# Wisconsin GOP passes union-stripping bill **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 10, 2011, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-gop-passes-union-stripping-bill/574111 "2011-03-10T00:56:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Brad\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8dc957/32.png) [@Brad\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brad_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-gop-passes-union-stripping-bill/574111/41 "2011-03-10T03:15:57Z")
> [@flickster](#): > > I salute the Wis Senate Republicans for being able find a way to navigate around the Dem blockade. > > All the Dems did was delay things for three weeks which ended up costing the state another $7 MM for damage caused by the demonstrators. [http://The $7 mil was another Walker lie](http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/117409458.html) > [@](#): > > Officials charged with overseeing the state Capitol Friday backpedaled sharply from their estimate - delivered in a high-profile court case only the day before - that demonstrators did more than $7 million in damage to the building and grounds during the tumultuous yet peaceful protests that erupted Feb. 15. But, don’t let that stop you from continuing to spew their bullshit. This is about union busting and give aways to Walkers cronies. Plain and simple. Nothing to do with the budget crisis that he created himself. ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-gop-passes-union-stripping-bill/574111/42 "2011-03-10T03:17:14Z")
To quote Obama, “Elections have consequences” These actions were a result of the last election. The people will be able to vote their support, or not, in the next one. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-gop-passes-union-stripping-bill/574111/43 "2011-03-10T03:18:37Z")
> [@flickster](#): > > To quote Obama, “Elections have consequences” > > These actions were a result of the last election. The people will be able to vote their support, or not, in the next one. Hey, how about a retraction for the lie you unknowingly spread up there? Or do you just not care if something is true, as long as it supports your uneducated intuitions? ---
**Author:** ![medicated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@medicated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medicated)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-gop-passes-union-stripping-bill/574111/44 "2011-03-10T03:19:40Z")
> [@flickster](#): > > I salute the Wis Senate Republicans for being able find a way to navigate around the Dem blockade. > > All the Dems did was delay things for three weeks which ended up costing the state another $7 MM for damage caused by the demonstrators. That number they were throwing around [turned out to be off](http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_ecb3162a-48e5-11e0-bcff-001cc4c002e0.html) by at least a factor of 20, and might turn out to be negligible. [edit: beat to the punch, sigh] ---
**Author:** ![UncaThomas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/c77e96/32.png) [@UncaThomas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncaThomas)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-gop-passes-union-stripping-bill/574111/45 "2011-03-10T03:21:09Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > Well, which party, precisely, gets elected on the “Government doesn’t work!” platform, and then proves it? I’d say, given the history of the past 50 years or so, both. I think there’s little to choose between the two. They are both big government/big spend parties. The programs they’ve started all seem to end up deep in the red. Between them, they’ve run up a $14 Trillion debt that, even with the current low interest rates, eats up a huge amount of money. In 2010, interest on our debt was $413,954,825,362.17. That’s money that does NOTHING for our economy or people. That’s money we could spend to improve things; schools, infrastructure, Medicare/caid…instead it’s pretty much just gone. When interest rates rise from their current lows, as they always do, the situation will be worse. Bravo to both our parties for their sterling leadership. ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-gop-passes-union-stripping-bill/574111/46 "2011-03-10T03:23:28Z")
> [@Brad\_the\_Impaler](#): > > [http://The $7 mil was another Walker lie](http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/117409458.html) > > But, don’t let that stop you from continuing to spew their bullshit. > > This is about union busting and give aways to Walkers cronies. Plain and simple. Nothing to do with the budget crisis that he created himself. From the linked article: > [@](#): > > “It’s important to note that the $7.5 million described yesterday (Thursday) in court was the information I had available to me based upon estimates provided me by the Division of State Facilities,” said Michael Huebsch, secretary of the Department of Administration, during a news conference. > > That would be Plale’s division. > > But on Friday, Plale said “I think that’s more of a worst-case scenario.” The “worst case scenario” figure did come from Plale’s own staff ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-gop-passes-union-stripping-bill/574111/47 "2011-03-10T03:29:02Z")
> [@UncaThomas](#): > > In 2010, interest on our debt was $413,954,825,362.17. That’s money that does NOTHING for our economy or people. What was the interest on your mortgage or car loan last year? Would you say that did nothing for you? ---
**Author:** ![Brad\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8dc957/32.png) [@Brad\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brad_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-gop-passes-union-stripping-bill/574111/48 "2011-03-10T03:29:43Z")
> [@flickster](#): > > From the linked article: > The “worst case scenario” figure did come from Plale’s own staff And it was debunked, yet you still felt the need to throw it out there. Now that you know it was wrong, I’m sure you’ll retract that rather than continue to repeat the fabricated figure. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-gop-passes-union-stripping-bill/574111/49 "2011-03-10T03:32:54Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > Gosh, why not? Because it had nothing to do with the budget? Certainly in the long run it does. But the reason is that the Democrats chose to absent themselves, barring any budget bill. So any related changes which don’t fall into the budget directly can be passed. Hopefully, the Democrats will come back now, and they can come to a budgetary compromise. ---
