Union Busting

[Toedancer]

Walker pranked by Ian Murphy of Buffalo Beast

If this proves true, and they are sticking to their story, then Koch owns all of Wisconsin and Walker is seriously ethically challenged. He should be fired over this or whatever they call it in America.

Walker is obviously a Thatcherite, and I find it odd that the Repug voters and Walker supporters are the security apparatus that is exempted from collective bargaining. Those firefighters/cops/other security peeps went to show support for the their brothers and sisters (teachers, nurses etc.) who put Obama in office, but the truth is they can afford to show union solidarity when they are exempted. Such shennigans, *spit*.

Hyperbole on my part I admit, but I just have to add Hitler busted the unions too.

[Toedancer]

Walker confirms he thought he was speaking to his Hero Koch and puts out a spinny statement

[Holly Stick]

Walker confirms he thought he was speaking to his Hero Koch and puts out a spinny statement

What a good catch, Toe.
 
Huffington Post has more, including the recordings:
 
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/23/scott-walker-buffalo-beast-phone-prank_n_827058.html
 
The Buffalo Beast website is not available right now.  Maybe too many people checking it, or maybe the Kochs got at it.

[Toedancer]

Anti-Union Bill Passed/In a very Fascist Way

To add - A fox interview which admits it's political and about Donation Busting
to the Democrats

And as I suspected the Cops/Firefighters who were exempted, and who support Walker will donate to the Repugs. What happens when the Repugs come after the security apparatus unions?

Oh shite I also forgot this Blogpost by Robert Reich, Clinton's Minister of Labour/The Republican Strategy

There is a war on social justice and democracy, it is America's policy, and I believe Harper is charting the same course for us.

[Boom Boom]

What the GOP in Wisconsin are tryng to do is very discouraging, indeed - and I guess the only encouraging bit comes from CNN coverage:
 
The fight over the bill appears far from over. It still must clear the Wisconsin Senate, a step which is likely to prove far more contentious.
 
Fourteen Democratic Senators have fled to neighboring Illinois to prevent a quorum from voting on the issue and they remained absent early Friday.
 
ETA: If worse comes to worse, maybe a recall campaign for Walker will happen.
 
 

[Croghan27]

A picture FROM Egypt to Wisconsin.
 
One world. One pain.
 

[lagatta]

Croghan, could you give the source of that pic?  I want to send it to a trade-union leftie friend - in Germany - and if it gets published in labournet.de or anything similar they would need the reference.

Edited to add: I have found it at common dreams and some other sites, so I guess it can be used for non-profit purposes?

It is a great answer to a lot of bullshit, from the death of the working class to the clash of civilisations.

[Croghan27]

Croghan, could you give the source of that pic?  I want to send it to a trade-union leftie friend - in Germany - and if it gets published in labournet.de or anything similar they would need the reference.

Edited to add: I have found it at common dreams and some other sites, so I guess it can be used for non-profit purposes?

It is a great answer to a lot of bullshit, from the death of the working class to the clash of civilisations.

Here is a mixture of cultures for you .... a pizza place in Madison got a phone call from Cairo ... the caller ordered pizzas sufficient for the people occupying the legislature.
 
The credit card worked and the phone company acknowledges a long distant call - it seems to be legit.

[Holly Stick]

Here's a lovely diatribe by an art teacher in Illinois:
 

...If you loved your job, I doubt you'd be investing this kind of time degrading mine. In contrast, I enjoy the luxurious power of changing kids' minds about school *every day*, even on eight year old computers that run on my sheer will alone...

http://luminouspage.blogspot.com/2011/02/i-ruined-everything-why-it-was-more.html
 
 Hat tip J. Bowers at http://rabett.blogspot.com/2011/02/fun-and-games-sunday.html?showComment=1298912254786#comment-c8218558752854289706

[Debra]

http://luminouspage.blogspot.com/2011/02/i-ruined-everything-why-it-was-more.html

That's a great blogpost

[Toedancer]

Repug Senator mobbed, scary @ about 2:40 mark, but discipline wins with chants of Peaceful

[skdadl]

Amazing footage. It is scary, but also great to see how a few can turn the crowd.

[Debra]

How disgusting to see that he called them unemployed slobs when he is the one trying to do them out of work.

For anyone who doesn't read my tweets hrmph... I thought this was awesome

         Wisconsin Sheriff Refuses to Serve as "Palace Guard"  http://bit.ly/gl74Ag
 

[Holly Stick]

There was a pro-union rally in Austin Texas on Feb 26:
 
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7447641.html
 
Michael Tobis has some photos and some interesting numbers for the US:
 
http://initforthegold.blogspot.com/2011/03/havent-given-up-on-climate.html
 
And a commenter added this link about the Robin Hood Tax:
 
http://blogs.oxfam.org/en/blog/10-03-04-bringing-robin-hood-21st-century
 

[Toedancer]

Altho this Article lays out the bad guy moves re: Wikileaks/Anonymous, it also reveals the Koch Brothers motives very well (to buy Wisconson's Utilities at Basement Prices):

"Koch Industries, and oligarchs like them," declared Anonymous, "have   most recently started to manipulate the political agenda in Wisconsin.   Governor Walker's union-busting budget plan contains a clause that went   nearly unnoticed. This clause would allow the sale of publicly owned   utility plants in Wisconsin to private parties (specifically, Koch   Industries) at any price, no matter how low, without a public bidding   process. The Koch's have helped to fuel the unrest in Wisconsin and the   drive behind the bill to eliminate the collective bargaining power of   unions in a bid to gain a monopoly over the state's power supplies."

    Now why didn't the Unions notice that clause? You gotta wonder.