Advocates, opponents manage to coexist in same parking lot
By Jennifer Eisenbart
Staff writer
On Saturday, with a fresh dusting of snow on the ground and two diametrically opposed political groups occupying the same space in Burlington, it was nearly impossible not to expect some sort of confrontation.
Perhaps it was a result of the Christmas season, but the potentially explosive situation never materialized as the two groups went about their business just yards apart.
Supporters for the “Recall Walker” effort were out in force, scattered at several locations around Burlington but prominently in the Echo Park parking lot. They were joined there by a group whose members dubbed themselves the counter protest group – or Support (Gov.) Scott Walker.
Those who participated said the show of civility was less a case of holiday goodwill and more a result each side wishing to accomplish their goals in a dignified manner.
“We don’t talk to them, they don’t talk to us,” said Jordan Debbink, who has organized the counter-protest effort. “That’s my policy.”
On the other side, John Hopper, who manned the recall petition effort Saturday afternoon, added, “We haven’t said a word.”
Nonetheless, the peaceful coexistence in what has been a volatile political climate on both sides of the aisle was undoubtedly welcomed by many who’ve grown weary of the political posturing in the past year. As the recall elections involving state senators ended this summer, the effort to recall Walker geared up.
Last week, a group involved with the effort said that they had already collected more than 500,000 signatures. In order to get a recall election, 540,208 signatures are needed by Jan. 13.
There still remains a question of who would run against Walker – several local people involved with the effort wonder if there is a viable candidate – but it’s clear that both sides have plenty of supporters.
On Saturday, Debbink said his group had collected more than 400 signatures on its “Support Walker” petition. Debbink also said that his group garnered more attention Saturday than during previous demonstrations.
One of the supporters of Walker was Carla Condiff, a resident of Waterford who co-owns a private business in New Berlin. She had traveled into Burlington to purchase pet supplies Saturday, and after steering clear of a local restaurant because of a number of Recall Walker people in the general area, she saw the counter protest at Echo Park.
“I’ve never seen anywhere where you can sign, and I had to pull in to sign,” said Condiff. “And yes, I voted for Scott Walker.”
Casey Elmer, 19, joined the counter-protest group his friend Debbink organized as a show of support.
“It’s something I believe in,” Elmer said. “(Walker) didn’t do anything wrong. He did exactly what he said he was going to do.”
Debbink admitted there were some negative responses Saturday, including some of the one-finger variety.
“Whatever,” he said. “You just smile and wave.”
But he also said there were many of honks of support, and thumbs up.
The recall effort got a similar show of support – and grief, according to Hopper.
“I’ve been getting a lot of Republican waves,” said Hopper, saying also that they were of the one-finger variety. He also said while he’s seen a lot of support for the recall, he’s seen some level of disillusionment and misinformation as well.
“I’m also worried about who is going to run,” Hopper said. “If we don’t have a successful candidate, it doesn’t do any good.”
Shellie Ott, a Kenosha resident, was also in Burlington Saturday, helping out the Southern Lakes United Educators effort with the recall. In spite of having to travel to Burlington, and being a teacher in Silver Lake, Ott said the most important place for her to be Saturday was in Burlington.
“I’m a mother and I have to provide for my family,” Ott said. “This, (Walker’s) budget-repair bill, has costs me hundreds of dollars a month.”
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Does anyone know the answer to the following: If there is a recall election how is it funded? Assuming it is by the state tax payer doesn’t it make sense to just wait until the next election?
By all taxpayers of Wisconsin. And, it depends on who you talk to. The idea to recall Walker came even before he had his first day in office. That info can be found on the WEAC website (if it is still there). If not there is a copy of the documentation on the Vicki McKenna Page in Facebook. According to current statues, Governors can be recalled for wearing blue shoes, if someone decides to make the case.
