Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker's attempt to crush public employee unions has changed both Wisconsin and the nation. While we do not know the outcome of Wisconsin Senate Bill 11, Walker's effort to end collective bargaining for public employees has triggered a response that is overwhelming and will be lasting.
Walker, elected last November on an anti-labor platform, never publicly disclosed that he planned to crush our unions with legislation that was scheduled to be adopted only six days after its announcement.
Know that hundreds of thousands of Wisconsin residents, both union and non-union folks, have said, "Kill the bill."
Here at the Capitol, dozens of people asked me today if I ever saw anything like this in the 1960's.
No.
This is different.
The civil rights movement was joyful and enthusiastic.
The anti-war movement was energetic and angry.
Neither combined the dynamics we see here in Madison this week.
The rotation of people from throughout the state, coming in each day, is one of the reasons we are so vibrant.
The other factor is the young people. I have never seen anything like the energy from people under 30. It's both inspiring and energizing.
We have much to do; more education, more planning, and the work to keep our elected officals from hijacking this grassroots movement.
Because this movement has legs.
It's time to call this conflict by it's proper name: class war. The Big Money has been on the march for thirty years...
Posted by: Ex-Alderman Steve | February 18, 2011 at 06:28 PM
This battle is going to determine whether our country returns to social democracy, or whether we will accelerate our slide towards being a tin-pot authoritarian crony economy.
Posted by: Atlanta Roofing | February 21, 2011 at 12:02 AM