Many of us here in Wisconsin (and even some folks outside of Wisconsin) have been working our asses off since Scott Walker "dropped the bomb" in February of 2011. I would like to take some time to remind all of you what we have accomplished since then, in hopes of giving you the much-needed burst of energy to help you push through to the June 5th recall election. Below I have a timeline of the major events that I personally experienced with my own pictures included. I wasn't at all of the major events, and some of them I was at, I didn't get pictures of, so I know a lot is missing. Please feel free to include your own pictures in a comment and include the date and what the event was if possible.
February 16th, 2011: My first day at the protests. About 25,000 people gathered at our State Capitol, and protestors had started sleeping over in the Capitol the night before. Democratic state senators flee the state to prevent the quorum necessary for a vote on the bill.
February 17th, 2011: The crowd grows...
February 19th, 2011: The crowd size is estimated at over 70,000 people.
February 25th, 2011: The budget repair bill passes the assembly in the early morning of the hours, after they had been debating for over 60 hours straight. Afterwards, Cory Mason came down to the rotunda and addressed the protestors.
February 27th, 2011: Police order protestors to leave the building at closing time. Thousands stayed, and police were unable to remove them. A smaller group of protestors held the Capitol for a few more days.
March 4th, 2011: Protestors had been sleeping outside of the Capitol since being kicked out. They stayed out there even through blizzards, such as this one.
March 9th, 2011: Wisconsin Republicans passed legislation to limit state workers' collective bargaining rights by removing that part from the bill, making it possible to pass it without a quorum. Thousands of people descend upon the Capitol, and despite attempts to keep the building locked down, they force their way in and retake the building for the night.
March 10th, 2011: Protestors attempt to block the assembly from voting on the legislation that would limit state workers' collective bargaining rights by taking over the assembly chambers. Police forcibly remove them.
June 4th, 2011: Activists get a permit to camp across the street from the Capitol, and Walkerville begins on June 4th, which lasts for two weeks.
June 26th, 2011: Walker signs the budget repair bill into law while citizens protest outside.
August 9th, 2011: Thousands gather at the Capitol where Ed Shultz is reporting live on the election results from the senate recalls. Two of the republicans up for recall lost, and we gain two more democratic senators.
November 15th, 2011: This was the first day we started gathering signatures for the second round of recalls, which included Governor Walker, Lieutenant Governor Kleefisch, and four republican state senators. Citizens gathered in Wauwatosa that night to march to Walker's neighborhood, where his neighbors allowed us onto their lawns to sign recall petitions by candlelight.
November 19th, 2011: Citizens gathered at the Capitol for a recall kickoff rally. An estimated 40,000 people were there.
December 19th, 2011: Over 1,000 people gathered inside the Capitol during the first sing along that was held inside after a new, unconstitutional, administrative policy was put into effect on December 16th. The policy made it illegal for more than three people to gather at the Capitol to protest without a permit. No tickets were given, and the new administrative policy still has yet to be enforced to this day.
December 23rd, 2011: The recall efforts are going strong, including the Fitzgerald recall, which was filed by Lori Compas, despite the DPW's refusal to be involved.
January 17th, 2012: We deliver almost one million signatures to the GAB to recall Walker; almost double the amount we needed. We also deliver enough signatures to trigger a recall of Lt. Governor Kleefisch, and four republican senators.
March 10th, 2012: There is a rally held at the Capitol for the one year anniversary of the passage of the legislation that limited state workers' collective bargaining rights. An estimated 65,000 people gathered there.
March 12th, 2012: The Solidarity Sing Along has it's one year anniversary, and the overpass light brigade makes an appearance at it.
April 10th, 2012: Arthur Kohl-Riggs, a 23 year old activist, turns in over 2,300 signatures to get on the ballot as a progressive republican, forcing republicans to vote for Walker instead of for the fake democrat.
May 8th, 2012: Tom Barrett wins the democratic primary for governor, and Mahlon Mitchell wins the democratic primary for Lt. Governor. All four of the real democratic senators win the primary despite the republicans running fake democrats against them.
May 22nd, 2012: And today I voted against Scott Walker and Rebecca Kleefisch. Please remember to VOTE. You can vote early at your City Clerk or County Clerk's office (find your location here) or at your polling place on June 5th.
Wisconsin, we've come along way, but we need to finish this off on June 5th, and then work to hold our new governor accountable. Recall Walker, reclaim democracy, and rebuild Wisconsin. FORWARD!