Walker is tearing Wisonsin apart and I want the Wisconsin I love back. There’s more life and to Wisconsin than just money. It’s worth a lot of my time and effort and it’s worth the price. The notion that Walker recall began before he even took office is a LIE: http://www.politifact.com/wisconsin/statements/2011/dec/08/scott-walker/gov-scott-walker-says-recall-organizers-began-effo/
The people forming the recall do not care how the recall or the elections are paid for. They just want their money back that they now pay for silly things like their own retirement and insurance. That is their whole mindset, give me the money and I don’t care how you get it. They live in lala land and now face reality and can’t handle it. It also doesn’t help that most of their information comes from their corrupt unions and they unfortunately believe it all.
the other issue with this is they lost a significant amount of power, including political power. The others include the ability to negotiate for raises above a certain percentage unless there is a referendum, the ability to insist on WEA Trust health care (as an example – no competitive bidding), and other sick/work time rules that some are taking advantage of. That is why there are a few city bus drivers in Madison making over $100,000 per year. Nice gig if you can get it.
As a non-union person employed in the private sector, I’m not getting any money back. I want my State back that Walker and his minions have torn in two with their extremist radical agenda. What kind of person takes away health coverage from poor people and their children to give tax breaks to multinational corporations that have no allegiance Wisconsin, let alone America? What kind of values are those? Sick ones.
We can’t wait another three years. Wisconsin continues to lose jobs since this budget has passed. The current administration seems to be on a mission of distruction aimed at women and children. I am a tax payer and will gladly foot the bill to remove Walker and his divisive manner of governing our state.
You have a short memory. Governor Doyle eliminated about 10,000 civil servant jobs when in office. The unions didn’t get up in arms very much, nowhere near like they did in the last year. Governor Walker has not eliminated any civil service jobs. Contracts put in place by the municipalities/unions before the law was enforced caused the municipalities to be between a rock and a hard place. Monies had to be paid out for for the contracted pensions, health care, and pay. There was a limited amount of cash for this. The choices were to raise taxes (with a potential referendum), cut positions, or both. Had the contracts not been passed before hand, there would have been negotiating room and jobs could have been spared. Again, Walker did not cut any jobs. The limitations of the cash and the contracts caused this. As for losing jobs in general, Walker had created 10’s of thousands initially. That has gone backward in the last few months. Let us remember Governor Doyle lost the state over 180,000 job during his tenure. Governor Walker has added one billion to medical situations for Wisconsinites as compared to the prior year. Can you be more specific as to how he is on a mission of destruction for women and children? I am a tax payer too. I am not very fond of having to foot part of the bill for all of the recalls that have happened and will happen in the near future. That is hurting my family more than what my portion of the 3.6 billion in the hole we were in (or 5.1 billion if you include the repayment to Minnesota – which was also paid off) which is now GONE. Walker is as decisive as Obama and the unions are. It all depends on ones perspective. Remember, what goes around comes around. When the next Democrat is elected, should there be a recall just because? Lastly, would you rather see us go in the current direction or the direction of Illinois with there 70+% and 40+% increases in state income taxes and property taxes? You could be paying for the recall and the increases if your way is gotten.
Tell not only the truth, but the WHOLE truth. Doyle eliminated those state jobs through attrition and by not filling open positions.
Governors do not create jobs, the people who voted for Walker beleiveing he would create 250,000 jobs were fools. The nation economy has far more influence. That being said if he’s going to take credit the jobs created then Walker needs to accept the blame for the first in the nation rate of job losses.
And don’t forget, Thommy Thompson and Scott McCallum handed Doyle the exact same deficit of $3.1 billion.
Wisconsin is an evenly divided purple state with a tradition of moderate politics. When Scott Walker was elected he quickly enacted with no notice an extemist, radical right-wing agenda, that didn’t come from the wishes of the people of Wisconsin, but was handed down to Walker by his ideological masters from far beyond our state, a plan that does not reflect the values or traditions of Wisconsin, a hidden agenda that he DID NOT campaign on. He wouldn’t have been elected if he had. He has divided us as we have never been divided. He doesn’t serve average Wisconsinites, but rather the rich and powerful, whose taxes he cut while raising taxes on poor people, disgusting! We’ve lost 25,000 jobs in the last two months alone. How can you create jobs and a decent economy that works for everyone when the ability of average citizens to create demand (the ONLY job creator) keeps falling through the floor because of Republicon policies that favor only the very few and stomp on the needs of the vast majority of working people. He’s got to go and as soon as possible! Recall Scott Walker, then forget his sorry tenure.
