Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by Riot

Yes, I do indeed acknowledge - and have said here - I'm fed up with the Republican Party in it's current form. I've never made any claim to being centrist in the last year. That's laughable.



It wasn't offered. Walker came in with this a week ago Friday, with a bill that undid 50 years of collective bargaining - poof, gone - with no public comment allowed, no compromise sought, and only limited floor debate allowed.

I don't blame the Dems for using procedural tactics to block the rush to ramrod this bill through. Other state legislatures have used the same "leave state" tactics in the past (Texas, Oklahoma) I don't like it, but compared to what Walker is doing ramming this bill through and refusing all compromise, and all public comment, it's what they feel right about doing.

The teachers' union, several days ago, said they would agree with all Walker's demands regarding pension and increasing their contribution. That leaves taking away collective bargaining rights. Walker refused that offer.

So we know clearly what Walker is about. It's not deficit reduction.

i'm blaming everyone in that state for the current problems. it's why i asked about compromise. the gov is trying to force feed his stuff, the dems fled the scene. it's a big mess

[dellinger63]

Originally Posted by Danzig

i'm blaming everyone in that state for the current problems. it's why i asked about compromise. the gov is trying to force feed his stuff, the dems fled the scene. it's a big mess

The majority of the State, a large one, voted Scott Walker into office to do just what he is doing. The State of WI is largely rural, farms and small towns that resent the fact the vast majority of tax dollars are not so much going to unions but to support services provided to Milwaukee and to a lesser extent Madison.

Milwaukee has been famous in recent years for building empty schools as the population has dropped while producing some of the lowest HS test scores in the nation. The teachers' union was simply a logical first target.

Surprised after all the lectures handed out by dems regarding vitriolic rhetoric they would come up with KILL the bill as their chant.

[Riot]

Originally Posted by Danzig

i'm blaming everyone in that state for the current problems. it's why i asked about compromise. the gov is trying to force feed his stuff, the dems fled the scene. it's a big mess

I agree it's a mess. The Dems have advised Walker they would return if he would allow discussion and compromise. Walker has refused and said the bill stands exactly as it is. The union has said they would agree to all his proposals regarding pension/healthcare if he removed taking away their collective bargaining rights. Walker has refused. I have no idea how this will end.

Edit: Wisconsin Law Enforcement Association, who endorsed Walker, today issues an apology and retraction of that endorsement on their website: http://www.wlea.org/

[AeWingnut]

Originally Posted by Riot

I agree it's a mess. The Dems have advised Walker they would return if he would allow discussion and compromise. Walker has refused and said the bill stands exactly as it is. The union has said they would agree to all his proposals regarding pension/healthcare if he removed taking away their collective bargaining rights. Walker has refused. I have no idea how this will end.

Edit: Wisconsin Law Enforcement Association, who endorsed Walker, today issues an apology and retraction of that endorsement on their website: http://www.wlea.org/

[Riot]

The Koch brothers (the third-richest Americans, David and Charles Koch) started and fund one of the Tea Party groups (they paid to bus in Tea Party counter-demonstrators in Wisconsin Saturday) Most of their money is oil money, and they are huge financial players in politics, funding Republican candidates. One of the brothers once ran for federal office as a Libertarian.

Koch Brothers Behind Wisconsin Effort To Kill Public Unions
http://blogs.forbes.com/rickungar/20...public-unions/

02/21/2011 11:43 AM
Little-Noticed Provision In Walker's Bill Could Reap Huge Gains For Koch Industries The Huffington Post's Amanda Terkel reports:

While there has been significant attention devoted to the fact that Walker's 144-page budget repair bill would strip away collective bargaining rights for public employees, the site "Rortybomb" points out a less noticed provision that would allow the state to sell or contract out any state-owned energy asset in no-bid deals with private corporations. From the legislation (emphasis added):

16.896 Sale or contractual operation of state−owned heating, cooling, and power plants. (1) Notwithstanding ss. 13.48 (14) (am) and 16.705 (1), the department may sell any state−owned heating, cooling, and power plant or may contract with a private entity for the operation of any such plant, with or without solicitation of bids, for any amount that the department determines to be in the best interest of the state. Notwithstanding ss. 196.49 and 196.80, no approval or certification of the public service commission is necessary for a public utility to purchase, or contract for the operation of, such a plant, and any such purchase is considered to be in the public interest and to comply with the criteria for certification of a project under s. 196.49 (3) (b).

