*** UPDATE 2 *** The walkout concept spreads to Illinois…
Dolton officials have slashed a contract proposed for a firm headed by the mayor’s daughter from more than $1 million to just $2 after questions from the Tribune.
And taking a nod from Wisconsin protesters, two Dolton trustees said they plan to boycott tonight’s village board meeting, where trustees are set to vote on the proposed contract — and every meeting until the proposal is taken off the table.
Without the two trustees, the village board won’t have a quorum and therefore can’t vote.
“We’ve got the same players with just different titles and more money,” said Trustee Deborah Green, who along with Trustee Willie Lowe plans to boycott meetings.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Or not…
Senate Dems late [last night] sought to downplay Minority Leader Mark Miller’s comments that they plan to return to the Capitol soon for a vote on the budget repair bill to put their GOP colleagues on record in the face of polls that show the legislation is not sitting well with the public. […]
But a Miller spokesman and two of his Dem colleagues insisted nothing has really changed for the caucus and Dems continue to seek alterations to the repair bill.
Sen. Bob Jauch, who along with Sen. Tim Cullen has been part of the negotiations with the governor’s staff, said Dems have known all along they would have to return to Wisconsin at some point. That position hasn’t changed in the past two weeks, and he said Dems want to force their Republican colleagues to show the public whether they stand with the governor or with workers when it comes to the proposed changes.
“I think he’s speaking the truth that at some point – and I don’t know when soon is – at some point we have to say we’ve done all we can,” Jauch said. […]
Miller spokesman Mike Browne insisted there was nothing really new in Miller’s comments and that Dems continue trying to keep the lines of communication open in what has been a fluid situation.
[ *** End Of Updates *** ]
* We don’t know when the cheeseheads are leaving, but the Wall Street Journal is reporting that the decision has been made to go back North…
Playing a game of political chicken, Democratic senators who fled Wisconsin to stymie restrictions on public-employee unions said Sunday they planned to come back from exile soon, betting that even though their return will allow the bill to pass, the curbs are so unpopular they’ll taint the state’s Republican governor and legislators. […]
Sen. Mark Miller said he and his fellow Democrats intend to let the full Senate vote on Gov. Scott Walker’s “budget-repair” bill, which includes the proposed limits on public unions’ collective-bargaining rights. The bill, which had been blocked because the missing Democrats were needed for the Senate to have enough members present to vote on it, is expected to pass the Republican-controlled chamber.
He said he thinks recent polls showing voter discontent with Mr. Walker over limits on bargaining rights have been “disastrous” for the governor and Republicans and give Democrats more leverage to seek changes in a broader two-year budget bill Mr. Walker proposed Tuesday. […]
Mr. Miller declined to say how soon the Democratic senators, who left for Illinois on Feb. 17, would return. He said the group needed to address several issues first—including the resolution Senate Republicans passed last week that holds the Democrats in contempt and orders police to detain them when they return to Wisconsin.
One of the Democrats is seven months pregnant, which weighed on the decision.
* But the Indiana Democrats appear to be sticking around Illinois for a while, despite the threat of a daily fine…
The decision by House Democrats to stay away from the Statehouse will start affecting their bank accounts this week. House Speaker Brian Bosma announced last week that absent lawmakers will be subject to fines of $250 per day beginning Monday. There has been no sign from Democrats that they will be back in the chamber when it is called to session Monday afternoon.
Bosma says the decision to issue the monetary penalties wasn’t taken “lightly or flippantly,” but Republicans have “done everything we can do to try to encourage the minority members to return to perform the duties they’ve sworn to perform.”
Democrat Kreg Battles tells our partners at Network Indiana/WIBC what is really needed “language that will bring people together” and the fines will only serve to “continue the divide.”
Once the Wisconsin Dems go home, the pressure will really ramp up on the Hoosiers to follow suit.
* Related…
* Poll: Most Want Gov. Walker To Reach Compromise: When they were asked if Gov. Walker should strike a compromise with Democrats and unions over this repair bill, 65 percent of respondents said he should, while 33 percent said that Gov. Walker should stand strong no matter how long the protests last.
* Democratic legislators embracing tactic to gain leverage: Fleeing
* Indiana Democrats try to explain boycott in Web meetings, calls: “The longer it goes on, the more heat there is, not just for Democrats to come back, but for the Republicans to negotiate,” said Senate Minority Leader Vi Simpson, D-Bloomington. “The public temperament for these kinds of things … there is a finite end to it.”
