Republicans Jim Sensenbrenner and Chris Kapenga held a listening session on Monday night in politically conservative Delafield, Wisconsin; statements made at that meeting left some Waukesha County residents stunned. According to two attendees, Representative Chris Kapenga openly admitted that the GOP has plans to make Wisconsin a right-to-work state and that they’re just waiting for a politically opportune time.
According to Waukesha County resident Leanne Wied-Brusky, when a Town Hall attendee who seemed in favor of right-to-work legislation expressed discontent over the delay in implementation, Kapenga responded, “We have right-to-work legislation in (three) different offices ready to go. If we had done it earlier, when we wanted, then Prosser would not have been elected. Right now is not the right time. We have to wait until it is politically feasible.”
Dave Heaster, also at the meeting, confirmed Kapenga’s statement and said he also heard him say, “…if we did it now, we’d be burning political capital, and we just don’t have excess capital to burn now.”
Heaster, who has filed the paperwork necessary to run against Sensenbrenner, told me that he “wasn’t surprised to hear that they were planning it in secret” but that what shocked him is “that this seemingly young guy, Kapenga, was stupid enough to tell us all about it!” Heaster added, “But then again, I’ve always said that if the people don’t bring down Walker, his own stupidity will!”
Unsurprisingly, Wied- Brusky said that after Kapenga made those shocking comments, Jim Sensenbrenner “did not look happy” and “tried to end the session.”
Funny how the truth seems to come out only when the Republicans think they’re in politically “safe” territory, and with huge gaffes like this one.
Added Heaster, “It’s funny – but more so, it shows how if we allow the Republicans to continue down this right-to-work vision, we are going to become a 3rd world nation.”
Agreed.
I have read that
Walker has refused to say publicly that he would veto Right to work legislation. If this is true, then this story fits right in.
Walker said that now while the recall is still looming over him. If he wins how much you wanna bet that will be the first legislation to come out
The only tool in WI is Scott Walker. Doing the bidding of ALEC to crush the earnings of the middle class. “Ignore the public comments,” remember that? That is the entire GOP script in WI. Lie to the people, tell the truth to billionaires and squeeze every red cent you can out of the working class. We need to right the ship June 5th. Thank you so much for getting this out there.
And GOP rep robin vos is chomping at the bit to force through RTW legislation, and, has said he supports it. He’s a two-bit hack for ALEC and must be removed from office this November, the swine.
Why is anyone surprised? Of course Walker is trying to make us a right to work state, and all the union haters are going to get their paychecks cut. His lady friend in the video didn’t give him a half a million dollars for nothing, get the blinders off and get him out of office. He has only started destroying this state, he has lots more in store for us, so if you are voting for him, get ready to sacrifice your wages and your health and women beware the Personhood bill is coming, and your children will suffer in crowded classrooms, sports will be a thing of the past, they are already talking about those programs, because schools will have no money for extra-curricular activities. Be careful what you vote for in this state. You may get it!
You’re right, Bette. No suprise. It was pretty clear with Walker’s non-denial denial. The local paper in Kapenga’s district, the Jefferson Co. Union, others, need to be tipped off to this! As does every daily paper in Sensenbrenner’s district. Who’s there? Who can call their local paper and ask the editor to make sure Kapenga and Sensebrenner have a chance to comment on these eye-witness accounts?
In that video of Walker, when talking to Debra the billionaire…he said “First off, we will divide and conquer”. That should be a heads up for everyone. First off. I wonder what his second and third is on his list.
I don’t think Walker said he’d veto this legislation, he said it wouldn’t get to his desk. What will he do if it does? I can’t imagine he will veto it.
I have REPEATEDLY said this and will CONTINUE to say it!
If Walker and the Republicans break the unions they are coming after us independent workers next!
He MUST be stopped on June 5!
This post is now included in a Salon.com article, FYI.
http://www.salon.com/2012/05/15/new_video_could_damage_walker/singleton/
And TPM 🙂
http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entries/wisconsin-legislator-drafted-right-to-work-legislation-but
A California resident here. I wish you all the best during this time. Wisconsin and working families deserve better than Scott Walker as Governor.
Thank you!
I agree. Thank you Jorge!
Why wouldn’t we want it to be a “right to work” state?
We want women, even teenage women, to have the right to kill their unborn child, without their parent’s consent.
But God forbid we give workers the right to choose whether or not they want to belong to a union.
What are unions afraid of?
“Obama/kim,” if you want to go that route, explain to me how “freedom loving” conservatives who want less intrusion into the lives of citizens can support government intrusion when it suits them, such as same-sex marriage and a woman’s right to choose?
If you’re for “freedom” and “personal liberty,” then you should support less government intrusion into our lives when it comes to those two issues, lest you be labeled a hypocrite.
Believe it or not I am all for gay marriage.
I am also absolutely against abortion because those women made the choice whether or not to have sex and/or use protection. The only instance where I would allow it is in cases of rape where they are not afforded the choice.
I support less government across the board. Wouldn’t it be nice to install a new water heater in your house without having to apply and pay for a permit? Less is definately better in regards to gov’t.
Sheesh, goofy mask wearer! Where do you live that requires you to secure a permit for a water heater???
None other than Tom Barrett’s City of Milwaukee
I guess every family has its “black” sheep, huh, Kim? (*laughing*)
Abortions and water heaters? You’re certainly an entertaining, eclectic kind of wingnut, Kim. I’ll give you that.
Anyway, instead of trying to impress us all with the extraordinary extent of your “small government” hypocrisy, why not just use your limited brain wingnut power to finally, once and for all, wrap your head around the fact that you have a “brother” in the White House, one who is actually “getting the job done”?
