Sic the National Guard on the Workers!

[Entropy]

The other part that absolutely pisses me off, is the number of schools that have had to close so that these teachers can go protest. If I was a parent, I would be so beyond pissed that the services that I pay for are not available for some ridiculous mickey mouse bull crap like this.

[Z06PDQ]

Originally Posted by Entropy

Stimulating businesses which create jobs > paying for government services

Facts are facts man: Working in the public sector = no creation of wealth. period.

I know my place in working for the public sector, and when it gets tough you have to hunker down.

Even if Scott Walker is doing this to set a trend that will allow saving for a rainy day, fine.

you want facts??

Jun. 2010

Pantsless Progressive

Wisconsin has a budget SURPLUS.

“Walker is manufacturing a fiscal ‘crisis’ in order to achieve political goals.”

If you read anything about Wisconsin today, you’ve got to read this editorial from the Cap Times.

Wisconsin needs to be fiscally responsible.

There is no question that these are tough times, and they may require tough choices.

But Gov. Scott Walker is not making tough choices. He is making political choices, and they are designed not to balance budgets but to improve his political position and that of his party.

It is for this reason that the governor claims Wisconsin is in such deep financial trouble that Wisconsinites should view this as a crisis moment.

In fact, like just about every other state in the country, Wisconsin is managing in a weak economy. The difference is that Wisconsin is managing better — or at least it had been managing better until Walker took over. Despite shortfalls in revenue following the economic downturn that hit its peak with the Bush-era stock market collapse, the state has balanced budgets, maintained basic services and high-quality schools, and kept employment and business development steadier than the rest of the country. It has managed so well, in fact, that the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau recently released a memo detailing how the state will end the 2009-2011 budget biennium with a budget surplus.

In its Jan. 31 memo to legislators on the condition of the state’s budget, the Fiscal Bureau determined that the state will end the year with a balance of $121.4 million.

To the extent that there is an imbalance — Walker claims there is a $137 million deficit — it is not because of a drop in revenues or increases in the cost of state employee contracts, benefits or pensions. It is because Walker and his allies pushed through $140 million in new spending for special-interest groups in January. If the Legislature were simply to rescind Walker’s new spending schemes — or delay their implementation until they are offset by fresh revenues — the “crisis” would not exist.

The Fiscal Bureau memo — which readers can access here — makes it clear that Walker did not inherit a budget that required a repair bill.

The facts are not debatable.

Because of the painful choices made by the previous Legislature, Wisconsin is in better shape fiscally than most states.

Wisconsin has lower unemployment than most states.

Wisconsin has better prospects for maintaining great schools, great public services and a great quality of life than most states, even in turbulent economic times.

Unfortunately, Walker has a political agenda that relies on the fantasy that Wisconsin is teetering on the brink of bankruptcy.

Walker is not interested in balanced budgets, efficient government or meaningful job creation.

Walker is interested in gaming the system to benefit his political allies and campaign contributors.

To achieve that end, he has proposed a $137 million budget “repair” bill that he intends to use as a vehicle to:

1. Undermine the long-established collective bargaining rights of public employee unions, which have for 80 years been the strongest advocates for programs that serve the great mass of Wisconsinites, as opposed to wealthy elites and corporate special interests. As Racine’s Democratic state Rep. Cory Mason says, the governor’s bill is designed not with the purpose of getting the state’s finances in order but as “an assault on Wisconsin’s working families and political payback against unions who didn’t support Gov. Walker.”

2. Pay for schemes that redirect state tax dollars to wealthy individuals and corporate interests that have been sources of campaign funding for Walker’s fellow Republicans and special-interest campaigns on their behalf. As Madison’s Democratic state Rep. Brett Hulsey notes, the governor and legislators aligned with him have over the past month given away special-interest favors to every lobby group that came asking, creating zero jobs in the process “but increasing the deficit by more than $100 million.”

Actually, Hulsey’s being conservative in his estimate of how much money Walker and his allies have misappropriated for political purposes.

One Wisconsin Now, the progressive watchdog group that has provided the closest monitoring of Walker’s budgetary gamesmanship, explains:

“Since his inauguration in early January, Walker has approved $140 million in new special-interest spending that includes:

“• $25 million for an economic development fund for job creation that still has $73 million due to a lack of job creation. Walker is creating a $25 million hole which will not create or retain jobs.

