AL Franken's statement

[tabatha]

We were all shocked by what happened in Wisconsin Wednesday night.

Eighteen Republican state senators broke faith with the people who elected them. They broke their word. They may have even broken the law.

They wanted to bust public sector unions -- the last line of defense for the rights of teachers, police officers, firefighters, nurses, and other public servants -- so badly that they were willing to cheat the system.

Let’s be clear: They did this in the hopes that, with the bill passed, the crowds would dissipate and we’d let this go.

But they were wrong. We’re not going to let this go. We’re going to help the people of Wisconsin fight this bill -- and the illegal power grab it took to pass it -- every step of the way. We’re going to help them hold accountable the elected officials who sold out workers and subverted democracy.

And, most of all, we’re going to make sure that this is the end -- not the beginning -- of the right wing’s attempt to destroy the middle class. It took a power-hungry, corporate-backed governor and 18 senators with no respect for the law or the struggle of working families to bring this issue to national attention. But the fight to stand up for the middle class against corporations and the politicians they own has always been a national fight.

It’s up to us to make sure we win that fight for the working families whose voices -- whose livelihoods -- are at stake.

Thank you. And please stay tuned.

[Horse with no Name]

1. Thank you AL! n/t

[jefferson_dem]

2. Thank you Senator Franken!

:thumbsup:

[nenagh]

3. Well done, Senator Al Franken...

[Sonicwall]

4. Al needs to introduce a federal bill

enabling as a federal law (state governors can't touch this) that collective bargaining is the land of the law.

All 50 states will be required to use collective bargaining to deal with the teachers, police, etc.

A state may opt out, but then they lose _all_ federal funding.

And an ex-post facto law that would put Scott Walker, and other R governors under federal arrest if they try to tamper with it.

Remind the Republicans who *elected* them. Not their corporate fatcats. The PEOPLE have elected them, and we should be abiding by their wishes, not the corporate fatassholes.

And of course, public funding with ZERO corporation funds for elections.

Scott Walker will be arrested, indicted, convicted and sentenced to prison for 56 years before parole eligible.

[snagglepuss]

56. Hear. Hear.

Welcome to DU.

[louis-t]

68. Or, the 'law of the land'

:silly: :hi:

[truebrit71]

5. Dear Mr President, THIS is what "putting on comfortable shoes" looks like..

Thank you Senator Franken!!

[Enthusiast]

27. PLUS ONE! nt

[Snotcicles]

51. Plus 1. nt

[FormerDittoHead]

64. Word. n/t

[tblue]

74. + a real big number

[ljm2002]

6. Great statement!

Thanks Al!!! Now let's see a few more Fightin' Dems!!!

K&R

[Pacifist Patriot]

7. It's not just the right wing's attempt to destroy the middle class.

Never forget it's a blatant defacto defunding of Democratic candidates for public office. Union busting is a grab at a one-party system.

[jwirr]

8. Thank you Al. You are right this is a WE the people issue. If we can

do anything to help be sure to keep telling us. Speaking of which, MN DUers, how can we work to help Governor Dayton hold the line at home? Can we start a MN group that work together here on DU informing us all about what is happening and when he needs us to step up? Links to news items etc.?

[Angry Dragon]

9. A 2fer for me today

Franken and Ellison

[Mister Ed]

30. Aye. This is the real Minnesota. So people, please quit ribbing us about Bachmann! n/t

[Jackpine Radical]

42. I spose you guys are in line for pawlenty of ribbing.

Well, us cheeseheads earned our share last fall.

[Mister Ed]

81. Doh! Touche! LOL n/t

[hifiguy]

78. For me too

So nice to see REAL Democrats instead of the "lite" variety for once.

[Chorophyll]

10. Thank you Al!

[ProSense]

11. Here is Reid's

statement.

[ChiciB1]

12. Wonderful Comments, Love Franken, But All I Can Say Right NOW Is...

I'll stay tuned. Not that I doubt Franken, I have DOUBTS because of so many OTHER Blue Dog, Conservative Dems. And I'm not at all sure that he will get much support from the WH and those advising Obama.

