Wisconsin protests: why 'week of rage' matters to

[Nanook]

Re: Wisconsin protests: why 'week of rage' matters to

I saw that Liz and now have the site bookmarked for when it returns. Good luck in Ohio, I see Indiana has come to it's senses. I almost feel like I can sleep a little better tonight, after the phone recording. At the very least credibility just went down the tubes, it is pretty quiet on the opposition side publicly...but on facebook the masses are busy, lol.

10:00 Pm news:


<span style="font-weight: bold">Walker No Show at Superior Days, Some Blame Article</span>

Posted at: 02/23/2011 9:14 PM
By: Katey Rusch

A group from the Superior-days delegation didn't get to meet with the Governor Wednesday morning. Tuesday night, Governor Walker cancelled Wednesday's breakfast appearance with them. Some from superior think Walker's cancellation has to do with a newspaper article.

Half past 7 a.m. in Madison, a group of 250, was ready to see their governor. But instead this Superior days would see their former mayor.

&quot;We have plans and we have back-up plans and back-up plans for back-up plans,&quot; said Fariba Pendleton, coordinator for Superior Days.

<span style="font-weight: bold">Walker had been planning to speak with the delegation since October and had confirmed his visit Tuesday afternoon</span> but canceled without giving them a reason just after 7p.m. Tuesday evening.
<span style="font-weight: bold">
&quot;I was really surprised that even last night he was planning on coming and I can only imagine the chaos that is happening in his office,&quot; </span>said Pendleton. &quot;He has a state to run.&quot;

Some think the Governor canceled because the he got wind of a misleading Duluth News Tribune article about a letter, the day before it went to print.

&quot;Our Superior Days delegates, a number of them came to me this morning,&quot; said Pendleton. &quot;They are very upset about the headline in the News Tibune this morning. The nature of the letter and who signed it really had nothing to do with Superior Days.&quot;

The letter is the creation of Representative Nick Milroy. It 's addressed to the Governor and asks him to reconsider stipulations of his budget repair bill. It was signed by 22 county and city officials Tuesday. In an article about the letter the Tribune's headline read &quot;Superior Days Delegation Signs Letter Opposing Governor Scott Walker's Budget-relief Bill.&quot; According to the delegation, this is false.

&quot;This was not a Superior Days issue. This was not a Superior Days effort.&quot; said Doug Finn, member of the Superior Days delegation and someone who signed the letter. &quot;This was local officials from several counties and several cities.&quot;

&quot;We were very deliberate that this letter was not connected with Superior Days it was just elected officials that were in town,&quot; said Representative Nick Milroy.

<span style="font-weight: bold">Those that signed the letter think Walker's cancelation has nothing to do with the letter because the letter hasn't even been sent.</span>

&quot;It was unfortunate the letter came out so quick in fact it was out before our final draft,&quot; said Finn. &quot;I don't believe that's the case one can speculate and that's all you can do.&quot;

Finn said he and others plan to send the letter within a couple of days.

Only the governor knows why he canceled because our calls to him went unanswered. His fill-in at this morning's breakfast, former Superior Mayor Dave Ross did say Walker sends his apologies.

It is getting very interesting. I am so grateful for that recorded phone call.

source

[sistacaf]

Re: Wisconsin protests: why 'week of rage' matters to

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">the capitalist economy under which unions prospered has evolved into an oligarchy where the corporations run the government and pass the anti-union laws they need to get rid of workers rights.</div></div>

yes. and it makes me SICK. it's way past &quot;ironic&quot; vannie. it is <span style="font-style: italic">deliberate.</span>

by attempting to disallow collective bargaining rights, this 'corporate oligarchy' intends to undo everything our grandparents' generation fought, and <span style="font-style: italic">died</span> for when they created the unions - to protect workers from selfish greedy company-owners who would work employees to death, under sweatshop conditions, with poverty level wages and no rights; thus keeping in place a poor underclass that can be manipulated (and stomped on) at the company's whim.

The 'company owner' of old, is now these corporate conglomerates. Their <span style="font-style: italic">direct intention</span> is to take us straight back to the sweatshop era -- because that's what will provide the huge profits needed to fund their delusion-of-grandeur extravagant lifestyles and astronomical bonuses. God <span style="font-style: italic">forbid</span> they have to pull something out of their own greedyazz pockets to pay fair wages, provide health insurance, and allow time off for illness or emergency. And, of course, with no collective bargaining, the working people will have no power against these pigs -- just like it used to be before the unions...... <span style="font-style: italic">which is exactly what these corporations are trying to achieve</span>.

