Madison, Wis. – Hundreds of protesters continue to occupy the capitol, and 14 Democratic state senators remain roosted in Illinois, stalling consideration of his budget-repair bill. But Gov. Scott Walker, a first-term Republican, tells National Review Online that he will not blink. “By the end of this week, we will have a bill passed,” he pledges.
Walker is confident that he can pressure the on-the-run politicians to return and secure passage of his plan, which would drastically reduce the collective-bargaining power of public-sector unions and force state employees to put 5.8 percent of their salaries toward their pensions and pay 12.6 percent of their health-care premiums.
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“We are looking at legal options to compel the senators to come back,” Walker says. “They have no endgame. They don’t know what they are doing. They got caught up in the hysteria and decided to run, but that’s not how this works. You have got to be in the arena.”
Bringing up hot-button legislation while the Democrats are gone is another arrow in Walker’s quiver. Though the Wisconsin constitution requires three-fifths of the senate to be present to pass fiscal legislation, a simple majority of 17 members constitutes a quorum for other bills in the 33-seat state senate. So the 19 GOP senators who remain in Madison can pass any number of bills while their Democratic colleagues are on the lam, and Republicans are a majority in the assembly, too. “They can hold off, but there is a whole legislative agenda that Republicans in the senate and assembly can start acting on that only requires simple majorities,” Walker warns.“If they want to do their jobs, and have a say, they better show up.”
Non-spending bills and government appointments could see action early Tuesday. Walker says he will not yield as the standoff unfolds, especially since Wisconsin is facing a projected $3.6 billion budget shortfall over the next two years.
Noisy crowds of union sympathizers won’t dissuade Walker from using his bully pulpit if Democrats continue to avoid a vote. “Constituents should contact these senators,” he says. “Beyond the people who support my position, there are plenty of people in this state who may be up in the air about this bill, but firmly believe that their senators’ not showing up for work does not cut it.”
Over the past week, Walker’s crusade has stirred intense national interest. Activists of all political stripes have flocked to Madison. Washington politicos are abuzz, comparing Walker’s blunt budget fight to that of New Jersey governor Chris Christie, who became a hero to conservatives last year after he tangled with state Democrats over spending. Others have compared his showdown to Ronald Reagan’s tangle with federal air-traffic controllers. Walker does not talk up the comparisons, but he acknowledges the overlaps.
The national spotlight has not fazed him. In an interview Sunday, Walker, the 43-year-old son of a Baptist preacher, was calm and easygoing, brushing off the heated, often personal, comments from protesters as political theater. A handful of protesters have likened Walker to Adolf Hitler and Darth Vader, among other villains. “Any time you challenge the status quo, any time you are bold, you are going to get a big reaction,” he chuckles.
But Walker is dead serious about his bill. He argues that the recession has hit every nook of the state, from Kenosha to Superior, so citizens are aware of the stakes. While the state’s unemployment rate is lower than the national average, Wisconsin is not in a position to avoid hard choices, he says. With the state “broke,” he sees his budget fix as the best way to balance the books, even if it makes the unions scream.
Republicans are confident that they have the votes to pass the plan. At a Saturday press conference, Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald told reporters that GOP state senators continue to back the proposed reforms, in spite of the masses surrounding the capitol. “We are rock solid,” he said.
Democrat senators illustrate how little respect they have for democracy. Unionists marching shoulder to shoulder with communist pamphleteers. Thousands of teachers, who mouth pretty words about how sacrosanct the role of educator is, and how import their students are to them, call lying about sickness "direct action," and deny their students their education.
And the conservatives have been wrong all along how, exactly?
Do the math! Anything times zero is still zero. The well is dry and the unions are not going to gain anything for the workers. Why waste the union dues?! Walker is correct; the time has come to dismantle the unions that eat up scarce resources.
This "interview" would have been much more informative and to the point if you just listed your questions followed by his answers (word for word). The rest of your verbiage could have been removed from the story.
What is the strategy to legally compel the senators to return? Why does the governor think the Dems will return this week? Why not stay away until the next election? Does the governor actually have anything to do with this, given that the Wisconsin constitution specifies that it is up to the Wisconsin House and Senate to determine their own punishments for members who don't show up for work?
It would be a good idea to interview the Wisconsin senate majority leader to know how he plans to punish the awol Dem senators.
Wonder who is paying for the hotel and food bills for those 13 senators from Wisconsin? It would be interesting to know. It would be interesting to know if their pay is going to be docked for time off from work. Oh! Well, who is John Galt?
