(Enlarge.)
... rock musicians...
... and unions...
Today at the Capitol Square here in Madison Wisconsin. Photos by Meade. There were 25,000 to 30,000 people there today, according to news reports. These stills don't show that, but hang on, we've got video coming soon.
ADDED: More on the rally here:
Former U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold signed a petition as he helped kick off the rally...
Feingold, the longtime Democratic senator who was defeated in November by Republican Ron Johnson, encouraged volunteers to counteract two pieces of misinformation that he said have been circulated by the movement's critics: that recalls are only allowed in cases of criminal conduct or malfeasance and that the recall movement consists of out-of-state activists.
"Our law says you can do recalls if you simply attack the people of Wisconsin," as Walker has done, Feingold said.
He also praised the recall movement as "all grassroots and all Badger."
Recent polling has identified Feingold as the only Democrat running ahead of Walker in a possible recall election
But despite shouts of "Governor Feingold!" and "Run, Russ, run!" from the volunteers, Feingold reiterated that he won't run against Walker if the signature drive is successful.
"I want there to be a new governor," Feingold told reporters outside the theater. "There will be a new governor in a few months, but it won't be me."
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I do recall Scott Walker. I voted for him in November 2010 and I resent having to vote again because some entitled union rats are having a fucking hissy fit.
The Teamsters truck is perfect. It is ironic that the Teamsters biggest adversary was a pair of Dem brothers.
Someone oughtta pull ALl the Democrat's quotes regarding the Recall of Governor Davis in California - JUST to get the FULL dose of hypocrisy - how they defended a Governor who was driving his state to ruin, and now trying to recall one who is trying to SAVE the state.
It's also too bad you can't block off the highways, barring the out of state meddlers, so that you can have an election by and for the people of Wisconsin.
Ugh the empty Teamsters semis are back.
On Wisconsin is not an invitation to invade the greensward.
As James Buchanan artfully defined it, public choice is “politics without romance.” The wishful thinking it displaced presumes that participants in the political sphere aspire to promote the common good. In the conventional “public interest” view, public officials are portrayed as benevolent “public servants” who faithfully carry out the “will of the people.” In tending to the public’s business, voters, politicians, and policymakers are supposed somehow to rise above their own parochial concerns...
Legislative catering to the interests of the minority at the expense of the majority is reinforced by the logic of collective action. Small, homogeneous groups with strong communities of interest tend to be more effective suppliers of political pressure and political support (votes, campaign contributions, and the like) than larger groups whose interests are more diffuse. The members of smaller groups have greater individual stakes in favorable policy decisions, can organize at lower cost, and can more successfully control the free riding that otherwise would undermine the achievement of their collective goals. Because the vote motive provides reelection-seeking politicians with strong incentives to respond to the demands of small, well-organized groups, representative democracy frequently leads to a tyranny of the minority.
What is recalling someone? Is it like an impeachment?
Are we just supposed to vote every day until we finally vote their way?
Perhaps instead of organizing bands to play at the capitol and speakers to talk with bullhorns during rallies, they should actually find someone who wants to actually run against Walker.
So far, nothing but crickets on that front. Why? Because Walker is going to win the argument.
All he has to do is read off the 200+ school districts in this state that have either held the line on property taxes or lowered them because of Act 10.
Walker erased a massive deficit and paid back millions of dollars in illegally raided funds in under a calendar year, and these people actually want to take him out of office.
All over paying for a little bit more of their health care and their own retirement.
Craziness.
All thats missing is "Its All About The Kids" sign. There's gotta be one there somewhere.
Since state employees aren't allowed to eat lunch anymore, we should start to see some slimmer people at these rallies pretty soon, right?
Many people in Madison will come out and protest at the sound of a drum or a bullhorn.
Give us the demographics of the "crowd" professor.
Bumper stickers seen today on a car in Madison:
Coexist
Recall Scott Walker
Never Underestimate the Power of Stupid People in Large Groups.
Kind of sums up the entire recall movement, doesn't it?
