Obama Stands Up For Wisconsin Public Service Unions

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Governor Scott Walker, of Wisconsin unveiled his plans to salvage the economy and budget of Wisconsin. His plan calls for sweeping legislation that will weaken public employee rights and bargaining ability.

State officials alerted the Wisconsin State Employee unions that expired collective bargaining contracts will be terminated on March 13. A budget repair bill also unveiled will do away with all collective bargaining rights for nearly all public employees and make it much easier to fire employees.

Naturally, the unions and Democrats see this as an attack on unionism that is tantamount to the attack on Perl Harbor.

The Governor has contingency plans to replace striking prison guards with National Guard soldiers and he is not seeking to cripple the fire and police unions, leaving them with their collective bargaining rights.

While the governor of Wisconsin is trying to save his state from insolvency, President Obama injects himself into the states affairs by declaring Walker’s actions an “Assault” on unions.

Apparently, President Obama longs for his old job of Community Organizer or perhaps he would like to retire as a business agent for public service unions, but like when he accused the police of doing something stupid by arresting his friend Skippy, a president should let states take care of state business and concentrate on matters of state and the economy. If the governor needs advice or help, I am sure he will call on Obama the Omnipotent

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– Great article, as usual.

@Larry: You and I have butted heads in the past, but on this issue we are in agreement. Feels kinda nice. 🙂

@Patvann: I think Greg just craves the attention. And as I learned when obtaining my Psychology degree, even bad attention is preferred to no attention in the mind of a child.

@Greg: About the protesters, you said:

A lot of people seemed to like it well enough when the Tea Parties were taking to the streets. You’ve got some problem with the other side of the coin?

I have no problem with people protesting. One of our most basic rights is that of peaceful assembly.

A little perspective on the protesters in Wisconsin – they are not losing their jobs, they are not losing any pay, they are not losing any benefits, even. What they are being asked to do is to contribute to their own benefits.

Once you know that, then they and their protests look less like “working class” people and begin to look more like spoiled kids who are angry because they aren’t getting a free lunch anymore.

antics.. very well said!! Only asking for SOME “self funding” here!! They are losing some strike/ bargaining power as well, lets be honest, but WHO ISN’T losing “some power” these days!! They feel they are better than the rest of us?? Please…..

Would you expect barack, barry, steve or whatever his name is to side with Wisconsin? The union is so far up his butt and vice versa, it is amazing they all can even breath.

The media is part of the problem as they are fanning the fire and not telling the real story. (IMHO all of the journalist fear mongers should be fired) In reality the people are FORCED to become members of the union and dues, which are not cheap IMHO are garnished each pay day. Being able to have the option of joining is a good thing. Don’t these people understand that they will have extra income in their pay check if they don’t have to pay these fees? In addition if the person is not of the democratic party and/or like how the unions disseminate these fees they are just SOL.

I pay a good portion of my health insurance and I also contribute to my Thrift savings plan and my 401K. I don’t see anything wrong with asking these people to contribute something. I just don’t see where they are entitled. They just don’t get it. pay a little now or lose your job later. it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure this one out – the state is going bankrupt because of this type of behavior. geesch

The unions have really worn out their use. I place unions in the same box I place AARP, both radical using their weight and members money to advance their agenda.

@Wm T Sherman:

As mentioned above it is against the law for federal workers to strike, which these dumocrats did. They should be held accountable . Each one of them should be recalled.

It also proves the point that the Republicans are told to compromise and play nice but if the rules don’t fit the democrats, they take their ball and go home. what a bunch of weak sisters.

Can the people in Wisconsin be this stupid? or are they ignorant or unintelligent or been shoveling too much snow?

I could write a book about the unusual friends of the community organizer in chief:

1. South American socialist dictators
2. The weather underground
3. ACORN
4. Cuba
5. Poor people who want tax money
6. Rich people who want tax money
7. Chinese communists
8. Radical islamic fundamentalists
9. Radical union fundamentalists

@openid.aol.com/runnswim: Concur on your two posts although I’m not that big of fan of unions having had been in one for 12 years. There were way too many bad experiences.

off topic, but sad. Our esteemed legislators voted against following the Constitution.

from: http://revolutionarypolitics.tv/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=63

234 House Republicans (99%) voted against a bill that says “When investigating American citizens, the government must comply with the Constitution..”
Source: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2011_02/028006.php

Millions of people out of work and millions more underemployed. Folks putting their lives on the line every day in Afghanistan and Iraq and these folks are complaining. Perhaps they should spend a year in Afghanistan making E-4 pay and when they come back they can tell us how rough they have it and how underpaid they are at their current job.