“• $48 million for private health savings accounts, which primarily benefit the wealthy. A study from the federal Governmental Accountability Office showed the average adjusted gross income of HSA participants was $139,000 and nearly half of HSA participants reported withdrawing nothing from their HSA, evidence that it is serving as a tax shelter for wealthy participants.

“• $67 million for a tax shift plan, so ill-conceived that at best the benefit provided to ‘job creators’ would be less than a dollar a day per new job, and may be as little as 30 cents a day.”

State Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, sums up this scheming accurately when he says: “In one fell swoop, Gov. Walker is trying to institute a sweeping radical and dangerous notion that will return Wisconsin to the days when land barons and railroad tycoons controlled the political elites in Madison.”

The bottom line is evident to anyone who cares to pay attention not to the spin but to the budget figures: Walker is manufacturing a fiscal “crisis” in order to achieve political goals.

Walker is not addressing a fiscal crisis.

He is not serving Wisconsin.

He is serving his own interest and those of the lobbyists who represent his campaign contributors.

Source m.host.madison.c

[Entropy]

Originally Posted by Z06PDQ

1. Undermine the long-established collective bargaining rights of public employee unions, which have for 80 years been the strongest advocates for programs that serve the great mass of Wisconsinites, as opposed to wealthy elites and corporate special interests. As Racine’s Democratic state Rep. Cory Mason says, the governor’s bill is designed not with the purpose of getting the state’s finances in order but as “an assault on Wisconsin’s working families and political payback against unions who didn’t support Gov. Walker.”

Why are these even needed any more? What awful atrocity are they attempting to shield themselves from?

2. Pay for schemes that redirect state tax dollars to wealthy individuals and corporate interests that have been sources of campaign funding for Walker’s fellow Republicans and special-interest campaigns on their behalf. As Madison’s Democratic state Rep. Brett Hulsey notes, the governor and legislators aligned with him have over the past month given away special-interest favors to every lobby group that came asking, creating zero jobs in the process “but increasing the deficit by more than $100 million.”

Corporate welfare angers me greatly, and if it's a kick back, that's disgusting. It's hard to tell if this is actual fact or tripe, due to the wording.

However, I want to see WI do well in the future, and my main issue with the public employees marching down in Madison right now is that they are only looking at tomorrow, not 10 years from now. They can't see the forest for the trees. If they make concessions now that help lower that unemployment rate, and rein in spending, they may find the private sector more interested in listening to them when times improve.

When was the last time public sector service was cut back? Perhaps people are tired of seeing their taxes get constantly and consistently raised. Maybe they want more for their money, and if people can't understand that, than it's going to really get ugly before the end.

Bring your fiddle, I'll bring the togas. We'll watch the fire.

“Since his inauguration in early January, Walker has approved $140 million in new special-interest spending that includes:

“• $25 million for an economic development fund for job creation that still has $73 million due to a lack of job creation. Walker is creating a $25 million hole which will not create or retain jobs.

Planning for the future, what good responsible people do.

“• $48 million for private health savings accounts, which primarily benefit the wealthy. A study from the federal Governmental Accountability Office showed the average adjusted gross income of HSA participants was $139,000 and nearly half of HSA participants reported withdrawing nothing from their HSA, evidence that it is serving as a tax shelter for wealthy participants.

They can benefit everybody, if they know how to use them. I'm confused why this is a problem...

“• $67 million for a tax shift plan, so ill-conceived that at best the benefit provided to ‘job creators’ would be less than a dollar a day per new job, and may be as little as 30 cents a day.”

Okay, this is so slanted, I'm not even sure what to say about this. Red herring anyone?

[Z06PDQ]

Originally Posted by Entropy

Why are these even needed any more? What awful atrocity are they attempting to shield themselves from?

it's called collective bargaining. it's guaranteed by federal law.

Corporate welfare angers me greatly, and if it's a kick back, that's disgusting. It's hard to tell if this is actual fact or tripe, due to the wording.
if it walks like a duck.....
However, I want to see WI do well in the future, and my main issue with the public employees marching down in Madison right now is that they are only looking at tomorrow, not 10 years from now. They can't see the forest for the trees. If they make concessions now that help lower that unemployment rate, and rein in spending, they may find the private sector more interested in listening to them when times improve.
if they "make concessions now" the whole US labor movement will be set back to the the ATC days. in fact, that's what the Pubs want in all this. unions vote Democratic for the most part.
When was the last time public sector service was cut back? Perhaps people are tired of seeing their taxes get constantly and consistently raised. Maybe they want more for their money, and if people can't understand that, than it's going to really get ugly before the end.