If only I'd had a bumper sticker handy to add to the collection: "I Have No Idea What Irony Is".
Of course Feingold won't run. Like David Obey in the election last year, he's pretty sure he'll lose, and that's unacceptable to him.
Just like he won't run for Senate again, either. He's afraid he'd lose, and even if he won, he'd then be the junior Senator to the guy who defeated him.
Former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk, stirred up the recall spirit while pretending to deer hunt.
FUNNY.
I expect Walker to wipe the floor with these stupid leftists. Best case they lose badly and blow all their remaining union election funds on this fiasco before the real elections in November 2012.
wv: meadelys. really
So if they lose this recall what is the over/under on when they start with the next recall petitions?
My guess is the next day, but I don't know the law.
Nobody fights like a person fighting for a handout.
If they worked half as hard at their jobs as they fight for their handouts we wouldn't be having this discussion. And, for the record, the union level of pay and benefits is essentially a handout.
That great big 18-wheeler from the Teamsters tends to give the lie to the idea it's "all grassroots and all Badger."
How much Occupation money was out there today, one wonders.
How many people are coming?
As the pizza store how many slices they sold. It would give you a more accurate count.
Most numbers have no mathematical scheme. They're just plucked out of someone's ass.
But what got me today ... was Glenn Reynolds link to the Ontario TV station ... that went down at 4:00AM. Witb an infrared camera. And, found out "just having tents as far as they eye could see" ... didn't mean anyone was sleeping in them.
Was the first clue that the drumming was supposed to fool you, because you didn't hear snoring?
As media attempts go ... the unions are out there creating "visuals." Believe what you want.
Yeah. The Teamster's Truck looks like it wasn't carrying cargo!
Is the size of the truck supposed to impress you? Even when it's not pulled by Clydesdales?
Do you laugh or cry? Scott Walker has "attacked" the people of Wisconsin, and therefore is a legitimate target for recall, on Russ Feingold's say so?
Do you laugh or cry? Scott Walker has "attacked" the people of Wisconsin, and therefore is a legitimate target for recall, on Russ Feingold's say so?
-----------------------------
Russ Feingold says Walker has
"attacked" the people of Wisconsin, yet is too chicken shit to actually put his money where his mouth in and actually run in a potential recall election.
Pretty much sums up where this "movement" is right now...all flash, no substance. And no ability to defend their position.
I had Wisconsin all wrong-
I had no idea you spent your time engaging in futile anarchy.
I'd have thought you'd spend your time, on the eve of Thanksgiving preparing.....as winter knocks.
Fishing is at it's peak--deer season.
Family, friends...chill in the air;gather and enjoy friendship-
Weatherize the home, order, split and stack your seasoned oak.
NOPE.
Instead, you engage in this shit.
A bunch of Godless pseudo-intillectual fucks that have lost your way.
Shame on you, Wisconsin.
wisconsin has turned into the comedy gift that keeps on giving.
Don't forget. It was a recall that created The Governator.
Feingold, the longtime Democratic senator who was defeated in November by Republican Ron Johnson, encouraged volunteers to counteract two pieces of misinformation that he said have been circulated by the movement's critics: [....]and that the recall movement consists of out-of-state activists.
Ah, Russ, the Teamsters trucks had out of state license plates, mkay?
Oh well, people of Wisconsin if you vote to recall fiscal sanity then you'll be voting to run Wisconsin into the ground financially and...Texas will benefit. We'll get some of your escaping companies and residents.
Our school district is set to open 4 new schools in September - three elementary schools and one middle school. Big schools too. Our elementary schools are built for 1000+ students and the middle schools for about 1300+.
And we get a new high school in Sept. 2013.
Lots of our newcomers are from blue states, particularly California. We'll make Texans out of them....or at least their kids. LOL
Jebus! How many union goons can they pack into one of those semis?
What is the plan, Russ? You recall Walker and then what? You get your collective bargaining back, fine. But do the state workers think they are going to get a raise like the media has been lamenting the lack thereof for the last couple of weeks?? Jim Doyle took away a pay raise and took away more with a furlough - do we remember that?? Will state workers contribute less to their health insurance and pensions? Somebody said something about weeping and gnashing of teeth somewhere...
