WI Assembly to vote on budget-repair bill today
posted at 10:55 am on February 24, 2011 by Ed Morrissey
The ground under the feet of the Fleebaggers just shifted uncomfortably. Their colleagues in the Wisconsin Assembly, who stayed to debate the budget repair bill with Republicans, have cut a deal to end debate today on the proposal that will set up a vote around noon:
Democrats in the Assembly early Thursday announced an agreement that could finally bring an end to the nearly two solid days of debate on amendments to Gov. Scott Walker’s budget repair bill.
Shortly after 6 a.m., Assembly leaders announced a deal had been reached in which Democrats who have strenuously objected to Walker’s plan to sharply curb public worker bargaining rights would limit remaining debate to 38 amendments. They further agreed to restrict debate on each amendment to no more than 10 minutes.
That could bring the budget bill that includes the worker rights provisions up for a final vote in as little as six hours, though further distractions are always possible.
The bill will then move to the Senate, which still has no quorum as the Fleebagger Democrats in that chamber remain outside of the state. That hasn’t stopped them from complaining that Governor Scott Walker won’t take their calls, which as Jim Geraghty writes today, provides “1.2 gigawatts of irony.”
If they want to debate the bill and negotiate, they have the forum in which to do it — the Senate seats to which they were elected. The GOP scheduled 17 hours of debate for the bill, which needs to be passed by Friday to allow Wisconsin to restructure its debt with the best conditions possible. They don’t need to call Walker to have that debate or negotiate, which their non-Fleebagger Democratic colleagues proved this morning.
Now that the bill will advance to the Senate after an Assembly vote, the Fleebaggers have even less justification for their petulant absenteeism. The Senate should give the courtesy of a hearing to a bill passed by its sister chamber. They have no more excuses.
Update: Had the wrong link in the first paragraph; it’s now fixed. Thanks to Guy Benson for the heads-up.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Comment pages: 1 2 Next »
Go Wisconsin teachers! Stay strong and walk tall — your students have the 3rd highest SAT scores in the country, and Wisconsinites treasure this.
bifidis on February 24, 2011 at 10:58 AM
But, but, but, THE KOCH BROTHERS!!!
*foams at mouth*
/ WI union thug
Vyce on February 24, 2011 at 10:58 AM
So what happens if the Fleebaggers don’t show by tomorrow? Do layoffs begin immediately?
Doughboy on February 24, 2011 at 10:59 AM
Fleebaggers indeed… Obama should give them the Medal of Freedom.
MeatHeadinCA on February 24, 2011 at 11:00 AM
The Senate should pass a rule that says if a member is reachable by phone or appears in the public media then they can be included in the quorum.
pedestrian on February 24, 2011 at 11:00 AM
Why did they leave at all before the bill had passed the Assembly?
Rocks on February 24, 2011 at 11:01 AM
3rd highest in America isn’t saying much…
Yea for mediocre! /bifidis
MeatHeadinCA on February 24, 2011 at 11:02 AM
Breaking: Saudi national student in West Texas arrested. Was going to use WMD at GW Bush’s Dallas home.
I think he was a Methodist.
carbon_footprint on February 24, 2011 at 11:03 AM
I read that State Troopers are out to round up the missing Dem Senators. At least one of ‘em. Hopefully they can find one by tomorrow.
jwehman on February 24, 2011 at 11:03 AM
Notice of layoff action will go out next week. They’re required to give advanced notice although I don’t know what the number is (30 days?).
WisRich on February 24, 2011 at 11:04 AM
Your eighth-graders can’t read and your black students have some of the poorest test scores in the nation! Take a bow!
KingGold on February 24, 2011 at 11:04 AM
So a teacher paying 12.6% for their benefits will reverse this???
Good to see its all about “the students and performance” and not teachers greed…
Odie1941 on February 24, 2011 at 11:05 AM
Ironic, kids that declare their intentions to enter Education College, have the lowest, isn’t it chump?
MNHawk on February 24, 2011 at 11:06 AM
Hurry, hurry… send TSA to the Koch Castle!!!
MeatHeadinCA on February 24, 2011 at 11:07 AM
Fleebaggers indeed… Obama should give them the Medal of Freedom.
MeatHeadinCA on February 24, 2011 at 11:00 AM
Now that was funny!!!!!!
Winebabe on February 24, 2011 at 11:07 AM
There needs to be an amendment in state constitutions that if a state legislator misses more than a week, without a doctor’s note (real one too) then that legislator is deemed to have resigned from office. These folks are cowards & fascists.
rbj on February 24, 2011 at 11:07 AM
What, exactly, is this “compromise”? I smell union concessions.
