Conniption In Wisconsin

March 23rd, 2011
Please support the efforts to recall Wisconsin's anti worker corporatists HERE, HERE and HERE

Hey! Are you a disgruntled Wisconsin conservative who feels depressed that the tide of public opinion does not actually support your initiatives? Are you angry that so many of your fellow citizens are trying to use the tools guaranteed them under the law to recall valiant corporatists working against those greedy "workers"?


Do you fear that close to a million dollars in out of state astro-turf propaganda just isn't enough to get "your" message across? Are television ads showing a Wisconsin teacher (stock video of a model/actress pretending to be a teacher who is not actually from Wisconsin) not winning over hearts and minds to "your" fight? Well, one man felt just that way.

From The River Falls Journal:

"River Falls police were asked to track down and find a suspect who had made off with a batch of Sen. Sheila Harsdorf recall petition signatures late Sunday afternoon. The alleged theft occurred on the sidewalk near EconoFoods. The male suspect pretended he wanted to sign the petition to recall Harsdorf but instead swiped the forms with signatures and drove off.

The man drove back in five minutes and tossed the petition toward the group of volunteers. Either it was a poor throw or they couldn’t catch. The paperwork landed on wet pavement.With a vehicular and suspect description, an officer traced the man to his home near the River Falls Area Hospital.

The man seemed indignant that a police officer was at his door and denied being near EconoFoods. Then he said he couldn’t be accused of stealing the petition signatures because he returned them.

When informed of his arrest, he allegedly resisted being handcuffed and began yelling about police brutality. His wife, also home, told her husband to calm down."

Chicago Rallies For Union Rights

Feb 26th, 2011

by F. Grey Parker with Nicole Zimmerer

Chicago - Despite the snow, cold and bitter winds, thousands turned out in downtown Chicago today to show solidarity for Wisconsin's beleaguered public sector unions and, more broadly, for the principles of organized labor nationwide.

photo © copyright 2011 Nicole Zimmerer

We talked to citizens, union and non-union alike, some from as far away as W. Virginia and Oregon. They ranged in age from those too young to labor to those long out of the workforce.Their message was clear: collective bargaining is a right and not a privilege.



One attendee, Joe Nowak, said, "I'm retired. I come from three generations of union. We were a coal family. What these guys in Wisconsin are doing reminds me of the stories my dad used to tell me from before I was born." Another rally participant, a young woman who would only identify herself as Carolyn said, "if everyone had fought harder for unions 30 years ago we might not have to be here."

It was more difficult to get a large number of those in attendance to go on the record than we had expected. Often we were asked "who are you with?" Clearly, the fear of provocateurs and plants from right wing organizations was on the minds of the demonstrators.

Sen. Durbin Speaks To The Crowd

Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin (D) spoke to the crowd early and affirmed his support. He discussed the expanding scope of the attack on labor rights and the departure from Wisconsin by that state's 14 Democratic State Senators to buy time for compromise and draw attention. He quipped, "to our friends who have joined us today from Indiana, your senators are welcome here too." There was tremendous applause.

Only days ago, Indiana shelved the first of what are likely to be numerous attempts to model legislation after the Wisconsin bill. We met with Sen. Durbin after his speech to discuss the event and asked him about the "sanctuary" remark.

"This is not about one state or another state. This about the future of the rights of workers nationwide. If we don't stand with them today who will stand with us tomorrow?" 


He went on to reiterate that it is not a local issue but "has implications all across America and in Washington D.C."

The full photo galleries of our coverage will be available soon.
Please SIGN THE PETITION to recall Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.

A Reminder...

Feb 26th, 2011

Today is the day to turn out and show solidarity with the workers of Wisconsin! Find out WHERE TO GO.

Please SIGN THE PETITION to recall Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.

Quote Of The Day 3 - Wisconsin Solidarity Edition 2/26

Feb 26th, 2011

Today is the day to turn out and show solidarity with the workers of Wisconsin! Find out WHERE TO GO.

Please SIGN THE PETITION to recall Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.

"Legislation has been and is still directed towards the protection of wealth, rather than towards the far more important interests of labor on which everything of value to mankind depends." -- Leland Stanford

Class War?

Feb 26th, 2011

Today is the day to turn out and show solidarity with the workers of Wisconsin! Find out WHERE TO GO.

Please SIGN THE PETITION to recall Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.

Quote Of The Day 2 - Wisconsin Solidarity Edition 2/26

Feb 26th, 2011

Today is the day to turn out and show solidarity with the workers of Wisconsin! Find out WHERE TO GO.

Please SIGN THE PETITION to recall Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.

"The labor unions are group efforts in the direction of democracy. Like the political efforts in the same direction, they become many times stultified and lead up blind alleys. But the effort creates power. While the economic gains are themselves important and are measures of strength, the significance of the labor union is its assertion of the manhood of labor." -- Helen Marot

Unfair Comparisons?

Feb 26th, 2011

Today is the day to turn out and show solidarity with the workers of Wisconsin! Find out WHERE TO GO.
Please SIGN THE PETITION to recall Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.

Quote Of The Day - Wisconsin Solidarity Edition 2/26

Feb 26th, 2011

Today is the day to turn out and show solidarity with the workers of Wisconsin! Find out WHERE TO GO.

Please SIGN THE PETITION to recall Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.

"With all their faults, trade-unions have done more for humanity than any other organization of men that ever existed. They have done more for decency, for honesty, for education, for the betterment of the race, for the developing of character in man, than any other association of men." -- Clarence Darrow

High Noon

Feb 25th, 2011

Tomorrow at noon, we will see just how many Americans can make time to show solidarity with the anti-Walker forces in Wisconsin.


Across the nation, in front of every state house and in most major cities, actions are being held to push back against the war on labor. Will you be there?

Here is a website to help find the rally nearest you.

It is time to make a choice between the future and the past. The following video lays it out flat; this is nothing less than the end game of Reaganomics and the battle by the wealthy to turn our nation into a banana republic populated by wage-slaves.

"We Are Wisconsin"

Feb 24th, 2011

This is a beautiful portrait of solidarity from citizens of Wisconsin produced by Finn Ryan and David Nevala. © 2011 Finn Ryan and David Nevala. Please sign the petition endorsing the recall of Gov. Scott Walker.

We Are Wisconsin from Finn Ryan on Vimeo.

The Wisconsin Plot Thickens

Feb 18th, 2011

Raw video of Wisconsin firefighter's (who are exempted from Gov. Walker's union busting proposals) marching into the capital to show solidarity with those under attack.

Billy Bragg - And A Whole Bunch Of Petitions

Feb 18th, 2011

As event's continue to unfold in Wisconsin, Ohio and now Tennessee, we are bearing witness to the opening salvos of the most dangerous and well funded campaign against organized labor in 80 years. Here's a little breather from Billy Bragg that stays on point. Please investigate the links below the video while you listen and get involved.



Sign The AFL-CIO petition to Stop Attacks On Working Families
Sign the change.org petition to recall Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.
Join the fight against Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker on Twitter
Share your thoughts on recalling Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.
Join the BLUEGREEN alliance between environmental action and labor.