POTUS should be the last one imparting advice to governors on how to straighten out their financial messes given his “success” at staightening the one he is responsible for straightneing out.

Rachel Maddow explains what’s really going on in Wisconsin.

RACHEL MADDOW???? You’ve just exposed yourself!! LOL!! Who’s you’re uncle…. Olberman???? LMAO!! Who do you use for a psychiatrist?? Hannibal Lechter?? LOL!!! Rachel Maddow…. oh boy…. LOL!!! Greg you’re TOO MUCH!!!!

@ another Vet….. hats off to you sir! But you have to know, Liberals have no DESIRE to fight for, or PROTECT this nation! Only to MILK it for all they can…….. to THEM, JFK should have said…. “Ask NOT what you can do for your country, but How much can you get FROM your country!”
And they LIVE IT every day….. sad but true! And I agree, round up the whining SOBS and drop em in a hot LZ and let them taste some REAL “discomfort”!! Fools…. (being polite and PG here)

@Greg: Did you know that until Republican Scott Walker was elected governor of Wisconsin, the state was projected to have a $121.4 million budget surplus for 2011?”

Greg, Greg… by gosh you are the bumbler. You should ask to borrow Ms Bee’s avatar…

Okay…. You charge that the liberal Politifact from the St. Pete Times was wasting it’s time to engage in the argument INRE Wisconsin’s budget gap/fiscal status being worse than California over the past 3-4 years?

Now why would they bother if WI had a surplus, as you insist?

Funny they don’t see your imaginary surplus, Greg. They peg their deficit at over over $3 billion as of this year, while Doyle was saying it was a $1.5 bil deficit. Neither was a surplus. And that Politifact truth’o’meter tidbit ran early December, in response to State Sen. Alberta Darling’s statement that WI was worse off than CA, so it bears pointing out that it was pre’Walker term.

In Nov 2009, the Pew Center on the States put WI in the top 10 of states in the worst trouble fiscally. The Nov 2010 report from the National Conference of State Legislatures still placed WI in the “concerned” column for state budget problems, along with 16 others. Hardly the hallmark of a “surplus” you insist existed. And one might consider that to be the milquetoast version of reports, as 30 states, plus Puerto Rico, were in the “stable” column, and the three that were in the “optimistic” column included MA, who’s busy drowning in the bathtub under their Romney’care.

So let’s get one fact straight. You’re on hallucinatory drugs if you buy that WI ever had a “surplus” when Walker assumed office on Jan 3rd, 2011.

The error of your ways is following the lead of some pundit who doesn’t know the difference between a general fund condition report from a budget gap. In fact, states have many “funds” by which they draw from to pay debts. The general fund is not representative of the state’s budget gap in it’s entirety. Nor does it take into considerations other expenditures, funds and debt service. But hey, leap into that empty economic swimming pool of idiocy. No skin on my back. We can always use a laugh here.

INRE comparing protective state employees to civil employees. Again, we are a republic, and states decide how they are dealt with… and they generally do so by statutes. What you conveniently like to ignore is a few little details you parsed over. First, as Walker says:

“…the state has always treated local police and firefighters differently than other public workers. He did not elaborate at his news conference, but his spokesman later pointed to sections of state law that lay out separate benefits for workers in protective occupations, including an earlier retirement age.

The exemption could create jealousy among government workers upset they must suffer while police, firefighters and state troopers go on as if nothing has changed, Marquette’s Secunda said. That might be what Walker wants, he said; private sector managers have traditionally tried to weaken unions’ clout by dividing workers into camps.

Ah… now we come to the crux of the article you link. “That might be what Walker wants…” Political much? Statutes be damned.

And on a personal level…. Teachers and law enforcement /fire fighters are equal? Not in my book. Well… I might say with today’s youth, teachers might actually be living in the front line daily, but that’s a different story.