Mord on February 24, 2011 at 11:07 AM
Moron, look again. The scores were from the PRIVATE not public school students. The public school student scores were in the toilet. 2/3rds of the public school eighth grade students cannot read proficiently.
barnone on February 24, 2011 at 11:07 AM
http://fellowshipofminds.wordpress.com/2011/02/23/only-13-of-wisconsin-8th-graders-read-at-grade-level/
a capella on February 24, 2011 at 11:08 AM
Medal of
FreedomFleedomFIFY
DamnCat on February 24, 2011 at 11:08 AM
You’re funny bifidis.
Riddle me this. If the unions have already agreed to the financial concessions, why would giving teachers the choice of joining a union affect SAT scores?
WisRich on February 24, 2011 at 11:08 AM
You know, I missed an opportunity to use my new favorite word:
FLEEDOM
MeatHeadinCA on February 24, 2011 at 11:08 AM
This isn’t up to the unions.
It’s up to the elected representatives in the legislature – the ones who bother to show up to do their jobs (aka, not the fleebagger Demcorats).
It’s up to the people of the state and not the screeching minority of public sector union workers whose gravy train is coming to a halt.
Good Lt on February 24, 2011 at 11:09 AM
+1000!
Odie1941 on February 24, 2011 at 11:09 AM
Damn, you, DamnCat ;)
MeatHeadinCA on February 24, 2011 at 11:09 AM
I hope the Fleebaggers stay out. Then the Senate can debate what to do with the “open” seats. Seems after a month, they’d be declared “vacant”.
GarandFan on February 24, 2011 at 11:09 AM
Go Wisconsin teachers! Stay strong and walk tall — your students have the 3rd highest SAT scores in the country, and Wisconsinites treasure this.bifidis on February 24, 2011 at 10:58 AM
Demonstrate causation between higher SAT scores and greater contributions to health care/pension plans.
We’ll wait.
Good Lt on February 24, 2011 at 11:09 AM
So, if the fleebaggers return, are they fleefloppers?
faraway on February 24, 2011 at 11:10 AM
UNION! UNION! UNION!
Good Lt on February 24, 2011 at 11:10 AM
Well, he did use the blanket term “teachers” (which would only apply to actual educators instead of lousy PS employees)
MeatHeadinCA on February 24, 2011 at 11:10 AM
Hey! Stop confusing the troll with facts. You are screwing up it’s talking points.
VegasRick on February 24, 2011 at 11:11 AM
To flee, or not to flee, that is the question.
faraway on February 24, 2011 at 11:11 AM
There’s an excellent reason for that, but it’s not what you think. In the Midwest, most students don’t take the SAT, they take the ACT. The only students who take the SAT are ones who are eyeing an opportunity to go to the schools on the East Coast that don’t accept the ACT. So it’s a highly self-selecting group of highly motivated kids.
In other words, yet another comment fail. But keep chantin’, seabiscuit!
Mr. D on February 24, 2011 at 11:11 AM
No… just democrats.
MeatHeadinCA on February 24, 2011 at 11:12 AM
Meathead don’t give him any ideas….he just might do that
cmsinaz on February 24, 2011 at 11:12 AM
Wisconsin had 3,192 public and private school graduates who took the SAT during high school.
Students in Wisconsin who took the SAT tend to be higher achieving and from higher income families. In Wisconsin, 71 percent of SAT-takers report that they are A-students …
participants report family income above $120,000.
The achievement gap is quite large between the lowest income students, those from families earning less than $20,000 per year, and the highest income students, whose family income exceeds $200,000 annually. Among higher-income students who took the SAT in Wisconsin, scores averaged 94 points higher than those for lower-income students.
It’s quite obvious most of the high scorers were from private schools while the lower income public school children perform poorly.
darwin on February 24, 2011 at 11:12 AM
When will this Flee Flap be over?
faraway on February 24, 2011 at 11:12 AM
Oh … here.
darwin on February 24, 2011 at 11:12 AM
If teachers must pay for part of their benefits surely SAT scores will plummet! It’s only freebies that make ducation work, ask the successful NYC or Detroit schools!
clnurnberg on February 24, 2011 at 11:13 AM
One man’s terrorist, is another man’s fleedom fighter
faraway on February 24, 2011 at 11:14 AM
@bifidis & MeatHead,
I agree, the teachers need to stand tall and stay out there! The (D) senators should stay away too so that the budget proposal fall to the ground, then the Gov. can fire all of their asses. Woo-hoo! WI can ship in some of those Texan teachers that got laid off, I’m sure they’d come a runnin’ to fill those positions with whatever deal Walker gave them (sans teacher’s unions too).
