Walker: State Layoffs Could Happen If Anti-Union Bill Remains Delayed By Courts - TPM

[WillyT]

Walker: State Layoffs Could Happen If Anti-Union Bill Remains Delayed By Courts
Eric Kleefeld - TPM
April 12, 2011, 2:09PM

<snip>

Gov. Scott Walker (R-WI) says layoffs of public employees could be on the way -- if his new law curtailing public employee union rights reminds bottled up in court.

WisPolitics reports:

Gov. Scott Walker says he may have to again consider laying off state employees if his collective bargaining law remains tied up in the courts for much more than the next week or two.

"(But) for now, we're still ready to implement it once we get the green light from the courts," Walker told WisPolitics.com as part of an administration effort to mark his first 100 days in office today.

And...

Back in February, during Walker's infamous phone call with blogger Ian Murphy, who was posing as Republican financier David Koch, in which Walker spoke of using layoff threats as political leverage in his quest to break the resistance by the Dems and the public employee unions:

"The other thing is I've got layoff notices ready. We put out the at-risk notices. We'll announce Thursday, and they'll go out early next week. And we'll probably get 5 to 6,000 state workers will get at-risk notices for layoffs. We might ratchet that up a little bit, you know."

<snip>

More: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/04/walker-state-layoffs-could-happen-if-anti-union-bill-remains-delayed-by-courts.php

:kick:

[Drale]

1. God I can't wait to see this smug ass hole

tossed out on his ass.

[GreenTea]

2. The usual slimy republican blackmailing threats to get their filthy shameless vindictive way.

[ddeclue]

3. PLEASE Judge.. issue a restraining order and cite him for contempt of court..

If you don't have money "Governor" RAISE TAXES ASSHOLE..

[Ellipsis]

4. I Don't think this is going to go over very well... This is going to piss off a lot of people.

I think he's going to regret the public opinion response on this ........ and the courts too .

[MisterP]

5. worked in DC...

[eowyn_of_rohan]

6. Just TRY it, Bub

Really I hope there is a big protest downtown this weekend... I need it

[rzemanfl]

7. I cannot fucking believe Wisconsin, of all places, elected this

smarmy little prick. I can see Florida electing Rick Scott, many people here are stupid or senile or both, but Wisconsin??

[PeaceNikki]

8. I know. If you have a moment, read this:

http://www.deathandtaxesmag.com/35208/maverick-senator-russ-feingold-felled-by-corporate-dollars/

The whole thing was written about Feingold loss, but it speaks well to the general mood around last November's election that led to the revenge of the teabaggers we're fighting now.

This paragraph sums it up (in reference to Feingold's loss, but applies to Walker/Barrett):
He’s been replaced by a walking, talking corporation. A like-minded individual. A fucking drone. What further proof is needed that this country and this government have spun completely off their axes? Reason and logic have been lost in a cloud of static, a rabble. The reality field has been distorted again by forces who would have us believe Feingold’s defeat was an expression of the public will. Fuck the distortion.

[rzemanfl]

11. Thanks for that. I am beginning to think the only way to fight back

is to forego all campaign ads but one "Any campaign ad you hear or see is a lie financed by people who don't care about you. Vote the opposite of what THEY tell you."

[Botany]

9. I cannot fucking believe Wisconsin, of all places, ......

... elected this smarmy little prick.

Maybe after the recount and the investigation into the vote it might turn out
that he wasn't elected @ all.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

12. Many of us don't believe it either

if you know what I mean...

[tabbycat31]

13. I am in Wisconsin

on a 5 week assignment working on a recall campaign. Before I got here, I had never been even near the state before (I'm an east coast girl). I often wondered how the same state that gave us Russ Feingold can give us a toolbag like Paul Ryan (ditto for neighboring Minnesota with Al Franken and Michele Bachmann).

In the area that I am working in, I am talking to either people who support our recall effort 100% or oppose it 100%. I see no middle ground at all here (of the people who are paying attention-- of course a lot of apathy exists).

I also must say in the city I am in now, there is a meatpacking plant in town that is not unionized and brings in immigrant labor and a paper products plant in town owned by the Koch brothers. So the propaganda does exist here. I've had people come up and yell in my face how unions are ruining everyone and they don't give a shit about public employees.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

15. I know this is a tired word but the polarization is truly stunning

This is all I see, too, when I travel around our state and country. Whenever I find myself involved in a political discussion the involved parties are polar opposites in their beliefs. Everything has turned BLACK or WHITE. There is no grey anymore...

I don't know how, or if, we can have impact on bringing their side around even 20%, which would really help. I wonder if we have to be willing to make concessions to each others' viewpoints in order to find something we have in common - I mean, that is a way to breach an impasse in personal conflicts - But I just can't find an area where I can do it. They are brainwashed by FOX and Limbaugh, then reinforce each others misguided beliefs in their workplaces and communities... We are the enemy to them.

[drm604]

10. He's making an explicit threat against some of the citizens of his state.

It isn't like he's claiming "oh, I'll have no choice, we won't have the money". He doesn't know how to do that kind of subtlety. Instead he talks about ratcheting it up. If you don't do what we want we'll up the pressure.

Smarmy ass.

[spanone]

14. he's nothing but an extortionist

[City Lights]

16. Bite me, Scut Wanker!

Right *here*.