The Wisconsin Cheese Showdown

[Lief 🗽]

The protesters in Madison are of course heroes, and I hope that they inspire similar protests in other cities.

[Lief 🗽]

American Heroes, all fourteen of them. It's good to know that some politicians in this country still care about the increasingly impoverished American worker.

[Lief 🗽]

Here's a pretty clear run-down of what's actually being proposed by the governor: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2011/02/what_is_actually_being_propose.html

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So ultimately this bill has nothing to do with the budget deficit (which is probably entirely Walker's fault for passing tax cuts for the rich and a healthcare bill pushed by conservative), and really just the Republicans use a (probably made-up) crisis to destroy public unions in the state.

[Lief 🗽]

Oh, and Russ Feingold apparently joined the protest today: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/18/russ-feingold-wisconsin-protests_n_825325.html

[Lief 🗽]

This is great:

[Lief 🗽]

This is great:

Actually really awesome and touching, in a way. Great message.

I think the battle of the Wisconsin middle class for more taxpayer money, noble as it may be, is hardly comparable to the battle of the Egyptian people for basic human rights. But that may be just me...

No one is protesting for more taxpayer money. And public employees pay just as much in taxes as everyone else.

[Lief 🗽]

Apparently the teachers have folded on the financial issues. So now it is apparently all about castrating the public employee non public safety union(s). And so it goes.

Am I missing anything? 

I'm fairly certain that the union reps have agreed to the cuts since the beginning of the protests; this has always been about opposing Walker destroying (yes, that will be the eventual conclusion if this bill is passed) the public employee unions for no financial/budgetary reasons.

[Lief 🗽]

At least 70,000 protesters today, many more than last Saturday, despite the fact that temperatures are in the 10s and it's snowing: http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_19c56fb6-41d7-11e0-820b-001cc4c03286.html

[Lief 🗽]

The number of protesters today was over 100,000 and police are allowing a few hundred to remain in the capitol after refusing to follow Walker's orders to kick them out.

Also, rumor is that one Republican State Senator (Dale Schultz) now opposes the bill: http://twitter.com/#!/wisaflcio/status/42024963183480834

[Lief 🗽]

Wow, when even Rasmussen is showing numbers like that, you know the jig is up.

[Lief 🗽]

The Republicans have shot themselves in the foot with this. The way they did this shows a total disrespect for democracy and the rule of law, is a textbook example of backroom dealing and forcing bills down the people throat, and the backlash will become even worse now.

[Lief 🗽]

The Republicans have shot themselves in the foot with this. The way they did this shows a total disrespect for democracy and the rule of law, is a textbook example of backroom dealing and forcing bills down the people throat, and the backlash will become even worse now.

Kinda like what happened with healthcare, am I right? Of course I can't be right though, I'm a Republican and the Democrats were just doing what was best for the country and the people!

The healthcare bill that was debated for nearly a full year? The one based on past Republican proposals? The one where Obama and the Democrats bended over backwards to moderate Republicans trying to include them in negotiations? The one where members of the public were allowed in the House and Senate chambers to see the votes on the legislation? That one?

And despite all that, it still hurt the Democrats, which is the point I was making in the post you quoted.

[Lief 🗽]

1) Yes.

2) No, they see a very important role for government, as a tool to forcefully transfer wealth from the lower and middle class to the corporate super rich.

3) Dunno.

[Lief 🗽]

I'll just answer 1, since I don't think Lief is completely right:

I don't think ALL of them know exactly what they're doing. The tea party types, like you said. I definitely think they're being coordinated by people who know exactly what it is they're trying to do, but they get their power by tricking people into voting against their own economic interests or by making sure people are ill-informed or constantly distracted. Fox News is the best way to do this.

The economic interests and goals these people have inherently represent a smaller number of people than the Democrats represent. The trick is making sure people don't recognize that. It's why people like the Koch brothers spend time and money manufacturing fake grassroots bus tours and corporate sponsored rallies and "movements." They have to maintain the facade that they have large numbers of people on their side. If that facade failed, it becomes clear that what they're doing isn't beneficial to the majority of people. It's essential to keep that with illusion and disinformation.

Yes, that's a good clarification. I'm sure that the vast majority of Republican voters (and even probably a majority of Republican politicians) believe that what they're doing is right, because they've been lied to and fed propaganda by very rich, very skilled, very self-interested people.

[Lief 🗽]

Wow. That's worse than Walker.

[Lief 🗽]

This should help Sherrod Brown's chances. He's exactly the type of candidate to benefit from a populist, pro-union backlash.

[Lief 🗽]

Does this mean the GOP doesn't have a quorum-proof majority anymore?