Wisconsin: Dems Walkout to Stop Union-Busting Bill, Flee Across State Lines After GOP Asks State Patrol to Bring Them Back for a Vote — UPDATE: Dems are Located. . . in an Illinois Hotel
Protestors against Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s bill to eliminate collective bargaining rights for state workers pack the rotunda at the State Capitol in Madison.
Typical cowardly Dems.
(TPM) — So now we have at least one report from local TV in Wisconsin that the state’s Democratic senators have left the state entirely, putting them out of the reach of the state police who have been ordered to round them up so that Republicans have a quorum and can take up Gov. Walker’s union-busting budget bill.
But wait. There’s more.
The Senate majority leader, Scott Fitzgerald, who is ordering the state police to track down the wayward Democratic senators is the son of the head of the state police, Steve Fitzgerald, who in turn was appointed to the top spot by Walker. Steve Fitzgerald is also the father of the state’s speaker of the House, Jeff Fitzgerald.
As for whether the Democratic senators have in fact left the state, the spokesperson for the state Democratic Party tells TPM: “I know the whereabouts of not a single Democratic senator. I do not know what latitude they’re on, or know what longitude they’re on. I assume they’re in this hemisphere, I’ll say that.”
Update: Slumber party!
MADISON — Democratic State Senators who protested the budget repair bill by leaving the state have been found.
The lawmakers are in the Best Western Clock Tower Resort in Rockford Illinois.
Law enforcement officials have been looking for at least one Democratic senator to bring in for a quorum required for a fiscal measure, but Democratic Senator Jon Erpenbach confirmed to Newsradio 620 WTMJ that he and all of his Democratic colleagues boarded a bus and left the state.
“We’re not in Wisconsin right now,” Erpenbach said. “The reason why we’re doing this is because there are some jurisdictional issues that we’d be dealing with.”
The Senate’s Sergeant at Arms cannot compel Senators’ attendance in an open session if they are outside of state lines.
Posted by ZIP on Thursday, February 17, 2011, at 5:57 pm | 
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Pass the popcorn, please.
Seriously, when I say liberalism is a cowardly religion, or leftists run away like pussies, I only meant that in the figurative sense. I mean to see it actually happen…oh hell, just pass the popcorn!
We are now officially a third world country where our own president today endorsed union strikes against the Wisconsin state government and democrat members of the Wisconsin state government fled to stall voting until a much larger Egyptian style protest could be orchestrated on Monday. This is what happens when a country is led by a community organizer instead of a leader.
lotsa butter please!!!!
So this be more or less the equivalent of holding their breath until turn blue, or having a childish temper tantrum?
Very educational
This is getting good.
Chicago is a sanctuary city – look there.
The leftist msm thinks this is cute…all for this, happy as hell about it- this will backfire on the dumb-ass Talking Heads too…they just don’t get it.
Maybe they will come Nov. ’12.
Does anyone know what the reprecutions of this is?
Seems to me they have abdicated their seats.
I wonder how long it is until the seats are declared vacant.
Weird, really weird.
I’m with you Fishy,
This is really weird.
The chickens of liberalism coming home to roost. Let’s hope the citizens of Wisconsin wise up and make the Democrats pay for their dereliction of duty.
Elections have consequences…bitches
We need to replace the people that have abdicated their duties.
.
Gov should allow regular ordinary citizens to home school kids from up to 6 families then everyone pull all kids out of the schools that went to protest.
Then there should be a counter protest demanding all private employees get the same retirement benefits from the state.
This is pure entertainment. We had Democrats bail on voters here in Texas years ago. I think they went to either Oklahoma or New Mexico and to this day I do not think they have recovered from it.
Wanted dead or alive… Because we all a deadDemocrat can still vote !
The average Wisconsin voters are so mad at these greedy power mad unions that they are spitting nails on websites and on the radio.
Government employees use to work for us, now somehow they think we work for them even though we pay there outrageous wages and benefits. They have been controlling the political hacks there for way to many years.