* Indiana House sets $250 daily fines for boycotters: “The atmosphere is suddenly as hostile as when we left,” he said in a telephone conference with reporters. “We thought there was improvement, but obviously not.”
- lake county democrat - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 6:52 am:
It’s hard not to be sympathetic to the 7mo pregnant Dem WI senator (or the guy in his 80’s) but the reasoning they are giving is full of holes. YOu either make a stand or you don’t — a year from now polls can be different for all sorts of reasons.
- wndycty - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 7:03 am:
Rich, per the Twitter/FB feeds of Wisconsin Senators Lena Taylor and Chris Larson the Wisconsin Dems are no closer to leaving. The claim, also backed up by Senator Erpenbach, is that the Wall Street Journal took Senator Miller’s quote out of context.
Remember who owns the Wall Street Journal, so its not a stretch to think there may agenda with its framing.
Here is an update from Talking Points Memo: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/03/wisconsin-dems-deny-wsj-report-of-imminent-return.php
- lost in translation - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 7:08 am:
Here is Sen Erpenbach’s statement
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FxNNCEDong
- Wensicia - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 7:10 am:
The polls just keep getting worse for Walker and other Tea Party governors. Give in now, you lose all momentum. Let the pregnant Senator go back. Having state troopers drag her into their statehouse would make for great photo opportunities.
- Magic Max - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 7:26 am:
“Bye kids, have fun storming the castle!”
(-The Princess Bride)
- Newsclown - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 7:30 am:
There’s a number of Wisconsin reps eligible for recall. A couple more seats that could be flipped. The union could still decide to go on strike. This is not over. The republicans overstepped and woke the sleeping, er, badger. If the indignation can stay stoked, this is going to raise money and votes to re-take the Wisconsin statehouse for dems.
- DMAC57 - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 7:31 am:
While no one wants lay-offs, the lays will still cost the state in Unemployment pay-outs and COBRA. And with all the newly found free time on the laid-offs hands, what a great time to work passing recall petitions.
- wordslinger - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 7:44 am:
–A strong majority of Wisconsin residents want Republican Gov. Scott Walker to negotiate with Democrats and public sector unions to find a compromise in the current budget standoff, according to a new poll by the conservative-leaning Wisconsin Policy Research Institute.
Sixty-five percent of survey respondents said Walker “should compromise,” while 33 percent said he should “stand strong.”–
http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_46e879fe-4856-11e0-8030-001cc4c03286.html?mode=story
Meanwhile, Americans for Prosperity held a Pro-Walker rally over the weekend in Madison, featuring “Joe the Plumber,” that organizers estimated drew 600 supporters.
You’d think that with the money the Koch Boys are shelling out, they could have gotten Chuck Norris.
http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_7aba1f46-4854-11e0-b468-001cc4c03286.html
- cassandra - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 7:59 am:
I’m not seeing much difference between Quinn and Walker, really. Both were elected handily and neither was shy about his priorities during the campaign. Quinn said he wanted an income tax hike, although one could say he, um, fibbed about the size of it. Or maybe he really was spooked by the markets. Do we really want a guv who is easily spooked by the markets. Anyway, back to topic. Walker, from everything I read, was well known from his tenure as Milwaukee’s executive.
Doesn’t sound like his present behavior is inconsistent. Both men took advantage of the immediate post-election period to push through their priority agendas. That’s by the book. An election is a mandate to do something not have endless discussions about what to do.
It does look like at the end of their terms Wisconsin will have resolved its budget problem, which, to be fair, arent so bad to begin with.
Quinn will be asking for an extension of the
“temporary” income tax and trying to scrounge up some dough for the next year’s mega-pension payment.
- Beowulf - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 8:07 am:
Both the Wisconsin and Indiana Democrat fugitives have made their point. What has already begun to happen is “the law of diminishing returns” for them. The “silent majority” voters have a point where they say “enough” and then the positive image begins a rapid regress.
The people’s work needs to move forward even if our state legislatures are not all in agreement with the final decisions. Our intent was to hire people to represent us and it was not to hire “drama queens”. Let’s move on and follow our legislative rules and procedures for conducting state government.Time is a wasting and money is still disappearing. Fix it or resign your jobs and let us hire somebody else who will fix it!
- Anonymous - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 8:13 am:
All it takes to end this stalemate is for one senator to return.
