Sheilbh's Scott Walker Lovefest and Union Bashing Megathread

[11B4V]

Fox News, Obama Doctrine.........

[Razgovory]

"Thug" has become the term in right wing circles for black person.

"Union Thug" is a completely different thing.

For instance President Obama is often described as a "thug".

Nah, he's Urkel.

Oh, like the Protestant Irish?  I don't think any of the members of the Teacher's union Anti-catholic murderers.

[MadImmortalMan]

Most teacher's unions are anti-catholic. They don't like the competition. 

[Razgovory]

I do remember Scott Walker's henchmen suggesting they stir up trouble and then blame it on the Unions.

Carlos Lam, a Republican activist and Indiana deputy prosecutor, has resigned amid revelations that he sent an email calling for a fake attack on Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker designed to discredit union protesters.

Walker, a Republican, was the target of protests for his efforts to roll back many union collective bargaining rights in his state. In a Feb. 19 email uncovered by the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, Lam apparently told Walker he had a "good opportunity" to win public sympathy with a "'false flag' operation."

"If you could employ an associate who pretends to be sympathetic to the unions' cause to physically attack you (or even use a firearm against you), you could discredit the unions," read the email. It went on to say that the effort "would assist in undercutting any support that the media may be creating in favor of the unions."

Lam initially denied having sent the email, which The Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism (WCIJ) discovered "among tens of thousands" released in conjunction with an open-records lawsuit settlement. He told WCIJ he had been shopping for a minivan with his family when it was sent, and suggested his email account had been infiltrated by his political enemies.

"I am flabbergasted and would never advocate for something like this, and would like everyone to be sure that that's just not me," he said when read the email over the phone Tuesday. He added, speaking of the call for a fake attack on Walker, "jeez, that's taking it a little bit to the extreme. Jeez!"

Lam resigned as deputy prosecutor on Thursday morning, however, reportedly telling his boss he had indeed sent the email.

Last month, another Indiana official -- Deputy Attorney General Jeff Cox - lost his job for calling on law enforcement to "use live ammunition" on Wisconsin protesters.

Also in February, Walker was the victim of a prank call by a liberal journalistpretending to be billionaire conservative activist David Koch. When the journalist suggested planting people among the protesters to stir up trouble, Walker responded that "we thought about that" but added that he had decided against it.

"My only fear would be is if there was a ruckus caused is that that would scare the public into thinking maybe the governor has gotta settle to avoid all these problems," Walker said on the call, which was secretly recorded and released on the internet.

Walker press secretary Cullen Werwie told WCIJ that Walker's office did not see Lam's email and said no one had contacted him.

"Certainly we do not support the actions suggested in (the) email. Governor Walker has said time and again that the protesters have every right to have their voice heard, and for the most part the protests have been peaceful. We are hopeful that the tradition will continue," said Werwie.

[Habbaku]

Jim Webb

[Sheilbh]

I kind of agree with Shielbh.  Walker is about as vetted as you can be and has done some great things (from a GOP perspective) in Wisconsin.  He sure gave those union thugs a what-for.

I think you'd agree with me a lot on GOP/righty politics in general

If I were a Republican strategerist, Jim Webb would be my biggest worry getting any traction. 

Yep and

If I were a young politically minded American I'd volunteer for Webb. At least until Biden strips down and gets into the ring

[KRonn]

Coming from a state like Massachusetts where we have such corrupt, expensive, and inefficient government, scandal ridden as well (going through a few scandals now), I like Walker's approach to try and root out some of the mess and problems and save tax money in the process.

[Berkut]

KRonn, you say that like there is some kind of implied connection between powerful public sector unions and corruption.

That is just silly talk.

[CountDeMoney]

How does one explain corruption in states without these nefarious and fiendish "public sector unions", then?

[Valmy]

How does one explain corruption in states without these nefarious and fiendish "public sector unions", then?

Louisiana going to Louisiana.

[DGuller]

Coming from a state like Massachusetts where we have such corrupt, expensive, and inefficient government, scandal ridden as well (going through a few scandals now), I like Walker's approach to try and root out some of the mess and problems and save tax money in the process.

Your assumption is that Walker is trying to root out corruption, rather than replace union thugs with corporatist thugs.  I'm not sure why you would go with such a questionable assumption. 

[CountDeMoney]

How does one explain corruption in states without these nefarious and fiendish "public sector unions", then?

Louisiana going to Louisiana.

Somehow the feds missed the whole "public sector union" connection in their prosecution of Governor McDonnell of Virginia, and how teachers (probably black ones, no less) forced him to take all those gifts from Mr. Vitamin Guy. 

[KRonn]

KRonn, you say that like there is some kind of implied connection between powerful public sector unions and corruption.

That is just silly talk.

Really, what was I thinking. But that's just part of it. Unions are ok but they could use reforms, which is what I praise Walker for doing. Much of the corruption in MA is apart from the unions - it's the leaders and management and legislators.

Mass's latest scandal is its head of the  MBTA, who just resigned after the abysmal showing of the mass transit system during this winter. That's aside from numerous other major issues at the MBTA. Before that we had DFS problems with so many kids dying or not able to be found, plus other problems. Before that we had the Parole board scandals which landed a few people in jail. Our current Speaker is an un-indicted co-conspirator in those scandals. He's also the one who had put through term limits on the Speaker position after the previous three were either jailed or ousted and fined by the Feds, one losing his law license. Now this Speaker rammed through a change to his term limits so he could be Speaker for life. Also at the same time tried to push through a 70k pay hike for legislators but which had to be shelved as citizens actually finally spoke out against it. This was all just this past week or two when most of us were worrying about the glacial winter. Then we had massive problems at Welfare. The State's Inspector General and State Auditor in two separate investigations found so much fraud, waste and abuse that the director had to resign, and Dems and Repubs called for reform, though I don't think they reformed too much once things quieted down.

All these in just the last few years. There's more but you get the general idea. And Mass probably isn't the most corrupt state compared to states like New York and Rhode Island, but that's probably a distinction without a difference.

[Razgovory]

Oh, boy another Union bashing episode.

[Siege]

Public sector unions are bargaining against the taxpayer.
Highly immoral.