It's About Liberty: A Conservative Forum
Topics => Politics/Legislation/Elections => Topic started by: IronDioPriest on July 25, 2011, 01:18:24 PM
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There are more details linked at The Weekly Standard, showing exactly how Walker and the Wisconsin GOP's plan has helped school districts and teachers. I've included the juicy bits here.
Walker’s Vindication
The controversial Wisconsin budget reform saves teachers’ jobs. (http://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/walker-s-vindication_577310.html?nopager=1)
Emily Koczela had been anxiously waiting for months for Wisconsin governor Scott Walker’s controversial budget repair bill to take effect. Koczela, the finance director for the Brown Deer school district, had been negotiating with the local union, trying to get it to accept concessions in order to make up for a $1 million budget shortfall. But the union wouldn’t budge.
“We laid off 27 [teachers] as a precautionary measure,” Koczela told me. “They were crying. Some of these people are my friends.”
On June 29 at 12:01 a.m., Koczela could finally breathe a sigh of relief. The budget repair bill?—?delayed for months by protests, runaway state senators, and a legal challenge that made its way to the state’s supreme court?—?was law. The 27 teachers on the chopping block were spared.
With “collective bargaining rights” limited to wages, Koczela was able to change the teachers’ benefits package to fill the budget gap. Requiring teachers to contribute 5.8 percent of their salary toward pensions saved $600,000. Changes to their health care plan?—?such as a $10 office visit co-pay (up from nothing)?—?saved $200,000. Upping the workload from five classes, a study hall, and two prep periods to six classes and two prep periods saved another $200,000. The budget was balanced.
“Everything we changed didn’t touch the children,” Koczela said. Under a collective bargaining agreement, she continued, “We could never have negotiated that?—?never ever...”
<snip>
...In Brown Deer and school districts across the state, Walker’s budget repair bill, known as Act 10, is working just as he promised. To make up for a $2.8 billion deficit without raising taxes, state aid to school districts (the largest budget line) was reduced by $830 million. Act 10, Walker said, would give districts “the tools” needed to make up for the lost money as fairly as possible.
But union leaders argued that the fight over the budget repair bill had nothing to do with balancing budgets. It was all about stripping public employees of their “collective bargaining rights...”
<snip>
...But as the abstract debate over collective bargaining collides with reality, it is becoming clear just how big a lie the Big Labor line was. Now that the law is in effect, where are the horror stories of massive layoffs and schools shutting down? They don’t exist?—?except in a couple of districts where collective bargaining agreements, inked before the budget repair bill was introduced, remain in effect.
In Milwaukee, nine schools are shutting and 354 teachers have been fired due to a drop in state funding and the end of federal stimulus funding. But if teachers there agreed to the 5.8 percent pension contribution, the school district says it would rehire 200 of those teachers...
<snip>
...Given the choice between fewer benefits and layoffs, the Milwaukee teachers’ union chose the latter...
<snip>
The only other district seeing such massive layoffs is Kenosha, where 212 teachers will be fired this year. “Kenosha is in the same boat as [Milwaukee], with a collective bargaining agreement signed before Walker took office that lasts until June 30, 2013,” the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported on July 16. “But most other Wisconsin districts have avoided layoffs and massive cuts to programs...”
<snip>
...One striking feature of Walker’s budget repair bill is the flexibility it has given school districts to balance their budgets...
HT: HotAir... (http://hotair.com/)
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... Given the choice between fewer benefits and layoffs, the Milwaukee teachers’ union chose the latter...
And that says it all. I intend to use this piece information for shoving in the face of the next person who claims this "never happens" - a union that would choose no jobs -- and a closing of the business in the case of the private sector -- over fewer bennies.
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Here's an update on Scott Walker's recall fight. (http://hotair.com/archives/2012/05/01/walker-raises-13-million-in-three-months-to-fight-recall/)
The numbers pose an embarrassing question for Democrats and unions attempting to dislodge Walker from office. How can a governor as unpopular as his opponents claim Walker is raise so much money so quickly to defend himself, while the two Democrats and their union allies raised so little? Polls show Walker consistently leading his two potential challengers in the recall, but the fundraising disparities suggest that the polls may be underestimating Walker’s strength.
Sounds good - guess we'll see how it plays out. A win there bodes well for the country as a whole as I think it will be a strong indication of how things will go in November. Same with the Obamacare and Arizona illegal immigration court cases.
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It's hard to imagine how energized the Leftists will become nationally if Walker goes down in June. This is a must-win for conservatism. I'd say perhaps the most important election this year aside from the O'Chimpy v Mittens contest.
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Where my folks live it is mostly Walker country, some pockets of fools as you would expect, mostly on the govt dole working union jobs at local schools. The big battlegrounds will be the urban areas where the saturation of idiots is in higher concentrations. Voter turnout will be key. This is one of those events where the motivated will decide the issue. And you know leftists will be busing in incoherent folks from the assisted living homes etc and every other filthy trick to swing this their way. Conservatives and independents have to get out and support Walker, or the results could be horrific for WI and spell trouble nationally by energizing asshats.
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It's hard to imagine how energized the Leftists will become nationally if Walker goes down in June. This is a must-win for conservatism. I'd say perhaps the most important election this year aside from the O'Chimpy v Mittens contest.
Where my folks live it is mostly Walker country, some pockets of fools as you would expect, mostly on the govt dole working union jobs at local schools. The big battlegrounds will be the urban areas where the saturation of idiots is in higher concentrations. Voter turnout will be key. This is one of those events where the motivated will decide the issue. And you know leftists will be busing in incoherent folks from the assisted living homes etc and every other filthy trick to swing this their way. Conservatives and independents have to get out and support Walker, or the results could be horrific for WI and spell trouble nationally by energizing asshats.
I agree completely. Though I am also feeling pretty good about things in Wisconsin. I've not read a whole lot about it lately, but what little I have found has been pretty positive stuff.
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If anyone not as familiar with what's at stake in Wisconsin as we are here needs a tutorial, I have seen none better. This is excellent, and worth watching, even for the informed. I didn't expect to be compelled to watch the whole thing, and I just finished all 16+ minutes.
Anarchy 101: How Wisconsin's Left Embraces Chaos (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fys7fzGtAcI#ws)
ETA: HT: gatewaypundit (http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2012/05/must-see-video-anarchy-101-how-wisconsins-left-embraces-chaos-violence/)
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Good find, IDP! And terrifying.
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Just an aside from the online article from the Milwaukee paper--this was the headline:
Walker raises $13 million since January
Cash cache dwarves what Democratic rivals have raised
By Jason Stein and Patrick Marley of the Journal Sentinel
link (http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/walker-raises-13-million-since-january-8o57q7r-149561525.html)
Has anyone ever seen dwarves used as a verb? I've seen dwarfs as a verb and dwarfs or dwarves as a noun. What an odd choice even if it's correct. Even the "cash cache" is annoying.
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It's annoying because it's illiterate.
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Good catch LadyV. The bastardization of the English language by the journalism profession proceeds unabated.
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Wisconsin Recall Amnesia
Why aren't Democrats running against Scott Walker's union reforms? (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303916904577377963809965708.html?mod=googlenews_wsj)
Because, as Ed Morrisey says, "...the outcomes are relentlessly positive." (http://hotair.com/archives/2012/05/04/why-arent-wisconsin-democrats-running-against-walkers-peu-reforms/)
...Since last summer, unions have been throwing millions at defeating the man who reformed collective bargaining for government workers and required union members to pay 5.8% of their paychecks toward pensions and 12.6% of their health insurance premiums, modest contributions compared to the average in private business. As the May 8 Democratic recall primary nears to determine who will run against Mr. Walker on June 5, this should be their rhetorical moment ne plus ultra.
So, let's see. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, the front-runner, has focused his campaigns on jobs, education, the environment and "making communities safer." One of Mr. Barrett's ads singles out "Walker's War on Women," with nary a mention of collective bargaining. Former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk is heavily supported by union groups, but even her issues list makes only passing reference to collective bargaining.
No wonder. Since Mr. Walker's reforms went into effect, the doom and gloom scenarios have failed to materialize. Property taxes in the state were down 0.4% in 2011, the first decline since 1998. According to Chief Executive magazine, Wisconsin moved up four more places this year to number 20 in an annual CEO survey of the best states to do business, after jumping 17 spots last year.
The Governor's office has estimated that altogether the reforms have saved Badger State taxpayers more than $1 billion, including $65 million in changes in health-care plans, and some $543 million in local savings documented by media reports. According to the Wisconsin-based MacIver Institute, Mayor Barrett's city of Milwaukee saved $19 million on health-care costs as a direct result of Mr. Walker's reforms. Awkward turtle.
