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Ezra Klein: Here’s what just happened in Wisconsin: the rules of the state’s Senate require a quorum for any measures that spend money. That’s how the absence of the Senate’s Democrats could stymie Gov. Scott Walker’s proposed budget law — it spent money, and thus it needed a quorum.
But in a surprise move earlier today, Wisconsin’s Senate Republicans rewrote the bill and left out all the parts that spent money. Then they quickly convened and passed the new law, which included the provisions stripping most public-employee unions of their collective bargaining rights but excluding everything in the law that spent money.
What happens next? Expect the protests over the next few days to be ferocious. But unless a judge rules the move illegal — and I don’t know how to judge the likelihood of that — Walker’s proposed law will go forward. The question is whether Walker and the Republicans who voted for it will do the same.
Polls in Wisconsin clearly showed that Republicans had failed to persuade the public of their cause. Walker’s numbers dropped, while Democrats and unions found themselves suddenly flush with volunteers, money, and favorable media coverage. And they plan to take advantage of it: Eight Wisconsin Republicans have served for long enough to be vulnerable to a recall election next year, and Democrats have already begun gathering signatures. Now their efforts will accelerate. “We now put our total focus on recalling the eligible Republican senators who voted for this heinous bill,” said Mike Tate, chairman of the Wisconsin Democratic Party. “And we also begin counting the days remaining before Scott Walker is himself eligible for recall.”
The Obama Diary 
Are these politician try to push the workers of Wisconsin over the edge? Bullying is just not for kids! I really think they want a full blown violent outbreak so they can just implement their agenda.
Slimey thugs! But it reminded me of Lewis Carroll’s Jabberwocky and we can only hope that these Republican thugs are visited with the same treatment, politically speaking, as the Jabberwock in Carroll’s poem, ending as it does —
And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!
One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.
“And, hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!’
He chortled in his joy.
`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
——
Doesn’t make any sense at all, but it’s a lot of fun to read!
In the meantime, I wish the protesters all the luck in the world, but aside from netting the Republicans and tossing them into the nearest body of water I don’t know how they can stop the vote.
On the other hand, remember that the Democrats were trying to flip some waffling Republicans. I wonder how successful they were?
Well its all over twitter but I don’t see anything on any of the news feeds. This is disgusting if true.
It’s on MSNBC now — http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41996994/ns/politics-more_politics/
Walker has played so many dirty trix, he’ll do anything to not disappoint his payers, Koch Bros. We heard on MSNBC last nite that the AG Bureau was going to meet in Madison with their combines if no resolution is reached. There is no way the Dems can cross state line in safety. They’ll need an Affidavit of Intent, with witnesses, a tape recorder, a court reporter and video. Who would believe we have to go to such extremes. If we lose in WI, it’ll be touch and go for 2012.
This is just beyond belief, DNH, I’m just stunned.
chipsticks, good evening. I have a question. I would think that this kind of unilateral action might be
unconstitutional. At least at the state level. You do have any information on that? Would that seem plausible? I have never heard of such a thing.
Hi Dorothy, I honestly have no clue about the legality of this – even Ezra Klein doesn’t seem sure (see post). What I’m certain of, though, is that this will galvinize the opposition to Walker and his Koch Brother masters. I have a strong feeling they made a very serious mistake tonight.
deaniac on The People View wrote said it is legal, because they broke the bill into two sections. Apparently if there is no funding involved, passage does not require any kind of majority. As such by breaking it into two sections, it is legal. I like pigs, but these people are PIGS.
What is in question, is if the meeting was conducted illegally, called without proper 24 hour notice, not that the portion was stripped from the original bill. The portion of the bill they stripped and rammed through was not budget related……which means their original claims that it impacted the budget were LIES. I guess laws don’t apply to Republicans, and truth is a matter of inconvienence.
But – if there’s no financial impact, then why did they need to break the unions? I thought their whole point was that it was for budgetary reasons? So, they’ve just exposed themselves and their real motives.
Exactly…they have been exposed as liars, and union busters. They are attempting to dismantle the public-sector. They are snakes.
From truthout: “Noam Chomsky: “On Feb. 20, Kamal Abbas, Egyptian union leader and prominent figure in the Jan. 25 movement, sent a message to the ‘workers of Wisconsin’: ‘We stand with you as you stood with us.’ Egyptian workers have long fought for fundamental rights denied by the U.S.-backed Hosni Mubarak regime.”
The world is watching what happens in WI.
