Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker Faces Backlash For Threatening Public Workers

[Joanne98]

WASHINGTON -- Public employees around the country have become the nation's scapegoats for the rough economy, with many Republican politicians in recent months criticizing them as privileged, overpaid and underworked -- unlike their private sector counterparts. But in Wisconsin, Gov. Scott Walker (R) is now in hot water, facing an overwhelming backlash from the state's residents.

Wisconsin is facing a $137 million budget deficit. In order to close it, Walker wants to sharply curtail the collective bargaining rights of public employee unions, effectively preventing them from negotiating benefits, hours and working conditions. (They would, however, still be able to bargain over base wages, and Walker decided to exempt firefighters and police workers from his measure.) Public workers would also have to contribute more money toward pension and health insurance plans.

What has attracted the most attention is Walker's threat to call out the National Guard in order to respond to a walk-out or any resistance to his plan.

The governor has insisted that he's not targeting public employees, but some have questioned whether his proposal is really financially necessary. The governor himself claims that Wisconsin can save $165 million by the end of next June simply by restructuring existing debt. Additionally, the share of corporate tax revenue funding the state government has fallen by half since 1981 and, according to Wisconsin Department of Revenue, two-thirds of corporations pay no taxes.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/16/wisconsin-governor-scott-walker-backlash-public-workers_n_823901.html

[sasha031]

1. a Progressive movement has been recreated

[Myrina]

2. ... never mind about those corporations not paying taxes, though ...

... lets just smash all the unions, steal all their pensions, fire a bunch of workers and turn $800B back to the Fed Gov't (because we don't want to ever accept anything from that Obama guy) ...

[Uncle Joe]

3. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, Joanne.

[cynzke]

4. We Were Warned!

We were warned by progressive media last year of the GOP agenda to union bust and attack government employees. Now we are seeing the beginning implementation of this agenda in Wisconsin and Ohio. This is not random government but GOP governors following the party agenda!

[MasonJar]

5. I hope Wisconsin does not let him get away with it. That might stop

other officious GOPer governors from attempting like measures. We may be taking to the streets sooner rather than later, y'all. Enough is enough already!