J3FF3R00 Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 They are trying to take down unions in Wisconsin. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/feb/16/wisconsin-republicans Wisconsin's Tea Party takeover Led by Governor Scott Walker, Republicans are using the midwest state as a testbed for radical right policies. It's not pretty. Super Bowl XLV Green Bay Packers Battles ahead: as the euphoria of the Green Bay Packers' Super Bowl victory wore off, Wisconsinites' thoughts turned to Governor Scott Walker's confrontation with unions over bargaining rights. Photograph: EPA/Andrew Gombert For many foreigner observers – and, perhaps, many Americans too – the only reason recent goings-on in Wisconsin might cross their minds was the Green Bay Packers' victory in the Super Bowl. That was a great moment for the team's famous "cheesehead" fans and anyone who admires those who wear fake cheese triangles as hats. In reality, it is Wisconsin politics that should be concerning all Americans, and it is no laughing matter. Wisconsin is rapidly becoming a disturbing showcase of where America as a whole is headed, as Tea Party political ideas takeover the Republican party. What began as a ragtag scattering of conservative activists two years ago is now starting to have real political power and putting its anti-government, slash-and-burn ideas into practice in ways that impact millions of Americans. Wisconsin is at the cutting edge of that transformation. Under its Tea Party-favoured new Republican governor, Scott Walker, and with a state legislature that recently flipped from blue to red (that is, from Democratic control to Republican), it is pushing a rightwing agenda that is shocking to American progressives. First up is an astonishing attack on unions. As part of spending cuts ostensibly aimed at digging Wisconsin out of a budgetary mess, Walker wants to brutally strip-mine state workers' benefits and pensions. He has also launched a full-frontal attack on the collective bargaining rights of 175,000 state and local employees, allowing workers instead to negotiate only over salary. It is a shocking attempt at union-busting that has caused outrage – and scores of demonstrations across the state. Yet, in the face of that, Walker threatened to call out the state's national guard. But union-busting is only the beginning. Walker is also aiming at a massive extension of power over the state's health programmes, covering more than 1 million residents. Cuts are likely to aim at nursing homes, medical care for children and prescriptions for the elderly, among other targets. Walker and the Republicans also plan changes to Wisconsin's electoral laws: scrapping voter registration on election day and tightening photo ID rules. Traditionally, such measures hit at Democratic-supporting low-income groups, students, minorities and the elderly. Now they have power, Walker and the Republicans want to cement it. Then, there is the rejection of federal funds in a time of crippling austerity. In line with the Tea Party's philosophy that government help should mostly be avoided on principle, Wisconsin has now given back $23m in funds aimed at expanding high-speed internet service. The excuse was that it came with too many contractual strings. But that sum pales to the $810m Wisconsin lost when it decided it did not want the federal government to build a high-speed rail line in the state. The money then went to other, more grateful, states instead. This is important stuff. The Tea Party's principles are being put into effect in the real world in the guise of a state Republican party that has fully embraced them. Suddenly, Wisconsin politicians are popping up on the national scene. Paul Ryan, the Republican congressman who is spearheading the budget-cutting drive in Washington, hails from Wisconsin's first district. Reince Priebus is the new head of the Republican National Committee (RNC); he is also a former head of the Republican party of Wisconsin. Is Wisconsin where the rest of the country could be heading? Perhaps. Certainly, the White House is concerned that the state's change from blue to red could presage a threatening shift across the midwest and beyond that might upset Democratic plans for 2012's presidential election. After his state of the union address in January, President Barack Obama headed straight to Wisconsin to try and sell his new message of unity. As NBC's Chuck Todd recently said, Wisconsin is set to be a "petri dish" for the next election's key battlegrounds. If that is right, expect a fight marked by ideologically motivated budget cuts, union-bashing, anti-government rhetoric and the threat of the national guard. The future picture of America emerging from Wisconsin is a grim one indeed. Sure, maybe this isn't as awesome as the Robocop thread, but it is very important. This is only the beginning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaosmachine Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 We want to play revolution, too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ezkerraldean Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 hooray for good old christian americans fighting evil terrorist socialism! etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J3FF3R00 Posted February 18, 2011 Author Share Posted February 18, 2011 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3mw49mk_x0&feature=player_embedded Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest EDGEY Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 Fuck Unions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azatoth Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 What's with the anti-union sentiment in America? I understand that there's been some shady union shit going on, but so have there been going on on the employer side as well. Is it wrong for workers to organize themselves so that the captains of industry can't exploit them for their own gain? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaosmachine Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 my only experience with unions: ottawa's 51 day bus strike in the middle of winter. there's no reason bus drivers should get paid $85k/year when nurses are getting $60k. there may be times and places where unions do good, but most of them just serve to inflate wages and entrench incompetence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TiffanyHalderman Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 What's with the anti-union sentiment in America? I understand that there's been some shady union shit going on, but so have there been going on on the employer side as well. Is it wrong for workers to organize themselves so that the captains of industry can't exploit them for their own gain? It dates back to the haymarket square riot and the homestead strike where police officers were killed and the military was called in to get the factories running again. We view labor unions, socially, as violent and shady due to the back room sweetheart deals that are often heard about occurring between union leaders and company officials. Fuck Pinkertons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azatoth Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 It seems Americans manage to somehow make good ideas into bad ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TiffanyHalderman Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 I think that is a fallacy of all human nature, not just Americans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest EDGEY Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 What's with the anti-union sentiment in America? When the private sector is struggling to keep the lights on and the doors open (literally), and the unions are standing around with their hands out asking for more... it tends to get people pissed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J3FF3R00 Posted February 18, 2011 Author Share Posted February 18, 2011 The real issue is that the tea party is just a makeover for the right wing maniacs in this country who want to gain power at all costs. This issue defines that relationship: A "blue state" that shifted to a "red state" in recent elections, swept up in tea party rhetoric and electing someone who has utmost contempt for the average, middle-class citizen. Essentially it is stealing money from the poor and giving it to the rich. I have no doubt that these right wing politicians are conscious of the fact that increasing the class divide will secure their position of power. In other words, divide and conquer... elimination of the middle-class. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest hahathhat Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 part of the reason GM and Ford had financial problems is because they had zillions of old farts on pensions. i can understand the logic of wanting to axe that shit, as it's likely a huge financial drain on the state. government shit collects a lot of deadwood that screams bloody murder anytime anything changes. so they don't want a fucking railroad or internet. whatever. if this is so dire, wisconsin will collapse in a heap of melted cheddar in a year or two, and no one will listen to the tea party any more. i'd bet $20 that most of those people on pensions vote republican anyways! it's their party, what business do i have with it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J3FF3R00 Posted February 18, 2011 Author Share Posted February 18, 2011 btw... On the AFLCIO blog, there is a pic of me protesting in front of the FOX News building in NYC this morning, in solidarity with Wisconsinites... I'm the one in the middle with the blue hat and sunglasses --> http://blog.aflcio.org/2011/02/18/new-yorkers-solidarity-with-cheeseheads/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Babar Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 ah mannn i can only approve + there were some hot girls (the pixels seem to look like hot girls). Unions in france prevented the country from falling into the fascist hole. THen we got paid vacations, a reduced working time and a bunch of other cool stuffs like this. Why ? So that workers can live decently, go to the beach etc... But the dwarf is slowly but surely undoing this stuff. He (sort of) befriended khadafi, our prime minister had his vacations paid by mubarak (last december vacation) while the minister of foreign affairs was enjoying a stay in tunisia - everything was paid by one of ben ali's dogs. These ministers offered ben ali 'the experience of french law enforcement'. Some of the smoke grenades you might have seen rolling across Tunis streets came from france. Socialism, neoliberalism, socialism, neoliberalism. ARG that's a hard choice to make ! Can you guys help me make up my mind here ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J3FF3R00 Posted February 18, 2011 Author Share Posted February 18, 2011 Socialism, neoliberalism, socialism, neoliberalism. ARG that's a hard choice to make ! Can you guys help me make up my mind here ? What is neoliberalism? Is that like how Republicans in America now refer to themselves as "Independents" because they feel guilty about being called out on having racist, homophobic, xenophobic and selfish leanings? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SR4 Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 What's with the anti-union sentiment in America? I understand that there's been some shady union shit going on, but so have there been going on on the employer side as well. Is it wrong for workers to organize themselves so that the captains of industry can't exploit them for their own gain? What's with the anti-union sentiment in America? I understand that there's been some shady union shit going on, but so have there been going on on the employer side as well. Is it wrong for workers to organize themselves so that the captains of industry can't exploit them for their own gain? It dates back to the haymarket square riot and the homestead strike where police officers were killed and the military was called in to get the factories running again. We view labor unions, socially, as violent and shady due to the back room sweetheart deals that are often heard about occurring between union leaders and company officials. Fuck Pinkertons. This. America has an INCREDIBLY violent anti-labor movement ever since the Red Scare...Chomsky has some of the most well-researched lectures on the subject...prior to the end of the Progressive era most of the country and especially the midwest was intensely PRO-union. Socialism, neoliberalism, socialism, neoliberalism. ARG that's a hard choice to make ! Can you guys help me make up my mind here ? What is neoliberalism? Is that like how Republicans in America now refer to themselves as "Independents" because