- Holdingontomywallet - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 8:36 am:
I believe this is going to hurt both parties in the end and the real losers will be the constituents these politicians are representing. I understand what the democrats are doing is legal and it has been done before, but in my opinion, this is a poor strategy. I could see walking out for a couple of days to make a statement, to regroup, or to slow down a process, but this is too disruptive in the long run. This will have a huge negative affect on the legislative process in Wisconsin after they return. Bridges haven’t been burned, they have been blown up. Both parties lose on this one.
- shore - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 9:08 am:
apparently the cost to clean up the damage to the wisconsin capitol was $7.5 million in part because of the tape from posters put up inside the building.
the losers are the taxpayers who have to forkover the money for that cleanup.
- Jack S. - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 9:20 am:
shore, you’re entitled to your own opinions, but you’re not entitled to your own facts.
The cost to clean up the capitol was NOT $7.5M.
When you do google for your news, try going beyond what FOX tells you once in awhile.
- wordslinger - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 9:21 am:
Shore, no wonder you were such a Kirk booster. Apparently, you’ll believe anything. Tape from posters caused $7.5 million in damage?
The Walker Administration has been backpedaling on that ludicrous claim for days.
–State officials admitted Friday that they may have overstated cleanup costs related to the recent two-week state Capitol camp-out by as much as $7 million as union leaders and protesters harshly criticized the estimate quoted by a state lawyer at a court hearing Thursday.–
http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_87fdc162-46ce-11e0-bb6e-001cc4c03286.html
- A Voter - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 9:26 am:
$7.5 million to clean up ape off of walls???? I bet they could have state employees, who would already be paid to work anyway, to clean it up, probably using existing cleaning supplies that the State already has. Sounds to me like Gov. Walker likes to exaggerate just a bit on the cost. Of course, if he hadn’t proposed this nonsense, there never would have been tape on the wall at all.
- bored now - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 9:32 am:
the ny times reports otherwise (~1am):
- Birdseed - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 9:32 am:
$7.5 million? I’d do it for half that.
- Plutocrat03 - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 9:33 am:
Whether the cleanup is $360K or more, it is still an unbudgeted cost that has to be paid for. I suspect there were security overtime cost as well.
Only time will tell if the quick (cheap) cleanup will actually work.
Those dollars have to come from somewhere.
- wordslinger - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 9:39 am:
What’s the going price for the 1st Amendment these days?
- Plutocrat03 - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 9:56 am:
Sky’s the limit as long as you are paying the bill.
- A.B. - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 9:58 am:
Just spoke with a high ranking Dem in Wisconsin. Apparently the WSJ story is BS. The quote was that “someday we’ll go back to Wisconsin”. That was taken to mean soon….
- D.P. Gumby - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 10:14 am:
The $7.5 mill. is the contract to Halliburton as all the state employees were fired. State employees were considered superfluous so Scott had to outsource it. Scott was quoted as saying, “It’s a fair contract. They’re a private company and entitled to a fair profit for assuming risk.”
In unrelated news, the Republican Party of Wisconsin campaign announced a $7.45 million dollar contribution from Halliburton.”
- wordslinger - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 10:23 am:
Pluto, is that original intent? The more money, the more rights? Actually, I guess the handle “Plutocrat” answers that question.
- Plutocrat03 - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 10:50 am:
Dont’ be ridiculous. There is nothing involving the freedom of speech which requires that someone else pick up the tab for remediating the demonstration site. Its not so hard. Just clean up after yourself.
- Jack S. - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 10:59 am:
From USAToday:
Looking at all the signs that cover the inside of the Capitol, one might think protesters have trashed the place. But protesters and volunteer organizers insist that’s not the case. The crowd has been peaceful, with only nine arrests on one day early in the protests, fewer than are made at any typical Green Bay Packers or Wisconsin Badgers football game.
The signs that plaster the marble columns and walls are hung with blue painter’s tape, easily removed without leaving marks.
Volunteers have brought in extra trashcans and volunteers continually circulate to take out the garbage and mop the floors. They’ve established a Capitol cleanup fund to pay for anything that’s needed to help keep it clean.