“Wisconsin Senate leader admits union-busting bill is about defeating Obama” On Raw Story, via Think Progress. A video of Fitzgerald saying this on Fox News is posted there. He saying if they can get rid of the unions, Obama will have a much more difficult time getting elected in Wisconsin (without union money).
Okay, no on ever claimed Republicans were smart.
Sorry, here’s the link — http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/03/09/wisconsin-senate-leader-admits-union-busting-bill-is-about-defeating-obama/
thank you for that Joan. At least he should be smart enough to keep his mouth shut. I am glad he did not. This will help Obama and the Democrats. I can already hear PBO using that line on the campaign trail. Yahoo.
He is talking to his crowd through Fox Lies. So it is both a fund raising tool for the Republicans, and a potential political hammer for the Democrats.
It may be in part….but it is not the full agenda. Republicans are on course to dismantle our state and local governments, see Rachel Maddow Show 08March segments 1-2. This is serious shit, and even though today’s results are stomach turning, I don’t think this is the end of this struggle. I think Republicans better brace themselves, they have opened up a big can of ugly…
As for this moment, I literally feel like kicking something. Disgusted!
DoNoHarm…………..your name means so much in wisconsin right now. None of the Republicans are answering any questions.
http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_8747fa04-4a74-11e0-8e6b-001cc4c03286.html
Update: 4:30 p.m.: The Senate has passed the bill by a vote of 18 to 1, with Sen. Dale Schultz casting the lone “No” vote.
* * *
In a surprise move late Wednesday, Senate Republicans voted to move forward with the governor’s controversial budget repair bill, sending the measure to a Senate-Assembly conference committee, which quickly adopted a version of the bill that both houses will vote on.
It was unclear how the Senate, which has been deadlocked after the body’s 14 Democrats fled the state last month denying it the quorum needed to vote on a fiscal bill, was able to advance the legislation to this point.
The lone Democrat present on the conference committee, Rep. Tony Barca, shouted that the surprise meeting was a violation of the state’s open meetings law but Republicans voted over his objections. The Senate then convened within minutes and passed it without discussion or debate.
Spectators in the gallery screamed “You are cowards.”
Before the sudden votes, Democratic Sens. Bob Jauch said if Republicans “chose to ram this bill through in this fashion, it will be to their political peril. They’re changing the rules. They will inflame a very frustrated public
You can donate $5 to the Wisconsin recall effort of six Republican senators — http://www.actblue.com/page/orangetoblue2012?refcode=3_09_Recall3
Done, thanks for the prompt. Also donated to PBO.
This is what happens when we don’t vote. Every election counts, no matter how disenfranchized or unappealing the political field looks. No matter how mad you are at your leaders, still go out and vote, because as maddening and as annoying as our political leaders can be, they’re still better than the repugs. These people are devious and underhanded. Chances are they’d sell their own mothers up the river if it would line their pockets. Come 2012, vote on every local, state and national ballot. We can’t afford to go back!! This is crazy! What century are we in?
lisa, you are right. It is this kind of craziness that will get dems reinvested.
So true Lisa! This needs to be screamed on every media outlet!
We can’t rely on the MSM……we need to spread the word as far and wide as possible.
Lisa,
This is so true. This is what happened in Massachusetts with Scott Brown; in New Jersey with Governor Porky Pig; in Virginia with Bob Patterson; in Florida with Rick Scott; in Wisconsin with Forest Gump. We Democrats have to stop with the popularity contest and attract and groom and run and elect the most progressive of us that we can. This country is going to go to hell in a hand basket and this all about suppressing and oppressing the country so we go back to the middle ages and have serfdom. No thanks!!!
Let’s watch but not EMOTIONALLY invest Lawrence O’Donnell or Tweety (Chris Matthews) or Rachel Maddow or Ed Schultz or Keith (I don’t vote) Olbermann or Jon (Mr. False Equivalency)Stewart; after all, during various times last year, they were as equally responsible for kicking Democrats in the mouth when the MSM was bashing Democrats for breathing. We need to be as ruthless as the Rethuglicans are and stop trying to wind the minds of the “independents”.
I’m ready to go to war with the Rethuglicans; are you?
NO MATTER rain or snow;heat or cold;sun or clouds PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE VOTE
They said that this vote wasn’t about unions it was against Obama to get him out.
Yes Fred, we have to vote!!!!!!!!!.
I truly believe that these men starting with the Koch brothers, Scott Walker are evil. Wonder how much of a bonus Walker is going to get? This is not over. I don’t know what is going to happen but it is not over.
