Posted on 03/05/2011 7:01:08 PM PST by bigbob
Sen. Jon Erpenbach says all 14 missing Senate Dems would return to the Capitol if Republicans pulled collective bargaining changes from the budget repair bill and instead put them in the guv's budget proposal.
It's the latest suggestion for trying to break a partisan impasse that has gripped the Capitol since Dems fled to Illinois Feb. 17.
Meanwhile, discussions continued between the guv's office and Senate Dems as talk swirled around whether a deal could be reached. Among the items said to be at play: the proposed inflationary cap on wage increases and the required annual recertification votes for public employee unions.
The impetus, say insiders, is a mutual desire to move on. Walker's numbers are falling, and his administration is sucked into the vortex of the controversy; Senate Dems are getting more and more pressure from various fronts and more negative publicity and need some way to declare victory.
Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, said Friday he hasn't been involved in recent talks and hasn't spoken with any Senate Dems since Wednesday. At this point, he said he's leaving talks to the guv's office and asked to be kept in the loop on progress.
"I think they're so far away from an agreement that I think everything is on the table," he said.
Erpenbach acknowledged the collective bargaining changes would likely become law if they were moved to the full budget rather than the repair bill. But he said it would allow for more discussion on the change and added he's been quietly making the suggestion.
"We have a legitimate debate on it and it's not crammed through and we're more deliberative about it," said Erpenbach, who has been the lead spokesman for the Dem caucus during the impasse. "We're not going anywhere. We're not doing this again. So why not do that?
"If they would have done it that way, we would have had absolute no excuse to leave."
A spokesman for Gov. Scott Walker didn't immediately return calls Friday seeking comment.
In interviews with media this week, Walker said he remains open to reaching a deal. But he insisted he wouldn't give in on any issues with a fiscal impact on state and local governments, and he included the collective bargaining rights plan on his list of core non-negotiables.
I don't think Scott Walker is very concerned about his "numbers"...he's got the votes and has no reason to compromise on anything, other than perhaps which way to move the cheese to the renegage rats can justify coming back to do their jobs.
He might throw them a few curds as a reward if they don't bring back any Rat friends for Illinois.
Republicans pulled collective bargaining changes from the budget repair bill and instead put them in the guv's budget proposal.
Cue the Akbar “It’s a trap” picture.
The morons put themselves in this box and I don’t think Scott is going to help them out of it........If he does he just as well resign.
I was wondering the same thing? Seems like the outcome would be the same? What different does it make? I’m sure this is a Rat trap!
Screw them. Just wait as the 30 days wind down.
I can’t wait to see what happens just before that day :)
Like most of you I smell a RAT. Does the budget have to be passed by a larger margin than just a majority?
The repubs should be making clear that should the Dems EVER return to power, they will be treated exactly the same with walkouts.
1st side to blink loses.
The WI legislature, however, should be dismissed and the National Guard called out to clean out the Capitol.
To h3ll with those what throw fits, run away and/or go home when they don’t get their way. Dems should really think about who’s coming to power now in Egypt before they pat themselves on the back for WisCairo. Someone always has to be the janitor.
We are frakin broke. All the laws and riots in the world aren’t going to change that. Making up jerkwagon doctor’s excuses and flying in national pols to pay out street cash is simple pointless grandstanding. Shipping in paid protestors violates RICO and redeck common sense.
By the time the Dems come back from their champagne and caviar dream home on the ‘Victim’ dream vacation, they’re gonna find themselves shunned.
Why? The fleebaggers will just leave again when the budget bill is taken up.
Moving it only is an advantage to the democrats. It stalls a bigger bill.
Declare the 14 democrats’ seats vacant, issue special election writs. They need to be gone. They are not there, they are deliberately violating state law by not being there when the senate is in session. They are violating their oaths of office. They are outlaws.
What is he doing phoning in his vote from out of state? This puke is a coward... let him come back and work in the constitutional process as he was elected to do.
Throughout this whole process, collective bargaining is referred to as a “right”. This is completely false. Collective bargaining is a benefit offered to the workers by the State.
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