February 20, 2011

"I won" theory comes to Wisconsin, Dems don't like it now.

Karl Denninger has an interesting analysis of the Wisconsin controversy and Obama's reaction. I've edited a bit:
After the 2008 election a small group of Republican congressmen complained to Barack Obama that his Democratic allies in congress were refusing to negotiate on any points of proposed legislation. The Republicans asked the president why this was now Democrat policy.

Obama's answer was “I won.”

Fair enough. As has been said, elections have consequences, and Obama and the Dems did win the 2008 election.

Never mind that Obama lied about virtually everything he said he was going to do. Among other things he said he did not come to Washington to favor the banksters, but in point of fact he has provided more Lewinskis to them than Monica ever did to Bill Clinton. His so-called Attorney General, Eric “Place” Holder, drops felony cases even after getting a default judgment against the defendants.

After two years of bills being rammed through congress via blatant bribery, Americans had enough, and last November they threw a lot of Democrats out of office.

One of the newly-elected politicians was Republican Governor Walker in Wisconsin.

He ran on a platform that, among other things, proposed to eliminate collective bargaining for teachers for pensions, health insurance and work rules-- everything except pay. All those things, if they were going to be larded up on the public, would have to survive a public vote by the people.

Governor Walker did exactly what he promised. Faced with a budget deficit that was gimmicked and gamed by his predecessor to appear smaller than it really was (just as occurred in New Jersey with Governor Christie) he put forward a bill to fix things.

Remember, the new Democrat party standard for compromise on legislation-–by the president's own words--is “I won.”

Mr. Walker won.

In response, the president’s campaign organization –“Organizing For America” –organized 15 rapid response phone banks urging supporters to call their state legislators, and began planning and producing rallies, according to a Democratic Party official in Washington.

Is the president’s campaign apparatus really attempting to prevent a vote from taking place?

Just a month ago we heard from this same president that we had a “responsibility” to tone down the political rhetoric. So why hasn't he commented on the fact that some of the protesters in Wisconsin are waving signs that claim Walker is Adolph Hitler and have targets on him?

The average teacher in Wisconsin receives about $86,000 in total pay and benefits annually. Like all teachers they also get three months off every year. That $86,000 has a huge benefit component, like all public employees – including pension and health care. But the important point is this figure is roughly $25,000 more than the average private-sector worker makes – even when you include the ridiculously over-compensated people like those at Goldman Sachs.

Here’s the reality folks: We’re broke. The States are broke and so is the Federal Government. Politicians from both sides made promises--salary and over-generous retirement and health care benefits--that can’t be kept. That’s a fact and no amount of spin is going to change it. We must cut the Federal Budget by more than half and at the same time raise taxes in order to start to pay down the debt.

Five entitlement programs--Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Welfare and Unemployment-- consume more than half of the entire Federal Budget. The federal government borrows 42 cents of every dollar it spends.

If we cut every other program--including defense--to zero, we still couldn't balance the budget without cutting something out of one or more of these five programs.

This is not a "future problem", but a problem that must be solved right now. If we do nothing the system will collapse--soon. And the states are in the same fix.

But today we have a president who's trying to nullify the results of a state election. That election was held, the people spoke, and the majority of Wisconsin residents support what Governor Walker is doing.

Governor Walker needs to sign an executive order declaring a State of Emergency and ordering the Senate to come to order. If the Democrats refuse he should then declare their seats vacated and call a special election to fill them. It is fine to disagree but the fact remains that a legislator has a job, and that is to legislate. That means showing up, speaking your peace, debating in a civil manner and voting. That’s how we do things in America.

Finally, to those in Organizing for America who are playing these games, let me make this very, very clear: Your leader set the standard in 2008 when he said “I won” as justification for refusing to compromise on his bills. Well, this time you lost.

Powerful stuff, IMO.

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