The good news from Madison this weekend is that the circus was in town. No, really. If you were driving past the Madison Expo on Saturday you may have noticed there was a little more traffic than usual. Perhaps you may have thought it would have been better if a police office had been there to direct the extra traffic.
However, it is more than likely that any extra police officers that the Madison police Department had were at the other circus Saturday afternoon at the State Capitol Building. Pro-Union activists were again at the Capitol Square in force, first holding a rally and then marching around the Capitol chanting, drumming, and even twirling hula-hoops. My favorite was the person covered with stuffed animals asking people to hug him.
I admit it. I hugged him, too. I figured if the Capital Times’ John Nichols could hold the megaphone for the Reverend Jesse Jackson, I could give the fuzzy guy a hug.
Also in attendance on Saturday were a large number of supporters of the budget repair bill that would require state employee union members to contribute 5% to their pensions (they do not contribute anything now), and 12% to their health insurance (up from the current 6% they now contribute). The bill would also limit bargaining privileges for public employee unions to wages, ending their bargaining power for benefits and work rules.
Governor Scott Walker says the changes are necessary if we are to repair the current budget shortfall of $137 million as well as begin to address the $3.6 billion structural deficit for the next biennium. That structural deficit is even more daunting when other current debts are added in: $1.5 billion owed to the federal government for unemployment compensation, $58.7 million to Minnesota from the tax reciprocity agreement that is no longer in effect, and over $225 million to the medical malpractice fund.
The proposed changes in the unions’ bargaining privileges will also help local governments deal with the large cuts in state aid that are expected in Governor Walker’s proposed budget.
Many of the supporters of the proposed budget fix rallying at the Capitol were particularly frustrated with the tactics of the pro-union demonstrators and legislators. For much of last week, union teachers have been calling in sick to skip work and join the protests, forcing school districts to close schools. Parents have had to make child care arrangements on the fly as school districts almost randomly have decided to shut down.
Speaking at the rally, national political commentator, author, and Internet entrepreneur Andrew Breitbart captured much of his audience’s frustrations with the actions of the teachers unions.
“Because if what you’re doing right now is a lesson that you want to teach the American children - I don’t want my children to learn that lesson. Let me tell you what’s going on right now out there with people who have our children’s heads half of the day. Right now there are doctors out there giving them excuse notes to get out of work. What type of lesson are you sending to children that you’re willing to lie? That’s the first lesson you don’t want your kids to know.”
Tea Party members and other ralliers were also frustrated with the behavior of the Democratic State Senate members who fled the state rather than allow a vote to proceed on the budget repair bill on Tuesday.
The crowd chanted at times, “Recall them all,” a sentiment echoed in the signs carried by many in the crowd.
Mixed among the Tea Party members and Walker supporters were a few union supporters. Many of them were engaged in peaceful protest but a few of them were intent on being more disruptive. A small group of protestors carrying signs for the Madison teachers union or wearing AFSCME t-shirts marched into the Tea Party rally with loud bells attempting to make it impossible for rally-goers to hear the speakers.
Another protestor allegedly attempted to pull the cables from the rally’s sound system, and then allegedly knocked-down a bystander, Luke Bacher, who responded to the cord pulling by attempting to put the cords back in place. The momentary disruption to the program’s sound system did not seem to dim the optimism and enthusiasm of the pro-budget fix rally attendees, many of whom had no idea why the sound was cutting in and out.
The rally lasted nearly 1-½ hours before the crowd was directed back into the overwhelming throng of pro-union demonstrators who had completely ringed the Capitol.
While the Tea Party members and the proposed bill’s backers seemed to have a clearer vision of why they were at the Capitol, sometimes the message was not so clear on the pro-union side. For example, one demonstrator was clearly concerned about unfair treatment of a Hollywood movie star, carrying a sign that demanded the release of Charlie Sheen.
Another demonstrator seemed to be more concerned about the status of his Green Bay Packer season tickets than any issue before the legislature.
Adding to the circus atmosphere of the pro-union demonstrators was an assortment of anarchists, socialists, and even fruit.
I’m not sure what “dananas” cost, but I suspect the price per bunch includes a benefits package that many of the Tea Party ralliers would consider too expensive for Wisconsin.
Unfortunately, the pro-union demonstrators reminded us that there was a serious threat behind all of the silliness, and that this confrontation may not end with the passage of the budget repair bill when Senate Democrats remember which of the 57 states they call home.
By James Wigderson
Special Guest Perspective for the MacIver Institute
