Community | March 13, 2011 | 4 comments

After weeks of hiding and cowering, Democrats return to Wisconsin Capitol

source: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-wisconsin-unions-20110313,0,4942967.story

Image
crunchynuts
Reporting from Madison, Wis.
The 14 Democratic state senators who fled Wisconsin last month in a failed attempt to block legislation stripping most public employees of nearly all collective-bargaining rights returned to the Capitol on Saturday, welcomed by the cheers of thousands of supporters and promising to continue their fight.

"It is so good to be here, Wisconsin!" said state Senate Minority Leader Mark Miller, the first senator to address the crowd. He and his colleagues had just marched around the Capitol, shaking hands with protesters as they followed union firefighters playing bagpipes and carrying U.S. and Wisconsin flags.

Madison police estimated that 85,000 to 100,000 people gathered at the Capitol and on surrounding streets Saturday, making the rally the largest since protests began about a month ago.

No arrests or citations were reported, police spokesman Joel DeSpain said.

The Democratic senators — who fled to Illinois on Feb. 17 — insisted they had not lost their battle, even though the Republican-controlled Legislature passed the bill last week after using a parliamentary maneuver to get around the boycott. Gov. Scott Walker, a Republican, signed the bill into law on Friday.


*********
  1. groups:
    Community
  2. tags:
    DNC,  union protests
  3.     
    |

4 comments // After weeks of hiding and cowering, Democrats return to Wisconsin Capitol

  • simplecj
    • +1
      simplecj  

    • Since they weren't the majority, it would have passed earlier if they had stayed and voted. To show their disapproval they left. The support of the public shows they were right to do so. What would you have them do? Smile while the Rep majority screws the very public and principles they are supposed to stand for?

      Their vote wouldn't have stopped it, leaving was the only way to truly show how they felt about it.

      I think what the Republicans in WI and the governor are doing is downright shameful, your apparent support for them is shameful too. Go crunch your nuts somewhere else...

      Vote this shit down!!

    • 1 year ago
  • crunchynuts
    • -1
      crunchynuts  
    • simplecj:

      the kind of running and hiding and hindering is nothing more than what the unions and the DNC sees as "collective bargaining"...

      majority or not..you were elected by your constituents to defend them..voice their concerns..and not run away. and hide...and you are asking where is this democratic process??

    • 1 year ago
  • crunchynuts
    • -3
      crunchynuts  

    • i think abandoning your responsibilities to your constituents and hindering the democratic process is grounds for a recall..

      realistic?? YES

    • 1 year ago
  • crunchynuts
    • -1
      crunchynuts  

    • they fought the republicans??? hahhahaha i guess hiding is considered "fighting" in DNC strategy..

      well did they meet the republicans on the floor and filed a formal argument??

      ahh they stayed outside and hid behind the protestors...
      humm

      vote for a democrat with balls next time..

    • 1 year ago
more from Community:
from the community

top videos