Wisconsin is making the battle lines clear in America's hidden class war

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Always a fresh perspective from outside the US

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/feb/27/republican-attack-unions-class-wisconsin

Izzy66 wrote:I've got a burning question,


WHERE WERE ALL THESE WISCONSIN/OHIO/INDIANA PUBLIC WORKERS ON ELECTION DAY?

1. Were they just too busy to vote?
2. Were they uninformed about the issues and candidates? Did they care?
3. How many, insulated by their employed routine, believed the tea party rhetoric (like the woman above) and actually voted for the very GOP governors who now wish to take their unions out?

I strongly suspect all three possibilities were involved.

A lot of people didn't bother to vote in November maybe out of disenchantment of the system (the attititude of "what's the point"). I know that here in Florida many Democrats didn't vote which is why Rick Scott is now governor (that and a lot of voter ignorance). This will set this state back even farther if what he wants to do comes to fruition. Things like the layoff of 8,000 state workers, drug testing of welfare recipients, cutting initial unemployment claims from 26 to 20 weeks plus making it much harder to get unemployment to start with. Additionally, there has even talk of him requiring those on unemplyment to "work" for their checks through volunteering. He has already rejected money to fund high speed rail. He has infuriated some black legislators by saying he understands what growing up in povery means because it happened to him (implying that they all grew up in poverty which they didn't). He is showing his true colors as each day passes just like Walker in Wisconsin.

Well Im sure they are all going to vote next time it is shameful that my party is treating the Unions this way. I am not a Union supporter never have been but I do believe that any group has a right to orgainize and work together for each other... thats the foundation of democracy. The Tea Party is the hard right and my party's hard right is close to Fasicism if anybody out there has ever studied it; that's why I do not support Palin her actions are borderline fascist.

JaneWI wrote:

Izzy66 wrote:I've got a burning question,


WHERE WERE ALL THESE WISCONSIN/OHIO/INDIANA PUBLIC WORKERS ON ELECTION DAY?

...

I made time to vote and did not vote for what's happening now. I try to be informed on the issues and do care about what's happening in my world.

Jane, I'm sure you did, this is not about Wisconsin workers, but about the apathy too many who kept their jobs during this recession had about voting in a non-Presidential election. The turnout was dismal, and that is one of the biggest reasons the GOP won. Hopefully they now have that "uneasy, queasy tingle" that WE'VE had all these months/years of the Recession, and make damn sure they're voting in every election.

Yes, I agree IZZY, you have the right to vote and I think everyone should.

I have a lot about the democrats that I would like to change but I didn't vote republican for the very reason that we see in Wisconsin. I think a lot of people fall for the "what we are not doing is not working so let's give the other side a shot" lie. We know what the GOP side will do, why give them the wheel again?