More Bad News for Walker

Even though recent polls continue to show disapproval for Gov. Walker and an increase in support for unions and collective bargaining, Wisconsin Republicans still refuse to negotiate amendments to the pending anti-union legislation. According to a recent NBC/ Wall Street Journal Poll, only 33% of those surveyed found it acceptable to “Eliminate public employees’ right to collectively bargain over health care, pensions, and other benefits when negotiating a union contact” while and overwhelming 62% found this unacceptable. Support for Gov. Walker has significantly decreased as a result of his recent union-busting initiative. According to polls taken by the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute, 53% of those surveyed have a negative view of the Governor while this percentage was only 35% in November. These numbers prove that Gov. Walker’s plans to take away collective bargaining rights are clearly not a reflection of what his constituency wants, and as this scheme continues, the Republicans in Wisconsin just continue to lose more support.

Despite recent rumors that the 14 Democratic senators will return to Wisconsin and vote on the current version if the bill, these senators have made it very clear that they refuse to return until acceptable negotiations are made. After an article in the Wall Street Journal reported that the senators would soon return to Madison, Sen. Chris Larson quickly refuted that idea, stating that the quote by Minority Leader Mark Miller that the WSJ reporter used to make such a claim was completely taken out of context. According to Sen. Larson, “Dems will return when collective bargaining is off the table. That could be soon based on the growing public opposition to the bill and the recall efforts against Republicans.” 21st Century Democrats continues to support the “Wisconsin 14” and we commend the efforts of Democratic leaders all over the country who are fighting to preserve the right to collectively bargain and sustain the necessary power of unions in the workplace.

Too Far

Earlier today Wisconsin Senate Republicans passed a resolution that gave the 14 Democratic senators who fled the state an ultimatum: return to the senate floor by 4:00 pm today or they would be held in contempt. This ultimatum gave the Sergeant at Arms the authority to "take any and all necessary steps, with or without force” in order to bring the Democratic senators back to Wisconsin so the senate would have quorum and the Republicans could pass their union-busting legislation.

This time the Republicans have gone way too far. According to the state Constitution, lawmakers are prohibited from being arrested while the legislature is in session, except for “treason, felony and breach of the peace.” Fleeing the state in an attempt to negotiate with Republican leaders and to avoid passing legislation that would drastically hurt thousands of workers does not constitute treason, a felony, or a breach of the peace. The Republicans have simply ignored their state’s Constitution and have clearly over-reached their authority in passing this resolution.

Ohio Workers Keep Fighting

Today in Ohio, Senate Bill 5 is being discussed and amended in a hearing in the Senate Insurance, Commerce and Labor Committee. According to State Senator Joe Schiavoni (D-33 Canfield), the controversial bill should be granted more public hearing before it is released from committee. A vote to send the bill to the Senate floor will come Wednesday or Thursday. Senate Bill 5 restrains the rights of public employees to negotiate new labor contracts, prohibits state employees from collectively bargaining, and only allows county and municipal employees and public school teachers to bargain for wages and benefits. Research center Innovation Ohio found that Ohio’s teachers, on average, saw a pay cut of 4% from 2008 to 2009, when the national average was just 2%. For the last few weeks thousands of protesters have rallied at the statehouse in Columbus to voice their opposition. Nonetheless, the thousands of protesters and a very telling public opinion poll sponsored by The New York Times and CBS News that finds 60% of Americans not in favor of repealing collective bargaining rights for public employee unions, to 33% in favor, is having a big impact. According to Plunderbund.com four Republican senators already oppose the bill, and three others are listed as ready to vote no on the current version of the bill. As rallies commenced today at 10am, Republican lawmakers are under pressure!

The Attacks Continue

First it was Wisconsin, then Ohio, and now Iowa. Republicans in state legislatures all over the country are attempting to destroy the power of unions and take away the right of collective bargaining from public employees.

