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BREAKING: Wisconsin Republicans make their move

From bh on the ground:

They’re stripping all fiscal aspects of the bill.

The remaining bill will:
1) Take away collective bargaining for benefits and pensions.
2) It will end automatic union deductions.
3) Will require a yearly recert vote for public unions.

It’s already drafted. The Senate will take it up tonight. Will go to the Assembly tomorrow.

It’s done.

About time, frankly.

update: Passed 18-1, with Schultz voting against.

84 Replies to “BREAKING: Wisconsin Republicans make their move”

  1. bh says:

    Quick corrections. Stripping fiscal aspects not non-fiscal.

    Already passed conference committee. Headed to floor of Senate right now.

    There are rumors that Dems might be returning.

  2. bh says:

    It just passed the Senate then they adjourned.

    18 to 1. Dale Schultz voted against.

    Done.

  3. Danger says:

    Woo hoo!
    Now were cookin with Napalm!

    Suck it Fleabags

  4. Joe says:

    This is good news. Very good news indeed.

  5. LBascom says:

    Medved declares Walker is a radical in 3,2,1…

  6. Mr B says:

    Yeah!!!!! The first step to fixing our F’ed up school system is done.

  7. bh says:

    Think I’ll get the rest of my work done and then go out and buy some beers for my fellow radicals. Big win for everyone here. Congrats to all of us.

    They all warned that what happened in Wisconsin would spread like a cancer to other states.

    Let’s not let them down.

  8. bh says:

    Sorry, another correction. It’s benefits and pensions, not wages.

    Hectic day and I’m a moron. Time to call it a day and go get a drink, it appears.

  9. Jeff G. says:

    You earned it, bh!

    Great job, Walker and co.!

  10. Pellegri says:

    Whoo! \o/ Victory emoticon!

  11. Evan3457 says:

    Yes!

    Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!

    The main idea of this post is: Yes!

  12. Danger says:

    Think I’ll get the rest of my work done and then go out and buy some beers for my fellow radicals.

    bh,
    What about the homework? Even radicals need to do their homework! Unless you want to end up like Barrett Brown;^)

  13. Darleen says:

    SCOTT WALKER IS MY HERO

    WI Republicans, too …

    Can we import some of that backbone into the House? And Sacramento???

  14. Ernst Schreiber says:

    Democrats insisting that benefits and pensions are fiscal and that the RADICAL RIGHTWING REACTIONARY H8TERZ!!!!11111!!!!! have acted unconstitutionally in 5… 4… 3…

  15. Jeff G. says:

    Let’s just get this out there right away: Walker did a great job holding the votes together.

    Boehner and Cantor and McConnell should take notice. There’s no reason they shouldn’t be screaming from the rooftops about this $105 billion forward funding for ObamaCare the Dems stuffed into a bill to protect their funding from the results of the mid-term elections, from the voters, from a new House.

    We’re witnessing a coup. And our GOP “leaders” still think they’re in a debate.

    Right now, I’d vote for Palin, Bachmann, Pence, and DeMint, in any combination. There are others I’d support as well; just haven’t heard them speak enough yet.

    (Chris Christie supports collective bargaining for public sector unions, though he allows that it’s not a right. Just so you know where people stand.)

  16. Ernst Schreiber says:

    I think Herman Cain belongs in the mix as well.

  17. eCurmudgeon says:

    If you listen carefully, you just might be able to hear the heads exploding over at D**ly K*s…

  18. bh says:

    Okay, got a phone call saying that their legal interpretation is that only bills requiring appropriations fit the 3/5s quorum requirement. Which would drop out debt refinancing. Everything else might well be in the bill though. Wow.

    Sorry, Danger, tonight I’m definitely playing hooky.

    My ride just pulled up the driveway. Later, folks.

  19. Jeff G. says:

    Cain, West, Walker… Yup, I’d listen. I just haven’t heard them nearly as much.

    Contrary to what our pragmatic brethren believe, I disagree that Palin and Bachmann aren’t good candidates. They’ve been attacked again and again and they are still standing. Not only that, but both actually support what we support, and are willing to say so, and to make the case for it.

    I don’t trust Gingrich. His bullshit on ethanol subsidies was the last straw. Romney? Meh. Vulnerable. Jeb Bush? Please.

