Free Republic

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said Wednesday that he spoke with Vice President Mike Pence about how the White House can implement on a federal level parts of the Republican governor's contentious policy that all-but eliminated collective bargaining for public sector unions in the state. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/ap/article-4181638/Gov-Walker-White-House-interested-Wisconsin-union-law.html#ixzz4XUPfcvLd

DEMS ANSWER WALKER WITH LABOR LAW BILL: Two days after Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker unveiled his plans to eliminate the NLRB and take right-to-work national, congressional Democrats will today propose legislation developed with the AFL-CIO to stiffen penalties for employers who violate the National Labor Relations Act. Sen. Patty Murray and Rep. Bobby Scott will introduce a bill that they say would “help ensure workers are able to have a voice in the workplace and would crack down on employers who break the law when workers exercise their right to collective action.” AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka will stand alongside the...

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R), who is seen as a possible 2016 presidential candidate, will keynote a training session for Republican organizers in New Hampshire in March. He will speak the at the New Hampshire Republican State Committee’s grassroots organizing training session and rally in March. In a statement, he said he was excited about speaking about his conservative record as governor. Walker became a star in the GOP by battling public-sector unions in Wisconsin. His policies brought criticism and an unsuccessful recall attempt in 2012. He was reelected in 2014.

The state of our state is strong and improving every day. The economy is dramatically better, and our finances are in great shape. Still, there is more work to be done. Thankfully, the days of double-digit tax increases, billion-dollar deficits and major job loss are gone. We replaced them with massive tax cuts, growing budget surpluses and significant job growth. Wisconsin is going back to work. We have some really great news about the economy and our fiscal situation. The nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau recently verified that the state will have $911 million more than previously projected. These new revenues...

As the Democratic Party of Wisconsin continues to provide staff support to Madison millionaire Mary Burke and hold meetings behind closed doors to clear the field for her, Party leaders continue to cry foul over the out-of-touch candidate’s viability. Here’s what Democrats have said so far this week about the would-be candidate for Governor: “I was at an event with Mary Burke the other day…She’s got the charisma of a turnip.” [1] -Democrat Rep. Brett Hulsey, on Burke’s candidacy. “But I have been talking with people, listening to what they have to say, and I keep hearing over and over...

Republican Party of Wisconsin Communications Director Ben Sparks released the following statement regarding Sen. Cullen’s announcement he will not run for governor: “Given his track record of running away from tough challenges, it should come as no surprise that Tim Cullen has dropped out of the race for Governor. Just last year, Cullen was one of 14 Democratic State Senators who chose to abandon their constituents for an Illinois vacation instead of balancing Wisconsin’s budget. Regardless of what liberal candidate the Democrats end up nominating, Wisconsin families have shown they'll continue to stand with Governor Walker, who in his first...

Following months of activism by Tea Party and conservative groups in Wisconsin, Republican Gov. Scott Walker decided to officially reject millions of federal taxpayer dollars in the form of controversial ObamaCare grants that came with numerous “strings attached.” Critics of the President’s wildly unpopular health law greeted the news with relief. The timing, according to activists, was perfect — a new wave of pressure was about to be unleashed on Walker from the Right just as union bosses and Democrats prepare a recall effort attempting to unseat him. Several pieces of legislation were also moving forward at the Capitol in...

Those seeking to recall Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker will be presenting petitions to the state today with over 500,000 signatures, setting up a recall election possibly in June 2012.While Gov. Walker's reforms helped Wisconsin erase a $3.6 billion state budget without raising taxes it was his changes that affected state unions that set off the avalanche of protest. Collective bargaining and mandatory union membership is no longer required in Wisconsin, but the change now requires union members to pay a portion of the health care and retirement perks. So what agenda does the recallers and protesters promote? Bigger government, more...

  Happy New Year!We were so busy in 2011 that it seems like a blur that flew by.  At a time when the mainstream media keeps pushing the notion that the Tea Party is losing its influence, I think that it is important to look back on all that you and I accomplished in 2011.  We can be very proud of all that we have done and use it as motivation to fight for Tea Party values in 2012.  Here are some of the highlights of 2011:Organized the first Tea Party response, by Michele Bachmann, to the State of...

By BRIAN MARTINEZ / THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER IRVINE – An Embassy Suites hotel in Irvine that's owned by a public-employee pension investment pool denied 10-minute rest breaks to low-wage workers and is accused of retaliating against staffers who promote collective bargaining. The investors in the multi-hotel fund are Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Association, Wisconsin State Investment Board, San Diego City Employees Retirement System and Teachers' Retirement System of the State of Illinois.

