First was Wisconsin, then came Indiana, and now it is said that Ohio may be next. Democrats are on the run everywhere, exercising this new tactic of theirs in an effort to stymie Republican efforts to reel in outrageous spending that has as its root cause, out of control public unions. This is just so childish, it as if they're holding their breath until they turn blue if they don’t get what they want. Meanwhile back in Washington, and for pretty much the entire time since the Republicans assumed control of the House, all we have continued to here about is the supposed looming shutdown of the government, and how that would be so bad. Funny though, the only ones who have been talking it up, of course, have been the Democrats. It’s like they want just such a thing to happen. Might the Democrats in Washington be so desperate to bring such an eventuality about that they would choose to follow suit with their brethren in Wisconsin, and when push comes to shove, simply run for the hills and go into hiding? I can only surmise that in that specific situation a government shutdown would be acceptable to Democrats, since it would they who would be bringing it about. If this whole screwy scenario shows anything, it's that it proves beyond the shadow of a doubt just whose side the Democrats are really on. And it sure ain't the side of most voters. What has become painfully obvious here, and in a relatively short period of time, is the fact that Democrats as a whole have no core principles, very little, if any, character and are completely untrustworthy. Their sole purpose in life, apparently, is to do nothing more than the bidding of their Union task masters.
This imbecilic behavior exhibited by these creeps would be funny if the consequences produced by it weren't so tragic. Democrats on the run in Wisconsin have threatened to stay in hiding for weeks, with their sole intent being nothing more than the potential paralyzing of a state government that they no longer control. Apparently, there's a reason they're no longer in control of it. The Democratic Party's stand against balancing the state's budget by cutting the pay, benefits and collective-bargaining rights of public workers is the most idiotic action yet taken by Democrats in their efforts to push back against last fall's GOP wave. Look, what's going on here should come as no big surprise to anyone, even these stupid Democrats. It's not like no one knew that this was coming. Before the 2010 election, Republicans made it crystal clear, telling everyone and in no uncertain terms that if they were elected that the unions would become a target, and the Wisconsin GOP has more than enough votes to pass its plans once the Legislature convenes. Republicans are only doing what they were elected by the people to do. As the governor has said on any number of occasions, the 5 million people who reside in his state deserve to be heard just as much as do the 300,000 screaming malcontents now doing all of the complaining. These 5 million people are getting tired of footing the bill to cover the growing cost of supporting these 300,000 folks and getting nothing in return except an unsustainable amount of debt.
The 14 Senate Wisconsin Democrats left the state Thursday, delaying action in that chamber on a sweeping bill reigning in these out of control public employee unions. Senator Jon Erpenbach, one of those stellar Democrats who chose to walk off the job and flee the state, said Friday the group is prepared to be away for weeks, although he would like the standoff to end as soon as possible. Is Erpenbach and his cohorts still getting paid? "That really, truly is up to the governor," he said Friday as he was holed up in a downtown Chicago hotel. "It's his responsibility to bring the state together. The state is not unified. It is totally torn part." How is the governor responsible for the behavior of these sleazy political hacks. So let me see if I have this right. These gutless cowards run across the state line, go in hiding, and it's the governor's fault that things are, to use this jerk's phrase, "totally torn apart." Man this is just so grade school. This idiot Erpenbach accused new Republican Governor Scott Walker of trying to rush the legislation, calling the governor's style "dictatorial" at times. Oh that's rich, a Democrat accusing anyone of acting dictatorial. "We all didn't want to do this. I didn't want to do this," he said. "The only other option we had to slow things down, was to leave." I know what would happen to me if I chose to walk off of my job. That's nothing but a bunch of whiny BS. All 14 lawmakers planned to meet somewhere near Chicago to discuss their options, said this sleazeball Erpenbach, who said he has not spoken to any Republican lawmakers since leaving. Ah, all this new civility, don't ya just love it.
Under Governor Walker's "dictatorial" plan, state and local public employees could no longer collectively bargain over any issue except wage increases that are no higher than the Consumer Price Index. It would also make workers pay half the costs of their pensions and at least 12.6 percent of their health care premiums. State employees' costs would go up by an average of 8 percent. Boy, that sure sounds pretty dictatorial to me. NOT! The changes would save the state $30 million by June 30 and $300 million over the next two years to address a $3.6 billion budget shortfall. Unions could still represent workers, but they could not force employees to pay dues and would have to hold annual votes to stay organized. Local police, firefighters and state troopers would retain their collective bargaining rights. But despite the exemption, many of them have shown up at the rallies in support. Well, if these cops and firefighters want to join in the ruckus, let them be on the receiving end of the same requirements. This sense of entitlement possessed by all of these leeches has not gotten totally out of hand. Enough is enough! What gives these overpaid and underworked crybabies, the right to demand from me that I pay for both their retirement and their healthcare? Why should I have to pay for mine and theirs? I think it perfected justified to ask them to pony up some of their own funds to cover their own costs.