    Daniels is a good governor, but he’s a Lugar guy, and I’m not impressed with his ability to get his message across clearly. Santorum? Nope. Huckabee? Nope.

    Cain/West 2012: For when you’re REALLY ready to go black! — has possibilities.

  20. serr8d says:

    The spittle and froth is ON tonight! This is better’n a 3-D movie. Popcorn~!

  21. Danger says:

    From serr8d’s link comments:

    UNION LEADERS TO CALL EMERGENCY MEETING TO DISCUSS GENERAL STRIKE

    Walker just mind have a deja reagan opportunity!

  22. Danger says:

    oops,

    just might have…

  23. JD says:

    WINNING !!!!

  24. Ernst Schreiber says:

    I’d be willing to listen to Santorum, depending on what he had to say about lesson learned (if any) from ’04 -’06.

  25. Ernst Schreiber says:

    Cain/West

    or Palin/Bachmann

    or we could get really transgressive and mix and match.

  26. Benedick says:

    Walker is the Messiah of Madison. Dems? Sizzle, losing, bye.

  27. Danger says:

    http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/117656563.html

    “State Sen. Chris Larson (D-Milwaukee) said Wednesday night he attempted to drive back from Illinois to Madison to get to the Capitol before Republicans passed the measure.”

    Man if he had taken the the Magical High-Speed Obama Train; Chris Larson would have been a hero;)

  28. Danger says:

    From the Wisconson Senate Majority Leader:

    “This afternoon, following a week and a half of line-by-line negotiation, Sen. Miller sent me a letter that offered three options: 1) keep collective bargaining as is with no changes, 2) take our counter-offer, which would keep collective bargaining as is with no changes, 3) or stop talking altogether.

    “With that letter, I realized that we’re dealing with someone who is stalling indefinitely, and doesn’t have a plan or an intention to return. His idea of compromise is “give me everything I want,” and the only negotiating he’s doing is through the media.

    “Enough is enough.

    http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/wisconsin-senate-majority-leader-scott-fitzgerald-wisconsin-budget-vote_553937.html

  29. Benedick says:

    My favorite Kos comment: “[T]here doesn’t seem to be anyone willing to enforce the law. We have entered fascist anarchy.”

    Heh. I think at least one of those words doesn’t mean what he/she thinks it means.

  30. JD says:

    Benedick – there is more than 1 word that does not mean what they think it means.

    Hopefully the IN Dems gain as much ground as the WI Dems. I like that Fitzgerald fellow.

  31. Danger says:

    “Daniels is a good governor, but he’s a Lugar guy, and I’m not impressed with his ability to get his message across clearly.”

    Jeff,

    Maybe he’ll find inspiration in current events
    or
    The Indiana legislators will have second thoughts; hey, whatever it takes.

    JD,

    This tactic workable in hoosierville?

  32. JD says:

    Danger – Daniels did this Day 1, a long time ago. They won’t give on the hissy fit and ridiculous demands.

  33. Pablo says:

    Most excellent. This is a great day for America. This is a bad day for progressives.

    More, please.

  34. Danger says:

    JD,

    What about State residency? Can they lose it and their seat if they are gone long enough?

  35. JD says:

    I do not know the specifics here, Danger. They are being fined $250 per person per day right now, and their hissy fit is going over like a lead balloon.

  36. Squid says:

    That’s like $500 a week! (Assuming standard legislative schedules.)

  37. JD says:

    It was only 3 days this week, as the Big 10 tourney is in town, and hotel rooms are scarce for those that are not local. I do not know if there are fiscal/non-fiscal options available. I also suspect that today’s events will pull the carpet out from under Toupee Bauer.

  38. Benedick says:

    I know have liberal Facebook friends calling for a national boycott on Wisconsin products. Brilliant. Way to show your support for the union folk who make cheese. Dummies.

  39. Benedick says:

    Know, Now, whatever.

  40. newrouter says:

    how’s the az boycott going?

  41. Benedick says:

    That’s so last month, nr.

  42. Benedick says:

    I am well on my way to getting un-friended by half my Facebook contacts right now. So worth it.

  43. Stephanie says:

    Woohoo! This started out as such a dreary day.

    There are twitter reports of broken windows and doors at the capitol and the hooligans are back inside. Woops, too late.

  44. serr8d says:

    Tide has turn outlaws.

    Well, the tide might’ve just found a huge drain. Reality, slouching home soon enough.