Fighting against that very thing, to bring about fair and decent treatment of employees, is <span style="font-style: italic">why</span> the unions, inclusive of collective bargaining, were created <span style="font-style: italic">in the first place</span>.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ohliz</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> [Jesse Jackson] said: <span style="font-style: italic">&quot;Roosevelt put a roof on greed and a floor under the poor&quot;</span>. That about sums it up, it states perfectly what the right is trying to undo.</div></div>. precisely.

like jah_yout, what i <span style="font-style: italic">really</span> can't believe is that nobody in the press is TALKING about this elephant in the room ..... hell<span style="font-style: italic">LLOOOOOOOOO</span> the emperor is flickin NEKKID IN A DE STREET. why is nobody saying anything about this in the media?

<span style="font-style: italic">edit: AH <span style="font-weight: bold">SO</span>! well apparently the prank call has loosed some lips - they ARE talkin about the elephant in the room now on the news programs. one of them had an interview with someone from the WI state ethics committee, they're going after Walker on both ethics <span style="font-weight: bold">and</span> labor law violations, after hearing the call.... EEE hee heee..... dumbazz hoisted himself on his own petard! </span>

[RichD]

Re: Wisconsin protests: why 'week of rage' matters to

i think there are going to be some unintended consequences that the orchestrators of this movement are not anticipating.

when more and more workers are faced with paying a bigger portion of the actual cost of their health insurance they will start to look more favourably at socialized healthcare.

[lonewolf]

Re: Wisconsin protests: why 'week of rage' matters to

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dr.Dudd</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: lonrwolf</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BlackStar</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If the Republicans have their way, the US will turn into Somalia. </div></div>

You don't get it. Both parties are attacking Union benefits, regardless of what you want to believe. A more truthful statement would be Republicans and Democrats will turn the US into Somalia.
</div></div>
Trying to reduce benefits is a far cry from union busting.

Is That the spin you Republicans in human clothings plan to use later when union busting becomes more recognized and unpopular In a few months?
</div></div>

Nope, no spin here. I'm in complete agreement with everyone that what's happening in Wisconsin is union busting. I'm all for the unions....I'm not a Republican or a Democrat.
Both parties are corrupt and they are the reason the country is in such a terrible mess.

I was merely pointing out what the public sector unions in Baltimore were dealing with.
and we have DEMOCRATS in control. When push comes to shove they have not been Union friendly.

[lonewolf]

Re: Wisconsin protests: why 'week of rage' matters to

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">when more and more workers are faced with paying a bigger portion of the actual cost of their health insurance they will start to look more favourably at socialized healthcare. </div></div>

Rich, under the Obama plan that is based off of the Massachusetts health care system that is currently in place, a person making about $30,000 US dollars a year would be forced to spend about a third of their salary on health care. Which in this case would be about $10,000.....or pay the $700.00 fine and still not have any health care. Does that sound resonable and affordable to you?

[RichD]

Re: Wisconsin protests: why 'week of rage' matters to

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: lonrwolf</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">when more and more workers are faced with paying a bigger portion of the actual cost of their health insurance they will start to look more favourably at socialized healthcare. </div></div>

Rich, under the Obama plan that is based off of the Massachusetts health care system that is currently in place, a person making about $30,000 US dollars a year would be forced to spend about a third of their salary on health care. Which in this case would be about $10,000.....or pay the $700.00 fine and still not have any health care. Does that sound resonable and affordable to you? </div></div>

i'm not referring to the Obama plan. I'm suggesting that they might take another look at single payer.

if your portion of your plan moved to 50% or 60% what would your reaction be?



btw..didn't the AHCA call for subsidies to lower income earners?

[Nanook]

Re: Wisconsin protests: why 'week of rage' matters to

Protests against Gov. Scott Walker's budget repair bill are spreading across the Badger State.

Thousands of people are expected to show up at rallies, vigils and town hall meetings on Thursday in what union officials are calling the biggest day of demonstrations outside of Madison in state history.

Labor officials announced on Wednesday that protests were being organized, and details were released Thursday on where and when the protests are set.

One of the more creative protests is a series of five rallies set to take place at 4 p.m. on bridges and overpasses in Green Bay.

In an e-mail from the state AFL-CIO, protesters at the Thursday rallies &quot;will demand an end to the attacks on the middle class and worker rights.&quot;

<span style="font-weight: bold">Protests also are planned in:</span>

Appleton at 5 p.m. at Lawrence University's Seeley

Mudd Library.

