Walker's Senseless Explanation For Permitting Police And Firefighters To Collectively Bargain

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Other Politics
Posted on Tue Feb 22, 2011 at 11:10:27 AM EST
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James Joyner reports on Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker's explanation for exempting police and firefighters from his assault on collective bargaining rights makes sense. Joyner wrties:

On NPR this morning, Walker answered that he couldn’t take the risk of cops and firefighters going out on strike and allow mayhem to ensue. But that’s an appeal to consequences — and a very dangerous one — rather than a principled reason.

How does this explain why Walker is exempting police and firefighters from his assault on collective bargaining rights? Indeed, unless police and firefighters are not prohibited from striking by law (think PATCO), permitting them collective bargaining rights makes the use of a strike more likely, not less. Indeed, Walker's argument provides stronger support for limiting the collective bargaining rights of police and firefighters than for other state employees. After all, if state employees who are not police and firefighters can strike without causing mayhem, then there is less risk in permitting them collective bargaining rights. But of course nothing Walker has said on the subject has made any sense at face value.

Speaking for me only

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Walker's Senseless Explanation For Permitting Police And Firefighters To Collectively Bargain | 12 comments (12 topical)

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shorter gov. walker: (5.00 / 2) (#2)
by cpinva on Tue Feb 22, 2011 at 11:55:03 AM EST

"i'm a blithering idiot, and have no clue what i'm doing, i merely follow the orders of the koch brothers."

this is the same "logic" that prevails in the "pro-life" movement: if we strip away a woman's right to choose, eliminate the availability of contraceptives, and teach only abstinence-based sex education, then we'll have no unwanted pregnancies, teen or otherwise.

my head hurts.

It's all stuff and nonsense to me. (5.00 / 1) (#3)
by Anne on Tue Feb 22, 2011 at 12:17:48 PM EST

I'd call it "noise," but apparently there are some people who not only think it does make sense, but want to bring it to a municipality near you.

It's okay to make the teachers mad because the GOP hates public education, and when the teachers protest, they get to say, "and you want these people teaching your kids?" It's not okay to make police and firefighters mad because how can you say you're a law-and-order guy if you don't have the backs of these workers? They will grit their teeth and leave these unions alone, even though it goes against their mission of making as many people as possible little more than the property of their employers.

They don't want the government in people's business...unless it's really personal business; then, they want to be all up in it, wanting to deny rights to people if they don't toe the line: no marriage for the gays, no abortion and/or birth control for women, no sex education, public buildings awash in God. But don't get in the way of them making money - lordy, they will flatten your ass faster than you can blink.

I guess this works for enough people that it's not going away anytime soon, and I'm starting to see enough of it in the Democratic party that I'm hoping these public protests will remind Democrats what they used to - and we want them to - stand for and support: the people who can't buy the influence that others can and do.

Members of Congress and our president are either thrilled that the Wisconsin protests, that are starting to pop up in other places, are distracting people from the unconscionable budget decisions about to be made at the federal level, or they are pooping in their pants a little bit at the possibility that, having gotten revved up at state protests, it's not going to be hard to get people to organize against federal budget decisions.

I would love for someone (none / 0) (#4)
by jbindc on Tue Feb 22, 2011 at 12:42:00 PM EST

to "flatten my ass" faster than I could blink.


Goes something like this (none / 0) (#6)
by Dadler on Tue Feb 22, 2011 at 01:36:16 PM EST

: That would hurt! (none / 0) (#7)
by jbindc on Tue Feb 22, 2011 at 01:40:05 PM EST

Shades of "Animal Farm".... (5.00 / 1) (#9)
by kdog on Tue Feb 22, 2011 at 02:00:13 PM EST

Some animals are more equal than others. Birds of authority flock together...and even a governor might need a fire put out.

: I can't help noticing these days (none / 0) (#10)
by Militarytracy on Tue Feb 22, 2011 at 08:15:30 PM EST

That if you belong to a social element that can meaningful and legally inflict violence upon our society...somehow all leaders are our best friend forever to the bitterest of ends.

Lying on Wahington's Birthday! (none / 0) (#1)
by mmc9431 on Tue Feb 22, 2011 at 11:47:45 AM EST

I don't think anyone, (including Walker) believes that explanation for one minute. He excluded the police because it would have gone against the Republican "tough on crime" image. I doubt the bill would have passed.

On the other hand, taking a cut against the public schools is red meat for Republicans. They've been trying to destroy the system for years.

He excluded the police and firefighters... (5.00 / 2) (#5)
by Dadler on Tue Feb 22, 2011 at 01:33:21 PM EST

...because he is afraid of them, in every sense of the word in this context: politically and physically and more. The fear of the spoiled brat who starts a fight between other people, then stands back and watches with an evil grin, or, as in the case of the governor here, runs away with an evil grin.


Plus I bet police and firefighters (5.00 / 3) (#8)
by ruffian on Tue Feb 22, 2011 at 01:48:32 PM EST

vote Republican more often than teachers do. And, oh yeah, they are mostly men. I do not discount the impact of old school Republican misogyny here.


Police and firefighters bargaining units (none / 0) (#11)
by oculus on Tue Feb 22, 2011 at 08:24:40 PM EST

generally endorse GOP candidates for office. Other public employee bargaining units generally endorse Dem. candidates. At least in CA, none of these units have a "right to strike."


: I did see some 'Cops for Labor' (5.00 / 1) (#12)
by Militarytracy on Tue Feb 22, 2011 at 09:34:03 PM EST

signs at covered WI protest.