Some of the good news has been in the schools, because districts have been able to avoid teacher layoffs and make ends meet because of flexibility created by the changes. In the Brown Deer school district, savings created by pension and health-care contributions from employees allowed the school to prevent layoffs and save some $800,000 for taxpayers.
In Fond du Lac, school board president Eric Everson says the district saved $4 million as a result of last year's reforms, including $2 million from the changes in employee contributions to their pensions.
Another 52 schools across the state saved an average of $220 per student thanks to the ability to introduce competitive bidding for health insurance, rather than automatically going through WEA Trust, the favored provider of the Wisconsin Education Association Council. If the savings are even half as large as the Governor's surveys indicate, they are still enormous.
All of this is making an impression on Wisconsin voters. According to a Marquette University Law School poll released Wednesday, only 12% of Wisconsin voters say "restoring collective bargaining rights" is their priority, which explains the Democratic decision to fight on other issues...
More at the WSJ....
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Jonathan Soros (http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/05/03/son-of-soros-1-percenters-fuel-wisconsin-recall) has his (small) donation finger in the recall pie.
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Ordinarily blows like those would hurt like the dickens but being the flounders that they are I'm sure they're feeeeeeeeeling no pain ::laughonfloor::
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Jonathan Soros (http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/05/03/son-of-soros-1-percenters-fuel-wisconsin-recall) has his (small) donation finger in the recall pie.
Is there any evil in this world that doesn't bear his tainted stink?
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To win, vituperative anti-Walker forces are putting up an estimated $60 million in ad dollars, all derived from union brethren from all parts of America. (http://www.americanthinker.com/2012/04/sixty-million_dollar_union_assault_on_wisconsin_governor_walker.html)
Wow. $60 million's a nice chunk of change. If they loose this, I wonder if they will consider it money well spent? Meh, if they loose this it's $60 million closer to bankruptcy for them. Sounds good to me.
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To win, vituperative anti-Walker forces are putting up an estimated $60 million in ad dollars, all derived from union brethren from all parts of America. (http://www.americanthinker.com/2012/04/sixty-million_dollar_union_assault_on_wisconsin_governor_walker.html)
Wow. $60 million's a nice chunk of change. If they loose this, I wonder if they will consider it money well spent? Meh, if they loose this it's $60 million closer to bankruptcy for them. Sounds good to me.
I'm waiting...waiting...waiting...
where's the required outrage at the amount spent on political campaigns?
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Okay, so here we are on primary night and yeah, big surprise...Walker wins the GOP primary and Barrett wins the Democrat primary.
BUT...
Do you want to know what is sort of surprising?
Well, I don't know what the final number will be but with 57% so far in, (http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/149767225.html) Walker has 38,383 more votes than all of the Democrat primary candidates combined.
That's interesting, wouldn't you say?
I mean, Walker had a token candidate running against him...he got 99% of the vote. That tells me that pretty much everyone knew that they didn't really need to turn out to vote for him. And yet they did...in HUGE numbers.
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I will post a final tally when all the votes are in. Right now it's at 76% reporting and the numbers look just as strong.
EDIT: Okay, looks are deceiving. Walker's totals are now less than the combined Democrats by 22,623. Still...he was running against a nobody.
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Okay, so here we are on primary night and yeah, big surprise...Walker wins the GOP primary and Barrett wins the Democrat primary.
BUT...
Do you want to know what is sort of surprising?
Well, I don't know what the final number will be but with 57% so far in, (http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/149767225.html) Walker has 38,383 more votes than all of the Democrat primary candidates combined.
That's interesting, wouldn't you say?
I mean, Walker had a token candidate running against him...he got 99% of the vote. That tells me that pretty much everyone knew that they didn't really need to turn out to vote for him. And yet they did...in HUGE numbers.
::danceban::
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Okay, 99% reporting and I'm not hanging around for the final 1% so here are the results:
All (5) of the Democrats got 650,725 votes.
Scott Walker got 613,597 votes.
So they beat him. In an election where he was running against some poor schmuck who got 3% of the vote.
I still say that is pretty pathetic. Here's this guy who is running virtually uncontested and he pulls in nearly as many votes as a much more competitive Democrat field of five.
Plus, you have to wonder how many Republicans did the Operation Chaos thing and voted for Barrett's commie symp challenger. I am guessing quite a few.
So there is the setup for the recall election. May the force be with Walker.
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The dems had more to lose in terms of show than Walker. Lots of Repub didn't vote because they didn't feel he needed it for this vote. But the Dems? This is all the momentum they could muster? For all their carrying on their turnout should have been higher.
