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Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Rally Photos
Labels:
Budget,
Law and Justice,
Photos,
State and national Politics
I attended the rally today at the State Capital with my son. Here are some photos we took. It was an impressively large turnout with unions from all over the state in attendance (estimated 12,000). I saw one fellow wearing an Oneida County Public Works jacket. The largest spontaeous cheer came when a sizable group of firefighters marched through the crowd.
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It seems like Walker would have no cares about who "Bob" is. Nice poster though. Walker seems to have zero interest in Wisconsin's history of being a laboratory of government innovation and policy, workers' comp, kindergarten, unions, The Wisconsin Idea, etc. Ok, I'm taking a shot at his being a college drop-out with the Wisconsin Idea crack, but if the shoe fits.... Doug, What's the fastest recall of a govern(dictat)or in U.S. history?
ReplyDeleteMoe,
ReplyDeleteWisconsin requires a one year term of penance be served by the voters before they can recall someone they elected. During that time they are expected to calmly reflect on just what they have done.
Recalls have been around a long time. Al Hamilton feared that recalls would make elected officials "a slave to all the capricious humors among the people." (He should have been more worried about the Vice President.)
http://hnn.us/articles/1660.html
Depending on your meaning of "fastest", I'd say the very first recalled pol was pretty 'fast'. Hiram Gill, a Wisconsin law grad, went on to become mayor Seattle in March 1910. He ran on an 'open city' platform - supporting booze, gambling, prostitution - and bands on Sunday. He was also anti-union.
Later that same year, the Washington lege gave women the vote. That was bad news for old Hiram and the 500-room brothel 'licensed' by his Chief of Police Charles 'Wappy' Wappenstein.
The new voters took a dim view of these doings and Hiram was booted out in a February 2011 election.
Hiram made a comeback in 1914 when his successor was tagged as a supporter of the IWW! (See, it's all connected somehow.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiram_Gill
That 500-room brothel was later destroyed when a B-50 Superfortress crashed into it in 1951.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lester_Apartments
Who's the IWW?? The Wobblies, man, you know.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_Workers_of_the_World
Scott Walker can't pass the bill himself. He has people in the legislature that do that. So, if this bill passes, they equally shoulder the blame. If we are displeased with him we should be equally displeased with our legislature.
ReplyDeleteAnd displeased with everyone who voted for Walker & Co. He didn't get there on his own, and he didn't keep his plans quiet along the way. He told us he would do this, and people voted for him anyway. The shame isn't on Walker. He's doing to workers what he said he would do (and enriching cronies, which is what cynical Dems expected he would do). The shame is on Wisconsin for electing him in the first place.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDeleteA little IWW would not be out of the order. Frankly, Walker is going to create something like the Haymarket riot.
Too many people do not understand how we got child labor laws, holidays and etc.
Wonder wear you can buy a Wobblie shirt?
HP
I will go toe-to-toe with you on progressive politics buddy. :)
There were already threats to force a recall on any senator member who votes for this. Some GOP members come from large public-worker districts, and so it definitely could get... dicey for them.
ReplyDeleteThe only requirement is that they will have served at least 1 year (so basically not reelected this past November), but they could be facing the idea of a recall election shortly.
Your blog, your choice about whether to post this and I respect your choice either way.
ReplyDeleteIt is easy to see who contributed to Walker's campaign. http://tinyurl.com/64377tx
You can sort by city, zip code, etc. I will strongly consider avoiding businesses whose owners supported Walker unless they come out and say they do not support the union busting. We are entitled to our opinions and our choices and I can get on just fine with those with whom I disagree, but I cannot and will not support a business or local politician who seeks to take away the fundamental rights of others.
Scott Walker has the votes in the legislature to pass the bill. If he doesn't get what he wants, it's going to come in the biennial budget next week (or sneaked into it at the last minute). Of course, this would be after many layoffs.