I can’t wait.
Once there are 5000 unemployed teachers, I’m betting that they’ll be singing a different tune. It’s fine and dandy when you think you have a leg to stand on, but once the mortgages and rents start getting late, the utilities start getting turned off and the food starts running out, the union bosses won’t be seen as such great representatives for the rank-n-file.
The money’s gone
The well’s run dry
So why’s the union boss’
Pay so high?
Geministorm on February 24, 2011 at 11:14 AM
Let’s break private and parochial school scores first. Your statistic reminds me of a statistic that some labor tool cited in support of the PEUs recently: that two-thirds of all Wisconsin corporations don’t pay taxes. That stat ignores that some companies lose or break even. More important, it ignores that many closely held companies (probably a large portion of the whole) are Subchapter S corporations, which don’t pay income tax at the entity level.
Conclusion: that tax stat was misleading at best, bogus at worst. As for your stat, without more detailed information, it’s misleading at best, bogus at worst.
BuckeyeSam on February 24, 2011 at 11:15 AM
Darn it. I was just going to comment on their amazing ability to make huge educational leaps in four years, and could we possibly duplicate that across the country, such as in Detroit’s stellar public learning institutions.
hoosiermama on February 24, 2011 at 11:16 AM
It’s “1.21 gigawatts” not “1.2″
Yeah, I know, pickin fly poop out of pepper…
catmman on February 24, 2011 at 11:16 AM
They aren’t coming back as long as those protests are going on, I can guarantee you that.
WisCon on February 24, 2011 at 11:16 AM
Moron, look again. The scores were from the PRIVATE not public school students. The public school student scores were in the toilet. 2/3rds of the public school eighth grade students cannot read proficiently.
barnone on February 24, 2011 at 11:07 AM
Exactly! Here in my neck of the woods I worked in a Private catholic girls school. You should have seen our numbers,and no they were not all wealthy.
Many on scholarships and our teachers made 75% of what the public school teachers here make.
sandee on February 24, 2011 at 11:17 AM
One of these reporters needs to ask the out of state Democrats a question. “Is this going to be the new normal in Wisconson when the minority party does not agree with legislation proposed by the majority?”
When that Democrat claims this is an extrordinary situation, they should be asked what a non-extrodinary situation is and who decides the difference?
Freddy on February 24, 2011 at 11:17 AM
EPIC FAIL
search4truth on February 24, 2011 at 11:17 AM
And don’t forget that Voter ID will be voted upon in the Senate later today!
The Fat Lady is walking onstage!
Religious_Zealot on February 24, 2011 at 11:18 AM
Excellent post.
bifidis: what darwin said.
BuckeyeSam on February 24, 2011 at 11:18 AM
“Commerce clause! Billionaire Koch brothers!”
-Constitutional scholar crr6
Bishop on February 24, 2011 at 11:21 AM
Have you seen your Senator today?
faraway on February 24, 2011 at 11:22 AM
Senator Mark Miller looks like one of the Pep Boys. Canvass their Illinois stores.
A Balrog of Morgoth on February 24, 2011 at 11:22 AM
Wait, MeatHead, you’re confusing me…Medal of Freedom was supposed to be Medal of Fleedom?!? OK, that’s better, much LOLs @ that.
To paraphrase Antoine Dodson;
Someone get on making the cover please.
Geministorm on February 24, 2011 at 11:23 AM
They will, just as soon as they return from their school-district funded vacations in the Capital with their fake excuses.
unclesmrgol on February 24, 2011 at 11:23 AM
Walker needs to hold a press conference or issue a press release in which a reputable bond rating outfit predicts what will have to WI’s bond rating if WI doesn’t fix its fiscal shape immediately. Then, Walker should start blaming Dems for the expected consequences.
BuckeyeSam on February 24, 2011 at 11:24 AM
The Assembly Dems crumbling strongly indicates that they know they will take the blame if there are layoffs.
Their Senate brethren know this also.
My prediction is this – the Senate Dems will allow one lone member to come back late Friday afternoon for a vote.
This member will be the most vulnerable in the next election. S/he will talk about how they hated to do this, but couldn’t let the good citizens of WI pay for the stubbornness/dictating of Gov. Walker. This way they’ll have cover in the next election and the Senate Dems can say they never backed down.