Bring your fiddle, I'll bring the togas. We'll watch the fire.

what shall I play? "This Land is Your Land?"


Planning for the future, what good responsible people do.

wealth redistribution,anyone??

They can benefit everybody, if they know how to use them. I'm confused why this is a problem...

read the "wealthy participants" part again.

Okay, this is so slanted, I'm not even sure what to say about this. Red herring anyone?

how will 30 cents a day create jobs?

[Entropy]

Originally Posted by Z06PDQ

how will 30 cents a day create jobs?

In all honesty, I want to see the government spend less money on everything, and put more money back in the hands of the tax payers. Government is not efficient, and lags behind all.

Thad doesn't mean I don't want any government, there are some services that we definitely need, but it could be much less than it is currently.

[Exotix]

Today



http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/41690685#41690685

[Y2Kvert4me]

I hope those 14 senators hiding in Rockford forfeit their positions, since they can't face the duty they were elected to perform.




Walker, keep up the great work!

[Z06PDQ]

Originally Posted by Y2Kvert4me

I hope those 14 senators hiding in Rockford forfeit their positions, since they can't face the duty they were elected to perform.




Walker, keep up the great work!

politicians can STRIKE!too.

[ChasC5]

Originally Posted by Entropy

In all honesty, I want to see the government spend less money on everything, and put more money back in the hands of the tax payers. Government is not efficient, and lags behind all.

Thad doesn't mean I don't want any government, there are some services that we definitely need, but it could be much less than it is currently.

Common since;

So where are the Elected Adults on this.

Screw pandering to the nut-jobs, do what's right, not what's far right.

[Z06PDQ]

Wisconsin Republican Governor Scott Walker, whose bill to kill collective bargaining rights for public-sector unions has caused an uproar among state employees, might not be where he is today without the Koch brothers. Charles and David Koch are conservative titans of industry who have infamously used their vast wealth to undermine President Obama and fight legislation they detest, such as the cap-and-trade climate bill, the health care reform act, and the economic stimulus package. For years, the billionaires have made extensive political donations to Republican candidates across the country and have provided millions of dollars to astroturf right-wing organizations. Koch Industries' political action committee has doled out more than $2.6 million to candidates. And one prominent beneficiary of the Koch brothers' largess is Scott Walker.

According to Wisconsin campaign finance filings, Walker's gubernatorial campaign received $43,000 from the Koch Industries PAC during the 2010 election. That donation was his campaign's second-highest, behind $43,125 in contributions from housing and realtor groups in Wisconsin. The Koch's PAC also helped Walker via a familiar and much-used politicial maneuver designed to allow donors to skirt campaign finance limits. The PAC gave $1 million to the Republican Governors Association, which in turn spent $65,000 on independent expenditures to support Walker. The RGA also spent a whopping $3.4 million on TV ads and mailers attacking Walker's opponent, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett. Walker ended up beating Barrett by 5 points. The Koch money, no doubt, helped greatly.

The Kochs also assisted Walker's current GOP allies in the fight against the public-sector unions. Last year, Republicans took control of the both houses of the Wisconsin state legislature, which has made Walker's assault on these unions possible. And according to data from the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, the Koch Industries PAC spent $6,500 in support of 16 Wisconsin Republican state legislative candidates, who each won his or her election.

Walker's plan to eviscerate collective bargaining rights for public employees is right out of the Koch brothers' playbook. Koch-backed groups like Americans for Prosperity, the Cato Institute, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, and the Reason Foundation have long taken a very antagonistic view toward public-sector unions. Several of these groups have urged the eradication of these unions. The Kochs also invited (PDF) Mark Mix, president of the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, an anti-union outfit, to a June 2010 confab in Aspen, Colorado; Mix said in a recent interview that he supports Governor Walker's collective-bargaining bill. In Wisconsin, this conservative, anti-union view is being placed into action by lawmakers in sync with the deep-pocketed donors who helped them obtain power. (Walker also opposes the state's Clean Energy Job Act, which would compel the state to increase its use of alternative energy.) At this moment—even with the Wisconsin uprising unresolved—the Koch brothers' investment in Walker appears to be paying off.

