Wisconsin State Democrats go into hiding (in Chicago) to stall GOP bill

[southsuburbs]

http://www.suntimes.com/3888785-417...isconsin-democratic-leaderwith-a-message.html

Troopers sent after Wisconsin Democratic leader—with a message

MADISON, Wis. — Republicans in the Wisconsin state Senate have asked that state troopers be sent after Democratic leader Mark Miller. A Democratic state senator said he and fellow Democrats could stay away for days or even weeks.

Democratic state Sen. Jon Erpenbach spoke to The Associated Press at a Chicago hotel on Friday. He and fellow Democratic senators left Wisconsin on Thursday to delay the near-certain passage of a bill backed by Republicans and GOP Gov. Scott Walker that would strip public sector workers of their collective bargaining rights. The Democrats have been missing from the Capitol for a day and a half.

The events were reminiscent of a 2003 dispute in Texas, where Democrats twice fled the state — including a trip to Oklahoma — to prevent adoption of a redistricting bill. The bill eventually passed.

Wisconsin Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald says he asked Gov. Scott Walker to send two state troopers to Miller’s home.

The Wisconsin Constitution prohibits the arrest of legislators while they’re in session. Fitzgerald says he just wants to send a message to Miller — if he’s even home — that he must bring his caucus back to Madison.

Protesters have descended on Wisconsin’s Capitol in hopes of halting the Republican effort to end a half-century of collective bargaining rights for public workers.

With Democrats saying they won’t return before Saturday, it was unclear when the Senate would be able to begin debating the measure meant to ease the state’s budget woes. Democrats who disappeared Thursday at first kept their whereabouts secret, then started to emerge to give interviews and fan the protests.

 

[Blacknbengal]

http://www.suntimes.com/3888785-417...isconsin-democratic-leaderwith-a-message.html

Troopers sent after Wisconsin Democratic leader—with a message

MADISON, Wis. — Republicans in the Wisconsin state Senate have asked that state troopers be sent after Democratic leader Mark Miller. A Democratic state senator said he and fellow Democrats could stay away for days or even weeks.

Democratic state Sen. Jon Erpenbach spoke to The Associated Press at a Chicago hotel on Friday. He and fellow Democratic senators left Wisconsin on Thursday to delay the near-certain passage of a bill backed by Republicans and GOP Gov. Scott Walker that would strip public sector workers of their collective bargaining rights. The Democrats have been missing from the Capitol for a day and a half.

The events were reminiscent of a 2003 dispute in Texas, where Democrats twice fled the state — including a trip to Oklahoma — to prevent adoption of a redistricting bill. The bill eventually passed.

Wisconsin Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald says he asked Gov. Scott Walker to send two state troopers to Miller’s home.

The Wisconsin Constitution prohibits the arrest of legislators while they’re in session. Fitzgerald says he just wants to send a message to Miller — if he’s even home — that he must bring his caucus back to Madison.

Protesters have descended on Wisconsin’s Capitol in hopes of halting the Republican effort to end a half-century of collective bargaining rights for public workers.

With Democrats saying they won’t return before Saturday, it was unclear when the Senate would be able to begin debating the measure meant to ease the state’s budget woes. Democrats who disappeared Thursday at first kept their whereabouts secret, then started to emerge to give interviews and fan the protests.

lol

 

[Gsu95]

This would be a good time for the UNION to make a strong comeback.

 

[Attack Dog]

The United States is being attacked from within. One of the founding principles of this country was our ability to organize and it is being attacked by those who say they are "patriotic". The American people have to open our eyes before the next elections and then go and vote their asses out.

 

[Olde Hornet]

I don’t believe government workers should be allowed to go on strike. I am a believer in the right to work states (you don’t have to join a union to have a job).

My problem with this bill is that is does not impact the 3 public unions that supported the governor, which means this bill is about politics, not dealing with the issue.

 

[Attack Dog]

EXACTLY. Their is a growing movement by those in power to silence the voice of opposition, this is not democratic or republican government.

 

[GLIONGIRL 1]

I would never work for an organization that wasn't unionized. Unions fight for the rights of employees. They seek to bring fairness and employee benefits in the work place. Without unions supervisor are at liberty to treat an employee anyway they wish, which is usually not in the best interest of an employee. Work place practices can never be challenged by an employee without the fear of being FIRED ON THE SPOT!! The republicans want to turn the clock way back to a time when there were no workers rights. My brother and brother in-law work for a factory that has no union to advocate for worker rights. The stories they tell are chilling!!

