E.D. Kain, Forbes: Is Wisconsin the Real Republican Waterloo?

[highplainsdem]

http://blogs.forbes.com/erikkain/2011/03/10/is-wisconsin-the-real-republican-waterloo/

E.D. Kain
American Times
Education
Is Wisconsin the Real Republican Waterloo?
Mar. 10 2011 - 9:15 am |

-snip-

And now conservatives have chosen public-sector workers and teachers as their hill to die on. They have followed the most radical voices in the party and the movement, and elected Scott Walker, Rick Scott, and various other Tea Party candidates. Heavily funded by big campaign donors like the Koch brothers and other corporate interests, the Republican party has made a concerted effort across the country to take on unions, public pensions, and social services for the poor.

Enabled by a strong school-reform movement within the Democratic party, emboldened Republicans have waged an all-out assault on teachers, public education, and public unions and masked it all in the language of school choice and accountability. And now, in Wisconsin, they have side-stepped the Democratic process and ended collective bargaining rights for public sector employees, even amidst huge protests and popular condemnation.

Republicans have a long history of union-busting and anti-labor rhetoric, but taking on teachers and cops is a big mistake. This blatant effort to weaken the Democratic party will have precisely the opposite effect.

The healthcare debate gave Republicans a chance to capture the narrative, spin the entire debate into one about fiscal ruin and deficits. Now Scott Walker has given progressives their chance. This is the Democrats chance to recapture that narrative, to turn the discussion back to the dignity of the middle class, to the importance of policies that do not simply push power and capital ever upward. This is the Republican’s Waterloo.

[mike_c]

1. what will weaken the democratic party is it's absolute lack of leadership and direction....

Where are the democrats? Where is Obama?

[donco]

2. Sadly I am beginning to think

that Obama needs someone to face him in a primary, maybe that would give him a backbone.

[mike_c]

3. it would only stiffen his spine for the campaign-- we've seen that he talks a good game....

He just never delivers.

[Jackpine Radical]

4. Where are the Democrats?

In Illinois.

14 mighty good ones, anyway.

[mike_c]

5. yep, and I salute them all....

:patriot:

Where are the Washington democrats?