April 10, 2011

They're doing sleepovers in the Washington State Capitol now.

And check it out: A Wisconsin fleebagger is guest-starring:
Among the lineup of about a dozen speakers Friday, the person who generated the most buzz and applause was Wisconsin state Sen. Spencer Coggs, one of 14 Democratic senators who attempted to block that state's controversial new law eliminating most union rights for public employees.

Coggs recounted his experience fleeing to Illinois with his 13 colleagues in an ultimately failed attempt to prevent a vote on the legislation. He said it was labor groups across the country who "had our backs."

Many in the crowd referred to recent events in Wisconsin as the worst-case scenario they were hoping to prevent by joining the protest.
Emulate us so as not to emulate us.

82 comments:

Daryl said...

First they won't show up, now they won't leave. The only consistent thing is that they keep losing elections.

Anonymous said...

Althouse, we've got a War on Women going on right here in Woodstock and Ulster County. The streets are strewn with the bodies of females.

SJ said...

"Many in the crowd referred to recent events in Wisconsin as the worst-case scenario"

Who would they run away from exactly? Our governor is a union friendly democrat and democrats hold a legislative majority.

James said...

""We do not have a budget deficit," Jeff Johnson, president of the Washington State Labor Council, one of the rally's main organizers, told the crowd. "We have a social services deficit, we have a jobs deficit, we have a revenue deficit, and we have a deficit of leadership."

Yeah....tax the rich.

The same warmed over argument we heard in Madison.

Jim said...

We can hope they are just as successful as preventing the kind of "change" we need as they were in WI.

Roger J. said...

Alas--the wisconsin poison featuring the most ugly fat bints has come to my beloved evergreen state.

First what is about these liberal women protesting that makes them so ugly? I mean really--they fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down

I am gratified to see the Washington State Patrol handle this--The WSP is a class police force (even if they did ticket me for speeding on the way to Pullman to watch the cougs kick the huskies ass)

More tasers and more batons please. drag their sorry asses out of Olympia and dump them in Pioneer Square

Phil 314 said...

Again, a bad sign for Democrats. This is a very blue state with Governor, and both legislative chambers strongly blue.

I see state budgets and campaign budgets on a collision course.

But go ahead and go the California way and see how that turns out.

Roger J. said...

Phil--Wa is not a blue state except for King County, parts of Snohomish and thurston counties--the rest of the state is blood red

I'm Full of Soup said...

"block that state's controversial new law eliminating most union rights for public employees."

Is a librul law or idea ever described as controversial?

Unknown said...

Not sleepovers, Capitol invasions

Note that the article glosses over this bit of thuggery.

I take it SEIU Home Care are the ones who'll be looking after us if ZeroCare isn't repealed.

PS I love the idea of a "social services" deficit. Maybe if there were one, we wouldn't have a fiscal deficit.

PPS As Uncle Saul told them, never let facts, or mathematics, get in the way of the agenda. The fact that even Little Zero's Administration admits a trillion dollar deficit isn't an impediment.

Fen said...

GatewayPundit is reporting that police arrested SEIU thugs who tried to storm past their lines.

http://gatewaypundit.rightnetwork.com/2011/04/violent-seiu-thugs-arrested-in-washington-for-pushing-troopers-in-wa-state-house-video/

Kevin said...

Yeah....tax the rich.

The same warmed over argument we heard in Madison.

LOL. The unions in Washington got a proposal to have an income tax on "the rich" in the last election (WA doesn't have an income tax).

It lost 2:1.

For some reason people didn't think that a tax on "the rich" would stay a tax on "the rich".

CachorroQuente said...

This is a test of the Althouse system of support for free speech.

Brian Leiter

This is only a test.

CachorroQuente said...

Help, help! I'm being repressed.

madAsHell said...

It seems that most the cuts were to higher education. The UofW (....Washington!) is working to find students from out-of-state (read China) for the next freshman class. Students from in-state will be a minority.

The tuition subsidy will go from 55/45 state/student to 30/70.

The university is responding by cutting two departments: Theatrics, and Community and Rural Sociology. German will no longer be offered as a major.

I'm quoting what I saw in the Seattle Times this morning. So...take it with a grain of salt.

I wonder what the provost for social diversity, and green initiatives is thinking??

