News

Live Reporting from the Wisconsin Protests

by Jennifer Page — June 7, 2011 - 9:00am
  • Topics: Left Wing, Activism, Right Wing, Banking, Corporations, Democracy, Economy, Labor, Politics, Wisconsin Protests
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    It had to start somewhere.Since Monday, February 14, CMD reporters have been on the streets providing live coverage of the historic protests in Madison, Wisconsin and related legal and political battles. We focus on the corporations and spinmeisters pulling the strings. CMD is supported by small contributions from people like you. Consider making a contribution today. If you have scheduling information or tips for our reporters please contact us at (608) 260-9713 or editor@prwatch.org.

    GOODBYE FOR NOW

    On July 13, 2011 CMD ended this on-going report into the Wisconsin protests which we have maintained since February 14, 2011. It has been an honor to report on the historic events from Wisconsin from our office 4 blocks from the Capitol and have this reporting picked up on so many sites across the country. Today we launch a new chapter in our reporting on the shadowy front groups and corporations behind the recent assault on workers rights and democracy. Visit our new website ALECexposed.org to learn more about the corporate agenda in Wisconsin and continue to visit PRWatch.org for reporting on Wisconsin.
    -- The CMD team.

    MONDAY, JULY 11TH NEWS ROUNDUP

    Wisconsin State Journal: Democrats cry foul over Republican redistricting maps

    Democratic leaders expressed shock and anger Friday after Republicans unveiled their proposal for redrawing the state’s congressional and legislative districts, saying the new lines favor the majority party and target Democrats involved in upcoming recall elections. But according to Republicans, 22 legislators will be affected, either by being drawn out of their district or by being paired with another legislator in their district. Of that group 12 are Republican, GOP leaders say. READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE.

    Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Was senator threatened on budget vote?

    Aprominent business leader from state Sen. Rob Cowles' district was stunned when the veteran lawmaker explained why he voted in favor of Gov. Scott Walker's controversial budget-repair plan. Cowles had contacted the business leader earlier this year to ask for the person's support in his upcoming recall election. "He said, 'I didn't like this (bill) either. I didn't like being put in this position. I didn't like anything about the way it was done,' " the business leader quoted Cowles as saying. " 'But the governor's office told us if we didn't give them our support, they would run a tea party candidate against us.' " READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE.

    Wisconsin State Journal: State gears up for recall season opener

    On Tuesday, Wisconsin begins the largest recall season in its history. By the time the final vote is tallied on Aug. 16, there will have been nine recall elections; six for Republican senators and three for Democratic senators. If Democrats can hold onto their seats and take three more, they return to power in the state Senate and have a formidable weapon to use against Walker. Passage of Republican-authored legislation, which has seen virtually no opposition in the GOP-controlled Legislature, will slam to a halt. READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE.

    La Crosse Tribune: Primary to be soft test for new voter ID law

    Voters in Tuesday's primary election and next month's state Senate recall won't have to show a picture ID. But they will be asked. "It's a soft implementation to give everybody a chance to get used to it," said Reid Magney, spokesman for Wisconsin's Government Accountability Board, which oversees elections. "The idea was because this was such a big change we don't want to disenfranchise anyone by springing this on voters. READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE.

    Bloomberg: Senator Johnson Says U.S. Can Avoid Default If Debt Ceiling Not Raised

    The U.S. won’t have to default on its obligations to bondholders even if Congress fails to raise the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling by an August deadline, Republican Senator Ron Johnson said. “If we don’t increase the debt ceiling, we’ll have to live within our means,” the freshman from Wisconsin said in an interview on Bloomberg Television’s “Political Capital with Al Hunt” airing this weekend. READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE.

    View PR Watch's photo montage of the protests in Wisconsin

    LIVE REPORT ARCHIVES

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    Reminder to GOP

    Submitted by Bruce M. Williams (not verified) on March 13, 2011 - 2:44am.

    John Boehner;
    Where are the JOBS @ GOP?¿?

    So PROUD to finally see the hard-working, GOOD PEOPLE of WISCONSIN carrying on that grand tradition that has been ALL OF OURS history, when it comes to workers and the peoples rights!

