Althouse: Protest couples.

March 13, 2011

Protest couples.

42 comments:

Peter V. Bella said...: Spending quality time together. Date day.; 3/13/11, 9:42 AM
Abdul Abulbul Amir said...: That first couple doesn't look like a working couple.; 3/13/11, 9:43 AM
ricpic said...: Stupid high
Stupid low
Off to bedlam we two go.; 3/13/11, 9:45 AM
retire05 said...: I guess barbers are non-union in Wisconsin since they are obviously not supported by those two men.

Quick, someone tell them the '60's are over. Have an EMT handy as the shock will be great.

And what's up with the "Support Working Families"? Since when do "families" work or has Wisconsin abolished all child labor laws?; 3/13/11, 9:47 AM
KCFleming said...: The truth-in-advertising sign we won't see:
"Government union working families demand that private working families pay higher taxes for Cadillac benefits and pensions without question, or we will be violent, and the police will help us.

They can keep their K-cars."

Wouldn't much fit on a sign, though. So this should suffice:

To all private citizens:
GIMME GIMME GIMME
FUCK YOU
WE WILL CRUSH YOU LIKE
COCKROACHES; 3/13/11, 10:05 AM
lemondog said...: "Walk in our Shoes"

Would love to, what with all your benefits and all......; 3/13/11, 10:15 AM
Anonymous said...: You can't help but notice, looking at these pictures that these folks purchase expensive designer clothing and ridiculously expensive college and pro sports clothing.; 3/13/11, 10:22 AM
Bartender Cabbie said...: Marching for his right for a mocha latte. Kinda like in Egypt.; 3/13/11, 10:26 AM
Big Mike said...: That guy with the white hair. I had an overwhelming desire to go find a cream pie and push it into his face. Something about his expression just brings that out in me.; 3/13/11, 10:37 AM
virgil xenophon said...: ST & AAA have it nailed. And Meade obviously also (along w. ST & AAAA) has a sharp eye for hypocrisy & irony--as those two photos amply demonstrate..; 3/13/11, 10:38 AM
Big Mike said...: The woman in the second picture is trying to say "all your money are belong to us."; 3/13/11, 10:38 AM
virgil xenophon said...: Agreed, Big Mike. Nothing like the look of a little smug superiority to show that you're "down wid the people" as you casually stroll during your morning outing taking in the scene and looking at the animals in the zoo.; 3/13/11, 10:43 AM
Irene said...: Ah! So you *did* see Susan Sarandon!

(winks); 3/13/11, 11:00 AM
David said...: Abdul Abulbul Amir said...
That first couple doesn't look like a working couple.

They're working it all right.

The second couple is a real working couple. Almost certainly they both have worked hard all their lives and they feel very threatened. They are threatened, though perhaps the threat comes from a different direction than they have been told.

It is the second couple that can summon the sympathy of a lot of Wisconsin voters. This is why the next elections in Wisconsin, whether recall or regular, will be very interesting, and present some very challenging communication issues for the Republicans.

The first couple? Well, yuck.; 3/13/11, 11:07 AM
David said...: Disrespect the second couple at your peril, people.; 3/13/11, 11:09 AM
Unknown said...: From the look of the guy in the first pic, the redhead is not Mrs LongWhiteHair and he hoped nobody was going to record it for posterity.

Or Mrs LongWhiteHair.; 3/13/11, 11:20 AM
Mumpsimus said...: White-hair guy seems to be posing for the Lands End catalog.; 3/13/11, 11:21 AM
Synova said...: Hey, it's the "working families" meme again.; 3/13/11, 11:24 AM
Synova said...: ""all your money are belong to us.""

Pogo's truth in advertising is too wordy, but this one is great.; 3/13/11, 11:26 AM
virgil xenophon said...: "They're working it alright"----LOL!!

edutcher is observant also. And David is also right about the 2nd couple. The GOP better get its PR machine a very good tune-up
and develop a well-honed message and stay on it. Persistence is going to count for a lot in the aftermath and that's not always been the Elephants strong suite--unlike the Unions.; 3/13/11, 11:37 AM
Fen said...: Pre-printed signs. Just more evidence of the logistical train that leads back to the Unions. Clearly, they have more money than they need.; 3/13/11, 11:54 AM
Fen said...: Of course, I guess we should be thankful they don't use up school supplies like the Teachers Union does...; 3/13/11, 11:55 AM
dbp said...: I wonder if it is a coincidence that red hair is in for the female half of protest couples?; 3/13/11, 12:05 PM
Third Coast said...: The non-public union, union guy in the bottom photo is demonstrating so the white-haired public union guy can keep buying his designer duds. At least that's how I imagine it. I also imagine the white-haired public union guy would not invite the couple in the bottom photo to his next wine tasting.
But I could be wrong.
wv=arruptin what Madison has been doing; 3/13/11, 12:20 PM
The Crack Emcee said...: They're united - in thinking DEMOCRACY SUCKS!

Just like Bill & Monica,...; 3/13/11, 12:21 PM
SteveR said...: I didn't know Ron Jeremy lived in Wisconsin.; 3/13/11, 12:26 PM
Synova said...: "The non-public union, union guy in the bottom photo is demonstrating so the white-haired public union guy can keep buying his designer duds. At least that's how I imagine it. I also imagine the white-haired public union guy would not invite the couple in the bottom photo to his next wine tasting.
But I could be wrong."

