Walker's Right-to-Work already eating away at our state....

Blackmail and corporate bullying got Scott Walker's attention alright, that's why Badger Meter hosted the right-to-work bill signing ceremony in Wisconsin.

The company owner was asked what RTW had to do with his promise to add 100 workers. His answer...a word salad of Scott Walker talking points. A non-answer just like slick Scott. Here's WISC and Jessica Arp:

Right to work and Badger Meter, Walker's dream team is our nightmare:

Milwaukee: Today Governor Scott Walker signed so-called Right to Work legislation at the headquarters of Badger Meter, a company with a record of outsourcing Wisconsin jobs to Mexico while also benefiting from public development investments. Its CEO recently threatened to outsource 100 more jobs from Wisconsin if he did not get his way on the legislation. Governor Walker’s privatized jobs agency, Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), has not closed loopholes which permit public economic development dollar to go to companies engaged in outsourcing.

Badger Meter employees not Invited, embarrassment to company:

WSJ: Asked why few if any of his employees were at the signing ceremony, Meeusen said, “This is a Monday. It’s a work day. And most of them are working. I didn’t shut down the whole plant to bring them over here.”

But two employees taking a break outside the building said workers had been told not to attend the ceremony to avoid “embarrassing” the company. They asked not to be identified for fear of retribution.

Stories like this are just starting to trickle out, and getting a lot of press:

That approach doesn't suit businessman James Hoffman, however.The president and owner of Hoffman Construction Co. of Black River Falls told lawmakers last month that the change could harm his business, since a union for heavy equipment operators runs training programs that provide him with workers.

Hoffman said he was considering adding workers in Minnesota now because of the right-to-work change, prevailing wage proposals and doubts about long-term funding for road building in Wisconsin.

"I am a fourth-generation family owner and am proud to say we have fifth-generation workers. We are a union shop by choice," Hoffman said. "Over time, right-to-work legislation interferes with my company's ability to have access to skilled, productive workers which I depend upon."

GOP regulates Private Business with RTW: Right-Wing falls for meaningless references to "Freedom," "Liberty," and "Choice."

Democrats lost the right-to-work argument early in this Extraordinary Session, when they forgot to use the Republicans own rhetoric to kill the idea. 

Every ridiculous use of  the words "freedom," "liberty" and "choice," words liberals have used in meaningful ways for years fighting for women's health rights, unionization, net neutrality, and protesting were twisted into a pretzel by Republicans. Workers already have the right to work in a union shop or not. Here's an example of a jam packed line of bullshit from one of the best spin meisters:

"We're fighting for every worker in the state to have their own personal liberty," Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) said. "Worker freedom. Individual choice. Getting to make your own way in life."

It was an upside down and highly successful way to inject big Republican one-size-fits-all government into the private sectors supposed free market business model. That's changing too.

Democrats missed the following opportunities to drive their point home:

1. There is no “right to work” in the constitution, the one place rights are protected and in some cases enumerated. Democrats could have taken this constitutional approach away from these “constitutional conservative” phonies. 

2. Government control over Private Businesses:  Forget the free market and a private business owner’s freedom to work with unions in their workplace.

3. People have the “Freedom” to look for work elsewhere: No one is forcing job seekers to work at a business with union contracts. They don't even have to join unions. They have the freedom and liberty to move on to those supposed higher wage non-union workplaces.

4. The “Freedom” and “Liberty” answer to everything they can’t defend: Seriously, this whole freedom and liberty thing is so over the top, that's it's intellectually insulting.

Rep. Dean Knudson, R-Hudson, argued the bill was about freedom. "We stand today for a simple and yet very powerful concept, the concept of worker freedom," Knudson said. 
Rep. Andy Jorgensen, D-Milton, joked if anyone following the debate at home played a game requiring them to drink every time someone said the word "freedom," the would have "cashed out yesterday afternoon. I want to say this has nothing to do with freedom, it has nothing to do with choice. It had everything to do with divide and conquer," Jorgensen said, referencing comments Gov. Scott Walker made in 2010. 

5. Right-to-Work is Wrong for Wisconsin: I can't tell you how much I hate this mindless slogan. We could have used the Republicans own talking points against them. The base normally hates government meddling, exactly what the Republicans are doing right now. There was a slim chance of reaching a few conservatives voters struck by the hypocrisy. 

6. Impressed by our Fighting Democrats: After watching Wisconsin Eye and a few camera phone videos of the right-to-work debate, I felt the Democrats did a great job disproving every empty Republicans reason for the law. Sadly, not only did almost none of this got local news coverage, but Democrats failed to brag about their debate victories.     

Cowardly Senators Fitzgerald and Wanggaard fear Dissent.

Republican are big cowards, ready to run for cover at the first hint of conflict. The fact that they're frightened by dissent makes them victims all over again, in a society they never felt comfortable in anyway.

Remember when Sen. Scott Fitzgerald ended the right-to-work hearings early because the unions were planning some kind of disruptive protest? Sure, it was complete bullshit, but their low information base loves that stuff because they're scared too.

Here's former police office and now cowering Sen. Van Wanggaard explaining the "threat" posed by Wisconsin citizens protesting their government. How dare they look so scary:

Wanggaard: "It was a different crowd of people that were coming into the Capitol..."

What, did they have horns and cloven hooves?