Carol_Herman said...

Um, so what? The floors are clean. And, people in Washington State got arrested.

It has also received coverage; something that was lacking in Madison, except for this blog!

Also, the one thing we're not getting are the types of people interviews that would clue you in on how the average Independent, or even democratic voter actually feels?

Did the "Kinetic" military experience go over well with the left? What if I told you that I don't think so!

There's been an erosion of trust.

By the way, by having this blog going, the "issue" in Wisconsin became a national issue.

That David Prosser lacks personality? Isn't that obvious? Can you imagine a campaign where Antonin Scalia's scathing opinions, published under his name, called a few other Supreme Court jesters out.

How come in ten years on the bench, Prosser couldn't get an opinion written that was worth reading?

As to "blaming" Shirley ... it seems if the same rules apply that apply up on our Federal Supreme Court bench ... first you need to be in the group that votes in the majority. Rehnquist got outsmarted by Sandra Day O'Connor. Poor Rehnquist couldn't even assign a tax case. When O'Connor got through wringing him out.

I still think Prosser won't write an opinion worth reading.

And, believe it or not, Scalia does this as a 'concurrence.' Or more often than not, as a dissenting opinion.

Mr. Peepers. If he had more personality, his margins would have been higher.

At least it seems Governor Walker is trying to stay out of the line of fire.

Oh, yeah. If 75% of Wisconsinites are disgusted ... it would explain why the Madison street theater gets such a poor turnout. Maybe, if they added free sandwiches?

You don't think people stayed inside the noisy rotunda because there was so much free pizza? Heck, deliveries came through the window!

Plus, I remember when voters in Washington State knocked Tom Foley out.

madAsHell said...

They arrested 17 SEIU purple T-shirts that attempted to rush the Governor's office.

I didn't vote for Gov. Gregoire, but I really think she is trying to find a way to balance the budget. She tried to unload the state ferry system. I believe she is interested in unloading the state liquor monopoly.

Oh, yeah....Her first term started by losing the election, and ordering a re-count. If I recall correctly, her 700 vote loss was turned into a victory.

I'm convinced that she will not run again.

traditionalguy said...

States with no income tax are the high sales tax states. Pick your poison.

The Dude said...

North Carolina has income taxes and high sales tax rates. But at least we have corrupt politicians.

WV: ingstan - that obscure muslim country run by an investment company.

Anonymous said...

"They're doing sleepovers in the Washington State Capitol now."

Are they playing 7 minutes in Heaven?

wldbil said...

To all the petulant children who are have sleepover in the Capitol:

There are over five million people in this state....only two million live in Moscow er Madison and Milwaukee....

As your boifriend Mullah Obama said....."Elections have consequences"

And you are damn right there is more to come......state afer state after state....

You are witnesing the the greatest conservative asendancy this country has seen in my lifetime...

I am convinced a majority of voting people here are aware this is truly a class war.This battle will be won through messaging. The battle lines are between the ruling class against the tax payers..
And the message is this; why should the middle class taxpayers of Ohio, Wisconsin or any state have to provide an artificially high and unsustainable lifestyle for government employees?

Give us the wealth.......Give us the wealth....

A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned - this is the sum of good government.
Thomas Jefferson

Anonymous said...

"There's been an erosion of trust."

My God ... an "erosion?" Is that it?

May I ask how far does Barack Obama have to shove his cock up your ass before you feel you are getting fucked?

How many wars does he have to start? How many brown people does he have to kill with drone aircraft? How many prisoners does he have to torture at Gitmo? How many George Bush taxes does he have to extend?

Is there anything Barack Obama could do to cause you to abandon his re-election? How low can you go?

Erosion?

SteveR said...

There may be some battles won but the war is lost. The days of exceptional employment benefits for public employees will be going away. The Rubicon has been crossed.

EnigmatiCore said...

"Phil--Wa is not a blue state except for King County, parts of Snohomish and thurston counties"

Yes, and New York is not a blue state except for New York City and perhaps Albany.

Anonymous said...

Dan Twohig, a 50-year-old licensed deck officer of the state ferry system, said corporations walk away with billions of taxpayer dollars every year while working families are forced to make do with less and less.

"It would beneficial on the state in general to stop attacking the workers; we're not the ones with the money," he said.


