Without Unions this country would not be or have what it has today. My Dad is 89 years old and he still can tell you about what this country was like when businesses steel companies major factories like FORD, GM, BOWING, cabinet companies, Insurance companies, Banks, and i could go on and Food stores did not care about the people that worked for them. If you were hurt on the job lost a hand an arm a foot in a mach or had hot metal or plastic hit you in the eye and put and eye out and you were the main income provider. But now you were hurt and you still had to work to pay for food to feed your family. Your employer put you in the same job or in a job that made less money because you got hurt and were not as good of a worker to that him anymore so you now made less money BECAUSE YOU GOT HURT IT WAS YOUR FAULT! Not the fault of the employer for not providing you with the right equipment to do the job in the first place? No not that the employer should have provided a pair of glasses that would have prevented the employee from losing an eye when a piece of hot plastic came out of a hot mold at about 780 degrees. A Union protects workers if it was not for Unions employers of major companies would have never paid pensions, health care beneifits, benefits to the spouse it the husband or wife is killed on the job. Companies would be free to do what they want.
It was Unions that made these things a reality. So when anyone tries to destroy a Union they are trying to destroy your only protection you as a worker have weather you are in a Union or not because OSHA was created because of Union's and the Repubilcans or major business say if we get rid of Unions we can compete with China BULL!!!
China is a Communist Country and all you ever hear from the Republicans is how this person and that person is a Communist.
But when it suits their needs to do their dirty work they make it out as though a Communist Country is something they look up too to get their way.
This is what you call TWO FACED!

Signed, Col KC

I've been really frustrated and angry with MSM for not covering the actual facts and I'm angry with all this Republican right-wing rhetoric that it gives me a headache. There is nothing positive at all about the Republicans and tea party. I want too defeat these turds in 2012.

With a high school GED and no previous work experience a person can get a UNION job WITH health benefits - very few other employers offer comparable jobs.

Some UNION jobs like the IronWorkers have trade schools that pay workers to attend school and work (they call the school "PUNK" schools - lol)

I am not saying that all jobs should be UNION jobs - but there are jobs where UNIONs make sense.

Support UNION workers so that they can support their families with a decent wage and health care. Avoid Sam’s Club, Walmart other large non-union stores. Support Union and Union like stores like COSTCO that have bargaining agreements with their employees.

The UNION played a large role in shaping America's labor laws, benefits, and working conditions, which still exists today.

THE WEEKEND IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE UNIONS - enjoy it........

i'm no mathematician, but I am trying to figure this out. Help. Okay, based on $10.00 an hour (without considering raises), and 5% investment in pensions.
At 40 hours a week, 52 weeks in a year, and working 30 years. The worker would have $31,200 plus interest. This does not include however much the company paid. It's not all that much money. So this is what is bringing down the country, eh?
Now is this the amount of money that was speculated away, and lost on wall street? If this is the story, then I am even more p.o'd.
Have you watched the Ed Show the last couple nights. Good stuff. I emailed the Pres about talking up the unions. 'bout time he speaks up!

Gov. Walker has joined a long list of Republicans who have used "union-busting" tacits since 1860 to the present time...click to view history: http://tinyurl.com/6g68ru7

Thanks to all those who vote Republican in 2010. Now they reap what sow.

The Koch's are not backing down. Neither can we.

http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_f32e55de-40e1-11...

Voters keep electing Republican extremists who hate America. Don't whine when they turn the place into Mexico...

this makes no sense, if workers are paid less, it weakens the economy and they pay less tax.

Even if they decide to pass it without the Dems in the Senate, which I think they will attempt, it Will be challenged in the courts and would Certainly Loose! No matter what happens, I believe the courts are going to throw this out.

WISCONSIN YOU LOSE, THIS ONE, BETTER LEARN , MING. CORPORATE COMMUNISM DAVID KOCH VISION; SLAVERY CORPORATE STYLE: CHOP STICKS CHOP STICKS DEATH BY 1000 CUTS! WISCONSIN!

Steamrolling the minority at one o'clock in the morning. Bravely done. Koch-thugs are profiles in courage. "Get the grandkids and I'll tell them about the time I screwed the working folks when no one was looking" "Oh! Oh! The sun is coming up! Quick, lock the capitol doors."

Are the liberals and progressives happy that they stayed home this past Nov and didn't vote? I mean the Republicans and the tea party dismantled ACORN, now they are going after the worker's rights, they're going after women's rights, they're killing jobs.

As a very progressive NYC liberal who has stood by President Obama and continues to stand by him and the Democrats since day one. Every single progressive who didn't go out and vote this past Nov needs to be slapped and I mean a wake up slap.

