Each time a person stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others… he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.
I’m quite optimistic about this Wisconsin thing catching on. New Jersey and Ohio seem to be likely candidates.
Longest title in Delaware Liberal history. I like it.
RFK in the house.
I hate to bust your bubble, but I think they’re going to come to some agreement that largely favors Governor Walker. From a pure strategic standpoint, Governor Walker doesn’t give a darn about Madison Public school teachers, UW-Madison students, or Madison bureaucrats, because none of them voted for him and none of them will ever vote for them, no matter what he does. Yes, they are a large group, but they seem larger than they actually are, because they are already concentrated in Madison, one of the most liberal areas in the Midwest, if not the country. Dane county, which includes Madison and a lot of rural territory, only went 32 percent for Walker. So, Madison probably voted in excess of 85% for Walker’s opponent.
What matters are the swing voters and Independents in swing areas of Wisconsin (i.e. Brown, Outagamie, Manitowok counties). Those are the people Walker is paying attention to. If those voters start voicing their displeasure, then maybe Walker will buck. But those people have not joined in. In particular, they are likely to side with Walker on budgetary issues. They are not willing to pay higher taxes, so that the protestors won’t have put any of their money into their own pensions , like the rest of society. On the other hand, the Independent voters just don’t care about labor rights, per se, so I don’t Walker changing the labor rules. Therefore, my prediction, status quo on the rights to organize, but Walker getting his way on the pensions and the health care contributions.
One important thing you liberals must remember: Public support for unions drop in tough economic times. Here: http://www.newyorker.com/talk/financial/2011/01/17/110117ta_talk_surowiecki and here: http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2009/09/as-unemployment-rises-support-for.html. With 9% unemployment and unemployment especially high in the Midwest, there are a lot of people looking for work and willing to fill in the spots of those who went on strike. There is no sympathy from struggling private sector workers for public sector employees having to contribute more to their health care. After all, the private sector workers have to do this as well.
I also disagree with the person who earlier stated that the Green Bay Packers supporting them will make a difference. The NFL players are having their own labor issue, so they’re just trying to help themselves to.
Libertarian my ass.
Jason,
What’s your deal? Your responses to me are as rational as that old lady yelling, “Is this how’s it’s going to be. This is shameful. Lies, lies, lies”. at the end of the Tom Ross-Sussex County Republican meeting (when they were all leaving the room).
he’s right DL,
where is all that libertarian support for American’s who want to petition their government? These people spontaneously took to the streets in ways the TeaParty never will (without a memo from Fixed News)
Look, we all know that allowing very rich people to totally lord over the lives of others with no regulation is a very Libertarian idea, but why write off a march of 10s of thousands of people just because you’re afraid, or totally ignorant of progressivism?
it looks like someone acting as Obama expressed support for the Wisconsin unions…. it HAD to be an imposter since the president would NEVER give public support for those lazy hippy commie union members.
Show of hands… Who here thinks that the spontaneous demonstration by the traditional Democratic base makes the teapbag rallies look like weak and trifling things?
well, all the socialist traitors in Wisconsin hate America. The proof is they are protesting Republicans, who LOVE America. So the comparison is moot.