Ben Jones, USA TODAY
USA TODAY
February 25, 2011 ET
- mokenavince - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 11:44 am:
It’s about time the Cheeseheads leave and serve the public. This clown act on both sides has gone
on long enough. Hell their making Illnois politicans look like statesmen. Go Sox
- Belle - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 11:49 am:
According to TMJ-4 this morning, Walker is losing momentium. There was a poll, done by a Republican group who came up with new numbers and his supporters are dwindling. He says that he does not care about polls.
They also reported that the WSJ story was not correct and the Dems are not heading back to Madison. They are staying in IL until Walker begins making concessions.
- Kasich Walker, Jr.'s HMO Provider - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 11:58 am:
I suspect the WI legislators have excellent health insurance benefits that includes coverage for treatment out of state.
Those Dems need to hold out for 10 months so the recall Walker process can begin.
- Capitol View - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 12:10 pm:
Why don’t we fine Illinois legislators $250/day until they fix the revenues shortfall and budget problems?
- Nuance - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 12:22 pm:
Why don’t we fine Illinois legislators $250/day until they leave and stay in Wisconsin!
- Secret Square - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 12:24 pm:
“Those Dems need to hold out for 10 months so the recall Walker process can begin”
You realize that if they do, the pregnant rep’s baby will be born a Flatlander?
- Kasich Walker, Jr.'s HMO Provider - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 1:05 pm:
@SequretSquare: I’m not familiar with state residency laws, but even if that WAS true, the kid would have 18 years to vote in whatever state he or she wants. I suspect those Dems feel it’s worth getting Walker out in 10 months.
If they cut their health benefits, I’m guessing there are doctors and donors in IL that will provide them immediate assistance. If I’m willing to send $20 their way I’d guess Michael Moore would send 100 times that.
- A.B. - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 1:12 pm:
HMO Provider -
Almost all insurance contracts allow for coverage one county outside of your home state. Many are national, but at the minimum you have the one county buffer.
- Flaming Liberal - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 1:17 pm:
The new joke going around on the $7.5 million clean up is that is still costs $7.5, $350,000 for the materials and $7,150,000 to pay union labor to do it. Fox News gets it wrong and unions get bashed.
- Jack S. - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 1:40 pm:
Flaming Liberal - I thought the deal was $350K for union labor & $7,150,000 for materials, specifically Brawny Paper Towels & Sparkle Window Cleaner.
- Anonymous - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 1:50 pm:
“Why don’t we fine Illinois legislators $250/day until they fix the revenues shortfall and budget problems?”
If we did, that might actually eventually fix the budget problem.
- Phineas J. Whoopee - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 1:52 pm:
The labor unions rights to collectively bargain is not something to be taken away. It is a fundamental tool of workers to prevent from being exploited.
People died for this right.
This right is primarily responsible for collapsing communism.
I don’t care what polls say-government usurping citizens rights cannot be tolerated and must be protested until reversed.
- soccermom - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 1:58 pm:
@Plutocrat03 — In 2001, the good people of Oak Park held a candlelight vigil to honor those who died in the Sept. 11 attacks. Some of them got candle wax on the WWI memorial in the park. It cost taxpayer dollars to clean it up. Does that upset you, too?
- VanillaMan - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 2:21 pm:
When a team walks off the field because they are on the verge of losing it, the game may be delayed but the score remains the same.
Walker has a full term to change the issue. By 2014 Wisconsin will have a better balanced budget and voters will have moved on. State employees’ wages will be higher and there will be no union dues automatically taken from them to fund Walker’s Democratic opponent. It will be a different world from today.
The whole thing was stupid.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 2:22 pm:
===The whole thing was stupid. ===
Only if you believe that it completely backfired. I see no evidence of that at all.
- VanillaMan - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 2:32 pm:
Look at the posting. It is no longer about the original points made last month. It is about the cost of tape removal, some guys named Koch, how biased the media covered the story, and how no one know what is going to happen other than how angry both sides are. The score remains the same.
This could have been avoided by smart union leaders. By 2014 we could have gotten it all back with no one being the wiser.
- wordslinger - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 2:37 pm:
The game ain’t over until it’s over.
What would have been stupid is to let Walker ram through this massive budget proposal in a couple of days without time for study or comment, which prompted the flight to Illinois.
His proposals are chock-full of nonsense that he didn’t campaign on and is anathema to the Wisconsin progressive tradition, Democratic, Republican or Independent.
Hence, the massive outpouring of 600 pro-Walker supporters at the Americans for Prosperity rally in Madison — the largest crowd in it’s ten-city Wisconsin tour, according to organizers.
