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In Wisconsin, the gap widens between GOP and Dems
Washington Examiner.com ^ | Feb 21 ,2011 | Byron York

Posted on 02/22/2011 9:20:54 AM PST by Hojczyk

They've painted themselves in a corner," Wisconsin Republican state senator Randy Hopper says of his Democratic colleagues. "There's no way for them to get out of it."

Democratic senators last week fled Wisconsin rather than allow a vote on Republican Gov. Scott Walker's new budget bill, with its curtailments of some public-sector unions' right to bargain collectively. The bill surely would have passed given the Republicans' 19 to 14 advantage in the Senate. So Democrats, deeply dependent on union money and support, ran away to avoid a vote.

Walker has stood firm in the fight, but the truth is a lot of Republicans were nervous last week when crowds of protesters showed up and Democrats headed for the hills. What if the public supported the unions? After going home to their districts over the weekend, Republicans are feeling better. Many heard from constituents telling them to hang tough, and voters were especially unhappy with Democrats for hightailing it out of state. "We think public opinion is with us on the budget issue, and we're sure public opinion is with us on the Democrats' not showing up for work and doing their job," says Mark Jefferson, executive director of the state Republican Party.

In fact, for many Republican supporters, the big question is not whether the fight is worth the trouble but whether there's some way the GOP can steamroll over the Democrats. But that's not going to happen, at least for now. Republicans believe they are going to win without using extraordinary measures.

For example, there's been a lot of talk about whether, with the budget bill tied up, Republican senators could pull out the collective bargaining provisions and pass them as a standalone measure.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonexaminer.com ...


TOPICS: Government
KEYWORDS: wisconsinshowdown
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1 posted on 02/22/2011 9:20:55 AM PST by Hojczyk
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To: Hojczyk
Just suggest that ALL 'rat cheeseheads should move to Ill. or Minn.

Win/Win

2 posted on 02/22/2011 9:22:27 AM PST by Paladin2
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To: Hojczyk

I want to know whether these alleged representatives of the people of Wisconsin are:

a) Getting paid while they are AWOL from their duties; and

b) Paying for their vacation with taxpayer funds.

If the answer to either of these is “yes,” then that should be trumpeted all over the place.


3 posted on 02/22/2011 9:24:16 AM PST by Ancesthntr (Tyrant: "Spartans, lay down your weapons." Free man: "Persian, come and get them!")
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To: Hojczyk
Wisconsin GOP ... you have GOT TO START A RECALL PETITION! Target the 3 to 4 closest elections from the last cycle. If you can get one more seat, If you can just flip one of those four in a recall, you can run the state the way it needs to be run without these kind of silly shenanigans
4 posted on 02/22/2011 9:29:05 AM PST by taxcontrol
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To: Hojczyk
For example, there's been a lot of talk about whether, with the budget bill tied up, Republican senators could pull out the collective bargaining provisions and pass them as a standalone measure.

DO IT!!!!!

It is my understanding that the GOP needs the quorum only for budget/appropriation bills - all other legislation can be passed with the RATS AWOL.
5 posted on 02/22/2011 9:30:21 AM PST by Cheerio (Barry Hussein Soetoro-0bama=The Complete Destruction of American Capitalism)
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To: Hojczyk
The article mentions passing Voter ID -- this will be struck down by the courts unless free IDs are offered, which would make it a fiscal matter.

Passing statewide "right to work" would not be a fiscal matter.

Neither would Vermont-style CCW and "Make my day" laws.

6 posted on 02/22/2011 9:31:25 AM PST by PapaBear3625 ("It is only when we've lost everything, that we are free to do anything" -- Fight Club)
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To: Hojczyk

Now this is much closer to a genuine “democracy” (inasmuch as it operates through the system of a republic). The legislators cared about what the public cared about. And it definitely was not the pseudo-”democracy” being pushed by these hippie-heads and their acoustic rock band.


7 posted on 02/22/2011 9:31:52 AM PST by HiTech RedNeck (Hawk)
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To: Hojczyk

The Governor did not go far enough. The Unions should have been kicked out of representing employees in the State. They are corrupt communists organizations that believe they are the government.


8 posted on 02/22/2011 9:32:00 AM PST by Logical me
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To: Hojczyk
But it's not clear Republicans and Democrats will ever look at each other quite the same again.

The parties have become fundamentally different.

To the extent that the GOP is infected with RINOs, the two parties may appear similar, but this is not true.

The base of the Republicans loves this country, as always, loves the Constitution, as always, and wants to be left alone, as always.

The base of the Democrats has (fairly recently) decided that they hate this country, they hate corporations, they hate profit, they hate hard-working people, and they hate God.

