Wisconsin

I don't have much except the obvious to say about it from my perspective. But for the record, I'll say it anyway: We're seeing the classic pattern in American politics play out there that we've seen grow in intensity since 1980. Republicans take power and aggressively seek to roll back what the rest of us thought was settled; people throw the Republicans out when their extremist agenda becomes obvious; Democrats take power, and they dither while Republicans consolidate their gains, and in doing so nauseate everyone who expects them to fight to win back what the Republicans took away; voters whose disgust with spineless Democrats is fresher than their memory of the irresponsible extremism of Republicans vote Republicans back into power; Republicans claim a mandate, pick up where they left off, and take the next step in aggressively rolling back what the rest of us thought was settled.

This is the pattern and the only sane way to break it is to take peacefully to the streets to make the case that otherwise doesn't get made because it dies somewhere in committee. The idea that somehow this is anti-democratic because the people have spoken in voting Walker and other Republicans into office is inane because it fails to recognize that the two-party electoral democracy in this country doesn't work anymore--at least for ordinary working Americans. Clearer choices have to be given to the people besides those offered by this moribund party system. And it starts with workers.

These workers doing what they're doing now in Wisconsin, which is making the case for themselves that no party is willing robustly to make on their behalf, is the first step toward restoring a robust representative democracy--if it's already not to late to do it.

Comments

[AuZDan]

Awesome. Amazingly describes my views, and hopefully many others', that I struggle to express with such clarity. Had to share it on my facebook page. Thank You.

[Meathook]

Obviously you are too young to have grasp on the history that led up to this. It used to be accepted that Unions had no place in Public Sector Employment. FDR, a Liberal Democrat if one ever existed, warned that "collective bargaining cannot be transplanted to the Public Sector" because workers and management were not negotiating as adversaries. The employer is ultimately the Taxpayer who is not allowed at the negotiating table.

Or maybe it was the head of the AFL/CIO for a quarter century, George Meany, who summed it up. He said unions were not appropriate for Civil Servants. They are not subject to the adverse working conditions of the typical manufacturing sector employee.

Sounds like it was settled. But wait who rolled this back? Best as I can remember it wasn't the Republicans.

Taking to the streets are fine. Running away from their mandated duties like the Wisconsin Legislators have done is not.

FYI, just another example of how inaccurate you are. Take a look at Health Care. Democrat plan turned away once under Clinton. Democrats voted out of power by a disgusted populace. Voters get disgusted with Republicans who begin spending out of control and vote in Democrats who claim a mandate and push through a cluster-f**k of a Health Care Reform Bill against the wishes of the majority of the country. Yet when fed up citizens take to the streets in peaceful protest they are ridiculed and called derogatory names.

I'm not saying this to advocate one party over the other. I'm just throwing it out there to expose the hypocrisy of both and the willful ignorance of those who support them and keep them in power.

[Jack Whelan]

Meathook(?!)

Dude, you're not seeing the forest for the trees. Trying to make an argument based on some distinction between public unions and private unions is irrelevant when you're in a class war, which is what we're in. So unless you're on big money's side, you apparently don't get that. If you don't think these guys will be coming after the non-public unions next, you're not understanding the nature of the game. This is a power game and without unions to stand in opposition to them Big Money takes the field essentially unopposed.