Wisconsin Assembly Passes Collective Bargaining Reform, Bill Goes to Governor
by PubliusFrom the Associated Press:
Wisconsin lawmakers voted Thursday to strip nearly all collective bargaining rights from the state’s public workers, ending a heated standoff over labor rights and delivering a key victory to Republicans who have targeted unions in efforts to slash government spending nationwide.
The state’s Assembly passed Gov. Scott Walker’s explosive proposal 53-42 without any Democratic support and four no votes from the GOP. Protesters in the gallery erupted into screams of “Shame! Shame! Shame!” as Republican lawmakers filed out of the chamber and into the speaker’s office.
The state’s Senate used a procedural move to bypass missing Democrats and move the measure forward Wednesday night, meaning the plan that delivers one of the strongest blows to union power in years now requires only Walker’s signature to take effect.
He says he’ll sign the measure, which he introduced to plug a $137 million budget shortfall, as quickly as possible—which could be as early as Thursday.
“We were willing to talk, we were willing to work, but in the end at some point the public wants us to move forward,” Walker said before the Assembly’s vote.
Walker’s plan has touched off a national debate over labor rights for public employees and its implementation would be a key victory for Republicans, many of whom have targeted unions amid efforts to slash government spending. Similar bargaining restrictions are making their way through Ohio’s Legislature and several other states are debating measures to curb union rights in smaller doses.
In Wisconsin, the proposal has drawn tens of thousands of protesters to the state Capitol for weeks of demonstrations and led 14 Senate Democrats to flee to Illinois to prevent that chamber from having enough members present to pass a plan containing spending provisions.
But a special committee of lawmakers from the Senate and Assembly voted Wednesday to take all spending measures out of the legislation and the full Senate approved it minutes later, setting up Thursday’s vote in the Assembly.
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57 Comments
One battle, many more ahead.
Buck up me-laddos, it's going to be a long ride.
Great news, I am glad the Wisconsin Republicans held strong and true to the task….
Unions need to be taken out of government and this is a very good start.
"Democracy extends the sphere of individual freedom; socialism restricts it. Democracy attaches all possible value to each man; socialism makes each man a mere agent, a mere number. Democracy and socialism have nothing in common but one word: equality. But notice the difference: while democracy seeks equality in liberty, socialism seeks equality in restraint and servitude."
— Alexis de Tocqueville, Discours pronounce a l'assemblee constituante le 12 septembre 1848 sur la question du droit at travail
Hopefully all the other Union-Captive States will do the same.
I'm sure Unions were at one time helpful, but this monster they've turned into has to be put down.
Finally, some Republicans with guts!
God Bless Governor Walker, God Bless Wisconsin, God Bless America…..
Finally…..
Thank God.
The Unions are Dead!…. Long Live the United States of America!
Good, now [soon] the public sector employees in WI are on par with public workers nationwide.
Congrats WISCONSON!!! Stay Safe from your VIOLENT NASTY SOCIALISTS. Come on Michigan and Ohio, you too can break the Teat SUCKING CYCLE.
ONE WIN FOR THE TAXPAYERS.
"Profiles in Courage" by the Wisconsin GOP. Well done.
But I fear this thing has morphed beyond a "public unions vs. taxpayers" conflict. The Democrat Party is full of anti-American zealots who are rabid to set OUR streets on fire. The socialist agenda seems as empty as an Obama promise now that The People have voted and the will of the majority is being made law.
"Let’s call this what it is: a campaign to nullify the 2010 election, by a sore-loser party that doesn’t like the results.
But this fight is no longer simply about Walker’s attempt to balance Wisconsin’s wobbly budget, or even about whether public-employee unions ought to have the right to collective bargaining — they shouldn’t, and in fact they shouldn’t even exist, as FDR himself warned.
It’s now about whether we are to have an orderly democracy or legislative and executive anarchy, whether elections can be delegitimized and even overturned by the daily plebiscites of the polls, by the flouting of sacred oaths of office and by the trampling on the laws of the state.