And everything goes back to “normal” on Monday (except any general strikes that may be called).
Religious_Zealot on February 24, 2011 at 11:24 AM
Maybe that should be FLEAdom
Kermit on February 24, 2011 at 11:24 AM
These fleebaggers are probably being nominated for the Nobel peace Prize as we speak.Right up there with Julien Assange….
sandee on February 24, 2011 at 11:25 AM
What? The GOP has a billionaire or two? EVIL.
/Progressive plucking the mote out of conservatism’s eye while ignoring the lumber yard in his own.
A Balrog of Morgoth on February 24, 2011 at 11:25 AM
You mean those poor black kids that can’t read and drop out of school don’t take the SATs?
slickwillie2001 on February 24, 2011 at 11:26 AM
Breaking: Saudi national student in West Texas arrested. Was going to use WMD at GW Bush’s Dallas home.
I think he was a Methodist.
carbon_footprint on February 24, 2011 at 11:03 AM
Hare Krishna?
Jews for Jesus?
*There actually is a ‘Jews for Islam’. To quote Dave Barry: I am NOT making this up*
annoyinglittletwerp on February 24, 2011 at 11:26 AM
Yep… as you may have noticed, lefties value equality and fleedom over actual freedom…
__________________________________________________
Now, when are we going to get the Post on that crazed Amish man with the WMD’s down in Texas?
MeatHeadinCA on February 24, 2011 at 11:26 AM
MeatHeadinCA on February 24, 2011 at 11:28 AM
Who knew that all this time we heard whining from the left about freedom that they actually were saying “fleedom?”
Good Lt on February 24, 2011 at 11:28 AM
From collegeboard.com, the website of the organization which creates and administers the SAT:
unclesmrgol on February 24, 2011 at 11:29 AM
More like the Nobel Fleece Prize for the Fleebaggers.
WisRich on February 24, 2011 at 11:29 AM
LOL@Bifidus. Even a Wisconsin eighth grader could manage to destroy you with thirty seconds of Google on the library computer.
Nice own goal, libtard.
(Getting a serious GetALife vibe here)
A Balrog of Morgoth on February 24, 2011 at 11:29 AM
Keep borrowing until you’re number 2!
Chuck Schick on February 24, 2011 at 11:29 AM
Breaking!!!
Fleebagger spotted in Illinois doctor’s office getting “Union Owned” tatoo laser removed from forehead.
darwin on February 24, 2011 at 11:29 AM
Geministorm on February 24, 2011 at 11:14 AM
Not to worry. The union bosses will probably refund the teachers’ dues that were paid over the years so the teachers can pay their bills. Right? Right?
(roflol)
GrannyDee on February 24, 2011 at 11:29 AM
Roman Pulanski – the original Fleabagger.
barnone on February 24, 2011 at 11:32 AM
Two-Thirds of Wisconsin Public-School 8th Graders Can’t Read Proficiently—Despite Highest Per Pupil Spending in Midwest
Fake8 on February 24, 2011 at 11:36 AM
Outrageous: Wisconsin Teachers Forced to Teach Students Pro-Union Propaganda…
“In fact, it has been argued by some historians that the history of the United States itself could be a history of labor.”
Like all progs, they think very highly of themselves.
slickwillie2001 on February 24, 2011 at 11:37 AM
The compromise was on how many amendments can be offered and how much debate time is allowed. That’s all. There were no concessions on the bill (yet).
But, it’s possible an amendment may pass that can have meaningful change to the overall bill. But I doubt it. Republicans have total control.
ButterflyDragon on February 24, 2011 at 11:37 AM
Now that is an epic smackdown.
Count to 10 on February 24, 2011 at 11:38 AM
Did bifidis post on the wrong blog by accident? Surely that comment was not meant for the HA crowd unless it was posted as free feasting chum in the water!
Done That on February 24, 2011 at 11:39 AM
Hard to defend the indefensible …
tarpon on February 24, 2011 at 11:40 AM
CF, have I ever told you I love you ?? SNORT
I live about 10 mins from the Bushes, so I was a bit DISTURBED to read of this !!
Enter cf, and I feel a helluvalot better after that prolonged ROFLMAO.
Thnx :-)
pambi on February 24, 2011 at 11:40 AM
Bifidis is the proud owner of a public school 8th grade edukation.