The Democratic political hacks were last seen boarding a little yellow bus and hiding their faces as they were driven out of town.
Hold firm Governor Walker, don’t let these people try to control the states purse strings anymore like the former governor did.
MNHawk says:
February 17, 2011 at 2:43 pm
I wonder how long it is until the seats are declared vacant.
I wonder if Repubs can schedule this vote every day for as many days as is required to declare them vacant.
Can they be fired for neglecting their duties? As for the unions protesting spending cuts, Americans despise them more every day. Please keep it up!
In NY state…one or two years ago…
the Dems locked themselves into the chamber and wouldn’t
let the Republicans into the chamber…
there was a standoff for a day or so…I don’t remember how it worked out…
Democrats are some whacked out idiots…
That running away has been tried before and didn’t work then either. Friggin’ cowards – can’t even face a vote…hmmm, sounds like Mr. “I vote present” himself.
Here’s a link to the NY story…..
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=agBZ12Rb.9ag
Democrat:
Rat
Coward
Scum
Slime
Ass Wipe
Puke
Maggot
But I digress. . . . ..
Warrants should be issued, arrests for interstate flight then imprisonment.
Now this union crap has spread to Ohio. Emperor Hussein calls it an assault on the unions. The time has come to defy the unions and dismantle their destructive power. Reagan dealt with it by stipulating that people go back to work or lose their jobs. There plenty of unemployed people who would love to take the jobs of the strikers.
Agreed, Redwaine – and those out of work would probably work harder, too.
sorry, Redwine – sheesh I can’t type today
Reagan fired all the air tower controllers and hired new ones; fire all the teachers and hire unemployed workers (who know more about the subjects than mere education majors).
As has been suggested, declare the Democrat seats vacant and appoint new legislators in Wisconsin.
.
Where are the Basij when you need them…
Barrys people are involved in Wisc and Ohio.
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0211/DNC_playing_role_in_Wisconsin_protests.html?showall#
It should be interesting to see how this plays out. The conservatives better stand firm. Counter-protests would be a nice touch, too.
How many states will the feds end up suing? Of course, why should they care when they’re not using their own money.
Yes, Obama did liked trying on the “Reagan Hat” last week, so why not fire the union people like a real President Reagan might have?
Obama is all hat and no cowboy this week I guess – and no surprises.
Why are the taxpayers of Wisconsin obligated to pay for these useless bums that aren’t doing their elected duties? I say fire each and every one of them! And prosecute them for thievery of the taxpayer’s hard-earned money, used to pay their salaries! Send them to prison, if I or you defrauded the taxpayer, we would be arrested. A thorough investigatory process should be started NOW. I’d call em Puke Bags, but I won’t.
zone says:
February 17, 2011 at 4:23 pm
Yes, Obama did liked trying on the “Reagan Hat” last week, so why not fire the union people like a real President Reagan might have?
Obama is all hat and no cowboy this week I guess – and no surprises.
______
That AND fire Barry!
Let the layoffs begin compliments of the DEMS
“We’re not in Wisconsin right now,” Erpenbach said. “The reason why we’re doing this is because there are some jurisdictional issues that we’d be dealing with.”
The Senate’s Sergeant at Arms cannot compel Senators’ attendance in an open session if they are outside of state lines.
__________
So what does this mean? They’re in contempt?
According to Moe Lane at Red State, Democrats may not be needed to proceed with a vote on the collective bargaining legislation:
http://www.redstate.com/moe_lane/2011/02/17/wi-showdown-democrats-not-needed-for-regular-business/
Nope, sorry, I was was misreading the post, they WERE out of state.
I still think Repubs should schedule the vote everyday of the week until they run the clock out and cause the Dems to be removed from their seats.
Someone at the link RickS posted made a good point….they probably charged hotel. food ect to their state credit cards.
Why doesn’t a Republican pull a Spector and switch to Democrat and then have the vote in Wisconsin?
@Zcat,
nice idea.
