No class in WI as teachers protest union-busting governor

[Olo401]

I am just waiting for some cable news station/right wing pundit/etc to start comparing these massive protests to Egypt or Bahrain.

It's already started.. from Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI). And of course twists the whole damn thing around:

"He (Gov. Walker) 's asking that they contribute about 12% for their health care premiums, which is about half of the private sector average, and about 5.6% to their pensions. It's not asking a lot, it's still about half of what private sector pensions do and health care packages do. So he's basically saying, I want you public workers to pay half of what our private sector counterparts are, and he's getting, you know, riots. It's like Cairo has moved to Madison these days. It's just, all of this demonstration. It's fine, people should be able to express their way, but we've got to get this deficit and debt under control in Madison, if we want to have a good business climate and job creation in Wisconsin."

Get the deficit under control.. you mean the one that the Governor himself created?

Spoiler: show

There is no question that these are tough times, and they may require tough choices. But Gov. Scott Walker is not making tough choices. He is making political choices, and they are designed not to balance budgets but to improve his political position and that of his party. [...]
In its Jan. 31 memo to legislators on the condition of the state's budget, the Fiscal Bureau determined that the state will end the year with a balance of $121.4 million. (Link: http://legis.wisconsin.gov/lfb/Misc...Vos&Darling.pdf) Walker claims there is a $137 million deficit, but it's not due 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:

• $25 million for an economic development fund for job creation that has $73 million still in its reserves due to a lack of job creation. So basically it's just parking $25 million to collect more interest. [per Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau, 1/7/11]
• $48 million for private health savings accounts, which primarily benefit the wealthy. A study from the federal Governmental Accountability Office showed the average adjusted gross income of HSA participants was $139,000 and nearly half of HSA participants reported withdrawing nothing from their HSA, evidence that it is serving as a tax shelter for wealthy participants. [per Government Accountability Office, 4/1/08; Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau, 1/11/11]
• $67 million for an unfunded tax credit plan that at-best the benefit provided to job creators would be less than a dollar a day per new job ($316 yearly), and may be as little as 30 cents a day ($92 yearly) - not nearly enough incentive to create any jobs at all. [Associated Press]

[archibaldcrane]

However you feel about unions (and this is for all state union workers besides police and firefighters - game wardens, snowplow drivers, nurses, nursing home workers - some of whom make as little as $8/hour) it's not particularly relevant.

What IS relevant here is that Walker clearly INTENTIONALLY created this budget deficit by doling out $140M in bullshit programs as kickbacks for his political backers when he got into office, and now he's crying about the state being broke...by $137M.

He created a deficit, and is using it to try to break the unions. Period. This is pure bullshit politics, nothing more.

By the way, Wisconsin has great schools and great public services. The roads are well-kept, the teachers do their jobs, the snow gets plowed without incident - this isn't about wasted money here. Even the teachers I personally disliked in school I still have to acknowledge they were very good at teaching what they taught.

And breaking down how much they pay into their pensions or for health care is rather meaningless. You could pay them more and force them to pay in more, or pay them less and not force them to pay in. Total compensation (pay+benefits) is what matters - not how it's doled-up - and he's gutting total compensation to cover for his own bullshit "hand rich people bags of money" programs.

[Olo401]

NBC News ran the Wisconsin story for the first time tonight, second on the broadcast. However they've dumbed the whole story down but linking it to an overriding story about how all state budgets are strained., and not mentioning the fact that Walker is trying to cut nearly the exact amount of money by breaking the unions that he spent on his buddies the week he came into office.

It looks like I kinda spoke too soon here because the anti-worker movement seems to be all over the place in this country where Republicans have taken control (most notably Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana, Florida and Maine) and a growing counter movement from independent workers, unions and the national Democratic Party is pushing back.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joseph..._b_824895.html

[SwampdonkeyPLD]

So the governor just ordered state troopers to go get the Dem's still in the state.

[archibaldcrane]

I wonder if they'll border-hop again or if they'll allow themselves to be brought in.

Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, told reporters Friday that two state troopers are on their way to Senate Minority Leader Mark Miller's home in Monona.
Miller, who at this time is the only reported Democratic senator in Wisconsin -- the other 13 are reportedly still in Illinois -- will be escorted back to the Capitol if he is home when the troopers arrive, Fitzgerald said.
Fitzgerald added Miller would not be arrested, though.
"I am starting to hold Sen. Miller responsible for this," Fitzgerald said. "He is the elected leader of his caucus. I told him last night (on the phone) to call his caucus and tell them to be here at 9:30 a.m. He told me they would not be here."
All 14 Democratic senators failed to show up for a vote on Republican Gov. Scott Walker's budget repair bill Thursday. They failed to attend another scheduled vote Friday morning. A quorum of 20 is needed for the Senate to vote on a fiscal-related bill. On Friday, only 17 GOP Senators were present.
Fitzgerald added that even if the Democrats showed up to vote, it is too late for any amendments to be added to the bill.
The Democratic Senators have indicated they want to slow down passage of the 144-page bill. Introduced last Friday, the bill would strip collective bargaining rights away from state workers.
Fitzgerald said the actions by Democrats have turned the Capitol into a "powder keg," adding the building has become difficult to move through, both for lawmakers and staffers.
"This is outrageous," Fitzgerald said. "They have shut down government."

There are 19 GOP senators, so if they are all present and even 1 Democrat is forced to come in, the vote will happen. Time for Mark Miller to Solid Snake some shit.

[Atreides]

this isn't about the power of the teachers unions either, it's about getting rid of what's essentially the only democratic power base that has enough clout (and money) to combat republican political action committees and the billions they get from corporations and billionaires. Getting rid of unions makes it a lot easier for Republicans to get elected in the future, plain and simple. Anyone wonder why the 3 unions that endorsed Governor Walker's election are the 3 that are mysteriously exempt from this?

[Melena]

Maybe I misread CNN, but I thought 2 Republicans broke rank and joined the Democrats on this?

[archibaldcrane]

Maybe I misread CNN, but I thought 2 Republicans broke rank and joined the Democrats on this?

If that's true, it would still pass 17-16, would need a 3rd republican to break ranks. Sauce?

[Olo401]

Maybe I misread CNN, but I thought 2 Republicans broke rank and joined the Democrats on this?

If that's true, it would still pass 17-16, would need a 3rd republican to break ranks. Sauce?

It probably would happen, if only to save face for those two senators when re-election comes up.

Just read a report that said the state police were moments from catching one of the state senators who had gone home to sleep, but he "escaped" before they arrived at the house.

[archibaldcrane]

Monona is adjacent to Madison, wouldn't take the troopers more than 15 minutes to get to the minority leader's house.

[Cantih]

I'm curious, what exactly happens if a state's national guard has to cross state lines?

[SwampdonkeyPLD]

this isn't about the power of the teachers unions either, it's about getting rid of what's essentially the only democratic power base that has enough clout (and money) to combat republican political action committees and the billions they get from corporations and billionaires. Getting rid of unions makes it a lot easier for Republicans to get elected in the future, plain and simple. Anyone wonder why the 3 unions that endorsed Governor Walker's election are the 3 that are mysteriously exempt from this?

You mean Dem's will have to rely on contributions that come from voluntary sources? Poor things.

[archibaldcrane]

I'm curious, what exactly happens if a state's national guard has to cross state lines?

In this case, they aren't allowed to (which is why the dems are hiding in Illinois). In general, I dunno.

You mean Dem's will have to rely on contributions that come from voluntary sources? Poor things.

Sure are some people who don't like freedom of assembly in here.

[Atreides]

there is absolutely no comparison between the money raised (on either side of the aisle) via public contributions and the billions poured into the system via SuperPACs that have no limits, don't have to disclose their donors, and generally only support republicans. Did everyone just suddenly forget what happened in 2010 after the Citizens United ruling?

[Olo401]

there is absolutely no comparison between the money raised (on either side of the aisle) via public contributions and the billions poured into the system via SuperPACs that have no limits, don't have to disclose their donors, and generally only support republicans. Did everyone just suddenly forget what happened in 2010 after the Citizens United ruling?

Which is exactly why all these state-level Republicans are racing to break unions - they're the only organizations large enough to still put up some kind of financial fight against the corporate money machine.

[SwampdonkeyPLD]

In this case, they aren't allowed to (which is why the dems are hiding in Illinois). In general, I dunno.


Sure are some people who don't like freedom of assembly in here.

I think you meant association, and the proposal doesn't prevent the public employees from joining a union right?

[Plow]

I think you meant association, and the proposal doesn't prevent the public employees from joining a union right?

right, it just means unions are worthless

[Correction]

I think you meant association, and the proposal doesn't prevent the public employees from joining a union right?

Man you're dumb.

[SwampdonkeyPLD]

right, it just means unions are worthless

Or they actually have to earn their keep.

And the freedom of association isn't absolute Correction. Like most rights it can be impinged upon to a degree.

[popsiclestix]

From what I remember, WI is not one of the states in dire economic troubles, eg. like IL and CA. However, if WI can't meet their budget through taxation or spending cuts, then what does that say for other states in far worse economic conditions. Will those state workers protest in CA and IL when pensions and health care costs goes up?

If the union workers win, and I was a holder on a WI Muni bond, I would dump that shit in a heart beat. Why would you hold on bonds for a state that you will not get paid back in?

The state should just cut 5% of these state employees and pay the loss to the employees as state and municipal bonds to raise capital.

Also, not including firefighters, and police in these concessions is a bad double standard... but I guess it just shows you the strength in some unions over other unions. It all matters who you back? lol....