What a conspiracy theory! Didn’t Doyle letting 180,000 jobs leave Wisconsin bother you? And, since he has been in office, there has been a net gain. Next, let’s look at the Obama administration in the first two years. I could say ” he quickly enacted with no notice an extemist, radical left-wing agenda, that didn’t come from the wishes of the people of the USA, but was handed down to Obama by his ideological masters from far beyond our country (IE: George Soros), a plan that does not reflect the values or traditions of the USA, a hidden agenda that he DID NOT campaign on (nor was vetted for). He wouldn’t have been elected if he had. He has divided us as we have never been divided. He doesn’t serve average Americans, but rather the rich and powerful on Wall Street (oh, its true) and companies such as GE, whose taxes he cut while raising taxes on poor people and middle class, disgusting!”. You can’t have it just the one way. If you are going to complain about Walker, you absolutely have to complain about Obama. At least Walker has stopped the fiscal bleeding. It may not be liked by everyone in the state, but many of the 85% that are not civil servants are glad not to see a huge increase in taxes in these trying economic times. For the people that voted him in, I am sure they are happy with the job he is doing and knew it was most likely coming. He did announce this during his run up to the election. Liberal web site articles will support this. WEAC’s is one, unless they took the articles out of their archives.
Conspiracy theory? Oh I forgot, they don’t talk about the American Legislative Exchange Council on the GOPropaganda AM Radioo. ALEC is where global corporations go to write the laws to serve themselves and rule you from your (well formerly your, it’s now their subsidiary) State house. Look up ALEC exposed. You Republicans DO still believe in the principle of local control, right?
I’ve got more news for you, Obama is a moderate. He adopted Obamacare from a 1990’s Republican plan to fix healthcare, which leaves private health insurance companies running the show. But I suppose you’ve been indocrinated with the ridiculous notion that it’s a gov’t takeover. Is there something else he’s done that you want to call radical? Bring it on! And yeah, Obama’s not pure like the driven snow, he is after all a politician. A politician who happens to be half black and you can deny it all day long, but THAT is what accounts for much of division on the national stage caused by mad hatters at the Tea Parties.
Oh and the notion that Walker recall began before he even took office is a LIE: http://www.politifact.com/wisconsin/statements/2011/dec/08/scott-walker/gov-scott-walker-says-recall-organizers-began-effo/
And that he campaigned on taking away worker’s rights to have say in their work conditions, to negotiate and on breaking the unions, well that’s just another GOPropaganga LIE: http://www.politifact.com/wisconsin/statements/2011/feb/22/scott-walker/wisconsin-gov-scott-walker-says-he-campaigned-his-/
If you want to debate successfully you’re going to need real facts, not make beleive so you’re going to need to turn off the rightwing Radioo and Fox Snooze.
John, you lost with me with “silly things like insurance and retirement”. Are you kidding? I hardly would call those silly. They are benefits that teachers negotiated through collective bargaining in exchange for pay increases. There were many years the private sector was flourishing with raises to employees while teachers settled for QEO. Many of my 26 years teaching we received minimal raises but bargained for this to balance our school budget. And those years both sides were still satisfied because collective bargaining worked! And as a taxpayer myself I do care. How did all union workers or teachers get thrown into the category of non-taxpayers, or people who don’t care about taxes. I do, but I believe in paying my fair share. I consider the $5,000 I pitched in for Wisconsin this year alone, more than my fair share. And I did not vote for Walker for his job promises, but for those of you did, how’s that working? That alone is why some people sign the recall petition.
With the QEO you still got an increase. What is sad is that everyone, whether they are a poor performer or an outstanding innovative individual, ended up getting the same increase. My wife is a teacher and I am aware of how all of this comes about. We don’t mind paying into the health care, having it switched from WEAC (the crooks) to an equal one for much less money, and paying into her pension (a sweet deal which many places don’t offer any more due to the ultimate funding of them). Over time (Deb), the negotiations became more and more Democratic Unions negotiating with Democratic school boards and local politicians. One hand washed the other. The general “Joe Schmoe” taxpayer was not at the table. Now that Joe Schmoe’s eyes and ears have been opened, partially due to the economy and partially due to Walker and the protests, they want to have a say. Both sides should be three sides – the Unions, the school boards, and the tax paying public. I pay taxes too and I want representation at the negotiations. Until recently, it hasn’t been there. As for job promises, at least there is a net positive as compared to Doyle losing 180,000 during his tenure. Considering the economic conditions, it is better than bleeding jobs like Illinois, Minnesota, and Michigan.
