If the battle between Republican Gov. Scott Walker and his GOP allies in the state legislature and the public employee unions of Wisconsin government is Ground Zero for the struggle for America’s future, where is Sarah Palin? Where is the Tea Party?
The left was prepared for this battle and they have done a masterful job of turning out their shock troops to create chaos and confusion, to say nothing of posing an intimidation factor against Wisconsin taxpayers and their legislators.
The public employee unions didn’t expect Gov, Chris Christie to have such success in New Jersey, so they weren’t ready to respond to him there or nationally. Now that they know taxpayers across the country are ready to support courageous officials like Christie and Walker who challenge the unions, the bosses have drawn the line in Wisconsin.
President Obama recognized the strategic importance of Wisconsin, dispatching Democratic National Committee operatives to help frame the communications combat between the unions and Walker. With the help of like-minded liberals in the mainstream media, they have successfully framed the debate as a clash between heartless Republicans who want to strip collective bargaining rights from the heroic public employees they have unjustly targeted.
The unions are willing do whatever is required to protect their incredibly generous compensation and they will fight tooth and nail to avoid having to help pay, even minimally, for those benefits. And as long as taxpayers remain silent and continue to allow themselves to be used, why shouldn’t the unions do this?
They made a corrupt bargain with Democrats (and some Republicans in the past) to fund their re-election campaigns in return for protection against proposals to trim public employee compensation to make it more equitable, compared to the compensation being paid to productive taxpayers in the private sector.
And in the current confrontation in Madison, Wisconsin senate Democrats even conveniently disappeared – abdicating their responsibilities as senators to represent their constituents – in order to prevent Senate Republicans from acting.
In fact, the struggle in Wisconsin is a microcosm of the 70-30 conflict described by AEI president Arthur Brooks in his book, The Battle: How the fight between free enterprise and Big Government will shape America’s future, and it will be repeated across the country in coming months.
But so far the Tea Party movement that so dominated American politics in 2010 is all but invisible in Wisconsin. Palin has an unmatched capacity to motivate millions of Americans to political action. If ever there was a time to make use of that resource and demonstrate to the nation that taxpayers will no longer be silent, Wisconsin is the place and now is the time.
Where is Sarah Palin? Where are the Tea Party leaders? Where are the leaders of the conservative movement?
UPDATE: Tea Party Patriots organizing Wisconsin effort
Not long after posting the above on Palin, I got an email announcement from the Tea Party Patriots encouraging their folks to head to Wisconsin for a noon rally tomorrow at the state capitol in Madison. Here’s the basics:
“Wisconsin’s elected officials are working to keep their promises to cut spending and those addicted to the government’s money are protesting it. Tomorrow the Tea Party groups in Wisconsin will have a rally in Madison at the State Capital at 12:00 noon.
“If you can drive to Madison, WI by or on Saturday morning, the tea party groups are asking you to do so. Again, the rally is at noon at the State Capital tomorrow Saturday, February 18, 2011.
“Hat tip: It is our understanding American Majority and Americans for Prosperity are also helping with this effort.
“Watch for additional updates as we have a team of local coordinators working on this from WI and around the country.”
UPDATE II: Tea Party Patriots issue ringing statement on Wisconsin
Jenny Beth Martin and Mark Meckler, founders of the Tea Party Patriots, issued a statement this afternoon on the situation in Wisconsin:
“In the current situation in Wisconsin, we see Democratic politicians and their constituency standing against democracy. Instead of responding to the will of the people, Democratic legislators are in hiding, and refusing to show for a vote which they are certain to lose.
“Teachers have closed down the schools. Union thugs have overrun the capitol and are damaging property, and carrying signs with crude abuse and threats. Meanwhile, instead of acting ‘presidential’ and calling for a restoration of the democratic process, civility and decency, the president and his Organizing for America are actually standing against democracy in Wisconsin.
“In summary, here is what we see in Wisconsin; Democratic legislators in hiding and not legislating, teachers on sick-out and not teaching, and students out of school and not learning. Most importantly, we see our president, who is supposed to be a leader, not ‘leading.’ Is it any wonder that public opinion has turned against the President, the Democrats, public employee unions and their thugs?”
