You've heard no doubt. It was on the national news, scrolling across the bottom of television screens everywhere. The "election" of Judge Prosser sealed the fate of collective bargaining rights in Wisconsin. Judge Sumi's decision was cast aside and the anti-union, anti-middle class voices spoke. The following is from All Headline News online:
On a 4-3 vote, the Wisconsin Supreme Court upheld on Wednesday the state’s anti-union law. The decision reverses a ruling by a lower court which ordered a permanent injunction against the law. The court said the state legislature did not breach Wisconsin’s constitution in curbing the collective bargaining rights of most state employees. The court decision is a major political victory for Gov. Scott Walker, who supported the bill amid protest by teachers, union members and others who believe the law is an affront on workers’ rights.
If they did not break the open meeting law then what would we call what happened? Many people have many questions!
Visit The Cap Times at www.host.madison.com to read excellent posts on this historical vote. It will, without a doubt, change Wisconsin. According to a Care2 article this morning:
But the decision is not likely to take the pressure of Republicans in the state anytime soon. A new poll released shows Gov. Walker's popularity is at an all-time low with at least half of the state favoring recalling the Governor. That same poll shows Walker losing to either Russ Feingold or Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett in a hypothetical future match. Recall efforts against six GOP senators also took a major leap forward as EMILY's List endorsed five candidates in those recall elections. Wisconsin is simply one state in a national strategy of permanently disenfranchising Democratic voters and eradicating decades of gains by the middle-class.
The truth of that last sentence is reverberating in my head this morning as I read these posts. It is and has been a concerted ultra-right-wing agenda operating in destruction mode. For further looks at that read this from Care2.
http://www.care2.com/causes/politics/blog/wisconsin-wants-to-repeal-child-labor-laws-too/
It is impossible to arrive at any other conclusions than money - that has to be the driving force behind these draconian moves to completely dismantle the middle class in America. What else could it be? We don't believe the song and dance about balancing budgets, we know that's horse manure. We don't believe people like Walker-Fitzgerald are compassionate people at heart, that's clearly not the case. I haven't made it to sixty-three years old without knowing some things and one of the things I know is money has a smell to it, a glint to it, a shrill sound to it and things done in money's name have a sneakiness to them. These decisions beings made in Wisconsin, these deals being done in the dark, these calls to the Kochs, the threats and the lies all smell, sound, glitter like lots and lots of money.
Please call your state representative, your senator and let them know you are appalled at this hijacking of Wisconsin. Just like the playground it often takes a group to defeat a bully.
Walker et al are now moving along other fronts. One is to roll back Child Labor Laws. If the word appalling doesn't work here I don't know what does! Another front is the environment. This is from League of Conservation Voters.
Dear Jeanie,
The Wisconsin recall fight is ground zero for the future of sound environmental policy.
The state of Wisconsin has emerged as ground zero for efforts to take back our democracy from corporate special interests. As you’ve probably heard, Tea Party-backed lawmakers, led by Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, are pushing one of the most egregious anti-environment agendas in the nation. And if they succeed unchallenged, other states may soon see similar efforts.
The Koch Brothers and their dirty polluter allies are investing millions to keep the Wisconsin State Senate’s anti-environment majority. They invested heavily in Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and other Tea Party governors during the 2010 elections and there are not about to see their investments fall short.
So far, Scott Walker has delivered handsomely for dirty polluters. Walker’s anti-environment attacks include:
Shutting down Wisconsin’s $400 million wind industry
Rejecting $800 million in mass transit funding (absolutely disgraceful when gas is at $4 per gallon)
Providing campaign donors special exemptions to build on Wisconsin’s wetlands
If Scott Walker and the Koch Brothers win this summer it will open the floodgates to unchecked dirty polluter campaign money. If they win in Wisconsin, every sound environmental policy in every state will be under threat. But just as important, Wisconsin LCV is backing a strong slate of pro-environment candidates who will fight for important environmental protections and vital clean energy policies.
Keep your eye on this Common Struggle. It is the struggle of us all!
Power To All The People!
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