[Z06PDQ]

Koch Brothers Behind Wisconsin Effort To Kill Public Unions
Feb. 18 2011

As the nation focuses on the efforts of Governor Scott Walker to take away collective bargaining rights from public employees in Wisconsin, new information is coming to light that reveals what is truly going on here.

Mother Jones is reporting that much of the funding behind the Walker for Governor campaign came from none other than uber-conservatives, the infamous Koch Brothers.

What’s more, the plan to kill the unions is right out of the Koch Brothers play book.

Koch-backed groups like Americans for Prosperity, the Cato Institute, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, and the Reason Foundation have long taken a very antagonistic view toward public-sector unions. Several of these groups have urged the eradication of these unions. The Kochs also invited Mark Mix, president of the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, an anti-union outfit, to a June 2010 confab in Aspen, Colorado;

Via Mother Jones

If you are reluctant to believe that this is a coordinated attack, consider this-

This afternoon, Marty Beil, executive director of the Wisconsin Public Workers Union, sent a message to the Governor’s office agreeing to the cuts to pension & welfare benefits sought by Walker in his bill. The governor’s response was “nothing doing.” He wants the whole kit and kaboodle – the end of the collective bargaining rights of the public unions.

As noted in my earlier post, this is, indeed, the first shot in the final battle to end unionism in America.

UPDATE: The Americans for Prosperity group, a Tea Party group that is a Koch Brothers front, has put up a website and petition called Stand With Scott Walker. The website attacks all collective bargaining – not just for public employees’ unions. Americans for Prosperity is also organizing a rally tomorrow in Wisconsin to support Gov. Walker.

Why are the Koch Brothers so interested in Wisconsin? They are a major business player in the state.

This from Think Progress:

Koch owns a coal company subsidiary with facilities in Green Bay, Manitowoc, Ashland and Sheboygan; six timber plants throughout the state; and a large network of pipelines in Wisconsin. While Koch controls much of the infrastructure in the state, they have laid off workers to boost profits. At a time when Koch Industries owners David and Charles Koch awarded themselves an extra $11 billion of income from the company, Koch slashed jobs at their Green Bay plant:

Officials at Georgia-Pacific said the company is laying off 158 workers at its Day Street plant because out-of-date equipment at the facility is being replaced with newer, more-efficient equipment. The company said much of the new, papermaking equipment will be automated. [...] Malach tells FOX 11 that the layoffs are not because of a drop in demand. In fact, Malach said demand is high for the bath tissue and napkins manufactured at the plant.

You really have to wonder how long it will take for Tea Party devotees to realize just how badly they are being used.

[Exotix]

Privatization of Courthouse Security Awarded to G4S Wackenhut Draws Criticism.
Hired Criminal then failed at privitization of Courthouse costing Wisconsins.

Apr. 26, 2010

Privatization of Courthouse Security Awarded to G4S Wackenhut Draws Criticism : AZ IMC


Guy James, President of the Federal Contract Guards of America FCGOA said " the privatization of courthouse security awarded to G4S Wackenhut shows how the county can save money, however the need for tougher background checks of all private contract guards needs to be addressed at both the federal, state and county levels to ensure the safety of all who may enter these buildings are protected".

Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker's privatization of courthouse security drew fire Thursday, with disclosures of much smaller savings than had been announced and a criminal history of the former head of the newly hired private security force.

The savings, pegged by Walker's staff last fall at more than $750,000 a year, now are estimated at $411,000.

Walker ordered Chad H. Wegener dumped from the G4S Wackenhut private security team late Wednesday, after learning of Wegener's five misdemeanor convictions in 2004, when he left his job as chief of the Manawa Police Department.

A criminal complaint against Wegener, 37, accused him of drinking while armed and disorderly conduct, including sexual overtures to male subordinates in the department.

County Supervisor Johnny Thomas criticized the privatization move, saying criminal background checks were flawed and could have exposed courthouse visitors to danger.
Jack Takerian, the county's interim public works director, said it was Wackenhut's responsibility to do its "litany of background checks."

Thomas said county officials should have done more to find out about the detail of Wegener's convictions.
According to court records, Wegener pleaded no contest to the charges and was sentenced to 90 days in jail, with work-release privileges.

