AFSCME has made public their support of Kathleen Falk as the Democratic candidate in Wisconsin's upcoming recall election, angering supporters of Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett. Sunday night, AFSCME Wisconsin released the following statement to their members:
Dear AFSCME Member, Family Member, Friends & Supporters of AFSCME;
Thank you for sharing your concerns about AFSCME's decision to make public our disappointment with Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett's record. We understand you feel we should speak no ill of any Democratic contender. We all agree that the most important goal is defeating Scott Walker in the recall election.
However, the damage Walker has inflicted on Wisconsin, and especially on AFSCME members, is so deep and so profound that we believe that it can only be undone by a strong leader who is committed - in words and deeds - to fair treatment of workers at the bargaining table.
We have endorsed Kathleen Falk because she is a clear champion for workers at a time when nothing less will do. She has a consistent and compelling history of working with our members to solve problems.
Unfortunately, Tom Barrett's record is very different. When our members who work for the city of Milwaukee tried to negotiate with him as Walker was ramming through Act 10, Barrett wasn't interested in working with us. Instead, he demanded concessions that went far beyond those mandated by Act 10.
While we used poor judgment in directing our members' attention to an Internet video that went over the top to make its point, we believe it is essential to bring attention to Barrett's record on collective bargaining. Unfortunately, it is not a good record.
Campaigns are about drawing distinctions between candidates, even candidates of the same party. Ultimately, campaigns are about accountability. No politician who has dealt unfairly with AFSCME members at the bargaining table should expect a free pass when election time rolls around.
One more thing, in order for these anti women laws regarding doctors to be even enforced, an entirely new branch of government would have to be created to deal with it. Under present HIPPA laws, NO ONE can gain access to anyone's medical file for any reason period! You'd have to get a court order. What are they going to do form a whole new Medi-Nazi police force?? They would first have to repeal the HIPPA laws to enforce any of these stupid ultrasound crap laws. A person's medical records are private and no one including anyone in government can gain access to them. So much for cutting the budget, Idiot Party. Everything you are trying to do will do nothing but add more and more layers of government to enforce. But I guess that is what the new world order Nazis wanted in the first place.
And they are calling Obama's health care reform unconstitutional???
Linda S Houston
4/9/2012 7:04:38 PM
Ron/Rex
Thanks for info on Wisconsin laws. These are the last dying vestiges of a politician who knows he's going down and going down big. This is his last eff you to the masses. Every one of those laws can be overturned by a new administration.
The ultrasound law in Texas was blocked by a federal judge and it is unenforceable mostly by prior law like the HIPPA laws. But I also agree it needs to be repealed anyway. Don't know how long the injunction holds.
The Dept of Health Services for each state would be the party to have to oversee enforcement of these laws. How exactly are they going to do that??? Aren't they already cutting healthcare services to the bone just like education??
Again, the Idiot Party passes laws that they either are too stupid to know they are unenforceable are just don't care.
Rex, Moorhead
4/9/2012 2:40:02 PM
I agree with Ron Mariposa. Here are the bills that Governor Walker passed into law last Friday with links to articles about them listed below. If these bills in Wisconsin become law across much of America you can KISS YOUR MIDDLE CLASS EXISTENCE GOOD BYE. These radical laws GUT equal pay for equal work for women. These laws will GUT women's right to choose and access to abortion services on the insurance exchanges. He also signed bills that limited sex ed to abstinence only. Governor Walker is living in the 19th century.
Here is a list of bills that continue the GOP's "War on Women" courtesy of Governor Walker. The article quoted from here on down is from an article by Sara Finger, "WAWH: Governor Walker signs four anti-women’s health bills into law". The quote from this article starts below:
"AB 154 / Wisconsin Act 217: Legislation that is unnecessary and that interferes with patient-doctor relationship and that was widely opposed by the medical community.
AB 337 / Wisconsin Act 216: Legislation that would repeal Wisconsin’s Healthy Youth Act and that would allow schools to deny medically accurate, evidence based human growth and development education to our young people.
SB 92 / Wisconsin Act 218: Unnecessary legislation that further restricts the accessibility of abortion coverage in a state exchange, where the use of public funding for abortion coverage is already sharply restricted under the Affordable Care Act. This bill would restrict the use of women’s own private premium dollars to purchase the health coverage they need.
SB 202 /Wisconsin Act 219: repeals Wisconsin Pay Equity Enforcement Law and ends accountability for such pernicious discrimination and grants employers the liberty to deny women to receive the same salary as men."
The quote stops here with a link for your reference:
If you are an independent or middle class woman woman and you vote GOP this fall you need to go have your brains examined by a mental health professional. If you are a women you need to talk to your neighbors, your adult children, and anyone else who will listen about what these RADICAL AND DANGEROUS GOP Governors who have done for setting back women's healthcare all across America. Do you want your daughter or granddaughter having a back alley coat hanger abortion and bleeding to death? Do you want more discrimination against women in the workplace for your daughters and granddaughters? Voting GOP will send women's gains back a century if you vote for Mitt Romney or any other GOP politician this fall. I have sent money to President Obama because I support women's healthcare. But I am only one man of modest means. If you care about women's healthcare get out and send some money to Democratic candidates and President Obama. Tell your daughters and granddaughters to do the same or else say hello to women being treated like doormats and second class citizens. Jesus Christ why are we having this discussion about women's healthcare and rights when we have so many other problems facing our country?
ron mariposa
4/9/2012 11:40:16 AM
I just looked up the bills that scotty signed into law this last week and if the people of wisconsin dont vote this man and is stooges out they are either lazy or crazy. The bills are so far out of the main stream I can see the gop=tea baggers crazies going with them, but average man and woman should be ready to vote all these people out. Just look them up and I wish the dems around the country would start calling all these types of bills out in the national media and not just local news. My g-d they will take country back to the dark ages if not the stone age. I guess the gop=tea baggers men are getting their clubs ready and looking for more women to hit over the head. The bills he siqned also hit the rights of all workers not just the unions, and the women rights and health care is doomed also. Both of you are right they need to get him and his stooges out because they are all stooges of the kochs.
just my humble views
PS People please look up the bills that your own state have passed and signed, but if they are gop=tea baggers take a long look. I do it here as we have a dem gov and state government, but I dont take it for grant it that they will do it right.
Linda S Houston
4/9/2012 9:01:49 AM
They know their state better than we do. And hey, it accomplishes two goals. Getter Walker out and a woman who will not only support the union rights, but women's rights as well that have also suffered under this governor in the top job for Wisconsin.
I think being defeated by a woman would send a loud clear message to the country. This is what happens when you try to drag people back to the dark ages!
VOTE KATHLEEN FALK!
And we've got some lame Democrats in the Congress as well that need to go. Taking up time and space and not supporting Democratic causes like they were elected to do. Their silence has been deafening! Bernie Sanders keeps having to take up the slack.
donnajoy
4/9/2012 8:14:00 AM
HopefullyWisconsinites will focus on the main goal which is to recall Walker. The Primary should be used for the people to decide who is the best person to accomplish this goal. We are counting on Wisconsin to start the ball rolling so the nation can return to the path of the American Dream instead of one to libertarian ideology where only the wealthy and large corporations gain more money and rights.