Oh, I forgot to add the not about extreme tax increases to pay for the 8 billion in debt that Illinois is in. At least Wisconsin took a better path. 70+% on income and 40+% on property is a travesty. That along with how many civil servant layoffs there?
And which state is leading the nation in job losses in REAL (not just percent of population)? Wisconsin. Which state is leading the nation in real number and percentage job gains? Illinois.
Walker has done exactly as he said he would. Unions began plotting his recall since the day he was elected governor. The proof that unions are stilling spatting misinformation comes directly from the comments above, as Wisconsin has not lost 25,000 jobs, but has gained over 16,000 jobs according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics. I’m all for the recall, because it will finally end all disputing and will cripple the Democratic Party in Wisconsin for years to come. Not a smart move by democrats hoping to re-elect President Obama and securing a senate seat.
Scott Walker said no to bringing in over $800 MILLION in federal money that would have gone to high speed rail and produced hundreds of decent paying jobs. Most recently he had his staff manipulate the federal system in hopes of sneakily blocking a ton of Federal money for medicaid and putting over 50,000 Wisconsin residents, almost 30,000 of whom are children, on their “medical” own with no health insurance.
Wisconsin is suffering more job loses under Walker than any other governor in my memory costing the state more hundreds of million in tax dollars and local economic growth.
NOW people are asking about the cost of the recall? Well, whatever the end sum is I’m quite sure it isn’t going to be anywhere near that $850,000,000 he allowed to go to other states for their rail projects. Look at what he cost us so far as Gov. and we know that whatever the cost of the recall it will be far less than letting him stay in office another 3 years…simple math can tell you that and numbers don’t lie.
With Federal money of any kind, there are strings attached. If given the money, the state is on the hook for that. If a particular federally funded “whatever” is discontinued or ended, the state has to refund the money. Or, if the federal money dries up for a “whatever”, the state has to pay the rest of the way. Walker has seen the repercussions of this not only in Wisconsin but other states as well. It is similar to buying a new car at one of those quick loan places that soak you for a high % rate. By the way, how is the high speed rail working for those other states right now? Who would ultimately be riding those “high speed” trains (and don’t say the poor because they wouldn’t be able to afford the costs of doing such)? The jobs were to be under 100 full time jobs, and if I remember right, closer to 50. The maintenance costs for the rail lines, trains, and stations would have all been on the Wisconsin tax payers and the communities that the stations would have been at. As for Medicaid, he did not block that, the US government reduced the amounts given to states. Wisconsin had to make up for the difference. So, your statement is false as is the one about the no health insurance.
With job loses, you also have a very short memory. 25,000 (yet to be adjusted) have been lost in the last two months. That doesn’t compare to the 180,000 lost by Governor Doyle during his term. Look it up. As it is, Walker has a net gain for the 10 months recorded so far. Walker is making many efforts to attract companies here and retain ones that are contemplating leaving. When Doyle was in office, it was if he didn’t care or didn’t want to be present if a company hinted toward wanting to leave Wisconsin. I will let you know that I have a major in Mathematics. There is more to the “math” than getting money from the feds. There is also the repayment and/or “if you take some, you have to take more”. What the federal government giveith, the federal government can takeith away. I would much rather have Wisconsin be independently funded instead of being under the thumb of the feds any time. The federal money is not “free”! You are right with one thing, numbers don’t lie, but it all depends on how you represent them.
I would rather have Walker. The Doyle administration watched companies move out of Wisconsin and our young people move out of state for years with no solutions.
Every year under Doyle my taxes went up. While Walker has pissed off union members with his collective baraining stance(I too am a union member), at least he knows how to balance a budget.
The summer recalls cost Wisconsin $10 million.
What this large circus recall will cost is anyones guess.
Just remember once this precident in Wisconsin is set, a recall can occur for ANY politician. If it was nationwide, Obama would have been recalled already.
politician.
Get your facts straight Sean
Read something other than your union news letter.
Also the unemployment numbers you are talking of were disputed as a mistake at the federal level. Unemployment is lower now than fall of 2010.
http://www.cudahynow.com/blogs/communityblogs/134650558.html
http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/101771723.html
Dear John,
I am not union member, hence I do not get a union newsletter. Nice AM radio induce guess though.
Am I wrong or is it just a request for all to pay their share for insurence as all of use do in the private sector.
