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government by bullying
Mar. 10th, 2011 04:58 pmIt is not a good sign when your state government's act of colossal asshattery makes the Breaking News bar on cnn.com.
In case you were wondering, yes, I am directly affected by this reprehensible piece of union-busting on the part of Governor Walker (the same man who sabotaged Wisconsin's chance at high-speed rail BEFORE HE EVEN TOOK OFFICE) and the state Republicans.![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
mirrorthaw is a union member and a state employee. If he weren't, I wouldn't be as anxious and stressed as I am right now, but I would still be just as fucking FURIOUS at what's currently passing for democratic government in the state of Wisconsin. My state of residence has elected a man who believes that he can do whatever he wants to, that he doesn't have to compromise or negotiate, and that unethical behavior is perfectly okay as long as it's he and his allies who benefit.
What makes me LIVID is that, thus far, Governor Walker has not been proven wrong on any of that.
When I was a teaching assistant, I was a union member, and I know exactly and in detail why collective bargaining is necessary. I also know that, no matter what Walker claims, this bill is not and never was about balancing the budget. (I also think that gutting the state infrastructure is a STUPID way to balance the budget, but then, I am a socialist.) The unions offered to take the pay cuts if Walker would drop the collective bargaining clause. Instead, Walker has dropped the pay cuts and rammed the collective bargaining clause through in a piece of legislative chicanery that I certainly hope gets the snot investigated out of it.
Because Walker believes that negotiation and compromise are for weaklings. Which, of course, is why he has to get rid of collective bargaining--collective bargaining levels the playing field between the "weaklings" and bullies like Governor Walker. Without it, state employees have no way to make the state government listen to them. And, no, it won't listen if it doesn't have to.
Governor Walker wants your lunch money.
So hand it over.
In case you were wondering, yes, I am directly affected by this reprehensible piece of union-busting on the part of Governor Walker (the same man who sabotaged Wisconsin's chance at high-speed rail BEFORE HE EVEN TOOK OFFICE) and the state Republicans.
mirrorthaw is a union member and a state employee. If he weren't, I wouldn't be as anxious and stressed as I am right now, but I would still be just as fucking FURIOUS at what's currently passing for democratic government in the state of Wisconsin. My state of residence has elected a man who believes that he can do whatever he wants to, that he doesn't have to compromise or negotiate, and that unethical behavior is perfectly okay as long as it's he and his allies who benefit.What makes me LIVID is that, thus far, Governor Walker has not been proven wrong on any of that.
When I was a teaching assistant, I was a union member, and I know exactly and in detail why collective bargaining is necessary. I also know that, no matter what Walker claims, this bill is not and never was about balancing the budget. (I also think that gutting the state infrastructure is a STUPID way to balance the budget, but then, I am a socialist.) The unions offered to take the pay cuts if Walker would drop the collective bargaining clause. Instead, Walker has dropped the pay cuts and rammed the collective bargaining clause through in a piece of legislative chicanery that I certainly hope gets the snot investigated out of it.
Because Walker believes that negotiation and compromise are for weaklings. Which, of course, is why he has to get rid of collective bargaining--collective bargaining levels the playing field between the "weaklings" and bullies like Governor Walker. Without it, state employees have no way to make the state government listen to them. And, no, it won't listen if it doesn't have to.
Governor Walker wants your lunch money.
So hand it over.
