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Wisconsin Democrats Plan Capitulation - by Stephen Lendman
Three weeks and counting since Wisconsin public workers began heroically protesting for rights too important to lose, including collective bargaining without which all others are threatened.
Daily, many thousands braved cold and snow - marching, demonstrating, and sleeping over, sacrificing personal comforts to keep struggling for justice. Teachers, police, firefighters, nurses, maintenance workers, and other public employees were joined by union and nonunion private sector ones, along with doctors, lawyers, other professionals, and thousands of college and high school students from across Wisconsin and other states.
Behind the scenes, however, union bosses and Senate Democrats plan capitulation. Negotiations accomplished nothing, Senator Bob Jauch saying, "In order to kill this bill we could never go home. That's not practical and most people realize it."
They, in fact, "realize" that elected officials are supposed to serve them, governing fairly, what neither party does, serving only wealth and power interests, not their constituents. That's the core issue - partisan politics for the privileged, producing unprecedented wealth inequality both parties conspire to exacerbate.
At the same time, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel said:
"Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca said he came away from a meeting with Walker on Thursday with hope that an agreement could be reached. He said Walker was talking to Senate Democrats and understood the two sides needed to come up with a 'win-win' solution to bring them back."
However, neither side knows it's possible so faking it is planned, pretending collective bargaining will be saved when, in fact, returning assures its demise, followed by greater draconian measures without it. Even union bosses agreed to let workers bear the budget balancing burden, not Wisconsin elites and corporate favorites getting handouts, not ultimatums that sacrifices must be shared.
On March 7, New York Times writer Monica Davey headlined, "Talks to Resolve Wisconsin Battle Falter," saying:
"Senator Fred Risser (one of 14 absent senators) said it now seemed conceivable that he and his fellow Democrats would return to Wisconsin, at some point in the future, without a negotiated compromise."
"We have always said we would go back eventually," he said. "We will have accomplished some of our purpose - to slow things up and let people know what was in this bill."
In fact, returning is capitulation achieving nothing, what Republicans are counting on and expect. They've held firm, yielding nothing, threatening layoffs and other draconian measures, stiffening their resistance, daring Democrats and public employees to blink. Workers won't. Democrats will, so it's up to rank and file people to struggle on alone. More on how below.
Meanwhile, general strike calls keep growing, perhaps the best alternative left, despite clear negatives, including empty classrooms and essential services not performed. Yet thousands of copies of this statement circulated, saying:
"Walker must go! For a general strike in Wisconsin!" calling for mass action to:
-- halt state activity;
-- force Walker and his administration out;
