Scott Walker and the Republicans in the Senate have stripped away all of bargaining rights of public workers, without the Democrats being in the chamber.
In a sleaze tactic more worthy of Stalinist Russia than a broad-shouldered Mid-Western state, the Republicans separated out the collective bargaining clauses of the "budget repair bill," held a private meeting to discuss the bill, called the Senate into session and passed this newly chopped up bill.
After weeks of protests, wrangling and millions of dollars spent on trying to sway elected officials, the Republican majority in the Senate simply ignored the spirit of the Wisconsin Constitution and rammed through the most contentious part of this bill.
So what does it mean?
A. We are in a new era of politics where the majority party will ramrod anything through without regard to public sentiment or respect for the body they have been honored with.
B. Politically motivated bills will be passed at all costs. In this case, most probably the careers of the Senators who passed this bill.
C. Legal loopholes should and will become the target of the majority party's ire. Getting loopholes like this one and the "anonymous filibuster" in the US Senate closed should become American priority one.
Our elected officials are elected from different parties so that they can find a middle path in the differing philosophies of our nation. This act makes it clear that there will be no tolerance for that in Scott Walker's Wisconsin.
It still needs to go thru the assembly.
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