Just what I'm thinking, but it's sure nice to hear that "some" good Democrats are still REAL! And one Bernie Sanders who speaks loudly for "we the people" all the time. We just don't have enough people in D.C. who seem to give a FLYING "F!"

FOR SHAME on those who have forgotten those who helped elect them and are so beholden to the God of Greed and those who will grease their palms!

[AzDar]

13. He'd make a damned fine President, wouldn't he?

:patriot:

[gkhouston]

20. He would indeed. Actually, I think Erpenbach would look good on the national

stage, too.

[Jackpine Radical]

40. Herb Kohl is bound to retire one of these days.

[Enthusiast]

29. He's a liberal, no question. nt

[BlancheSplanchnik]

72. yes!

yes indeed!

[Cal33]

14. K & R

[Cali_Democrat]

15. You reading this, Mr. President?

This is the kind of statement you need to be making. Not that wishy-washy, mealy-mouthed, bipartisan, kumbaya BULLSHIT.

[Enthusiast]

31. PLUS ONE! nt

[Bandit]

16. Finally a Prominent Democrat has made a statement

Should have known it would be Senator Franken. I expect to hear from Pelosi soon as well. Reid not so much. He is like Obama, a corporate man.

[tabatha]

17. See #11

[Poboy]

18. Thank you Al!

[gkhouston]

19. Well done, Senator.

:patriot:

[RiverStone]

21. Al Rocks! --- rec'd

:fistbump:

[Keith Bee]

22. K&R

[marew]

23. Al, I love you!

XOXO :loveya:

[Tripod]

24. Great post!

Thank you.

[deacon]

25. The fight and support of the fight MUST escalate, And, get those bastards recalled. n/t

[Enthusiast]

26. K&R!

Kick ass, Al!

[Overseas]

28. K&R! Yes Please! //nt

[tpsbmam]

32. Thank you Al! Thanks for bucking the president's wishes to isolate and ignore

what's going on in Madison and all over the country. This is momentous and historical. When it's written, Obama will be on the wrong side of history. Those who join the fight for our rights will be on the golden side....including Al.

[They_Live]

33. Franken gets it right

Again. We need to eliminate corporate funding in our elections. It's just common sense if we all want representation.

[buck_lewis]

34. this is ridiculous

1 - Al Franken is a senator from MINNESOTA not WISCONSIN
2 - The 900 billion dollar stimulus bill was a gift to these public unions and unlike TARP, it will never get paid back - this is proof that these public unions will stop at nothing to get what they want
3 - people need to respect democracy - even decisions you don't agree with - these union folks are looking like the greedy ones now
4 - public employee unions have nothing to do with the middle class except that they are taking money from the middle class to fund their political activities
5 - I can't believe how many people on this site care more about their party (democrats) than they do about ideas (liberalism) - this is a site for democrat statist's - not liberals..
6 - Al sounds like a complete idiot when he says "middle class against corporations" - there are no corporations involved in the public employee union collective bargaining process - this is just red meat to reflexive statists..

[Name removed]

35. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[cilla4progress]

37. And so what do YOU propose?

What do you stand for? What should happen? Who and what do you support?

[buck_lewis]

39. what I support

1 - not having the taxpayers held hostage to a special interest (public employee unions)
2 - democracy - which means all the people that are not from wisconsin should leave because they have no say in this..
3 - helping those in need - there are so many things that help the truly needy that have been cut because these special interests tie up all of the money in the treasury - health care programs, truly inovative vocational education programs, infrastructure etc..

[Uncle Joe]

50. Is Koch from Wisconsin and would his interests be considered special?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=490151&mesg_id=491641

Koch: Well, I tell you what, Scott: once you crush these bastards I'll fly you out to Cali and really show you a good time.

Walker: All right, that would be outstanding. ... Thanks for all the support...it's all about getting our freedoms back...

Koch: Absolutely. And, you know, we have a little bit of a vested interest as well.

Walker: ... Thanks a million!

[JBoy]

41. sean_hannity?

[buck_lewis]

43. i hate sean hannity

is it okay if i call you joseph stalin? that would be equally ridiculous.

