Thursday morning, the Senate's Democrats absconded, which kept the bill from passing and the protest going. And here's a State Journal scoop: Republican Mike Ellis, the state senate president, helped the last of the 14 Democrats get out of state, at least according to that Democrat, Tim Cullen. Cullen was assisting the family of Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Bill Bablitch, who had just died. Cullen says he called Ellis "to ask if he could enter the Capitol without being detained," and Ellis "said fine, come in. There's no problem." Keep in mind that the Republicans only needed one vote to meet their quorum. They had Cullen, and they let him get away! According to Cullen. Ellis even called Cullen as Cullen was driving to Illinois to "double check" if he got out okay. According to Cullen. Doesn't that mean the Republicans accepted or even encouraged the prolongation of the protests?
February 27, 2011
Doesn't this mean the Republicans accepted or even encouraged the prolongation of the protests?
Because the previous post is so long, I'm breaking out this paragraph so you won't miss it:
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You can imagine the propaganda had it happened otherwise. Democratic Senator Barred From Funeral, Forced to Participate In Sham Vote on Public Unions.
That's it. An act of common, human decency is encouraging the "prolongation" of the protests.
It sounds magnanimous to me.
Like the Christmas truce in WWI.
Doesn't that mean the Republicans accepted or even encouraged the prolongation of the protests?
No. It means, at the least, Ellis didn't want to appear as having forcefully detained or imprisoned Cullen for the sake of passing the bill. It appears though that Ellis genuinely respected Cullen's right to come and go as he pleased and was truly concerned for Cullen's safety and well being. Something foreign to many of the lefties.
What if the senator had had bronchial pneumonia or something and needed to go home? Should he have been detained for that vote? I'm glad to see that one of the 14 had a valid excuse for not being on the floor the first day--which doesn't mean the senator had a valid excuse for staying away.
No it means he had some class and extended a human courtesy to someone in a time of need. And it shows the Republican, unlike the your average librul douchnozzle, would not put every politcial issue in a life or death category.
I think DADvocate is probably right.
Also, I speculate that the Republicans thought the leaving-the-state move was just some short-term theatrics and so not worth any confrontations.
Eventually, the leaving-the-state move will be short-term theatrics. A few weeks of drama only seems long at the time.
Doing the right thing even if it is against one's own interest is something leftists simply do not understand. It's as foreign to them as the concepts of personal responsibility, self-reliance, and the money I make is my money, not yours.
Doesn't that mean the Republicans accepted or even encouraged the prolongation of the protests?
No, it means that one Republican made a decision that resulted in the Democrats being able to prolong the protests.
Your extension of responsibility from the one to the many is peculiar. Would you say that "the Palestinians" murdered Bobby Kennedy?
Of all this I'm reminded of the fact that even reporters in the D.C. MSM are forced to publicly admit (and have done so on more than one occasion that I've personally observed on talking-heads TV) that of the two parties, the GOP unfailingly treats the "little people" in the Capitol (doormen, barbers, shop clerks, capitol police, etc..) far better (more polite, considerate, inquiring as to health, etc.) than do the Donkeys, (the very party supposedly built on and for, the "little man.") who tend to either brusquely ignore them as lesser creatures or callously treat them as the hired help.
Moral of the story: Republicans should stop being nice and cordial. They will be called dicks anyway and does anybody believe similar courtesies would be offered the other way?
"According to Cullen"
No good deed goes unpunished.
Maybe he extended a courtesy and maybe he ain't that quick when it comes to seizing an advantage.
/from the link:
But there was a problem: Sen. Tim Cullen of Janesville didn't participate in the vote to leave Wisconsin. He was helping the family of former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Bill Bablitch notify the media of Bablitch's death.
When he heard the plans, Cullen called Senate President Mike Ellis, R-Neenah, to ask if he could enter the Capitol without being detained.
"He said fine, come in. There's no problem," Cullen told the State Journal.
Ellis, who runs the Senate, cautioned Cullen to leave by 11 a.m., when the Senate was scheduled to consider the bill and he would be forced to institute a "call of the house" to try to compel the 14 senators back to the chamber
I have a feeling that Ellis will have a different account.
There's something wrong upholding this man's apparent simple act of decency and then scorning liberals and Democrats because they wouldn't do the same thing.
Is that the way we should respond to decency? Shouldn't we welcome acts of bipartisan kindness without turning them into something partisan?