For those people who visit this site who are from WI, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, continue working on recalling your (R)epugnant senators and members of the house of representatives. I live in FLorida, with a governor who Walker mentioned as one of his cronies in his Axis of Evil, and I am truly scared. Already, He Whose Name Shall Never Be Uttered By Me, has brought up a bill to cut 1.75 Billion dollars from K-12 education. He’s stolen this money from the poor to give to the rich. I feel shocked by what happened in WI, I’m devastated and dumb-founded. It’s one thing to have read about the culture wars of the 90’s, but it’s another to live through it. This sh/it is crazy. Again, VOTE, VOTE, VOTE.
Barca calls actions illegal, plans to contact AG for an investigation –http://budget.wispolitics.com/2011/03/barca-calls-actions-illegal-plans-to.html
Wiscolitics.com
Let this be a lesson to Obama! Oh, wait…
Hachiko, have you had any success in job hunting yet? Hope so!
No, Joan. Still looking.
your comment is pure truth. he told them not to give the keys back didnt’ he….
This should be notice for all voters…putting Republicans in office always hurts the middle class. They do not believe in the rule of law and will find anyway possible to make their beliefs law. Punishing Dems at the ballot box, and allowing Repubs to hold public office, means hurting the ENTIRE country.
Chipsticks, I broke this before a number of sites I comment on. Good on you. dr
I mean you broke this news.
Thank you Dorothy, I’m just sorry it was such depressing news – but, again, I honestly believe this will cause such outrage it will backfire spectacularly on the GOP. Maybe now the Middle Class will realize the GOP/Koch Brothers are the enemy?
This is disgusting!
My blood is boiling now. I don’t think I will sleep tonite. Am soooo upset. If this doesn’t wake all Americans with all it’s might nothing will ever be the same with the middle-class.
Sleep well Me4Obama, this will stir America from its slumber. Look at the poll figures, the more vile the actions of the Wisconsin GOP, the more the people support union rights. After tonight? They will be the most loathed people in America, and they will learn that they answer to the voters, not their paymasters, the Koch brothers. This is only the beginning. And you know what? I think Barack Obama just got four more years tonight 😉
Holy cow! Is this the United States Of America? It reads like a story line from one of the Middle eastern or African dictatorial regimes. Guys as a recent immigrant, this is utter shock never thought I would see such vicious political moves against fellow Americans, the backbone of every working citizen. Thats why voting is every crucial in all elections, local, statewide and national. But as Chipsticks mentioned above, Pres. Obama just got four more years tonite. Iam as mad as hell and mind you, Ohio, Michigan and Florida I hear are next. This is disgusting. God help us.
I am also really upset, but this is going to play out over time, so please don’t lose sleep over it tonight. If anything, think about the possibilities for good that can spring from this. People are waking up to reality, they are uniting and demonstrating concern and support for one another, the truth about the Republicans is being brought to light, we have opportunities to grow the Democratic party and to gain greater support for President Obama and his vision for the future. And what a perfect opportunity to awaken and engage the youth in this country in the political process, we are in the beginning stages of a true movement. This truly is a period of transformation. No time for fear.
You know guys, besides the wickedness of the Republicans, we have to also consider the part played by the professional left in demoralizing folks and asking them to stay home during the midterm elections, just to spite President Obama!!!
Even as this plays out in Wisconsin, the PL are still hard at work trying to make this President Obama’s fault!!!
Ed Schultz and a few other dolts like this idiot non-entity called karel and some other crazy asshole mike malone, keep trying to turn people against President Obama by once again blaming him for *their* very own successful campaign to get voters to stay home last November!!!
Karel is a Clinton supporter who always hated President Obama. He is now being secretly funded and egged on by amongst others, Gavin Newsom who nurses serious political ambition!!!
Instead of focusing on the real enemy – the filthy Republicans and their destructive agenda, they focus instead on the hatred and envy of President Obama.
They always think they can take down President Obama with their pointed attacks, and when that backfires and regular folks are the losers for the antics of these professional left types, they try to once again blame the fallout for their stupidity on President Obama!!!
It is CRAZY!!! and only a man as solid, impeccable and grounded as President Obama could withstand the attacks and sabotage from every side!!!
Oh my God!!! You are totally right Eleroy!! I totally forgot about that, but I’m glad other people see that the professional left have played a huge part in shooting the Democratic party in the foot. I dislike the PL more than Teabaggers( again, I chose stupidity-on the part of the Teabaggers, over duplicity-the PL, any day). There is no excuse for them. They are selfish, egotistical, and just plain bad for us. If there is a way to purge them from the Democratic party, we’ve got to do it. If the Repugs can get rid of the Moderates that Democrats have come to rely on in order to pass laws, then we can get rid of the rot, that keeps us decaying.
