Green Bay Packers Sound Off Against Gov. Scott 'Hosni' Walker

[sabrina 1]

It's more than likely that Walker didn't expect the Green Bay Packers to take a stand against his draconian attacks on workers rights, but after winning the Super Bowl it looks like the team is ready for another fight, this time against a Governor who is acting more like a dictator. Packers players issued a statement in support of the workers:

Present, former Packers say they back AFL-CIO

The statements reads: "We know that it is teamwork on and off the field that makes the Packers and Wisconsin great. As a publicly owned team we wouldn't have been able to win the Super Bowl without the support of our fans.

"It is the same dedication of our public workers every day that makes Wisconsin run. They are the teachers, nurses and child care workers who take care of us and our families. But now in an unprecedented political attack Governor Walker is trying to take away their right to have a voice and bargain at work.

"The right to negotiate wages and benefits is a fundamental underpinning of our middle class. When workers join together it serves as a check on corporate power and helps ALL workers by raising community standards. Wisconsin's long standing tradition of allowing public sector workers to have a voice on the job has worked for the state since the 1930s. It has created greater consistency in the relationship between labor and management and a shared approach to public work.

"These public workers are Wisconsin's champions every single day and we urge the Governor and the State Legislature to not take away their rights."

'Hosni' Walker was all over the Packers after they won the Super Bowl but I wonder how he feels about them now?



Green Bay Packers Win the Super Bowl


The Players Union also issued their own statement:


Green Bay Packers Sound Off Against Gov. Scott 'Hosni' Walker

“The NFL Players Association will always support efforts protecting a worker’s right to join a union and collectively bargain. Today, the NFLPA stands in solidarity with its organized labor brothers and sisters in Wisconsin.”

The support of the Packers players hasn’t been lost on those marching in the streets. Aisha Robertson, a public school teacher from Madison, told me, “It’s great to see Packers join the fight against Walker. Their statement of support shows they stand with us. It gives us inspiration and courage to go and fight peacefully for our most basic rights.”

Walker no doubt envisioned conflict when he rolled out his plan to roll over the workers of Wisconsin. But I don’t think he foresaw having to go toe-to-toe with the Green Bay Packers. As we learned in Egypt, envisioning unforeseen consequences is never an autocrat’s strong suit. As we’re learning in Wisconsin, fighting austerity is not an Egyptian issue or a Middle Eastern issue—it’s a political reality of the twenty-first-century world. And as Scott Walker is learning, messing with cheeseheads can be hazardous to your political health.

I think I just became a Packer's Fan!!

And Walker is not making any friends among the National Guard either:




Wisconsin Governor Threatens To Replace Workers With National Guard

Badger is a veteran of the armed forces. He is astounded that the governor has suggested the Guard might be called in.

"I volunteered to defend the rights of citizens in this country," Badger said. It's really offensive -- not the National Guard soldiers -- just that the governor could find the time and resources to put the National Guard on alert but not to sit down with any of the unions."

In a press release put out by VoteVets.org, an outreach group devoted to veterans issues, a veteran and former National Guard member shared his unhappiness with the Governor's proposed solution to a union strike.

"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, Iraq War Veteran from Appleton, WI, and member of VoteVets.org. "The Guard is to be used in case of true emergencies and disasters, to help the people of Wisconsin, not to bully political opponents."

Looks like 'Hosni' Walker may have bitten off more than he could chew! As one protest sign said yesterday: 'Who Died and Made Him God'?

Go Packers!

[Cirque du So-What]

1. Gov. Hoser Murabak Walker

With the TeeVee droning in the background, I caught a news blurb on ABC indicating that this story is gaining traction.

[sabrina 1]

3. I haven't been watching TV so that's good to know.

Where is he, btw? He has not come out and spoken to the people. Hiding and talking only to Greta Van Sustern on Fox I read yesterday. How about talking to the people?

[Uzybone]

2. KnR

[kestrel91316]

4. Time to mount a recall drive against Hosni Walker

[flamingdem]

5. Hosni Walker U R HOSED nt

[RedCloud]

6. We are ALL Packer fans today!

[LynneSin]

59. I see so many football players turn into religious repuke nutjobs - this story makes me smile

It seems the Packers know what the heritage is for the Green Bay team and they respect it and support it.

I am honored that my Eagles lost in the playoffs to not only the winners of the Super Bowl but an amazing group of men!

[sabrina 1]

60. It made me smile too

:-)

[Motown_Johnny]

7. Aaron Rodgers isn't one of the Packers speaking out

I am against using his photo when discussing this until he chooses to make a statement. To me it seems to be deliberately misleading. It could also backfire. For all we know he disagrees with us and using his image may prompt him to speak out against Unions.


