“A general strike, that is the only way to stop Walker.”

[Karmadillo]

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2011/mar2011/wisc-m05.shtml

Wisconsin workers continue protests as Democrats prepare surrender to Walker
By Jerry White
5 March 2011

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Demonstrators in MadisonDemonstrations over the last three weeks have drawn workers from Wisconsin and many other states and have made Madison a symbol of working class resistance throughout the country. Among workers there is a growing sense that the intransigence of the Walker administration—and the corporate interests behind it—must be answered in kind. Sentiment for general strike is broadly felt.

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“A general strike would hit them in the pocket book. That’s all the rich understand. My dad took part in the 1971 US postal strike that shut the entire nation down. The government tried to use the National Guard but that didn’t work. Things have been going downhill ever since Reagan fired the air traffic controllers in 1981.

“We had to fight for every right. How many people had to die to win the 40-hour workweek or to get medical insurance? Now they would like to pay every worker five dollars a day.”

Another worker said, “A general strike, that is the only way to stop Walker.”

more...

[blindpig]

1. Yes indeed

and not just Walker.

Shut it all down.

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

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[socialist_n_TN]

6. It doesn't take a majority, just a dedicated minority..........

But yes, it has to be a SIZABLE minority and they do have to be dedicated.

It's a serious proposition, ESPECIALLY in this country where there's no RECENT precedent for a general strike. THAT'S why it hasn't been done already. So far, there's nothing concrete to be striking FOR. The actual passage of the law would change that.

But a general strike called in Wisconsin WOULD lead to sympathy strikes of lesser duration in other states (and maybe another one in Ohio which is facing the same thing as Wisconsin) and a heightened class consciousness among ALL workers. And most importantly, it would prove that it COULD be done.

This is just the first step in the fight back. It will get worse before we can take BACK the reins of government from the capitalists who control BOTH political parties and return it to the actual PEOPLE who MAKE this economy run.

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

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[socialist_n_TN]

10. The majority is THERE. Every poll out there.............

has shown that 2 out of 3 AMERICANS think that denying workers the ability to collective bargain is WRONG. But that doesn't mean that that majority is willing to actually participate in a general strike, at least at first. That's where the "screaming minority" comes in. If you know ANY history you know that ALL revolutions are accomplished by dedicated minorities. Only a third of the American colonists were rebels in 1776. THAT was the "screaming minority". One third.

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

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[socialist_n_TN]

17. So we can now just take away the rights of the apathetic?

Without any recourse? Is that what you're saying? Although, I do believe that that 2 out of 3 would probably cover likely voters too.

I'm not willing to let them get away with taking away rights without a fight. Are you?

[Kingofalldems]

20. Bye freeper!

[socialist_n_TN]

24. Aw! Let him/her stay............

He's fun to play with. :)

[GoCubsGo]

29. Nah.

He/she was trolling HP last night. The lies got tiresome and redundant really fast.

[Rabrrrrrr]

14. Try reading the Constitution.

We are NOT a pure democracy, majority-rules nation. Our laws are provisioned in such a way that the minority voice does not get trampled and also has some power.

Though I think in terms of people supporting the right of people to collectively bargain and their hatred of the Walker bill, that's a majority right there.

[jillan]

18. Screaming minority? You must be referring to the teabaggers, because the movement in WI is very

peaceful.

[Horse with no Name]

16. I'm impressed.

You are jumping right in to every conversation on your first day and taking alternate stances! It took me months to get up that kind of bravery!

[jillan]

19. I'm kinda getting hungry for pizza - how about you?

[Horse with no Name]

22. Yesssssssssss pizzzzzzza

I alerted the pizza delivery service.:)

[blindpig]

23. Things change...

Indeed, things are changing rather swiftly, wouldn't you say? Who would have dreamed of the current events in the Middle East a year ago? We have done it before and can do so again. The conditions they are imposing upon us makes it inevitable.

[txlibdem]

30. Inevitable. Agreed.

eom

[HereSince1628]

2. I'd agree only after the bill is passed and the unions busted

Otherwise state workers are going to get nailed the same thing that happened to PATCO, and the same thing that scared the postal workers into NOT striking along with the air-traffic controllers.

Recall pressure on the senators is completely legal and won't give the Walker administration a club to beat up state employees.

[socialist_n_TN]

7. I have no problem with recall petitions..........

although I expect Walker and the other Republicans facing recall to defy the will of the people on this. Even if recalled, I don't think that Walker leaves the State House with less than an escort of cops taking him to jail for defying a court citation for contempt. So yeah, go for it.

But the recall doesn't negate the need for a general strike if the bill is passed. This will be a long struggle, mnnths at LEAST and probably years. All peaceful weapons should be on the table.

[Poboy]

3. Recommend

[socialist_n_TN]

4. It's looking more and more like it...........

But before you get into it, you MUST be prepared to be arrested. Don't do it half assed. Expect to give up everything. Businesses should be peacefully occupied by workers in a sit down strike manner. Roads and highways clogged to interfere with commerce. In short, ANYTHING peaceful is permissible to bring trade to a halt.