Well, I …am … just… speechless!! I cannot believe something like this can happen in America! I’ve been reading back and forth here and all over trying to find the word – ‘joke’. I ..am ..truly.. shocked!
Thia is terrible. And remember when Ed Shultz hinted progressives not to vote last November in order to teach PBO a “lesson”? Well, when you don’t vote stuff like this happens. GOP got the keys and are driving the car right back into the ditch.
and that fool was doing it again, telling people not to vote in 2012.
Maybe Ed, as well some others, are getting some of that “Koch money” too/also.
Now he is busy setting up a “blame Obama” narrative with the rising gas prices. Now that he can no longer blame the president for the Wisconsin situation, he has to move on to a new issue to pin on President Obama.
That’s alright. After Ed has exhausted all means and reasons to blame President Obama for, he’ll blame him for running for the Senate in the first place.
Ed is weak and dangerous. He seem to lose everything he is involved in; then blames the President in his anger. He is definitely not a supporter of the President. I get so sick of him and his posse of commentators telling the President what he should do. Tonight he was pushing the “strike” message even after one the senators told him that’s exactly what Walker wants. Walker is not a reasonable man. He is not a person who believes in government for the people. He is a crazed idealouge being supported by men and woman who in my opinion are just as crazed. It going to take some recall/elections to fix this mess.
I hope his show is shedding viewers since the move to 10 pm. He’s utterly useless to liberals even though he pretends to be one of us.
Someone needs to tell Rachel to stop supporting this fool, Ed Schultz.
From my twitter timeline:
RT @thinkprogress: Live video of protests from inside the Wisconsin state capital: http://www.livestream.com/theuptake
What was people thinking. How and why do ppl continue to let the republicans fool them. This is crazy! They gave the keys back! They gave the keys back! WE can’ let them in the car.
Agreed! I was so happy to read the Team Obama was not going to rest the election on Penn and Ohio like the democratics usually do. There are demographics there that are too easy to fool and turn against Democratics. The minority and youth turnout will be crutial. I still don’t think the repubs have the numbers even if they divide and pull away the so call Reagan Democratics; unless of course they plan to steal elections which I really think they are planning. I could be wrong but the Repub seem so nervous and afraid of Obama.
WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This from a commenter to the Greg Sargeant post at Washington Post:
“I’m going to repost what I just put on the last thread because I don’t think we can just look at Walker and Wisconsin but what the national Republican strategy may be:
Howard Fineman made a very interesting assessment on Lawrence O’Donnell. He said that the people running national Republican strategy–and he listed Rick Perry, Karl Rove, the Koch brothers, and Haley Barbour–are orchestrating these Wisconsin moves to try to provoke an over-reaction from Dems and labor (and Madison students) that will fit the narrative they’re trying to create that Obama and liberals are really 60’s-style radicals. He said this is all about 2012.
That list of five is interesting. It has certainly seemed that there’s a unified national Republican strategy to try to take advantage of the fact there are so many Republican governors and legislatures after the stealth attack that elected them in 2010.”
Posted by: AllButCertain | March 9, 2011 9:01 PM | Report abuse
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So we already summize Rove has his filthy, disgusting paws in all of this. It is a sin and a shame that politicians care so little about this country, only power, and anyone who votes rethug is just as guilty in wanting to take this country down the tubes.
Oh yes it should be clear to the naked eye this is a national stance from the Repub party that’s why I believe the President is quietly involved as well. Fineman mentioned how the Repubs are trying to smoke him out to the front on this. The Repub way of politics is so old. They are still using trends from the 1950’s and 1960’s which how Obama beat them in 2008. I am nervous about what will happen but I think the Repub are spending too much political capital right now. They are running national ads on their newly elected Governors. This can’t be good.
Fineman is a Republican operative….He is ignoring the polling that says the majority of people in Wisconsin, and across the nation approve of unions for firefighters, teachers, policemen/woman, prison guards, and they approve and support a public sector ( by large majorities 63% -72%). The public is protesting, in force and peacefully. The protesters have support from across the country and around the world (pizzas, increased donations to unions, political activist groups and the Democratic party) Similar protests are being held in Michigan and Ohio, attracting large numbers of people, all conducted peacefully. As Americans, we applauded both the peaceful protests and the change of government in Egypt, we supported and prayed for the protesters in Iran. Why for God sakes would Americans standing up for themselves in peaceful protest be viewed as an over-reach by citizens, unions, or the Democratic Party. Our Teabagging brethren have had the national spotlight and a media platform wherever and whenever they gathered, even though largely funded by Republican front groups, and lacking both the numbers and respectful manner of the less widely covered protest in Wisconsin. Were Teabagger defined as over-reaching and potentially damaging to the Republican party? Hardly!
