Progressives Think They Gained Momentum in Wisconsin — They Should Think Again

I wasn't able to get to it earlier, but there were a few huzzahs on the left over the size of last weekends latest protest in Madison. Was the crowd size 100,000? Impressive. But the comparison to the tea party falls flat. Conservatives have set the new standard for a sustained populist movement, and it's about returning to core values, not about confiscating other people's money. I'll have more on all of this. But meanwhile, Mona Charen writes, "Who Won In Wisconsin?"

Who won the battle of Wisconsin? Republican governor Scott Walker got a legislative victory. On the other hand, Democrats, with a wary eye on 2012 and noting the worrying drop in support for President Obama in union-heavy states like Pennsylvania and Michigan, claim to be delighted that Governor Walker has picked this fight. “Republicans have done organized labor a great favor by putting the movement back in [the] labor movement, creating a level of passion and activism for workers’ rights that hasn’t been seen in generations,” crowed Democratic strategist Mike Lux.

Maybe so. Though the three-week tantrum by union protesters in Madison (which escalated to harassment of Republican legislators by the Party of Civility), along with the flight of Democratic legislators to Illinois may well offend more Americans than it energizes ....

During the last election cycle, the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) contributed $90 million to Democratic candidates. In 2006, then New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine addressed a rally of 10,000 public employees in Trenton, declaring “We will fight for a fair contract.” Corzine was supposed to be management. With whom was he fighting?

The answer, as even Democratic governors like Andrew Cuomo and Jerry Brown are discovering is — other middle-class people, i.e. the taxpayers. The taxpayers are the ones left holding the bag when elected officials team up with public-sector unions. Middle-class taxpayers, only 65 percent of whom have access to retirement plans, are picking up the tab for the 90 percent of government employees who do. Nearly 70 percent of lower-wage government workers receive health benefits, compared with only 38 percent of private-sector workers.

Many state workers avail themselves of the option to retire in their early to mid 50s at nearly full pay. If they were New Jersey teachers, they can collect free health benefits for life ...

RTWT.

More later ...