Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's Fight Is About Who's in Charge

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Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz (D) colluded with WI State Senators Fred Risser (D) and Mark Miller (D) to delay a vote on Governor Walker’s bill in order to buy time so that pending local union contracts could get signed with no concessions. The contracts were signed Feb 17 the same day the 14 democrat senators left the state. In effect the 14 democrat senators fled the state in order to protect the status quo of public employee union contracts. The email exchanges between Janet Piarino, the mayor’s chief of staff, and the chief of staffs of Sen. Risser and Sen. Miller are available for reading online and clearly reveal the scheming. Among the recipients of the emails was Dianne Cieslewicz, Sen. Fred Risser’s chief of staff and the mayor’s wife! Looking back a bit in time, before becoming mayor of Madison, Dave Cieslewicz had his own direct involvement with WI State politics as chief of staff to recently retired WI State Senator Spencer Black (D). What a rat’s nest of political collusion between elected officials at all levels of government, their family members, friends, and the public employee unions! The needed solutions in my opinion: WI needs to be a Right-to-Work state and we need term limits.

fjelly of WI 12:42PM March 05, 2011

After reading this article and all the comments, it amazes me that the majority still don't realize that they are promoting government anarchy. If you refuse to work within the system, the system doesn't work. If the budget bill doesn't pass, we are still out of money only there is now no way to pay for things other than firing people and getting rid of services. All this talk about "rights" and pensions....none of it matters if we have no money. As for the people who say the majority don't support Gov. Walker - I heartily disagree. The people who don't support him are people who have their heads in the sand....the problem remains even if the democrats don't come back...only more services will be cut and people fired. People are actually demonstrating against their own self interest - only they don't realize it. Whoever is left standing if the bill doesn't pass has made sure they have benefits while their compatriots are out of work. Crazy...

sickofprotestors of WI 12:09PM March 05, 2011

My family and friends are from MN/WI (most are duel residence jobs/lakehomes we contribute to both economies) I grew up there and most are no longer affiliated with the democratic party their actions over the last few weeks/years are a disgrace but typical of Democratic behavior and the media they don't get it either I suspect union jobs, etc. force the one sided view so it is refreshing to read an honest opinion thank you Mary Kate Cary for writing a wonderful article. Its unfortunate that most WI children won't be able to read this fine article because their reading ability is be low national standards you can thank the unions & teachers for that. Governor Scott Walker will prevail because that is what we elected him to do - make hard choices for the tax payers of WI unlike the elected officials put in power by the Union...remember elections have consequences like it or not we the people won. I guess that's how most us of Texans think, too

ca of TX 9:58AM March 05, 2011

Leftists in general ... and Democrats in particular ... are nothing but spoiled children in need of a good spanking.
There were many Republicans in Congress (in fact, I'd say just about all of them) who bitterly opposed the health care bill that Barack Obama and the Democrats rammed down our throats. But did they throw a hissy fit and leave town to prevent a vote on the legislation? No. Why? Because that's not how adults are expected to behave.
Wisconsin's Democrats should take heed of the words that their own president uttered back in 2009: "Elections have consequences. We won." I guess that only applies if it's the Democrats who've won, huh?
Pathetic.

Danram of TX 9:27AM March 05, 2011

This is an article from the Post Standard - Syracuse, NY
This defined the issue for me.
Syracuse, NY -- Six days after winning election to a record fifth term, Onondaga County Sheriff Kevin Walsh filed his retirement papers. He’s not really retiring. He’s taking advantage of a legal loophole that will allow him to collect an estimated $82,500 annual pension in addition to his $110,000 salary.
Walsh, 66, is offering no apologies for his double-dipping, which will give him a combined income of $192,500.
He said he’s just doing what the law allows him to do and what his two immediate predecessors, Patrick Corbett and John Dillon, plus other elected officials across the state, have done. "The system is what it is,” he said.
Besides, he said, the county will actually save $24,000 a year in contributions to the state retirement fund because those payments stop when he begins collecting his pension.
State law allows elected officials to “retire” from their posts, then continue to work those same jobs while collecting their public pensions. For those who started in their posts before July 26, 1995, and who are at least 65 years old, there is no limit to how much they can earn in salary and still collect their pensions.

John of NY 9:08AM March 05, 2011

I think Wisco is different from "Obamacare" situation. In Congress, the Democrats (in charge of both houses and the executive) bent over backwards to accomodate the Republicans. That is why Obamacare looks like Mitt Romney's plan. In Wisco, the Republicans are basically asking the Dems to shut up and get out of the way. This is why Walker's polls are so low. Just because you have a bare majority does not mean you can steamroll the minority. Breaking unions is just as evil to liberals as universal health care is to conservatives. Not to mention it seems very incidental to the stated goal of reducing the deficit. Not as incidental, say, as raising taxes a point or two on the top 5%!

Andrew of AZ of AZ 9:02AM March 05, 2011

It's too late for Walker. The public opinion polls have turned against him; he has, apparently, taken off the table the one way of getting this passed: separate the bills and vote on collective bargaining without the Dems; he keeps setting deadlines and then fudging on them. Meanwhile, the Dem senators are laughing at him; the unions are organizing opposition and Daily Kos is raising money. As Napoleon said, "If you set out to take Moscow, take Moscow." Don't dither around waiting to work with people who don't want to work with you. There is a reason why the Republicans are the stupid party.

senor of FL 8:55AM March 05, 2011

Q. Why did the chickens cross the road?
A. To get to Illinois!

Sadbuttrue of CA 7:38AM March 05, 2011

T'was the choice of the people of Wisconsin and, so, he's doing his job (unlike the 14 "fleebaggers")
Will he get "recalled" because he's doing his job?? ......really don't think so!

Barbie Adamson of MN 7:00AM March 05, 2011