[JBoy]

45. Sorry, your hatred of unions got me confused.

[TBF]

46. You are not confused JBoy,

it is the teabaggerati who have their heads up their asses. They are fighting against unions, in their infinite wisdom, because they have been convinced someone might be getting something more than them. They fail to realize that when the unions fall and all the salaries are equalized, and workers will all be making minimum wage at best, there is still going to be the very small group of wealthy folks running the show.

[buck_lewis]

48. do you understand the difference between public and private?

seriously - i am talking about public employee unions - the ones that take taxpayer money

I work for the federal gov't - which does not allow collective bargaining - do you think fed employees are being underpaid??

[Uncle Joe]

52. If the private aka; Corporate owns the public, they're the same and that's

the path, the nation is long on the way to.

Furthermore since this is about Wisconsin, the question should be are Wisconsin Public Employees overpaid?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x465710

However, the data indicates that state and local government employees in Wisconsin are not overpaid. Comparisons controlling for education, experience, organizational size, gender, race, ethnicity, citizenship, and disability reveal that employees of both state and local governments in Wisconsin earn less than comparable private sector employees. On an annual basis, full-time state and local government employees in Wisconsin are undercompensated by 8.2% compared with otherwise similar private sector workers. This compensation disadvantage is smaller but still significant when hours worked are factored in. Full-time public employees work fewer annual hours, particularly employees with bachelor’s, master’s, and professional degrees (because many are teachers or university professors).

When comparisons are made controlling for the difference in annual hours worked, full-time state and local government employees are undercompensated by 4.8%, compared with otherwise similar private sector workers. To summarize, our study shows that Wisconsin public employees earn 4.8% less in total compensation per hour than comparable full-time employees in Wisconsin’s private sector.

These compensation comparisons account for important factors that affect earnings, the most important of which is the educational levels of public employees. When comparing public and private sector pay it is essential to consider the much higher levels of education required by occupations in the public sector. As a consequence of these requirements, Wisconsin public sector workers are on average more highly educated than private sector workers; 59% of full-time Wisconsin public sector workers hold at least a four-year college degree, comparedwith 30% of full-time private sector workers. Wisconsin state and local governments pay college-educated employees 25% less in annual compensation, on average, than private employers. The compensation differential is greatest for professional employees, lawyers, and doctors. On the other hand, the public sector appears to set a floor on compensation, which benefits less-educated workers. The 1% of state and local government workers without high school diplomas earn more than comparably educated workers in the private sector.

Apparently, they're not but I don't believe this has anything to do about state budgets, special interests or salary.

This all about the continuing Republican War against opposition power sources, be they Acorn, unions, public television and radio, the Internet, scientists, teachers anything that empowers the people's party with either financial resources or knowledge and information is targeted.

And when they've totally neutered those power sources do you honestly believe the Republicans give a rat's ass about the taxpayer?

Hell no! If they did, they wouldn't have blown up the budget without any thought about the consequences except to be sure their corporate and mega-wealthy masters were served.

The Republicans have one overriding goal, corporate supremacy over the people and by extension over "We the People's" government, this is just another battlefront in that war.

[xxqqqzme]

55. You do know those public employees are

also taxpayers? Right? Union members are not magically tax exempt, unlike the corporations funding these anti-middle class rethug politicians.

[TBF]

66. When I look at the gap in this country between rich and poor I understand that

most workers are underpaid, and that even includes you.

[TBF]

44. UNIONs are greedy? Check your CEO salaries bucko -

and I am not a democrat so you can check that supposition at the door as well.

Better hide good, people are waking up.

[buck_lewis]

47. maybe you don't understand the difference

I do not care how much a CEO of a corporation makes unless I own stock in that corporation. Neither should you unless it is just a case of envy. Every company in my portfolio is responsible - or I don't buy their stock.

I do not care how much the UAW pays the union stewards or officials.

I DO care how much money is being paid to employees of PUBLIC EMPLOYEE UNIONS because that money is the taxpayers and taxpayers are repeatedly being held hostage to these groups.

[LanternWaste]

49. There was a time in the not-too-distant past...

There was a time in the not-too-distant past that we would strive to achieve the middle class.