Beloit at 4 p.m. at 1240 Riverside Drive.

Berlin at 5 p.m. in Eastside Park.

Eau Claire at 7 p.m. in Phoenix Park.

Fond du Lac at 4 p.m. at the Chamber of Commerce, 207 N. Main St., and 5 p.m. at the Opera House Square.

Green Bay at 4 p.m. at the Ray Nitschke bridge, the Walnut Street bridge, the De Pere bridge and two overpasses known as the Peshtigo 41 and the Oconto Falls overpasses.

Horicon at 4:45 p.m. at the IAM 873 labor hall, 258 Barstow St.

Janesville at 7:45 p.m. at the Rock County Courthouse, 51 Main St.

Kenosha at 4 p.m. at the UAW Local 72 labor hall, 3615 Washington Rd.

La Crosse at 4:30 p.m. at the clock tower on the UW-La Crosse campus.

Manitowoc at 4:30 p.m. at the Manitowoc County courthouse and at 6 p.m. at a town meeting at Time Out Sports Bar and Grill, 1027 N. Rapids Road.

Milwaukee at 11:30 a.m. at Milwaukee Area Technical College, 700 W. State St., at 2 p.m. at the Milwaukee County Mental Health Complex, 9201 W. Watertown Plank Road, and at 4 p.m. at Water Street and Wisconsin Avenue.

Platteville at 12:15 p.m. at University Plaza on the UW-Platteville campus.

River Falls at 6 p.m., at Meyer Middle School, 230 N. Ninth St.

Sheboygan at 5 p.m. in Fountain Park.

Stevens Point at 5 p.m. at the Ramada Inn, 1501 N. Point Dr., for a march to UW-Stevens Point for a 6 p.m. rally at the campus sundial.

Wausau at 4:30 p.m. at the Marathon County courthouse.

Rallies also are planned on Thursday for the 11th straight day, both inside and outside the State Capitol in Madison.

<span style="font-style: italic">So far, none within 3 hours drive, but I'm watching and ready to <span style="font-weight: bold">RUMBLE!!!!!!!</span>
(dang, I thought my protesting days were past, but not anymore!)</span>

I encourage anyone who can get to one of these rallies, to go help the cause!

[Blackstar*]

Re: Wisconsin protests: why 'week of rage' matters to

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jamaica_dreamin</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><span style="font-style: italic">Wait till Rick Scott gets busy making life hell for working people in Florida!</span> </div></div>
I was thinking the same thing. Florida peeps will have to &quot;suck salt through wooden spoon&quot; once Scott gets in gear, running the state &quot;like a business&quot;.

[Nanook]

Re: Wisconsin protests: why 'week of rage' matters to

Hopefully, what is happening in Wisconsin will serve other states who's govs are thinking to do the same things.

There is some kind of agreement they are supposed to reach around noon today. I hope it is good. I don't see where walker has a choice but to bend now that he got caught so red handed yesterday!

The fight, however...is only just beginning, no matter what happens this morning!

Walker----&gt;

Oh, and if you all in your states have any rallies in support of Wisconsin, I would beg you to please attend. It isn't just us here in Wisconsin in this fight, it is everyone!

[Nanook]

Re: Wisconsin protests: why 'week of rage' matters to

Gov. Scott Walker to explain his &quot;troubling&quot; and &quot;unsettling&quot; statements captured in a secretly recorded phone conversation that he &quot;thought about&quot; planting troublemakers among the thousands of peaceful demonstrators at the Capitol.

The protests, heading into their 11th day, are aimed at a bill Walker proposed to strip most bargaining rights from state and local unionized employees in Wisconsin.

&quot; I spent a good deal of time overnight thinking about Governor Walker's response, during his news conference yesterday (Wednesday), to the suggestion that his administration ‘thought about' planting troublemakers among those who are peacefully protesting his bill,&quot; Wray said in a statement issued this morning. &quot;I would like to hear more of an explanation from Governor Walker as to what exactly was being considered, and to what degree it was discussed by his cabinet members.

&quot; I find it very unsettling and troubling that anyone would consider creating safety risks for our citizens and law enforcement officers. Our department works hard dialoging with those who are exercising their First Amendment right, those from both sides of the issue, to make sure we are doing everything we can to ensure they can demonstrate safely.

&quot;I am concerned that anyone would try to undermine these relationships. I have a responsibility to the community, and to the men and women of this department — who are working long hours protecting and serving this community — to find out more about what was being considered by state leaders.&quot;

Walker spokesman Cullen Werwie pointed to Walker's statements at the Wednesday press conference.

