Are Wisconsin Democrats doing the right thing?

[Coffee Cakes]

Government workers get a f---ing golden parachute that everybody else except for CEO's envy, not to mention that EVERY government worker is mandated to join a union. It's a disgrace. The only thing that the GOP wants to do is give workers the option of opting out of being in these unions, which in principle isn't a detestable thing at all. What's detestable is the politicians not showing up to work.

The bill in question destroys collective bargaining, guts the pay and the benefits of public sector workers, gives the government the ability to essentially fire any employee at will and forces the members of the union to make an annual vote to keep their union alive; the entire purpose is to destroy the Unions altogether without actually saying it. It also has provisions to sell pieces of the public infrastructure (gas and power lines mostly) to private companies on a first come first serve basis.

There is a lot more then public sector collective bargaining at stake.

By not showing up to work, the Democratic Senators in Wisconsin are showing up to work.

By not showing up to work, the Dems are depriving their constituents their right of representation. It's barbarically uncalled for. And have you seen the pay and benefits these "public" workers are getting? It's probably more than what the average private sector worker in a comparable position is making.
And if enough people don't want to be in the union, Why the f--- should it continue on?

And as far as the infrastructure, that part needs to be gutted.

[Osthia]

The Democrats are doing the right thing. The Republicans actually did some dirty work. The Governor, while thinking he was talking to one of his benefactors, told this prank caller that he was gonna try to lure the Dems back to Wisconsin for the passing of the legislation. They don;t even have to be in Madison, he said. They just have to be in Wisconsin for the law to be passed.

Don't forget the part where Governor Scott Mubarak considered sending thugs to infiltrate and disrupt the protests.

That too xD

[Serrland]

Blocking legislation your constituents oppose isn't doing your job as an opposition senator?

Blocking legislation with filibusters and chamber rules and whatnot IS doing your job. Fleeing your elected duties is not part of the job... nor is it in the rules, especially when they run outside their state.

How can they filibuster in a legislative assembly that has no rules for filibustering?

[Neo Arcad]

The Democrats are doing the right thing. The Republicans actually did some dirty work. The Governor, while thinking he was talking to one of his benefactors, told this prank caller that he was gonna try to lure the Dems back to Wisconsin for the passing of the legislation. They don;t even have to be in Madison, he said. They just have to be in Wisconsin for the law to be passed.

Don't forget the part where Governor Scott Mubarak considered sending thugs to infiltrate and disrupt the protests.

They ought to gas the protesters. Nobody'd miss them, they're Liberals. Too many of them anyway.

[Lacadaemon]

Just knock it off. These are public sector unions. The public sector was quite happy to fuck the ordinary working person so long as they got their fucking cut. Cries of 'we were fucked' ring hollow.

As has been pointed out, PSUs are the only real competetion to the corporations in terms of political contributions. Nice to see you're doing the Vichy France Salute for a right-wing oligarchy.

Oh I'm sorry. I was under the stupid assumption that corrupting the political process was wrong. But now I see you are right. Oh, wait, you aren't. You are just saying exactly what I was saying and why I have no sympathy.

PSUs were perfectly happy to go along with everything that has happened because they thought they had an inside track. I have no more sympathy for them than I do with the people who invested in Bernie Madoff scams.

Also, knock of the vichy france shite.

[Hebalobia]

I'm all for them - God knows the Repubs did this on capitol hill for the last two years. Only difference was they just kept talking and talking and talking.

The Democrats were exercising their rights to protest (not sure on that). I'm in full support of them.

By the way, I live in Illinois, and we've given them quite a warm welcome

This is a biased answer. The democrats are jumping at the idea of getting paid to not work. It's a dream come true for all democrats, while were at it lets go ahead and raise taxes, and increase the national debt. Standby for the response that the Republicans were the ones who caused the debt.

Yup, here it comes although not exactly the way you expected.

Let's see, the U.S. had a BUDGET SURPLUS at the end of the Clinton administration and the debt was being reduced. Then the Supply Side voodoo economists talked Bush into spending the surplus on tax cuts for the wealthy rather than continuing to pare down the debt. The promise was an even bigger budget surplus as the wealth "trickled down." What a load of crap. Those of us that actually understand economics know that Supply Side theories don't work unless your objective is simply to make the rich richer.

What about this do you not understand? Please, do not take my word for this. All of the information is available for inspection and download at the Congressional Budget Office web site.

