Posted on 03/06/2011 7:50:40 PM PST by Steelfish
MARCH 7, 2011 Democrats to End Union Standoff
By KRIS MAHER And AMY MERRICK
Playing a game of political chicken, Democratic senators who fled Wisconsin to stymie restrictions on public-employee unions said Sunday they planned to come back from exile soon, betting that even though their return will allow the bill to pass, the curbs are so unpopular they'll taint the state's Republican governor and legislators.
The Wisconsin standoff, which drew thousands of demonstrators to occupy the capitol in Madison for days at a time, has come to highlight efforts in other states to address budget problems in part by limiting the powers and benefits accorded public-sector unions.
Sen. Mark Miller said he and his fellow Democrats intend to let the full Senate vote on Gov. Scott Walker's "budget-repair" bill, which includes the proposed limits on public unions' collective-bargaining rights. The bill, which had been blocked because the missing Democrats were needed for the Senate to have enough members present to vote on the bill, is expected to pass the Republican-controlled chamber.
He said he thinks recent polls showing voter discontent with Mr. Walker over limits on bargaining rights have been "disastrous" for the governor and Republicans and give Democrats more leverage to seek changes in a broader two-year budget bill Mr. Walker proposed Tuesday.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
The voters are hardly likely to turn around and now embrace the Democrats just because the state employees are getting their benefits cut.
and the bill is such a small step in the grand scheme of things
The stupid WSJ/Murdoch/Al Waleed reporters blow it. They are coming back cause the unions pushed through side deals all over the state giving the unions incredible deals.
I thought some pink slips were suppose to go in the mail and they were going to get rid of all of the workers with Obama bumper stickers on them?
It’s a great Rope-A-Dope play against the Flee Party dems. If they actually believe these craptastic polls they’re morons (or “morans” as the DUmmies prefer to say) - and if they really think this is “disastrous” they’ll keep acting cocky and do even more stupid things that will hurt themselves even more.
You nailed it.
I can see it now. “FOX News Alert!” Cut to the 14 marching arm-in-arm to the steps of the Capitol singing “We Shall Overcome” or “Kumbaya” or “Imagine”. I wonder if the Justice Brothers will be in attendance?
The crowd should drown them out by pointing at them and singing “Pants on the Ground”.
The stupid WSJ/Murdoch/Al Waleed reporters blow it. They are coming back cause the unions pushed through side deals all over the state giving the unions incredible deals.
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Are you guessing? Any examples?
It will be interesting to see if the state will start denying the school districts funding to cover these sweetheart deals that have been made with the unions by the school boards.
Or maybe that is the plan the unions are counting on.......
Good thing that we have local talk show hosts, Vicki McKenna, Mark Belling and Charlie Sykes, who are going to be ALL OVER this. If anyone can expose the union backroom deals, it’ll be one or all of them.
I doubt it’s true our AWOL WI state senators will return from their out of state hiding places.
If they think enacting Gov. Walker’s needed reforms and cuts in spending will give the Democrats victories in 11/12, they are going to be disappointed. The cuts will bring a better economic recovery to WI and getting the public employee’s unions hands off the necks of we taxpayers will give good results that win the GOP votes, not take away votes.
We better put the cuffs on the first Dem senator crossing back over the IL border and take him to the senate floor as we can’t trust these weasels.
yes...tired of these ruling class blood suckers...
If this is a fight Democrats can win this nation is through. I s’pect even union rank and file knows this.
I truly hope they continue to believe their own press, and act accordingly.
Well, to me, it seems that these local boards have superceded the state. At some point, even they will run out of money, and then it will be up to each school to fund their teachers and their outsized pensions. Once that money dries up, it will be a door-to-door/neighborhood shakedown.
I think we’re about two years away from that happening.
The Rats have made all the deals they can with the unions and the delay tactics of the Senate Rats are not needed.
You broke the code, Frantzie.
The delay allowed all of the side deals with the individual towns and school districts to get negotiated. Now when the state cuts the aid to those towns, they will cry like stuck pigs, stuck with union gold plated contracts that will cause property taxes to soar.
It’s tough to win it when the media is solidly in the camp of the 12% of the population benefiting from this scheme.
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