Wisconsin Takes A Stand For Fiscal Sanity

[Darius871]

What amazes me is that it took three weeks for someone to find the loophole and use it.

Who's to say that's the case? It's so simple that it's just as likely they kept it in their back pocket and waited for the dems' abdication to reach an absurd extreme before "resorting" to it. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

[-Jrabbit]

Seriously? Considering how heavy-handed this whole episode has been (on both sides), that is an exceptionally generous assessment.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Who's to say that's the case? It's so simple that it's just as likely they kept it in their back pocket and waited for the dems' abdication to reach an absurd extreme before "resorting" to it. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

As stated earlier in the thread this was a known option from the outset.

[Ming]

I think the republicans misplayed this one... Yes, this option was available to them from the beginning. I "guess" their thinking was to play this card after making sure the Dems looked really bad for staying out of state as long as they did. But it did indeed backfire on them. As each day passed, the support for the unions went up, and gave the unions a chance to organize themselves more. Public Opinion went in the wrong direction... They probably would have been better off doing it right away, since it was their intent all along to do it if the Dems didn't come back.

[-Jrabbit]

I couldn't be bothered to read the entire thread, but Ming makes my point: Walker and company really lost the war of public opinion on this, so it's hard to think that any credit is due them. They also managed to single-handedly revitalize the entire labor movement -- not just locally but nationally -- which had previously been left for dead.

[Ming]

I think that the labor movement was going to be revitalized anyway... Maybe not as quickly, but soon enough as other states followed their example.

[Wezil]

When the Dems are in power and negotiating with public sector unions - Who represents the taxpayers in the negotiations?

[rah]

No one.

[giblets]

Yes, I'm sure this was all part of some master plan on the part of the Republicans and they aren't just inept.

[rah]

In the old days, I might have thought that, but now I lean towards inept.
Fortunately the Dems are usually equally up to the challenge of losing elections.

[Darius871]

Seriously? Considering how heavy-handed this whole episode has been (on both sides), that is an exceptionally generous assessment.

Oh didn't mean to make it sound like they were being so nice as to play with kid gloves for a few weeks before being forced into it; I was thinking more of a nefarious Machiavellian plot to hold back on what they were already going to do anyway, just to milk for all it's worth how bad the Dem senators' abdication looked, and to look like they were forced into this last resort. I thought we were all operating on the assumption that this is mostly cynical theater, after all. I'm not denying that this forbearance tactic backfired spectacularly.


(Edit: aw hell, I guess Ming took the words right out of my mouth anyway. Exactly my point.)

[-Jrabbit]

I'd feel a whole lot better about politics in general if I thought either party had both the stones and the smarts to be truly Machiavellian. The GOP is much closer, but their internal fracturing has really blunted the whole "master plan" thing, at least for now.

I blame Sarah Palin.

[MrFun]

Why were firemen and police officers exempted from having their workers' rights taken away?

It will be interesting to see how much Republicans lose in the next round of state elections.

[rah]

Don't count your chickens too soon. The Dems are famous for not taking advantage of crap like this.

[Dinner]

I think the republicans misplayed this one... Yes, this option was available to them from the beginning. I "guess" their thinking was to play this card after making sure the Dems looked really bad for staying out of state as long as they did. But it did indeed backfire on them. As each day passed, the support for the unions went up, and gave the unions a chance to organize themselves more. Public Opinion went in the wrong direction... They probably would have been better off doing it right away, since it was their intent all along to do it if the Dems didn't come back.

I have to agree. The latest polls show Walker is the most unpopular governor in the country. He better be able to do some magic if he wants to get reelected.

Don't count your chickens too soon. The Dems are famous for not taking advantage of crap like this.

Unfortunately this is also true. It often seems like the Dems are deliberately throwing the game because they **** up sure things so often.