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To win, vituperative anti-Walker forces are putting up an estimated $60 million in ad dollars, all derived from union brethren from all parts of America. (http://www.americanthinker.com/2012/04/sixty-million_dollar_union_assault_on_wisconsin_governor_walker.html)
Wow. $60 million's a nice chunk of change. If they loose this, I wonder if they will consider it money well spent? Meh, if they loose this it's $60 million closer to bankruptcy for them. Sounds good to me.
I'm waiting...waiting...waiting...
where's the required outrage at the amount spent on political campaigns?
I've got to start collecting pictures of all the union headquarters buildings that I ride by that are shuttered up ...
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That Barrett was going to be the guy the DemonRats put up against Walker come June 5th was all but a foregone conclusion...there could have been some Op Chaos going on with the Dem's, but bottom line this was going forward no mater what so June 5th is all that matters.
Let the real campaigning begin.
Oh, and let lose Eagle eyes, the lyin', cheatin' & stealin' Left needs to be kept close tabs on and exposed as the trash they are quickly and effectively!
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A mini civil war erupts over stage one of recall voting, can't wait to see what stage two brings...
::)
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/wife-hits-husband-with-suv-after-wisconsin-recall-argument/ (http://www.theblaze.com/stories/wife-hits-husband-with-suv-after-wisconsin-recall-argument/)
I don't know how this is going to break, but if a Repub hubby had run over a Dem wife, the hubby would be doing jail time while being arraigned on charges whilst being persecuted 24/7/365 by the MFM. I guess we'll find out if WI is about equal justice or political correctness.
Not taking bets.
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A mini civil war erupts over stage one of recall voting, can't wait to see what stage two brings...
::)
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/wife-hits-husband-with-suv-after-wisconsin-recall-argument/ (http://www.theblaze.com/stories/wife-hits-husband-with-suv-after-wisconsin-recall-argument/)
I don't know how this is going to break, but if a Repub hubby had run over a Dem wife, the hubby would be doing jail time while being arraigned on charges whilst being persecuted 24/7/365 by the MFM. I guess we'll find out if WI is about equal justice or political correctness.
Not taking bets.
She'd filed for divorce in January and she waits until NOW to hit him with the SUV? And over this?
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Walker won the largest uncontested share of a primary vote for governor last night in 40 years. His base is behind him when they really didn't need to show up at all.
These numbers should encourage us, but don't let up. Walker needs to win by a convincing margin and continues to need our support.
Still, fun to gloat if just for a day.
Posted by CAC (http://minx.cc/?post=329126)
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More good news for Walker - 2nd straight year with a surplus!
http://m.lacrossetribune.com/news/local/state-and-regional/walker-s-office-state-will-have-budget-surplus/article_7e254fca-9ae7-11e1-86c8-0019bb2963f4.html (http://m.lacrossetribune.com/news/local/state-and-regional/walker-s-office-state-will-have-budget-surplus/article_7e254fca-9ae7-11e1-86c8-0019bb2963f4.html)
::whoohoo::
Put that in your pipe and smoke it leftists!
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LINK (http://hotair.com/archives/2012/05/14/poll-puts-walker-up-nine-in-recall-fight/)
Now that Democrats have ended their divisive recall primary in Wisconsin, one would expect the polling to show their nominee to be gaining some traction against sitting Governor Scott Walker. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett was considered the stronger of the Democrats challenging Walker in the unusual recall election, and polls just after the recall showed him nearly within the margin of error of the incumbent. This week, however, a new poll from We Ask America of over 1200 likely voters puts Walker on top by nine, 52/43:
The election takes place on June 5th, so if this is an accurate look at the race as it stands now, Barrett is in big trouble. An incumbent with 52% three weeks before the election is going to be hard to beat under any circumstances, especially in a race with this kind of exposure. It has drawn national attention for more than a year, which means that there won’t be many who already support Walker who will suddenly discover a reason to switch. The same can’t be said for Barrett, who has only re-emerged into the spotlight after losing to Walker in 2010.
Update: Greg Sargent reports that Wisconsin Democrats are going public with their anger over a lack of support from the DNC:
“We are frustrated by the lack of support from the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Governors Association,” a top Wisconsin Democratic Party official tells me. “Scott Walker has the full support and backing of the Republican Party and all its tentacles. We are not getting similar support.”
“Considering that Scott Walker has already spent $30 million and we’re even in the polls, this is a winnable race,” the Wisconsin Dem continues. “We can get outspent two to one or five to one. We can’t get spent 20 to one.”
According to the Wisconsin Dem, the party has asked the DNC for $500,000 to help with its massive field operation. While the DNC has made generally supportive noises, the money has not been forthcoming, the official says — with less than a month until the June 5th recall election. The DNC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
It apparently doesn’t look winnable to the DNC, which tells you all you need to know about the polls on which WI Democrats rely.
Three weeks out, things are looking good in WI. Polls are polls though so take it with a grain of salt. ;)
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Yeah, we have the fraud factor to consider too, and if the libiots and unionistas are getting nervous, the buffoonery could be just getting started...Walker people need to turn out and if there is any attempt to pull NPB type itimidation at the polls it has to get confronted, reported and overwhelmed immediately!
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No Wonder They Hate Him… Wisconsin Union Loses Half of Membership Due to Walker’s Law (http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2012/05/no-wonder-they-hate-him-wisconsin-union-loses-half-of-membership-following-walkers-law/)
...Wisconsin membership in the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees-the state’s second-largest public-sector union after the National Education Association, which represents teachers-fell to 28,745 in February from 62,818 in March 2011.
::laughonfloor:: ::hysterical:: ::USA::
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but the Unions care about their members...
/
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... money.
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No Wonder They Hate Him… Wisconsin Union Loses Half of Membership Due to Walker’s Law (http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2012/05/no-wonder-they-hate-him-wisconsin-union-loses-half-of-membership-following-walkers-law/)
...Wisconsin membership in the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees-the state’s second-largest public-sector union after the National Education Association, which represents teachers-fell to 28,745 in February from 62,818 in March 2011.
::laughonfloor:: ::hysterical:: ::USA::
::clapping:: ::snoopydance::
Just as we all knew, this is what it's been about the whole time. It also shows that the unions have to depend on coercion, as with everything the liberals do.
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It also shows how much support the unions (and by association, the democrats) have right now...
...how many of those 'opting out' support the unions if they are 'opting out' after all? Sure, I imagine some of them are 'opting out' because of monetary reasons. But look at those numbers. Even if half of them were 'opting out' because of monetary reasons but still actually support unions...what's left is still a pretty large number.
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BTW - last I heard on the radio, Walker was up by 7%. Anyone know if that is accurate?
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Sounds about right, I heard 8% in another.
::thumbsup::
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Coolio! ::thumbsup::
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::USA::(http://th201.photobucket.com/albums/aa189/zerodiablos/th_cheesehead.gif) ::USA::
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::USA::(http://th201.photobucket.com/albums/aa189/zerodiablos/th_cheesehead.gif) ::USA::
Mmmmmm! Cheese!
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Racine, WI Tea Party (featuring Paul Ryan and others) rally had over 4000 and the Bill Clinton rally for Barrett had 900.
link (http://www.wigderson.com/index.php/2012/06/02/racine-tea-party-draws-thousands-ready-to-support-governor-walker/)
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Hot Air is citing a polling outfit that has Walker ahead by 12 points. (http://hotair.com/archives/2012/06/04/walker-no-plans-for-a-recount/)
Update: According to We Ask America, the race has shifted in the last few days — in Walker’s direction:
So, as fireworks continue to explode over the political horizon in the Dairy State, we asked 1,570 likely voters who they support in the June 5 election. Here are the results. …
Those surprising results would project at a 56-44 final win for Walker. HOWEVER, while Walker continues to lead Barrett, we once again caution readers that this is an extremely difficult election to predict. Turnout is king in all elections, and it may be even more important in this one. Wisconsin’s labor movement is keen to get as many of the anti-Walker voters to the polls as possible and have displayed the ability to rally their troops effectively. And Wisconsin regulations allow Election Day voter registration with a minimum of residency documentation–something that has both sides whispering of potential abuse from their opponents.
WAA had Walker up seven last week. This is an automated poll (like Rasmussen, for instance), conducted among 1570 likely voters, a very large sample for a statewide election. WAA warns that it will still come down to turnout, but that’s an eyepopping gap the day before the election.
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I bet the dem's were almost all rent-a-tard's too!