  45. Danger says:

    Make that tide has turned
    or is it The tide is high

  46. Danger says:

    Bah humbug serr8d;)

    Time for Pubs to grow a pair and shut er down (the government).

    Can’t build up as much debt if the store closes.

  47. serr8d says:

    Someone reports an epic meltdown of Michael Moore on Maddow, but I won’t watch that. Any volunteers? Hazard-duty pay may be involved.

  48. Bob Reed says:

    Now this is how democracy works.

    Not with the fleebaggers executing the Dean-o proferred strategy of staying out of state until they can mount recall efforts against the Rethugs! in the WI senate; even though bh cited a newspaper article that seemed to prove pretty clearly that more fleebaggers were in jeapordy of recall than Rethugs…

    What’s really important,though, is that the Dems take-our-toys-and-go-home very undemocratic attempt at continuing to control the agenda in Madison, despite the will of the public clearly being exhibited in November, will not be rewarded or be successful.

    Unlike “YEEEEEEARGH!” Dean-o asininely asserted, this was not the “same” as a filibuster in the US Senate, nor like the the US house Rethugs causing the Dems to freeze up on the Obamacare vote by publicly embarrassing them re: not reading the bill, no debate, etc…

    The situation in WI could not be any more different.

    And the other reason it’s good to see this happen is that they needed to get it over with! Take the issue off the table by passing it.

    And if there’s a general strike, and government workers illegally join it, in direct violation of their contracts which don’t allow strikes, they should be handed their walking papers like Ronnie handed them to the PATCO controllers in the early 80?s.

    Congratulations to the good people of WI that have put up with all the shenanigans of the last few weeks.

  49. Benedick says:

    If Moore melts down, someone had better be on hand to distribute tortilla chips.

  50. newrouter says:

    “Protesters are locking the Capitol doors shut from the inside using metal handcuffs, Meade reports from the scene.
    He told me that just now, by phone. He got out, and is warning others not to go in. Obviously, it’s a terrible fire hazard to make it so people cannot get out of the building easily. Presumably, protesters think it’s a good idea to keep the police out, but it is dangerously stupid.

    ADDED: Meade called back to say, some of the doors are handcuffed shut and some are wide open. “ANYBODY CAN GET IN AND ANYBODY CAN BRING ANYTHING IN. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO SECURITY WHATEVER.” ”

    http://althouse.blogspot.com/2011/03/protesters-are-locking-capitol-doors.html

  51. Stephanie says:

    Obama owns this riot.

  52. Mr B says:

    Benedick,

    You and me both, brother. I just finished my comments with: “Make your case. How does the bill affect you?” I was told that I have too much of an opinion for someone that isn’t affected by it. And I should shut up in so many words….

  53. Benedick says:

    We should all be taking notes on how to handle political disagreements civilly.

  54. newrouter says:

    ann’s not usually an all caps person

  55. Jeff G. says:

    fire hoses and dogs.

  56. Mr B says:

    Teacher trumps taxpayers, I guess.

  57. Mr B says:

    No kidding. What the heck got into Ann? Although, she does have a point on the messaging. Others were equally critical in WI, just not so hostile about it.

  58. geoffb says:

    So, what’s the plan? Try to keep the assembly from meeting tomorrow to vote by holding the Capital building hostage?

  59. newrouter says:

    “AND: Meade — who just got home at 9 CT — says the police have the “fairly calm jocose” attitude that they’ve had all along. They have no riot gear, he said. The place is “swarmed” with protesters. Photos and video soon. “

  60. newrouter says:

    “this is what democracy looks like”

  61. newrouter says:

    i take them at their word

  62. Benedick says:

    Philly circa 1985 knew how to handle this lot:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MOVE

  63. newrouter says:

    for the philly thing to work you’d have to bomb brother africa in dc

  64. Seth says:

    So much for civility.

  65. Darleen says:

    serr8d

    WOW. I wandered through a lot of your links and if you want to see meltdown it is here. Is that “Fok News” really run by Keith Olbermann?

    I just dropped a “I heart Scott Walker” comment into that shit-storm … I’m wondering how long it will last. hehehehehehe…

  66. Pablo says:

    Philly circa 1985 knew how to handle this lot:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MOVE

    You are a bad man, Benedick. I like the cut of your jib.