"Ellis could not be reached for confirmation on Friday."
But the Democrat hiding out in Illinois, playing musical motel room, was easy to reach...
Dems have an amazingly short sighted ability to plan. Why the hell should the GOP not do this to them over and over?
phx: Shouldn't we welcome acts of bipartisan kindness without turning them into something partisan?
You mean like Cullen just did? Why would he tell this story to the media?
Perhaps if every Democratic vote was required and the Republicans allowed him to leave, but then cried foul because he was holding up the process.
Come on, 13 other Democrats and not a single one of them can be held responsible for subverting democracy??
To continue my point, above, it would seem that although the Donkeys find it convenient to think of themselves as cultured Athenians to the boorish GOP Spartans, in reality, the Donkeys only talk the talk of courtesy, concern and politeness while the Elephants in everyday practice actually walk the talk--the only thing that really matters. I'm reminded of a story/legend from ancient Greece related by the legendary V.M Hillyer of the Calvert School in Baltimore in his seminal "A Child's History of the World" (or was it the "Child's Geography one?) in which an elderly man from Athens wanted to sit amongst the Athenians at the Olympic games, but upon arrival found all the seats taken and no Athenian would give up his seat to allow the old man to sit. Whereupon the (supposedly "courser") Spartans arose and said (para from memory): "Here, come sit with us though you be Athenian, for Spartans know how to respect their elders even if your own do not"
If they did, it was a master stroke. The world saw the Democrats as cowards who refuse to debate the issues- even if futile. People also saw the Democrats refusal to accept the fact that elections have consequences.
Cullen was assisting the family of Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Bill Bablitch, who had just died.
No, this does not mean the Republicans accepted or even encouraged the prolongation of the protests.
What it means is the Republicans are decent people. If Cullen now wants to spin it like he got away with something, then it's just more evidence the Democrats are belly-crawling liars who can't be trusted.
I even find your spin on it weird. What is it about seeing reality - straight-on - that's so difficult for liberals?
And BTW - now that I'm sure you're totally in love with me - it's me birthday.
phx: Shouldn't we welcome acts of bipartisan kindness without turning them into something partisan?
Fen: You mean like Cullen just did? Why would he tell this story to the media?
Bingo.
OT: Garage Mahal call your office.
"50-State Union Protest Falls Far Short Of Predicted Turnout"
http://bit.ly/gPsLAo
/from the article:
Ellis, who runs the Senate, cautioned Cullen to leave by 11 a.m., when the Senate was scheduled to consider the bill and he would be forced to institute a "call of the house" to try to compel the 14 senators back to the chamber
Completely unsourced.
How could the reporter know this? Did he get it from Cullen? Did he just make it up? Reporters need to stop doing this. It make me ask if I'm reading the news or being fed propaganda.
I think there is collegiality among some Senators still. Helping a family deal with a death -- of a most excellent jurist -- is a nice thing to do. Allowing someone to do that is a nice thing to do.
People in Wisconsin are nice.
I am glad to see most of the commentators agree this was a simple act of human kindness and that is the only part worthy of note.
I guess in a way this is what I was looking for: An Althousian criticism of the Republicans: They're too nice to their opponents.
The professor says she is no Republican. But, her inability to find flaws in Republicans or conservatives supports an inference that she is in fact conservative.
I propose a sort of Turing test to determine if one is right-wing or not. Per wikip, "the Turing test is a test of a machine's ability to demonstrate intelligence. A human judge engages in a natural language conversation with one human and one machine, each of which tries to appear human. All participants are separated from one another. If the judge cannot reliably tell the machine from the human, the machine is said to have passed the test."
The analogous test for people like Althouse: if an objective reader cannot tell the difference between the professor's postings and that of recognized conservatives, then Althouse has passed the right-winger Turing test.
Or does it mean that the Republican leader is decent man who wouldn't use the death of someone for political purposes.
FLS: I guess in a way this is what I was looking for: An Althousian criticism of the Republicans: They're too nice to their opponents.
Sadly for you, no. The commenters here are saying "they're too nice to their opponents". Althouse is asking if this means Republicans colluded with Dems to create this stand-off.
I'll graciously assume your inability to read is because haven't yet had your coffee this morning, and that it has nothing to do with why you failed out of law school.
See how that works? ;)
Rudeness expert alert!
So my wife was watching a reporter on CNN when they got 'sign-bombed'.
The sign says Walker sucks Koch.
