The Wisconsin Fourteen

There are always at least two sides to every story. The perception that Democratic State Senators in Wisconsin are "not doing their job" is hogwash. Here is the real story and relates to the national story. The upper chamber of the legislature was always meant by the founding fathers to be a brake on the emotions of the moment. Republicans have used the national Senate since 2008 as not just a brake but a quagmire of superfluous amendments, filibusters, and other parliamentary tricks to prevent the will of the majority from addressing national problems. Their ideological dogmatism and self-interest does not allow for even admitting the problems exist, let alone addressing them in a rational way. The administration and Democrats in Congress are also just too weak-kneed to confront the republican intransigence with equal ferocity. This is not the case in Wisconsin.

Here we face a determined effort to radically reshape the state to conform with the interest of the very wealthy at the expense of even the people who voted for walker's "jobs, jobs, jobs" platform. Remorse and regret may have set in among non-ideologues now that he has been exposed as such an incredible con artist who may say "jobs and responsibility" but spells it p-r-o-f-i-t-s. While there are wealthy Wisconsinites who will benefit from this theft, the real beneficiaries are the ultra-right wing koch brothers and others who would take a dump on Wisconsin if they felt like it. But why should incredible riches be more important for a very few over the needs of our children, public safety, and infrastructure? If the Democratic opposition had stuck to what used to be their principles with even a modicum of contemporary republican fury when gwb was wildly cutting taxes, throwing people down bottomless holes and waging wars while ripping up both the constitution and banking regulations, we might not be in such a fix as a nation today.

When a radical majority sweeps into power on the back of a crisis through irresponsible demagoguery and immediately tries to ram through a wildly unpopular agenda while passions are still high, it is the opposition's duty to say "slow down!" The Wisconsin 14 are representing their constituents and many, many others through their unorthodox action. Every poll shows a majority of Wisconsinites rejecting the republican plan and because of the republicans' refusal to negotiate in good faith and find a compromise, preventing a quorum is the only avenue left to the loyal opposition. When thousands of people show up to protest the scapegoating of teachers, firefighters, and all the rest, it may be time that you people shouting "come back and do your job" realize that you've been duped. The Democratic Senators are doing their job.

What you easily manipulated people are really saying is, "I don't believe in democracy, I only want my side to win" because that is what happens in a democracy, there is more than one point of view. Even if "your side" is willing to do incredible harm to you. You believe that schools and health care for all is socialism and taxing the rich instead of letting them rob you even more is class warfare? I invite you to try living in a third world country where your libertarian utopia exists, if you think the rich there will let you into their palatial estates. I doubt it. Me? I'm sticking with the idea that society has responsibilities, dignity for workers is a worthy goal, and vast inequalities of wealth are incompatible with a free and democratic society.

So, the other side of the story is that gop bullies are so used to Democrats just rolling over and letting them wreck the country that they don't know what to do now. They have been reduced to threatening to take their parking spaces away and other petty slights. Government is not always like going to the factory or office, sometimes doing your job as a legislator means resorting to other means of fighting for what's right. Granted, scotty and his gang can make it look like the fourteen are on vacation, but none of you cried foul when gwb ran away from the carnage he caused in D.C. to his ranch all the time. It should be laid pretty bare now that these republicans are not your friends and have no interest in doing what's best for you. Stop parroting the people who are paid handsomely to deceive you and manipulate you and think for yourself.