This morning, after fifteen hours of debate by Democrats, House Study Bill 117 passed in the Iowa House Labor Committee. Not only were Democrats not able to kill this union-busting legislation, but Republicans in committee refused to attach any of the 48 amendments proposed by Democrats to alleviate some of the devastating effects this bill will have on working class families. House Study Bill 117 will now go to the full House where, if passed, will destroy collective bargaining rights.

Even though Democrats were unable to kill this bill in committee, there are still many more opportunities to do so before it actually becomes law, and Democrats in Iowa refuse to let it get that far. Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal ensured that the Democrats in the Iowa state legislature will “fight [House Study Bill 117] every step of the way.

House Study Bill 117 in Iowa is not the only union-busting legislation currently pending in state legislatures. Republicans have introduced similar bills all over the country such as Senate Bill 575 in Indiana, House Bill 474 in New Hampshire, and Senate Bill 5 in Ohio. This is no longer a state by state issue. This is now a serious attack on the right to collectively bargain for workers all over the country. We, as Democrats, need to not only work in these states to fight the already proposed legislation, but to also work together to stop the spread of such anti-union legislation and to preserve the rights of workers all of the country.

It's not just Wisconsin

“I’ll give up my union card when you pry it from my cold dead hand,” reads the sign of an Ohio protester who gathered with an estimated 3,800 others in an act of solidarity against Ohio’s Senate Bill 5. Although Wisconsin has been garnering more widespread media coverage, a frighteningly similar Republican sponsored bill is working its way through the Ohio Senate’s Insurance, Commerce and Labor committee. Protests reached fever pitch today as over 1000 protesters flooded into the Capitol building in Columbus, where the Senate Bill 5 testimony was being broadcast over speakers from a tightly guarded hearing room.

Union members are angry! In state legislatures and governors’ offices, where Republicans have dominated all branches of government after the 2010 elections, they are going after hardworking public-sector employees! No wonder teachers, firefighters, and policemen, alongside family and friends, are vocalizing their opposition in such magnitudes! So what’s at stake? A collective bargaining bill that gives organized state and local labor the right to collectively bargain for better working conditions, in addition to granting police and fire officials the right to seek binding arbitration.

Republican Ohio Governor John Kasich wants to reform this law and ban collective bargaining rights for all state employees and drastically limit arbitration rules for local governments. Senate Bill 5 will make it much harder for teachers and other local union members to bargain collectively and force them to pay much larger shares of health insurance premiums. Republicans claim that they are trying to rein in the rising cost of salary benefits earned by hardworking municipal workers, but taking away collective bargaining rights doesn't save money, it just hurts workers.

Kasich has even pushed for public workers who strike to be fired! This Republican claim that denies wanting to harm workers is not true. This is a politically risky tactic for Republicans given that a USA Today/Gallup Poll found 61% of Americans in opposition to laws undermining collective bargaining rights to 33% in favor. “I proudly served for Freedom, don’t take it away,” reads another protester's sign. The mounting fear for most union members is that if Senate Bill 5 passes, they will unilaterally be removed from collective bargaining, and their views and voices will be diluted and steamrolled by the government.

The Ohio protests are also receiving significant support from many high profile leaders who are standing by hard working Americans. Today, former Governor Ted Strickland, a past 21st Century Democrats endorsee, cheered on union supporters through a megaphone alongside former congresswoman Mary Jo Kilroy, another past endorsee, and Congressman Tim Ryan (OH-17). Although United States Senate rules prevent members from lobbying on state legislation, Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown has voiced an interest in expressing solidarity with state democrats.

Ohio is just one of several other states that are encountering bills that undercut state employees’ rights to collective bargaining. Wisconsin, Missouri, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Maine and Pennsylvania are also facing the same situation where Republicans made significant gains in the wake of the midterm elections. 21st Century Democrats is committed to representing the interests of America’s Working Families and we are dedicated to doing all we can to promote a fairer, just and equal society for all.

