'Wisconsin bill aimed to bust Democrats'

[Charleston Chew]

Run time: 02:29 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lg8-RR4bA8   Posted on YouTube: March 07, 2011 By YouTube Member: Presstvusdesk Views on YouTube: 7   Posted on DU: March 07, 2011 By DU Member: Charleston Chew Views on DU: 656

 
__________
'Wisconsin bill aimed to bust Democrats'
Presstvusdesk on Mar 7, 2011

The main reason behind Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker's union-busting efforts is to damage the base of the opposition base, the Democratic Party, says Professor Tom Kemp at the University of Wisconsin.

"Everybody knows that the unions contribute heavily to Democrats and severe damage to the unions which this bill does would damage the Democratic Party's ability to fundraise," Dr. Kemp noted.

He made a reference to the consequent protests in Wisconsin against the Republican bill and said, "I think the main thing that we hope to achieve with the protest is awareness of what is in this bill."

"The governor had hoped to pass both the budget repair bill and the budget in a very speedy fashion. And the vast majority of people in Wisconsin were not aware of what was in the bill," added the university professor.

He said that the protests are shifting the "public opinion against the bill."

"The longer this goes on, the more the truth will come out and the truth is on our side not the governor's," Kemp concluded.

more @ http://www.presstv.com/usdetail/168573.html

__________
"Wisconsin Democrats, Collective Bargaining, and Why We Need Unions'
Daniel Barber aka Hotnuke
Feb 23, 2011

The fight in Wisconsin by Democrats against Republican Governor Scott Walker's bill aimed at eliminating collective bargaining rights of state workers is just one of many going on around the country.

There are also similar struggles in other parts of the nation over union rights, such as in Indiana, where Democrats have walked out of the state assembly, blocking a Republican bill that would do away with mandatory union dues.

In Ohio, the Statehouse was actually locked up when thousands showed up to protest a comparable bill.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/7786822/wisconsin_democrats_collective_bargaining.html

__________
'Ohio Union Bill Aimed At Reducing Bargaining Rights Passes State Senate'
AP/The Huffington Post ANN SANNER
03/02/11

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The bargaining rights of public workers in Ohio would be dramatically reduced and strikes would be banned under a bill narrowly passed by the state Senate on Wednesday.

The GOP-backed measure that would restrict the collective bargaining rights of roughly 350,000 teachers, firefighters, police officers and other public employees squeaked through the state Senate on a 17-16 vote. Six Republicans sided with Democrats against the measure.

Firefighters and teachers shouted "Shame!" in the chamber as the legislation was approved and moved on to the GOP-controlled House, where it is likely to receive strong support.

The bill is similar to the Republican-supported collective bargaining bill in the Wisconsin legislature that has sparked national debate in its weakening of public employees' ability to negotiate contracts – although there are differences between the two. Wisconsin's bill exempts police and firefighters from the collective bargaining restrictions, while Ohio's does not. And the bill there would affect 175,000 unionized public workers.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/02/ohio-union-bill-aimed-at-_n_830565.html

__________
'Ohio Union Bill Aimed At Reducing Bargaining Rights Passes State Senate'
Associated Press Andrew Welsh-Huggins, Julie Carr Smyth contributed to this report.
Saturday, March 5, 2011

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The bargaining rights of public workers in Ohio would be dramatically reduced and strikes would be banned under a bill narrowly passed by the state Senate on Wednesday.

The GOP-backed measure that would restrict the collective bargaining rights of roughly 350,000 teachers, firefighters, police officers and other public employees squeaked through the state Senate on a 17-16 vote. Six Republicans sided with Democrats against the measure.

Firefighters and teachers shouted "Shame!" in the chamber as the legislation was approved and moved on to the GOP-controlled House, where it is likely to receive strong support.

The bill is similar to the Republican-supported collective bargaining bill in the Wisconsin legislature that has sparked national debate in its weakening of public employees' ability to negotiate contracts – although there are differences between the two. Wisconsin's bill exempts police and firefighters from the collective bargaining restrictions, while Ohio's does not. And the bill there would affect 175,000 unionized public workers.

http://thedemocraticsocialist.blogspot.com/2011/03/ohio-union-bill-aimed-at-reducing.html
__________

[tblue37]

1. The idiots who think it's a good idea for Republicans to turn US

states and, if they can, the federal government into a one-party system should be reminded that one-party power is exactly what has turned countries like Mexicao, Egypt, Iran, etc., into places where the people are vampirized by a powerful oligarchy.

Of course, even with two parties, we see barely a hair's breadth of difference between the two, and that does us great harm here in the US. But at least there is some difference between the Republicans and the Democrats--nowhere near as much as we need, but some is better than absolutely none!

As bad as it is here in the US, as we succumb more and more to the depredations of our own powerful oligarchy, it would be even worse if Republicans could make it virtually impossible for Democrats to compete in elections.