Roomin' House Blues

Dane County Circuit Judge Maryann Sumi made it clear   that her judicial order  for officials not to implement the new  Wisconsin collective bargaining law meant what it said, Tuesday, and said defiance risks sanctions. But today Wisconsin's Governor was back at implementing the controversial law past under dubious circumstances.   Senate Minority Leader Mark Miller said of the Governor and the Republicans,  "They seem incapable of hearing people who say they are wrong,"  "I cannot understand the legal rationale of attorneys who are apparently advising this administration to ignore this order for whatever reason," Democratic Sheboygan County D.A. Joe DeCecco 's. He added that, "The very fabric of a just society is based on the rule of law. We don't have the option of which law we will obey and we don't have the option of which court order we'll ignore." " They're in contempt of court already," Uni...

Two hours ago Wisconsin's Legislative Bureau published the law stripping collective bargaining rights from most public employees in Wisconsin, a law passed in a session marked by irregularities, and now, even though the law has been placed on hold by a judge until it is reviewed, Wisconsin Republicans are claiming that it's publication means it will take affect.  Wisconsin legal procedures require new laws to be publicized in a legal ad in the newspaper by the State Secretary of State. The Secretary of State, Doug La Follette has been ordered by  Judge Maryann Sumi of Dane County Circuit Court in Madison  not to publish the law until hearings on it's legality are held. the same order blocked any further implementation of the law, which by implication could be construed as blocking the publishing of it legislatively in spite of a normal ten day printing rule.  Public employee union leader Marty Bell said of the Governor and the President of the State Senate ,"They...

Shortly after making enemies of the labor movement and friends of labor nation wide, Gov. Walker of Wisconsin is in the middle of making enemies of Moms and Dads and Kiddies, even Republican ones, because of his draconian cuts of Wisconsin schools.   Many Wisconsin Republicans are wishing they could take back their vote for Walker according to an Associated Press article today.  After creating $82 million in new tax cuts the Gov has a $3.6 billion budget bust to deal with, even after raising "fees" on the poor like a  75 cent fee for 911 service to mobile devices.  So he is planning to cut state aid to schools by 9%,  about $900 million, at the same time as he reduces local property tax revenues for schools by an average of $550 per student.   This has sent parents with school children out to the picket lines, even ones that voted for Walker.  Math teacher Ron Blaha, who voted for Walker for restraint on frivolous spending remarked that "I di...

This just in, a  Wisconsin judge has put on hold today the Wisconsin law repealing collective bargaining rights for the states public employees, ordering the Secretary of State not to publish the law until the legality of it has been ruled on.   Dana County Circuit Court Judge Maryann Sumi  held that the suit brought by   Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne that the law was  unconstitutional   because  it's method of passage violated the states open meeting law had a  reasonable  chance of  success .  The Republican majority rammed the bill through with very little notice (ten minutes) of the hearing, barring the public from attendance, and while claiming it was no longer a fiscal bill, leaving some budget items in the bill.  Meanwhile petitions to recall eight of the Republican State Senators for there role is this are generating a great deal of support. 

2,000 protesters swarm the lobby of a building with a Wisconsin GOP fundraiser for corporate lobbyists, calling attention to whose paying the GOP for union busting. 

The US Conference of Catholic Bishops has issued a statement in support of the Wisconsin Bishops stand in favor of workers in Wisconsin whose rights to collective bargaining are under assault. The press release is below.  SCCB News Release 11-038 February 24, 2011 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE USCCB Chairman Supports Wisconsin Bishops on the Rights of Workers WASHINGTON (February 24, 2011)—Bishop Stephen E. Blaire of Stockton, California, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, expressed his “support for and solidarity” with the Wisconsin bishops’ statement on the rights of workers.             In a February 23 letter to Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki of Milwaukee, Bishop Blaire wrote, “You and our brother bishops in Wisconsin are offering a timely reminder of what the Church teaches on the rights and duties of workers, including the right to form an...

For over 50 years Wisconsin has lead the nation in labor peace between public employees and government officials. In 1959 Wisconsin became the first state to recognize collective bargaining for it's public employees.  Today the Governor of the State of Wisconsin has his boot on the throat of public workers and he says "stay put like your supposed to." Wisconsin's public employees earn over 11% less than private sector equivalent job.  Adjusted for education, the difference is greater.  With fringe benefits added, private employment is still better. If you could make a case that because it's tax payer money, or out of a sense of public service, the workers should work for less, well they are already doing that.  they want to preserve the right to collective bargaining not so much for great advantages financially, but because it grants them as way to address working conditions. Now the State of Wisconsin is retaliating agains...

A.Word.A.Day, by Anu Garg, which I get by email every day, has for today's word Diktat.  It's derived from the same Latin source as dictatorship.  It means an arbitrary decree, like "lets outlaw collective bargaining".  Looks like some of the Wisconsin State Republican Senators may be willing to break with the diktat of their Governor.  Below is a u-tube video on this.  More literally the definition is  according to A.Word, A. Day " noun : 1. An order or decree imposed without popular consent.  2. A harsh settlement imposed upon a defeated party. "  The Republican have been trying to put a harsh settlement on a defeated party.