Sen. Scott Fitzgerald rushed the RTW bill because he thought attack ads might swaying senators to vote against it. The horror. Keep in mind, Republicans say money is free speech, and buys ads to sway voters and politician alike. It's clear Fitzgerald is trying to usurp those rights with quick passage. A real patriot:

Opposition to Right-to-Work Ignored by Desperate Republicans fighting "Sluggish" Wisconsin economy.

I've got a few selected video cuts that I feel should go on the record before right-to-work gets rammed down our throats by these know-it-all Walker Republicans.

Sen. Scott Fitzgerald openly and repeatedly admits Wisconsin is suffering a sluggish economy. That's a dramatically different message than the one our world touring governor Scott Walker is saying.

It also shows you how desperate Fitzgerald and the Republicans are right now, where they even have to throw right-to-work up against the wall. Video taken by the Devil's Advocates:



The next clip features audio from WPR and video from WPT's Here and Now. Shawn Johnson reports that Sen. Scott Fitzgerald said the cozy relationship between road contractors and union workers is driving up costs, which really means RTW will drive down costs. Here and Now's guest, former Republican representative John Gard (a guy I never agreed with), defended that good relationship between employer and employee, saying:

"...is that like a bad thing? It doesn't make sense as far as I'm concerned, from the standpoint employers and employee should not be in a constant state of combat. That is not productive...our per mile construction costs in Wisconsin is in the lowest 10 cost in the nation." 

Gard must have forgotten Walker's promise to "divide and conquer" the unions. He would like nothing more than to have that constant employer and employee battle:



From  Upfront with Mike Gousha, Democratic Rep. Peter Barca makes a great argument against right-to-work, while Rep. Robin Vos makes one dumb statement after the next, like:

"So one of the things I like to look at as we are going through this process; is right to work a good thing for Wisconsin? I believe it is."

Well, that's good enough for me. Or this gem:

"I would love to be Indiana..."

And we would love that you move there soon Robin:

Rep. Dan Knodl says Republican bills are "good to go on day one," who needs a debate?

On WPR's newscast, Shawn Johnson played this mind blowing comment by Republican Rep. Dan Knodl, who seems to think his party's noble conservative calling doesn't require endless debates on bills that are already deemed "good. It's nice to know he thinks so anyway. Democrats, save this for next time you're in the majority. Here's the audio:

Knodl: "A good bill leads to good law which means it's good to go on day one."

Video: Republican Sen. Fitzgerald admits RTW will lower wages, not raise them as claimed.

Let's say I was surprised, even impressed that the press core asked all the right questions for once. Unfortunately, it's moments like the one below that end up on the cutting room floor so to speak.

Spotlighting the failure of supply side economics pushed by Scott Walker and the plundering pirates under the Capitol dome - business tax cuts, tort reform, deregulation - reporters focused on Sen. Scott Fitzgerald's word salad avoidance of clearly admitting right-to-work and repeal of the prevailing wage rules will lower wages, period. That will save money, all the while taking money out of peoples pockets and the general revenue fund.

The video is an example of what happens when Republicans have to answer an actual followup question, and another, and another, instead of changing the subject. We get the truth:

February 25, 2015 - Immediately after the Wisconsin State Senate passed SB 44, a so-called Right-to-Work bill, Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald held a press conference. When arguing for the bill on the floor Fitzgerald claimed that the bill would open the door to more job creation, but at the press conference he admitted that the effects would be to depress wages and "take pressure off the transportation fund."

How long will we be living out this delusional ideology?

Intentional Deception: There are times when I think Republicans just don't know enough about an issue to manage it well or provide a solution. There are also times I think they're just lazy, and don't want to work. After watching Fitzgerald answer the reporters questions? It's all a grand deception!

Killing Consumer Demand and Jobs: This negatively impacts consumer demand, reduces take home pay, and lowers discretionary spending. It doesn't just lower our standard of living even more, but cuts general revenue, resulting in more spending cuts in the future.

Did you ever live down the street from the stinkiest family in the neighborhood? I did, but I didn't have to move in with them. Well, it looks like that option is off the table now.

Right-to-Work Questions Stump Republicans, prove they're full of S**t!

Democratic Sen. Bob Wirch stumped Republican Scott Fitzgerald when he compared paying dues to Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, to paying dues to a company union. Fitzgerald had nothing. Which tells you one thing; RTW was meant to starve unions, and their support for the Democratic Party. That's it.

Don't forget this moment. It's important in the big picture, and proves GOP policy is driven by the desire to kill the opposition party's source of funding, not manage the government. This time, the private sector businesses got in the way of "big government corporate interests." Video courtesy of the Devil's Advocates Radio program:



Dumb Ron Johnson Stumped too!!! The Devil's Advocates radio show asked Johnson the one question that nobody seemed to be asking, and it was driving me crazy; Job seekers aren't forced to work at a union shop, so why don't they just look for a job somewhere else? It's like someone who doesn't like the pay, benefits or hours? That's freedom and liberty isn't it? 

Johnson didn't just bale abruptly, he fumbled It's really a classic answer - "Freedom:"

Devil's Advocate: "How does that analogy hold up sir?"

Dumb Ron Johnson: "I'm not sure it's a perfect analogy. But again, I'm...in general, I'm for FREEDOM. And the other point to make is, this is a state issue."

Puntttttt!!!! Sorry Ron, choosing not to work at a union shop is FREEDOM.