The rest of us would greatly appreciate it.
That’s odd. I just looked up the codes for Milwaukee and discovered that a permit is required to install water heaters—if you happen to be a business and are installing 11 or more water heaters in a facility.
http://city.milwaukee.gov/ImageLibrary/Groups/cityDCD/build/pdfs/plumplan.pdf
I didn’t see anything requiring a permit to install a water heater in a private home.
Another right-wingnut lie? Could it be?
I know! Shocking! (*laughing*)
To be honest, I think that it is just another case of wingnut ignorance.
“Obama” aka Kim: “I heard a thing from a guy who read it on Free Republic.”
Kim: “Small government, small government, small government. Free the water heaters. Okay, which one of you guys has the vaginal probe?”
It isn’t the “Wild, Wild West” anymore, Kim.
There are just certain things that need to be regulated in a modern society to keep that society safe.
In any event, I was amused by how enthusiastically you patted yourself on the back about being a “hands off”, small government kinda gal while talking about how you wouldn’t “allow” women to determine what happens to their own bodies. I guess that it’s ALL relative, right, Kim? If you don’t like something, “small” government should regulate it. If you like it, “hands off”.
You’re a prime, Grade “A”, example of a Teapublican, “small” government hypocrite,
Every state needs a Scott Walker!!!! Having worked in RTW Texas and now Forced Unionism California RTW is by far the best, most moral choice. Only labor unions and rapists refuse to take “NO” for an answer. Allowing people the freedom to not only hold their employer accountable, but also overly-political labor unions is the correct thing to do. Labor powered by purely voluntary dues/dollars is the only legitimate way to go. Until them I’m no longer a Democrat.
Have ya MET the Republican Party, fool?!
(*laughing*)
It’s called the “Party of No” for a reason, ya wingnut douche.
Obama: why don’t we want a right to work state? What are unions afraid of?
Well, right to work laws have a negative impact on wages and benefits for all employees, union and non-union. The Economic Policy Institute has a nice piece on RTW. Their findings were that RTW laws:
– reduce wages by $1,500 a year, for both union and nonunion workers, after accounting for different costs of living in the states (Gould and Shierholz 2011)
– lower the likelihood that employees get healthcare or pensions through their jobs—again, for both union and nonunion employees (Gould and Shierholz 2011)
– have no impact whatsoever on job growth (Lafer and Allegretto 2011)
The only people who benefit from RTW are employers who pay employees lower wages and provide fewer benefits.
Lower our wages. Make us cover costs that employers once offered to attract quality workers, and what do you get? A rebounding economy? I think not! Just a bunch of fat cats content to let our public schools go to waste. They can afford their own.
Tom Barrett’s City of Milwaukee
Keep the taxes and fees comin’ Tom!
[The Wingnut Formerly Known As] Kim (who for some God-forsaken reason likes to be called “Obama” around here these days) is the “black” sheep of the Obama clan.
Keep the wingnut BS coming, Kim, a’ite (it’s urban slang, white girl, not a typo)!
Scott Walker was Milwaukee County Exec from 2002-2010, so if it’s “Tom Barrett’s City of Milwaukee” it’s “Scott Walker’s City of Milwaukee”, too…
Isn’t this what Hitler did to Germany? Alot of people listen to the news, or other people and believe what they want to and do not or will not look into what is being said. The private employees are next. The
State of Wisconsin will have the “WORKING POOR/THE RICH. No more MIDDLE CLASS. I am truely afraid.
People on the right-a right to work state is more than just limiting unions. ALL workers are hurt by “right to work”. All workers union or non-union have no rights, they can be fired for no reason-without recourse. Companies do not have to pay overtime pay,vacation pay, etc. PLEASE, PLEASE read what “right to work” actually is before you support it. Simply said, it limits ALL workers rights. It benefits companies and hurts workers.
RTW is just more of the same: repubs trying to destroy unions because they tend to vote Democratic. The guise is always slightly different, whether banning collective bargaining or only making union members pay the “tax” Walker unleashed last spring to balance the budget. Repubs see anyone who votes against them as the enemy and will do anything to crush them.
Once more, information is provided to a right-winger and once more, he/she ignores it.
This is a LIE. Walker has alreasy stated that he would strike down ANY Right to Work legislation.
Yeah, and Scott Walker would never tell a lie.
LOL
More liberal scare tactic propaganda. Just like the war on women, cutting medicaid, doing away with equal pay for women, etc., etc. Get your facts straight.
Propaganda? More like reality.
You’re an idiot
You do realize that Zach runs this site, right?
Besides, “people in glass houses” and all that.
Wingnuts crack me up. Quote their icons, use their own words to define them, and the wingnuts like BK start blubbering about “liberal scare tactics”.
(*laughing*)
You’re a hoot, BK. An idiot. But a hoot.
No, B[urger]K[ing], Snotty Scotty said that the Right-Too-Work legislation would never get to his desk. See the difference, big boy?
In the world of grifters, like Walker, it’s called a sleight of hand.
Wrong, BK–Scott Walker refuses to answer the question of whether or not he will veto Right to Work legislation that might come to his desk. Not real hard to figure out what that refusal to answer implies.
Um….yeah. Honesty doesn’t appear to be one of his virtues.
http://www.weau.com/news/headlines/Walker_says_he_has_no_interest_in_right_to_work_151213615.html?storySection=story
Dude, the article doesn’t have one actual quote from Walker, just the author’s “interpretation” of what Walker has had to say.
Swing, as they say, and a BIG miss.