Wisconsin is a suburb of ‘Chicago’
lol
they went home to roost
T2M says:
I saw that on a website and thought it was a great idea. What the republicans fail to see is they’re going to have to play dirty in some of these issues like the democrats do!
Quick before it’s too late!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRaNwPGcQcM
It won’t be long before it’s like this on the National Level and that will be about the time they start enforcing this Law… http://www.zdnet.com/news/annoy-someone-online-two-years-in-jail/146270
Watchul_Eye says:
February 17, 2011 at 5:14 pm
“I’d call em Puke Bags, but I won’t”
I saw what you did there!!!!
Up Date:
DEMOCRATS FLEE WISC CAPITOL !
DEMOCRATS FOUND… WORKING…….NIX……HIDING AT RESORT IN IL…
POSSE ON THE TRAIL….
D-rats escape heading back to their hole ?
Wanted dead or alive… OK ALIVE….
BUT we all a Know that a dead Democrat can still vote !
The demoncraps in Texas tried this a few years ago. They fled to Ardmore OK just before a redistricting vote.
From what I can find, the OK Highway Patrol couldn’t do a thing about it. If I remember correctly, it went on for a few weeks. In the end, they had to go home, the redistricting passed and the demoncraps have never recovered in certain parts of TX.
My solution would be, call for an extended legislative session. The repubs are at home, the demoncraps have to cover their hotel and food expenses, lack of poontang from mom, missing kids, etc. Sooner or later one has to cross the state line to go home. Hog tie him and drag him into the senate chamber and vote.
Don’t anyone out there know how to call in the A-TEAM? This here situation is right up their alley!
I understand via Hoft @ Gateway Pundit, that Tea Party Patriots tracked these guys down.
And is there a reporter up there with the balls to demand to know whose credit card those resort rooms were put on, and did they expect the Wisconsin taxpayers to end up paying for them?
As to the protest numbers in Madison … I doubt they are all Wisconsin citizens.
Hahaha another reason for Dems to hate TEA Party! Love love LOVE it!!
Stupid Cheeseheads
I’m sending Hookers and Pizza over to em .
Maggie says:
February 17, 2011 at 6:41 pm
I think that is what got the TX demoncraps. They were not out of the state on official business, so per diem does not come into play.
Now, can the demoncrap party pay for it? I doubt it.
Can the unions pay for it? Indictments will follow I am sure.
Like a previous commentor said, holding their breath till they turn blue. That will happen around Sunday afternoon. Then the bus cruises up the Interstate to the toll booth and returns to madison.
I have family, and friends who have family in WI, and pretty much everybody outside of madison looks at madison as a dysfunctional cesspool.
“As to the protest numbers in Madison … I doubt they are all Wisconsin citizens.”
Right you are, Maggie. Just heard none other than Juan Williams admit it on Bret Baier’s show.
Doesn’t it seem like the dems’ credit cards should be canceled since they’re not on state business and abusing the privilege? Sheesh! The state is already broke! Wouldn’t you just love to see their faces at checkout time when the desk attendant tells them their card has been declined (and it will have to come out of their own pockets!)?
As for one Repub “turning” dem to hold a quorum, I think it’s the sheer number of people that need to be present, not necessarily what party they belong to.
Did anybody post this tweet yet?
WISenDems WISenDems
Can you believe this shit? We’re being chased by Tea Partiers in Barack Obama’s Illinois! #wipolitics
28 minutes ago Unfavorite Retweet Reply
http://twitter.com/#!/WISenDems/status/38382696585637888
(I wonder if someone created that account just to say funny stuff. I’ll look into it a little.)
Hahahaha – yeah – that’s what it is. A parody. I wish I knew who did it. : )
The wonderful Texas Democrats walked out twice a few years ago, visiting Oklahoma & New Mexico because they did not want to vote on a bill.
I have never voted for a Democraze since then. They are a total embarassment to any state when they act like spoiled rich kids and throw a fit when they don’t get their way. I’m sure they will send the cost of their little excursion to the people just like the Texans did.
