The part that is disturbing is that the letter said taking a neutral stance was the same as saying no to them. So if business says they want to stay out of this fight because they don't want to take sides and alienate customers, the union will target them as an enemy. This kind of wording is intimidation and threatening. A lot of local businesses felt that way.
I'm trying to view this from the perspective of a business owner, and you're damn right I would find it frustrating. The "you're either with us, or you're against us" mentality can be very trying for people asked to make a stand, because they're essentially being forced to piss off ~half their customer base. Judging from the divisiveness I've read thus far, a pro union sign in a business would turn off probably about as many customers as having an anti union sign would piss off.
So, yeah, as a business owner, being asked to piss off half my customers either way would be annoying.
However...I don't think it's unfair for the unions to go this route. Any business that pays money to the chamber of commerce (and almost all of them do, at least if Wisconsin is anything like Michigan) is already implicitly supporting the anti union bill, aren't they? Doesn't it make sense for the Unions to want to use whatever legal power they have to encourage businesses to show support?
Again, I don't see threats of boycotts as intimidation. *Definitely* threatening...but this isn't the type of fight where Joey's Cafe can pretend to be Switzerland.
edit: sorry, Dimmer. I'll discontinue this derail and maybe make a new topic.
Agree to disagree then.
I find it curious that you seem to overlook these while managing to find the time to post dirty stories about conservative and/or Republican supporters.
Again, after your "catching the Klop" comment, you don't get to complain anymore.
Thank you King Malor for the decree. Are you done harassing me now?
I'm not in Wisconsin, but good look with your recalls! Unfortunately I live in Florida, where our new governor is so hated right now that we'd love to recall him...but sadly there's no laws to do so in Florida yet. It looks like one is going to pass, but it won't take effect until next year.
Thank you King Malor for the decree. Are you done harassing me now?
Your respect is showing again.
Heh, my mom spent a couple of years growing up in Ripon. We visited the site where her house used to be when we stomped through Wisconsin a few years ago.
the only instances of inappropriate behavior were instigated by the Democrats.
The word 'instigating' is particularly important in this context. It means 'the Democrats gave us an excuse for our bad behavior; it's ALL THEIR FAULT we got disruptive and rowdy at a private meeting."
"Instigated" means he's guilty as f*ck.
What business does a man from Utah have trying to petition for things in other states? Just one more problem in this farce we call a "Republic".
What business does a man from Utah have trying to petition for things in other states? Just one more problem in this farce we call a "Republic".
First Amendment, last I checked.
What business does a man from Utah have trying to petition for things in other states? Just one more problem in this farce we call a "Republic".First Amendment, last I checked. :-)
True, but for someone who is apparently catering to a party that espouses smaller, state-focused government, he sure is widening his focus. Not that I personally find his actions a detriment to the idea of an American Republic, but it certainly speaks to the hypocrisy of some conservatives. If you want a smaller, state-run government, then worry about your own state and let the others do as they please. That's kind of the point, isn't it?
True, but for someone who is apparently catering to a party that espouses smaller, state-focused government, he sure is widening his focus. Not that I personally find his actions a detriment to the idea of an American Republic, but it certainly speaks to the hypocrisy of some conservatives. If you want a smaller, state-run government, then worry about your own state and let the others do as they please. That's kind of the point, isn't it?
The double irony/hypocrisy being that some years ago, Utah passed a proposition to make citizen bill petitions. The fear mongered? That Californians were signing, and getting stricter environmental regulations before the legislature.
True, but for someone who is apparently catering to a party that espouses smaller, state-focused government, he sure is widening his focus. Not that I personally find his actions a detriment to the idea of an American Republic, but it certainly speaks to the hypocrisy of some conservatives. If you want a smaller, state-run government, then worry about your own state and let the others do as they please. That's kind of the point, isn't it?
I agree entirely, but we can't prevent him from speaking out just because he's a hypocritical idiot. FoxNews even has Bush instead of Obama on their front page today, but hey, free speech.
How will that potentially affect the balance in the state house?
The senate is current 19-14 in favor of the Republicans. Best case scenario for Democrats (winning all recall elections) would make it 20-13 in their favor. Best case for GOP would make it 22-11. The likely outcome is that it will stay the same or move 1 in either direction.
Since yesterday's assembly elections were mentioned, here are the stats:
GOP wins back 2 of the 3 seats opened up by members being appointed to other positions in the Walker administration.
Republicans held on to the 60th and 83rd districts in southeastern Wisconsin. Democrats grabbed the 94th District in western Wisconsin, a seat held by Republicans for 16 years.Republican Duey Stroebel of the Town of Cedarburg overwhelmingly defeated the challenge of Democrat Rick Aaron in the 60th District by a 3-to-1 margin.
Dave Craig, an aide to U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and the Republican candidate for the 83rd District, beat Democratic challenger James Brownlow in the 83rd District.
Craig, of Big Bend, won 74% of the vote.
In the 94th District, Democrat Steve Doyle won over Republican challenger John Lautz.
Doyle, of Onalaska, gained 54% of the vote. He is the La Crosse County Board chairman and an attorney in private practice.
Lautz, of West Salem, is owner of Lautz Custom Builders Inc. He received 46%.
Professor caught using class time to get students to sign petition against Hopper:
http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/121219644.html
I heard a good portion of the audio. He tells students to sign anyways, even if they are not in the district (this is illegal according to discussions I have heard). He also makes a number of false statements about the budget repair bill including things like "it does not exempt Police and Firefighters" and "It makes joining a union illegal".
Well, there's also the Republicans who accepted dead people's signatures. I'm sure a few cases occur on both sides, but overall the process seems to have gone well.
Professor caught using class time to get students to sign petition against Hopper:
http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/121219644.html
I heard a good portion of the audio. He tells students to sign anyways, even if they are not in the district (this is illegal according to discussions I have heard). He also makes a number of false statements about the budget repair bill including things like "it does not exempt Police and Firefighters" and "It makes joining a union illegal".
Ugh. What is the deal in Wisconsin? I think this is a pretty sterling example of some real dirt from the Unions.
They should file charges against that guy. It's just not acceptable to pull sh*t like that.
They should file charges against that guy. It's just not acceptable to pull sh*t like that.
Maybe I'm confused about the nature of this, but what charges would one file against him? He mis-used his position and the time of his students, and should be disciplined or fired perhaps, but he wasn't actually gathering or submitting signatures, was he? I fail to see how this is different from the steaming pile of rhetoric and lies we hear during political rallies, other than that it was done on the college's time.
Malor wrote:They should file charges against that guy. It's just not acceptable to pull sh*t like that.
Maybe I'm confused about the nature of this, but what charges would one file against him? He mis-used his position and the time of his students, and should be disciplined or fired perhaps, but he wasn't actually gathering or submitting signatures, was he? I fail to see how this is different from the steaming pile of rhetoric and lies we hear during political rallies, other than that it was done on the college's time.
After actually following the link, I think you're right. I could just be ignorant about the law (likely), but it seems more likely any legal ramifications would fall on the university itself as the professor was acting in his official capacity as a representative. The university can discipline him.
The way it works in my head, if my manager urges to get me to sign something political he's breaking company policy. If he's discovered by someone outside the company, it's the company itself that's in trouble, not the manager. At least from a legal standpoint.
Yeah, so legal charges wouldn't make any sense... since I really doubt the university wanted him to be an idiot. But he should be disciplined. And he should feel like an idiot for doing more damage than good.
Pages