What the Democrats are doing in Wisconsin is more than just a disgrace. It’s a danger to our republican form of government, a formula for permanent, no-holds-barred combat long after the polls have closed and the people have spoken."
MORE MICHAEL WALSH: http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/261881/hey-h...
Great day for Wisconsin taxpayers and just the start for everyone else….on a side note I'm really disappointed to not see a hippie drum circle tear gassed
Restoring the Republic: some Assembly required.
Cartman: If dolphins are so smart, why do they live in igloos?
Kyle: Dolphins don't live in igloos! That's Eskimos!
Cartman: Dolphins, Eskimos, who cares? It's all a bunch of tree-hugging hippie crap.
The Republicans in Wisconsin are showing Obama what positive sweeping reform is. Also, the Democrats that bailed on their duties need to be held accountable (impeach-recall whatever means necessary).
the good guys finally won one!
Great visual to end the day! Can I throw the canister?
"President Barack Obama …….. was all seriousness Thursday when he told a White House conference on bullying that torment and intimidation must not be tolerated."
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBAMA_B...
Hey pres, why don't you call off the dogs in your party and the violent union members you've encouraged in Wisconsin while you're talking about intimidation and torment? We the People hold you and your lack of leadership wholly responsible for the wretched actions of your supporters. We're not interested in "social justice." What we demand is True Justice. And we will have it, with or without you.
Good work Gov Walker! .Good work Republicans of Wisconsin. .Lighting the way to take our Country back
from these Socialist thieves, bullies and freedom stealers!
Team Obama Democrat Union Socialists – 0
.U. S. Constitutionalist Freedom Fighters – 1
God bless these brave men and women in Wisconsin. Hey GOP at the national level…..Take A Lesson!
Ohio's bill is in the House and expected to pass. Kasich will sign it ASAMFP
Here's a great interview with one of the protesters.
LOL
Thank You Governor Walker and the Republicans!! You came through! Finally the rollback of the Left begins. Now on to Ohio, Michigan, and Florida. No backing down, no caving in, no compromise. The last election was about drastic change – as in reigning in government – and now we have our biggest victory…SO FAR!!!!
Taxpayers – 2
Leftists – 0
This news made my day; the only thing that could be better is if Obama stepped down as President, because it is clear he is incapable to lead this great nation in the right direction. We need "strong" leaders with "integrity", not some "community organizer" from Chicago.
BANISH THE UNION ‘GOONS’ – BOTH PUBLIC & PRIVATE
IS YOUR STATE “RIGHT TO WORK”? – http://www.nrtw.org/rtws.htm
~~~
Thank you to the brave patriotic representatives of the 'real' Americans in Wisconsin who sent them there to cut the spending!
They showed courage not the cowardice of the Democratzi 'loons' who fled like the cockroaches they are back into the woodwork….of Illinois…not even Wisconsin!
Thank you brave…men/women…all 'real' Americans in all other states…hoping to have the same kind of patriots in our states that have the cajones to get the job done that needs to be done!
~~~
SAY ‘NO’ TO THE COLLINS/LEIBERMAN INTERNET ‘KILL SWITCH’!
http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-ne...
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/technolo...
Call/email/write your State Reps and tell them NO to silencing America!
The "democratic" mask has been ripped off the socialists who call themselves the Democratic Party of the United States . . . events in Wisconsin have clearly and unambiguously revealed them for what they truly are.
"This is what democracy looks like!"
Yes.
That's why America's founding fathers had the wisdom to create a republic, not a democracy. Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for lunch.
Awesome quote–and sooooooooo appropriate!
LOL!
ha,ha Trumka: stick this in your pipe and smoke-it fat boy. Haven't seen nothing yet' he says,,,yeah, he's right' all that's left is massive mayhem and GOD forbid, I don't even want to think about-it and I'm praying that it never comes to that!