  67. Benedick says:

    I also like the cut of my jib. Good thing I wasn’t born in 2011 San Francisco.

  68. […] the comments to my earlier post on the Wisconsin vote, Benedict notes: I [now] have liberal Facebook friends calling for a national […]

  69. Pablo says:

    Some people say I’m obnoxious and lazy
    I’m uneducated, my opinion means nothing
    But I know I’m a real good dancer
    Don’t need to look over my shoulder to see what I’m after

    Everybody’s got their problems
    Ain’t no new news here
    I’m the same old trouble you’ve been having for years*

  70. serr8d says:

    I hit it up too, Darleen; rewarding Keith with his moniker yet again.

    Here’s a semi-coherent response to ‘Olberdouche’.

  71. Blake says:

    Darleen,

    I posted a message in support of you.

    I’m looking forward to the replies.

    Should be amusing.

  72. Yackums says:

    Me too Darleen.

    Also, “FOK NEWS”? With that logo? I smell trademark infringement lawsuit.

  73. Yackums says:

    I just totally fisked one of the comments there…check this out

    What astonishes me is how can it be that out of 19 59 Republican Democratic senators, all but 1 without exception voted in favor of this travesty the travesty known as ObamaCare. Do these people not have their own thoughts and opinions? Can it be that all 18 59 of these senators believe in their hearts that this is the right and proper thing to do? I expect my elected representatives, of ANY party, to use their own judgment on issues that arise and vote in the interest of their constituents. When lawmakers simply file in and vote, mindlessly, along party lines then they are merely stooges or tools, and our government is exposed as a joke. Kudos to the one senator who voted against this. I am sure he will be regarded by his fellow Republicans as a RINO, and will pay for expressing his own opinion. But one is not enough.
    Something this fundamental, collective bargaining rights the nationalization and socialization of 1/6th of the economy and the devastation of the insurance industry, with overwhelming evidence of where the public stood on the issue, comes up for a vote… maybe a close, split vote among Republicans Democrats can be expected… but 18-1 59-0?
    Government as founded by the Founders… as the Teabaggers TEA Party would say.. was founded and based on informed debate and COMPROMISE LIMITED GOVERNMENT and ENUMERATED POWERS. What we have now, especially in regards to Republicans in Wisconsin and nationally the Commerce Clause, is a digital government.. either it is all my way, or the highway… an omnipotent government…that can do whatever the ever-loving-FUCK it wants regardless of who is in the minority or majority (as evidenced by the US Senate’s filibusters unelected, unaccountable “czars” appointed by Obama). I will refrain from the other meaning of “digital”, but it applies as well. It makes me so sad for America to see this happening. I am sure the Wisconsin Assembly will have quite a day tomorrow.

  74. B. Moe says:

    One of the comments from the Fok news link:

    The problem is not unions. A lot of states that don’t allow public unions are in deep financial trouble. The real problem has been the relentless cutting of taxes.

    Rentlentless, by God.

  75. JHoward says:

    The relentless cutting of tax bases, moron, by the selfsame collectivist dollar being hacked to ribbons as a matter of quasi-federal policy.

    If the left ever yanked its head out of its ass it wouldn’t remain the left.

  76. LTC John says:

    Now the WI Left will have to resort to Lawfare, as that whole elections and legislative and executive thing didn’t really work out for them. Man, I wish some of this WI staunchness would drift south here into IL…

  77. McGehee says:

    If the left ever yanked its head out of its ass it wouldn’t remain the left.

    They can’t yank it out. They’ve become so tight-assed about defending their legalized theft and thuggery that if they tried they’d decapitate themselves.

  78. Ernst Schreiber says:

    A lot of states that don’t allow public unions are in deep financial trouble.

    I suppose that might be true in an absolute sense. But in a relative sense? It’s got to mean something that ” a lot” of public-worker union states are in deeper financial trouble than “some” non-union states.

  79. McGehee says:

    Here in Georgia, the strongest lobby in favor of big government and higher taxes is (dammit) your local chamber of commerce.

    The problem is that having ties to the government enhances not just power but status (which is also a huge attraction for joining the C of C). Maybe if we required all government employees, including civilians, to show up for work in black uniforms and carry riding crops, that status thing might be weakened just a tad.

  80. B. Moe says:

    I wondered about that one also, Ernst. What states “don’t allow” public unions?

Comments are closed.