 

[jstate83]

Let the "people of wisconsin" keep fighting but at the same time, this serves their azzes right. THEY VOTED FOR THIS TEA PARTY MOFO. Now they mad because his bullcrap is not only hitting Demos and minorities, but unions, working class repubs, and everybody else.

I was wondering what state that backed these Tea Party fools would be the first to realize their mistake. Too busy focusing on sticking it to the "big bad black President".

:smh: and :lol: at thier azzes at the same time.

 

[jstate83]

This would be a good time for the UNION to make a strong comeback.

But it was the UNIONS in Wisconsin that backed this fool for Governor.
They bought this on themselves in that state because he told them exactly what he was going to do. All they was interested in was going along with the "take our country back" nim-rods that make up the Tea Party and lunitic Repub frindges.

 

[CEE DOG]

Having a black president has these good ole boys minds messed up. They feel weak and threatened. They have stole and took so much, that they afraid it is coming back to them.

 

[jstate83]

Having a black president has these good ole boys minds messed up. They feel weak and threatened. They have stole and took so much, that they afraid it is coming back to them.

And in Wisconsin, it's one of their own sticking it right up their backside.
They can't blame OBAMA. :lol:

 

[CEE DOG]

:tup: You shole telling the truth. It is back firing on them. :lol:

Let the "people of wisconsin" keep fighting but at the same time, this serves their azzes right. THEY VOTED FOR THIS TEA PARTY MOFO. Now they mad because his bullcrap is not only hitting Demos and minorities, but unions, working class repubs, and everybody else.

I was wondering what state that backed these Tea Party fools would be the first to realize their mistake. Too busy focusing on sticking it to the "big bad black President".

:smh: and :lol: at thier azzes at the same time.

 

[southsuburbs]

Indiana Dems stay away too to block union bill

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/...rats-to-walk-out-too-20110222,0,7473449.story

Democratic lawmakers in Indiana have left the House chamber -- and apparently are leaving the state like their colleagues in Wisconsin -- rather than vote on anti-union legislation.

The Indianapolis Star is reporting that the Indiana House members planned to head for Illinois or Kentucky. The exodus blocked the Republican majority from conducting business as hundreds of union members crowded hallways to protest the labor bill.

Only three of the 40 House Democrats were in the chamber when Republican Speaker Brian Bosma tried to begin the session this morning, leaving it short of the needed two-thirds for a quorum. Rep. Terri Austin of Anderson told Bosma her fellow Democrats were studying proposed legislation and that she couldn't predict when they would return.

Austin said Democratic legislators hadn't left the state capital. But a source told the Star the Democrats were headed to Illinois, though it was possible some might go to Kentucky.

The labor bill would prohibit union representation fees from being a condition of employment at most private companies. That issue has drawn strong opposition from union groups, who had several hundred members at the Statehouse for a second day after a GOP-led committee voted Monday to send the bill to the full House.

Union members watching from the House gallery and hallway outside cheered as Bosma put off House business until later today.

 

[SUtrp96]

WTF is this DEMs leaving the state bull crap?!?!?!

Do your job ... let the people vote for change if that shyt don't work out for them...

Some of you would be HIGHLY pissed if Obama or some of our states passed a bill to help out our HBCUs and take aways from these FLAG SHIPS.. and the Repubs walked out like this.

This is complete bull shyt!

Those teachers making upwards of 80k a year and the bargaining agreements have bankrupt the FN state... Just keep doing the same shyt and hope shyt changes right?

People I swear...

 

[jstate83]

WTF is this DEMs leaving the state bull crap?!?!?!

Do your job ... let the people vote for change if that shyt don't work out for them...

Some of you would be HIGHLY pissed if Obama or some of our states passed a bill to help out our HBCUs and take aways from these FLAG SHIPS.. and the Repubs walked out like this.

This is complete bull shyt!

Those teachers making upwards of 80k a year and the bargaining agreements have bankrupt the FN state... Just keep doing the same shyt and hope shyt changes right?

People I swear...

