Wisconsin - The last message (orig. 2/21/2011)

When I began this series of messages, I had two objectives:

1) To make you aware of the situation in Wisconsin, and its importance to all of us.

2) To provide you with some facts that you could use when some low-information voter lets loose with gems such as, "Everybody knows public sector workers are doing much better than private sector workers."

I think those objectives have been accomplished. 

Personally, absent a miracle, I think the Wisconsin law will take effect. The Republicans only need to peel off a single Democrat and, realistically, they can't stay in Illinois forever. There isn't any sign that the Republicans will blink, and it would require three of them to switch sides in order to block the bill. In fact, it may not be necessary for any Democrat to come back. Apparently Wisconsin has different quorum requirements for different kinds of bills. There seems to be a way for the Republicans to convene a session, absent all democrats, and attach the legislation they want to another bill.

While it seems like a lost cause, I remember that great line from the Jimmy Stewart film, "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington." "Lost causes," he said, "are the only ones worth fighting for!"

Even if Wisconsin loses, they will have served as the "canary in a coal mine" for the rest of the country. They put up such a loud fight that folks in other states are aware the train is headed their way, and they have time to prepare for its arrival.

Let me leave you with a couple of thoughts:

1) I got involved in a Facebook conversation today in which people were commenting on how "shameful" it was for the Wisconsin Democrats to run away. My response went like this: 

"When you're in a legislative minority, are unexpectedly presented with a bill with only a 3-day window for consideration, with no hope of winning on what will be a party-line vote, you can choose to simply accept defeat or, if you believe passionately in your cause, you can use whatever delaying tactic is available to you to allow time for shining a public light on what you believe to be an injustice. It's not a shame to lose a fight, but it is a shame to never fight the fight."

2) Ask those who say that unions are bad for the country to imagine they woke up this morning and all the unions had vanished overnight. What kind of world would it be? Imagine a coal miner in West Virginia. He shows up for work today, knowing that there are unsafe conditions in the mine. When there had been a union, the union would have told the company that nobody is mining until the workplace is safe. And the company would make repairs because they couldn't fire all the miners, and even if they tried all the other union mines would shut down in protest.

But today, there is no more union and nobody speaks up because the miners need their jobs, and anyone who complains will just be fired. I'd like to hear someone explain just how that would make for a better country.

Hang in there, and let's keep fighting for those lost causes!