Yeah, don't attack the workers, attack "the rich" -- the peoiple who pay taxes and sign paychecks. That'll solve the problem ...

"I say screw this one-egg-a-day bullshit! Let's slice open the goose and take all the golden eggs right now!"

Lucius Septimius said...

"The Rubicon has been crossed."
We can only hope -- Caesar chased Pompey all the way to Egypt; maybe we need to do the same to the Purple-Shirts -- lots o' protesting opportunities there.

ricpic said...

Did they flee to Illinois across a river of ice?

Lucius Septimius said...

"It would beneficial on the state in general to stop attacking the workers; we're not the ones with the money," he said.

Someone needs to explain to these people the principle behind perpetual motion machines, given that that seems to be the democrat's approach to the economy.

EnigmatiCore said...

Ever notice the lyrics to the great Alvin Lee/Ten Years After song go:

Tax the rich
Feed the poor
'Til there are no
Rich no more


Shows where the priority is, and where the reality is. Shouldn't the last line be "'Til there are no poor no more"?

Meanwhile, the right is getting obsessed with birtherism.

I don't find any particular merit in the center, other than that both the left and right are out of their minds.

Lucius Septimius said...

"Did they flee to Illinois across a river of ice?"

They tried, but all ended up stuck at Blarney Island.

Lucius Septimius said...

Envy is a horrible foundation for a political system.

Unknown said...

madAsHell said...

They arrested 17 SEIU purple T-shirts that attempted to rush the Governor's office.

I didn't vote for Gov. Gregoire


A lot of people didn't, but, thanks to Mr Soros buying the Demos a Secretary of State from ACORN, who needs votes?

Payback, as they say.

EnigmatiCore said...
"Phil--Wa is not a blue state except for King County, parts of Snohomish and thurston counties"

Yes, and New York is not a blue state except for New York City and perhaps Albany.


Just about all blue states, PA certainly, are like that.

Hagar said...

Boy! The wildest major in a long time, and it was the Masters'!

EnigmatiCore said...

That was my point.

RichardS said...

Is everyone comfortable with "fleebagger"? Doesn't it legitimize "teabagger," which is a vulgar slur?

EnigmatiCore said...

I am not comfortable with it. I prefer to refer to them as "Ass-clowns."

Kathy Antley said...

Unions are astonishingly good at hardening people to oppose them.

Lucius Septimius said...

'Is everyone comfortable with "fleebagger"? '

I sort of like it. Captures several aspects of the current movement:
1) it started when "brave" legislators fled rather than try to argue their point in the appropriate venue.
2) remove an "e", substitute an "a" and you have a good description of the usual neo-Com.
3) In this half-breed's ears, it reminds me of "carpet-bagger" which is probably a good way of thinking of the union goons shipped in from out of state to bulk up the protests.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

"Phil--Wa is not a blue state except for King County, parts of Snohomish and thurston counties"

Yes, and New York is not a blue state except for New York City and perhaps Albany.

This is true of almost every state. The urban areas are blue/liberal and the suburbs and rural areas are red/conservative.

Even in California, the majority of the Districts lean heavily Republican/Conservative.

Rose said...

It's interesting with all the attacks on conservative women by the left that they DARE to try to use a "War on Women" as their theme. They didn't stand by Hillary, they haven't said a discouraging word at any who savaged Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann, or any others.

NOW they all want to be all for women's rights again.

Sickening.

Ignorance is Bliss said...

States with no income tax are the high sales tax states. Pick your poison.

NH picked none of the above, and went with property taxes instead.

David said...

My father's favorite phrase: "This too shall pass."

David said...

My stepdaughter graduated from a graduate program at Western Washington University last December. This was right after the Bill Gates sponsored referendum to allow an income tax in Washington state was defeated.

Because it was a small program, we spent a lot of time hanging with school faculty and administration.

Without exception, they were deeply distressed that the income tax had failed. They might have to (horrors) restrict programs. They had no comprehension of why the voters might oppose the tax.

Automatic_Wing said...

The third day of the protest and not a giant papier mache puppet head to be seen. Very disappointed in the kids from The Evergreen State College.

Phil 314 said...

