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Thom's blog
Could be the beginning of the end for our Democracy?
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker told the media yesterday and again this morning that he is unwilling to compromise on his so-called “budget repair” proposal that limits state workers’ collective bargaining rights – essentially destroying their union. In response, the state capital in Madison has been the scene of a weeklong protest against Governor Walker and Republican state lawmakers. 14 Democratic state Senators who fled Wisconsin to prevent the bill from being passed have now reportedly raised more than $280,000 from 11,000 donors all around the country to fight for the cause.
And it appears that public opinion of Governor Walker could be slipping. According to a new poll released by the AFL-CIO – Walker’s job approval rating has slipped to just 41%. Today – Republicans in the state senate will resume legislative business with or without the democrats. State senate rules require a quorum of 20 senators present to vote on fiscal legislation like Walker’s budget bill – but only 17 senators are required to vote for all other matters. Since there are 19 Republicans in the senate – they have a quorum to conduct business without the minority present.
And there are talks that Walker’s bill may be repackaged as non-fiscal legislation and passed this week with only the Republicans present and voting. One overlooked part of Walker’s bill that could get passed solely by Republicans allows the state to sell off heating, cooling, and power plans to private companies. Guess who would benefit most from that? The Koch brothers who own several power companies in the state! The same guys who gave Walker more than $40,000 in political contributions, affiliated with the groups who laundered over $3 million through the Republican Governor's association to get Walker elected, and spent god knows how much bussing in Tea Partiers over the weekend to confront union protestors. Talk about a quid pro quo.
If Governor Walker succeeds in dismantling the unions in Wisconsin – then this could be the beginning of the end for our democracy and the rise of one-party rule in America. If you can get unions out of the way – then just the billionaires and transnational corporations are left to run politics in America. As the Middle East ascends in democracy – America descends into kleptocracy.
-Thom
(Will this be the end of democracy or the end of Governor Walker? Tell us here.) |
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Tonight on The Big Picture on RT TV at 9pm and 11pm... Latest from Wisconsin and elsewhere (check your local listings for stations or stream at RT, and catch past shows on Youtube)
Need to Know: Latest from Wisconsin With Alex Seitz-Wald, Reporter/Blogger-Think Progress.org and Adele Stan, Washington Bureau Chief-Alternet.
Joining Wisconsin, Montanans Protest Tea Party Assault On Workers And Environment With Brad Johnson, Reporter/Blogger-Think Progress.org.
Labor's Last Stand With Mattie Corrao, Government Affairs Manager-Americans for Tax Reform.
The Best of the Rest of the News...
Minnesota set to ban smoking ANYWHERE on county grounds (even inside cars in the parking lot) With Jacob Sullum, Senior Editor Reason Magazine, National Columnist, Creators Syndicate and Author of a book on smoking bans – “For Your Own Good:The Anti Smoking Crusade”.
Crazy Alert.
The Good, The Bad, The Ugly.
Daily Take: Madison, Koch Brothers.
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The Daily Stack 
Quote: "Restlessness and discontent are the first necessities of progress." -- Thomas A. Edison.
Hour One: If Wisconsin busts Unions, is it the beginning of the end of Democracy?
Latest on right wing war on Labor with John Nichols, Washington Correspondent - The Nation Magazine, Associate Editor-Capitol Times, author.
Hour Two: "Decline Is In Your Mind" - debate on American decline vs. American exceptionalism And how has American exceptionalism contributed? Thom has a debate with Victor Davis Hansen, PhD, Senior Fellow in Residence Hoover Institution; nationally syndicated columnist for Tribune Media Services; contributor, Pajamas Media.
Rush alert: "" by .
Hour Three: Former Tea Party leader calls on right wingers to infiltrate SEIU with Mark Williams, Talk show host, Author "Taking Back America One Tea Party At A Time"
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Coming up Wednesday on The Thom Hartmann Program
Hour Two: The latest in the war on Labor... Thom confronts conservative Bryan Preston who says organized labor's rank and file is "Obama's brown shirt army"...what???
And, the best of the rest of the news and your calls right here on...
The Thom Hartmann Program... your media support group for we the people.
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Thom's Poll
Are Bloomberg's budget cuts to blame for the death a woman in a fire in Brooklyn on Sunday as the Firefighter’s Union claims?
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Watch & Listen to Thom
Tear Down this Myth
Government Shutdown looks the same as the GOP agenda
In Madison - Democracy is at stake here and America may never recover
Or watch the full show...
Full Show - 2/21/11. Wisconsin Governor Refuses To Budge
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 Would you like to help give a child with a very troubled background this feeling of peace? Thom and Louise Hartmann founded the New England Salem Children's Village (NESCV) in New Hampshire in 1979. With states delaying payment for the children they entrust to the village, they need help with cash flow. Can you help? |
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