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More vindication for Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker: Federal Court Upholds PEU Reforms as Constitutional (http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/11/us-usa-unions-wisconsin-idUSBRE98A19F20130911?feedType=RSS&feedName=politicsNews&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&dlvrit=574655)
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More vindication for Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker: Federal Court Upholds PEU Reforms as Constitutional (http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/11/us-usa-unions-wisconsin-idUSBRE98A19F20130911?feedType=RSS&feedName=politicsNews&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&dlvrit=574655)
::danceban::
Federal Judge William Conley in Madison wrote in his ruling that the First Amendment grants public employees the right to free speech and association, but does not grant them collective bargaining rights.
whatdaya mean that ain't in da constitution? Its my right! /
::laughonfloor::
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More vindication for Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker: Federal Court Upholds PEU Reforms as Constitutional (http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/11/us-usa-unions-wisconsin-idUSBRE98A19F20130911?feedType=RSS&feedName=politicsNews&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&dlvrit=574655)
::danceban::
Federal Judge William Conley in Madison wrote in his ruling that the First Amendment grants public employees the right to free speech and association, but does not grant them collective bargaining rights.
whatdaya mean that ain't in da constitution? Its my right! /
::laughonfloor::
SHee-it! ::hysterical::
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Ouch, that'll leave a mark!
;D
::whoohoo::
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If this guy isn't 2016's leading GOP Presidential candidate, there's something systemically wrong with the GOP. There's something systemically wrong with the GOP. *sigh*
Wisconsin's 3rd Largest School District Overwhelmingly Votes To Drop Their Union (http://weaselzippers.us/2013/09/13/sweet-teachers-in-wisconsins-third-largest-school-district-overwhelmingly-vote-to-drop-their-union/)
WASHINGTON, D.C., Sept. 12, 2013 – Today, teachers in Kenosha, Wis., voted to decertify their union, the Kenosha Education Association, by a margin of nearly two to one. Only 37 percent of the teachers opted to retain the union in an election made possible by the labor reforms enacted under Gov. Scott Walker (R). The result goes to show that when workers have a choice on whether to join a union instead of being forced into one by law, they often choose to vote down the union.
Competitive Enterprise Institute labor policy analyst Matt Patterson said regarding the vote in Kenosha:
“Gov. Walker’s bold and effective reforms have loosened the grip of unions on Wisconsin’s public purse, to the benefit of taxpayers and to the detriment of Big Labor bosses. The news today proves what unions have long feared – that when workers are actually given a free and fair choice, they will often choose opt out of union membership altogether.
“The public at large—and an increasing number of union members—have become wise to the fact labor unions stifle innovation and burden governments and businesses with unsustainable costs and regulations.”
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What Scott Walker has accomplished in just a few years is highly significant. It's a template for success elsewhere, so predictably the GOP will squander the hell out of this opportunity (i.e. Ohio Republican Governor's failure to follow suit). This is actually a line of attack that can do serious and lasting damage to the Left, and they are well aware of it. There's a reason they made such a huge spectacle in Madison, and another huge spectacle in their failed attempt to recall Walker. Busting up this giant money laundering scheme the Democrats have been orchestrating for decades is something that can actually hurt them in a big way.
Also, aside from the policy implications I think this is just as important from a public perception standpoint. People can see that a majority of their fellow citizens are choosing against the unions. That Walker was elected in a blue state like Wisconsin is significant. That he survived an attempted recall with an even larger margin of victory is more significant still. Now we see school districts (and the taxpayers who foot their bills) already benefiting from the change, and none of the Democrats' doom mongering has come to pass. This is how preference cascades start. It's too bad we do not have a political vehicle capable of understanding this, let alone taking advantage of it.
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What Scott Walker has accomplished in just a few years is highly significant. It's a template for success elsewhere, so predictably the GOP will squander the hell out of this opportunity (i.e. Ohio Republican Governor's failure to follow suit). This is actually a line of attack that can do serious and lasting damage to the Left, and they are well aware of it. There's a reason they made such a huge spectacle in Madison, and another huge spectacle in their failed attempt to recall Walker. Busting up this giant money laundering scheme the Democrats have been orchestrating for decades is something that can actually hurt them in a big way.
Also, aside from the policy implications I think this is just as important from a public perception standpoint. People can see that a majority of their fellow citizens are choosing against the unions. That Walker was elected in a blue state like Wisconsin is significant. That he survived an attempted recall with an even larger margin of victory is more significant still. Now we see school districts (and the taxpayers who foot their bills) already benefiting from the change, and none of the Democrats' doom mongering has come to pass. This is how preference cascades start. It's too bad we do not have a political vehicle capable of understanding this, let alone taking advantage of it.
The republican establishment understands it...They just don't want it either.