WI Senate GOP Leader Admits On-Air That His Goal Is To Defund Labor Unions, Hurt Obama’s Reelection

[babsbunny]

http://thinkprogress.org/2011/03/09/scott-fitzgerald-obama/

A prank call from a man purporting to be petrochemical billionaire David Koch to Gov. Scott Walker (R-WI) a few weeks ago revealed that Walker had crafted his “budget repair” bill in a bid to crush the labor unions. The revelation was at odds with the GOP’s public argument, that removing collective bargaining rights has something to do with the state’s budget deficit.

In an interview with Fox News’ Megyn Kelly moments ago, State Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-WI), one of Walker’s closest allies in the legislature, confirmed the true political motive of Walker’s anti-union push. Fitzgerald explained that “this battle” is about eliminating unions so that “the money is not there” for the labor movement. Specifically, he said that the destruction of unions will make it “much more difficult” for President Obama to win reelection in Wisconsin:

[Angry Dragon]

1. Sounds like a full-brown conspiracy

[vi5]

2. It wouldn't need to be that way...

If the president lost the money but stood up more staunchly and strongly for the unions the voter turnout and enthusiasm would I suspect overcome a big chunk of the money loss.

But that wouldn't fit with his threading the needle, don't rock any boats, don't piss off the right, keep his powder dry, whatever other BS excuse there is for him having stayed out of the fray on this and also not throwing in strongly enough with a firmer position and a fight on EFCA.

[Monique1]

4. and what do you want the president to do?

oh yes, walk on water, raise the magic wand for things to go our way. This is about people power and if you remember when he was a candidate - he said that. Of course the only people who are doing anything are those in WI - there are some working in other states -

Please tell me why people who are fighting for their rights there are those here who want to tear this president apart. I don't see the baggers and pukes doing this. I am beginning to see a wave here. libertarians - that is it in a nutshell. Maybe we should call DU Libertarian Underground.

[vi5]

5. O.K......what?

I really could not glean any coherent message from that response. But as for what I want is for the president to at the very least take a stronger stance in support of labor. All I want is for him to take a strong, vocal stance in favor of labor. Not just one tweet, and not just having every speech or every message be some third way "Well, both sides need to stop the rhetoric." or "We all need to sacrifice." If this were Libertarian Underground there wouldn't be so many people here in favor of labor and supporting unions and requesting and begging the president to do the same. Libertarians are the ones who are hands off and want the government/president to stay out of it. The traditional big D democratic position is to support labor and unions loudly and vocally and without equivocation.

But too many on here prefer to take the position that the president should never be asked to do anything or expend any political capital or take any political risks.

And the baggers and pukes, who are the base of the Republican party don't need to tear their leaders apart because their leaders actually listen to them and are afraid of them and want to keep them happy. Ours don't. And the reason they don't is because they know there is a sizable enough contingent of people who cover power over principal, just like they do.

[Rex]

3. But no , this has nothing to do with Obama.

He should stay away. :sarcasm: