From VoteVets:
"Maybe the new governor doesn't understand yet -- but the National Guard is not his own personal intimidation force to be mobilized to quash political dissent," said Robin Eckstein, a former Wisconsin National Guard member and Iraq war veteran who lives in Wisconsin and has been active with Vote Vets. "The Guard is to be used in case of true emergencies and disasters, to help the people of Wisconsin, not to bully political opponents. Considering many veterans and Guard members are union members, it's even more inappropriate to use the Guard in this way. This is a very dangerous line the governor is about to cross."
Sheesh...shades of Egypt, Bahrain, Iran, et al...
I just posted this on FB:
The peaceful protests in Madison, WI are the beginning of a wave of the poor and middle class in America reclaiming our country from the grasp of the rich. People around the world are finally standing up to their leader's attempts to stifle them.
Protests in Ohio now...
http://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/02/union-vs-gop-protests-heat-ohioAs the political showdown between Republicans and labor unions in Wisconsin continues unabated, an anti-union bill in Ohio has also begun inflaming similar tensions. Thousands of protesters descended upon Columbus on Thursday to register their opposition to a Republican bill that would abolish or weaken collective bargaining rights for public-sector union members, ban public worker strikes, and weaken bargaining rights for police and firefighters prohibited from striking, according to the Lancaster Eagle Gazette. In addition, the Ohio paper adds, "Local unions' right to bargain for health insurance would be limited, automatic pay increases for public employees would be eliminated and teachers would lose their right to pick their classes or schools if the bill passes."
In one of the most prominent union strongholds in the country, the crowd—"estimated between 3,800 and 5,000"—was the biggest turnout that Columbus had seen for any legislation in a decade. As in Wisconsin, partisan tensions are exceedingly high in wake of the 2010 election results. In both states, the governorship and the statehouse flipped from Democratic to Republican control last year in highly contested races with heavy union involvement. In Ohio, the ousted former governor, Democrat Ted Strickland, even showed up at the Capitol to display solidarity with the thousands of protesting union members. "This has little to do with balancing this year's budget," he told the AP. "I think it's a power grab. It's an attempt to diminish the rights of working people. I think it's an assault of the middle class of this state and it's so unfair and out of balance."
Looks like my FB post was right on target...