So to cut to the chase… no it’s not about pay back. It’s about State law.

Then let’s talk about this “spending” you say that the WI legislature passed and Walker enacted. You have an objection to health savings accounts, tax deductions/credits for relocated businesses, and a tax exclusion for new employees in this economic environment? Funny, I didn’t hear you railing about the federal tax incentives of the stimulus by Obama/Pelosi/Reid.

But then we come back to this interesting concept…. that it’s “spending” in your demented mind when you don’t abscond with more of the tax earners cash. Remember, the moaning is about not collecting as much in projections as they had hoped… not “spending”.

But had you read beyond page two of the linked document, you’d find that numbers were affected by increased “medical assistance” in the state, as well as a reduction of $9.7 million in savings that the medical assistance program would have saved due to Medicaid cost reporting because of changes in the HHS timing of payments to counties for eligible services

Or how about the fact that $16.0 million to support contracted administrative services for that increased medical assistance services, plus other public assistance programs and another additional $5.0 million will be needed to support income maintenance activities and enrollment services?

Stuff about deferred payments in there too. Just not so simple an issue, these state finances, as you’d like to portray.

Details details, Greg. I know you like your talking points and blame to be concise… but we’d prefer accurate and a’political.

@Hankster, #60:

Ms. Maddow has summed the situation up precisely. It’s important to know where the battle lines have been drawn, and why.

I’m also pleased to see from the video that the Gadsden Flag has been recaptured from the Tea Party.

Mata, my hero!! 😉
Greg, Maddow is about as knowledgeable and reliable an “economics expert” as the guy who pumps the Septic systems around here….. and her whole show smells about the same as well….. enjoy.

I looked at some info about Wisconsin’s educational performance & it seems overall that Wisconsin is doing fairly well with a 7% literacy rate. So maybe the teachers are doing there job when there not taking student out of class. The only thing newsworthy for FA about Wisconsin’s education is that:

“Wisconsin had the lowest graduation rate among African-American public school students with 41%”

http://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/cr_31.htm

@Greg: Ms. Maddow has summed the situation up precisely. It’s important to know where the battle lines have been drawn, and why.

Well now, there’s a quote that’s the poster child for cutting teacher’s pensions…. if those that are graduated end up using the Madcow as the truth indicator….. LOL

@Zac…. ouch… LOL For a newbie American, you are learning the ropes quick, guy. What a welcome addition you make!

Well thanks Mata, I’m learning from the best.

http://gatewaypundit.rightnetwork.com/2011/02/shocker-obama-administration-is-behind-the-day-of-rage-in-wisconsin-students-used-as-props/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+gatewaypundit2+%28Gateway+Pundit%29

Gee Greg.. can you say Or ches tra ted ????? LOL!!! Ask Rachel to splain it to you….. Obama and his thugs ride again….. always lib… all the time!! LOL!!! Wonder how many folks SEIU bussed in to beef up crowd size…

I always love it when Mata puts the smack down on dem dare moonbats!

Go Mata! lol

A crowd that grew to an estimated 30,000 would have required some serious orchestration of bus movements. Maybe the police assisted with traffic control to hide the convoy. They’re union, you know.

House republicans could apparently do with a little more orchestration. Boehner must feel like he’s been given the job of herding cats. I trust he’ll get them all under control before March 4.

Too bad those Republicans and Conservatives can’t direct 30 to 40 adolescents to the demonstration, but they are probably more responsible than breaking the law to bring school children to the event without parental permission.

Oh Greg… I think PatVann was right about you.

Skookum: Someone may sew the school for that. Seems likely.

So this is what Obama meant, when he stated: ‘We need a security force just as good financed as the military’?

His brown-shirt army by command?

There was a story in the local paper yesterday that there are 366 police officers and firemen here in Huntington Beach who are paid more than $100K per year, and they can retire really young (I think 50 or so) on pretty much full pay. I think that they deserve the pay, but the pensions are unreasonable and unaffordable.

http://articles.ocregister.com/2011-02-10/news/28531839_1_salaries-fire-department-public-safety

Self-employed people somehow have to make it through life without any pension at all and, increasingly, so does everyone else — save for public employees, who’s pension benefits are mind-boggling to workers in the private sector.

