessary to fight what will be just a flood of money on the other side.
12 Comments
Support this site!
Subscribe to the newsletter
Advertise on Firedoglake
Send
us your tips
Make us your homepage
About FDL News Desk
Would need a lot more evidence before I came close to thinking labor leaders in WI aren’t in the veal pen.
Assuming that a “veal pin” (a reference previously unknown to me) is something like a pork barrel, I still don’t see how that invalidates the quoted line. I think we can assume that politicians are also into the veal pin. I don’t see how that affects the question of who’s leading whom.
Anything that unites people against the despicable, black-hearted bastardian KOch brothers is a good thing.
It should be noted that on several media outlets David Koch is claiming he “received around 100 credible death threats.”
..
..
ONLY 100?????
Veal Pen = phrase coined by Jane Hamsher to describe the nominally progressive organizations that have been co-opted by DC and the Beltway and refuse to speak out against things like the Stupak Amendment in the health care bill or the “clean coal and gas” or the Foreclosure fraud or any of a number of idiot problems for fear of losing their “place at the table” (read: donation lists)
The veal pen (not pin) is what calves are confined to so they won’t spoil tender meat by moving.
Hamsher coined the phrase a year or two or three ago for former supporters of progressive causes who were promptly confined once O became prez.
Oh dear, now I owe you a drink too.
Gonna go have dinner & if you’re still around later, I’ll slide you your fave down the bar. Leave me a note as to what you’d like.
A nice shot of Woodford Reserve will set off the evening nicely, thank you
Whoo! Fawn-cee.
Anyway, I’d buy a t-shirt with Wisconsin Local 1848. I love that Politico’s stupidity, that so clearly showed their anti-union default prejudices, set this off. Wisconsin looks still to be the jumping off point for getting our rights back, if it is ever happen. I’m already grateful to Wisconsin, whatever happens in the short run.
I can’t do that. But this distillery is 2 miles down the road from me & I’ll happily recommend any of their products. Sliding their baby bourbon down the bar and awaiting your expert taste testing. It’s found in ‘all the right places’ in Manhattan, as well as locally.
Scott Walker has many more problems then the recall. He is now looking at State & Federal criminal charges for campaigning. He used staffers in the County as political operatives, on taxpayer time, to run for Governor.
Which will come first, campaign violations & jail, or the recall.
The complication is if he resigns, then his Leutenant Gov. Becomes Governor, but she is being recalled not as Gov. Where will this wheel stop.
Very interesting living in WI now!
Federal charges? Yeah, I can’t wait to see Eric Holder make sure Walker pays for his crimes! He’s been so good about prosecuting Republican politicians, after all…
…need I go on?