they feel guilty about being called out on having racist, homophobic, xenophobic and selfish leanings? The Republican party as it exists today, yes. But I think there are many Republicans (i'm constantly wavering on several issues as to whether I support pre-Reagan Republicanism myself,) that have actually looked at statistics and their own personal lives and realized that the Republicans dont represent Republican ideals whatsoever....if anything the new Reagan-era Republicans are far more liberal in terms of spending money, forcing foreign agendas, and the likewise. Its dangerous to assume Democrat=good, Republican=racist evil guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Funktion Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 What's with the anti-union sentiment in America? When the private sector is struggling to keep the lights on and the doors open (literally), and the unions are standing around with their hands out asking for more... it tends to get people pissed. this would be right if it wasn't totally wrong http://crooksandliars.com/susie-madrak/republican-governor-deliberately-spen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest disparaissant Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 i love living here right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J3FF3R00 Posted February 19, 2011 Author Share Posted February 19, 2011 What's with the anti-union sentiment in America? When the private sector is struggling to keep the lights on and the doors open (literally), and the unions are standing around with their hands out asking for more... it tends to get people pissed. this would be right if it wasn't totally wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest disparaissant Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 The thing that's pissing me off about this is every argument about it just sort of devolves into whether or not someone likes unions or not. That is not the point, at all. Here's the situation: As of last year, Wisconsin was projected to have a budget surplus of somewhere around 121 million dollars. The minute Walker became governor, he started handing out tax breaks left and right. Now we're looking at a budget deficit. He's trying to blame it on unions. Yet, he lowered corporate taxes, creating this deficit. The unions had nothing to do with it whatsoever. He's just scapegoating them so he can take away their bargaining rights. The kicker to this all is that the firefighter's union, the police unions, and the state trooper unions aren't having those rights taken away. Those three unions are the only three unions that backed him for governor. It's pretty goddamn clear that this has nothing to do with the budget and everything to do with punishing his political opponents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Helper ET Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 STOP THE MADNESS! everyone is suddenly a brilliant political analyst! why do you pretend to know / care what the "right side" is doing or what "one party" is doing over another? why do you constantly choose this argument, instead of, "hey, why have these international banks, been holding an amount of money that could revolutionize the world, and not share it with us"? isnt that a much more relevant question? or, "how come i and everyone i know has to work all their life and never have much money, but the big rich bankers get to fly around in private jets and trade trillions at a time in secret"? sorry, my bad, what were you saying about which party saying what about which side again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest disparaissant Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 Ah, right. I forgot that we live in a fantasy world where we don't have to deal with what we have and we don't have to actually work for change and everything is magic fairy pixie dust and nothing matters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaosmachine Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 "how come i and everyone i know has to work all their life and never have much money" because they trade hours for dollars. you can't get rich on an hourly wage. it's simple math, but most people will never even stop to think about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J3FF3R00 Posted February 19, 2011 Author Share Posted February 19, 2011 The thing that's pissing me off about this is every argument about it just sort of devolves into whether or not someone likes unions or not. That is not the point, at all. Here's the situation: As of last year, Wisconsin was projected to have a budget surplus of somewhere around 121 million dollars. The minute Walker became governor, he started handing out tax breaks left and right. Now we're looking at a budget deficit. He's trying to blame it on unions. Yet, he lowered corporate taxes, creating this deficit. The unions had nothing to do with it whatsoever. He's just scapegoating them so he can take away their bargaining rights. The kicker to this all is that the firefighter's union, the police unions, and the state trooper unions aren't having those rights taken away. Those three unions are the only three unions that backed him for governor. It's pretty goddamn clear that this has nothing to do with the budget and everything to do with punishing his political opponents. AMEN Also, he probably knows that if he tried to take away those rights from the cops, they wouldn't have it. They have the fucking guns. They would be next on the chopping block though. This whole union busting thing is a slippery slope. I'm a union member but I can also see why sometimes people are so down on unions. Yeah they make somethings difficult. That sucks, but the main thing is, if you didn't have a union representing you, you would be abused. If not immediately, then eventually. The past has shown us that there is a need for unions. Taking away a union's negotiating power is essentially taking away the union, on any level. This only serves the greater good of a very small few. What Scott Walker and the rest of the Tea Party clowns want is simply destructive. They may as well just cut to the chase and say they want to revert back to the days of slavery and indentured servitude, because that is where this move is pointed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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