[Coffee Cakes]

Blocking legislation with filibusters and chamber rules and whatnot IS doing your job. Fleeing your elected duties is not part of the job... nor is it in the rules, especially when they run outside their state.

FOR THE UMPTEENTH TIME: THERE IS NOT FILIBUSTER PROCEDURE IN WISCONSIN, LEAVING THE STATE TO PREVENT A QUORUM IS THE PROCEDURE THAT HAS BEEN USED IN THAT STATE FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

Then wtf is wrong with Wisconsin?

[Sierra Lobo]

Anyway, I just hope the dems wont cry foul when the repubs uses this tactics when Wisconsin swings back into a Dems majority again! Precedents is/are a biatch.

Just like how wingnuts these protesters are behaving, considering how dems like to espouse 'CIVILITY' a month ago. Shame, these people like to preach on the Tea party on how uncivil, how bigoted but seems like Dems likes to employ 'Do what I say, Dont follow what I do.'

Didn't Republicans get their panties all in a twist when Democrats called for civility, suggesting that it was no more then basic demonization of the poor tea party and their leaders. Therefore, like you said "Precedents is/are a biatch" thus republicans have no right to complain about how the unions are protesting. Additionally, at least none of them have brought guns to their rallies.

True.... but should'nt the preacher of civility be CIVIL. Where thou is the moral ground. I mean the labor protesters is more wingnuts than the Tea Party.

[SaintB]

Don't forget the part where Governor Scott Mubarak considered sending thugs to infiltrate and disrupt the protests.

They ought to gas the protesters. Nobody'd miss them, they're Liberals. Too many of them anyway.

Ive always been one to promote the idea that you should only do things to someone you'd be willing to have done to yourself. If you want to gas a bunch of liberals you first have to allow yourself to be gassed.

[Senestrum]

The bill in question destroys collective bargaining, guts the pay and the benefits of public sector workers, gives the government the ability to essentially fire any employee at will and forces the members of the union to make an annual vote to keep their union alive; the entire purpose is to destroy the Unions altogether without actually saying it. It also has provisions to sell pieces of the public infrastructure (gas and power lines mostly) to private companies on a first come first serve basis.

There is a lot more then public sector collective bargaining at stake.

By not showing up to work, the Democratic Senators in Wisconsin are showing up to work.

By not showing up to work, the Dems are depriving their constituents their right of representation. It's barbarically uncalled for. And have you seen the pay and benefits these "public" workers are getting? It's probably more than what the average private sector worker in a comparable position is making.
And if enough people don't want to be in the union, Why the f--- should it continue on?

And as far as the infrastructure, that part needs to be gutted.

They are representing their constituents in the best way they can, by doing whatever they can to stop a bill that will hurt said constituents. Regardless of whether you think the bill is good or not, they are doing their job of representing those who elected them.

[Drachmar]

The bill in question destroys collective bargaining, guts the pay and the benefits of public sector workers, gives the government the ability to essentially fire any employee at will and forces the members of the union to make an annual vote to keep their union alive; the entire purpose is to destroy the Unions altogether without actually saying it. It also has provisions to sell pieces of the public infrastructure (gas and power lines mostly) to private companies on a first come first serve basis.

There is a lot more then public sector collective bargaining at stake.

By not showing up to work, the Democratic Senators in Wisconsin are showing up to work.

By not showing up to work, the Dems are depriving their constituents their right of representation. It's barbarically uncalled for. And have you seen the pay and benefits these "public" workers are getting? It's probably more than what the average private sector worker in a comparable position is making.
And if enough people don't want to be in the union, Why the f--- should it continue on?

And as far as the infrastructure, that part needs to be gutted.

I guarantee that Sen Risser is doing exactly what this constituent wishes.

[Revolutopia]

And if enough people don't want to be in the union, Why the f--- should it continue on?

I am just guessing, but seeing as the protesters are protesting for their unions that probably means the majority are for it.

[Neo Arcad]

They ought to gas the protesters. Nobody'd miss them, they're Liberals. Too many of them anyway.

Ive always been one to promote the idea that you should only do things to someone you'd be willing to have done to yourself. If you want to gas a bunch of liberals you first have to allow yourself to be gassed.

And I'm a proponent of shut up, I'm the one with the assault rifle.
How's that no-guns peace and love hippie shit workin' out for ya?

[Coffee Cakes]

By not showing up to work, the Dems are depriving their constituents their right of representation. It's barbarically uncalled for. And have you seen the pay and benefits these "public" workers are getting? It's probably more than what the average private sector worker in a comparable position is making.
And if enough people don't want to be in the union, Why the f--- should it continue on?

