Walker: A Man of His Word

[Geee]

Front Page Magazine:

On Wednesday night, the Republican-controlled Senate in Wisconsin passed a measure fulfilling Governor Walker’s pledge to rein in the power of public sector unions in that state. Frustrated with absentee Democrats who fled the state in order to prevent a vote on the issue, Republicans stripped the measure of the budget appropriation items which required a 20-vote quorum, and crafted a resolution focused solely on limiting the bargaining rights of state workers, increasing their contributions to their own health and pension plans, the elimination of mandatory dues, and the necessity of holding annual votes to remain unionized. The bill passed in an 18-1 vote in the Senate. Late Thursday afternoon, after the capitol building was cleared of protesters, the state Assembly also passed the legislation by a 53-42 vote.

Prior to the afternoon vote by the Assembly, protesters once again engaged in thug-like tactics to prevent that vote from taking place. An on-the-scene correspondent from Andrew Breitbart’s Big Government website described the chaos after Wednesday night’s Senate vote:
“We have almost completely lost control of the Capitol building. We now only control the 3rd and 4th floors. Teachers Unions are sending out robo calls and emails to all their members, asking them to get to the capitol NOW. We know this as a fact. Democrat Senators are opening windows and letting protesters in. Doors have been ripped off their hinges. Next 6-8 hours will determine who controls the capitol. If we lose control, the assembly can’t meet tomorrow.”

One can only wonder if such tactics were considered legitimate by State Senate Democratic Minority Leader Mark Miller when he issued a statement saying, “tomorrow (Thursday) we will join the people of Wisconsin in taking back their government.” An obvious question arises: Take back the government from whom, Mr. Miller? The 2010 election was the last legitimate referendum in which the people of Wisconsin had the opportunity to express their preferences with regard to state leadership. To make a long story short, Democrats got hammered, losing both houses of the legislature and the Governor’s office by wide margins.