Indiana GOP drops anti-union bill, but Democrats stay out of state
Protestors hold up signs outside the Indiana House chambers at the Statehouse in Indianapolis, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2011. Seats emptied by Democrats who have left the chamber in protest are reflected in the window.
/ AP Photo/AJ MastRepublican lawmakers in Indiana have given up on a controversial anti-union bill that drove Democratic legislators out of the state, but Democrats want to see other controversial bills dropped before they return, the Indianapolis Star reports.
Like Wisconsin Democrats before them, Indiana Democrats yesterday fled their state to stall a vote on a state bill that would weaken unions. But while the legislative battle rages on in Wisconsin, the Indiana labor measure known as the "right to work" bill is now effectively dead. Republicans in the state say they will move the issue to a legislative committee for review later in the year, according to the Star.
The bill in question would have prohibited union membership or fees from being a condition of employment.
Even though the bill is dead, Democrats say they'll stay out of state -- specifically, in a hotel in Urbana, Illinois -- until Republican House Speaker Brian Bosma and Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels drop 10 other bills they oppose, all relating to either labor or education. The Democrats are primarily opposed to a measure for private school vouchers, the Star reports.
Republicans say they aren't dropping those measures, however. Yesterday, Daniels conceded that Republicans should set aside the controversial "right to work bill," in spite of his support for it. Today, however, the governor told the Star that the bill to create education vouchers is "my priority."
Daniels has been taken to task by conservative pundits for his conciliatory language on the "right to work" bill.
Jennifer Rubin of the Washington Post today criticized the governor for giving up on the issue without getting anything in return.
"That's bad bargaining, and rightly or wrongly will be taken as a sign of weakness by the Democrats," she wrote. "Another smart, very aggressive governor told me a short time ago, 'All of life is a negotiation. You have to convince the other guy you are more serious than he is.' Daniels, I would argue, did just the opposite."
Erick Erickson of the conservative blog Red State wrote that Daniels "decided he wanted a truce on fiscal issues just like he wants on social issues."
Erickson notes that Daniels in fact ended collective bargaining for public sector unions (the subject of debate in Wisconsin) by executive order when he entered the governor's office. However, he says that's not the point.
"The point is that with wind at Scott Walker's back in Wisconsin and Chris Christie's back in New Jersey to finally take on unions, Indiana is the next battleground for taking the fight to the unions," he wrote.
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Remember when the Republicans, outnumbered in the House AND Senate, left Washington D.C. (sewer that it is)because they KNEW not ONE Red-blooded AMERICAN actually wanted that piece of crap, so rather than STAND like MEN, and VOTE their conscience, acted like ignorant, undisciplined children and ran to another state, so they could waste taxpayer time and money?
Uh, NO, you DON'T. The Repubs did the RIGHT thing, and took a beating on OUR (We, the People's) behalf. Not ONE REPUBLICAN voted for the Muslim Missionary-in-Chief's Socialist Manifesto. Not ONE. That's how they acquired the moniker "The Party of NO". That's ALSO how they
"obstructed" our backdoor Snakeoil-Salesman-in-Chief. They STOOD like MEN. (But, that's what "HONORABLE" actually means)
"What goes around, comes around"
Yeah, that's the part where, after his Ass-holiness pronounced LIBERTY in the U.S. DEAD, by invoking a Federal "One Size Fits All" Mandate on what everyone WILL buy, Republicans AGAIN did the RIGHT thing, and began the REBOOT. Obamunism effectively slaughtered in it's CRIB, the very life snuffed out of it in it's infancy. Having so VIGOROUSLY shoved this piece of crap down America's throat, the voice of THE PEOPLE, with help from the NEWLY re-seated Republicans is currently shoving that up his little Lordship's ARSE.
"The American people elected Barack Hussein Obama as President of the United States... Nov. 4, 2008. Ever since that election..."
Ever since that election, the Obamunist has purposefully and consistantly tried by every means at his disposal to separate the nation by whatever lines could best be used to attempt to DIVIDE and CONQUER the greatest nation that ever existed. At first, his attempts were VERY effective, especially with the Monkey-assed Lamestream Media (CNN, MSNBC, and ABC, the All Barack Channel) calling ALL dissent "RACISM"! RACISTS were EVERYWHERE, but none more obvious than the Taxed-Enough-Already PARTIERS, the T.E.A. Partiers, commonly referred to by Rachel MadCow and her fawning, parasitic sycophants as
"teabaggers", even those who were NOT of the caucasian persuasian.
Every race-baiting douchbag in the U.S. picked up our Hussein's clarion-call, (except Jesse Jackson, who wanted him neutered) trying to echo the lie of RACISM to quiet the EXPLOSION of SELF governing Americans, intent on denying "The One" their FREEDOM, their RIGHTS, and their LIBERTY by showing up in DROVES, in ALL colors, from ALL 57 STATES, some with signs, and some with guns, and some with BOTH...
Now, many, many lifetimes later, after being thoroughly rebuked and castigated at the polls in November, and knowing virtually NO one is
behind them, they RUN and HIDE their disgusting faces in order to continue toIGNORE the will of their own CONSTITUANTS, like they did with the travesty known as OBAMACARE.
Government employee's should NEVER have had collective bargaining, in the END, they work most directly for WE, the People. Because they do, they either are ANSWERABLE to "the people", or they, like Obamunism, are "above" U.S., those who foot the BILL for their unfettered spending. While I don't like Mitch Daniels, and he went down another notch by dropping the "Right to Work" bill, (because he really IS a Republican In Name Only) he DOES seem to understand "conservative" when bashed over the head with it.
I should have the right to work WITHOUT a Democrat-funding Union if I decide that's a better way to go, unless they OWN the business I'm trying to get a job at, they have NO "right" to expect a damn penny. The right to LIFE, LIBERTY, and the Pursuit of HAPPINESS. I'll pay what I OWE, but I'd be happy NOT paying union "dues", thanks.
Why do you people act as if union members are not tax payers? They pay taxes just like you. They deserves the same consideration of their salaries and benefits just like you. If you are upset because your salary and benefits suck, that is your problem, why take it out on people who stood up for themselves? Don't fall for the Republican/right wings attempts to demonize your neighbors, family and friends. They have been lying about salaries and benefits, inflating the average pays just to rile you people up. Look it up for yourself,it is public record. Are there some people getting paid more than they should? Probably. Are there slackers? Yes. Just like in the private sector. The one big difference is there are also reporters and citizens all around ready to report anything and everything they think they see a public employee doing that is wrong.
Unions are what got us benefits, a 40 hour week, safety in the work place, and all sorts of benefits. If businesses had done what was right to begin with , there would be no need for unions. But be careful what you wish for because if this governor is successful in breaking the unions in Wisconsin, businesses will be coming after private sector workers saying they have to reduce your salary and compensation or they'll leave with your jobs which they are already doing now anyway.
You're never free as long as the rich keeps dumping all their burdens onto the middle-class and poor working families, and suffer no repercussions. You've been had, big time.
I think that says all anyone ever needs to know about the GREEDY GOP!
So, I'm sorry gthog, those CEO's sit behind a desk. It is their employees that make the money and it is their employees that usually gets screwed.
This may sound funny but have you ever watched Under Cover Boss? The CEO's go under cover in their companies to see how things really operate. They try and do the jobs that their employees do. They find it is not easy and in a lot of cases they are unable to perform the most mundane task. They also find out that a lot of their very own rules and regulations get in the way. They show the CEO's lavish lifestyles then provide some insight on what type of lives their workers live. It is very interesting and enlightening.
Can you spell "Obstructionists"?????
We vote the the legislators into office and the minority defeat the will of the people by running away!
What is next - do we need to riot in the streets like the middle east to get what is rightly due? It seems the governmental process has failed when the minority party can exert it's will without consequences. This is not the way Americais designed to run....it is the way a dictatorship operates.
America is watching and if our votes mean nothing then why do we have to honor the contracts that we have with the unions at all. Declare them numll and void and stop payment on all benefits immediatly!! This is completly absurd that the will of the people is being overridden by a minority group!!
Let's sack the legislative process if th eminority can simpley run away and withold the will of the elected majority. We no longer have a governmental process that represents the will of the people. Talk about unconstitutional!!
Oh, and by the way people were saying that they should do the same thing as in Egypt to Obama when that crisis was going on. I was reading the comments on all the blogs. They were all for that as long as it was directed at President Obama. But!!! Lo and behold, Democrats, Liberals, Progressives, Unions, teachers, fire and police and other Public employees and their supporters come out to protest their rights being taken from them by a Republican Governor and once again you people start whining. I'm just sayin.......
Yeah the part about our votes not meaning anything. The American people elected Barack Hussein Obama as President of the United States of America on Nov. 4, 2008. Ever since that election the Republicans/conservatives/right wing/tea party/Obama haters have been having fits. They refuse to accept the outcome of our fair and free elections.They spend all of their time trying to destroy him. They vilify everything he has ever said or done and they attack his wife , just because. Then they get on these blogs and whine when Democrats turn the tables on them.
Is this an admission that the Republicans are reviving an issue that was settled in the 1800's - that they are trying once again to "bust" the unions.
It was the unions who worked against child labor laws - too profitable for business to do it voluntarily.
It was the unions who worked for 8-hour work days, rather than work days that went upward to 16 hours.
Paid time off, vacation time off, the list goes on and on.
Are you people, whether you are a member of a union or not, really willing to let the work place become that horror that it was before the unions? hmmm?
Are you willing to ignore the cost, in terms of human LIFE - people DIED trying to win the rights of employment that you take for granted -- are you willing to ignore that so that you can claim to be a conservative?
If so, my God have mercy on your soul.
The people united will never be defeated. Join the solidarity rallies for WI this Saturday in ALL 50 state capitols.
"The result of not participating in politics is that you end up being governed by those (The Kochs, et al) who are only interested in conducting public affairs for private advantage"
Joseph M. Pijanowski
www.iam126.org