– LW/HB

@Greg: You said:

House republicans could apparently do with a little more orchestration. Boehner must feel like he’s been given the job of herding cats. I trust he’ll get them all under control before March 4.

And that has what to do with the OP?

PurpleDragon2,
I have gotten a few e-mails about counter protests by local tea party groups this Saturday in support of Gov. Walker and the republicans who are trying to do the job we elected them to do, show fiscal responsibility. Gov Walker needs to hold fast and show courage, we elected him to get the job done and he needs to do so.

I live about 15 minutes from the 3 ring circus occuring right now and none of it really surprises me having been a resident of Dane county for over 20 years. The fact the Dems have left town is not surprising either, when they were in the majority and there was no stopping them, it was all good but now that the worm has turned, well we need to slow the process down and think about it.
My taxes, and we pay our share in this state, pay their salaries and now they refuse to show up for work. Consequences for their actions, I am sure there will be none. I don’t show up for work for a few days, guess what, I run a serious risk of losing my job.

The same thing will happen with all of teachers who have called in sick and have literally shut entire school systems down, some for days in a row, they will walk back into their job with no written warning or letter of reprimand. Long ago the adminsitrators of schools and supervisors/managers of local and state employees abandoned their responsibility for running the business.
In the case of teachers we have to remember, it’s all about the kids, they are shutting down the system because somehow it benefits the kids. Yeah right.

Nobody should be surprised by the arrogance of state and local union employees in Wisconsin, when you allow the inmates to run the prison for as long as we have in Wisconin, don’t be surprised when things go bad. When you are in charge you should act like it, that stopped happening in Wisconsin years ago and now we will pay the price for it.

@Greg:

A crowd that grew to an estimated 30,000 would have required some serious orchestration of bus movements. Maybe the police assisted with traffic control to hide the convoy. They’re union, you know.

Photos in this blog shows the area around the Capitol:
http://www.dane101.com/current/2008/04/20/human_rights_torch_comes_to_madison

There are several narrow streets that lead to the Capitol complex like spokes connecting to the narrow street that encircles it. That area is pretty snug for quite a ways out, note the narrow street in a couple of the photos, they are all like that. Also note in one photo you can see how narrow the street is that circles the Capitol complex.

They would have had to be bussed in. You might also check Nan’s # 39 post.

I think you misspelled the last word. It is spelled Impotent.

Daaaaamn. Mata just put down Greg like he was Ol’ Yeller.
Antics, Greg never defends. He is always on the attack. When you shred his claims he launches another attack, usually off tangent. Greg isn’t trying to convince us he’s right. He’s trying to convince himself.

@ Greg

Greg, I see you completely ignored Mata’s awesome counter to you “surplus” theory.
Here is a link to the Sunshine Review of Wisconsin for the period you cite. I’ll go out on a limb and say it’s more accurate than Ms. Maddow. I read your link, but I don’t believe you read anyone elses, you just move to the next talking point. Do yourself a favor, check it out and then research the Sunshine Review. Now, you can edit the little articles in there, so I take them with a grain of salt. But you can’t edit the information about the budgets, deficits, and spending.

http://sunshinereview.org/index.php/Wisconsin_state_budget

@Hankster: The grass is always greener on the other side. They need some humbling. A tour in harms way would probably do the trick. Despite how messed up our current state of affairs is in this country, it’s still the best.

The current crop of “liberals”, whom I consider to be lefties, give liberals a bad name. JFK was considered a liberal in his day and by the standards of today’s “liberals” he’d be considered a right wing extremist. Traditional liberals should be distancing themselves much as possible from the lefties and would make sure to point out the differences just like us conservative/liberitarian types should be distancing ourselves from the Pat Buchanan types.

@liberal 1:

What is happening in WI is a STATE matter.

Obie doesn’t represent the state, but rather the FEDERAL, thus he should keep quiet.

See the 10th Amendment.

Obama can have an opinion on an issue–and lend his support to the issue as a Democrat (without getting involved in a state’s rights in this matter)–or would you deny him that too.