&quot;People have brought up all sorts of different options,&quot; Walker said. &quot;As you saw if you've listened to the tape, we shot that down.&quot;

Walker added that it was his &quot;biggest fear&quot; that opposing protesters would clash last Saturday. But in the phone call with what Walker thought was a campaign supporter, the governor did not mention public safety but said such a tactic could backfire on his effort to pass his budget-repair bill.

Gov. Scott Walker to explain his &quot;troubling&quot; and &quot;unsettling&quot; statements captured in a secretly recorded phone conversation that he &quot;thought about&quot; planting troublemakers among the thousands of peaceful demonstrators at the Capitol.

The protests, heading into their 11th day, are aimed at a bill Walker proposed to strip most bargaining rights from state and local unionized employees in Wisconsin.

&quot; I spent a good deal of time overnight thinking about Governor Walker's response, during his news conference yesterday (Wednesday), to the suggestion that his administration ‘thought about' planting troublemakers among those who are peacefully protesting his bill,&quot; Wray said in a statement issued this morning. &quot;I would like to hear more of an explanation from Governor Walker as to what exactly was being considered, and to what degree it was discussed by his cabinet members.

&quot; I find it very unsettling and troubling that anyone would consider creating safety risks for our citizens and law enforcement officers. Our department works hard dialoging with those who are exercising their First Amendment right, those from both sides of the issue, to make sure we are doing everything we can to ensure they can demonstrate safely.

&quot;I am concerned that anyone would try to undermine these relationships. I have a responsibility to the community, and to the men and women of this department — who are working long hours protecting and serving this community — to find out more about what was being considered by state leaders.&quot;

Walker spokesman Cullen Werwie pointed to Walker's statements at the Wednesday press conference.

&quot;People have brought up all sorts of different options,&quot; Walker said. &quot;As you saw if you've listened to the tape, we shot that down.&quot;

Walker added that it was his &quot;biggest fear&quot; that opposing protesters would clash last Saturday. But in the phone call with what Walker thought was a campaign supporter, the governor did not mention public safety but said such a tactic could backfire on his effort to pass his budget-repair bill.

source

[Nanook]

Re: Wisconsin protests: why 'week of rage' matters to

<span style="font-size: 17pt">
<span style="font-weight: bold">
Ex-AG sees ethics, labor law violations in Walker-Koch conversation, suggests inquiry
</span>
</span>


When Gov. Scott Walker discussed strategies to lay off state employees for political purposes, to coordinate supposedly “independent” political expenditures to aid legislators who support his budget repair bill, and to place agent provocateurs on the streets of Madison in order to disrupt peaceful demonstrations, he engaged in what a former attorney general of Wisconsin says could turn out to be serious ethics, election law and labor violations.

Much of the attention to the “prank” call that the governor took from a blogger who identified himself as billionaire David Koch has focused on the bizarre, at times comic, character of the discussion between a blogger posing as a powerful political player on the right and a governor whose budget repair bill has sparked mass demonstrations in Wisconsin communities and a national outcry. But the state’s former chief law-enforcement officer described the governor’s statements as “deeply troubling” and suggested that they would require inquiry and investigation by watchdog agencies.

“There clearly are potential ethics violations, and there are potential election-law violations and there are a lot of what look to me like labor-law violations,” said Peg Lautenschlager, a Democrat who served as Wisconsin’s attorney general after serving for many years as a U.S. attorney. “I think that the ethics violations are something the (state) Government Accountability Board should look into because they are considerable. He is on tape talking with someone who he thinks is the funder of an independent political action committee to purchase advertising to benefit Republican legislators who are nervous about taking votes on legislation he sees as critical to his political success.”

Lautenschlager, a former legislator who has known Walker for many years and who has worked with many of the unions involved in the current dispute, says: “One of the things I find most problematic in all of this is the governor’s casual talk about using outside troublemakers to stir up trouble on the streets, and the fact that he only dismissed the idea because it might cause a political problem for him.”

On the tape, Walker is asked about “planting some troublemakers” to incite the crowds at what have been peaceful protests.

“(We) thought about that,” replied the governor, who added: “My only fear would be is if there was a ruckus caused is that that would scare the public into thinking maybe the governor has gotta settle to avoid all these problems.”