Roger;
Wa is not a blue state except for King County, parts of Snohomish and thurston counties--the rest of the state is blood red

I understand your point. (I have two brothers in WA.) However, when all is said and done:
-you've had a Democratic governor for the last 16 years
-the Senate is Dem- 27 to 22
-the House is 56 to 42
-both of your US Senators are Democratic
-5 of your 9 US House seats are Dem

Of course, maybe I'm biased based on my state:

Arizona

Wince said...

So, how would a sleepover by a bunch of people who say they "Will Not Roll Over!" actually work?

Alex said...

BTW Althouse said "fleebagger". That is not "cruel neutrality"!

Milwaukee said...

Did Senator Coggs regale them with tales from the "Tilted Kilt"? Which was one county away from the border county, so they could evade Wisconsin law enforcement.

miller said...

Being as how I'm a resident of this benighted state, I can say that this "sleep-in" accomplished precisely zero in the hearts and minds of the people.

Telling me that taxes are too low is not a winning proposition.

I will admit, I was astonished that the income tax proposal failed by such a large margin. Based on the drumbeat from the media supporting it, I was sure it'd be a lot closer.

Lombardi Chick said...

My stepdaughter graduated from a graduate program at Western Washington University last December. This was right after the Bill Gates sponsored referendum to allow an income tax in Washington state was defeated.

David: Do you mean Bill Gates, Sr.? Knowing his leanings, I imagine the son voted in favor of the income tax, but the primary face of the scam was his father, was it not?

Thank goodness that thing went down, and went down hard. I was really afraid people would fall for it.

Lombardi Chick said...

Phil--Wa is not a blue state except for King County, parts of Snohomish and thurston counties--the rest of the state is blood red

What about Pierce?

There are also a few conservative pockets in King, but then there's Seattle. Ugh.

Michael K said...

A lot of those fat women in purple shirts are "home care providers" about half of whom are family members being paid by the state to care for elderly relatives. People used to do that as a sense of obligation to parents. Now they are raising hell in the capitol.

I review questionable workers' comp cases. Last week I had a case of a 240 pound woman who hurt her back getting out of the tub where she had been bathing her father.

I resist envisioning that scene.

MadisonMan said...

I also read about the UDub restricting in-staters in favor of cash-rich out of staters. Imagine living in Washington for a lifetime, paying taxes for a lifetime, having a kid with a 4.0 who wants to go to Washington getting denied.

That is not a way to curry favor in the state. Bad move.

I'm Full of Soup said...

These protests by govt workers for more money and more benefits is falling flat on the taxpayer's empty wallets [to use a mixed metaphor that George Bush might have used].

I'm Full of Soup said...

What's it cost a college to increase its enrollment? Next to nothing I bet.

They just squeeze a few extra desks in every classrom and tell the extra students they have to find off-campus housing. Hell almost 100% of the tuition paid by the add'l students is profit!

m stone said...

A lot of those fat women in purple shirts are "home care providers" about half of whom are family members being paid by the state to care for elderly relatives.

How does this scam work? Do you request to become a state employee, then get status and pay?

Carol_Herman said...

So, I think I can "explain" Obama.

He took Dubya's message ... even though Dubya, by his exit date in 2008 ... had tanked.

And, Obama was going to "prove" it wasn't the agenda. But that Dubya just wasn't liked.

Typical bully. Typical "trained" community organizer.

The day Obama slipped on the banana peel, though, with his claim Sgt. Crowley "acted stupidly" ... is the day he began his journey downhill.

While there are people who never voted for Obama, the "unknown" ahead, is how much of Obama's voters are so thoroughly disgusted ... you don't see them showing up at rallies. Or bringing sleeping bags to State capitols for sleep overs.

It's an unknown number. The press isn't going to report it, either.

Shows ya, the press suppresses stories. And, comes up with their own cockamamie vote totals.

Can't wait to see the certified truth, ahead. Too bad Kloppy went silent. What other speech can she now give? ("Only a few people made the difference?")

Maybe, she'll get a show on Oprah, in July, where she gets a make-over, and a fitting for her very own judicial robe. She can have her name emblazoned on the back. (For all I care.)

I just wish we were privy to the private conversations that have occurred ... And, who is screaming "you dummy" ... the loudest.