@liberal 1:

Obama can have an opinion on an issue–and lend his support to the issue as a Democrat (without getting involved in a state’s rights in this matter)

Really?

Kindly reference the portion of the US Constitution which establishes that as a power or authority of the Executive Branch.

As President, it’s not his job, duty or right to interfere in the private matters of the states. It’s not a FEDERAL matter, THAT is his job area… and frankly Liberal, with the dismal lousy job he’s doing as President as it his, last thing he needs to be doing, is adding MORE hay to his fork! He cannot handle what he has NOW! He can have all the “personal opinions” he wants to, but he needs to keep those to himself… on a “Presidential” level… besides, he’s from Illinois, RIGHT? Seeing the MESS Illinois is in, I’d rather think that the LAST person anyone would want an “OPINION” or “ADVICE” from, is a Former “Controller” of THAT “screwed up, bankrupt, politically corrupt, fraudulent voters & dead people vote here” state, don’t you think????? In other words, focus on the nation and mind his own business as far as private internal state issues are concerned…. but that’s just my opinion… Foolish Liberals will ALWAYS vary……

(Psst…Try Article 1, Section 8 to start with…If It ain’t in Yer Job Description, Leave it Alone!)

http://www.usconstitution.net/xconst_A1Sec8.html

Now there is no further Excuse for You Constitutional Illiterates. I just gave you the Cheat Sheet for the answers on this Exam. Don’t feel bad. Your POTUS failed it today as well but who’s keepin score anyway?

Hey Dickie, Id buy You a drink at the EUCOM O Club but I sit with the Senior Field Grades and General Officers. You would just have to sit at the Bar to eavesdrop and take notes.

Hey Aye: Reading your comments, I just had a thought. The following isn’t a big deal — just sort of a thought experiment:

You have this theory that I’m a hypocrite, because I advocate a return to the (higher) tax rates of the 90s, yet don’t voluntarily forward the difference between my (Bush) tax rates and the (Clinton) tax rates which I’d support. In other words, I’m willing to take a financial bullet, for the good of the country, if everyone else does the same, but I’m not willing to take the bullet in the name of symbolism.

Now, the founder/editor-in-chief of this blog, I believe, is represented by a public union, which has outrageous, taxpayer-funded pension benefits. I’m not going to put him on the spot by asking him the direct question (he seems to have recused himself from this particular discussion), but I doubt that he’ll volunteer to give up wages and benefits won by the ALADS, whether or not he’s a dues paying member (which is none of my business).

http://www.alads.org/version2_0/default.aspx

The point is, it’s not being hypocritical to be in favor of changing the law, for the good of the country, state, county, city, school, whatever, but to continue to observe and live under the provisions of the law, until changed.

– Larry Weisenthal/Huntington Beach, CA

@ Skookum, My Daughter won Her last three Fencing matches at USAFA and wants to know if any FA folks can handle a sword. She is not bad with other cutlery either. With Coaching, She skinned her Wolf Kill keenly at the age of 15. The pelt hangs in Her room at the House today.

You and Aye have every Right to take pelts or maybe a scalp or two here. I’ll hold your Horse if necessary.

It appears that the Goal of Community Organizers is to create Insurrection. Suppression of one is “Above his Pay Grade”.

Interesting…. I’d say 90% of legislation Liberals put up, is…”symbolism”…. i.e. it “SOUNDS good, FEELS good” but serves no good, and cause more HARM and lessens personal; freedoms….. you you say you refuse to be symbolic, yet support the “symbolism” party!?!?!?! I’d say you are a bit confused…

Larry sez…. “The point is, it’s not being hypocritical to be in favor of changing the law, for the good of the country, state, county, city, school, whatever, but to continue to observe and live under the provisions of the law, until changed.”

Uh huh,, so do as a I SAY, but not as I do??? Great,…. never heard of LEAD by EXAMPLE??
Once again… typical Liberal…. all talk, but no REAL “faith” in his position…. in other words… B.S.!!

@liberal 1: Obama can have an opinion on an issue–and lend his support to the issue as a Democrat (without getting involved in a state’s rights in this matter)–or would you deny him that too.