I bet you're right.

The bottom, working-class, couple are likely private sector labor. Though it's possible she's support staff at a school.

The dude with the "working families" poster is a poseur who's never seen the inside of a tractor-cab in his life nor harked a wheat-dust loogie or even knows how.; 3/13/11, 12:35 PM
Phil 314 said...: Interesting. My reflexive stereotypes said:

FIRST COUPLE: Traditional well-off liberal, maybe a college professor; Listens to NPR; likes Led Zeppelin but can get into some of the newer alternative music; concerned about his carbon footprint; read the Times, especially the Sunday Times but does get a little exasperated when it leans to far to the right

SECOND COUPLE: Union all his life; Counting on his pension; Listens to sports talk radio; Also likes Led Zeppelin but doesn't "get" this new shit; Reads the local paper; Thinks we may need to kick a little ass to get done what needs to get done.

But then again, those are stereotypes. Sorry I ignored the women.; 3/13/11, 12:51 PM
James said...: The nursing clogs and the firefighting boots are a nice touch.; 3/13/11, 12:54 PM
Chennaul said...: The first couple that's-

Susan Surrender-on and that big time lawyer-what's his nuts.; 3/13/11, 12:55 PM
Chennaul said...: Waait...maybe that's not what's his nuts.

But now the other guy looks like some member of Crosby Stills and Hash...

Maybe that's not even Surrender-on-I looked at the blow up.

Althouse!

Come on quit torturing us with-

Name-That -Old -Hippy!; 3/13/11, 1:00 PM
Chennaul said...: You know if What's-his-nuts- had his hands in somebody else's pockets I'd be damn sure of the he's that lawyer.

****

And the second guy has to be some folksy polka dude.

There is no way you go around with that mullet and earring unless you are surrounded by people not speakin' truth to power.; 3/13/11, 1:07 PM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: You know what I want to say to that first couple and especially the guy with the supercillious look on this face and the sign under his arm that says: Support Working Families?

FUCK YOU!

We are a 'working family' and WE support you, 100% support, through our taxes. Every freaking dollar that you want to squeeze out of the government for your bloated precious pay and benefits comes from US..... you greedy fuck.

Just because we are not unionized, doesn't make us NOT a 'working family'. However, in your demented white fuzzy head, we don't count somehow.

FUCK YOU.

Oh and have a nice day.; 3/13/11, 1:16 PM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: And to the lady with the walk in our shoes sign....

Have a go at some hip boots in a septic tank with a broken lift pump that is full of sewage. Walk in those shoes bitch.

VW: testey. Why,yes I am testy.

I'm completely fed up with these people who think that they are special snowflakes and the rest of us are here to serve them.; 3/13/11, 1:19 PM
Chennaul said...: DBQ

Did you notice all the "effort" he put into carrying that sign?/sarc; 3/13/11, 1:40 PM
ricpic said...: Just had my septic tank pumped. Guy who did it said I came *this* close to system failure. Woulda cost thousands. Dodged a bullet. Folks, play it safe, get 'er pumped every two or three years.; 3/13/11, 3:07 PM
I'm a Shaaaaark said...: The nursing clogs and the firefighting boots are a nice touch.

Those are not nursing clogs - they are crocs. Apparently this woman is showing solidarity with Brett Favre - another union guy.; 3/13/11, 3:39 PM
I'm a Shaaaaark said...: Also, now I remember where I've seen that guy in the first photo before - He's Vigo the Carpathian.; 3/13/11, 3:48 PM
Michael said...: That first guy, the guy with the important hair, the philosophy prof hair? Bet you a dollar he has fucked his students.; 3/13/11, 4:36 PM
Anonymous said...: Wow! Puttin' it to the man. How exciting. How transgressive. Better than Viagra. Think of the stories to be told for years to come about this heroism and valor.; 3/13/11, 5:52 PM
William said...: I'm trying to analyze why I dislike the first guy with white hair. He looks fit, well groomed, and distinguished, but, for all that, there's something off putting about his look. He's definitely too well dressed for a march in support of working families. Plus, he's got that Berke smirk thing going on. He is tolerant of all those poor fools who have not yet reached his level of enlightenment and will gladly instruct the lesser breeds in his art history class in how best to appreciate his superiority..... Life for him is the ultimate high end consumer product. He lets the different experiences roll around on his tongue and spits them out if they are not worthy. Of course, the tea party people are bottle cap swill and not even worth sampling. But the Madison protest folk are a hearty burgandy that go well with cheap meats. Today was an amusing experience for him. It gave him yet another opportunity to demonstrate in public his moral elevation and affinity for the working man.....Maybe if he just got a cheap haircut and wore a realistically priced windbreaker, he wouldn't look so insufferable.; 3/13/11, 7:49 PM
William said...: OK, I'm guilty of stereotyping. For all I know, he's a kindly, decent man whose children bought him a nice jacket for Christmas. Just because he looks like an elitist, is no reason to convict him of elitism. In like manner, just because some white guy at the tea party rally has a mullet and a belly, it is no reason to convict him of racism.; 3/13/11, 9:01 PM