State Workers Under Attack

Republican state governments have launched an assault on America's middle class. Bills in Ohio and Wisconsin have been taken up and have a primary goal of suppressing civil-service employees' collective bargaining rights. Republicans claim this is in the name of "balancing the budget," but in the real world, we know that this is all about - It's union bashing through and through!

Sadly, these partisan attacks on working and middle class families are what we come to expect from Republicans. But workers are not taking this sitting down. Protestors have taken to the streets in Madison, Wisconsin, and teachers have called in sick prompting significant school closings in the Madison, Milwaukee and La Crosse areas.

In Wisconsin this anti-union legislation would completely undermine the ability for many state workers to negotiate for better pensions, health care benefits or salary raises that exceed the Consumer Price Index. This is sabotage and it doesn't end here! In Ohio, Republican majorities are also attempting to hinder state and state institutions of higher education employees from collective bargaining. Republicans are hurting their neighbors, teachers, local law enforcement, town clerks and local response teams in order to further a partisan agenda. Republican Governor John Kasich fully supports the new bill and may propose his own proposal that would go even further to prohibit public employee strikes!

Protestors have converged on steps of the Capitol in Columbus, too. Republicans have their hands full! For almost thirty years progress has been made to facilitate effective collective bargaining for public employees and Republicans are determined to make them start fresh. These new union-assaulting bills will make it more difficult for public employees to provide for their families and will hurt local communities that depend on these employees. These sweeping Republic takeovers at the state level are putting families, neighbors, and communities at risk. If
Ohio and Wisconsin so eagerly implement these oppressive tactics, who's to say other states won't follow suit? There are similar efforts in budding stages just about everywhere Republicans took control of one or more branches of government: Missouri, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, New Hampshire, and to a lesser degree in Maine and Pennsylvania.. Something must be done and 21^st Century Democrats is fully committed to challenging these incursions on America's middle class' livelihoods.

Truthiness in Messaging

If there was ever a time that we should hook up public speakers to a lie detector, it was last night for the Republican response by Rep. Paul Ryan, I could go on for a long time about him, but instead I’ll just highlight some of the most blatant lies and pitiful attempts at obfuscation that were used.

“Our debt is the product of acts by many presidents and many Congresses over many years. No one person or party is responsible for it.” Right, except for the fact that the last Democratic president left us with a budget surplus and then a Republican president wiped that out by providing massive tax cuts to the wealthiest 2% and not paying for it. Oops.

“There is no doubt the President came into office facing a severe fiscal and economic situation.” Again, correct but he fails to mention who championed the deregulation which helped cause it. (Hint: It was Republicans)

“Unfortunately, instead of restoring the fundamentals of economic growth, he (President Obama) engaged in a stimulus spending spree that not only failed to deliver on its promise to create jobs, but also plunged us even deeper into debt.” But wait what about the 1.6 million jobs it has created so far?

Last, but not least, his argument against health care reform:

“What we already know about the President's health care law is this: Costs are going up, premiums are rising, and millions of people will lose the coverage they currently have. Job creation is being stifled by all of its taxes, penalties, mandates and fees.”

Once again, reality is taking a pretty big hit here. Premiums aren’t going up, sorry. Employees of small firms would effectively see unchanged premiums, at large firms the premiums would be unchanged or go down a little and more than half of those who buy their own coverage would qualify for tax credits, earning a family of four up to $88,000 per year.

Next, it’s not really a job killing bill. In fact HCR could increase jobs by 250,000 to 400,000 per year over the coming decade.

Those millions of people who are losing their coverage, yeah, that’s actually from a study where 123 million people would choose a public option if it were cheaper than their current coverage, but since there’s no public option I guess we won’t have to worry about this.

As an extra bonus, for all those Republicans concerned about the deficit, if we repeal HCR, the Congressional Budget Office expects that the deficit would increase by $145 BILLION from 2012-2019 and if you go to 2021 it’s an increase of $230 BILLION. Now that’s not very responsible.

Stay tuned for our look at one of our favorite ranting, raving, right-wingers, Michelle Bachmann and her response to the State of the Union.