Goobernator-elect Scott Walker thinks he's going to be king and has tried to do all sorts of idiotic things within days of the election. One of the more ignorant and hubris-filled things was demanding that the state stop negotiating contracts with the unions.
This shows how little of a grasp on reality Walker has.First of all, these contracts are for 2009-10.
He was not governor during these years (Thank goodness) nor was he part of the state legislature. What right does he have to demand to rule over previous work done? It's not like he can go back and make the unions pay retroactively towards their pension or make them go back in time because he doesn't understand that furloughs are not the solution to budgetary woes.
And just by making this demand and trying to bully the state unions even before the election, he was interfering with the labor laws and setting up state tax payers for a big hit.
Fortunately, not everyone is falling down for His Majesty and is going on to actually do the people's work. The Democratic leaders in both the Assembly and the Senate have said that they are going to make a concerted effort to get the contracts done in special sessions before the end of the year.
They certainly better, for their sakes, the sakes of the workers and the sakes of the tax payers.
If they don't get the contracts done, they are going to lose a lot of supporters that they will need if they want to stay in office, much less regain power.
Secondly, the state workers have done the work for two years without a contract. They deserve to have that recognized and a clean slate for when Walker does take office.
Thirdly, if they don't get the contracts settled, any concessions that they might have made are going to be lost for years. Given his past history, when Walker gets to Madison, he'll start being a bonehead, putting his presidential aspirations before the people of the state, and offer up empty political rhetoric but make no efforts in saving tax payers money by settling a contract.
The reason he won't is twofold. One, he knows that he wouldn't be able to inflict the draconian measures he wants to, so it is easier to talk tough instead of just doing what needs to be done. Secondly, when he starts to fail at governing, and he will fail, just like he did in Milwaukee, he'll want the unions to use as a scapegoat.
In summary, if the Democrats know what is good for them and for the state, they will get this done before the end of the year. That are get used to always being in the minority.
This BLOG entry was written by; Chris Liebenthal
Posted by Steven Williams
PEL Coordinator
AFSCME Council 24
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