Saturday, February 26, 2011

Abusing Power, Wisconsin Traditions, Walker Losing Badly In Court Of Public Opinion

Republicans have majorities in both houses of the Wisconsin legislature, and powerful allies on talk radio, right-wing TV and at well-heeled national advocacy organizations, but Scott Walker's bullying tactics are the reason that polling - - even by Fox News conservative Dick Morris - - shows public opinion moving away.

Most people, it seems, don't like this variation of Big Government taking away rights, playing with law-and-order and acting dictatorial at the very moment that far worse dictatorial actions in faraway places are giving arrogance and exclusion a bad name.

Let's begin with Scott Walker's surprise plan - - the term he used in the infamous taped prank call was "dropping the bomb" - - to virtually end collective bargaining for public employees and bust their unions.

And Walker said he wanted the legislature to approve this historic change within six days, along with the rest of a 144-page bill few had time to read, but that filled with radical ideas including cuts to medical care for the disabled to no-bid sales of state assets.

The anti-union, which he laughingly called "modest," was, in fact, so extreme that Fox News anchor Shep Smith called it "union-busting." Because that was a fact.

This was followed by a long list of additional GOP missteps, but all involving abuse of power.

* Dispatching state police - - in some cases more than once, and early in the morning - - to the homes of Democratic legislators who left the state to slow down the process.

*Walker's continuing refusal to meet with unions, which agreed to all his economic demands, thus not accepting their offer and repeating his intent to end their ability to negotiate ever again on matters of working conditions and other non-economic issues. The unions gave him nearly everything, and he said, "No, I want everything."

* Having the State Assembly at one point begin a vote before Democrats had taken their seats, then cut off public testimony, and finally rush the bill through using parliamentary technicalities to close out representatives' voting before all members had actually been able to vote.

* Chatting up the fake David Koch in the taped prank call and bragging about schemes to lure Senate Democrats back to Madison and trick them into creating a quorum in the Senate chambers so majority Republicans could instantly pass his stalled bill.

* Telling the fake David Koch that he had considered sending trouble-makers into the crowds of protesters - - peaceful assemblages that included families with children - - but decided against it for political reasons.

Now Walker is threatening layoffs, after obliquely threatening to replace unionized corrections officers with National Guard members if there was a job action in the corrections system - - something none of those officers had remotely suggested.

The pattern is clear: Walker and his legislative allies are willing to use power to get what they want without justification, explanation, negotiation, discussion - - all hallmarks of mature leadership in a democracy.

Walker's inner circle may tell him he's winning, but the people are saying otherwise. Most people look to government chief executives for leadership and crisis management, not ideology and crisis creation.

But Walker is off to Washington, DC for an hour on Meet the Press - - so don't expect him to come to his senses after that kind of ego overdosing.

7 comments:

enoughalready said...

"Rut-roh."

Anonymous said...

Coworkers, family, friends all across Wisconsin all are telling me their days have been consumed by Walker's chaos for more than a week now, with many meetings on what all of his chaos will mean adding to days full of worry as well as sleepless nights. Other work is not getting done while trying to think through what to do when his budget takes effect, causing more chaos.

A leader, a governor, is not supposed to destabilize his state.

Anonymous said...

The destabilization and abuse occurred before he got there. It's called dept caused by public union contracts. Contracts that by the way, represent a huge conflict of interest with the public. Politicians (Democrats) getting campaign contributions from unions that then negotiate contracts with them. Hello... The 2 million federal workers can’t (and shouldn't) do that… why should the state public workers.

garyglonek said...

There are several sites devoted to recall scott walker. This one seems to be the best in that it has registered as political action committee and is collecting a data base to work off of when the recall effort becomes official in Nov. 2011. They have collected 23,700 signatures in one week.
http://www.defendingwisconsin.org/

Anonymous said...

Anon 1208

While you can certainly make a case for the way that public employee union contracts are/were negotiated as being suspect.

However that is not the subject of the post.

Given the way you decry the potential conflict of interest for the unions and their govt counterparts I am sure you are all over a Walker, resignation, impeachment or recall.

You can get started right here:)

http://www.recallscottwalker.info/#axzz1F6032ja3

There is even a pre-recall petition so you can jump right in.

Anonymous said...

Anon 1208

While you can certainly make a case for the way that public employee union contracts are/were negotiated as being suspect.

However that is not the subject of the post.

Given the way you decry the potential conflict of interest for the unions and their govt counterparts I am sure you are all over a Walker, resignation, impeachment or recall.

You can get started right here:)

http://www.recallscottwalker.info/#axzz1F6032ja3

There is even a pre-recall petition so you can jump right in.

Anonymous said...

"My Way or No Way"
Gadhafi's motto
Congratulation Wisconsin, you have elected Scott Walker.. your first American Dictator.
Fortunately you can do something about it on your next election.

UNAN.


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