Free Republic

We often hear about the United States having a “republican form of government.” That comes directly from Article IV, Section 4, of the U.S. Constitution, which emphatically proclaims: “The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government.” The ultra-conservative majority of the U.S. Supreme Court seems poised to make a slight variation in that language. That is, to impose a Republican government on the country by allowing state legislatures to set election rules on their own, without any pesky interference by their governors or state courts. The Supreme Court will hear arguments later...

The Obama administration weighed in Thursday on the chaos in Madison, Wis. White House press secretary Jay Carney said that Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s decision to force a bill on public employee union bargaining rights through the state Senate on Wednesday night was a clear sign that his top priority was not budget-cutting. “The actions taken last night, which divorced the issue of the state’s budget problems from the issue of the rights of public sector employees, pretty clearly showed that the actions were not following the principle that we need to all come together and work together and not...

After a wild and raucous night at the State Capitol, the scene inside the building Thursday morning looks just like it was a few weeks ago when protesters camped out overnight. At 6:30 a.m., there were dozens of people who stayed the night and were camped out in various locations in the building. Of particular concern to police are a few dozen protesters who spent the night in the antechamber of the Assembly. The Assembly is scheduled to go into session at 11 a.m. Thursday to consider the bill on collective bargaining that the Senate approved last night in mere...

...This morning, Wisconsin Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said in a radio interview that President Obama's political team is directly involved in burgeoning efforts to recall Republican elected officials (emphasis on the word "elected," as in chosen by the people of Wisconsin in a democratic vote four months ago): "There's many people that are beginning to believe this is a delay tactic by the Democrats in the Senate so that these recall elections can be organized by the Obama team out of Chicago, which they are, as we start to do the research on the people that have filed the...

Wisconsin GOP Senator Glenn Grothman chased, trapped by hecklers. Appearently police (who are siding with the unions) wouldn't let him in one entrance left him to the mob. Communism has come to Wisconsin.

Many Americans, perhaps for the first time in their lives, are beginning to recognize the contemptible nature of progressivism. How does one defend the total abandonment of the democratic process, occurring first in Wisconsin and then in Indiana, where Democrats legislators have literally run away from their responsibilities? One can’t—without revealing the bankruptcy of one’s own convictions. The most satisfying aspect of it all? Americans are getting a daily dose of progressivism’s only unalterable tenet: the ends justify the means. For those of us who have long been paying attention, this isn’t news. Yet plenty of Americans scoffed at the...

MacIver Institute @MacIverWisc Madison, Wisconsin, USA The Free Market Voice for Wisconsin. We are a Wisconsin based think tank that believes in free markets, individual freedom and responsible government. http://www.maciverinstitute.com Getting reports that protesters have entered the offices of the Republican Party of Wisconsin, a couple of blocks off the square.6 minutes ago

Everyone has priorities. During the past week Barack Obama has found no time to condemn the attacks that Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi has launched on the Libyan people. But he did find time to be interviewed by a Wisconsin television station and weigh in on the dispute between Republican Gov. Scott Walker and the state's public employee unions. Walker was staging "an assault on unions," he said, and added that "public employee unions make enormous contributions to our states and our citizens." Enormous contributions, yes -- to the Democratic Party and the Obama campaign. Unions, most of whose members are...

(UPDATED AT 3:56 P.M.) Democratic legislative leaders in Ohio said Tuesday that they were prepared to ask a judge to force officials to unlock the doors to the Statehouse as thousands of union protesters gathered for a hearing on a bill that would strip public employees of collective bargaining rights. Ohio Public Safety spokesman Joe Andrews says about 1,000 people have been allowed into the Rotunda and Atrium for a committee hearing on the bill and additional visitors without appointments were turned away in the interest of safety. The heightened security came after a long President's Day weekend during which...

And so it begins. As Islamist insurrections erupt across the world, President Obama incites a battle at home between producers and parasites that his union supporters parallel with the struggle of the Egyptian people. Interjecting himself into the sovereign matters of state governments Obama moved to directly violate the expressed will of the Wisconsin People by actively mobilizing his political organization to affect contractual relationships between the state and its employees, and supporting the shut down of the Wisconsin state government - a direct violation of his oath of office. Ignited by Wisconsin Governor Scott WalkerÂ’s proposal to limit public...