And as far as the infrastructure, that part needs to be gutted.

They are representing their constituents in the best way they can, by doing whatever they can to stop a bill that will hurt said constituents. Regardless of whether you think the bill is good or not, they are doing their job of representing those who elected them.

They owe their constituents at least a vote on the issue, whether it passes or fails. If they get outvoted, they can say they lost to GOP greed and use it as a talking point in 2012.

[Rolamec]

FOR THE UMPTEENTH TIME: THERE IS NOT FILIBUSTER PROCEDURE IN WISCONSIN, LEAVING THE STATE TO PREVENT A QUORUM IS THE PROCEDURE THAT HAS BEEN USED IN THAT STATE FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

Then wtf is wrong with Wisconsin?

It's the cheese, man, it does things to you....sexual things....

[Neo Arcad]

And if enough people don't want to be in the union, Why the f--- should it continue on?

I am just guessing, but seeing as the protesters are protesting for their unions that probably means the majority are for it.

They're protesting because if they don't, they'll be kicked out of the unions, and therefore won't be able to get a job, EVER. It's a new kind of slavery.

[Daistallia 2104]

Ive always been one to promote the idea that you should only do things to someone you'd be willing to have done to yourself. If you want to gas a bunch of liberals you first have to allow yourself to be gassed.

DNFTT

[Coffee Cakes]

By not showing up to work, the Dems are depriving their constituents their right of representation. It's barbarically uncalled for. And have you seen the pay and benefits these "public" workers are getting? It's probably more than what the average private sector worker in a comparable position is making.
And if enough people don't want to be in the union, Why the f--- should it continue on?

And as far as the infrastructure, that part needs to be gutted.

I guarantee that Sen Risser is doing exactly what this constituent wishes.

And may I ask if you are a public sector unionized employee? That would be the only reason I'd think of to support the shutdown.

[Daistallia 2104]

They owe their constituents at least a vote on the issue, whether it passes or fails. If they get outvoted, they can say they lost to GOP greed and use it as a talking point in 2012.

Nope, not when allowing a vote will seriously harm their constituents they aren't.

[Revolutopia]

True.... but should'nt the preacher of civility be CIVIL. Where thou is the moral ground. I mean the labor protesters is more wingnuts than the Tea Party.

Why, should Democrats continue to preach civility when it becomes obvious that their opponents will not? Also, how the Unions anymore uncivil then the tea party saying that both have compared their opponents as dictators, nazis, and so forth. Only, that the tea party brings guns and have actually been found guilty of some criminal activities(Rand Paul's supporter head stomping escapade). While, much to my knowledge the unions have not brought guns or performed any violent criminal acts.

[Senestrum]

Didn't Republicans get their panties all in a twist when Democrats called for civility, suggesting that it was no more then basic demonization of the poor tea party and their leaders. Therefore, like you said "Precedents is/are a biatch" thus republicans have no right to complain about how the unions are protesting. Additionally, at least none of them have brought guns to their rallies.

True.... but should'nt the preacher of civility be CIVIL. Where thou is the moral ground.

Taking the moral high ground means death for the party. The democrats need to grow a sack because otherwise the entire US political environment is a de facto one-party system.

I mean the labor protesters is more wingnuts than the Tea Party.

rofl how can you possibly believe this

[Neo Arcad]

Ive always been one to promote the idea that you should only do things to someone you'd be willing to have done to yourself. If you want to gas a bunch of liberals you first have to allow yourself to be gassed.

DNFTT

Oh look, someone observant. Good job! You caught it. You must be a fellow Libertarian, we're the only ones with brains.

[Drachmar]

I guarantee that Sen Risser is doing exactly what this constituent wishes.

And may I ask if you are a public sector unionized employee? That would be the only reason I'd think of to support the shutdown.

No you may not ask. It's not your business.

[Neo Arcad]

And may I ask if you are a public sector unionized employee? That would be the only reason I'd think of to support the shutdown.

No you may not ask. It's not your business.

Oh look, it's another unionbot.

[Coffee Cakes]

They owe their constituents at least a vote on the issue, whether it passes or fails. If they get outvoted, they can say they lost to GOP greed and use it as a talking point in 2012.

Nope, not when allowing a vote will seriously harm their constituents they aren't.

How would that harm more than 2% of the state? Especially knowing they're living better than most of the other 98%?