Awesome job Walker, but a little to slow for my taste. Now, if only the other Conservative Govs would just step it up a notch or two, victory is sweeter when it's done swiftly, just ask my blood pressure!
Not sure about the rest of you, but I'm sick to death of the 'stripped rights' LIE –
it's giving the TAXPAYERS their rights back – for the love of God, are people really this damn dense??
Walker LEADS
barry READS
God Bless Gov. Walker, a man with integrity and strength.
Wonderful quote. de Tocqueville was one of the first things I read in college as a poly sci major. Despite going to university and being a poly sci major, I still wound up being on the right because of all the stuff I read, including de Tocqueville.
I'm sure CA won't – the current Gov was the same Gov that previously gave those rights to the public unions back in the 70s. You know him as Gov Moonbeam.
And yes, CA voted him in again to be their Gov even though he helped to wreck the state 30 years ago.
Yep….
)
Thank you. His writings will endure forever!
God Bless Gov. Walker, God Bless the WI Republicans.
May God protect them all.
May God protect us all.
Yeah– I see where your going with this, and that's a big problem Conservatives have is PR. Walker needs to open-up his dialog and start supporting his own action's, just like NJ GOV Christy. Yep' it could very well work against him, and the right. Sound's like we need to start with "our own e-mail PR campaign" to all the Conservative Govs on this issue!!! We need to counter protest on the sideline's, giving a heads-up to all matter's this day forward. I agree.
There you go Republicans across the land — that's what courage looks like !! Awesome job Wisconsin GOP !!
Watch out for the thrashing tail.
Amen
This is why we must continue to push hard and stamp out liberalism now:
Each man must not think only of himself, but also of his buddy fighting beside him. We don't want yellow cowards in this Army. They should be killed off like rats. If not, they will go home after this war and breed more cowards. The brave men will breed more brave men. Kill off the Goddamned cowards and we will have a nation of brave men.
Patton
Wisconsin, thy seed will spread. God Bless the experienced patriots….for they point the way in the storm's fury…give them strength and they will give us all strength during these riotous times. God Bless the Founders' Intent. Amen
Unions and other liberal activists are launching recall efforts against some WI politicians who we may all need to help with contributions so they can fight off these powerful special interest groups and continue to do the work the people want them to do – which is to provide freedom for workers when union gangs run amok.
Amen.
Missy,
You've got to read what we've decided to sneak into bills like the Dems, you will LYFAO:
Under my post
http://www.breitbart.tv/bachmann-and-king-last-ch...
Love it
The _full_ senate??? …except their four(teen) fastest ships (Democrats).
Does anyone know if this new bill still exempts the police and firefighters? I would have changed that considering how they supported the protests and how they are chronic abusers of the pension system. I never understood why they were exempted in the first place. All I heard was some mealymouthed excuse about "public safety".
Yes, those same Wisconsin folk who in in a poll released today have shifted 8% straight to the Democrats of what was a 47-42 lead and is now a 48-39 Democratic lead as the independent voter statistic remained constant at 11%.
I too want to thank Governor Walker…for galvanizing Democrats and unions across the nation.
Brilliant. Thanks
Unions, democrats and their polls….don't make me laugh…all lies and Blusto…if anything, this strengthens the cost-containment crowd…since we're broke…and Unions want more redistributions…never mind we're broke you greedy AzzzHowler….appears your day is well done…appears the red blinker whining on this board is all the same person…OFalamma Software where 1 = 10 ratHoles…
Unions, democrats and their polls….don't make me laugh…all lies and Blusto…if anything, this strengthens the cost-containment crowd…since we're broke…and Unions want more redistributions…never mind we're broke you greedy AzzzHowler….appears your day is well done…appears the red blinker whining on this board is all the same person…OFalamma Software where 1 = 10 ratHoles…
They clearly have not done their job…union cops…suck the big Union wadd…hopefully they are next…
Nothing like watching a crash a second time. You get to see the horrifying effects all over again.
Communist mantra:
Polls are accurate only when they support The Agenda.
You're welcome.
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