"You didn't follow up," Thomas told Takerian.
"You can't blame Wackenhut - somebody has to take responsibility."

The criminal complaint against Wegener accused him of pressing subordinate officers to have drinks with him in his home, watch pornographic videos and Internet sites and of making unwanted sexual advances.

YouTube - Scott Walker Hires Sex Criminal to Work Security at Courthouse

[Bill]

Waiting for the National Guard to start killing their own citizens.......

YouTube - OHIO CSNY ( got audio back) - Kent State Massacre Montage

[Exotix]

The Party of No (Compromise) ~ Walker rejects offer by GOP state senator to suspend collective bargaining rights for two years.

Today

First Read - First Thoughts: The Party of No (Compromise)


I want it all, and I want it now ... yesterday morning, one of us asked Walker if he would support a compromise -- floated by a moderate Republican state senator -- that would temporarily get rid of collective bargaining rights for state workers for two years.

Walker’s response: “It'll never get to me.
It will never get to me because, other than that one state senator, all the rest of the Republicans are firmly behind our proposal.

All the other members of the majority, the members of the majority that we need to pass it in the assembly are behind us because they recognize what I've been saying all along. You cannot have a short-term fix.”



Polling in Wisconsin ~ Walker’s refusal to compromise publicly, to take a deal getting 90% of what he wants, may be one reason why his numbers are upside down, according to one Democratic poll commissioned by labor groups (plenty of caveats, natch).

In the new survey (conducted Feb. 19-20 of 402 Wisconsin voters), the governor’s approval rating sits at 41% approve/51% disapprove; 52% say they disapprove of Walker’s agenda; and 57% want Walker to drop his plan to get rid of collective bargaining rights for state workers if these workers agree to his wage cuts.

Of course, we’ve yet to see a good poll sponsored by a neutral party here, but Walker may very well be seeing similar numbers in his own polling, given that he's asking local TV stations for airtime for a televised fireside chat with Wisconsin residents at 7:00 pm ET tonight.

Walker's won the budget-policy part of this debate (just look at all the union leaders who have come out over the weekend saying they'll accept the health care and pension cuts).



But Walker's struggling to explain why he needs to wipe out collective bargaining rights completely.

One less, perhaps, from the last four years of American politics is that the 20% of voters in the middle (for general elections, not primaries) don't like politicians who don't at least show a willingness to meet in the middle.




Protesters against Gov. Scott Walker's bill to eliminate collective bargaining rights for many state workers bang drums and chant inside the state Capitol today in Madison, Wis.

[Exotix]

Just In


Wis. Assembly agrees to deal ending debate - U.S. news - msnbc.com


MADISON, Wis. — Republicans and Democrats in the Wisconsin Assembly have agreed to a deal that will limit further debate on a bill taking away collective bargaining rights for public workers and lead to a vote on the measure later Thursday.

The deal was announced shortly after 6 a.m. Thursday following an unprecedented 40-hour debate that began Tuesday morning with only short breaks in between.

Democrats agreed to limit further amendments to just 38 with a 10-minute time limit on each one.
If they take the maximum time for each, with no breaks, that would put the vote around noon.

Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan says democracy is being limited with the agreement and Democrats still plan to strenuously make their arguments over the last hours of debate

[Exotix]

Wis. stalemate: Deal struck, cops sent to Dem homes.

Assembly agreement follows marathon session and more than 43 hours of debate.

Today

Wis. stalemate: Deal struck as cops hunt Dems - Politics - More politics - msnbc.com



MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin state troopers were dispatched Thursday to try to find at least one of the 14 Senate Democrats who have been on the run for eight days to delay a vote on Republican Gov. Scott Walker's proposal to strip collective bargaining rights from nearly all public employees.

Meanwhile, the state Assembly appeared close to voting on the union rights bill after two days of filibustering the measure with a blizzard of amendments. Democrats reached an early morning deal after 43 hours of debate to limit the number of remaining amendments and time spent on each.

Troopers went to multiple homes Thursday morning hoping to find at least one of the 14 Democrats, some of whom were rumored to have made short trips home to pick up clothes and other necessities before again fleeing the state. But they came up empty handed, Senate Sergeant at Arms Ted Blazel said.

"Every night we hear about some that are coming back home," said Republican Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, who hoped sending the move to send the troopers would pressure Democrats to return.

