Scott Walker, Shorter: Silly Protesters, Rights Are For Companies, Not People!

Over the Easter weekend, just about every right wing pundit was expressing faux outrage over their trumped up war on Christianity/Judaism. This was to be expected, since they do it every religious holiday. This year, it was a little worse than normal due primarily to the blow back Indiana Governor Mike Pence received for passing the Right To Bigotry Law and because Madison, Wisconsin passed a law protecting those that aren't Christian or Jewish.

Leading into the weekend, Scott Walker finally had memorized his answer to the expected question about Indiana's debacle. And as expected, Walker put his foot into it, calling those opposed to Indiana's law as chronic complainers:

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker told a conservative crowd this week that people around the country protesting Indiana's religious freedom law are "looking for ways to be upset about things."

Indiana has come under fire — and the state has faced the threat of business boycotts — because of a law approved last week that critics say would allow businesses to discriminate against gays for religious reasons. Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, a Republican, has defended the law, but on Thursday signed a follow-up measure aimed at ensuring businesses could not engage in discrimination.

Walker, who is ramping up a run for the presidency, dismissed the controversy Wednesday night as part of "Insight 2015," a live taping of Charlie Sykes' WTMJ-AM (620) program.

"I just think this is people who are chronically looking for ways to be upset about things instead of really looking at what it is," Walker said.

But there's more. With all things Walker, there is always more.

Walker can't talk about any issue without adding a lie or two:

Blaming the national media for creating "hype and hysteria" over the Indiana law, Walker noted Wisconsin's constitution has long included a provision for religious freedom. Indiana's law is similar to a federal statute and ones approved by other states, Walker said.

"I believe protecting religious freedom is inherent in our state constitution," Walker said. "Heck, it's inherent in our U.S. Constitution. And in Wisconsin we've done it and we're stronger for it."

Before this interview, Walker also stated that he did not anticipate Wisconsin passing any laws like Indiana's:

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said he doesn’t anticipate Wisconsin adopting a law like Indiana’s controversial new Religious Freedom Restoration Act, but in the meantime he anticipates Wisconsin Badgers fans will nevertheless flock to the team’s NCAA Final Four game in Indianapolis Saturday.

Walker, during a press conference in Milwaukee Monday, responded to several questions on the law signed March 26 by Republican Indiana Gov. Mike Pence prohibiting state and local governments from interfering with a person’s right to exercise religious freedom. Opponents of the law fear that some businesses would exercise the option of denying service to members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

When asked whether he anticipates Wisconsin would ever pass a law similar to Indiana’s, Walker said: “That’s not anything that’s been debated in the past at any great length,” he said. “We’ll have to see.”

Both of these statements are lies.

Wisconsin's current law is nowhere near as extreme as Indiana's recently passed law. Although, contrary to what Walker said, he and his Teapublican allies tried to pass such a law in 2013.

The egregiousness of Walker's lies prompted a strong response from State Representative Chris Taylor (D-Madison):

“We should be ever vigilant as lawmakers to avoid writing hate and discrimination into our laws. That’s why it was so troubling to hear about Indiana’s discriminatory Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

“Governor Walker said he doesn’t anticipate Wisconsin adopting a similar law. Yet, we’ve seen legislation introduced in the name of religious freedom in Wisconsin. For example, 2013 Assembly Joint Resolution 43 would amend Wisconsin’s constitution to prohibit the state from infringing upon ‘the right of conscience, which includes the right to engage in activity or refrain from activity based on a sincerely held religious belief...’

“Governor Walker shouldn’t get away with claiming something like the Indiana law can’t happen here when a religious freedom constitutional amendment was introduced just last session with 25 Republican co-sponsors. After all, the group that led the efforts on Wisconsin’s discrimination amendment that prohibits marriage equality in Wisconsin told the Capital Times in January that their main focus for this legislative session would be to ‘advance legislation incentivizing marriage and protecting individual conscience rights.’ At a time when we may very well see these attacks on equality here in Wisconsin, I call on Governor Walker today to pledge to oppose AJR-43 and any and all future such legislation in Wisconsin.”

What was that about fascism, a cross and an American flag?

LGBT Ally Chris Abele: Not All Loves Are Equal

In the aftermath of Indiana Governor Mike Pence signing the Right To Bigotry law, scores of companies, groups and governmental bodies have pulled out investments, cancelled events and enacted travel bans to the state in protest. Milwaukee County Board Chairwoman Marina Dimitrijevic has proposed that Milwaukee County do the same:

Milwaukee County would join other state and local governments, including Dane County, in boycotting travel to Indiana due to a recently passed “religious freedom” law that uses religion as an excuse to discriminate. County Board Chairwoman Marina Dimitrijevic is simultaneously requesting action along with Dane County Supervisors.

In addition to Dane County, several state and local governments, including Connecticut, New York and Washington along with the cities of Portland, Oregon, San Francisco and Seattle, have announced government-subsidized travel bans to Indiana after Gov. Mike Pence recently signed the measure, which bans all Indiana laws that “substantially burden” people’s ability to follow their religious beliefs when it comes to such matters as treatment of gays, lesbians, bisexual and transgender people.

“Even the Indianapolis Star and the Mayor of Indianapolis have denounced this law,” Dimitrijevic said.“I call on County Executive Chris Abele to issue an executive order banning all tax-subsidized travel to Indiana by Milwaukee County employees. If he does not act, then the County Board should take action through my resolution.”

