K&R this to thank Scott Walker and the Koch brothers!

[MannyGoldstein]

"There's class warfare, all right, but it's my class, the rich class, that's making war, and we're winning."
-- http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/26/business/yourmoney/26every.html?_r=1&ex=1165554000&en=02ed48ae1473efe0&ei=5070">Warren Buffet, 2006

Walker and the Kochs have done what seemed impossible: they finally woke up a critical mass of Americans to the fact that we're being gutted like a fresh-caught fish as a meal for the Predator Class. We're finally fighting back! Hundreds of thousands of Americans in the streets saying "enough!".

We haven't seen this in 31 years, since The Gipper launched his first wave of assaults.

The current battle is not yet won, but it's looking better - one WI Republican has folded, others will likely follow. Whether we win or lose this one, it will be a long and bruising fight to reclaim our country after 30 years of unrelenting war against us. But we can win this thing - there's many more of us than there are of them, and one person still equals one vote. We need to be smart, but we can do it.

Until now, after watching our descent for so many years, I didn't think we had a chance. But now Walker and the Kochs have plainly made their case to America, and America seems to have gotten the lesson: game on!

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. k n r

[Skip_In_Boulder]

2. Yep, if the Democrats will hang tough here

and not capitulate Scottie could be the best thing that has happened for progressives in a long time. However, there is already a rumor going around that a couple of the Republicans are willing to change their votes on this bill. If Democrats buy this they will bury themselves.

[AllyCat]

3. Where have I been? Who folded???

Jeez, I live here and had not heard this. If true, this is very good news.

[Jackpine Radical]

4. Dale Schultz.

[AllyCat]

6. Nice! Thank you. Had no clue this was happening.

[Iris]

9. He's the one who recommended the sunset on the collective bargaining ban, right?

[Quantess]

13. HI! I Love Wisconsin!

I really do. I lived there for one semester at Marquettte.

[siligut]

5. While it feels good to be vindicated

It would feel so much better not to have to be. If only it were all paranoia. I only hope it doesn't have to get worse and that we will have a plan in place so our country is restored to what our founding fathers fought for. K&R

[MannyGoldstein]

7. Ultimately, the Founders gave us the ability to right the ship

They knew we'd fuck it up over time. Here's what Ben Franklin said in his closing address at the Constitutional Convention (emphasis mine):

"In these sentiments, sir, I agree to this Constitution, with all its faults, - if they are such, - because I think a general government necessary for us, and there is no form of government but what may be a blessing to the people, if well administered; and I believe, further, that this is likely to be well administered for a course of years, and can only end in despotism, as other forms have done before it, when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic government, being incapable of any other."

They gave The People the right to vote, and set up checks and balances to keep the vote from being taken from us for as long as possible - so that when we did screw things up, we'd have the chance to fix it without bloodshed if we finally got smart. Walker and the Kochs have made us a little smarter.

[siligut]

8. It was so easy to deny

No one wanted to believe it, partly because it was insidious, the media kept telling us everything was fine. Religion was telling us it was fine, it was easier to believe it was fine. Then, even then, my impulse was to leave the country, because I could see it, but everyone was telling me it wasn't happening. So we got Obama in, there was hope, but the machine the powerful wealthy have created, encompasses our government and they have checks and balances at every level.

[MannyGoldstein]

10. The Founders understood today's elected Democrats too:

"Few men have virtue to withstand the highest bidder."
-- George Washington

(Not all elected Democrats. But far too many.)

We can only count on ourselves right now.

[siligut]

12. If only we could take the money out of politics

At least everyone is waking up to the T-party, they are a scary lot, zealots with power. And the media treating them like they are worth listening to. That is the worst, people think because the media accepts them that they are valuable. When the reich cornered the media it was a real coup.

[krispos42]

11. Must get the word out

[Quantess]

14. I believe that to be true.