Posted on 03/21/2011 10:52:04 AM PDT by Steely Tom
Excerpting for copyright concerns...
Article contains the usual "intentional misunderstandings:"
- The Wisconsin law "strips many public employees of their voice on the job"
- Republicans "rushed the bill through," even though the Democrats walked out on February 17th and the bill was passed on March 11, an interval of 22 days
The article claims that a "massive rally" was held "over the weekend." Here's a video of the "massive" rally; it looks to me like maybe two or three thousand people showed up, although it's hard to tell because the camera is at ground level.
The article asserts that "state and many public employees" have had the "right to collectively bargain" under Wisconsin law for more than half a century. I'm not sure if that's true or not, but see the article for the very artful wording that is used in making this assertion. While I harbor suspicions about this, I am unable to discover (via Google) what is the timeline for unionization of public employees in Wisconsin.
The article also includes the following quotes, all from union sources:
- “Judge Sumi confirmed today what we knew all along – that the bill stripping hundreds of thousands of hard working Wisconsinites of their voice on the job was rammed through illegally in the dark of the night"
-- Phil Neuenfeldt, President of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO- “Today justice prevailed. In Wisconsin and in America, we have a democratic process for passing legislation. Judge Sumi has ruled that Scott Walker’s underhanded attempts to harm Wisconsin’s middle class will not stand.”
-- Stephanie Bloomingdale, Secretary-Treasurer of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO- “State employees believe that nobody is above the law. We are gratified to see some of our so-called ‘leaders’ finally held accountable for their illegal actions. They may think they can get away with ignoring the vast majority of Wisconsin citizens by attacking worker freedoms, but they simply cannot continue ignoring the law if we want to continue calling our state a democracy"
-- Marty Beil, executive director of the Wisconsin State Employees Union, AFSCME Council 24Oddly, no Democrat lawmakers seem to have been willing to provide a statement for the article. They do point out, at the end of the article, that the Dane County judge who issued the TRO "was appointed by Republican Governor Tommy Thompson," although it's hard to know what is the point of this observation, unless it's to underscore that Republicans tend to appoint judges fairly evenhandedly, without regard to their political party.
The headline just ticks me off. It’s like a one line editorial.
Another liberal waste of $5 worth of chemicals.
the senate makes it’s own rules, not the judiciary.
the judge is wrong. the law is on the side of the legislature.
I think more states will be copying Walker. ( if they have any serious interest in remaining solvent.)
Well, in fairness, the source media is run by the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees, which does not claim to be an "objective news source."
I posted it because I did a search to see what sort of recent news existed on the Minnesota TRO. This was the only item I found that wasn't five days old or more.
I recall one article where they said the Senate got advice from several non-partisan sources, and they agreed that there was no need for a 24 hour open meeting notice because of the existing situation.
Or, better yet, reinstate the layoffs that he previously rescinded.
This is so obviously a case of legislating from the bench that I don’t see how the WI Pubs can avoid submitting a bill of impeachment.
“State employees believe that nobody is above the law. “
And that “nobody” is the union.
Oh, I wasn’t blaming you, I was ticked at the Liberal news source. You have to post ‘em as you find ‘em. Please don’t take it as a criticism.
What a completely biased article. The fact that the Democrats lie so strenuously about this issue should seriously undermine their credibility.
I spent an hour this morning reading Wisconsin’s 2008 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (courtesy of Diana in Wisconsin), trying to determine whether the state employees’ benefits program is a closed, self-funding program like CalPERS in California. Unfortunately, I was overwhelmed by the numbers and by terms I didn’t understand, and couldn’t come to a conclusion. I did notice a few columns titled “Unfunded Liability,” which I think means the program was short on funds. Does the government have to pay any shortfalls? Anyone know?
What reason did the judge give?
This, in effect, obviates the need for two of the three branches of government in our established system. It establishes the precedent that we need two branches of government: the pure democracy of the people and the judiciary to tell the people when we have erred. If judges continue to be allowed to legislate from the bench and to over-ride the executive and legislative branches, they have too much power. Somehow, this tradition has taken hold in our legal system and our system of government. Remove them.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2692110/posts
Wisconsin Judge Maryann Sumi & Her (SEIU, AFL-CIO) Political Operative Son
Lying liars lie!
I wonder if there is some way to word the legislation to the effect that the “State law shall comport with the Federal law regarding issues of rights for public employees to unionize”. In other words, is there a way to word it so that de facto the result is the same but the spotlight turns on the hypocrisy of how the Federal public employee bargaining laws are not being protested while Obama and minions snort around at the Wisconsin Republicans?
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