So Howard, your prognostications are irrational and probably more accurately, propoganda of the Republican variety. It’s a snow job by those wielding power and attempting to thwart the voice of the people. They will succeed in manipulating the minds of the predisposed and easily manipulated, after all the American public, at least in part, is easily conned.
So to Howard Fineman, STFU….you are talking out your ass, on behalf of those that wish to destroy and dismantle. Your feigned concern and skewed logic isn’t very convincing.
Well damn….
This is so sad. But again PBO went to Wisconsin three times in Oct/Nov and told them not to put the repubs into office. They not listen and now they are suffering. When are these so called independents and moderates going to learn that the republicans do nothing but lie and are just greedy SOBs? I hope this is finally a wake up call.
And I’m so glad that the President didn’t set foot in Wisconsin. No one can say (even though the repubs are lying trying to make it so) he came and stirred up anything. And the people have to be responsible for cleaning up this terrible mess they have made for themselves and their families.
I heard O’Donnell say on his show that Walker wants to run for president. What a joke! Dude doesn’t even have a college degree. How stupid.
Again I hope those who were so busy being exhausted and impatient have learned a hard as hell lesson.
The republican party is simply disgusting.
I watched everyone of those visits and how the President stood side by side with the Democratic candidate for Governor. What is so sad is people didn’t believe in a honorable man who helped to stop a brutal beating of a grand mother. I feel so bad this evening because I truly believed that a compromise could be reached. walker and his thugs are liars and i think people feel bamboozled again…
can anyone post a side by side picture of walker and Heidi the cross-eyed opossum, I swear this is the creature he reminds me of…..
I can’t stop laughing. Thanks for lifting the mood on such a horrid evening. “cross-eyed opossum”… really?
Theo67. please goggle the creature.. Now I do like Heidi and she is cute but that governor resembles this animal. I will try to google a weasel next… I have basic computer skills so I will work on posting the picture.
He seriously reminded me of a rat!!! Both in word, deed and look. One of those big, scuffy looking, disease ridden rats. Gross friggin douche. I so want him to run for president, especially in 2012!!! PLEASE, PLEASE, GOD, PLEASE!!!! That would be so awsome. I can see the Democratic ad campaigns now: Scot Walker, if he can destroy WI in 4 months, how long will America survive?” Have you guys ever seen those old pictures and movies about what a nuclear war would look like and do to America in the 50s and 60s, when people built secret underground bunkers just in case Russia and other countries decided to blow us up? Pictures of that would be flashing all over the screen, and then, “Scot Walker….the ‘Nuclear War’ couldn’t do it, he will.”
Wow!! Evil and disgraceful.
I’m watching Morning Joe right now, and I’m seriously tired of Meka. I thought she was a Democrat, but apparently, it’s in name only, even when Joe isn’t there. She was defending The Douche from WI. She is so annoying, her and her has been father. If I see him talking bad about Obama(i.e: “I’m so disappointed in him….he’s all talk on an international front, but no action,” etc.) one more damn time…..I’m in danger destroying my new tv. I’m trying to take the Prez’s advice: for every liberal tv show or newspaper article you watch or read, do the same for the dictatorial/Commie Repugs. Morning Joe is as far as I’ll go, even that makes me sick to my stomach. Joe and Meka are ridiculous. I love how their slogan is all about: telling the truth. If they were truly interested in the truth, they wouldn’t be Commie sympathizers. Disgusting.
p.s- How disgusting is Pat Buchanan? he was a part of one of the most corrupt administrations in American political history, he tried to be president but the American people weren’t buying his nasty cool-aid. If there has ever been a king of has been’s it’s that loser. Ugh. I feel as though any interactions with (R)epugnants only serve to make me mad and ultimately a bad person because I just keep praying to God for bad things to happen to them. Think I’m gonna have to build a cave and live in it till election day.
Here’s the republican secret: “…national Republican strategy–are ORCHESTRATING,” “…there’s a UNIFIED national Republican strategy.” The repubs have a real center, a strong leadership running their organization. They are told what the party line is and they ALL follow suit, from top to bottom. We have seen this the past decade and why the Dems haven’t caught on is beyond explanation. There are more Dems than any other party and we lose too often. Have to push the do-nothing/no support Dems in Congress. Who would think that an Independent, Bernie Sanders, I-VT, would be the strong arm against the tax cut, saying what the Dems should have been saying.