And so it begins. As Islamist insurrections erupt across the world, President Obama incites a battle at home between producers and parasites that his union supporters parallel with the struggle of the Egyptian people. Interjecting himself into the sovereign matters of state governments Obama moved to directly violate the expressed will of the Wisconsin People by actively mobilizing his political organization to affect contractual relationships between the state and its employees, and supporting the shut down of the Wisconsin state government - a direct violation of his oath of office. Ignited by Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker’s proposal to limit public...

State budget fights fire up unions; Obama involvedAP, Feb 20, 2011, 06.53am IST WASHINGTON: Organized labor is trying to re-energize in the United States and take advantage of the growing backlash from the anti-union sentiment in Wisconsin and more than a dozen other states. And President Barack Obama and his political machine are offering tactical support, eager to repair strained relations with some union leaders upset over his recent overtures to business. The potent combination has helped fan the huge protests in Wisconsin against a measure that would strip collective bargaining rights from state workers. The alliance also is sending...

While part of the current unrest in Wisconsin is driven by local issues, new information has been uncovered indicating an orchestrated attempt to stir up 'worker protests' not only in Wisconsin but in at least a dozen states. The coordinated effort is part of a 'revolution' spearheaded in part by a group called 'Heartland Revolution,' a Kentucky-based political action organization. The group was first envisioned by a Kentucky Democrat, John Waltz, who announced his candidacy in 2009 to oppose 2-term Republican Geoff Davis for the 4th Congressional District. Waltz was defeated in the November 2010 midterm elections but embarked on...

The Forsaken Of Iran, The Ugly American Protects His Unions President Obama and the DNC are supporting unrest against legal legislative processes in Wisconsin and plan other such moves in more states that are planning to legislate financial responsibility, while ignoring the plight of demonstrators for Democracy against an Islamic Regime in Iran and the Tenth Amendment and after encouraging the overthrow of one of our most important allies in the Middle East. There is an ugliness to this behavior that can no longer be ignored. States have sovereignty, under the Tenth Amendment that is being attacked by President Obama...

…The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through LOVE. Gal 5:6 “Yeah Johnny I understand your dad has been out of work for over a year and lost his house, but they want me to pay 5% of my pension! I’m willing to sacrifice as long as it doesn’t inconvenience me.” The second Revolutionary War has been declared by King George Obama using his Organizing Against America turncoats. This time it’s the union dragoons against the taxpayers. The teachers and public employees have had it so good for so long they believe we work for them and now...

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi came out strongly in support of Wisconsin teachers and students who are protesting Gov. Scott Walker’s proposal to public employees of collective bargaining rights. Pelosi told reporters Friday that the protests are “an extraordinary show of democracy in action.” “Wisconsin's workers, teachers and public servants must have a seat at the table to fight for a safe workplace,” she said. “I stand in solidarity with the Wisconsin workers fighting for their rights, especially for all the students and young people leading the charge.”

Dictionary.com defines insurrection as "an act or instance of rising in revolt, rebellion, or resistance against civil authority or an established government." "Insurrection" aptly defines what is happening in Wisconsin. Worse yet, the chief executive officer of the nation - President Obama - appears to tacitly approve of the insurrection. His campaign arm - Organizing for America, and the Democratic National Committee - are involved in planning and supporting the insurrection, even going so far as to bus protesters in an effort to undermine the lawful government of that state. Thousands of protesters - many carrying signs comparing Governor Scott...

The ferment in Wisconsin is no workers' uprising against the rich and powerful. It is instead political muscle-flexing by a well-funded special interest group, which is limbering up for President Obama's re-election bid. Obama's campaign, operating as Organizing for America, is bussing protesters to the state capitol and manning phone banks to apply pressure to state legislatures. Obama himself has called Gov. Scott Walker's bill curbing government-sector collective bargaining "an attack on unions."

This week President Obama was roundly criticized, even by many of his allies, for submitting a federal budget that actually increases our already crushing deficit. But that didn't stop him Thursday from jumping into Wisconsin's titanic budget battle. He accused the new Republican governor, Scott Walker, of launching an "assault" on unions with his emergency legislation aimed at cutting the state budget.

A savvy insider writes: An out of state colleague asked me what it was like here. I thought maybe some of my other friends would like to know, too. It is wild. My personal feelings have been of incredulity and anger that our political process has been stopped by a mob. It is absolutely shocking. For those of you curious about other viewpoints from the regular press reports, I recommend the MacIver Institute's website, and Media Trackers. org. and WisconsinEye. Also don't miss the coverage by Wisconsin Reporter.com Their tweets have been the best coverage of the events. Eyewitness history....