This is exactly what is wrong with our country, and the problem is; the teachers have brainwashed these college students into thinking this is okay. Wisconsin teachers are a disgrace to the education system. The Americans who are out of work would enjoy a chance at a job. These union thugs are a joke, Americans need to wake up and realize we cant afford to keep giving to nothing.
The Stimulus was a joke and yet here again we have another joke on our hands and a douche in office who doesn’t understand simple business.
Go Mr. Walker go…..I for one and grateful Kansas is a “rite to work” state. These unions from Missouri who get all the Kansas City area jobs need to stay out as well. I for one am sick and tired of this ignorance and arrogance.
gatewaypundit.rightnetwork.com
Tea Party found them and are chasing them
Why does any state employee, who is likely guaranteed job for life, need collective bargaining rights? Any rights they fight for are already provided by their employer; the state government.
It is the job of every union representative to acquire just as much ‘stuff’ for their client as they possibly can. When the employer is a government and not a private entity, there is no limit to what a union can ask for. Their employer will likely NEVER go out of business.
The unions have a state approved labor monopoly. Private workers need not apply.
.
These “servants of the people” should not be paid while on their trantrum trip. Lord, what examples they set. And they want to be addresses as “honorable”?
Hope the voters of Wisconsin remember this next state-wide election.
Well how very “democratic” of them! If they can’t win they’ll just take the ball and go home. Their paychecks should be docked until they return.
If it were within my power I’d send 20 hookers and a couple photographers to the Tilted Kilt Pub and Eatery. Maybe a couple ladyboys, too.
my brother who is a highly decorated retired Police Captain could lose his retirement.. he received an award from the state legislature for his programs that saved the state over 40 million dollars.. now they are debating on throwing him under the bus to keep from taxing rich people.
“To keep from taxing rich people.” Rich people (whatever that means) are already heavily taxed. Sorry for the facts.
The Great anti American evil forces in action, once confronted they back down. Evil must be stood up against.
You can run but not hide asswipes.
Call the cops and put out a BOLO on them.
They sure know how to represent, eh? Run like the little vile creeps they are and then slither under the nearest rock.
Check each protester to see if they are illegal aliens
my brother who is a highly decorated retired Police Captain could lose his retirement.. he received an award from the state legislature for his programs that saved the state over 40 million dollars.. now they are debating on throwing him under the bus to keep from taxing rich people.
Bullshit
Is he retired now, or like 35? One fucking year from retirement. I love the police and firefighters, but retiring at 49 on full pay or twice pay or whatever it is is an unfair drag on the system and on the taxpayers.
and they are not gonna take his retirement away, afaik
What I understood them to be saying was that the vote will require the union members to pay a higher percentage into retirement, and insurance – and even then, it is still less than a non-union worker has to pay. It would not hurt union members, but they just don’t want to give an inch. If everyone has to sacrifice, than let everyone sacrifice; not everyone but the unions. JMO
Be nice if someone paid my fucking retirement.
I have zero sympathy for these statists. Maybe they should find another line of work. Plenty of folks would be willing to take these jobs with no pension.
These acts are simply intolerable. Who the hell do these people think they are?
How long do they think we are going to tolerate these double standards—we are a REPUBLIC. The people of Wisconsin spoke and this must be done. There are people all over this country that are jobless by design. If the President spent the time on the economy instead of implementing an agenda–we would start to recover—HEY DEMOCRATS-YOU HAVE HAD POWER FOR 70 YEARS AND YOU HAVE DONE NOTHING—WE ARE SICK OF YOUR BULLYING.
Those poor people that have lost their jobs are still paying taxes to you public employees and you have the nerve to complain. We live in a MERITOCRACY and if you do not produce we will get someone who will—F U
Watch the movie : Cartel and then you will go galactic. ABOLISH THE DEPT OF EDUCATION—WE PAY AND YOUR INDOCTRINATE OUR KIDS WITH ANTI-AMERICAN PROPAGANDA AND A GLOBAL WARMING HOAX–F U
Rockford Tea Party organized a flash mob on facebook and drove the Demorats out!