Al
It is more than that. It is a lessening of power for the Union (that has them up in arms) and the abilities of the Union to negotiate for raises without referendum along with health care benefits in many cases without competitive bidding. The thing that concerns me, with people I know that are conservative/Republican civil servants, is that they are forced into paying Union dues and don’t get the representation politically or employment wise that they should. If they speak up, they are told to shut up or are black listed. If there can’t be a better representation for all, then something needs to be done about it. That is where Walker stated that it is no longer mandatory to pay the Union dues directly out of your paychecks (via the state). You now sign up to have that taken out of your bank accounts
Thanks to all involved in the Burlington Counter Protest, vocally or behind the scenes cheering us on!! its been a great couple of months!! lets continue this good, diligent work in hopes of a more financially secure Wisconsin. Remember its about what Gov. Scott Walker has done and will continue to do!! keep it positive and honest!!
thanks to all!
Deb,
5000 eh? That nice of you, I paid about $9000 for 2011(working 12 months) and I will guarantee you your insurance is much better and I will probably retire when I’m about 70 not 50 something. So I would recommend not trying to pull that card. Most of us in the private sector only laugh.
Dear John:
Isn’t this the Politics of Envy?
My private sector bennies aren’t the best either, but I don’t begrudge others their’s that they negotiated for in good faith and gave up salary for. I assume they don’t begrudge the fact that I make more money than a public employee with similar education and experience. At least they didn’t before their hard won gains and rights were taken away by Waker and his hidden agenda.
Wouldn’t it be better to work to get better healthcare and retirements for all of us than to tear some of down through the by design divisiveness of the Republicons and their corporatist masters?
Sean, I don’t think you understand. Public employees are funded on taxpayer dime. If the government cannot afford to pay the lavish salaries and benefits, it is because of lack of tax revenues from the tax base, which in the last few years has shrunk. Less money means expenditures must be reduced, and because 75% of Wisconsin’s budget is made up of salaries and benefits to public employees, Gov. Walker looked to lower those costs.
Now, I’m not envious of public employee’s benefits, but I can say I am jealous. In the state of Wisconsin the average income per HOUSEHOLD is $46,000. The average salary for a public school teacher is $52,416, not including benefits.(Bureau of Labor and Statistics June. 2011)
All this, “tax the rich” and “distribute the wealth” crap, when most public employees are in the 53% who pay income taxes. Hey, and the union bosses in Wisconsin are doing very well too.
For example, Marty Beil, executive director of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME )Council 24 SEPAC, made $161,847. Here are a few other union bosses’ salaries: $129,635, $187,312, $212,314, and 16 field operators who all make over $90,000.(U.S. Department of Labor 08-09)
Liberals want to tax the rich? Start with union heads and public employees. Tax the rich!
Jeff, the average teacher in Wisconsin has at least a bachelor’s degree and likely and masters degree, placing them in the upper 25% for educational attainment. The same is not true of the average household income earners in Wisconsin, most of whom have only a high school diploma. This is the kind of flawed, apples to oranges reasoning that I’ve come to expect of conservatives because it’s handed down to them by their ideological minders in service to the Party and it’s goals. Critical thinking is critical to democracy. People who have worked and invested to achieve higher education and skill levels get paid more and rightly so. To dissincentivise that would be foolish and short-sighted. And what on earth do you mean you’re not envious of their benefits but you’re jealous? You lost me there, what’s the difference?
Similarly, your argument against taxing the rich falls short since they’ve garnered almost all the gains over the last 30 years. When we had a more progressive tax system before the whole supply-side voodoo trickle-down Reaganomics nonsense we able to pay our bills as a country. Since then we’ve seen the creation of wealth redistribution upward, as a direct result of government policies, resulting in a severe concentration of wealth at the very top and crushing consumer demand, which is the ONLY “job creator”. The only way to get the economy healthy again is by going back to Demand-Side economics. Tax the rich at the standard 20th century historic rates, use the money to hire private companies to rebuild our infrastructure for the 21st century, which will help us compete and lure companies to locate here. That will put people back to work increasing demand which will spur the wealthy to add jobs to meet that demand and reap the associated profits. It’s a win win. The money will cycle right back to rich, which is called an “economy”.