[riderinthestorm]

9. I just can't take my eyes off that thug union little girl on her thug union daddy's shoulders

Of that thug union little boy in front of her next to his thug union mom with the slob ponytail....


:sarcasm: but with a sad, wry twist.... It actually infuriates me to see decent people smeared like this. Honestly, I think it may well come to a general strike but unfortunately I don't believe even that will budge Walker. He isn't beholden to the workers of Wisconsin. His masters have assured him of his future, it matters naught what actually happens to us - this is all about Walker and the fix is in for him.

[socialist_n_TN]

12. I don't think it would be about budging Walker either.......

He won't be budged until his capitalist masters are budged. A general strike IF it disrupts enough business, MIGHT sway them.

[Shagbark Hickory]

11. MAybe not a "general" strike but they should start by shutting down the schools!

A teacher and school worker strike will be a bit of a sting to the economy that will have business execs that buy policy to put pressure on walker.

[socialist_n_TN]

15. Agree partially. See post #12..........

However, I DO think that it needs to be a little more widespread than just the teachers/students. Otherwise it just hits one group of workers. The entire state and, if possible, the entire economy of the midwest needs to be effected for a couple of weeks at least.

And this needs to be just the start.

DAMN! Two edits because of screw ups.

[Shagbark Hickory]

21. IT would be more realistic than a general strike which most likely won't get the partcipation needed

Start with schools. It'll have all the people bitching because there's nobody to watch their brats during the day.
Then threaten to shut down the police services next. Say there will be molesters running loose in the streets and nobody to stop them.

Those unions need to watch and listen to Quadaffi or something.

[socialist_n_TN]

25. POSSIBLY more realistic that a WIDESPREAD ..........

general strike, but they've already had (I think) a general strike approval for one of the labor councils. It's just waiting for the call. And that's AFL-CIO, not exactly the most radical of union groupings.

Get as many as possible to start it, carry it on for a couple of weeks and see if it spreads. I think it will myself.

[Shagbark Hickory]

27. Yet another bad strategy. It's putting all the cards on the table, leaving nothing left to use. nt

[socialist_n_TN]

31. It's going to take more than just ONE action..........

to roll back this tsunami. Look at Greece. Every few months, labor unrest and ANOTHER general strike.

The first one is NOT going to spread south anyway. I figure the first one will be midwest based, with some sympathy actions in the more liberal areas.

This is going to be a LONG process AND there needs to be a lot of peacefully, disruptive actions. The idea is to interfere AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, with commerce for as long as possible. Then rest and recoup for a while and DO IT AGAIN! For as long as it takes.

[readmoreoften]

36. General strikes work through strategy not total compliance.

If public transportation workers and teachers strike firmly with other unionized work supplementing, it creates conditions where many people can't go to work anyway. People on the fence join in just to get it over with, once they join in they learn about what's really going on and get strike hardened. Strikes happen in waves, even general strikes.

[socialist_n_TN]

37. +1. You said it well read.......

:fistbump:

[txlibdem]

26. Walker is starting layoffs of unionized workers - STRIKE, STRIKE, STRIKE

It's now or never people. Stand and fight or lose all our rights to the psychotic right wingers... You decide.

Just say this over at LBN
"BREAKING: Wisconsin governor issues union layoff notices"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4757806

[Starry Messenger]

28. k&r

[Kurovski]

32. +100

K&R

[FirstLight]

33. Psst.... look at this...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x556615

(march 30 is stay home for america day!)

who else is "in"..?

the more we stand up, the better. Just because 'one strike isn't going to do anything' is NOT a reason to be apathetic!
we have to realize that the PTB are counting on us getting 'distracted' or 'bored' with this story...

[DearAbby]

40. I'm IN.

[cliffordu]

34. Kicketty and reccommemmmmmmmmmmend

[Skip_In_Boulder]

35. “A general strike would hit them in the pocket book.

That’s all the rich understand".

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!

[TheKentuckian]

38. That isn't the only thing they can understand but one step at a time.

[socialist_n_TN]

39. Yep. Graduated response. Graduated response...........

We might get lucky and the general strikes will work.

[calimary]

41. "...as Democrats prepare surrender to Walker" ??????????????????

WTF?

Did I miss something?!?!?!??!!???

JUST WHO is preparing to surrender to walker???????????

[socialist_n_TN]

44. There's been talk all along that they..........

(the Dems) are looking for a solution so they can come back to Wisconsin. There seems to be a new rumor every day. And I don't blame them. HOWEVER, any solution that allows the Walker bill to strip collective bargaining rights from workers would be a disaster, even if other odious clauses are removed. I think that and those rumors are what the article refers to.

As I've said numerous times in numerous threads about the potential for a general strike, it is NOT SOMETHING TO ENTER INTO LIGHTLY! Because it IS designed to actually HURT commerce and the economy, not just make a point. To make it maximally effective, you have to DISRUPT as much as you can, so that even people who WANT to go to work can't do it.

That's why the timing is not right at this point. If the bill is actually ENACTED though, THAT is the time. A year's disruption would give the recall a chance to work too.

[walldude]

42. LOOK AT ALL THOSE UNION THUGS!!!

Damn hippies!

[deacon]

43. If need be it needs to happen. People must stand up for themselves. n/t