UPDATE: This atrocious bill was just "passed" by the State Senate with the public shouting "shame, shame, shame....". The session was abruptly adjurned ny Sen. Lasich (R-TeaBagger) after a nearly party line vote.
Republicans in Wisconsin have been ramming controversial matters through the Legislature since the Red Tide of 2010. This week, they've put away their battering rams and started using a team of bulldozers to push Right to Work Mooch legislation through.
Last night, they abruptly ended committee testimony by citing "threats". They moved to such a fast vote that 1 of 2 Democrats was having a conversation and was bypassed for his vote by the Committee Chairman. It wouldn't really have mattered since, of course, Republicans control that committee just as the control everything in State Government.
Republicans had planned to end public testimony at 7 p.m., but shortly before 6:30 p.m. committee chairman Sen. Steve Nass (R-Whitewater) said he was cutting off the meeting abruptly because of what Nass called a "credible threat" in a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel report. That story said union demonstrators were planning to peacefully disrupt the committee vote by raising their voices if Republicans didn't let everyone from the public testify.
Yes, the "credible threat" they didn't specify was the fact that people were going to get loud. Of course, it falls in line with their reference to protesters as thugs and terrorists.
They don't even care how things look any more.
Do you know what the top story is in Wisconsin? Sit down and grab a barf bag. It's about the release of Packers linebacker AJ Hawk. While RTW is getting some coverage, it's topped by a sports story. [Update: it's now the #1 story]
The RTW bill was quietly introduced on Friday night last week (the same way as their union busting Act 10). It was scheduled for committee yesterday and automatically scheduled for a vote in the State Senate today. Several Republicans have privately said that they opposed the bill, but they would vote for it out of fear of being primaried.
The State Senate, with a small Republican majority was our only chance of defeating it. The Assembly is 2/3 filled with Republicans, thanks to their 2012 gerrymandering. We don't have a prayer there.
And Scott Walker, who just a month ago called Right to "Work" legislation "a distraction" and "something I don't want", has changed his mind since he's now a Presidential candidate and leader in the Republican polls. He's already announced he'll sign it despite being named a flip flopper by PolitiFact.
The Republican Governor who said THREE TIMES during his 2014 campaign that he was ONLY interested in being Governor and wasn't seeking a Presidential run also doesn't care how he looks in Wisconsin any more. He's got a bigger prize in mind.
And just like his past signings of extremist legislation, he'll likely sign it late on Friday night or some time this weekend in private - no cameras, no reporters, just a press release announcing it.
They've done so much damage in such a short time that it's hard to believe. As much as I try to keep decent thoughts about people in my mind, tonight I literally hate these people and those who pay to keep them in office.
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