**Author:** ![Brad\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8dc957/32.png) [@Brad\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brad_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-gop-passes-union-stripping-bill/574111/50 "2011-03-10T03:37:09Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > Certainly in the long run it does. But the reason is that the Democrats chose to absent themselves, barring any budget bill. So any related changes which don’t fall into the budget directly can be passed. Hopefully, the Democrats will come back now, and they can come to a budgetary compromise. What compromise? Every concession EXCEPT ending collective bargaining was agreed to. And the Republicans forced that through anyway. There was never the option of compromise, it was do it 100% Walker’s way. No deals, no talking it over, no negotiations. What is there to compromise now? ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-gop-passes-union-stripping-bill/574111/51 "2011-03-10T03:38:13Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > Certainly in the long run it does. But the reason is that the Democrats chose to absent themselves, barring any budget bill. So any related changes which don’t fall into the budget directly can be passed. Hopefully, the Democrats will come back now, and they can come to a budgetary compromise. Budgetary compromise? The unions already agreed (long ago) to the changes in their compensation. This is about killing the union. Missing the budget compromise being sought here. ETA: Curses! Beat by seconds! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![TravisFromOR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cc9497/32.png) [@TravisFromOR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TravisFromOR)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-gop-passes-union-stripping-bill/574111/52 "2011-03-10T03:40:09Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > Gosh, why not? Because it had nothing to do with the budget? Well, then what was it doing there in the first place? ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-gop-passes-union-stripping-bill/574111/53 "2011-03-10T03:40:17Z")
> [@Brad\_the\_Impaler](#): > > And it was debunked, yet you still felt the need to throw it out there. Now that you know it was wrong, I’m sure you’ll retract that rather than continue to repeat the fabricated figure. I’ll do nothing of the sort as they still do not have an actual estimate. Plale didn’t say the numbers were incorrect, he said they were probably worst case scenario. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-gop-passes-union-stripping-bill/574111/54 "2011-03-10T03:40:54Z")
I hope the unions and the Democratic senators all take a hard line “hell no” stance to any compromise now that Walker has shown himself to be a liar. Make the state honor it’s commitments and pay them what the contract says they’ll be paid. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-gop-passes-union-stripping-bill/574111/55 "2011-03-10T03:43:01Z")
> [@flickster](#): > > I’ll do nothing of the sort as they still do not have an actual estimate. > > Plale didn’t say the numbers were incorrect, he said they were probably worst case scenario. Mental note, flickster is a completely remorseless liar. ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-gop-passes-union-stripping-bill/574111/56 "2011-03-10T03:44:17Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > Mental note, flickster is a completely remorseless liar. At least I’m able to read the linked article ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-gop-passes-union-stripping-bill/574111/57 "2011-03-10T03:44:41Z")
> [@flickster](#): > > I’ll do nothing of the sort as they still do not have an actual estimate. PolitiFact has a lengthy article on this. They rate the $7 million estimate as “Pants on Fire” lie. What will it take for you to accept the $7 million number is colossal bullshit? > [@](#): > > While urging a judge to scale back protests, a state Department of Administration official said the state Capitol sustained $7.5 million in damage. State officials could not immediately provide a basis for the number, and later backtracked from it. The new estimate: $347,500, some 20 times less than the original one. And there are indications that even that could be high. > > This smells like an effort to pour gas on the anti-protester fire. The claim was ridiculously high. And that gets a Pants on Fire rating. > > SOURCE: [PolitiFact | Wisconsin officials claim cleaning up the state Capitol will cost $7.5 million](http://www.politifact.com/wisconsin/statements/2011/mar/08/mike-huebsch/wisconsin-officials-claim-cleaning-state-capitol-w/) ---
**Author:** ![UncaThomas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/c77e96/32.png) [@UncaThomas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncaThomas)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-gop-passes-union-stripping-bill/574111/58 "2011-03-10T03:45:09Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > What was the interest on your mortgage or car loan last year? Would you say that did nothing for you? I don’t have notes on cars. The interest from my mortgage goes to a local individual’s mortgage company, not a bank per se. It stays pretty much in the local community as others borrow from his company. Unlike the interest on our debt which benefits the Chinese and other non-US entities to a great extent. Voinovich said that half the national debt is held by foreign investors, a statement considered true by Politifact. So, if you’re happy we’re borrowing roughly 40 cents of every dollar we spend and sending the interest to non-US entities, I’m glad you can view this in a positive light. I can’t see it as a successful long or even short term strategy. ---
**Author:** ![UncaThomas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/c77e96/32.png) [@UncaThomas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncaThomas)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-gop-passes-union-stripping-bill/574111/59 "2011-03-10T03:47:00Z")
Well, hey…what’s $347K in damages amongst friends? I mean, how can you have a decent rally without tearing the shit out of stuff, right? ---
**Author:** ![Brad\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8dc957/32.png) [@Brad\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brad_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-gop-passes-union-stripping-bill/574111/60 "2011-03-10T03:47:56Z")
> [@flickster](#): > > At least I’m able to read the linked article And you still continue to lie about it. At least I know not to bother talking to you since silly things like the truth don’t matter. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-gop-passes-union-stripping-bill/574111.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wisconsin-gop-passes-union-stripping-bill/574111.md?page=4)