As for the union leadership, these are management positions. If you check around, I think you’ll find that people who have management positions, responsibilities and the skills to fulfill them get paid comsensurately. I’m guessing they’re making around 1.5 to 2 times that of their rank and file. Compare that to the average CEO whose compensation has balooned to 1,700 to 1 under the voodoo trickle theory, compared their workers, whose real wages have been stagnant for 30 years. Now THAT is greed and an obscene disparity!
So you see, I do very much understand and I thank you for you time and attention.
Mr Cranley. No envy here just tired of hearing the whining.
We’ve heard for years how underpaid teachers are. Now that the salaries have come out more in public with the recent attention I think it has raised peoples eyebrows. Do I think they are overpaid? No I don’t. But please don’t act like it is the end of the world to conribute to your own pension or insurance.
Also do not forget they work 9 months a yr and have nice winter and spring breaks. If you figured out their hourly wage for actual hours worked, the “teachers are underpaid” comment would be even more laughable.
As for Union management being paid well and evil corporate CEO’s making 1700:1. Usually a CEO or a business owner is compensated based on profits. Profits are usually acquired by selling goods or services. So what is it that the union leaders are producing to earn a high salary? Not sure. I guess you could say they are profiting by raping the taxpayer any way the could.
1. Jealousy is wanting what someone else has. Envy is, “if I can’t have it, neither can they.”
2. “People who have worked and invested to achieve higher education and skill levels get paid more and rightly so”
–You’re kidding right? I think Bill Gates and many prominent business leaders would tell you the liberal indoctrination and piece of paper, you call a degree, means absolutely nothing in the real world. When you compare apples to apples with the 180 day work calender and lavish benefits package, teachers are compensated on average 12% better than private sector employees with same degree level. (Dan Knoff, npri.org 00,07,08)
3. Your ramblings about the tax code are actually humorous. The tax code under Ronald Reagan created a 25 year economic boom. More middle class families moved into the upper class than any other time period in U.S. history, while government dependency remained low. Inflation disappeared, and the only reason Reagan had deficits was because of immense militarily spending to win the Cold War. The current tax code is extremely progressive and is slanted to picking winners and losers in businesses, to further Obama’s crony capitalism positions, with his partners at GE, Solyndra, and his union cronies across the spectrum, with extensive loopholes and deductions.
4.”The only way to get the economy healthy again is by going back to Demand-Side economics.” Keynesian theory economics has NEVER worked in any country in any time period. If demand-side economic policies work, why not provide $100,000 to every single person in the U.S.? Logic and commonsense would tell you all this would do is inflate prices and make money near worthless. For this exact reason Keynesian theory economics has and will never work, no matter how much liberals want to believe it.
Anyways, you missed my entire argument of tax the rich. What I conducted from your argument is teachers and union heads should not pay higher taxes, because they have a degree and are not in the upper class? Not really sure by your spinning of your rhetoric. Couple questions for you to make sure I understand what you are saying, teachers and union heads who are making upwards of $100,000+ should not have to pay as much in income taxes as private sector employees who make the same amount? Finally, since the Keynesian theory doesn’t work as been proven time and time again to fail undoubtedly, what would you do to spur growth and fix the economy, and how would you have fix Wisconsin’s budget woes? I’m very curious.
John, CEO are compensated based on profits? That’s hilarious! You obviously haven’t been paying attention to what’s been going on in the corporate economy in general or on Wall Street specifically over recent years and even decades.
As for teachers (which I am not), it seems we agree. I never said they were under paid, just that their compensation has generally been in keeping with their level of educational attainment (albeit slightly less). I had a letter to the editor in the 12/15 edition of the Standard Press that clearly documented this fact with 2010 census data. I simply object to sort of flawed or disengenuous apples to oranges arguments put forth by Jeff and others. You and a lot people would be surprised by the amount of time that a lot of teachers put in out side of school hours.
Regretfully, I have advised young people I know not to pursue a
career in education due to the current environment of hate and derision directed at professionals who teach our children. There are reasons why 50% of teachers quit in the first five years. And that was before Walker’s attack on the profession. I honestly don’t know why anyone would go into that field now.
And let’s not pretend that taking money out of their negotiated salaries and putting toward their negotiated benefits is anything but a pay cut or that taking away their right to collective bargaining is anything but union busting and part of the overall Republicon war on the middleclass waged on behalf of their corporate masters.