ReplyDelete"The shame isn't on Walker. He's doing to workers what he said he would do (and enriching cronies, which is what cynical Dems expected he would do). The shame is on Wisconsin for electing him in the first place."
ReplyDeleteSo far as I can tell, Walker did not in fact say anything about eliminating collective bargaining during the campaign.
In fact, he promised to make *changes* to collective bargaining rules and outcomes, but never mentioned eliminating it.
Go to the Milw JS's Promise-checker where they are keeping track of 60 promises and you will see "Will restore the Qualified Economic Offer in school district bargaining" and "Will change mediation/arbitration rules".
http://www.politifact.com/wisconsin/promises/walk-o-meter/browse/?page=3
Thanks for the great research Doug, scary that damage that could be done, given its only been 6 weeks. Changing arbitration rules is a bit different than eliminating collective bargaining. I am a government employee, my father was a union secretary in a federal job for 15+ of his 35 years in that job. The Wisconsin AFSCME was I believe, the first government employee union in the US.
ReplyDeleteI mentioned other badger state innovations in my first post. Wisconsin was just awarded a $37 mill grant to be an innovative developer of health insurance exchanges showing other states how to do it because Doyle had us positioned way ahead. Walker will probably announce that he's saying no to hundreds of hi-tech IT jobs on that one very soon as well.
So I'm the only one who is not surprised by this? I still question how many people protesting voted for him. Or didn't vote at all.
ReplyDeleteUnion Busting: I really would like to know which side Mr Wisswell is taking.
ReplyDelete"Union Busting: I really would like to know which side Mr Wiswell is taking."
ReplyDeleteAnd Mr. Miller. To be fair.
One 's' Win Wiswell.
"So I'm the only one who is not surprised by this? I still question how many people protesting voted for him. Or didn't vote at all."
ReplyDeleteDepends on what you mean by the indeterminate term 'this'. At a general level, no it's not surprising, but the radicalism of this attack on basic rights is surprising and was not part of his campaign.
Yes, both Wiswell and Miller should take a stand. It is relevant because this will affect our city worker unions. I know they read this blog...gentlemen - the people await your response.
ReplyDeleteActually, I don't know if Jeff reads this blog or not.
ReplyDelete{And for the person who likes to keep track of my time, I note that I am home sick today. And next Monday is a furlough day.}
I agree that what is taking place at the state level is relevant to Monona as the budget repair bill will certainly impact local municipalities. There is heated debate over the approach the Governor is taking to address the short-term budget deficit. When states, counties or cities face big budget shortfalls, it's not unreasonable for governors, county executives or mayors to ask for givebacks from public employees such as wage freezes, higher pension or health-care contributions, furloughs, which amount to wage cuts, or outright wage cuts. We might disagree among ourselves over how much is reasonable to ask of public employees in various circumstances, but I don't believe there is disagreement over the fact that big budget deficits can justify tough remedies.
ReplyDeleteBut Governor Walker’s plan to eliminate collective bargaining rights for some groups of public employees goes beyond just a tough remedy for budget repair. The rapid speed, at which this legislation was put forth and attempted to be passed, without a willingness to even discuss what concessions can and need to made, is too strident for me. It will leave long-standing bad feelings between public employees and the government.
With the additional expectation of substantial reductions in the state’s shared revenue, the city’s budget process will be all the more challenging this coming year. As an employer, I have had to deal with budget and staff reductions during economic downturns and I have also negotiated collective bargaining agreements. I have always listened, gathered input and tried to be fair during that process. I have treated everyone, both represented and non-represented employees, with respect. I would do the same as Monona mayor.
Thanks Bob.
ReplyDeleteThank You Mr. Miller.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mr Wiswell for your silence. It speaks volumes.
To be fair, I don't if Jeff has read this post (or in general reads this blog - don't think so).
ReplyDeleteI was going to invite a response from him at the council meeting on Monday, but missed connecting with him.
"Thanks Mr Wiswell for your silence. It speaks volumes. "
ReplyDeleteWhat a flat out attack.