Wisconsin Assembly Passes Bill Limiting Union Rights

[VCURamFan]

That's one hurdle down!!

From FoxNews.com:

MADISON, Wis. -- Republicans in the Wisconsin Assembly took the first significant action on their plan to strip collective bargaining rights from most public workers, abruptly passing the measure early Friday morning before sleep-deprived Democrats realized what was happening.

The vote ended three straight days of punishing debate in the Assembly. But the political standoff over the bill -- and the monumental protests at the state Capitol against it -- appear far from over.

The Assembly's vote sent the bill on to the Senate, but minority Democrats in that house have fled to Illinois to prevent a vote. No one knows when they will return from hiding. Republicans who control the chamber sent state troopers out looking for them at their homes on Thursday, but they turned up nothing.

"I applaud the Democrats in the Assembly for earnestly debating this bill and urge their counterparts in the state Senate to return to work and do the same," Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald, R-Horicon, said in a statement issued moments after the vote.

The plan from Republican Gov. Scott Walker contains a number of provisions he says are designed to fill the state's $137 million deficit and lay the groundwork for fixing a projected $3.6 billion shortfall in the upcoming 2011-13 budget.

The flashpoint is language that would require public workers to contribute more to their pensions and health insurance and strip them of their right to collectively bargain benefits and work conditions.

Democrats and unions see the measure as an attack on workers' rights and an attempt to cripple union support for Democrats. Union leaders say they would make pension and health care concessions if they can keep their bargaining rights, but Walker has refused to compromise.

Tens of thousands of people have jammed the Capitol since last week to protest, pounding on drums and chanting so loudly that police providing security have resorted to ear plugs. Hundreds have taken to sleeping in the building overnight, dragging in air mattresses and blankets.

With the Senate immobilized, Assembly Republicans decided to act and convened the chamber Tuesday morning.

Democrats launched a filibuster, throwing out dozens of amendments and delivering rambling speeches. Each time Republicans tried to speed up the proceedings, Democrats rose from their seats and wailed that the GOP was stifling them.

Debate had gone on for 60 hours and 15 Democrats were still waiting to speak when the vote started around 1 a.m. Friday. Speaker Pro Tem Bill Kramer, R-Waukesha, opened the roll and closed it within seconds.

Democrats looked around, bewildered. Only 13 of the 38 Democratic members managed to vote in time.

Republicans immediately marched out of the chamber in single file. The Democrats rushed at them, pumping their fists and shouting "Shame!" and "Cowards!"

The Republicans walked past them without responding.

Democrats left the chamber stunned. The protesters greeted them with a thundering chant of "Thank you!" Some Democrats teared up. Others hugged.

"What a terrible, terrible day for Wisconsin," said Rep. Jon Richards, D-Milwaukee. "I am incensed. I am shocked."

GOP leaders in the Assembly refused to speak with reporters, but earlier Friday morning Majority Leader Scott Suder, R-Abbotsford, warned Democrats that they had been given 59 hours to be heard and Republicans were ready to vote.

The governor has said that if the bill does not pass by Friday, the state will miss a deadline to refinance $165 million of debt and will be forced to start issuing layoff notices next week. However, the deadline may not as strict as he says.

The nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau said earlier this week that the debt refinancing could be pushed back as late as Tuesday to achieve the savings Walker wants. Based on a similar refinancing in 2004, about two weeks are needed after the bill becomes law to complete the deal. That means if the bill is adopted by the middle of next week, the state can still meet a March 16 deadline, the Fiscal Bureau said.

Democratic Sen. Jon Erpenbach said he and his colleagues wouldn't return until Walker compromised.

Frustrated by the delay, Senate Republican Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, Jeff Fitzgerald's brother, ordered state troopers to find the missing Democrats, but they came up empty. Wisconsin law doesn't allow police to arrest the lawmakers, but Fitzgerald said he hoped the show of authority would have pressured them to return.

Erpenbach, who was in the Chicago area, said all 14 senators remained outside of Wisconsin.

"It's not so much the Democrats holding things up," Erpenbach said. "It's really a matter of Gov. Walker holding things up."

I'm sorry, but if you run home to pout & throw a tnatrum in the corner, then I'm pretty sure you're the one holding things up.

Originally Posted by VCURamFan

That's one hurdle down!!

From FoxNews.com:

I'm sorry, but if you run home to pout & throw a tnatrum in the corner, then I'm pretty sure you're the one holding things up.

Agree! Those dems should of lost their jobs for walking out to begin with. I guarantee that when I walk away from my job because I don't agree with somone or something, there would be repercussions!