“I think there’s a serious issue there,” Lautenschlager explained. “That’s a public safety issue. And I think that is really troublesome: a governor with an obligation to maintain public safety says he’s going to plant people to make trouble. That screams out to me. For a governor even to consider a strategy that could unnecessarily threaten the safety of peaceful demonstrators — which the governor acknowledged he did — is something that simply amazes me.”

Lautenschlager reviewed the tape of the phone call and the transcript at the request of The Capital Times. She noted a pattern of instances where the governor seemed to put his personal political agenda ahead of his duties as the state’s chief executive.

Lautenschlager noted, in particular, the governor’s reference to displaying a photo of former President Ronald Reagan at the dinner where he explained plans for his budget repair bill — which seeks to strip state, county and municipal employees of their collective bargaining rights, restructure state government in a manner that dramatically extends the power of the governor, undermine the BadgerCare and SeniorCare programs, and sell off publicly owned power plants to private firms like Koch Industries.

“He essentially parallels what he’s going to do to organized labor with what Ronald Reagan did to the air traffic controllers,” said Lautenschlager, referencing the former president’s firing of striking controllers in 1981. “By doing that at this time, when the contracts for state employees are still in effect, it looks as if he’s signaling a willingness to commit an unfair labor practice violation by refusing to negotiate.”

Lautenschlager noted a body of labor law that prevents employers from using threats of layoffs as a negotiating tactic with unionized workers.

Regarding another part of the conversation, where the caller posing as David Koch promises to bring the governor to California as a reward when and if the budget repair bill passes, the former attorney general noted the tenor of the conversation.

“Scott: Once you crush these bastards I’ll fly you out to Cali and really show you a good time,” says the caller identified as David Koch.

Walker replies: “All right, that would be outstanding.”

“When an elected official in Wisconsin is offered a trip somewhere to have a good time, and he responds by saying ‘that would be outstanding,' ” said Lautenchlager, “it certainly sounds like something ethics investigators should look into.”

source

[ohliz]

Re: Wisconsin protests: why 'week of rage' matters to

I think this is worth a close read, even 'cakes will agree with it, I think

http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/02/income-inequality-labor-union-decline

Some of it that I thought was especially worth a read:

<span style="font-weight: bold">
American politicians don't care much about voters with moderate incomes. Princeton political scientist Larry Bartels studied the voting behavior of US senators in the early '90s and discovered that they respond far more to the desires of high-income groups than to anyone else. By itself, that's not a surprise. He also found that Republicans don't respond at all to the desires of voters with modest incomes. Maybe that's not a surprise, either. But this should be: Bartels found that Democratic senators don't respond to the desires of these voters, either. At all.

---

The strength of unions in postwar America had a profound impact on all people who worked for a living, even those who did not belong to a union themselves.&quot; Wages went up, even at nonunion companies. Health benefits expanded, private pensions rose, and vacations became more common. It was unions that made the American economy work for the middle class, and it was their later decline that turned the economy upside-down and made it into a playground for the business and financial classes.

----

...politicians don't respond to the concerns of voters, they respond to the organized muscle of institutions that represent them. With labor in decline, both parties now respond strongly to the interests of the rich—whose institutional representation is deep and energetic—and barely at all to the interests of the working and middle classes.

---

If unions had remained strong and Democrats had continued to vigorously press for more equitable economic policies, middle-class wages over the past three decades likely would have grown at about the same rate as the overall economy—just as they had in the postwar era. But they didn't, and that meant that every year, the money that would have gone to middle-class wage increases instead went somewhere else.


</span>

[Nanook]

Re: Wisconsin protests: why 'week of rage' matters to

I well remember the beat down feelings of our union reps when we had our last round of negotiations before we were sold. It was getting to be more and more like we had no union, and a far cry from just 14 years earlier when I started there, when the union was strong. And then we were sold down the river anyway, so none of it mattered anymore.

Here is a good look at the sad state of affairs..

It's the inequality, stupid. Mother Jones


And here is a reporting of the vote last night, the bill passed the assembly..:-(

&amp;#8206;&quot;After much buildup in the 61-hour debate -- of Republicans wanting things to be over, and Democrats railing against Republicans who they said would cut off debate -- at about 1 AM Speaker Pro Tempore Bill Kramer (R) announced that he woul...d hear a voice vote for a roll call on final passage. Immediately, the majority Republicans shouted their ayes, and the Democrats were booing, as they tried to be recognized to demand a separate motion to cut off debate.

Then Kramer called the vote. Within seconds, the digital vote system on the wall announced 51 ayes and 17 nays, and voting was suddenly closed. With a total of 96 members, that got to a majority for the bill but left 28 members who hadn't had a chance yet to vote.