I'd also like to say a prayer for that poor balloon guy up at the Capitol who is now being sued for psychological distress. Plain and simple, he just finally snapped after months on end of a hostile work environment. Why don't you rail on about that, Russ? He's a state employee, too, right Russ? Russ? chirp chirp chirp
Nothing says grass roots like out of state Teamster semis.
"Irene said...
Former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk, stirred up the recall spirit while pretending to deer hunt."
I hope she has a sucsheshful deer hunt and brings home some venishon. That would be sho aweshome.
How long of a term will Walker serve after he wins the recall election? Does he get a full term after that? That'd be awesome; they'd just be prolonging his reign.
In Massachusetts, in 04, the state legislature changed the law on US congressional appointments. Kerry was running for prez, and the law stated that the governor appointed a replacement US Senator in the event Kerry won. Since Romney was gov, they changed the law to make it a special election. Kerry lost, obviously, so no need for a special election. (MA is so blue that the state congress can easily get a 2/3 majority to override gubernatorial veto; hence they are the law with few checks.) It backfired in 09 when Ted the Lion of the Senate passed away, and the resulting special election saw GOPer Scott Brown beat Dem donkey Martha Coakley. I loved it.
At some point all these recall shenanigans are going to backfire on the Dems with some unintended consequences. 4 more years of Walker would be a good start.
I also suspect that the Dems/unions think they win either way with this recall election. If they topple Walker, great. If they lose they at least temper his ambitions with their forceful resistance and tie him up with nonstop campaigning. Hopefully he's not cowed by all this and sticks to his guns. That also presumes GOP majorities in the state legislature can be hold firm, and there are usually some shaky legs on those seats.
The Teamsters Trucks have always fascinated me. I was down there a half dozen times last winter when the big "protests" were going on and they were completely empty every time. If you look at the photo in the previous post here, the rear trailer looks quite flimsy and is very low to the ground - it might be a used moving trailer, but certainly couldn't be used for freight these days with that low trailer profile. It won't meet up with any standard receiving docks. The one in front is quite a bit higher and could conceivably be used for freight. I think they might just be giant billboards. The cost for the diesel alone to get those rigs here and back (to wherever they are coming from) is probably close to $500 per semi.
There were always a half dozen or so people in the backs of the trailers that were standing inside to get warm last winter, and it appeared they were handing out t-shirts. Not sure if you had to pay for them.
"Joe Schmoe said...
How long of a term will Walker serve after he wins the recall election? Does he get a full term after that?"
No, he will simply have his original full term. He cannot be recalled twice however.
To Ann Althouse:
I have not seen anything from you about this, but how many times can someone sign the recall petition? I am hearing conflicting stories/opinions. Vicki Mckenna says it's illegal to sign more than once, but my relatives and other people seem to think it is fine to do so as the GAB will "take care of it" If the goal is to overwhelm the GAB, then the recall might happen after all.
I also think at least one of my nephews signed the petition and they are only 16...sigh...
I hope the Walker folks demand that the GAB verify every. single. signature. and sue if the GAB refuses. It's only a few days in and already there's video evidence of underage kids getting cigarettes for signatures, FB accounts with people bragging about signing for their parents too, and multiple reports of people signing multiple times. Absolutely disgusting, but not unexpected due to the juvenile and/or crooked nature of the protestors.
I think Walker has an excellent chance of winning, but remember, 750,000 people were stupid or deranged enough to vote for Kloppenburg, and a lot of people will vote for whomever runs against Walker, no matter who it is.
Vicki McKenna, good source. LMAO.
I'll bite: who is Vickie McKenna?