So there's your much-vaunted criticism of Republicans, fls, delivered just how the left likes it.
The professor says she is no Republican. But, her inability to find flaws in Republicans or conservatives supports an inference that she is in fact conservative.
Ah. And if Althouse were to tour the Korean Peninsula, would you condemn her for not writing as many posts critical of South Korea as of North Korea?
Face it: your side is being criticized right now because your side is doing things that deserve criticism. Unions and Democrats are taking a lot of hits because they constitute a target-rich environment.
And the things for which you would have Althouse condemn the Republicans are overexaggerated, or imaginary, or not something that the rest of us believe to be worthy of condemnation. Your inability to discern any difference in the rights and obligations of public-sector and private-sector workers is an example of this.
The Demos have no problem going for the throat and will do so sometimes just to make that point.
The Republicans, especially the RINOs, seem to be afraid to.
If, however, the Republicans did conspire to keep things going, it was in response to the old maxim, "When your opponent is digging himself a hole, let him keep digging".
murgatroyd: I'm not surprised that partisans find nothing to criticize in the Republicans' actions. However, the professor claims to be neutral.
pogo: you complain constantly whenever goring threatens your ox. Are you never to gather with your peers and protest?
Finally a GOP-bashing post. 1/10 a week isn't proof of bias though. Althouse is cruelly neutral and all that.
The analogous test for people like Althouse: if an objective reader cannot tell the difference between the professor's postings and that of recognized conservatives, then Althouse has passed the right-winger Turing test.
You mean like the time Althouse took Obama to the woodshed for not doing away with DOMA and DADT earlier? Because being pro-gay is such a right-wing position.
Ok we admit Althouse is pro-gay, but otherwise on all other issues she's in the John Birch society right?
Or does it mean that the Republican leader is decent man who wouldn't use the death of someone for political purposes.
Calling Pedro Colon!
I can only imagine how much garage, fls and the MSM would have squealed if the Republicans had somehow detained this guy and passed their legislation.
Heartless Rethugs kidnap grief-stricken Dem legislator on his way to a funeral
It would have been epic.
"Moral of the story: Republicans should stop being nice and cordial. They will be called dicks anyway and does anybody believe similar courtesies would be offered the other way?"
-- damikesc
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
-- Paul
Wow, how duplicitous. The Republican does the Democrat a nice turn either on behalf of the family in mourning or just because it's his idea of courtesy, and the Democrat immediately uses it to slander him.
By Any Means Necessary. Democrats recognize no rules.
I haven't seen a link to the story, so haven't read it, and am not clear that Sen. Cullen is the source of the quote.
But assuming he is: why the assumption of many here that his intent is to "slander" Sen. Ellis by telling this story?
I find myself liking Sen. Ellis rather more than I did before reading it.
I think the ties of collegiality and trust between Sen. Cullen and Sen. Ellis, and also between Cullen and Gov. Walker as described by Gov. Walker in the Fake Koch call, are both healthy and useful. They should be encouraged.
Althouse: are you saying that you think the situation would be improved if Ellis had said "Don't come back to the Capitol?" or if he had said "Sure, come back" and then had Sen. Cullen detained? Or are you simply pointing out that the Republican position on the protests is not entirely consistent among all Republicans?
Alex,
You mean like the time Althouse took Obama to the woodshed for not doing away with DOMA and DADT earlier? Because being pro-gay is such a right-wing position.
For the record - being anti-Gay, or even anti-Gay Marriage, is NOT being Conservative.
Being anti-how they've been going about getting these things, is.
On the prank call, Cullen is the Democratic Senator that Governor Walker said he had spoken with following the flight of the 14. He is a potential swing vote but might need some political cover on this.
Good old boy network - Cullen was aDemocrat power broker back in the day (along with Fiengold and Chvala) before he left to become an excutive of Blue Cross Blue Shield. I found his re-entry into state legislative politics refreshing as a retired guy - mostly because I truly believe he came here to try and problem solve for Janesville - a Wisconsin city that got screwed over by its own union. Ask the folks in Janesville about this for verification.
And more power to you, Senator Cullen. I actually believe he is the only one of the Wisconsin Badger 14 who will solve this current annoying problem of getting our elected officials back to the state they took an oath to serve.
Lead, Senator Cullen. You are an old lion back in the frey but I believe in you.
"According to Cullen."
So, do we have any corroboration of this from a party who isn't hip-deep in this partisan fight?
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