Originally Posted By skinnerbox <a href="http://rortybomb.wordpress.com/2011/02/21/the-less-discussed-part-of-walkers-wisconsin-plan-no-bid-energy-assets-firesales/" target="_blank">http://rortybomb.wordpress.com...resales/</a> "Have you heard about 16.896? The fight in Wisconsin is over Governor Walker’s 144-page Budget Repair Bill. The parts everyone is focusing on have to do with the right to collectively bargain being stripped from public sector unions (except for the unions that supported Walker running for Governor). Focusing on this misses a large part of what the bill would do. Check out this language, from the same bill (my bold): 16.896 Sale or contractual operation of state−owned heating, cooling, and power plants. (1) Notwithstanding ss. 13.48 (14) (am) and 16.705 (1), the department may sell any state−owned heating, cooling, and power plant or may contract with a private entity for the operation of any such plant, with or without solicitation of bids, for any amount that the department determines to be in the best interest of the state. Notwithstanding ss. 196.49 and 196.80, no approval or certification of the public service commission is necessary for a public utility to purchase, or contract for the operation of, such a plant, and any such purchase is considered to be in the public interest and to comply with the criteria for certification of a project under s. 196.49 (3) (b). The bill would allow for the selling of state-owned heating/cooling/power plants without bids and without concern for the legally-defined public interest." Did you catch that? "Without bids and without concern for the legally-defined public interest." Gee... I wonder which political campaign contributor has their sights set on those power plants? You guessed it... the Koch brothers. They contributed thousands to Walker's campaign, as well as to the Republican Governor's Association, which helped Walker get elected. Walker wants to take away collective bargaining from those unions which did not support him in his campaign, the teachers and non-safety service unions. Walker's "budget repair" bill would NOT take away collective bargaining from the unions which did support his campaign, i.e., the police and firefighters. This is cronyism, pure and simple. And now Walker refuses to negotiate with the Democrats: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/21/scott-walker-wisconsin-budget-protests_n_826021.html" target="_blank">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...021.html</a> Walker does not care about the citizens of Wisconsin and what they want. Walker wants the Republicans to take over the government of Wisconsin completely, and turn it over to the special interests who helped him get elected, like the Koch brothers. This is NOT how democracies work. This is a power grab by the elite. Every single middle class citizen in this country should be outraged by Walker's actions and his flying monkeys in the Wisconsin state legislature. Shame on anyone who defends what Walker is doing. Completely and totally disgusting! Walker should be recalled asap!
Originally Posted By fkurucz "This is cronyism, pure and simple. And now Walker refuses to negotiate with the Democrats" The whole "union busting" brouhaha is just a head fake to distract the citizens of Wisconsin from the real theft that is about to occur.
Originally Posted By hopemax > Walker should be recalled asap! < Problem is, WI state law requires elected officials have been in office for a year before a recall petition can start. Lot of damage that can be done in a year.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 <The whole "union busting" brouhaha is just a head fake to distract the citizens of Wisconsin from the real theft that is about to occur.> If so, it was a stupid head fake. My guess is that if this power grab for the Kochs was hidden inside a less controversial bill, it would have passed with hardly anyone even noticing. Now it gets exposed and so does Walker.
