Because the situation in Wisconsin wasn't surreal enough already, the allegedly-Reverend Jesse Jackson Jr has now elbowed his way into the spotlight to declare that Democrats' refusal to balance the budget, teachers' refusal to teach, and Barack Obama's use of violent rhetoric to pit unions against taxpayers is a "real Martin Luther King moment."
No one really has any idea what that means, but - like the court syncophants who were afraid to admit that the Emperor had no clothes - mainstream media types are nodding their heads rather than daring to suggest that Jesse Jackson has no clue.
Jackson told the protesters that Wisconsin's budget-conscious Governor "cannot crush the union and maintain democracy." Which, again, doesn't actually mean anything...especially since unions are against democracy within their own ranks, and want to abolish "secret ballots" so that their thugs can beat the living tar out of anyone who votes against the union line.
Frankly, Hope n' Change wishes that Jesse Jackson would just shut up and go away. He has spent his entire adult life blackmailing corporations on trumped-up charges of racism in order to fund a luxurious personal lifestyle (better, even, than the highly-paid public sector employees in Wisconsin). While married, he fathered a child out of wedlock and denied it...until his child's mother (who was also highly paid from the funds "donated" to Jackson's organization) produced Jesse's used condoms from her freezer for genetic testing. What a guy!
For Jesse Jackson to throw his "moral weight" behind the protesters only highlights the complete bankruptcy of their claims of injury and injustice. And that's a very bad thing.
But invoking the name of Dr. King in this context? That's an obscenity.
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15 comments:
Just read in the WSJ that Wisconsin state employees pay as much as a thousand dollars a year in union dues. With automatic dues deduction, the employees never see this money. I'll bet there are plenty who would willingly opt out if they could. Wonder when we'll hear from them in the media.
You know, over at Althouse there has been excellent on-the-ground running coverage (she's a UW law professor)with lots of pictures. One of the things we have noticed is that the protesters look to be the same racial composition as a Tea Party group.
So, maybe they figured if they needed a token black person there, they went with someone that would attract attention.
The rumor is that today there will be a Tea Party counterprotest, and Herman Cain will be appearing. Oh lordy, imagine that! A black conservative Presidential contender in Madison, Wisconsin. I envision heads rotating on liberals necks and green venom spewing out of their mouths, ala The Excorcist.
The fact that Jesse Jackson even shows up demonstrates that the entire cause is morally bankrupt.
The question is will we be able to stop laughing as we kill each other in the streets this summer? As the haves riot against the people they have taken it from, then drive back to their 300K homes in their 45K SUVs and useless electric car/toys. Everybody remember the lady who chewed out Obama last year about how she was tired of defending him and when would he start helping her? How many OTHER CFOs of non profits sucking off the government teat will be out there proclaiming their victimhood because it isn't producing chocolate milk?
Does anyone know exactly what unions are protesting in Wisconsin besides teachers? I can't seem to find to much information about it.
It's easy to blame "those damned unions", but its extremely unfair to do so when we don't know specifically what unions are involved in this.
StupidLiberal- The focus is on public sector unions, including teachers. The Governor's proposal is that all of the employees will need to start paying a small amount toward their own healthcare and retirement plans (much smaller than what 85% of the private sector pays), in order to avoid laying off 5500 union workers entirely. Basically, the Governor is trying to save union jobs, but he can't unless he gets at least minor financial concessions.
The new law would also stipulate that the unions would have to start collecting their own dues (currently handled as a payroll deduction), and that unionized employees would need to vote once a year whether or not they wanted the union to continue to represent them. Obviously the unions are afraid that when employees see how much they're paying in dues, and how little they get in return, that they'll vote to leave the unions. "Vote" being the troubling word here. The union agitators who are claiming to be fighting for democracy are really fighting to keep their own members from voting on union issues.
Jesse Jackson is a turd in search of a toilet bowl. Ignore him.
Stilton: Your explanation of the situation to Stupid Liberal nailed it. Damned shame the media can't explain it so honestly and succinctly.
AHD, you've summed up JJ's entire existence on the planet in 13 words. Well done.
The divide-and-conquer, turn the rats-against-themselves strategy. The union movement was once the cutting edge of improving the American worker's quality of life and pretty much invented the opportunity for a middle class lifestyle for hourly workers.
Let's not demonize our fellow citizens who are trying to resist as the Clough-Piven conveyer belt trundles their jobs and incomes toward the great Wal-Mart abyss into which most non-unionized workers have already been pushed.
The working rank-and-filers are right, as individuals, to cling to the still-above-water bow of the Titanic to the last possible second as the ship goes under. Their 'leadership' is another matter.