I live in NYC and I don't know what else I can do to help the progressive cause I voted for and supported Anthony Weiner and I donated money to Russ Feingold and to Bill Halter I even sent some money to Grayson. But that seems to not be enough.

First Amendment:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to ASSEMBLE, and to PETITION the Government for a redress of GRIEVANCES.

-They cannot outlaw collective bargaining. It is a right.
Republicans want to change the constitution and take away our rights.

I'm betting the deficit was created by cutting taxes to corporations and the rich.

Republicans were right, their first issue is Jobs. -Killing Jobs.

To all the folks that this is going to effect. Please GO ON STRIKE! take time off from work if you have a job. Take a trip out of town. Better yet sprang something then take sick leave,

It's a sad day indeed when any hard working ordinary person is denied the right to collectively bargain.

perhaps all the civil workers should go on a sort of limited strike. when the garbage starts piling up in the capital building maybe the bastard rethugs will get the message.

I'm opening a wayward home for disenfranchised Democrats they are welcome to stay here as long as needed...We'll keep them safe from the Imperial walker mini mubarek ...They sure are punctual when its about lining their pockets ya know!

The protests need to be louder than ever, now. Protests about not just union rights, but also protests about our civil liberties systematically being pirated. The radical right seems to call everyone but themselves tyrants, while their actions show exactly the opposite.

Some of our American (and human) liberties were stolen today.

Sadly, I find myself fighting off the urge to scream "I TOLD YOU SO" about all of the political shenanigans that are going on today due to the gross stupidity, ignorance, and laziness of the vast majority of the voters. Instead of taking the time to research and understand who and what they were voting for, they just sat there and let the Koch bros, big oil, corporations, Dick Armey, and Fox decide. Now, we have nothing but extreme right wing nut jobs trying to finish off the job done by the shrub and his band of criminals. Personally, I torn sometimes at being pissed off and sitting back and thinking: Congrats - you voted them in, you deserve this.

american revolution?

On one hand, it almost seems as though Republicans are striving hard to instigate physical conflict, so that they can justify calling out troops with live ammo! This entire affair may have far more sinisiter implications than even Union Busting.

On one hand, can we not thank Walker for not meeting the modest Union demands, which will now lead to a greater contest which may result in Walker being physically carried out of the Capitol building with a "do not return order"?

Perhaps this was a calculated move to let House Dems go pick up their pay checks, knowing that the Senators will continue to stay away and prevent a passing of the legislation.

If it wasn't intentional, it still might be propitious. However, wouldn't it be laughable if the protesters carried all of the anti Americans activist republicans right out of that capitol, into the streets?

Please spare us the gallant "Democrats tried in vain to stop the Republicans" spin. The Dems are only playing a role...since they helped destroy the industrial/manufacturing base of this nation passing NAFTA and other "trade bills" The unions are complicit in that they trusted a corrupted system of govt. fo far too long. Particularly the well paid leadership more so than the people.

As much as it's difficult to watch all of this going down...it's exactly what needs to happen. The people need to be brought to a point where they are so pissed off that they can do nothing but act.

If republicans are willing to shut down government to preserve tax cuts for the rich I hop the dems are willing to shut down Wisconsin state government to preserve the rights of the people.

..so much fucking corruption is going on right under all our very noses we need to stand up and do something! the government works for us not against us and somewhere they forgot about that but not anymore this could be the beginning to something very big and if anyone has the chance to protest then by all means do it before it gets even more out of hand and we become a third world country...they have taken advantage of us for to long and its time to end it! we need to stand up and make them stop! make them bring jobs back! investigate every single government officials bank accounts and see who is getting pay offs! we need to do something people we are losing this battle!

What is telling is the fact that these cowards fled in a private elevator and an exit sealed off from the protesters..shame is what motivates that kind of exit, not pride. If they really felt what they did was moral they would have proudly walked among the citizens and have big smiles...no instead they ran from the people like the cockroaches they are when the lights are turned on!

living in this state i can say that the facsism is alive and well. the reps acted like
"ok we heard your pleas, but we are going to do what we want anyway" and that is CRAP!! Wisconsin does diserver better Walker, Better then YOU! This is not how politics should be!

Reminds me of the passage of healthcare reform.

The funny thing is they just burned whatever ability they had to claim the high road in this battle, and they get nothing out of it. The Senate can't pass it.

The Reps slammed throught the budget repair bill last night cutting off the remainder of the debate. Taking a vote in almost ambush style. The Dems are outraged. The bill is still dead in the water because the Dems are still out of state.