P.S. I am a huge Aaron Rodgers fan so maybe I am bias on this subject.

[sabrina 1]

11. Actually, if you read the Nation Link this is what it says about Rodgers:

The players who signed on don’t have quite as high a profile as Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rodgers, but give it time. Rodgers is the Packers’ union representative in negotiations with the NFL, and on Tuesday the players union issued their own statement in support of state workers, writing:

“The NFL Players Association will always support efforts protecting a worker’s right to join a union and collectively bargain. Today, the NFLPA stands in solidarity with its organized labor brothers and sisters in Wisconsin.”

I imagine as their Rep. if he did not agree with the Union's statement, he would have said so.

[Motown_Johnny]

16. That is a reasonable point

Maybe I am a bit bias on this subject.

I just think it is a bit misleading to use someone's image along with a political statement when he/she is not making that statement themselves.

[sabrina 1]

23. Well, it wasn't meant to convey anything other than that

the Packers won the Super Bowl, but I do see how it could be interpreted differently ~

[sabrina 1]

26. I just saw this thread and it seems that Rodgers is

supporting the unions. There is no link, but it is also in the comments so I'm assuming it is true http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x438950#438976

Then there was this thread last week where it is stated that Aaron Rodgers is very supportive of the Union:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4724431#4724440

Source: AFL-CIO News Blog

by James Parks,

Just a week after Natalie Portman and Melissa Leo gave shout outs to their union at the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards, two more high-profile union members were in the spotlight. On Super Bowl Sunday, Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers, the Packers’ team rep. for the NFL Players Association (NFLPA), took home the Super Bowl MVP award. The same day New England Patriot alternate rep. Tom Brady was named Offensive Player of the Year for the 2010 season.

It is rare for two such high-profile players to serve as team reps., but both Rodgers and Brady are strong supporters of the union. When he was introduced as the Packers’ new team rep. last October, Rodgers made it clear that the union is important to him and his teammates. He spoke out about how the prospect of a lockout in the 2011 season would hurt the community as well as the players.

[white_wolf]

49. As much as I like Peyton Manning

the Packers are very quickly replacing the Colts as my team.

[sabrina 1]

58. 'The people's team'!

I'm not a football fan, but am now a Packers fan!

[PVnRT]

44. He's the union rep for the team, and is busy with league negotiations at the moment

The NFLPA, whom Rodgers and others are negotiating for, released a statement in support of the Wisconsin unions.

[sabrina 1]

54. Yes, that's what I thought. I don't think they would have released

that statement without him knowing about it.

[SpiralHawk]

8. Why do Republicons HATE football? Isn't that unAmerican?

Honorable Americans were already well aware that Republicons hate honesty, responsibility, and integrity -- but now we find out that they HATE the Green Bay Packers.

Sheeesh.

[devilgrrl]

9. Some of the comments left on that article are vomit inducing.

Imagine bypassing a career helping people to take a job as a paid troll to insure that nothing good ever gets accomplished.

[sabrina 1]

63. Yes, they were. Teabaggers no doubt, probably paid by the word.

[upi402]

10. MubWalker is a douche

Send him Packing. The NFL, Player's League Packers know what time it is. This shouldn't be unique but it is.

[jwirr]

12. Walker is replaceable. Is that a possibility in WI - do they have a recall

law or are they just hoping they can get him to resign?

[sabrina 1]

14. Yes, they do have a recall law. I just read on DU that a petition

for signatures is already up on FB. But he has to be in office for one year before he can be thrown out. However, they want to have over 500,000 signatures ready so they can get rid of him the day after the one year is up.

I'll try to find a link to the information.

[swilton]

20. You can get the information on the Michael Moore website

Michael Moore is following this - I can't get the link to come up here - just google MichaelMoore.com

www.michaelmoore.com

[sabrina 1]

22. Thank you, I will do that ~

I saw that he was following it on Twitter .... good for him.

[frebrd]

13. Happy to hear this.......

I was beginning to regret having rooted for the Pack.

:thumbsup:

[July]

15. Packers CEO/President Mark Murphy was a player's rep for the Redskins.

See the section of his Wikipedia entry covering his years as a player:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Murphy_(safety_b._1955)

He participated in a strike and, according to this entry, believed his union role ended his playing career.

[sabrina 1]

17. Do you think his own experience would influence

whether or not he would support the workers? If his career ended as a result of participating in a strike, that would be very unfair. I would think he would want to make sure it doesn't happen to others.

[July]

18. If he was a player's rep, I'd imagine he'd support unions.

I actually knew him in high school (he was a year behind me), but all I can tell you is that he was a very good athlete (football and basketball), an honor student, and a nice guy.

