This is the clearest explanation I’ve heard of what is really going on in Wisconsin. Republicans are using budget shortfalls for political gain.
UPDATE: It is always difficult to sort out the truth from the political fiction in cases like this, but a good starting point is the PolitiFact Wisconsin website.
UPDATE 2: The governor of Wisconsin received a prank call today from a blogger who pretended to be conservative billionaire David Koch — a major contributor to governor Walker’s campaign. If the caller had actually been David Koch, then the strategy discussions they had would likely be illegal.
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I can’t watch the video at the moment but in case it was the same one:
http://politifact.com/wisconsin/statements/2011/feb/18/rachel-maddow/rachel-maddow-says-wisconsin-track-have-budget-sur/
Nope, not that one! But thanks for the link.
I’ve avoided blaming the budget shortfall on the politicians themselves. The blame is more rightly placed on the financial institutions that cratered our economy (and yet walked away with huge bonuses).
The video I posted makes the point that what governor Walker is doing will not solve the budget shortfall, and in fact Walker already pulled the same stunt in the past and it backfired horribly.
Sweet, I will enjoy watching it later. 🙂
I’ve posted it on Facebook. Most of the people I know can’t comprehend what’s at stake. It makes me sick to think they feel they can get away with this. Problem with Wall Street is they have us by the balls and know it.
The republican and tea party stupidy is almost guareenting a second term for the Presisdent, plus the democrates taking back the house and senate.
Lol at the politifact link. I think only 1 or 2 statements out of about 20 on each page are classified as true. The rest are pretty much “pants on fire”.
One of Rove’s main goals is to castrate the Unions. He must be so happy about what is happening in Wisconsin. When everyone talks about fox News, remember Rove is the one telling them how to do the spin.
Just to round out this discussion I’d like to add some thoughts. First, Maddow must be studying the Glen Beck method of making something from nothing. Icouldn’t watch more then 2 min of this video just like a can’t take any more then 2 mins of Beck.
Here is a link to an article which has a lot of opposing facts, including FDR (the biggest proponent of unions)condemning collective bargaining and Charles Lane of the Washington Post calling collective bargaining in the public sector a parody of the real thing. It also debunks Maddow assertion that Wisconsin’s budget crisis was “manufactured” to create an excuse to destroy public-employee unions.
http://www.openmarket.org/2011/02/23/no-wisconsins-budget-deficit-wasnt-manufactured-by-walker-and-the-gop/
Just another side 🙂
Can they sue Walker to get back that $500,000 he lost? They told him not to, so it should be on his head.
“First, Maddow must be studying the Glen Beck method of making something from nothing. Icouldn’t watch more then 2 min of this video just like a can’t take any more then 2 mins of Beck.”
And any shred of respect I might have had for you vanishes.
FDR had specific concerns about unions in government, I think it is a misstatement to say he opposed them. He encouraged unions except in the government. His concerns that didn’t happen. His first New Deal Act strongly supported unions and encouraged businesses to increase wages.
They must have resolved their differences since he received massive support in the election to his second term.
Allow me to pose a question to you CSS – If a union was making political contributions to a politician and then that politician asked for and/or voted for increases to pay or benefits for that same union, would you find it offensive? Or as I suppose it’s ok as long as it furthers what you feel is right. Maddow isn’t a journalist she is and opinion giver, like Beck, Hannity, Matthews, Olberman and O’reilly. None of those fall into the category of news reporters.
Just because I disagree with someone does not diminish the respect I have for that persons opinion. I’m sorry you were never taught those same values, but I do appreciate your opinion and look forward to continued discourse.
“Just because I disagree with someone does not diminish the respect I have for that persons opinion. I’m sorry you were never taught those same values, but I do appreciate your opinion and look forward to continued discourse.”
Anyone who thinks Maddow and Beck are the same, or even similar, deserves no respect. I don’t disrespect you because you think differently than I do. I disrespect you because what you think is completely wrong, the same way I disrespect creationist, anti-vaccine crusaders, etc.