Maybe, Donald Trump can do an Apprentice Show with her? When he yells "You're Fired," her chair flies over backwards. Why let such a talent go to waste? Such an opportune moment for a reality check.

WV: "dersure" ... You betcha.

kimsch said...

Half of Illinois' population is in Cook County. Add in all the dead voters and Cook rules the state.

wv: obill

garage mahal said...

The GAB and the Milwaukee County DA are holding a presser tomorrow to discuss the results of a "significant investigation."

Hmmmmmm. I wonder if it's in regards to some head scratching data that came out from election night. Should be interesting. Hang on, this one may not be over yet.

Fen said...

Michaele: A lot of those fat women in purple shirts are "home care providers" about half of whom are family members being paid by the state to care for elderly relatives. People used to do that as a sense of obligation to parents.

Great point. We've really lost our way.

David said...

"How does this scam work? Do you request to become a state employee, then get status and pay?"

It's part scam, part innovative program. You provide shelter and food for someone who supposedly can not care for him/herself--elderly, mentally impaired, emotionally impaired, disabled. The government pays you a stipend for rent and for food. The persons who provide the service, and those who receive it, are selected by government human services offices.

The program has standards and is a reasonably cost effective way to provide help for people in need. It's substitute for the old county homes, which were common in rural Wisconsin, for the elderly and infirm who have no one else to care for them.

These programs exist in every state. Much of the funding comes from the federal government.

The problem is that supervision and accountability are weak. I know a woman here in SC who has provided for a mentally ill woman for 15 years. My friend is a waitress with a good mind but a poor education. She owns a very modest home and truly cares for the woman who shares her residence. The funds she gets help her to continue to afford the house, and she gets the satisfaction of providing a service.

In theory, a social worker comes periodically to check levels of care, the condition of the home and to monitor continuing eligibility. My friend says that these inspections are hit or miss, and often not conducted at all. Thus there is considerable abuse and some outright fraud.

Anonymous said...

Aye, I live in Seattle:

There's a little tower they're building out here made out of taxpayer money, with a shrine to the diversity gods at the top.

Pretty soon, we'll have a model for Obama's trains zooming us compliant citizens between women's basketball games, roller derby, and soccer matches (since the Sonic were bought out).

Anyways, off to see the orcas in my late model Subaru Forrester/Prius with me and the missues' Kayak on the roof.

DADvocate said...

I wonder if all these liberal teachers would stand behind this teacher who lost his coaching job for writing an anti-Obama song.

Phil 314 said...

Say the video about the protests at the capitol in Olympia. Lots of SEIU members concerned with health care cuts.

The union notwithstanding its been tough on Medicaid enrollees in every state. AZ once had the model, Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS). It operated as an HMO and had done well until recently.

So our red state decided it wasn't going to continue to balance the budget with stupid accounting tricks (i.e. selling the state capitol building and leasing it back). That meant real cuts. AHCCCS got the brunt of it.

Nearly half of the budget reductions come from the state's health-care program for low-income Arizonans...proposes to freeze enrollment in the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System, require co-pays from patients, and cut reimbursement rates for doctors, hospitals and other health-care providers. The budget cuts $500 million from AHCCCS, although many of the savings are contingent on federal approval of a reform package Brewer submitted to Washington, D.C., last week.

But no union protests (right to work state) nor takeover of the capitol.

Milwaukee said...

Michael K said...
I review questionable workers' comp cases. Last week I had a case of a 240 pound woman who hurt her back getting out of the tub where she had been bathing her father.


Is no one screening these posts? Have you no decency? I mean, thanks a lot dude. There is one mental image I didn't want in my head. Do you alternate between hysterical laughter and deep despair in your job?

Titus said...

Mary, I was there at the same time as you on Saturday. OMG, hugs.

I was at Cosi when the parade strolled by. Their musicality sucks.

I know Cosi is a chain but I fucking love their tomato soup.

Their were guys at Cosi, who I assumed were straight that had glitter specs on their faces. Not because they were part of the nuts there. They just had glitter on their faces. I was totally perplexed and observed them then entire time in order to surmise that they were fags but I got no fag vibes. Why did they have glitter on their faces? My sis said maybe it was from the night before?

Oh and of course the Wisconsin Cosi's serve beer.

David said...

Right again, Lombardi Chick. David regrets the error.