What state do you live in. :lol:
I want to know what state pays their TEACHERS $80,000 a year? :lol:

 

[ALPHA3]

bigpinky at 2:27 PM February 22, 2011
i read all the negative comments about unions and democrates and i wonder if many just hear what they want to hear. union members agreed to pay more and take less pay but that wasn't enough for govenor walker. he wants to go down in history as the union buster. unions contribute to democratic causes but look who contributes to republican causes. the koch brothers, big corporations(and now they can pretty much buy elections), wall street, the insurance industry and big banks. all the people screaming about unions didn't mind when health insurance companies could drop you when you get sick or if you had a pimple when you were a teen. you didn't mind when credit card companies doubled the intrest rates on your cards. you didn't mind when banks began charging fees for everything(some wanted to charge customers to see a teller!). you didn't mind when the ultra rich on wall street began loosing money, they went crying to the government. don't blame obama for bailing them out. it started with george bush and republicans were on board then. be careful for what you wish for.

This comment speaks volumes.

 

[SUtrp96]

What state do you live in. :lol:
I want to know what state pays their TEACHERS $80,000 a year? :lol:

We are talking about Wisconsin here.... and I said "Upwards"...

But here are the average salaries for their state in a few cities..

Green Bay: $55,110
Kenosha: $68,400
Madison: $50,770
Milwaukee: $54,620
Racine: $49,710

 

[GRAM4LIFE]

I bet their quality of education is higher than any in the South.

 

[SUtrp96]

I bet their quality of education is higher than any in the South.

It probably is....

You get what you pay for in most cases... but not in all... a lot of teachers down south deserve a lot more than what they get...

A teachers salary around 35k - 55k is a pretty good salary.. Our teachers down here don't really make that... only the one that been around for a while do..

But when your teachers are averaging those salaries up above....and the state is bankrupt.. something have to give when you are getting paid by the public.

 

[GRAM4LIFE]

I do agree that Unions need to bend more, but I also believe that Republicans are trying to break them into non-existence. Both extremes are bad.

 

[jstate83]

I bet their quality of education is higher than any in the South.

Please back that up with facts.
I find it interesting when people make blanket statements like this based solely on REGION.
Especially when all these fact based reports come out about how garbage these huge URBAN school districts are in these NON-SOUTHERN states. School districts are str8 war zones but the quality is better because of location. :smh: just like everywhere else in this country, the southern states have their "A1 districts" and then they have their "lawd have mercy" districts.

They dump millions upon millions into these non-southern school districts and these kids are still failing the grade year after year. The only schools making these states look good are the burbs and small, damm near all white districts.

 

[jstate83]

I don’t believe government workers should be allowed to go on strike. I am a believer in the right to work states (you don’t have to join a union to have a job).

My problem with this bill is that is does not impact the 3 public unions that supported the governor, which means this bill is about politics, not dealing with the issue.

If Government workers should not go on strike then NO WORKERS SHOULD BE ABLE TOO. I get sick of people always wanting a double standard for private and public workers as if the public work force don't work just as hard for their money as private workers. Fighting against bad working conditions and having a say in what you do should be a right for everyone or nobody.

Spare me the "I pay public employees salary" garbage. I pay taxes everyday for services I have no use for. I don't have kids in any school but I pay taxes for those schools. I don't collect 1 dime in public assistance but I pay taxes for those that do collect....etc, etc, etc.

 

[GRAM4LIFE]

Have fun... http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/states/

 

[jstate83]

Have fun... http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/states/

And?
I'm still wondering how can you have all these azz backwards school districts in these states and still be considered so elite. I'm still waiting on someone to explain that to me. PICK ANY STATE.

Parents are begging to get their kids out of these war-zones. Having the "numbers" on some year end standardized test by way of teachers coaching students for that test and having kids that can actually add 2 plus 2 and come up with 4 is different. I have listened to horror stories from college professors about these so called A and B students in highschool that can't write a simple paper about themselves when they get to college.

You know that's going on and that is why these teachers want to keep or get more input into what and how they teach.

 

[ALPHA3]

http://www.yahoo.com/_ylt=Amy8l0JtC...110223/ap_on_re_us/us_wisconsin_budget_unions


MADISON, Wis. – On a prank call that quickly spread across the Internet, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker was duped into discussing his strategy to cripple public employee unions, promising never to give in and joking that he would use a baseball bat in his office to go after political opponents.

Walker believed the caller was a conservative billionaire named David Koch, but it was actually the editor of a liberal online newspaper. The two talked for at least 20 minutes — a conversation in which the governor described several potential ways to pressure Democrats to return to the Statehouse and revealed that his supporters had considered secretly planting people in pro-union protest crowds to stir up trouble.

opcorn::smh: