The poisonous Republican move to institute permanent one party rule by destroying the unions that enable Democrats to compete, has spread beyond the borders of Wisconsin, as I predicted it would, when I first wrote about Republican union busting in Wisconsin on February 15. In some states Republicans are attacking the right to bargain collectively. In others they are attacking the right for workers to vote their workplace a union shop. Republicans want to destroy unions, because unions support Democrats.
Like a wind-whipped brush fire, the mass union protests that began in Madison, Wis., last week have spread to the capitals of Ohio and Indiana where Republican lawmakers also are trying to cripple the bargaining power of unions — and ultimately realize a cherished partisan dream of eradicating them. In each case, Republican talk of balancing budgets is cover for the real purpose of gutting the political force of middle-class state workers, who are steady supporters of Democrats and pose a threat to a growing conservative agenda.
In Ohio, Republican legislators, backed by Gov. John Kasich, have introduced a bill to end collective bargaining for state employees, in addition to imposing budgetary givebacks. Former Gov. Ted Strickland, a Democrat who was defeated by Mr. Kasich last year, has called the bill a “coordinated attack on the working middle class.” Thousands of union supporters showed up at the Capitol in Columbus on Tuesday, but the party appears to have the votes to pass the measure.
Across the border, Republicans are pushing a bill that would make Indiana what is misleadingly known as a “right-to-work” state. That means workers cannot be required to join public- or private-sector unions or pay dues, starving unions of the money they need to operate. Democrats in the Indiana House left the state to prevent a vote, tying up all legislation for two days. Thousands of workers have rallied on the Statehouse grounds. Gov. Mitch Daniels (who ended collective-bargaining rights for state workers in 2005) has supported the bill’s concept but on Tuesday urged Republicans to drop it because it could interfere with other items on his agenda.
Conservative leaders in most states with strong unions have in the past generally made accommodations with organized labor, often winning support on social issues in return. That changed this year after wealthy conservatives poured tens of millions of dollars into the election campaigns of hard-right candidates like Mr. Kasich and Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin.
As Eric Lipton reported in The Times on Tuesday, the billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch, who have long been staunch union opponents, were among the biggest contributors to Mr. Walker. (Americans for Prosperity, the conservative group financed by the Kochs, will begin running anti-union broadcast ads in Wisconsin in the next few days.)… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <NY Times>
Chris Hayes updates the backlash against the Republican poison and interviews columnist Ezra Klein.
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Ezra summed it up perfectly. It’s about POWER!
Ed Schultz calls the poison Republican class warfare against the middle class.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
He’s right on!
I keep bringing this up because it’s so critically important. If we lose the unions, we lose the nation.
19 Responses to “The Republican Poison Spreads”
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Mother Jones posted an article this morning documenting an Indiana Deputy Attorney General (Jeffrey Cox) advocating the use of LIVE AMMUNITION on the Wisconsin protesters.
http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/02/indiana-official-jeff-cox-live-ammunition-against-wisconsin-protesters
So if you’re wanting to share your thoughts about Cox’s Tweets, it might be best to contact his bosses in the Indiana Attorney General Office – someone like …
Tom Fisher, Solicitor General
E-mail: tom.fisher@atg.in.gov
Or …
Bryan Corbin, Public Information Officer for the Attorney General’s Office
E-mail: bryan.corbin@atg.in.gov
I know Nameless. It’s part of today’s lead piece.
Great post Tom. I can tell you that millions of Canadian trade union members are following the Wisconsin assault very closely. Keep blogging on this story for us. I have a post on DailyKOS that is related to your story in that the Wisconsin Treasury is broke because of the ‘corporate welfare; that the GOP has been dishing out to the rich since the days of Reagan.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/02/23/948791/-Its-Called-Corporate-Welfare-
Keep us informed Tom!
LD
Canada
Thanks Dawg!! I agree and have covered the corporate welfare aspect of the situation in a couple earlier posts.
NDP!!
All the best Tom! Keep up the good fight!!!
The last I heard was, the governors of Indiana and Florida have both backed down from their attempts to castrate unions. I’m sure their motivation is the political backlash against Mubarak Walker; and not suddenly developing a conscience or having a change of heart.
The public is getting involved for the first time in decades. It’s like the ’60s all over again.
I agree that it does look like the ’60s all over again, however I am afraid that this time there is going to be bloodshed before it is over. I am 69 years old and never in all of my life have I seen such anger and hatred as we now have over everything that people in this country disagree with.
Guys, the 1960s were nowhere near this bad, except for two times. Chicago 68 and Kent State.
We need to keep up the fight. Those bastard Koch brothers need to be taught a lesson – that the kind of bullshit they practice down in Texas will NOT be tolerated by the rest of the country!
Amen to you, Jack!
I do agree with all that is said here– with Charles — I am 70 + it is much worse than the ’60s — I do agree that the potential for bloodshed is very high– the scum , excuse me , politicians who are trying to destroy the working class in this country — underestimate the anger that has been brewing– I am very afraid it is coming to a head– all that is needed is to see shots fired— but the time has also come to stand up to the bastard Koch brothers and all there ilk–their cover has been blown –they bought themselves a few governors– they are the Tea Baggers OK– It is all about Power and control— and as long as people knuckle under to abusers the worse the abuse becomes./
Well said, Phyllis.
Yesterday I posted the below comment on another site. While I also don’t like violence while commenting on not caring if Republicans are killed it is only because they are pure evil. That is today’s Republicans and not the Republicans of my or your younger years.
We should all know by now that like terrorists you can not negotiate with them or Republicans because they will kill you and they will kill your family. So lets not forget what happens when evil makes a power grab and read my comment and link with it below.
Comment:
Yeah, I know another Nazi reference.
http://newsjunkiepost.com/2011/02/20/may-1933-hitler-abolishes-unions/
On May 2nd, 1933, the day after Labor day, Nazi groups occupied union halls and labor leaders were arrested. Trade Unions were outlawed by Adolf Hitler, while collective bargaining and the right to strike was abolished. This was the beginning of a consolidation of power by the fascist regime which systematically wiped out all opposition groups, starting with unions, liberals, socialists, and communists using Himmler’s state police.
The above is happening here in America right now. To not stand up now and stop this evil taking place will mean blood on American Streets in the near future.
As SoINeedAName said above in his comment they will use force and they will shoot and kill anyone who opposes them. You read the Deputies remarks yet we have not heard them say the same about the tea baggers who invaded town hall meetings wearing side arms and carrying AK 47’s to intimidate those who wanted to discuss issues with their elected representatives.
These people are evil and I do fear that in the near future that War is indeed coming to Our Country again.
AP, National Socialism and Republican fascist (classical sense) corporate plutocracy are not the same, but the are similar.
They fired that Cox ass! http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/02/23/6117387-indiana-official-loses-job-after-live-ammo-tweet?GT1=43001 😈
And I’m glad they did!
The violence has already started and it has come from the right in the most recent past. Tuscon. Die standing or live on your knees is my motto. I am for inundating the with paper and electronic mail for now every elected official who has done business with Kock bros or Roves PAC.
Mark, they should all be removed from office.