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Wisconsin Dems Launch Recall Effort Against Pro-Walker Republicans

1 year ago
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With no end in sight to the standoff in Wisconsin over Gov. Scott Walker's budget proposal, Democrats announced Wednesday they would attempt to recall Republicans who support the governor's plan to save money by stripping state workers' collective bargaining rights.

Wisconsin Democratic Party Chairman Mike Tate said recall papers were filed against eight GOP state senators who have stood behind Walker "and pushed his partisan power grab."

Tate asked for donations to support the party's recall efforts.

"Make no mistake, these Republican senators are vulnerable to recall for their radical partisan overreach," he said, pointing out that some of the Republicans won their last elections by very slim margins.

"By recalling just three of the eight senators we are targeting, we can regain control of the Senate," Tate said.

Meanwhile, the GOP is hitting back at the 14 state Democrats who fled Wisconsin in a bid to avoid a vote on the governor's controversial budget.

Senate Republicans passed a resolution Wednesday that would impose a $100-per-day fine for members absent without leave for two or more session days. It would also strip missing lawmakers of their expense accounts. The new rules go into effect Friday.

Tens of thousands of demonstrators have been gathering for weeks outside the state Capitol to sound off against Walker's budget bill. The measure is just one vote away from being sent to the governor for his signature.

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WayCurious

This 'act like a baby' nonsense has got to stop.

March 14 2011 at 10:18 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Michael Marshall

This is the best course of action.Politicians have to realize the consequences of their votes.Secondly, the union should find ways to present the facts and stop just responding to twisted data.Except in extreme cases most highend benefits such as medical are never or rarely used, but are calculated as compensation.Just look at the facts union employess get terminated just like any one else.As a matter of fact generall,y poor performance ,is usually connected to factors subject to termination.

March 06 2011 at 8:34 AM Report abuse -1 rate up rate down Reply
pwyllofannwn

If we can recall state senators for partisan politics, how about starting with the democrats who have abandoned their duties in protest.

Walker was elected to do this. He had the VOTING support of the people.

March 05 2011 at 5:19 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
funny,that

The media doesn't get it. The Walker Budget Repair Bill does much more than restrict unions; it decimates the current state laws against air, water and land pollution, it handsomely rewards Walker donors in numerous provisions, it allows a corporation to buy the state's heating and cooling plants with NO bids or approval of the public service commission, it eliminates agencies and replaces them with ones headed by Walker apointees, it allows the UW-Madison to raise the tuition as high as Walker's appointed board says it can instead of making it cooincide with what the U. needs to operate, it will privatize the U.W! . These are just a very few of what the Walker bill does to this state. Please expose this bill for what it is. Please read the bill and see for yourself. Walker pushed it so it would pass before any of us knew what was in it. That's exactly why the Dems left town. If they hadn't, it would now be the law. Please help.

March 04 2011 at 5:30 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
lillyluminatus

Can we please move past this corporate malarchy that government workers earn more than private sector workers? The ONLY way to come to that conclusion is to ignore the vast educational differences between private sector workforces and public sector workforces, which are on average far more educated.

Once you compare apples to apples, it becomes more than that government workers are nothing close to being the selfish money hoarders you think they are, and in fact earn FAR LESS than their private sector counterparts:

If you hold a medical or law degree in the state of Wisconsin and work for the public sector, you will earn an average of $82,075 LESS *per year* than your private sector counterpart. Not $82,075 over a lifetime--$82,075 EVERY SINGLE YEAR.

If you hold a a PhD in the state of Wisconsin and work for the public sector, you will earn an average of $36,683 LESS *per year* than your private sector counterpart.

If you hold a Master's degree in the state of Wisconsin and work for the public sector, you will earn an average of $26,240 LESS *per year* than your private sector counterpart.

If you hold a Bachelor's degree in the state of Wisconsin and work for the public sector, you will earn an average of $20,466 LESS *per year* than your private sector counterpart.

http://www.epi.org/economic_snapshots/entry/wisconsin_public_servants_already_face_a_compensation_penalty/

March 04 2011 at 2:27 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
billcoffer

Maybe the "14 state Democrats who fled Wisconsin in a bid to avoid a vote on the governor's controversial budget" should be recalled for dereliction of duty and undermining the government of the state.

March 04 2011 at 1:44 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to billcoffer's comment
lillyluminatus

When most Wisconsinites support what they are doing, why should they be recalled? Isn't that what they are sent there to do--to represent the interests of their constituents?

March 04 2011 at 3:12 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
2 replies to lillyluminatus's comment
tnickerson08

Most Wisconsinites support what they are doing? They were elected to be a voice of the people, how can you do that hiding out in another State? Maybe the "Wisconsinites" view the people of Illinois as their constituents? lol

March 04 2011 at 3:40 PM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down
lillyluminatus

Well, tnickerson08, it seems pretty obvious. The people of Wisconsin are protesting, and their Democratic elected officials are protesting with them. And poll after poll after poll show that Wisconsonites do, indeed, support the Democratic 14. You seem to be confusing your views for the views of the people of Wisconsin.

March 04 2011 at 4:01 PM Report abuse -1 rate up rate down
sommerk200

I believe that the senators SHOULD be fined not only a $100 but they should not be paid for there hole salary for the days that they have missed the sessions. They are there BECAUSE they were voted into that position and if it is to hard for them to do that job then they should ALL be recalled. They just showed that they are not fit to hold that position and frankly they should all be embarressed for what they have done by becoming chickens and run when they were needed to show how and what they can do to help save the state.

March 04 2011 at 9:16 AM Report abuse -4 rate up rate down Reply
bigwave48

I voted for these guys , and a whole bunch of my lodge brothers are upset, if they have a recall vote, i'm going door to door and get as many supporters as I can find. I know we can get these fools out of office, and bring some intelligence back to govenment.

March 03 2011 at 10:47 PM Report abuse -3 rate up rate down Reply
Doug

Don't back down to the libs Wisconsin. It is finally time for the libs to see what they have done to your state and the same goes for the libs that have made America a morally bankrupt nation as well as a debtor nation. Take it to the libs and hang in there.

March 03 2011 at 10:10 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
mrklmor

Democrats are over playing their hand! It is going to explode in their faces if they try to recall these officials. There are other ways to go about getting what they want, but they are on the wrong side of this recall.

March 03 2011 at 7:20 PM Report abuse +7 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to mrklmor's comment
lillyluminatus

And what are those ways? They've already conceded every single budgetary issue the Governor has put forward. It's difficult to negotiate with someone hellbent on settling political scores.

March 04 2011 at 4:11 PM Report abuse -2 rate up rate down Reply

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