In what appears to be a slimy, illegal move on the part of Republicans in the Wisconsin State Senate, the controversial bill to end public employee unions, is pushed through committee. Needless to say, Wisconsin's Governor and Koch Brothers' favorite, Scott Walker, is jubilant. (I see a great number of similarities with the Republican action in Ohio. Republicans in the Ohio Senate rearranged the membership of the committee to get the bill out to the entire state senate. Now, Ohio Republicans in the Ohio House have already switched out several committee members to get a more favorable outcome for their anti-union, anti-Middle Class, legislation.)
MSNBC:
*** Even though a few days ago, Speaker of the Ohio House William Batchelder declared he wanted three weeks of hearing on SB 5, he appears to (a) have flip-flopped on the time line, (b) be responding to pressure by other Republicans (and possibly Kasich?) to have the final vote faster.
WFMJ:
Ohio's House speaker now says he hopes a bill to limit public workers' union rights will be voted on next week, suggesting a faster timetable than he'd indicated previously.
Speaker William Batchelder had said he wanted three weeks of hearings on the bill, which has drawn sometimes noisy protests at the Statehouse. Hearings began Tuesday and were to continue Thursday....
This is all being done to force Democrats to gather signatures faster for a referendum vote and to get the referendum on this year's ballot, which typically has a lower turn out since it is an off year election.
Ohioans are completely disgusted with the backroom deals, shifting of committee members, lack of transparency, and lack of respect that Republicans have displayed toward the working people in Ohio. Leading the list of disrespectful Republicans is Gov. John Kasich:
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