Companies such as Accenture, Eli Lilly, Levi Strauss and Co. have also issued company bans on doing business in Indiana. Dimitrijevic invited companies in Indiana to re-locate to Milwaukee County.

“We value fairness and equality in Milwaukee County,” Dimitrijevic said. “We have been on the right side of history by adopting domestic partnership benefits and a nondiscrimination ordinance I authored.

“Our taxpayer dollars should not be used to support bigotry, and sitting idly by without action may aid this epidemic. We are the most diverse community in Wisconsin, and I’m sure Indiana companies would benefit from locating in an atmosphere of tolerance.”

One would think that this would be a slam dunk.

Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele is a strong advocate for gay rights. He's donated tens of thousands of dollars of his own money to fight for marriage equality in Wisconsin. When the gay marriage ban was struck down, he again reached into his own pocket to keep the Milwaukee County Courthouse open late and on the weekend so that people could get married.

Yet when he was asked by WTMJ-TV about this, Abele said he refused to impose the travel ban to Indiana.

Abele was not clear why he had this sudden change of heart, but it should be remembered that even though he claims to be a Democrat, he is far from being progressive. He has been known to support the most rabid of teahadists and has praised Scott Walker, especially for Act 10 and other anti-worker legislation. Abele could be just following the lead of Walker and refusing to get involved.

It could be that Abele is still having aspirations to run for US Senator against Ron Johnson and is vying for the conservative vote.

Or it could be that Abele has money invested in Indiana and is putting his love of money over the love shared between people.

Whatever his absurd reasoning might be, Abele needs to reconsider his decision and do the right thing and not the Right thing.

Wisconsin Badgers And The Final Four

By now, the gentle reader has probably heard that the Wisconsin Badgers have made it to the Final Four in the NCAA championships.  Good for them.

Personally, I'm not a basketball fan and have no interest in their success or lack thereof.  If they win the whole deal, great! If they lose their next game, I won't be upset.

That said, I am glad that the Badgers our doing well, not only for the reason of state pride,  but because I love the thought that WTMJ-AM is losing all the revenue and rankings that come along with the Badgers' success.

Even though I don't see it happening, I would love it if the Badger boycotted the Final Four, which is being held in Indiana, which just passed the Right to Bigotry law.  I hope that they at least come out wearing rainbow jerseys, just to make a statement.

It's Hard To Keep A Good Union Down

In 2012, the state of Indiana passed Right to Work legislation in an effort to bust the unions.  Things didn't work out quite the way they had planned:

Two years after Indiana became a right-to-work state, the membership decline unions feared hasn‘t happened.

Unionization slipped from one in nine Hoosier workers in 2011 to one out of 11 in 2012, when right-to-work took effect. But union membership had been sliding for years before that, and in the first full year of right-to-work, membership actually rebounded by two-tenths of a percent.

During debate over the law, unions predicted their membership would decline while the number of “free riders” — workers enjoying the benefits of collective bargaining without paying dues — would rise.

Indiana AFLCIO president Brett Voorhies credits unions’ efforts to serve their members with averting those outcomes.

“In certain areas maybe right-to-work has affected some of our facilities but definitely not in a way that was predicted,” says Voorhies.

The US Department of Labor says about 10-percent of Hoosier workers represented by unions are nonmembers. That‘s the highest figure in three years.

The department says Indiana unions added about 3,000 members in 2013, and the same number of nonmembers working in union shops.

Voorhies says the organization hasn‘t changed its view that the law was a bad one.

On Wednesday, a Lake County judge became the second to rule the law unconstitutional. The Indiana Supreme Court will hear arguments in September.

Likewise, here in Wisconsin, when Scott Walker and his Teapublican cronies dropped their Act 10 bomb on the state, it was meant to bust our unions. Again, things didn't happen quite the way they planned:

In 2012, Wisconsin had the third largest decrease in union membership.  In 2013, Wisconsin baffled many of the "experts" by having the seventh largest increase in membership:

There was a surprise in the Bureau of Labor Statistics report Friday on union membership: Trade unions appear to have gained ground in Wisconsin last year.

Wisconsin’s union membership rate -- the percentage of wage and salary workers who belong to unions -- rose from 11.25 percent to 12.34 percent, the seventh biggest gain in the nation. This after 2012, when Wisconsin had the third largest decrease in the nation.

But as the gentle reader knows, when it comes to all things Walker, there is more. There is always more:

The report shows Wisconsin had an increase of about 24,000 union members in 2013, while the overall number of wage and salaried workers dipped by about 36,000.

So while Walker's agenda was costing the state tens of thousands of jobs, those managing to hang on to their jobs or get new ones were even more eager to join or rejoin the unions. 

This was also exemplified when most unions were able to recertify at the end of last year despite they way Walker tried to manipulate the voting by putting insane obstacles in the way.

I've got to hand it to Walker.  That is some mighty impressive union organizing.

Now that the highly politicized Supreme Court upheld Act 10, despite all legal and common sense, there has been talk about the unions being done. Furthermore, the fact is regardless of November's gubernatorial election results, the Teapublicans will try to push through Right to Work here.

But as they have been proven wrong so many times before, they are in for a big surprise.

It really is hard to keep a good union down.

Speaking of Right to Work, keep the evening of September 3 open. The Milwaukee Area Labor Council will be holding a town hall meeting, open to the public, to discuss that very topic.