[July]

19. Hey, I just noticed someone gave me a heart!

THANK YOU!!

[sabrina 1]

24. People are so nice. I'm glad you have a heart!

:-)

[sabrina 1]

28. Sounds like a nice guy. The Packers are the 'people's team'

from what I've read and they seem to generally support Unions, they belong to one themselves so it makes sense.

[derby378]

21. God, I love Cheeseheads

Good on the Packers for standing up. :applause:

[Nikia]

25. This is big

The Packers are a huge influence in this state. I hope that this encourages some Republican senators to back down.

[sabrina 1]

27. What's really hilarious is that Walker was covering himself

with glory (by default I guess) when the Packers won the Super Bowl. He even declared February their month!

Governor Walker Declares February Green Bay Packers Month

But I don't think this is what he had in mind! :rofl:

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

29. Go Pack Go!

Even a dyed-in-the-wool Bears fan salutes the Packers on this one.
:thumbsup:

[Lugnut]

30. This Steelers fan salutes the Packers!

Solidarity!

[Starry Messenger]

31. I've never been a football fan

but seriously, the pro-labor moxie of this team is making me want to put one of those cheese hats on. :D

[calimary]

32. Hear hear!

I feel the same way. Don't care for football but I can definitely support a team like the Packers. And I've ALWAYS loved cheese!

[Turborama]

35. I am not into football but am a huge cheese fan, too. Add in some social justice and it's a win win!

Talking of cheese, I have a challenge that still hasn't been beaten.

Name any food and I can suggest a cheese that would work with it.

[calimary]

38. Yummmmmmm!

And lately I've fallen in love with mascarpone...

Cheese makes the world go 'round!

[Turborama]

41. Funny you should mention Marscapone...

That's one of the trump cards I use for the challenge.

Great phrase, love the play on words!

[sabrina 1]

42. Name any food? Is this a trick question?

How about beef stew?

[Brother Buzz]

65. Here's a cheese challenge: What cheese put Aaron Rodgers' home town on the map?

And what famous word was coined by the distinguished columnist who joined Aaron's home town and the cheese?

[Starry Messenger]

37. I've always loved cheese too.

:D I'm in CA, so we've got a cheese rivalry, but I can definitely get behind WI cheese and the Packers.

[suffragette]

33. Great statements by them

Nice to see people there standing by each other.

That's solidarity in action.

[deacon]

34. Honsi Walker. If the shoe fits... n/t

[Turborama]

36. K&R & Thanks a lot for yet another excellent OP, Sabrina.

I hadn't been paying attention to this until now, so much geopolitical and domestic (as in, my domicile) stuff going on. Your OP works as a perfect primer.

Thanks again. :hi:

[Lucian]

39. This Minnesota Vikings fan, who used to hate the Packers...

with the fiery passion of a thousand suns, now likes and respects the Packers.

What an interesting turn of events.

+1 and :thumbsup:

[sabrina 1]

52. Lol! That is funny!

[Lucian]

55. Why is it funny?

:shrug:

[sabrina 1]

56. In a good way! It struck me funny, the way you expressed it.

I liked the comment :-)

[Lucian]

57. Ah. Ok.

[tishaLA]

40. okay I'm almost ready to forgive them for the Favre years

[florida08]

43. Kick for solidarity

:kick:

"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"

Exactly..they're not the Mubarak police goons and glad to see them say so

and I've always loved the Packers..America's team

[Jakes Progress]

45. K&R If this kind of thing keeps up, I will have to start following sports.

[pmorlan1]

46. Steeler Fan Cheers Packers

I'm a Steeler fan but in this situation I'm cheering for the Packers! Way to go, guys!

[swilton]

47. Not a pro Football Fan

College FB is more interesting. But I like pro footballers a little better after this.

[glinda]

48. That's it. I am becoming a Packers fan.

[wryter2000]

50. They just got themselves a fan in Oaktown

I cheered for the Packers in the Super Bowl just to nettle my rector, who was for the Steelers. :) Now, I'm a fan, for sure. Of course, I imagine the Steelers would agree with them.

[seabeyond]

51. cheering the packers..... this is what i like and want to hear. nt

[Uncle Joe]

53. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, sabrina.:thumbsup:

[Waiting For Everyman]

61. Protesters are calling Walker "Mini Mubarak"... website

From a Mother Jones article today:

http://www.minimubarak.com/

:rofl:

[sabrina 1]

62. Thanks for the link. He's really earned himself a great reputation

even if he's only a mini dictator.

[Hannah Bell]

64. kr