People have a right to be heard. No problem. But they don't have a right to use the Chill-dren. I am sick, sick, sick to death of teachers indoctrinating kids with Al Gore and the latest lefty trends and then using the kids for their own personal greed. Americans are going to see these people for what they are. Fire them all and send everyone vouchers! Enough of the thugs, the greed, the politics, the brainwashing, and the massive incompetence in the whole "education" establishment. And finally, per Ronald Reagan, DUMP THE EDUCATION CZAR AND THE WHOLE FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. Thank you very much...to quote Elvis.
I'm so tired of the political correctness of "honoring" teachers, who allegedly don't get paid enough.
This is a PART-TIME job! Most teachers I know don't even work an eight-hour day, and they get more than a third of the year off. The wages and benefits are so out of line with reality, it's just one more example of a government-run institution gone haywire.
For those sick of unions and this antiquated "collective bargaining", well, if you get your way, farewell to the middle class. I trust you are all oligarchs yourselves. You will be saved for a bit longer...good luck!
What is clearly on display in Wisconsin is the degree to which public sector unions are in league with the Democratic Party. The Senators who have fled Wisconsin to avoid a vote on the budget legislation aren't representing the people of Wisconsin, they are representing the unions. This would include our president. The more people understand this fact, the greater will be the public backlash against them in November 2012.
"When Hitler attacked the Jews … I was not a Jew, therefore, I was not concerned. And when Hitler attacked the Catholics, I was not a Catholic, and therefore, I was not concerned. And when Hitler attacked the unions and the industrialists, I was not a member of the unions and I was not concerned. Then, Hitler attacked me and the Protestant church—and there was nobody left to be concerned."
ATTRIBUTION: Attributed to MARTIN NIEMÖLLER.—Congressional Record, October 14, 1968, vol. 114, p. 31636.....and it's a stretch to compare current history to what went on then....unless you look left
I read the National Review every so often just to get a conservative point of view. But I read an article like this and I see why I have long stretches between visits. This article doesn't even touch on the central issue: collective bargaining rights. The union has agreed to the paycuts, and for that conservatives should give them an at-a-boy. I listened to NPR this morning and a republican state senator from Wisconsin was asked about how the collective bargaining rights relate to the deficit. The senator couldn't make the connection for me. I would like to read a piece that explains the connection. The best I can come up with is that any collective bargaining rights might interfere with wage hikes in the future. But that is speculative. Those of you who read mainly conservative media, try Krugman's NYTimes article. This National Review diet is a one-sided affair.
This is an important preliminary struggle to the main event that will be the federal government shutdown next month. The Congressional GOP needs to be smart about this upcoming fight because we will suffer a national catastrophe if things go badly.
First, do not touch Social Security and Medicare. This is clearly a long-term national problem. However, these programs are not driving our budget deficit during this fiscal year that ends on 09/30/2011 nor will they cause next fiscal year's budget deficit. These programs are enormously popular and people will not give up their benefits unless they believe there is no more appealing option for the nation. Public opinion is not yet at that point. The GOP risks its entire project by touching these programs when it has no political mandate to do so.
Second, cut everything else dramatically to try to bring fedral outlays back into line with the fiscal year that ended on 09/30/2008.
Third, be blunt with the Republican caucus about the furious reaction the GOP will face and be clear-eyed about whether the representatives from marginal districts can handle the heat. If not, the GOP needs to be prepared to make significant concessions to the Democrats. The Democrats will have the liberal establishment media twisting everything to make things look as bad as possible for the GOP. The GOP should not take up this fight unless it is prepared to see things through to a successful end.
Union Thug bosses were long ago necessary to protect workers from greedy corporations exploiting workers and even children from their abuses. That time has passed and now Union Thug bosses are nothing more than Democrat Political Thugs stealing the resources of non-union workers and states. Walker is doing exactly the right thing to protect the people of his state from these thugs. Every doctor that went out there to give these phony "sick" passes should lose their license to practice medicine, the teachers and other union employees missing work to support these thugs and the theft from non-union workers and states should lose their jobs and their ridiculously inflated pensions. The people of WI made clear what they wanted last Nov 2 and people all over this country are supporting their efforts. Do not give in to these political operatives for the Democratic Party.
cd:
B/c Reid controls the Senate, much of the huge budget cuts aren't going anywhere.
As to entitlements, I'm not convinced that we can't at least get a tweak to the retirement age off in the future. Of course, it won't change current budget issues terribly, but it will demonstrate the GOP changes aren't going to put granny and gramps on the streets, as Pravda et. al. will claim.
I'm 34 and every person I know in our age group is completely convinced that the program won't exist in its present form when we retire. Raise the retirement age one year for each decade for people under the age of 40 and the GOP can at least get something done with the Reid and the Adjunct President.
Collective Bargaining is the key because it is a corrupt system. There is no bargaining because the Democrats have nothing to lose but will just give the unions what they want in return for their support. The unions will just wait out for a dem governor and get everything back.
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