Scott Walker Budget Repair Bill Reaction

No it's not Egypt, but let's face it, Governor Scott Walker's budget repair bill was a big deal. It's just too bad Rebecca Kleefisch is no Joe Biden.

Here's a quick roundup to some reaction to Walker's proposal:

Updated - New links 2/12 (More 9:21 AM)

FDL - "This self-orchestrated air of crisis is simply the Republican governor’s way of introducing the shock doctrine concept to state government."

Josh Marshall - " And to add a weirdly Mubarak-like angle to it he's now flaunting the fact that he's put the state national guard on alert "

WisPolitics links including Walker's press releases, the bill, and news conference.

MacIver video, including Walker's press conference


Representative Michelle Litjens - “This is precisely why the voters sent us here. They expect us to balance the budget, end the shell games and take the tough votes."

Gov. Walker from the JS - "I get why unions make sense in the private sector . . .  but at the public level, it's the government, it's the people, who are the ones who are the employers," Walker said. "Whether someone is in the union or not . . .  we protect sick leave, vacation time. We protect work rules."

AP - MADISON — Gov. Scott Walker said Friday he wants to end collective bargaining for nearly all public employees because the state is broke and there's no point negotiating with the unions when there is nothing to offer.

Steve Hanson - "I think this letter may explain why Scott Walker says he's been working on a plan for months to send out the Nationsl Guard in case of labor unrest."

For a full roundup of links and more, be sure to check out The Wheeler Report.

Reaction on the blogs is pretty thin. This is probably just because it is a weekend, but some of it may be that people are still quite shocked.

From 2/11
Dad29- "Bombs bursting in (Madison) Air"

Eggster - "Walker to limit state union negotiations to compensation"

The Chief - "Walker has just handed public unions a PR gift."

Dan Cody - "So instead of going to the bargaining table in good faith, he's just deciding to pull out the rug all together on State workers."

WPRI - "In November, we elected a governor who said he was going to do something about it. And now he is. And the unions and their sycophantic legislators are serving notice – don’t ever take the steps necessary to balance the state’s books, or else. A lesson Scott Walker’s predecessor took to heart."

James Rowen - "A day after letting it be known that he intended to strip state workers of most of their collective bargaining power - - hence lowering their standard of living - - Scott Walker will send each state employee an email today thanking them for their service and asking them to understand how tough a job he hast."

The Sconz - "However, the backlash against a direct assault on their existence will be brutal. We could see work stoppages. But I don't think Walker is going to budge."