Fun Times!!
http://www.breitbart.tv/tea-party-drives-senate-dems-back-to-madison/
House Republicans walked out just 3 days ago to protest a bill. Anybody talking about that? This bill is a lot more than just busting unions (although I believe that is Walker’s highest goal). If you take the time to research it, you would see. It tranfers the funds from state workers to Mediocaid($170 million) and to Dept. of Corrections($22 Million) along with a lot of other money shifting. I am all for making some cuts, but lets make some sense of it before we start slashing! How about Workers compensation and Badger care? By the way,the bill will add to Badger care as it prohibits limited time employees from being eligible for health insurance even if they pay for it.
What a bunch of limp-wrist-ed, bed-wetting, back-stabbing, boot-licking, scum-sucking, mealy-mouthed, cry-babies. Cowards, every one of them. Elections have consequences and so do your actions. Let’s see if any of these limp-wrist-ed, bed-wetting, back-stabbing, boot-licking, scum-sucking, mealy-mouthed, cry-babies gets re-elected. If they do, Wisconsin will get exactly what they deserve and I will not shed one tear when they fail.
Pussy fucks.
Made their reservations 2 months ago.
Damn shore you would not find sympathy in MN.
This is Barry’s party…these are Barry’s people….the screaming crap in the
street are Barry’s stalwarts…….Doncha just want to give this bastard another four years! ( Chris Matthews: “It’s my job to help this president succeed!”)
GREAT MOVE BY WISCONSIN DEMOCRATS!
What kind of person flees the state they represent in order to not lose a vote? And what kind of political Party resorts to such tactics? A pathetic person and a pathetic Party. The Democrats need to change their name because they no longer care about freedom. They want to impose their Totalitarian world view on the rest of us and may soon see that they will take a “by any means necessary” approach to do it.
The Democrats and unions walk hand in hand and unionists act as the Party’s shock troops. How soon before we see nation wide protests and even riots in America because of a possible government shutdown?
http://www.bluecollarphilosophy.com/2011/02/wisconsin-democrats-flee-state-to-avoid-doing-their-job-governor-tells-democrats-to-come-back-democrats-confronted-video.html
Cops and firefighters are exempt from this bill.
You see how cowardly they are. If more people knew this they would stand up to them.
And maybe just maybe some sanity is being restored around the Great Lakes.
Please show your support for the politicians who are trying to curb the entitlement mentality in Wisconsin. I got this list from a poster over at Michelle Malkin’s blog and I’m trying to pass it around:
——–
Tell Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker that we are behind him!
Office of Governor Scott Walker
115 East Capitol
Madison WI 53702
govgeneral@wisconsin.gov
608-266-1212
The nineteen state senators who are standing fast on principle are below. Drop a note and thank them for their patriotic stand.
Sen.Ellis@legis.wisconsin.gov
Sen.Darling@legis.wisconsin.gov
Sen.Cowles@legis.wisconsin.gov
Sen.Fitzgerald@legis.wisconsin.gov
Sen.Galloway@legis.wisconsin.gov
Sen.Grothman@legis.wisconsin.gov
Sen.Harsdorf@legis.wisconsin.gov
Sen.Hopper@legis.wisconsin.gov
Sen.Kapanke@legis.wisconsin.gov
Sen.Kedzie@legis.wisconsin.gov
Sen.Lasee@legis.wisconsin.gov
Sen.Lazich@legis.wisconsin.gov
Sen.Leibham@legis.wisconsin.gov
Sen.Moulton@legis.wisconsin.gov
Sen.Olsen@legis.wisconsin.gov
Sen.Schultz@legis.wisconsin.gov
Sen.Vukmir@legis.wisconsin.gov
Sen.Wanggaard@legis.wisconsin.gov
Sen.Zipperer@legis.wisconsin.gov
They all should be thrown out of office. If any of us would do such a thing to our employers we would be fired on the spot
Why is the American flag upside-down?