At that point, the Democrats got up, chanting &quot;Shame! Shame! Shame!&quot; and similar exclamations, as the Republicans filed out of the room.

There were many Democrats I spoke to and overheard in the chamber, who said they didn't get a chance to vote, or that they were pushing the &quot;No&quot; button at their desks as hard as they could -- keep in mind that a majority of their 38-member caucus was recorded as casting no votes at all. (Interesting to note there were also four Republicans who voted no -- after having joined every party-line vote against Democratic amendments. Some Dems speculated that the GOP leadership had allowed some Assembly Republicans in marginal districts to skip the vote or vote 'no' on the final tally.)

<span style="font-weight: bold">Some of the Democrats I spoke to, such as state Rep. Kelda Roys, maintained that the vote was illegal. Let's see whether they pursue such avenues in court.</span>

Soon after the vote, as local CBS affiliate reporter Jessica Arp showed me in a video replay in the press room, an unidentified Democratic legislator could be seen throwing his papers and a beverage of some kind into the air in the heat of passion, as the booing broke out after final passage.

Afterwards, the Dems filed out into the rotunda, to cheers of &quot;Thank you! Thank you!&quot; from the protesters who have filled the halls of the Capitol for over a week. An interesting question has been whether the day and night Capitol building protests would end after this vote. But as I write this in the Capitol's press room, it's up in the air to me whether the protesters will even clear out at all. I can still hear them chanting and singing songs out in the halls -- including at least one round of &quot;Hell no, we won't go!&quot;&quot;


source

[ohliz]

Re: Wisconsin protests: why 'week of rage' matters to

Democrats.com sent me this today:

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Dear ohliz,

This Saturday we're drawing a line in the sand. The entire progressive movement is putting everything we have into one massive display of progressive solidarity nationwide.

We won't let Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker - or any other billionaire-bought TeaParty Governor - break the unions. Unions created America's middle class and if they disappear we'll all end up as corporate slaves.

The entire progressive movement - Netroots, unions, environmentalists, and community groups - will hold solidarity rallies in major cities, including every state capital, this Saturday around noon.

We'll demand an end to the attacks on workers' rights and public services across the country. We'll demand investment to create jobs. And we'll demand that the rich and powerful pay their fair share of taxes.

Will you join us Saturday at noon? Sign up to join your local rally here.

Here in New York City, our new Job Party has already held two solidarity rallies, proudly wearing Wisconsin Cheeseheads and winning smiles and cheers from fellow New Yorkers.

Last Friday, 100 of us held a spirited rally in front of CNN, NBC, and FOX. On Tuesday we grew to 500 at FOX during Glenn Beck's show, and prominent New York unions and politicians joined us.

While Glenn Beck raged helplessly inside his studio, Ed Schultz happily crossed the street to interview us. We also appeared on Jon Stewart and Bill O'Reilly. Watch our videos.

And with unions, students, and progressives in the Midwest leading the way, we're turning the tide. When an Indiana official urged use of &quot;live ammunition&quot; against unions, he was immediately fired. Then Indiana Republicans dropped their anti-union &quot;right-to-work&quot; bill like a hot potato. Republican Governors in Michigan, New Jersey, and Florida are running as fast as they can from union-busting.

But a few hard-line Republicans are holding out, especially Wisconsin's Scott Walker and Ohio's John Kasich. And several Republican presidential candidates are supporting them, promising to bust unions nationwide if they win in 2012.

So we need to hit the streets to send a message that's loud and crystal-clear: the American people support our unions, and we want jobs!

Sign up to join your local rally here.

Thanks for all you do!

Bob, Charles, Corinne, Diane, Harry, Jonathan, and Justin and the rest of the team

P.S. if you'd like to help us build the Job Party, please visit our new web site:

http://JobParty.us

or &quot;like&quot; us on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/JobParty

or follow us on Twitter:

http://twitter.com/jobparty

p.p.s. Please share your thoughts in our new blog:
http://www.democrats.com/on-saturday...change-america</div></div>

The &quot;here&quot; referred to in the email is: http://pol.moveon.org/event/events/i...ch_distance=30

[sistacaf]

Re: Wisconsin protests: why 'week of rage' matters to

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">We won't let Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker - or any other billionaire-bought TeaParty Governor - break the unions</div></div>

well, it's a little late for that - the horse is already out the barn - the bill in WI passed already - SMGDH - so it would seem that rallies scheduled for tomorrow are already redundant and useless. pmppphhhhhh.