    I am just so proud to see so many come to the "front line" to perhaps be the re-start to thinking about the working class instead of slowly being stepped on by corporate thugs and these politicians who want us all to not only "pay the piper" but who also just are starting (yes, sadly this is just their start) in leading us all spiralling down that road to eventual "corporate ownership" along with all our rights.

    This is just the start to a fight we will win, especially as it dawns on more and more John Q Public's that this is really about an agenda that will have consequences far into all of our futures if we don't stop it here and now - dead in it tracks - and see to it that we run to our polls and vote (while we still can) and fight against what is truthfully a certain type of "mean-spirited" ideology where it truly is "what's mine is mine, and I still want yours" where the only people who have any right to say who has rights are those who are in power - and as you can see will freely trample the rights of many just so long as they come out the winner every time.

    I truly can't say thank you enough to those who are now fighting back. It's in my eyes a true saving grace for all of us - to see and be inspired again by what I hope continues to be "truly hearing the people's voice start to come alive again - and again in Wisconsin. Labor and LaFollette and forward!

    Their Choice

    Submitted by AndrewH (not verified) on February 21, 2011 - 11:11am.

    I'm glad you mentioned that public workers choose to be in the public sector. When unions fall, anyone that has a problem with the way they are being treated has a right to leave their career and peruse another one. I don't have a union backing me. I don't have collective bargaining. When the economy took a down turn my company made cut backs, to keep my job, I picked up a second job. Maybe if I had collective bargaining, I wouldn't have to work two jobs but it probably would have killed the company that I work for. I firmly support Walker and his efforts to cut back spending. If Walker would have taxed Corporations they would most likely move out of state to a lower cost location.

    Their choice

    Submitted by Dick S. (not verified) on February 21, 2011 - 5:05pm.

    So its okay that a CEO makes $100M a year and says that you need to work two or more jobs a year to survive. Why don't you take a breath and think what Jefferson,Franklin and the founders would think about this country has turned into. The founders KNEW the wealthy and corporations would enslave everyone else given the chance - WELL PEOPLE LIKE YOU DID !

    On Sacrifice

    Submitted by Lisa Graves on February 21, 2011 - 7:01pm.

    I agree with you, Dick, and could not disagree with you more, Andrew.

    I think it is pretty unconscionable for the right-wing to be pitching talking points about the need for everyone to make sacrifices on the heels of extending tax cuts to the richest people in this country.

    Where's the sacrifice from the Koch brothers? Where are the sacrifices from the Goldman Sachs traders who are getting million dollar bonuses?

    But those nurses, Andrew seems to suggest, why can't they sacrifice more?

    so suddenly we can't tax corporations?

    Submitted by Lisa Graves on February 21, 2011 - 1:30pm.

    Dear Andrew:
    I am so sorry to hear about the cutbacks you have faced and the stress of them. Many Americans are facing these difficult times resourcefully, like you.

    But I must dissent from the idea taking root that corporations cannot be taxed or jobs will be lost. That's a false choice, and it is one being fueled by corporatist politicians who have failed to insist on rational trade policies to protect our economy. American workers cannot compete with the wages in the third world countries and should not have to, or we will become a third world country ourselves. Rational tax policy creates specific incentives to do business here in the U.S. and would punish companies that ship jobs overseas. And, in Wisconsin, rational tax policies would include targeted incentives to reward creating and keeping good-paying jobs here (and not just the lowest-paid service industry jobs) and it would punish or require companies that would leave after receiving such benefits to pay back such grants or incentives.

    The documented fact is that so often when corporations get generic tax breaks they do not put that money into hiring more workers, and instead they pay the profits out to shareholders or to CEO's in the incredible compensation packages and bonuses that have been widely reported. Companies will increase production and hiring when the demand for what they are selling increases, not due to tax cuts, and the demand typically increases when millions of ordinary Americans have the money to spend. The American people are the backbone of this economy.

