NationStates

Posted: **Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:05 pm**

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Republicans in the Wisconsin Senate voted Wednesday night to strip nearly all collective bargaining rights from public workers after discovering a way to bypass the chamber's missing Democrats.

All 14 Senate Democrats fled to Illinois nearly three weeks ago, preventing the chamber from having enough members present to consider Gov. Scott Walker's so-called "budget repair bill" - a proposal introduced to plug a $137 million budget shortfall.

The Senate requires a quorum to take up any measures that spend money. But Republicans on Wednesday split from the legislation the proposal to curtail union rights, which spends no money, and a special conference committee of state lawmakers approved the bill a short time later.

The lone Democrat present on the conference committee, Rep. Tony Barca, shouted that the surprise meeting was a violation of the state's open meetings law but Republicans voted over his objections. The Senate then convened within minutes and passed it without discussion or debate.

Spectators in the gallery screamed "You are cowards."

Before the sudden votes, Democratic Sens. Bob Jauch said if Republicans "chose to ram this bill through in this fashion, it will be to their political peril. They're changing the rules. They will inflame a very frustrated public."

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/ ... 9-19-27-44

Posted: **Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:10 pm**

Isn't there already a thread for this?

Posted: **Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:12 pm**

Genivar wrote:Isn't there already a thread for this?

no, this is new. the GOP has blocked the bargaining rights of the unions.

Posted: **Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:13 pm**

And lawsuit in 5... 4... 3...

Posted: **Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:13 pm**

do you suppose they can survive this politically?

Posted: **Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:14 pm**

Etharnor wrote:
Genivar wrote:Isn't there already a thread for this?

no, this is new. the GOP has blocked the bargaining rights of the unions.

Clarification there was a thread about the bill, and the democrats fleeing across state lines.
I think I asked in that thread why didn't the GOP split off the bill. Apparently the GOP realized that of course now the Democrats staying out of state will simply block a budget and not the stripping of Union rights in Wisconsin.

Posted: **Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:15 pm**

Ashmoria wrote:do you suppose they can survive this politically?

sure, they can say that the dems who fled "forced" them to do this.

Posted: **Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:15 pm**

NERVUN wrote:And lawsuit in 5... 4... 3...

It'll hold up fine, it's already this way in some other states.

Posted: **Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:16 pm**

This is the GOP's new logo.

Posted: **Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:16 pm**

Etharnor wrote:
Ashmoria wrote:do you suppose they can survive this politically?

sure, they can say that the dems who fled "forced" them to do this.

they can say it but why would anyone believe it?

stripping collective bargaining rights has been a big time loser in the polls. will the public remember this next time they cast a vote or will they move on to some other issue?

Posted: **Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:17 pm**

DEFCON-1 wrote:
NERVUN wrote:And lawsuit in 5... 4... 3...

It'll hold up fine, it's already this way in some other states.

No, if the members violated the open meeting laws as claimed...

Posted: **Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:17 pm**

Ashmoria wrote:do you suppose they can survive this politically?

Depends if the democrats come back and pass a budget they will come out ahead.
If the democrats stay out of state now they will just be denying a budget to state workers now for no reason.

Posted: **Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:18 pm**

greed and death wrote:
Ashmoria wrote:do you suppose they can survive this politically?

Depends if the democrats come back and pass a budget they will come out ahead.
If the democrats stay out of state now they will just be denying a budget to state workers now for no reason.

they have no reason to stay out now.

Posted: **Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:21 pm**

NERVUN wrote:
DEFCON-1 wrote:
It'll hold up fine, it's already this way in some other states.

No, if the members violated the open meeting laws as claimed...

http://www.doj.state.wi.us/dls/OMPR/201 ... _Guide.pdf
The open meeting law does not provide for voiding of the law as a penalty, It only provides for a 25-300 dollar fine. At least as far as I can tell.

Posted: **Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:21 pm**

Desperate times = desperate measures. Had to happen, and unions are getting kinda rowdy anyway.

Posted: **Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:22 pm**

Ashmoria wrote:
greed and death wrote:Depends if the democrats come back and pass a budget they will come out ahead.
If the democrats stay out of state now they will just be denying a budget to state workers now for no reason.

they have no reason to stay out now.

Exactly if they stay out now they are just being petty.

Posted: **Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:22 pm**

Way to double down on failure!

Yeah, this was a bad idea by Walker and the GOP, and they just made it worse. A whole lot worse.

That said, Wisconsinites should consider themselves lucky, They're only losing public sector collective bargaining rights, rather than losing the right to vote on local laws and ordinances, like... <cough, cough>... some people in other, neighboring States.

In wonder, will the GOP slogan in 2012 be, "Hey America - FUCK YOU!!!"?

Galenaima wrote:Desperate times = desperate measures. Had to happen, and unions are getting kinda rowdy anyway.

Yeah, I mean, WTF do people need rights for? Only corporations need rights; people mean nothing.

Posted: **Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:22 pm**

Pure evil.

Posted: **Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:26 pm**

To be quite honest, Public Sector Unions tend to be a detriment to the education system.

Posted: **Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:26 pm**

Political shenanigans will cost the GOP

Posted: **Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:28 pm**

greed and death wrote:
NERVUN wrote:No, if the members violated the open meeting laws as claimed...

http://www.doj.state.wi.us/dls/OMPR/201 ... _Guide.pdf
The open meeting law does not provide for voiding of the law as a penalty, It only provides for a 25-300 dollar fine. At least as far as I can tell.

The penalty will not be the voiding of laws, but the fact that it makes a nice sign to hang around your opponet's neck.

After all, noting that "Not only did Sen Whoever voted to strip rights away from (Insert group here), he did so while violating state law. Do you really want to return a lawbreaker to the state senate?" makes a good argument that is hard to squirm around.

Posted: **Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:28 pm**

Alien Space Bats wrote:
Galenaima wrote:Desperate times = desperate measures. Had to happen, and unions are getting kinda rowdy anyway.

Yeah, I mean, WTF do people need rights for? Only corporations need rights; people mean nothing.

Federal workers don't have collective bargaining rights, why do state workers? Besides, we're BROKE--people don't like not having massive pensions? Oh well.

Posted: **Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:28 pm**

Brewdomia wrote:To be quite honest, Public Sector Unions tend to be a detriment to the education system.

which is why wisconsin has one of the best school systems in the country?

Posted: **Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:29 pm**

Brewdomia wrote:To be quite honest, Public Sector Unions tend to be a detriment to the education system.

To be quite honest, you're wrong.

Posted: **Wed Mar 09, 2011 6:29 pm**

Ashmoria wrote:do you suppose they can survive this politically?

Yeah the republicans are destroying their reputation.....and I love it.

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Wis. GOP strips public workers' bargaining rights

Wis. GOP strips public workers' bargaining rights

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