The governor's proposal marks a dramatic shift for Wisconsin, which passed a comprehensive-collective bargaining law in 1959 and was the birthplace of the national union representing all non-federal public employees. Protests at the state Capitol entered a fourth day as demonstrators vowed to stay as long as was needed to get the concessions they want. "Hell no, we won't go!" they chanted inside the Capitol as they banged on drums, sat cross-legged in the halls and waved signs comparing Walker to former Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak. The scariest part of this whole thing is that these are examples of the caliber of individual who we have entrusted to teach our children. Outside the Capitol, demonstrators marched in a procession led by Jesse "The Blackmailer" Jackson, who said workers "should be at the table full-strength to solve the problem." The governor "should not crush them to solve the problem. The labor-business-government is the balancing wheel. If you crush labor, there is no balance." Who exactly is it that's being crushed? Personally, I'd say it is those who have been repeatedly forced to cover the cost generated by these parasites. What needs to now happen is for there to be a little well deserved retribution. These people need to be provided with a deadline by which if they are not back on the job, then that job will be terminated with them also being barred from seeking any other position in the public sector in the state of Wisconsin.
The leader of the state's largest public employee union said workers are willing to make financial concessions but will not give up their bargaining rights. Marty Beil, executive director of the Wisconsin State Employees Union, issued a statement saying the protests would continue until Walker sits down with the unions. Some how I don’t really think that Mr. Beil is in any position to be making threats. All he may end up getting in the end would be for many of his union members to get fired. In a sign that the commotion might be causing other problems for the governor, he pushed back releasing his two-year budget plan by one week, to March 1. He will still deliver a speech to lawmakers about the budget as planned on Tuesday, but won't release his actual bill until the following week. The governor insists the concessions he is seeking from public workers, including higher health insurance and pension contributions, are necessary to deal with the state's projected $3.6 billion budget shortfall and to avoid layoffs. Eliminating their collective-bargaining rights, except over wage increases not greater than the Consumer Price Index, is necessary in order to give the state and local governments and schools the flexibility needed to deal with upcoming cuts in state aid, Walker said.
Meanwhile over in the great state if Indiana, House Democrats are pulling the same childish stunt by leaving the state rather than vote on anti-union legislation, The Indianapolis Star has learned. A source said Democrats are headed to Illinois, though it was possible some also might go to Kentucky. They need to go to a state with a Democratic governor to avoid being taken into police custody and returned to Indiana. So evidently the Democrats are banding together in their efforts to swindle their voters for no other reason that to remain on the good side of union leaders. This is nothing short of a conspiracy against the American people to satisfy the appetite of corrupt unions who form a core constituency of the Democrat Party. The Indiana House came into session with only two of the 40 Democrats present. Those two were needed to make a motion, and a seconding motion, for any procedural steps Democrats would want to take to ensure Republicans don’t do anything official without quorum. With only 58 legislators present, there was no quorum present to do business. The House needs 67 of its members to be present. Rep. Terri Austin, D-Anderson, told House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, that Democrats “continue to be in caucus” to discuss potential amendments to several bills. Bosma said he was “flummoxed,” adjourned until noon, and labor union members watching in the gallery and hallway outside cheered the work stoppage. I just don't see how these union members can see this type of crude behavior as being what will gain them any amount of sympathy.
The most recent fight was triggered by Republicans pushing a bill that would bar unions and companies from negotiating a contract that requires non-union members to kick-in fees for representation. It’s become the latest in what is rapidly becoming a national fight over Republican attempts to eliminate or limit collective bargaining. House Minority Leader B. Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend, “has taken a page out of the Wisconsin Senate playbook apparently” by keeping his caucus in hiding, Bosma said. “They are shirking the job that they were hired to do.” In Wisconsin, Senate Democrats have fled to Illinois to deny Republicans the quorum they need to pass legislation limiting collective bargaining for many public employees. Asked at what point he would call in the Indiana State Police to attempt to round up the Democrats, Bosma said: “We’ll see how the day goes.” Governor Mitch Daniels had said he supports the policy his party is pursuing in this legislation, but said earlier that this is not the year to do it with so many other critical legislation in the works, including his education reform agenda. Bosma said he spoke to Daniels and said the governor is “very supportive of our position to come in and try to do our work. He was not pleased that the Democrats weren’t here to do their work. And like me is just waiting to see how the course of the day proceeds.”
Austin told reporters that “it doesn’t matter where they (Democrats) are at this point. What matters is that they’re trying to figure out a way to save the state from this radical agenda.” A radical agenda? Asked if they were in the state, Austin said only: “They’re working hard.” The last time a prolonged walk-out happened in the Indiana legislature was in the mid-1990s, when Republicans were in control and tried to draw new legislative district maps, eliminating a district that likely would have been a Democrat one, in the middle of the decade. Democrats won that standoff, staying away several days until Republicans dropped the plan. Let's hope this time around the outcome is a little different. We cannot allow scum like this to hold the rest if us hostage. We need to acting like grownups, not spoiled little brats. That's the only way we're going to get out of this mess.
Watch the video Democrats Flee
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