It's unclear what "the best interest of the state" is.

But if this deal goes through, one of the companies that could stand to benefit significantly is Koch Industries. Koch already has several companies in the state, including a coal subsidiary, timber plants and a large network of pipelines.

During the 2010 election cycle, Walker received $43,000 from the Koch Industries PAC, his second-largest contribution. The PAC also gave significantly to the Republican Governors Association, which in turn helped out Walker considerably in his race. Koch also contributed $6,500 to support 16 Republican legislative candidates in the state.

The Koch-funded group Americans for Prosperity has also been standing with Walker throughout his budget battles, busing in Tea Party activists and launching the site, Stand With Walker. After the election, Walker and other Republican governors received guidance from the American Legislative Exchange Council, a group that is also funded by Koch dollars and has pushed anti-union measures.

[wiphan]

Originally Posted by Riot

I agree it's a mess. The Dems have advised Walker they would return if he would allow discussion and compromise. Walker has refused and said the bill stands exactly as it is. The union has said they would agree to all his proposals regarding pension/healthcare if he removed taking away their collective bargaining rights. Walker has refused. I have no idea how this will end.

]

To quote President Obama "We Won".

[Riot]

Originally Posted by wiphan

To quote President Obama "We Won".

The man was elected Governor - not dictator. He's thrown his lot in with the Koch brothers, rather than his citizens. He's absolutely refusing to budge. Good luck with that.

I seem to recall we just finished two years of complete and total obstructionism within the Senate of the United States. Don't recall you complaining about the minority dictating to the majority what will happen, and what will not, there. They all need to grow up, and work together.

[AeWingnut]

Originally Posted by Riot

The man was elected Governor - not dictator. He's thrown his lot in with the Koch brothers, rather than his citizens. He's absolutely refusing to budge. Good luck with that.

I seem to recall we just finished two years of complete and total obstructionism within the Senate of the United States. Don't recall you complaining about the minority dictating to the majority what will happen, and what will not, there. They all need to grow up, and work together.

even if it means you have to compromise your principles

oh sorry

forgot who I was talking to

[Riot]

Originally Posted by AeWingnut

even if it means you have to compromise your principles

oh sorry

forgot who I was talking to

No, you do not have to compromise your principles to compromise politically.

How's that crazy birther conspiracy thing you love working for you? Were you sad the Supreme Court threw it out?

[Riot]

http://host.madison.com/ct/news/loca...cc4c03286.html

Koch brothers quietly open lobbying office in downtown Madison

The billionaire brothers whose political action committee gave Gov. Scott Walker $43,000 and helped fund a multi-million dollar attack ad campaign against his opponent during the 2010 gubernatorial election have quietly opened a lobbying office in Madison just off the Capitol Square.

Charles and David Koch, who co-own Koch Industries Inc. and whose combined worth is estimated at $43 billion, have been recently tied with Walker's push to eliminate collective bargaining rights for public workers. The two have long backed conservative causes and groups including Americans for Prosperity, which organized the Tea Party rally Saturday in support of Walker's plan to strip public workers of collective bargaining rights and recently launched the Stand with Scott Walker website.

Tim Phillips, president of Americans for Prosperity, acknowledged in a New York Times story Tuesday that he had encouraged Walker even before the election to mount a showdown with labor groups.

Koch Companies Public Sector LLC occupies a seventh-floor suite at 10 E. Doty St. According to an unidentified tenant there, the lobbying group moved in two weeks before Walker was elected governor on November 2. Jeffrey Schoepke, the company's regional manager, did not return a phone call seeking more information on the firm.