Roomin' House Blues

Stirring cries for a general strike and for a legal fight all the way to the Supreme court, if need be,  Wisconsin State Senate changed the rules of the road through a procedural vote and rushed  the  measure  though  with ten minutes notice against popular wishes, repealing collective bargaining for public employees.  The Senate had suddenly declared a non fiscal item last night, thus not requiring the larger  quorum that the Democrats denied by hiding across state lines.  But the bill for the measure still contained some budget items.   Wisconsin Rep. Mark Pocan called the passage of the bill, legislating under "junta rules."  The state law requires 24 hours notice for a vote.  And parts of the bill voted on were written after the vote in the Senate.  State house Democrats cried "Shame" as the bill passed the house by a majority of Republican votes (4 Republicans joined with the Democrats.)   The Governor p...

Governor Walker has had the benefit of a Jesuit education, but apparently he missed the part about social justice.  I have received a press release from Catholic Democrats that goes into detail on this.  Boston, Mass . -  Catholic Democrats  is urging Catholics to stand in solidarity with the teachers, nurses, snowplow drivers, and other unionized employees of the state of Wisconsin and other states where Republican governors and legislators are seeking to eliminate or diminish their collective bargaining rights. The right of workers to organize and bargain collectively is a foundational principal of the rich Catholic Social Justice tradition, which dates back to 1891. In Wisconsin, newly elected Republican Governor Scott Walker has led an unprecedented assault on labor in his first month in office.  Through the so-called "Budget Repair Bill," which was scheduled to be brought before the state legislature with little debate, Walker has not o...

"I've got 5,000-6,00 layoff notices ready", Governor Walker candidly said to a reporter when he thought he was talking to his billionaire supporter, David Koch.  Since that admission, as the show down over collective bargaining has continued, he has prepared layoff warning to 1,500 union public employee, as blackmail, trying to force Democratic lawmakers out of hiding.  Democratic Senators skipped the state to prevent a quorum for a vote that could lead to stripping collective bargaining rights from public employees.  Union members and their supporters have been using their constitutional rights or freedom of association, assembly and speech in mass protests in the state capitol for three weeks, even receiving donations of Pizza orders for the sit in crew from Egypt. Unions have agreed to cuts in benefits and wages but are standing firm to protect collective bargaining.  The Governor layoff threat raises an interesting issue. He cl...