Althouse: Meade at the Capitol: All the doors are open, some people are leaving, some settling in for the night.

March 9, 2011

Meade at the Capitol: All the doors are open, some people are leaving, some settling in for the night.

Meade says he got the impression that there is no leadership, and that the people there tonight are newcomers to the protest — almost tourists — and they're low energy compared to earlier days. No one is pushing them out or even asking them to leave, and Meade imagines the protesters thinking "What's the point?" I asked if there were any broken windows or other damage, and he said "No, but there were a lot of farts. Everywhere I went, it was like: Who farted?"

UPDATE: Meade just walked in, and I told him I blogged what he said about farts. He was all: "The farts alone would make you think you think twice about camping out there." Driving home, he said, the other cars were all honking: "Honk honk honk honk honk honk honk honk honk." That's the "This is what democracy looks like" chant in car honk.

22 comments:

Sprezzatura said...: Chaos?; 3/10/11, 12:00 AM
adam said...: E pluribus flatus.; 3/10/11, 12:01 AM
kent said...: "No, but there were a lot of farts. Everywhere I went, it was like: Who farted?"

Ah. So that's where garage is tonight, then.; 3/10/11, 12:03 AM
edward said...: Oh pbandj you're intellectual strength in the flesh..............

Havn't you used that on each thread this evening?

Please tell us how the Donks running to Illinois will completely shut down Walker.

Maybe you can tell us how Obamcare will tip the voters towards the progressives in 2010..... I love hearing that one oh sage of the left.

Chaos? is all you've got? You're paid by DU by the word or the blog you infect?; 3/10/11, 12:07 AM
Anonymous said...: Those weren't farts. That was the smell of fear.; 3/10/11, 12:10 AM
Dale said...: Those weren't farts. That was the smell of fear.

Ah, THAT"S what fear smells like.; 3/10/11, 12:21 AM
Anonymous said...: I'm gonna say it was the red head. That devious smile...; 3/10/11, 12:22 AM
I'm a Shaaaaark said...: The farts thing reminds me of a t-shirt I used to have : "Wisconsin - Come smell our dairy air" ;); 3/10/11, 12:24 AM
Anonymous said...: Maybe someone here can explain that one to me... why the heck are these protests "What democracy looks like"?

Are these people so bloody ignorant that they think there's no such thing as a non-democratic protest? Or a democracy (republic... whatever) without protests? Every time I see that phrase, my thought is "this is what a teacher who can't be trusted to teach government looks like"... I'll admit it's not as catchy.

I somewhat sympathize with the protesters in general (losing a chunk of your paycheck sucks), but that claim doesn't make any sense at all.; 3/10/11, 12:29 AM
chickelit said...: 'Ah, THAT"S what fear smells like.'

Stinkt wie furzen [either that or Teengeist, -ed.]; 3/10/11, 12:30 AM
Fen said...: Maybe someone here can explain that one to me... why the heck are these protests "What democracy looks like"?

Its meant to pre-empt criticism of the mob. They know that this is NOT what Democracy looks like, so they chant away, hoping to convince everyone (including themselves) otherwise.; 3/10/11, 12:39 AM
Revenant said...: What democracy looks like?

It is pretty simple, really:

1. The dictionary defines democracy as "democratic spirit".
2. The dictionary defines "democratic" as "of, pertaining to, or characteristic of the Democratic party."
3. All the people in these photos are high-spirited Democrats.
4. So we're getting a good long look at what the spirit characteristic of the Democratic Party is.

Thus, we are seeing what democracy looks like! You can't argue with science, man.; 3/10/11, 1:06 AM
rhhardin said...: There may be a cow in the building.

That was from the 50s, though, not the 60s.

It was an idea from one of the older protestors.; 3/10/11, 3:42 AM
kent said...: "No, but there were a lot of farts. Everywhere I went, it was like: Who farted?"

"This is what 'progressivism' smells like!"; 3/10/11, 5:46 AM
foxtrot said...: If anything, at least we know now what democracy smells like.

As they say, where there are farts, there is bullsh#t.; 3/10/11, 5:46 AM
foxtrot said...: "Those weren't farts. That was the smell of fear."

I would argue to say that it was the smell of solidarity (and Ian's pizza).

We can only hope that Ian's brought some veggie pizzas for the pickier protesters out there.

As far as the vegans were concerned, they were probably foraging with the squirrels on the Square.; 3/10/11, 5:51 AM
Aridog said...: kiruwa said...

"... why the heck are these protests "What democracy looks like?"

It is "Newspeak" ...

Apparently this is the "New Democracy" where election results and legislative processes are ignored when you lose an election or a deliberation ... obviously just cause for a hissy fit and mob action complete with the "New Carpetbaggers" coming to town when a local state or municipal issue.

None of the protest crowd seems able figure out that if the majority of Wisconsin's voting populace really doesn't approve of the legislation, when & if it passes, they can change it, repeal it after they vote and win in 2012. They can restore any "losses" , real or imagined, if that is the "will of the people" so often cited from "polls." This feature is part of the "Old Democracy" and thus unsuitable?

However, that bit of uncertainty isn't tolerable, so they mount a civil disruption form of coup d'etat. Extortion has worked for ages when banging drums, raising fists, swinging swords, et al., takes the place of deliberation and election results.

"I somewhat sympathize with the protesters in general (losing a chunk of your paycheck sucks)"

The unions involved have already agreed to the pay cuts and very moderate increase in in benefit contributions. This is not now about pay reductions.

It is all about collective bargaining for wages and salary, as well as mandatory membership & dues withholding with payment direct to the union by the government ... e.g., the citizen taxpayers.

It's rather unlike a union organizing for proportional access to the proceeds of capital. In the state and municipal instances, it is organizing for a share of taxes collected and deficits funded by borrowing.

In comparison: Federal public General Schedule (Civil Service)employees have a union, also affiliated with the AFL-CIO, but they DO NOT get to bargain for wages or health benefits ... and union membership is voluntary (essentially "right to work") and no dues or union fees are mandatory for withholding. Even better (worse?), the union must represent all employees in a given bargaining unit, whether a member or not. Man, how DO they survive with that?! No bulk resignations however, so I assume it works out.

Haven't noticed any mobs of "Feds" and sundry supporters taking over the Capitol Building in Washington either. What is wrong with them?!

There are myriad other dimensions to this union v public v industry thing, but I used up too much time already. To those "regulars" who will presume I am anti-union, never been there, done that, and so forth, ... go right ahead ...you'll be wrong, but go ahead anyway. You'll feel better.; 3/10/11, 6:37 AM
vet66 said...: The left's definition of democracy has an uncanny resemblance to the legal definition of extortion. Good thing the window was open, as it turned out. Breaking wind is an apt description of the hot air of desperation exhibited by these anarchists and their tantrums. They are a parody of themselves and don't even know it.

Time to measure their carbon footprint. Wasn't their some talk by the Gore supporters to control flatulence from our bovine friends? We can now safely include progressives into the herd.; 3/10/11, 7:58 AM
Unknown said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 3/10/11, 9:09 AM
Anonymous said...: Farts are natural and authentic and anti-authoritarian, so Meade has just got to get with it!; 3/10/11, 9:39 AM
Aridog said...: The Fart & Burp Tax; 3/10/11, 9:44 AM
g said...: Democracy = Mob Rule; 3/10/11, 10:12 AM