The Washington Post has a banner headline at its site this morning while the New York Times seems to be either behind the times or deliberately avoiding the news out of Wisconsin. What was reported yesterday as 30,000 protesters gathered in Madison to oppose the Republican governor's effort to end collective bargaining. The assault on unions has finally gotten the attention it deserves from Democrats, even as a similar protest has sprouted at the state capital in Ohio.
This morning President Obama has announced some kind of support. The Post reports:
President Obama thrust himself and his political operation this week into Wisconsin's broiling budget battle, mobilizing opposition Thursday to a Republican bill that would curb public-worker benefits while planning similar action in other state capitals.
Obama accused Scott Walker, the state's new Republican governor, of unleashing an "assault" on unions in pushing emergency legislation that would nullify collective-bargaining agreements that affect most public employees, including teachers.
The president's political machine worked in close coordination Thursday with state and national union officials to mobilize thousands of protesters to gather in Madison and to plan similar demonstrations in other state capitals.
Finally the Democratic party is engaged in the protests and actively helping to develop them in other states.
By the end of the day, Democratic Party officials were working to organize additional demonstrations in Ohio and Indiana, where an effort is underway to trim benefits for public workers. Some union activists predicted similar protests in Missouri, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
What's at the core of the protest?
Under [Wisconsin governor] Walker's plan, most public workers - excluding police, firefighters and state troopers - would have to pay half of their pension costs and at least 12 percent of their health-care costs. They would lose bargaining rights for anything other than pay. Walker, who took office last month, says the emergency measure is needed to save $300 million over the next two years to help close a $3.6 billion budget gap.
Most union members, progressives and many Democrats and independents see these cuts as part of a larger plan on the part of the Republican party to knock out the base of the left by attempting to destroy collective bargaining.
I don't know who else has been active in demanding the White House's attention to the events in Wisconsin, but Ed Schultz devoted both his radio and TV programs yesterday to signs of concerted Republican efforts to destroy the union movement altogether. He deserves some credit for putting pressure on the Democratic party. Schultz may have become one of the most effective activists the left has in a very narrow field.