Now it would seem the Jr. Goebbels' on the AM radio airwaves have convinced many people that rather than trying to reach the middle class, we simply trash the middle class down, using unions an one excuse among many.

It would further appear that many, many people have bought that particular bill of goods, defend it, and willingly work as tools for the Corporations. Propogand is very, very effective.

[groundloop]

54. OK, I'll try to respond nicely and not have my post deleted like in a different thread

Buck, my dear friend. I believe you are gravely mistaken, or else have been misled by others on this issue.

Don't you think that firefighters, police officers, teachers, and nurses deserve to earn a decent salary? Don't you believe they deserve to have reasonable health care? Have you mistakenly fallen for the fake salary "statistics" for teachers posted by someone in the right wing (where they picked out one teacher who happened to have a masters degree with many years of seniority and tried to make it sound like his salary was the norm)?

My wife works for our county school system here in Georgia, they don't have a union. I can't begin to count the number of times she's worked an extra 10, 15, or even 20 minutes but hasn't been paid for it, or the number of times she worked all day without a break just to make sure they finished all that needed to be done. Illegal? Yes. But without a union who's going to stand up to the school board? Her health insurance keeps getting cut, while our governor has handed large tax breaks to corporations.

Oh, and members of public employee unions ARE taxpayers.

Buck, I think you've landed at the wrong discussion forum to be bashing unions.


There, Mr. Moderator - did I pass my test this time?

[SoulSearcher]

62. Just a sec ..

Read your post, and my wife is a Georgia teacher also. She puts in the same time, maybe more. But she is not a PUBLIC school teacher, so she has
no retirement benefits, or health insurance as your wife does. We are not complaining - but you are. Both our wives are free (in Georgia) to seek other
employment. Right now, the public school system in Georgia is a complete mess due to the ironic lies and willfull deceit by the public school system,
multiple teachers and PRINCIPAL's under fire by not only Ga by the FBI for Grade/Test-Score changing. and after more than a year - none have been fired.
Any group - government or union - once powerful seems beyond public control. So although I'm not against unions, I do NOT share your view that
they should be given the seemingly automatic decision that public coffers should be held for the benefit of a few. Give the citizens the same healthcare and
benefits as the legislators. I'm fine with that.

Btw - much appreciation for the hard work your wife puts in - she is a unsung hero in my book, even though we disagree on unions in Ga...
Thx.

[TBF]

67. Good lord how many more of these "I'm jealous of the unoin worker" posts are we going to

have today. Who the heck is putting out this meme?

Someone (I assume the Koch Bros.) is paying for people to post on forums in order to drive wedges between private sector and public sector workers.

This only benefits the very, very rich - once they've broken the unions than everyone (public or private) will be paid the same low wages because they will have nowhere else to go.

This is disgusting.

[groundloop]

82. Where the hell did I say "public coffers should be held for benefit of a few" ?

It appears you've totally missed my point. My wife and her co-workers are being taken advantage of. They have nobody that's willing or able to stand up for them, and each one of them is afraid to make waves for fear of losing their job. That part about "free to seek other employment" is total bullshit, why should someone have to leave a job they enjoy because their employer is acting unethically? My point in all of this is that if these school employees had a union they'd be paid for the hours they work (as they're required to be under the law), and instead of the state govt. and county commission automatically screwing them in order to give tax breaks to corporations a union would at least give these people a fighting chance to be treated fairly.

[Shiver]

59. Held hostage?

Public employees provide a service - teaching, law enforcement, snow plowing, etc - and are paid for it. Since they work for the government, they are paid with tax dollars. And they are paid MUCH LESS than their private sector equivalents. These are not jobs you go into to make money.

And yet it sounds as though you think they should be paid shit. My parents are both public employees, both part of unions. Last year, TOGETHER they just barely cleared $50,000. They have taken pay cuts and furlough days and wage freezes in exchange for halfway decent health benefits and pension as the state government has done dumber and dumber things.

How much more are they fucking supposed to give?

