Wisconsin Assembly Catches Democrats With Pants Down

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Wis. Assembly passes bill taking away union rights

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - The Wisconsin Assembly early Friday passed a bill that would strip most public workers of their collective bargaining rights—the first significant action on the new Republican governor's plan.

The vote put an end to three straight days of punishing debate, but the political standoff over the bill is far from over. The measure now goes to the Senate, where minority Democrats have been missing for a week, preventing a vote in that chamber.

No one knows when—or if—the Senate Democrats will return from their hideout in Illinois. Republicans who control the chamber sent state troopers out looking for them at their homes on Thursday, but they turned up nothing.

Gov. Scott Walker's proposal contains a number of provisions he says are designed to fill the state's $137 million deficit and lay the groundwork for fixing a projected $3.6 billion shortfall in the upcoming 2011-13 budget. The flashpoint is language that would strip almost all public sector workers of their right to collectively bargain benefits and work conditions.

While Senate Democrats fled to prevent a vote, Assembly Democrats had been filibustering.

After more than 60 hours in which Democrats threw out dozens of amendments and delivered rambling speeches, Republicans halted debate early Friday. In a matter of seconds, they had approved the bill. Only a few Democrats realized what was going on and managed to vote before the roll was closed.

The Democrats rose from their seats and rushed at the Republicans shouting, "Shame!" as the Republicans exited the chamber.

"I'm incensed. I'm shocked," said Rep. John Richards, D-Milwaukee. "What a terrible, terrible day for Wisconsin."

Republicans refused to speak to reporters, though Majority Leader Scott Suder did issue a written statement.

"The vote we took wasn't the easy thing to do, but it was the right thing to do," Suder, R-Abbotsford, said.

Democratic Sen. Jon Erpenbach said he and his colleagues wouldn't return until Walker compromised.

Erpenbach, who was in the Chicago area, said all 14 senators remained outside of Wisconsin.

"It's not so much the Democrats holding things up," Erpenbach said. "It's really a matter of Gov. Walker holding things up."

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D9LJLSHO1&show_article=1

Edited February 25, 2011 by Some Old Guy

[Pooky 3,807]

No one knows when—or if—the Senate Democrats will return from their hideout in Illinois. Republicans who control the chamber sent state troopers out looking for them at their homes on Thursday, but they turned up nothing.

...

While Senate Democrats fled to prevent a vote, Assembly Democrats had been filibustering.

...

Democratic Sen. Jon Erpenbach said he and his colleagues wouldn't return until Walker compromised.

Erpenbach, who was in the Chicago area, said all 14 senators remained outside of Wisconsin.

"It's not so much the Democrats holding things up," Erpenbach said. "It's really a matter of Gov. Walker holding things up."

So, the "simple majority" thing isn't going so well?

Edited February 25, 2011 by Pooky

[Ban Hammer 13,403]

So, the "simple majority" thing isn't going so well?

they've become the party of "no!"

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

So, the "simple majority" thing isn't going so well?

Haven't we been told for a couple of years now that a simple majority means nothing? Did that change all of a sudden?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Haven't we been told for a couple of years now that a simple majority means nothing? Did that change all of a sudden?

Nope. Most of us have been telling you for two years that you have the power to lead without the help of Republicans. Is it now the fault of the opposition that the left has squandered an unobstructed opportunity?

[Pooky 3,807]

Haven't we been told for a couple of years now that a simple majority means nothing? Did that change all of a sudden?

The left wing media were all for doing away with the filibuster when the Republicans were using it in the Senate. Now the shoe is on the other foot in Wisconsin, the Democrats who absconded from their elected responsibility are viewed as heroes, resisting the evil Republicans and postponing a vote (which would be passed with a simple majority) by any means possible. The hypocrisy is just too predictable.

I don't blame the Democrat Senators in Wisconsin for what they're doing. It's their way of filibustering. It's in the rules of the Senate there. But the media just prove once again that they have no principles when it comes to politics.

[mawilson 2,133]

We believe in democracy unless the vote doesn't go our way, in which case we

will throw a screaming temper tantrum - or hightail it to another state.

The voters have spoken, you morons.