As an individual citizen, he certainly enjoys the right to an opinion. As leader of the free world and POTUS, he is irresponsible to encourage dissent INRE state statutes and labor union disputes. Indeed, this is the highest abuse of the Presidential bully pulpit.

But then, irresponsible is this POTUS middle name.

He is further irresponsible to encourage dissent with such rhetoric as opposition voices mounting “… an assault on unions”.

Oh, how that Tucson and the feel good “can’t we all get along” crap is but a memory.

Liberal1, your partisan desires to allow this POTUS a pass on virtually everything irresponsible clearly outweighs your knowledge of the Constitution, and of the responsibilities (or recognizing dangerous and out of bounds meddling) of the executive branch.

You must be a product of the public school system… likely WI and their low literacy rates… LOL.

OT, I was the unofficial fencing champ at University, some of my admirers said I moved like a ballet dancer with the foils or rapiers, I kid you not. (they were of the feminine persuasion) LOL That is just the kind of skill needed by a fighter pilot in my humble opinion. Lightening reaction, superior eyesight and hand eye coordination, a blood thirsty aggressiveness, and the ability to move at hyper speed are all qualities of a fencing competitor, I love to hear about things like this.

I moved into Kendo later on in life with my son whom you know, Japanese sword fighting, I always carry my bokken when I travel, the police don’t even consider it a weapon. ROTFL I’d rather face a pistol at close range than a bokken in the hands of someone who knows how to use it. I would suggest that Jana pursue that discipline if she ever has the opportunity. The concentration and control over movement, pain, coordination, and speed is a true science of the mind that has been perfected over centuries and she will be able to use skills to her advantage throughout her entire life.

None the less fencing was my first love. I miss those days, I drew my share of blood with those foils, some of us weren’t exactly true sportsmen and gentlemen, you can make those foils dance and sing with practice, besides dueling scars were very popular at one time in Prussia.

Fencing, what a great sport.

Hey Skook: I took fencing as a PE course at the University of Louisville, long, long ago. Got an “A.” It’s really a sport which gets the adrenalin reved up, that’s for sure. There was a Russian world championship fencer who died in a match when the blade pierced his face mask, went through his eyeball, and entered his brain.

http://www.classicalfencing.com/articles/A_Propos.php

LW/HB

What the Protocol Office should have explained is that as POTUS, He speaks for the Nation and It’s Laws.
If He has opinions that are to be off the record he needs to keep them to Himself or His Confidantes.
Interference in States business regarding this Issue is prohibited under the 10th Amendment to the US Constitution. The Voters of the State of Wisconsin had their say. Their Legislators must present a Budget that spends no more than it takes in By Law. They cannot run a Deficit by Law. Cuts must be made.
It is Their Legal Authority to Do That. Their numbers on a balance sheet. They cannot borrow from China to do that. They cannot print their own Currency to do that, By Law.

What the message here smells of is that Some Folks are Above the Law or Above Question. Great example set here. Is the Cat Outa the Bag now for this Regime? I reckon that it certainly is.
The Members of the Legislature there cannot run off and hide anywhere. They are not to be Bullied by Any Special Interest Group or the POTUS himself, By Law.

The people elected the governor to clean up the state, and he is doing it. What did they think? there would be no pain?

The democrat legislators need to be recalled, fined, censored, fired and then sent back to the day care they belong. enough is enough.

barack, barry, steve or whatever his name is will pay the price for sending his thugs to Wisconsin. I understand why, because they give him millions and do his dirty work, but instead of thinking of the consequences he only thinks about that very second.

Teachers need to realize they cannot no longer suck off the teat of the state. They should pay a portion of their healthcare and should pay for their OWN retirement. If these teachers want to strike, fire their butts. In this economy I bet there are many unemployed teachers that would be willing to take their place. My other comment is stop exploiting our children. no wonder there are so many home-schooled children. Who wants their children to be forced to believe socialism and redistribution of wealth is a healthy way of life.

To review: They want them to put 5.8% of their wages toward their own retirement. Imagine that! Contributing to your own retirement! Oh, the humanity! They also want government employees to cover 12.6% of their health care premiums.

For that they riot, call names, trash their capitol, and have Dem reps running away in cowardly fashion into another state.

FIRE THEM ALL RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!