I'm a teacher in Wisconsin. Not the ultra-libreral kind, but the normal, rational kind. From the rural perspective, the resentment is building toward Walker mostly due to continued reduction in per-pupil expenses for school districts. Basically state aid to schools. For example, up where I live it is looking like 8-10 school districts are going to fold over the next two years, and we'll see consolidation. Sounds reasonable, but people don't move into a small town to see their kids bussed 25 miles away to a bigger school. If Durand gets folded into Menomonie and Ellsworth is forced to fold into River Falls, people are going to be pissed. And if it starts happening in the Fox River Valley, which is well off and is Walker's center of support, he's in real trouble. He could blame it on teachers unions and such, but the unions have been around forever, with capped pay and benefits since the early 1990's. And in Wisconsin, unlike Minnesota, school districts rarely consolidated, other than for athletics. If it starts happening now, then Walker will get the blame.
Now, what if local school boards (mostly conservative) start to threaten consolidation to try to force the governor's hand on school funding? That would be interesting.
By the way, word on the street is that Dave Obey will be running against Walker. That would also be very interesting.
There were a Helluva lot of folks hollerin' about "this is what Democracy looks like!" awhile back. Funny though, these same people cannot seem to abide by an election.
You Yankee types don't seem to be the brightest of all God's little gifts.
I wonder if someone can get a picture of the license plate on that Teamster trailer.
I am sure it must say Wisconsin, right?
Don M--we don't even need to see the license plate--that trailer in the front is for Teamsters Local 120, which covers Minnesota, Iowa, and the Dakotas, not Wisconsin. The second one has the Wisconsin local's information on it, but it might have a new decal added for this dog-and-pony show.
arkjer,
From the rural perspective, the resentment is building toward Walker mostly due to continued reduction in per-pupil expenses for school districts. Basically state aid to schools.
How much did per capita state aid to public K-12 increase in Wisconsin from, say, 1970 to 2010?
How big is the net reduction from 2010 levels in the current state budget?
Can we go to these rallies and tear up their recall petitions the same way the leftist union thugs tore up our recall petitions of their leftwing democrat legislators?
sorepaw- (this is long, sorry)
I have no idea about state aid from 1970 - 1993. I'm guessing that state aid as a percentage increased drastically until the early 1990's, when a series of laws generally called the QEO (quallified economic offer) were passed by governor Tommy Thompson, the purpose of which was to cap district spending increases at 3.8% annually. Now, that may seem high (way higher than a 2% inflation rate, for example), but if gas prices and food prices go up, say 18%, then you have to cut staff. If health care costs go up 5%, then you have to cut pay to stay under that 3.8%. Then, take into account the explosion in information technology; schools needed to get online, get gradebooks online, increase access to computers... that costs money. Much of that can be done with grants, but tech support specialists needed to be hired to keep the e-mail working and the gradebooks up. That drastically cut into that 3.8% annual increases.
Again, not saying it's right or wrong, but it is what it is.
My district had an annual budget of $39 mil in 2009-10. After the 2011-13 bi-annual budget, we saw a 5.5% decrease per-pupil (about $550 per kid for our district). And gas prices went up. So did food prices. So we had to cut the budget by $2.9 million for this school year, which was about 33 teachers, most of which were expensive teachers who retired and were not replaced, but 11 were younger teachers that were non-renewed due to program elimination. At the high school, classes were eliminated and schedules were changed. Elementary class numbers went up drastically (instead of five 3rd grade classes, we went to four, as an example).
My district for 2011-12 is facing a 1% per-pupil increase for 2011-12, which does not meet inflation. There is a pay freeze, so no raises, no lane changes. In fact, we've agreed to benefits cuts to give the district more money to handle this stuff. So, basically, wages and benefits are stagnent. Still, with that 1% increse we have to cut $500,000 from the budget (about 6-7 teachers) to keep the busses running and the kids fed.
So, what once was a $39 million budget is now a $35.5 million budget in my district. And we are in much, much better shape than other districts. Wausau is in real trouble and will most likely fold West and East into one mega school. Eau Claire is facing another $3 million in cuts and has no idea what to do.
At some point, there is no money to meet all of the federal and state regs (ADA, school lunches, transportation) and still keep the lights on.
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