But Democratic Sen. Jon Erpenbach, who was in the Chicago area, said all 14 senators remained outside of Wisconsin and would not return until Walker was willing to compromise.

"It's not so much the Democrats holding things up, it's really a matter of Gov. Walker holding things up," Erpenbach said.

Walker spokesman Cullen Werwie issued a statement praising the Assembly for nearing a vote and renewing his call for Senate Democrats to come back.




Protests continue

Thousands of people have protested the bill for nine straight days, with hundreds spending the night on the Capitol's hard marble floor as the debate was broadcast on monitors in the rotunda.

Many still were sleeping when the deal to only debate 38 more amendments, for no more than 10 minutes each, was announced shortly after 6 a.m. The timing of the agreement means the vote could come as soon as noon Thursday.

"We will strongly make our points, but understand you are limiting the voice of the public as you do this," said Democratic state Rep. Mark Pocan of Madison. "You can't dictate democracy.

You are limiting the people's voice with this agreement this morning."



Democrats, who are in the minority, don't have the votes to stop the bill once the vote occurs.

Passage of the bill in the Assembly would be a major victory for Republicans and Walker, but the measure still must clear the Senate.

Democrats there left town last week rather than vote on the bill, which has stymied efforts there to take it up.

The battle over labor rights has been heating up across the country, as new Republican majorities tackle budget woes in several states.

The GOP efforts have sparked huge protests from unions and their supporters and led Democrats in Wisconsin and Indiana to flee their states to block measures.



Republicans in Ohio offered a small concession Wednesday, saying they would support allowing unionized state workers to collectively bargain on wages — but not for benefits, sick time, vacation or other conditions. Wisconsin's proposal also would allow most public workers to collectively bargain only for wages.

In Ohio, Republican Senate President Tom Niehaus denied protests have dented the GOP's resolve, saying lawmakers decided to make the change after listening to hours of testimony.

He said he still believes the bill's core purpose — reining in spending by allowing governments more flexibility in dealing with their workers — is intact.



'Window dressing'

Senate Democratic Leader Capri Cafaro called the changes "window dressing." She said the entire bill should be scrapped.

"We can't grow Ohio's economy by destroying jobs and attacking the middle class," Cafaro said.
"Public employees in Ohio didn't cause our budget problems and they shouldn't be blamed for something that's not their fault."



Wisconsin Democrats have echoed Cafaro for days, but Walker has refused to waver.

Walker reiterated Wednesday that public workers must make concessions to avoid thousands of government layoffs as the state grapples with a $137 million shortfall in its current budget and a projected $3.6 billion hole in the next two-year budget.

The marathon session in the Assembly was grand political theater, with exhausted lawmakers limping around the chamber, rubbing their eyes and yawning as Wednesday night dragged on.

Around midnight, Rep. Dean Kaufert, R-Neenah, accused Democrats of putting on a show for the protesters. Democrats leapt up and started shouting.

"I'm sorry if democracy is a little inconvenient and you had to stay up two nights in a row," Pocan said.
"Is this inconvenient? Hell, yeah! It's inconvenient.
But we're going to be heard!"



The Ohio and Wisconsin bills both would strip public workers at all levels of their right to collectively bargain benefits, sick time, vacations and other work conditions.

Wisconsin's measure exempts local police, firefighters and the State Patrol and still lets workers collectively bargain their wages as long as they are below inflation.
It also would require public workers to pay more toward their pensions and health insurance. Ohio's bill, until Wednesday, would have barred negotiations on wages.

Ohio's measure sits in a Senate committee.
No vote has been scheduled on the plan, but thousands of protesters have gathered at the Statehouse to demonstrate, just as in Wisconsin.

In Indiana, Democrats successfully killed a Republican bill that would have prohibited union membership from being a condition of employment by leaving the state on Tuesday.

They remained in Illinois in hopes of derailing other parts of Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels' agenda, including restrictions on teacher collective bargaining.

And in Oklahoma, a Republican-controlled state House committee on Wednesday narrowly approved legislation to repeal collective bargaining rights for municipal workers in that state's 13 largest citie




Wisconsin State representatives start to fade as they listen to arguments on one of the expected 200 amendments to Gov. Scott Walker's budget repair bill in the early morning hours on Thursday in Madison.