CHICAGO – After lobbying in parking lots, allegations of vote manipulation and a shouting match that ended with a hug, Mayor Rahm Emanuel has persuaded just 13 out of hundreds of Chicago schools to break with their union and accept cash in exchange for lengthening the school day for the city's students. But the teachers union has cried foul and wants the schools to be forced to return to their old schedules. The Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board will take up the issue Thursday when it considers a union appeal to block the longer school day from taking effect pending...

Wisconsin GOP Will Ignore Injunction, Implement Collective Bargaining Law Doug Mataconis · Thursday, March 31, 2011 · 9 Comments Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and his Administration are setting themselves up for a showdown with the state’s judiciary with their decision to implement the provisions of the recently passed collective bargaining law despite the fact that a state trial court judge has ordered that it not be implemented: State officials have not stopped putting in place changes to collective bargaining rules for public employees despite a judge’s order barring the law’s implementation — and a threat of sanctions against anyone who...

State officials have not stopped putting in place changes to collective bargaining rules for public employees despite a judge's order barring the law's implementation — and a threat of sanctions against anyone who violates it. Department of Administration Secretary Mike Huebsch said Wednesday he has a legal obligation to implement all laws passed by the Legislature, signed by Gov. Scott Walker and published into law. Huebsch said the Department of Justice and his own legal counsel, a team of DOA attorneys, agree the measure has met those requirements "and is now effective law." "It is my duty to administer that...

In the weeks since Governor Walker introduced his reforms to balance the budget and protect middle-class taxpayers the New York Times has repeatedly used its editorial pages to opine on the reforms. All told there have been at least seven editorials, op-eds or columns in the paper about the Wisconsin reforms. Below is the Op-Ed that Governor Walker wrote that the New York Times chose not to run: -SNIP-

Death threats, near riots and storming the Wisconsin State Capitol are all the work of Democracy. In a Democracy, there are hangings and lynchings or even the drowning of Witches. Democracies are mob rule. As events unfolded in Wisconsin over the last several weeks it has became clear that Liberals and Democrats prefer anarchy to lawful government. We’ve seen elected Democrats running away from and deserting their jobs to Union organized anti-government mayhem. Just asks the janitors that had to clean human feces from various corners of the Capitol building, which Union mobs and Democrat political agitators left as markings...

He already signed it this morning, actually, but they went ahead with a special public ceremony in the afternoon so that he could sign it again. Just because. Reminds me of Pelosi talking that long walk to the Capitol before the ObamaCare vote in the House, waving that giant gavel around that looked bigger than she is, chuckling all the way. The left keeps promising that Walker and the Senate GOP will pay for this, which may or may not be true. But if and when it does, let these three words comfort you: “Minority Leader Pelosi.”Meanwhile, the newest tactic...

Labor Relations: The media and the unions screamed to keep the bankrupt status quo in Wisconsin, but the newly elected governor refused to bend or break under the pressure. At last, a real lesson in leadership. We're tempted to call Gov. Scott Walker's courage Reaganesque. Remember the Patco strike of 1981? The air traffic controllers' union had walked out, illegally shutting down the nation's air transportation system. Their attempt at extortion was President Reagan's first big test, and the unions seemed to hold all the cards. But Reagan held firm. He fired the strikers, hired replacements and, despite claims by...

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s state budget repair bill would be unconstitutional because it would violate the constitutional “home rule” that protects cities and villages from interference in local pensions by the state, according to a legal opinion issued today by Milwaukee City Attorney Grant Langley. In a letter to Milwaukee Alderman Joseph Dudzik, Langley stated, “… in our judgment, the courts would find the statue unconstitutional on three grounds: first, that it unconstitutionally interferes with and intrudes upon the city’s home-rule authority over its pension plan; second, that given certain vested rights or benefits that have accrued to employees currently...

Hundreds to Risk Peaceful Arrest to Defend Rights MADISON— Continuing his unprecedented power grab Governor Walker ordered the State Capitol cleared on Sunday, closing the building to Wisconsinites protesting his plan to gut civil rights for tens of thousands of Wisconsin's citizens. Dozens of ministers, rabbis, and priests joined workers and students from across the state, risking arrest to protest the closing of the State Capitol to the public. “First Governor Walker tried to take away workers’ rights, now he is trying to take away our Constitutional right as Americans to peacefully assemble,” said Steelworker Roy Vandenberg. “I have a...

"I am going to stand with the hard-working taxpayers of Wisconsin." -- Gov. Scott Walker That is a pretty good place to stand if it comes to that -- as it has in Wisconsin, obviously -- and so arises another obvious point: What about Scott Walker for president? Just asking. We have to see how the government-union tantrum up there plays out and to whose advantage -- that of the taxpayers or that of union members so attached to the public interest they'd rather mill around the state Capitol shouting slogans than perform the jobs for which they hired on....