Anonymous said...

Poor Jay Retread. Reduced to claiming without evidence that the employees of some store don't agree with Althouse.

I mean, really. How sad and sorry is that?

Anonymous said...

This is becoming excruciatingly embarrassing. Please union drama queens, give it a rest.

pauldar said...

Well, wife and I joined the Tea Party today - better late than never I suppose. Regardless, not sitting on arse anymore while the county goes down the potty with current leadership

Martin said...

Pretty funny, a bought-and-paid-for slave to the unions saying the unions had his back.

Unknown said...

The SEIU is trying very hard to "organize" home health care workers--as Michael K say, mostly family members caring for their own--to extend their corrupt reach into workers' pockets. As Limbaugh says, it's a money laundering scheme. Nothing more.

http://tinyurl.com/yg6fjvx

Orion said...

Different world up there in Washington. They're so Liberal, I swear I've heard folks in the coffee houses cursing 'that damned Neo-Con Stalin!' and wondering if Chairman Mao and Castro were too far right to really count as Heroes of the People.

This is the state where they had 4 or 5 'recounts' for the gubernatorial election, each time finding boxes and boxes of ballots all breaking massively, miraculously, for the Democrat until FINALLY they had enough for her to declare victory.

This is an easy 'win' for Big Labor - everything in Washington (Seattle and Tacoma have the votes) is pretty much part of 'The People's Commissariat of Washington' It's Ok, Comrade! You will enjoy new labor benefits of Workers' Paradise!

Orion

Anonymous said...

Gov Gregoire owes the unions for the extra votes "found" in the last election, so it's no surprise they're asking for repayment. Should be interesting to see how the WA Dems handle this - will they do the right thing for the citizens of the state, or pay off the union troops again?

EnigmatiCore said...

Hmmmmmm. I wonder if it's in regards to some head scratching data that came out from election night.

I see that Garage has decided to make his posts be indistinguishable in content from those by Placeholder.

The GAB has confirmed that the announcement/press conference has absolutely nothing to do with the election between Prosser and Kloppenburg.

MadisonMan said...

Re: Home Health Care.

One of my wards is at the Central Wisconsin Center, and I am annually asked if this is the least restrictive environment to meet her needs, and I always say it is (because it is). But there is effort to get people out of the State-run centers, because they are costly. My second ward is at a Home-Healthcare place (Read: House) out in Sun Prairie, which costs her $700+ a month, coming from her Social Security and Supplemental SS, plus $75/month for personal items and about $50/month in copays. That's a much smaller monthly total than is going to ward #1s care at the State Center. But Ward #1 needs care 24/7 vs. Ward #2 who is "just" declining with Alzheimer's.

The notion that the person who is providing the Home Health care would Unionize is bizarre. Well, I know why the Unions want it -- more payments.

Andrew said...

"Doesn't it legitimize "teabagger," which is a vulgar slur?"

I've been using it as a vulgar come-back.

"I'm the teabagger and Nov. 2 proved you're the TEABAGGED. How do you like them balls son?"

ShoutingThomas: Did you notice that they named their top tier of donor after someone who had to have been a Republican?

Chuck66 said...

One issue many states have where you have a very liberal urban area, and a primarily conservative rest of the state, is that the lack of intellectual diversity in the urban areas is enough to more then override the rest of the state. So if Seattle and Madison and Chicago and Philadelphia vote 70% left wing, and the rest of the state go Republican...say 58%, it is not nearly enough (for the Center-right side).

dbp said...

Teabager is an actual term for one who engages in a specific sexual act.

Fleabagger could refer to that or to things like fleabag or carpetbagger--both being kinds of disreputable things.

Alex said...

Teabager is an actual term for one who engages in a specific sexual act.

I never understood why liberals want to suck my balls.

Teri said...

WA state actually has an interesting law now. The top two vote getters in the primary face a run off, regardless of party. So you get the option of choosing between which Democrat you'd like.

The state Department of Natural Resources did not get their budget cut. It's important that they continue to prevent the public from having access to state waterways. It's far easier to cut social services.

Mike H. said...

Wa Sec. of State is Sam Reed, a Republican. The rest of the government is Progressive with the exception of a smattering from the hinterlands.

Our beautiful Northwestern State has a blue blight on it!