The Wisconsin State Senate Republicans, in a parliamentary maneuver which rivaled their Democratic counterparts’ tactic of leaving the state, took the ban on public union collective bargaining out of the budget and passed it on its own 18-1.
Once we heard Scott Walker’s phone call with the fake Koch brother we knew this was a foregone conclusion. At least one of the GOP state senators is comparing this to the Democratic majority in Congress using the budget reconciliation process to avoid a filibuster and pass the recent federal health care legislation. Well played, fellas. Brilliant legislative strategy - but a poor political one.
Here’s why: every Democratic candidate running in 2008, from dog catcher on up to President, was pushing health care reform as part of their agenda. This has been old news going back to 1993 when President Bill Clinton tried to get it passed. We knew it was coming.
But how many state representatives in Wisconsin ran on a platform of eliminating public sector unions? I can’t think of one off the top of my head.
That’s because the idea of health care reform appeals to a wider audience than just the far left. The American people may have rejected the methods under which it passed, but polls have consistently shown a desire for reform.
Where are the polls showing support for taking away collective bargaining rights? Oh, that’s right, there aren’t any. It’s a bad idea that may appeal to the far right, but is a loser among everyone else.
The Republicans are betting that the short memories of the American people will avoid any political fallout from their pursuit of this hidden agenda. That this will become the “new normal”, and that the loss of money from unions will cripple the Democratic Party and insulate the GOP from any backlash, leading to a permanent majority.
That may be. But this war is not over. Not by a long shot.