Governor Walker is not the only Republican misreading his "mandate".

[kentuck]

Of course, any time Republicans win an election, they consider it a mandate.

Governor Walker of Wisconsin is just the latest egregious example. But the Republicans in Washington are over-reaching also. They are acting just like Governor Walker.

It's all about "spending", they say, as they continue to heap huge taxbreaks upon the wealthy. Not only are they threatening our present form of government, they are threatening the very idea of government. They are radicals in the truest sense of the word.

They are dangerous and effective because they are united at the state levels, witness Walker, Daniels, Kasich, Scott, and others. The people must stand against these folks that would destroy everything we have worked for in the last century. We would like to have the Democratic Party establishment behind us but there is no guarantee they will be there. We are on our own.

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Not only maliciously lying and calling a majority (even a pluarality) a "mandate"

but also "bait and switch", where they campaign on one set of issues and enact legislation on another set, unmentioned during the campaign. (The bait and switch reminds me of how I would be told I was going to visit the doctor, but the part about the needle was left out.)

[Kolesar]

2. The Ohio prison budget has about tripled...

...since the 1990s. Governor Voinovich gave the prison building contracts to his brother Paul Voinovich.

IIRC, the prison budget is $2 billion/year

[HereSince1628]

3. A lot of money was spent in the US on prisons in the 1990's

Wisconsin's former R. Gov. Tommy Thompson saw it as a growth industry to meet the demands of the various 'get tough' policies.

I don't know about Ohio but generally speaking inflation rate from the 90s til today would account for half the increase in state prison costs, medical costs certainly rose faster than general inflation and prisons must provide medical treatment.

Finally the expansion of the prison population in that time could easily have doubled.

[liberal N proud]

4. Ohio and Florida governors are in lockstep with Walker

[seabeyond]

5. i was going to ask. hubby told me last night ohio voted the same thing thru? and governor

was going ot vote it in

is that correct?

[liberal N proud]

7. It passed the Senate and is headed for the state legislature

If it passes there the Governor who fully supports the measure will sign it.

[seabeyond]

11. kinda different than wisc. there it has passed the assembly? and waiting for senate?

i think that is where i got confused, but isnt that what happened. not remembering hhistory in state gov.

[ProfessionalLeftist]

6. These are key states in elections

Which adds credence to the fact that this isn't about union-busting as much as it is about decimating one of the key contributors to Democrats in elections - unions.

[liberal N proud]

8. Exactly

Take the middle class and union money and organization away from the Democrats and they are crippled.

[NightWatcher]

9. no mandate, they've been given an inch and are taking a mile

I wish that the Dems had forced their ideas through when they took office back in 2008, but they wanted to play all nice and try bipartisanship.

The good news is that by the next election, the teabaggers will have fucked us over so royally that it will be easier to expose them to the braindead fundie voters.......or at least turn out our base to get them tossed

[KharmaTrain]

10. Let 'Em Write Their Own Political Epitephs...

It may just have to take passing some of these draconian laws to wake people up...make them realize what the rushpublican definition of "fiscal responsibility" is. While I detest cutting any aid/assistance to the poor and mentally and physically disabled and busting unions, people may need to feel a bit of pain to finally get the message of how irresponsible, heartless and selfish the GOTB is.

States are facing budget problems that are a direct result of the decade of regressive booooosh tax cuts for the rich along with an MIC and corporate welfare system that is sucking the resources and talents of the working class dry. Sadly too many people bought the corporate media kool-aid blaming the "middle class" (that no longer exists) for problems. Unfortunately it may just have to come to people losing benefits and services to piss them off and wake them up to what's really going on here...

[CrossChris]

12. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't their "mandate" the billionaires and media who back them?

In that case I believe their mandate is very real, and without intervention from Democrats in DC, including the President, we are going to lose this fight. We're losing it in Ohio. The mandate is real.