Author’s note:
The GOP will do whatever it takes to feed the bankers and corporations, starve the poor and crush the middle class. And that includes breaking the law…
Excerpt:
Gov. Walker’s controversial measure curbing collective bargaining rights for most public employees may become law tomorrow, despite a temporary restraining order issued by a Dane county Circuit Court judge last Friday blocking its publication.
The law was published today by the Legislative Reference Bureau (LRB). The temporary restraining order issued by Judge Sumi specifically blocked Secretary of State Doug La Follette from publishing the law, but did not name the LRB. While the state constitution states that laws must be published before they go into effect, it does not specify by whom.
The Walker administration, therefore, was able to take advantage of a separate law that requires the LRB to publish legislation within 10 days of enactment. Since no action by the secretary of state is required for the LRB to act, and since La Follette did not direct the publication of the law, today’s action by the state legislature is not in violation of the court order.
While there are uncertainties regarding the implementation of the law at this time, it is certain that there will be more court proceedings in the near future regarding this matter.
Legal questions aside, the words of a demonstrator puts the issue in a larger perspective:
Slavery used to be the letter of the law in this country, but we all know that was wrong. Denying women the vote was once the letter of the law in this country, and we all know that was wrong. Making black folk ride in the back of the bus was once the letter of the law, and we knew that was wrong. Interning Jewish people in concentration camps was once the letter of the law in Germany, and the world knew that was wrong! Walker may claim that his ending of collective bargaining is the letter of the law, but we know that is wrong too. So Walker is on thin ice if he tries to hide his looting of the people to feed the corporations and bankers behind a thin veneer of legality.
It will be interesting to see how many people who have similar beliefs show up at the Capitol tomorrow.
Read more and get links here:
Madison Independent Examiner – Wisc. collective bargaining law published despite court order