February 18, 2011

“LABOR VERSUS THE

COMMON GOOD”
Gov. Walker Tries To Shore Up Budget
Shortfall While Unions Abandon School
Children To Protest
______________________________________________________________________
Chicago Tribune: “But how proud are they that the children of Madison, Wis., have missed school the last
two days because so many of their teachers abandoned their classrooms and joined a mass demonstration?
(Editorial, “Lost: The Common Good,” Chicago Tribune, 2/17/11)

• Tribune: “Joined a mass demonstration to intimidate the members of the Wisconsin Legislature, who
are trying to close a $3 billion deficit they face over the next two years?” (Editorial, “Lost: The Common Good,”
Chicago Tribune, 2/17/11)

• Tribune: “Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has demanded that state workers contribute roughly 5.8
percent of their wages toward their retirement. He wants them to pay for 12 percent of their health-
care premiums. Those modest employee contributions would be the envy of many workers in the
private sector.” (Editorial, “Lost: The Common Good,” Chicago Tribune, 2/17/11)

• Tribune: “Walker is trying to give Wisconsin a reality check. In response, public workers have
interrupted the Legislature. Madison and many neighboring public schools have closed because so
many teachers called in sick and left to join the protest. Democratic lawmakers disappeared on
Thursday to stall a vote on the budget measures. Apparently some of them fled to … Illinois.” (Editorial,
“Lost: The Common Good,” Chicago Tribune, 2/17/11)

• Tribune: “Something is happening. Something is changing. In Madison, we see public servants in

mass protest to preserve a status quo that has pushed the state toward insolvency. This is not labor
versus management. This is labor versus the common good.” (Editorial, “Lost: The Common Good,” Chicago Tribune,
2/17/11)

ABC’s Amy Walter: “Doesn't the fact that OFA/DNC got engaged in WI suggest that any talk of ‘grown up
conversations’ re: fed entitlements is all but dead?” (Amy Walter, Twitter Account, 2/18/11)
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: “Democrats in the state Senate threw a temper tantrum Thursday - essentially
they took their ball and went home. Actually, they didn't go home. They apparently went to Illinois, just out
of reach of their obligations.” (Editorial, “The Dem’s Tantrum,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2/17/11)

• MJS: “One leading Democrat - Obama was his name, as we recall - put it well after winning the White
House in 2008: ‘Elections have consequences,’ he told Republicans at the time.” (Editorial, “The Dem’s Tantrum,”
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2/17/11)

• MJS: “The democrats' childish prank mocks the democratic process.” (Editorial, “The Dem’s Tantrum,” Milwaukee
Journal Sentinel, 2/17/11)

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 • MJS: “Meanwhile, some Wisconsin teachers decided to make a mockery of their own profession by
penalizing their students after an irresponsible call to action by Mary Bell, the chief of the state
teachers union.” (Editorial, “The Dem’s Tantrum,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2/17/11)

• MJS: “Both Senate Democrats and teachers should get over their snits and get back to work.” (Editorial,
“The Dem’s Tantrum,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2/17/11)

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: “But Walker is right to do this. He must insist that state workers pay a bigger
share of their benefits. And he’s right to take steps to compel them to do so.” (Editorial, “Walker Picks A Fight-And It’s The
Right Fight,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2/12/11)

• MJS: “While we may quibble over some of the details, Walker’s decision to force a showdown with
organized labor is long overdue. As Walker told the Editorial Board Friday: ‘These are things that
frankly GM and Chrysler should have gotten a better handle on, and they wouldn’t have been in the
problems they got into.’ He’s right, and it’s about time.” (Editorial, “Walker Picks A Fight-And It’s The Right Fight,”
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2/12/11)

Time Magazine’s Joe Klein: “Revolutions everywhere--in the middle east, in the middle west. But there is a
difference: in the middle east, the protesters are marching for democracy; in the middle west, they're
protesting against it.” (Joe Klein, “Wisconsin: The Hemlock Revolution,” Time’s “Swampland” Blog, 2/18/11)

• Klein: “I mean, Isn't it, well, a bit ironic that the protesters in Madison, blocking the state senate
chamber, are chanting ‘Freedom, Democracy, Union’ while trying to prevent a vote?” (Joe Klein, “Wisconsin:
The Hemlock Revolution,” Time’s “Swampland” Blog, 2/18/11)

• Klein: “An election was held in Wisconsin last November. The Republicans won. In a democracy,
there are consequences to elections and no one, not even the public employees unions, are exempt
from that.” (Joe Klein, “Wisconsin: The Hemlock Revolution,” Time’s “Swampland” Blog, 2/18/11)

• Klein: “We hold elections to decide those basic parameters. And it seems to me that Governor Scott
Walker's basic requests are modest ones--asking public employees to contribute more to their
pension and health care plans, though still far less than most private sector employees do.” (Joe Klein,
“Wisconsin: The Hemlock Revolution,” Time’s “Swampland” Blog, 2/18/11)

• Klein: “The negotiation of such contracts were acts of collusion rather than of mediation.
Government officials were, in effect, bribing their most activist constituents.” (Joe Klein, “Wisconsin: The
Hemlock Revolution,” Time’s “Swampland” Blog, 2/18/11)

• Klein: “Public employees unions are organized against the might and greed...of the public?” (Joe Klein,
“Wisconsin: The Hemlock Revolution,” Time’s “Swampland” Blog, 2/18/11)

The Wall Street Journal: “For Americans who don't think the welfare state riots of France or Greece can
happen here, we recommend a look at the union and Democratic Party spectacle now unfolding in
Wisconsin. Over the past few days, thousands have swarmed the state capital and airwaves to intimidate
lawmakers and disrupt Governor Scott Walker's plan to level the playing field between taxpayers and
government unions.” (Editorial, “Athens In Mad Town,” The Wall Street Journal, 2/18/11)

• WSJ: “The bill would also require union members to contribute 5.8% of salary toward their pensions
and chip in 12.6% of the cost of their health insurance premiums. If those numbers don't sound
outrageous, you probably work in the private economy. The comparable nationwide employee
health-care contribution is 20% for private industry, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.”
(Editorial, “Athens In Mad Town,” The Wall Street Journal, 2/18/11)

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• WSJ: “Madison's school district had to close Thursday when 40% of its teachers called in sick. So
much for the claim that this is ‘all about the children.’” (Editorial, “Athens In Mad Town,” The Wall Street Journal, 2/18/11)

• WSJ: “The battle of Mad Town is a seminal showdown over whether government union power can be
tamed, and overall government reined in. The alternative is higher taxes until the middle class is
picked clean and the U.S. economy is no longer competitive. Voters said in November that they want
reform, and Mr. Walker is trying to deliver. (Editorial, “Athens In Mad Town,” The Wall Street Journal, 2/18/11)

• WSJ: “We hope Republicans hold firm, and that the people of Wisconsin understand that this battle is
ultimately about their right to self-government.” (Editorial, “Athens In Mad Town,” The Wall Street Journal, 2/18/11)

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