Aviator on February 24, 2011 at 11:40 AM
Why not split the bill and devolve the unions first?
tarpon on February 24, 2011 at 11:43 AM
So riddle me this troll, if public schools are so awesome, why does every liberal with money send their kids to private school?
angryed on February 24, 2011 at 11:43 AM
bifidis (aka moron) According to
a little over 3000 Wisconsin seniors took the SAT vs about 1,500,000 nationally. WI accounts for only about 0.2% of the takers. Do they only have 0.2% of the national population? I would suggest the WI schools are very bad if this percentage is correct. To be equivalent to the rest of the country, about 30,000 should have taken the test. I suspect the coment about ACT vs SAT is correct.
Old Country Boy on February 24, 2011 at 11:44 AM
This means you support getting rid of public employee unions in states where the SAT scores are lower, correct?
Monkeytoe on February 24, 2011 at 11:44 AM
CF, have I ever told you I love you ?? SNORT
I live about 10 mins from the Bushes, so I was a bit DISTURBED to read of this !!
Enter cf, and I feel a helluvalot better after that prolonged ROFLMAO.
Thnx :-)
pambi on February 24, 2011 at 11:40 AM
We going to be MOVING to West Texas.
At least the jihadis in Texas are forced to deal with an armed citizenry-unlike here in the People’s Republic of Crook County.
annoyinglittletwerp on February 24, 2011 at 11:48 AM
How decrepit are public schools? So decrepit that 1 in 4 public school teachers send their kids to private schools.
angryed on February 24, 2011 at 11:48 AM
Hey, let’s just make up facts for fun. That’s doubleplusgood.
bifidis on February 24, 2011 at 11:51 AM
You mean Lybia?
Geministorm on February 24, 2011 at 11:51 AM
Way to go Bifidis, show everyone Why we need to reign in your union thugs.
Colbyjack on February 24, 2011 at 11:52 AM
Take a gander at those facts
Colbyjack on February 24, 2011 at 11:55 AM
Pay me. You’re asking for a study. Otherwise, I’m calling “burden of proof fallacy” on you.
bifidis on February 24, 2011 at 11:58 AM
That would be the nuclear option touted by Krauthammer as a better option than laying off public employees. I don’t know why the GOP guys aren’t doing it. The devolution could sail through under a simple majority.
a capella on February 24, 2011 at 11:59 AM
I don’t know why these liberal buffoons even try to disrupt this site. They are so over matched it’s pathetic!
Vince on February 24, 2011 at 12:00 PM
… with all the logical and evidentiary scrupulosity of Sean Hannity.
Smackdown? Try limp-wristed missed swat.
Bifidis goes on.
bifidis on February 24, 2011 at 12:00 PM
Now that you have called me a liar, please provide me the source of your original comment that the WI students, taught by Union public school teachers scored the 3rd highest SAT scores in the nation.
barnone on February 24, 2011 at 12:00 PM
Troll,
How about commenting on the fact that 25% of public school teachers send their kids to private schools. Or the fact that every prominent liberal sends their kids to private schools.
Crickets…
angryed on February 24, 2011 at 12:01 PM
Oh, now I’m “disrupting this site”?
Ah, so it begins.
bifidis on February 24, 2011 at 12:02 PM
Burden of proof fallacy strikes again, now combined with “special pleading” fallacy. It goes on. You want me to work for you? Better get your check in the mail.
bifidis on February 24, 2011 at 12:04 PM
Look, why bother with Bifidis?
Like all lefties who come on here, he spouts some “fact” that is not really even relevent, then ignores questions or information that disprove the fact.
What is the point of engaging him? Leftism means dishonesty, so why bother?
Monkeytoe on February 24, 2011 at 12:04 PM
Let’s look at the total mean SAT scores from Wisconsin for college-bound seniors from 1972 to 2009, shall we?
Critical Reading – scores have dropped 29 points since 1972, despite a HUGE increase in educational spending per student during that time. 29 points, from 530 to 501.
UNION! UNION! UNION!
Math has increased by 6 points in the same time frame. OMG! See?@! IT’S WORKING! WE NEED TO SPEND MORE MONEY!@!!
Except…
Writing, which is new, has fallen by 4 points from 497 in 2006 when it started to 493 in 2009. Despite HUGE increases in education spending per student. It’s decreased in 4 years almost as much as math scores have improved in 37 years.
That’s what your precious unionized teacher record is? A 29-point drop in critical reading skills (no surprise, of course), a minuscule uptick in math, and declines in writing?
THAT’S what you’re defending?
You probably should have looked at these numbers first before claiming they said things.
Maybe you’ll learn for next time. I doubt it.
Good Lt on February 24, 2011 at 12:06 PM
Comment pages: 1 2 Next »