Well, this could get interesting. In Wisconsin, workers are standing up for their rights. Faced with draconian cuts and old fashioned union busting by governor Scott Walker (R-of course), 12,000 rallied in Madison.In one of the largest protests in recent memory, thousands of angry union supporters gathered at the state Capitol on Tuesday to oppose a bill by Gov. Scott Walker that would greatly weaken organized labor in Wisconsin.
More than 12,000 protesters gathered in two separate rallies outside the Capitol, many of them carrying signs and chanting "Recall Walker" or "Kill this bill." Thousands more crowded inside the rotunda and watched TV monitors broadcasting a public hearing on the governor's proposal.
Gov. Walker had previously threatened to call out the National Guard in the event of "unrest", but that doesn't appear to have happened yet.
Republican Governors around the country are using the "financial crisis" as an excuse to attack public workers benefits, attempting to balance budgets on the backs of the middle class while saving tax cuts for the rich.Cheers erupted every time someone in the hearing voiced opposition to the governor's bill, aimed at erasing a $137 million deficit in the current budget. Unveiled Friday, Walker's plan would remove collective bargaining rights for most of the 175,000 state and local government employees.
On Tuesday, members of the firefighters union received a loud ovation from the crowd outside the Capitol as they marched through the rally, holding signs displaying solidarity with their fellow state and local employees.
Charles Franklin, UW-Madison political science professor, said Tuesday that the opposition that has erupted over Walker's proposals are more severe than he has seen in 19 years of following politics in Wisconsin.
Apparently, the Governor has decided to skip town to make an important appearance on Faux News (no link from me). And he's scheduled next weeks "State of the State" address on private business property to avoid potential protest at the capitol. More:And also, significant cuts don't have to be made, if you'd stop giving tax breaks to every business like it's a goddamn fire sale at the toy store, using state pension funds to finance tax cuts for rich people, and gambling that economic growth would always continue because there isn't a third grader in this country couldn't have told you that was a bad bet. God, I hate when people ascribe to natural inevitability the results of their acting like morons for years.
Added: A video of the demonstration is available here.
10 comments:
When 'Tahrir Squares' start popping up all over the U. S., the plutocracy may start breaking a sweat.
One can dream.
Does this idiot guv think the threat of the guard will stop peaceful protesters from assembling because he's about to rape them near to death. There is no doubt these baggers are borderline fucking nuts.
This state has cut 5 billion already with another 300 mil from education just announced yesterday.
Will the people ever say stop our wars and let us have our money for the good of we the people and not for they the military.
One Fly, you've hit the nail on the head.
Thanks Fearguth but is there anyone out there who thinks like us that has the power to bring masses of people together across the country to bring the beginning of the end to half of our country's budget going to the war machine. I do think there may be someone who could. I'm ready just like an Egyptian to be part of that and I think there are millions like me as well who would do the same. I'm so goddamn fed up I can't hardly take it anymore!
You're beginning to sound like an Old Testament prophet, One Fly. Allow me to hold up your hands!
Easy, big fella! The prophets were the good guys--the anti-plutocrats--back then.
I have UMW blood flowing through my veins and we will never forget what our parents and grandparents brought to the people, and at what cost. Do names like Ludlow, Matewan, and "Bloody Harlan" (my home) strike a familiar chord?
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This country is dooming itself to go back to our own history, which is similar to what is going on in Mexico now. There is no social safety net there,and no ability to have organized labor, so people have to flee that country. Yet Mexico is one of the richest countries in the world. The rich will never pay people what they are worth, because they have to make money off of what someone's labor is worth. Labor unions are the only tool that the people have to tighten that margin between the actual worth of the labor and the amount of pay one gets. Now we have managed to build a society where the rich has managed to make the government pay for their employee's raises in the form of tax cuts and earned income credits. It is way too complex to explain in a paragraph, and sadly it is way way too complex for the conservative mind to understand.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR POSTING THIS!
We are all over it on Common Cents...
Steve
Common Cent
http://www.commoncts.blogspot.com
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