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Forward Wisconsin?
A Spilt Decision?
- Both Wisconsin Democrats Survive Recall, msnbc.com
Wirch and Holperin were among the 14 senators who fled the state in opposition to Gov. Walker's plan to curb public employees' collective bargaining rights - What's the Real Lesson of Wisconsin for Progressives?, Truthout
. . . The people of Wisconsin have made amazing progress in taking back their state. Yet, they still have plenty of work ahead of them . . . - Democracy Died First in Wisconsin Long Live the Oligarchs, Common Dreams
The Wisconsin recall election was the first major test of the new era in American politics. . . . Now we know the result, and it bodes ill for both 2012 and for the tattered future of small-d democracy in our republic. - Democrats fall short in Wisconsin Recall Elections, msnbc.com
In massive battle of money and organizing, GOP state senators prevail in four of the six districts targeted by Democrats
In Their Own Words
- We Are Wisconsin: The Book
Combining the immediacy of real-time social media from the heart of the Wisconsin protests with reflections on what Wisconsin means for the larger progressive movement. . .
Step by Step
The Koch Brothers and Scott Walker have to be asking what they need to do to stop the workers of Wisconsin and the movement they've started. Stripping them of their rights to bargain may have busted their unions, but did not break their spirit. A controversial win in a judicial election, only showed the power that the workers had found within Wisconsin, and the support they had garnered from workers all across the country.
So while Beck, LImbaugh and the rest of the mouthpieces of the Koch Brother's and the other corporate interests that manipulate the 'Tea Party' wing of the GOP, likely spun the results of the Wisconsin Republican Recall as a victory for the anti-worker, pro-CEO agenda of Scott Walker, there may be a message that is being ignored,
An e-mail I recieved from The Progressive Change Campaign Committee the day after the election put what these working-class heroes and their allies accomplished in a perspective that no voice in the corporate media was likely willing to do. For one, as of now, the Republican majority in the Wisconsin Senate is one vote. There's a good chance that those few moderates in that States GOP that haven't swallowed the Koch Brother's 'Tea' may realize that showing some independence may be a way to keep their jobs. A second thing was that that these races were in Republican districts, the Democrats took the fight to the GOP and despite some dirty tricks in the primaries, took two seats. This brings up a third point, if this had been a state-wide election, Democrats would have won in a landslide.
There are still tests yet for the workers of Wisconsin. There are two Democrats up for recall this week, keeping one of those seats would show that the resolve of the Wisconsin's workers' has not been broken. How well the pattern they have set works will be tested in November when Ohio's workers put their state's 'copycat' legislation to a referendum.
The final test may come in 2012, when Democrats of Wisconsin will have a chance to recall Gov Walker, with former U.S. Senator, and committed progressive, Russ Feingold as the leading candidate!
Comments
There was a lot lost but not the "vote". They can try to buy your vote but they can't buy your conscience. I Ohio will do the same and Dems get out the vote we may have a chance to get back our country. Good HUB and on to 2012.
Thaks, Peter
Excellent Hub TPC. I would love to see Russ Feingold trounce Scott Walker. I hope the citizens of Wisconsin can recall those marginal new GOP State Senators after the obligatory 1 year of office. Those Senators should be easy pickings.
I am not a Democrat! I am an American. Play your political games and watch as they tear down our country piece by piece. You care that the the BIG Corporations pay no taxes? Go to the S&P website and read what they really said. It was all on the Tea Party not the rest of the dummies, even though they have a big part of the responsibility. The entire government IGNORED THEM! Lets give credit where credit is due. Go vote for Bachmann a typical mind from the right and see what happens then. We're on Par with Belgium now maybe we can hit as low as Zimbabwe. Thanks for your Hub and thoughts,
Peter
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Peter:
I have a feeling JS's facts come from outlets that are little more than mouthpieces for the corps.
He's just another loyal solider for the Koch's etc. . .
Maybe Because we don't like our Bosses telling us who to vote for and begging for some of the money we paid in to feed ourselves and our family. think about who you are defending, not "people" or do you believe like Mit that corporations are people? That is ultimately who you are defending. No thank you, JS, I'll make it on my own.
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Peter:
Too bad one can't vote up a comment. I'd have done it for this one.
Peter the premise you are going on is that the taxpayers of Wisconsin are a corporation which is patently false. Unions spent well over three million dollars and still only gained two spots. Actually Peter by your premise union bosses are telling their members exactly how to vote.And quite frankly one of the big sticking points for the union was the fact that they would have to collect their own dues instead of the state doing it for them. I cannot help but wonder how that one is going to work. Unlike Mitt Romney I do not believe people are corporations. Because I guess I will have to repeat myself here because you guys don't get it, taxpayers are not corporations !
I started to reply but decided against it. You believe what you want to believe and I will restrain my silly notion of equality and fairness for my self. Thank you for participating,
Peter
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Peter:
tony will believe what he's told by the mouthpieces of the corporations.
I believe it was the Great Groucho Marx once said "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it put on a bathing suit." nuff said.
Peter
What does that say about libs when they refuse to publish the other side? I bet my comment kicked your ass so bad it hurt! Come on tough guy bring it any day! You got NOTHING!
AR, Your comments never cover the other side. You are a 1 note wonder. The Democrats picked up 2 seats in very Republican districts. We did this as criminal Governor Walker is attempting to fix elections through ID laws and then shutting the DMV offices only in Democratic districts. Walker and the GOP fixed the Judge race and they will do anything to hold onto power. After 1 year in office, they can go after the newly won seats for the GOP which are actually swing districts. It says a lot that we picked up 2 very Red districts. Was I disappointed we didn't pick up 3? Sure was. But the fight goes on right through 2012.
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H:
AR's comment was the same lines he spews when anyone challeges the Koch's or one of his other corporate masters. Mention Soros and 'union thugs', like what he hears from Beck and Limbaugh,
I could put it up as an example of what non-stop exposure to corporate propaganda can do to a human brain.
2012 could help swing some of the midwest states like Wisconsin, Ohio, and others back to more moderate candidates. I think people are waking up to the fact that their movement is being orchestrated by corp America.
Great conversation taking place here. Exactly what America needs: citizens having a conversation and educating one another. You guys might wanna check out http://newsparticipation.com/ which is a new citizen journalism site that I believe is providing a perfect platform for citizen conversation.
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Hank:
Will check that out!
TPC: I tried again to read this, and quiet simply other than a few remarks about the Tea Party, which by the way doesn't make any sense, you didn't answer my question. You believe that Wisconsin is a victory against the Tea Party and yet the Republicans whom you despise won the recall, so if you can please explain your logic, in a way that doesn't suggest I am drinking the koch tea.
Rachel
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To me it is, at least a partial one, it shows that the workers of Wisconsin are building momentum, little by little.
As I also said, in places like Ohio, people are 'waking up' to the desire of the 'Tea Party' to create a 'Corporate State'. Wisconsin was merely the first place to do so.
The Tea Party members that I know on a personal level are lower to middle class families with small children, is that not how you would define the "workers", I have sat down and spoken with Union members who all say the same thing they are tired of paying huge union dues and getting nothing back, they are tired of funding unions that don't do anything at all for their workers.
As far as a partial one, if you are talking about the Unions making a difference in Wisconsin I fail to see how the Unions have done anything at all except take a major blow. If you are talking about the lower class and middle class America then the recall election and the Republicans winning did a lot to help them.
Rachel
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That may be true, but they seem to be supporting people, like the Kochs, and policies that are harmful to their economic interests. They've been convinced by folks like Beck and Limbaugh that giving MORE power to corps is going to help them in the long-term.
You're also still showing how well the corps and their media mouthpeices have done in convincing you. Shows that 'Crashers' like myself and our media voices like Equal Time Radio's Traci Kelly, Rick Smith, of the Rick Smith show have a lot of work to do.
There you go using that word corps again, I don't think you can help yourself.
Just out of curiosity have you ever sat down one on one (without adding your two cents) and asked a member of the Tea Party why they are rallying and what they believe?
Great work, TeaPartyCrasher. It truly was a big accomplishment to pick up as many seats as they did in Republican-controlled districts considering the way districts are composed.
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