[rockdawg21]

Awesome! The dems are doing what children do when they don't get their way. How funny!

[VCURamFan]

Originally Posted by rockdawg21

Awesome! The dems are doing what children do when they don't get their way. How funny!

This is exactly what I was saying to a buddy of mine over lunch. When a child throws a temper tantrum & runs off to sulk, you don't negotiate with him: you punish him.

The union bust is cool but have you guys heard about the other section of this bill?

Where it gives the governer the exclusive ability to hand out public contracts without voting or bids?

The funny part is you guys are cool with how the Reps went about it.

Check that, whats even funnier is if this was the Dems trying to do the same tactics and the Repubs walked out you all would be swinging from the nut sacks.

[rockdawg21]

Originally Posted by logrus

The funny part is you guys are cool with how the Reps went about it.

Check that, whats even funnier is if this was the Dems trying to do the same tactics and the Repubs walked out you all would be swinging from the nut sacks.

Yes I'm cool with it. Let's say I'm working at Pizza Hut and some people don't show up for work because they want to whine about a new company policy, we are going to do our jobs and f*** the rest of them. How is this any different?

I don't care what political party it is...if ANY elected official walked away from their duties of representing the people from their own neighborhood, I would condemn them. They have 1 job - serve the people with honor. Win or lose, that's the way of politics, not acting like a complete crybaby because you don't get your way. Complaining is fine, but not representing your people, the ones who trust you to represent them with honor, and who pays your big $$$$ salary...BIG NO NO!

[flo]

Originally Posted by rockdawg21

I don't care what political party it is...if ANY elected official walked away from their duties of representing the people from their own neighborhood, I would condemn them. They have 1 job - serve the people with honor. Win or lose, that's the way of politics, not acting like a complete crybaby because you don't get your way. Complaining is fine, but not representing your people, BIG NO NO!

+++

Originally Posted by rockdawg21

Yes I'm cool with it. Let's say I'm working at Pizza Hut and some people don't show up for work because they want to whine about a new company policy, we are going to do our jobs and f*** the rest of them. How is this any different?

I don't care what political party it is...if ANY elected official walked away from their duties of representing the people from their own neighborhood, I would condemn them. They have 1 job - serve the people with honor. Win or lose, that's the way of politics, not acting like a complete crybaby because you don't get your way. Complaining is fine, but not representing your people, the ones who trust you to represent them with honor, and who pays your big $$$$ salary...BIG NO NO!

If your going to use it as an example at least aim a little closer. Ill give you a few minutes to come up with something better, done. Wow, see how that one worked, call me a republican.

They tried to put a hault to it, they debated the bill, tried to filibuster it. In the end the Republicans refused to listen forcing a quick vote and taking the rights away of over 12 Democrats still waiting to speak. In the end all they could do was walk about, damage was done.

Debate had gone on for 60 hours and 15 Democrats were still waiting to speak when the vote started around 1 a.m. Friday. Speaker Pro Tem Bill Kramer, R-Waukesha, opened the roll and closed it within seconds.

Democrats looked around, bewildered. Only 13 of the 38 Democratic members managed to vote in time.

Republicans immediately marched out of the chamber in single file. The Democrats rushed at them, pumping their fists and shouting "Shame!" and "Cowards!"

The Republicans walked past them without responding.

Care to rephrase >?

[rockdawg21]

Originally Posted by logrus

If your going to use it as an example at least aim a little closer. Ill give you a few minutes to come up with something better, done. Wow, see how that one worked, call me a republican.

They tried to put a hault to it, they debated the bill, tried to filibuster it. In the end the Republicans refused to listen forcing a quick vote and taking the rights away of over 12 Democrats still waiting to speak. In the end all they could do was walk about, damage was done.

Debate had gone on for 60 hours and 15 Democrats were still waiting to speak when the vote started around 1 a.m. Friday. Speaker Pro Tem Bill Kramer, R-Waukesha, opened the roll and closed it within seconds.

Democrats looked around, bewildered. Only 13 of the 38 Democratic members managed to vote in time.

Republicans immediately marched out of the chamber in single file. The Democrats rushed at them, pumping their fists and shouting "Shame!" and "Cowards!"

The Republicans walked past them without responding.

Care to rephrase >?

They should not have walked in the first place. Stand your ground and represent your people, don't run away and sulk in a corner. The vote may have turned out differently had they not ran away.

I doubt anybody was thinking "Well, once they're done having their temper tantrum, we can go about our business." There's work to do, if a few people want to be babies about, well, fudge them.

Define hypocrisy - the elected officials who ran away from their duties referring to those who stayed and performed their duties as "cowards."