World-News

William Rivers Pitt, Truthout: 'On this day, it behooves us to remember the words of Martin Niemoller. 'First they came for the communists,' he wrote, 'and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.' I am a trade unionist, and yesterday in Wisconsin, they came for me.'

http://www.truth-out.org/then-they-came-trade-unionists68363



Walking the Walk: Lessons From an Oregon Victory

Amy Dean, Truthout: Across the country, under the guise of fiscal responsibility, Republican governors and state legislatures have been waging a war against the middle class and trying to undermine the rights of hard-working Americans. What these politicians didn't count on, however, was the public outcry and show of solidarity that these attacks have provoked. In this new series, 'Walking the Walk,' author, activist, social entrepreneur and labor veteran Amy Dean will take a look at the faces and strategies behind the real change that is happening across the country to fight back against this onslaught. This first article in the series examines how the state of Oregon balanced its budget - democratically.

http://www.truth-out.org/finding-budget-solutions-not-scapegoats-lessons-oregon-victory68308



Wisconsin Republicans Bypass Democrats With Union-Busting Bill

Abby Sewell, McClatchy Newspapers: 'Senate Republicans in Wisconsin used a surprise legislative maneuver to advance a bill that would strip collective bargaining rights from most public sector workers - a move accomplished without the presence of 14 Democratic senators who had fled the state to stall the measure. Republicans voted 18-1 Wednesday night to pass the nonfiscal provisions of the budget-repair bill - including those that would eliminate or severely limit collective bargaining rights for most public employees.'

http://www.truth-out.org/wisconsin-republicans-bypass-democrats-union-bill68350



Governor Walkers Coup D'Etat

Robert Reich: 'Governor Scott Walker and his Wisconsin senate Republicans have laid bare the motives for their coup d'etat. By severing the financial part of the bill (which couldn't be passed without absent Democrats) from the part eliminating the collective bargaining rights of public employees (which could be), and then doing the latter, Wisconsin Republicans have made it crystal clear that their goal has had nothing whatever to do with the state budget. It's been to bust the unions.'

http://www.truth-out.org/governor-walkers-coup-detat68349



Michael Moore: The Rich and the GOP Are Destroying America's Working Class

Video

Rachel Maddow, The Rachel Maddow Show: Michael Moore, filmaker and author talks with Rachel Maddow and reacts to Wisconsin Republicans railroading a union-busting bill through the state Senate, and excoriates the unconscionably rich on Wall Street who try to increase their wealth by destroying America's working class.

http://www.truth-out.org/rachel-maddow-michael-moore-the-rich-and-gop-are-destroying-americas-working-class68346



Scott Walker, Reagan's Self-Appointed Heir

Mark Weisbrot, The Center for Economic and Policy Research: 'With the latest turn of events in Wisconsin, Republican state senators have circumvented the need for a quorum vote on Scott Walker's budget bill by leaving out the fiscal clauses and passing the new laws curbing collective bargaining rights for state and public employees. This dubious tactical maneuver strips away the pretense that Walker and his GOP allies have hitherto maintained that the legislative package was necessary to close the state's budget deficit: Walker's objective is, as protesters in Madison have argued all along, to break the last vestige of organized labor strength in the U.S. - the power of public sector workers to organize and negotiate collectively. Stated or not, Walker's ambition is to complete what Ronald Reagan began 30 years ago.'

http://www.truth-out.org/scott-walker-reagans-self-appointed-heir68359



'This Is Not Democracy' - Wisconsin's Anti-Union Bill Passes

Brooke Jarvis, YES! Magazine: 'Enough is enough.' That's what Wisconsin Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said in a statement about why Wisconsin Senate Republicans on Wednesday evening carved the anti-union provisions out of the state's now-infamous Budget Repair Bill and quickly passed them, 18-1. There was no debate and not a single Senate Democrat was present; some observers say less than the legally required notice was given. The bill is widely expected to pass the Assembly on Thursday, then be signed into law by Governor Scott Walker.'

http://www.truth-out.org/this-not-democracy-wisconsins-antiunion-bill-passes68361

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'General Strike!' Thousands Storm, Reoccupy Wisconsin Capitol in Response to Legislative Votes
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2011/03/10-1

Police Remove Protesters from Wisconsin Capitol
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2011/03/10-3

Wisconsin Continues Right-Wing Structural Reforms That Have Decimated the United States
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2011/03/10-17

'Shame! Shame! Shame!'
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2011/03/10-4

Wisconsin Struggle: Now Come the Tractors
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2011/03/10-5



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