[TBF]

65. Did it ever occur to you that "taxpayers" are the folks who work -

the teachers, police officers, firemen, district attorneys etc... It's not like those folks aren't paying taxes. In fact they are going to be paying less when you cut their salaries. Your view is very short-sighted in that regard. And it's not like your PRIVATE market salary is going to benefit from union busting. Companies, without the threat of unions, will feel free to drop salaries at will. Where will folks go? And so every worker will be making less.

And "envy" is not the issue (you'll have to trust me on that), what I care about is the gap between rich and poor. Moreover, I care that most of those tax dollars we pay (and my tax bill is quite hefty) are going to kill people in other countries. That is what I care about. That very few people at the top (and I mean the top 1/2 of the top 1% or so) are living in obscene wealth while so many worldwide suffer and die due to their whims.

You are so on the wrong website with your views.

[Iris]

83. maybe you don't understand

there's a limited supply of capital. If the upper 2% of the population hordes it up, all the rest of us are up shit creek.

[Roy Rolling]

57. pay plans

Pay plans are a contract between employee and employer. Breaking that contract is immoral and illegal. It is that simple---many public employees work for less salary now in exchange for better benefits later. Now that it is time for employers to pay for the benefits, they want to change the rules because the benefits are under pressure because financial markets have not performed according to their calculations. Tough. If their calculations were made deficient because of financial markets let them get the money from the financial markets or break their contracts with the financial markets that let them down. That is the buzzword----ACCOUNTABILITY. Let those wo are to blame be accountable for the shortfall---the employer and its financial advisors---not the third-party employee.

[louslobbs]

69. "this is a site for democrat statist's -"

Then take your bible and guns an go somewhere that embraces your, how shall I say this, phony Democratic views. And while your at it, take your 13 posts with you I smell a Republicon in our midsts......lol Remember that sheep ad? lol You seem to have a touch of Sharon Angle itis.

Lou

[FormerDittoHead]

73. You are not welcome here. n/t

edited for naughty words.

[tabatha]

75. Did you know that

2 - 40% of the stimulus went to tax cuts for 98% of the population.
3 - there was nothing democratic in the way that Walker got his way.
4 - unions have everything to do with the middle class. The middle class was strongest when the unions were strongest (before Reagan)
5 - democrats = liberal
6 - corporations are trying to kill the unions and middle class

you are so ignorant, it is depressing.

[Casandia]

76. Are you

a sock puppet??

[hifiguy]

79. Enjoy your stay

It will likely be a short one.

[Mad_Dem_X]

36. Bless you, Senator Franklin!

Here is a man who hasn't lost his way since taking public office. He still fights for the working class.

[Jackpine Radical]

38. You can always count on Al to act like a DEMOCRAT!

Unlike--OW! (It always hurts when I bite my tongue.)

[xchrom]

53. recommend

[colorado_ufo]

58. Thank you, Sen. Franken!

[Marnie]

60. Thank you Al. We need more national level

Democrats speaking out against these acts. The DNC, national and state elected Dims needed to start standing, literally, with their citizens weeks ago, just like the Wi.did.

The DNC and Obama are standing on a bridge fiddling while Republicans are ripping the supports out from under it. They are so enthralled in contemplating their own navels that they don't notice and don't care if they do notice. That means you also Obama.

If the people of Wi and Mi etc. go down the DNC dies. Because they are, we are, the Democratic party. Fight with us and maybe we all survive, ignore us and watch the Democratic Party vanish.

As one sign said Ich bin ein Cheese Head.

[indimuse]

61. KNR! n/t

[Zorra]

63. Now that's what real Democratic leaders say. "It's up to us..." n/t

[Worried senior]

71. Thanks Senator Frankin

Do people not realize if people make a decent living, they buy more, pay more taxes and use less welfare programs, isn't this suppose to be good for the country

[Catamount]

70. Thanks Al...K&R

[hifiguy]

77. I could not be prouder of my Senator,

Al Franken, or my Congressman, Keith Ellison. Two great Americans.

[Maineman]

80. I like Al Franken

[Mojeoux]

84. Staying Tuned Senator Franken! Thank You!

[PhillySane]

85. When...

in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government.