    The idea that corporations, the wealthiest entities in this country, cannot be taxed now should be anathema to Americans everywhere. The country should be providing greater incentives for local businesses and small businesses to grow and provide good-paying jobs for our workforce. It should not be pandering to global corporations whose actions have demonstrated that they are more interested in lining the pockets of their CEOs and shipping money to Wall Street investors than in investing in American people and communities.

    Lisa

    Credibility

    Submitted by FunnyLady (not verified) on February 17, 2011 - 6:56pm.

    "Politico has broken the news this morning that Obama's campaign arm "Organizing for America" is responsible for most of the chaos, and has been filling bus after bus with protestors and shuttled them to the State Capitol. This was not a spontaneous uprising - this was an organized effort by Barack Obama to further his radical, leftist agenda."

    Funny?Lady?

    Submitted by Lisa Graves on February 17, 2011 - 7:43pm.

    Now you're quoting some recycled right-wing blog chum as news? Seriously? No wonder you are so breathtakingly misinformed.

    It seems as though you and a bunch of other true believers have decided to quote one of Beck's buddies' blogs that uses the line you "cite" (and I use that term loosely) as the preface to a demand for donations. Nice "work."

    The actual Politico story notes that Wisconsin Organizing for America is supporting the protests by helping some Dems get transportation to the state capitol. It does not actually say that the President is organizing this to further his supposed "agenda."

    It is no surprise that some Wisconsin Democrats are fighting Walker's effort to strip people of their right to organize. Here is what state director Dan Grandone reportedly said: "At a time when most folks are still struggling to get back on their feet, Gov. Walker has asked the state legislature to strip public employees of their collective bargaining rights. Under his plan, park rangers, teachers, and prison guards would no longer be able to fight back if the new Republican majority tries to slash their health benefits or pensions."

    The idea that tens of thousands of citizens affected by the genuine risk of losing their rights were not genuinely inspired to fight for their rights, and that the protest was just some sort of mock event created by the White House, which has been ducking on this issue, is pretty surprising.

    To try to make OFA's outreach into some sort of nefarious conspiracy theory is pretty wild on your part, but it's not surprising based on your earlier diatribe. The hyperventilating claims made in your "quote" of a badly mismashed "quote" are much ado about nothing, more like the non-earth shattering type of "dog-bites-man" non-story.

    So, on the question of "credibility," I'd say your post pretty much speaks for itself. Not credible.

    Thanks for helping me prove my point!

    RE: Funny?Lady?

    Submitted by John Everett (not verified) on February 18, 2011 - 12:20am.

    Wow! Bulls-eye after bulls-eye. There is a serious and disturbing level of deliberate ignorance in this country, and FunnyLady is representin'. It is easy and safe to sit on the couch and crab about the powers of the unions. It takes real guts to stand up for yourself and forge a bond of trust with your fellow worker. Until more people do, the corporations will keep the People under their collective heel. We are barely hanging on to our democracy as it is. If the people don't wake up soon, we will lose it forever.

    Left-wing progressive diatribe

    Submitted by FunnyLady (not verified) on February 17, 2011 - 6:52pm.

    Your Left-wing progressive diatribe isn't worth my time to form a reply. When our nation is bankrupt, let me know how you like the change.

    FunnyLady--not so funny... lady?

    Submitted by Lisa Graves on February 17, 2011 - 7:19pm.

    Ummm, let's see.... You think facts are a diatribe. And your, um, initial comment was not a diatribe. Facinating.

    You think Dems are bankrupting the nation? Ummmm, at the end of the last Democratic administration there was a budget surplus. At the end of the last three Republican administrations there were budget deficits. "Budget deficit" is a fancy DC word for bankrupt, or in other words liabilities (debts, in case that's too many syllables for you) exceeding income.

    You seem to think progressives are to blame for the budget crisis even though Bush left office with a multi-trillion dollar deficit after business deregulation that helped crash the economy and after the Bush administration forced through the TARP bailout for Wall Street, which some real progressives like then-Senator Russ Feingold, voted against.

    Your non-fact-based reality barely warrants a response, but I can't help myself because I feel obligated (not as a left-wing progressive but as a thinking person) to point out actual facts in response to your sloganeering.

    Good luck out there in your non-fact based world.