Let's join in despising the cowardly Dem senators who abandoned their public trust and are in hiding to delay a vote they know they'll lose.
This runaway-bride tactic has to be nipped in the bud or it will become a standard of the Dem playbook.
I hope the WI Governor puts out an APB, cancels their state cards and state cell phone accounts, reports their government cars as 'stolen' and has them 'escorted' back in cuffs if necessary ('Don't taze me bro').
Or, give them 24 hours to return to vote; if not, their seats are declared 'Vacant' , and hit them with criminal charges for obstructing the Legislature, unauthorized use of public moneys (you KNOW they aren't using their own funds to pay for their motel adventure), and charge them personally with the entire costs of the stunt--manpower to keep the Legislature staffed, manned and lit in their absence, cost of the state police manpower for the APB search, etc.
Didn't know Hymietown Jackson lived in Wisconsin. Shine up the Escalade Hymie and stir up some race baiting action.
Actually, Andrew, the one 'missing' guy I heard interviewed claimed he WAS using his own funds.
Also, agreed, it is the leadership of unions in general (and their policies) that is the cause of the generally low opinion held by Joe Public. If they were really about getting better benefits and better pay, while actually providing better workers (who Show UP, ON time, SOBER) there might be a whole lot of good feelings about them, and unions in general. However, when they go and get all political (some years back, the MI Ed Assn declared that their #1 issue of the years was defeating the governor's re-election! Not kids, not teachers, but the Gov! WTF?!?!) often speaking out on / donating HUGE funds to causes the members do not agree with, and that just jerks the irk of a LOT of folks.
At least that's how *I* see it. Two unions that people in general *do* seem to respect? Electricians, and carpenters. I, as a consumer, have confidence in a union member being competent to *do* the frigg'n job, and if s/he's not, I have right (and know where to file) or grievance / redress. I don't see them speaking up about abortion, welfare, or making huge campaign contributions to crooks / liars who promise the store to parasites.
As opposed, say, to UAW, Teachers, SEIU, etc, etc...
Andrew- You're right that people shouldn't have a knee-jerk reaction against union members, or even the concept of unions. However, this fight was never really "anti-union" until the Democrats and media framed it that way.
The job of the unions is, theoretically, "collective bargaining." But what sort of bargaining has taken place when the union flat out refuses to allow any reduction in benefits when the employer (in this case the state of Wisconsin) is facing bankruptcy? What sort of bargaining has taken place for the union members who will find their workloads going up, and their membership going down, when 5500 people are terminated because no concessions were made?
Wisconsin's Republicans are acting like grown-ups here. It's a pity that the unions and Democrats (locally and nationally) refuse to do the same.
Earl, As a twenty year veteran of 'forced' union membership (and by 'forced' I mean; In my career field there is really no alternative because the AFL-CIO affiliates have bullied out all non-union labor, to include fellow unions in the field that they saw as competition or couldn't bankrupt, and then absorb), it is my experience that if the membership as a whole could get rid of the money grubbing socialist union bosses, they'd do it in a heartbeat.
Andrew, You're exactly right... It's been quite a while since evil mustachioed, top hat wearing, capitalists have been sending 5 year olds into coal mines and forcing illiterate laborers to buy their goods at the company store... It's more than a little ironic that the new 'evil mustachioed, top hat wearing, capitalists' are the libtard/prog/socailist politicians who claim to represent the working class, and the fat cat bosses of the unions that exploit their membership by way of dues, mandatory political contributions, and self-insured 'musical chairs' retirement & benefits packages. The only thing missing is 'the union store'.
Dr. Jarlsberg, Is the behavior of these Wisconsin Dumbo-crats truly that surprising? As I've said since the beginning; "That segment of society is composed of the mentally challenged, who have displayed over and over again that they think, act, and behave like spoiled petulant children with no self discipline or sense of responsibility for their actions."
My final thought on this whole matter... I find it quite telling that when the Dumbo-crats had a majority and knew they're schemes couldn't be defeated, they were full of 'vim & vigor'... now that the tables are turning against them, they run like the sissies they are.
Necron99- No, the behavior of the "Wisconsin 14" isn't surprising at all. In fact, I'm rather enjoying the way the (metaphorical) battle lines are being so clearly drawn. The Conservatives are for democracy (enforcing the will of the voters) and fiscal responsibility. The Liberal Democrats are against democracy (whether inside or outside of unions) and are happy to destroy either a state or a country by attempting to buy votes with money that A) isn't theirs and B) no longer even exists.
Hopefully, this will make everyone's choices nice and clear for 2012.
Amen Good Dr., Amen.
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