Regarding the events in Madison, WI, and now to other states as well, my feelings were that the Republicans' push to cripple unionism would not be stopped. While it was encouraging to visit the protests in Madison, (and nearly every crowd report seemed on the light side) and it was encouraging and uplifting to see "the people" wanting to take back their government, it seemed so inevitable that the union busting bill would become law. The Republicans tried to take cover by tying union busting with balancing the state's budget. But, when the unions agreed to the monetary needs of the governor, and the Republicans stripped the bill of all economic concerns so the Republicans could pass the anti-union bill without any financial concerns where the budget was concerned, the cover was blown away. Most people, including union members, agreed that the state employees would pay more for insurance and pensions. Once that was secured, the move to strip state unions of all organization rights made less and less sense. Now, Governor Walker said this stripping unions of all rights was needed to allow local governments to balance their budgets. This, of course, would be necessary since Walker's budget included slashing state funding for cities, counties, and school districts and the state's reduced funding for those governmental bodies would cause them a deficit and cuts would be needed. Those governmental units would need to bust their union contracts just like Walker was doing with the state employees unions.
Was this really going to solve the financial problem?
This is the key question. Does Walker's plan work? And, at whose expense does he balance the state budget? Well, middle class Americans get hit the hardest. Many thousands of public employee workers will lose income by paying more of their pension and health care and in some cases reduced salary. Many will face layoffs(read no job) resulting in increased unemployment.
Maybe, if all cuts in funding to local governments by the state could be balanced off equally with the proposed reduction in local costs, this has a chance of working. However, Milwaukee's mayor indicated that this can't be done since such a large percentage of the city's budget is for police and fire protection, both of which are not affected by the new law. With those protected, Milwaukee and other cities with the same problem (lots) will have to make deeper cuts to government provided services such as transportation, public libraries, public museums, street repair, garbage pick-up, snow plowing, health care, and anything that requires someone in government doing anything for a citizen. Some school district are suggesting that even with new union bargaining rules in effect, they will have to lay off (read no job) 10%-15% or more of their work force, including teachers, teacher aides, security aides, secretaries, maintenance workers, and delay implementing repair projects, new teaching tools like computers and books, and increase class sizes. Some may have to eliminate extra curricula programs like the arts, sports, and cut back on educationally sound items like field trips, training, and other programs.
Isn't this what the people of Wisconsin wanted?
Didn't the people of Wisconsin elect Walker? Isn't this what they wanted?
Some are probably thrilled with Walker's actions. At the start of his proposals, people who were anti-union, non-union, or not clear on the topic thought that his proposal to get union members to pay more for their pensions and health care were sound and fair. However, once he got that economic concession from unions, it became that Walker was after much more. Politics rose up, big time. Crushing the unions and their continued support for Democrats became more important than fixing the budget. If Walker to do great damage to unions where they were forced to hold an election every year to see if their members wanted to stay in a union, if he could stop the automatic deduction from their paychecks for union dues (make unions go and get their union dues directly), if he could stop unions from collective bargaining, reducing the need for a union, and if he could limit what could be bargained over (wages only, held to the inflation rate), then he could cut off the funding of Democrats by union political action committees and stop the communicating to members to get out and vote by union leaders. IF Walker could accomplish all of that quickly once in office, he could create a weakened opponent and turn Wisconsin permanently into a "red" state. Republicans would have a tremendous advantage and could continue to get elected indefinitely. This was worth the turmoil. The Republicans finally decided to split the financial from the union busting and passed the anti-union bill without any Democrat around. The politics of situation overrode the cover they sought in putting the anti-union legislation in the budget bill. They decided if they could get the bill through, they could withstand the political heat such a law would create. They would have crushed the unions and the Democrats. They win. They always knew they would. So did I.
I have been terribly depressed.
However, this ain't over. Recall elections for 16 state senators are underway. Eight Democratic and eight Republican state senators are facing recall. Will any of these succeed and change the make-up of the state senate? That depends. I can stay depressed or I can get involved. Read that last sentence and apply it to yourself. Individual action causes change. What can I do to change things that thousands of protesters couldn't do? The thousands of protesters did accomplish something. They made this issue a big deal. There was no quick passage of Walker's original proposal. They activated thousands of people to get involved and in some cases bring recall to the perpetrators.
What can I do? (Again, apply to yourself)
If I am not in a recall district, I can volunteer time and/or money. I can write letters to the editor. I can go to protest meetings, attend forums, ask questions. I can work for candidates by volunteering time to pass out flyers, put up signs, work phones, get others involved. I may not be able to do all of these things, but I can do something. Or, I can remain depressed and wonder how this all happened and why didn't someone do something to change it.
I refuse to remain depressed. Individual action does cause change. It is the only thing that does.
Thanks Neiman...I've been waiting.
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