- Small Town Liberal - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 2:40 pm:
- The whole thing was stupid. -
Yes Vman, obviously you are right and the 65% of the country that disagrees with Walker are wrong. Walker may succeed, but he may have also done some serious damage to the Right Wing in the long run.
- D.P. Gumby - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 2:40 pm:
Actually VM, the Scott recall effort can start after he’s been Gov. a year, so won’t have to wait til 2014.
- 47th Ward - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 2:44 pm:
===It is no longer about the original points made last month===
That’s because the public employees union agreed to most of the financial concessions, taking pay cuts and paying more for pensions/healthcare in the new contract. And yet Walker hasn’t budged off his demand to eliminate collective bargaining rights for public employees. It takes two to compromise, which is what most Wisconsin voters want according to the polls.
Apparently it isn’t enough for Walker to win, he must destroy his enemies. And remember VM, this wasn’t a problem when AFSCME and the teachers unions were endorsing Republican governors. Their political endorsements have only recently favored the Democrats in most Midwestern states. Don’t pretend the current situation was always this way. You used to be smarter than that.
- wordslinger - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 2:51 pm:
–This could have been avoided by smart union leaders. By 2014 we could have gotten it all back with no one being the wiser.–
What could have been avoided? They were going to vote on the budget “repair” bill the day the Dems bolted. Collective bargaining would have been dead. That would have been the smart thing to do? For whom.
In addition to massive outpourings of citizens protesting and polls going south on Walker, there have been reports of a few GOP senators getting a little wobbly.
It’s hard to defend Walker’s folly when the unions are giving financial concessions and asking for status quo on bargaining.
Most people understand that anyone who won’t take half a loaf ain’t really hungry.
- Phineas J. Whoopee - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 3:42 pm:
This-sort of-reminds me of when the Repubs took over the Illinois State House & Senate in the 90’s. One of the 1st things they tried to do was pass laws to take over Chicago’s Airports.
This Wisconsin sin is just another greedy takeover attempt. Basically, all it does is re-enforce the extreme need for unions need to collective bargaining.
- Plutocrat03 - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 4:06 pm:
Soccermom
The Oak Park demonstrators were not out to feather their own nest. The Madison demonstrators were fighting to preserve the right to have an unlimited siphon into the pocket of the WI taxpayer. No one was asking to remove their right to negotiate for salary, but the productivity busting union rules that limit productivity. Look at the town of Orange, Connecticut which has been ordered by a judge to provide free coffee and milk.
- Jack S. - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 4:21 pm:
Wonder what VMan would be saying if it was Republican state senators who left because a Democratic governor (backed by George Soros) wanted to raise taxes on those making $500K or more a year…
- 47th Ward - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 4:24 pm:
===No one was asking to remove their right to negotiate for salary,===
Pluto, did you read the bill? Because that’s exactly what the bill does and Walker has doubled down on that. Try to keep up.
- wordslinger - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 4:44 pm:
–One of the 1st things they tried to do was pass laws to take over Chicago’s Airports.–
They sure tried. In one of Daley’s more cunning moves, he cut a deal with Gary to create a “bi-state airport compact,” approved by Congress and signed by the president, that trumped any state action.
Gary Airport still gets a cut of O’Hare and Midway PFCs for that.
- wordslinger - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 6:34 pm:
–The Oak Park demonstrators were not out to feather their own nest. The Madison demonstrators were fighting to preserve the right to have an unlimited siphon into the pocket of the WI taxpayer.–
Is that how collective bargaining works? I thought there were negotiations and signed contracts and stuff like that.
- JustMe - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 6:41 pm:
==Only if you believe that it completely backfired. I see no evidence of that at all.
==
Absolutely right. The only backfire I see coming from all this will happen when the few remaining Illinois state merit comp employees start quoting Quinn’s statements about everyone’s all-American, inalienable rights to collective bargaining to the hearing officers when the State objects to their petitions to unionize.
- Gregor - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 10:41 pm:
That multimillion-dollar cleaning bill has become zero: Union painters have volunteered to do all the cleaning for free.
- VanillaMan - Monday, Mar 7, 11 @ 10:51 pm:
Wonder what VMan would be saying if it was Republican state senators who left because a Democratic governor (backed by George Soros) wanted to raise taxes on those making $500K or more a year…
The same thing I have been writing. It doesn’t matter which party.