You can't bridge that gap, and there is no sense in hinting that maybe both parties need to give a little. The Democrats abandoned this country. They ain't coming back.

9 posted on 02/22/2011 9:33:14 AM PST by ClearCase_guy
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To: PapaBear3625

They probably have time to address the financing of the IDs once the fleeing rats decide they have had enough “hardship” to make a statement. When is the next election there?


10 posted on 02/22/2011 9:34:17 AM PST by HiTech RedNeck (Hawk)
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To: Hojczyk
Here is an interesting idea: One of the Republicans needs to declare he is switching parties to become a Democrat but caucus with the Republicans.

They can then vote on this bill and after a reasonable amount of time the new Dem could say he could not work with the leftists like he thought and go back to being a Republican.

11 posted on 02/22/2011 9:41:00 AM PST by OldMissileer (Atlas, Titan, Minuteman, PK. Winners of the Cold War)
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To: Hojczyk

It’s become clear that the DNC has become hopelessly reliant on Union money to finance their campaigns. Problem is so bad that Dems no longer answer to constituants and only answer to Union officials. I saw on another thread that Richard Trumka talks to the White House three times a day. The fact that Barry has thrown the weight and resources of the Executive Branch behind organizing protests of State governments reveals that Barry is working for Trumka more than he is the American people. Barry’s main concern is keeping the Union cash flowing into his re-election campaign. We have problems in the middle east, Americans being attacked by pirates, etc., but Barry is nowhere to be seen or heard from. Seems to be concentrating on playing games with State Governors and Trumka.


12 posted on 02/22/2011 9:42:19 AM PST by purplelobster
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To: ClearCase_guy
Well, here's a sensible Dem:

"All government employees should realize that the process of collective bargaining, as usually understood, cannot be transplanted into the public service. It has its distinct and insurmountable limitations when applied to public-personnel management. The very nature and purposes of government make it impossible for administrative officials to represent fully or to bind the employer in mutual discussions with government-employee organizations. The employer is the whole people . . . "

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 1937.

13 posted on 02/22/2011 9:43:56 AM PST by Mrs. Don-o ("Half the lies they tell about me ain't true." - Yogi Berra)
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To: Paladin2
“... ALL ‘rat cheeseheads should move to Ill. or Minn.”

But, but, but... who would teach the children Marxist economics, Sharia Law, Global Warming, racial divisiveness, & perversion?

14 posted on 02/22/2011 9:46:06 AM PST by Mister Da (The mark of a wise man is not what he knows, but what he knows he doesn't know!)
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To: ClearCase_guy

“You can’t bridge that gap, and there is no sense in hinting that maybe both parties need to give a little.”

You nailed it, CCG! The conservatives and liberals are too far apart to bridge. We have little, if any, common ground.


15 posted on 02/22/2011 9:48:22 AM PST by rj45mis
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To: Hojczyk; All
Had a thought, and wanted to run it by all for your comments.

Shaping public opinion is a huge part of the stand-off in Wisconsin. Dem legislators have fled the state, because the WI state police can be sent to bring them to the capital to make a quorum.

Suppose that Walker publicly announces that he doesn't want to cause stress/family pressures on the Dems in hiding, so he promises that they can return to the state, to their homes, that he will NOT send police to force them to return. They can hardly refuse the offer..but when the do return, they will be subject to picketing, demonstrations at their offices...etc..IOW..they will be subject in person to public pressure to return.

Comments?

16 posted on 02/22/2011 9:50:26 AM PST by ken5050 (Admin Moderators rule!!!!)
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To: OldMissileer

It’s not about party representation. It’s about the number of warm bodies present.

Seriesly, you have to be about the 1000th person to make this erroneous suggestion over the last week.


17 posted on 02/22/2011 9:51:58 AM PST by Cletus.D.Yokel (Islam is a violent and tyrannical political ideology and has nothing to do with "religion".)
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To: PapaBear3625

compare it to other states.

FL has one with no free ID provision. Just a provisional ballot provision which requires a witness with an ID AND those are set aside unless they make a difference.

In FL there are constant attempts to multiple vote via provisional ballots.

GA (i believe) is the only freebie id state.


18 posted on 02/22/2011 9:54:46 AM PST by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: Hojczyk

One Republican needs to change party affiliation to Democrat, allowing the vote to be taken, then switch back to the GOP the next day.


19 posted on 02/22/2011 9:58:25 AM PST by Vigilance
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To: Hojczyk

They want to kick the can some more, that’s all they know.

Cowards, destroying thier family names


20 posted on 02/22/2011 9:59:39 AM PST by devistate one four ( AARP: Anti America Retired People Kimber CDP II .45 OORAH! TET68)
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