Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim refused Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s dare to Pakatan Rakyat to form a shadow Cabinet today, claiming instead that the challenge showed that the Prime Minister now recognised that the opposition pact was a serious threat to his leadership.
“We thank Najib for his efforts to suggest and ask us to reveal a shadow Cabinet because this is a form of endorsement... it is the first time that Umno/Barisan Nasional recognises PR’s ability to take over Putrajaya.
“Before this, they only knew how to criticise our efforts but now, they want to know about our committees and our top leaders who will be responsible,” Anwar told a press conference today.
The PR de factor leader said the pact’s leadership saw no need to accept Najib’s challenge as it had already succeeded in producing the “Buku Jingga”, which contains its plans and policies for the country should it capture Putrajaya.
“We have already announced the formation of a parliamentary committee with specific portfolios and the committee reports to us their work. One of it is to give specific recommendations on plans for the economy, which are now in the orange book.
“Hence, we felt that there is no need to form a shadow Cabinet because we already have this committee,” he said.
Anwar added that Najib’s challenge was merely viewed as a “positive remark” as it proved that PR’s atttempt to gain Putrajaya was no longer unrealistic in the prime minister’s eyes.
“We see Umno used to reject the possibility of us taking over but now they have admitted that this could happen and that is why they want to know who our leaders are,” he said.
Anwar however admitted that some of those appointed to helm the committee’s portfolios had not performed up to mark.
“But most are functioning and our comprehensive plan is in the orange book.
“It contains views presented by our MPs which were then studied by the leadership,” he said.
Najib issued the challenge in Malacca last week, claiming that the shadow Cabinet was the norm in other foreign countries and would show that that the opposition parties in PR were able to work together.
National news agency Bernama reported that the prime minister had described PR as a pact made up of untested parties that was presently only good at putting on a show that they were united.
“But how are they going to form a government when they cannot even form a shadow Cabinet?” he was quoted as saying.
Anwar also announced today that PR’s economic convention has been scheduled for March 26 and 27 in Shah Alam.
The title and purpose of the convention will be revealed soon, he said.
Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said he believed the political situation in the country now favoured the Barisan Nasional (BN) owing to the "feel good" factor felt by all races.
"I notice confidence in the BN has increased since the general election in 2008 and the people now are more comfortable with the BN," he told a press conference after announcing the BN's candidate for the Merlimau by-election here Wednesday.
Muhyiddin said the "feel good" factor was based on the victories achieved by BN candidates in the past several by-elections but the scenario needed to be strengthened further.
He said the BN had undertaken political transformation as well brought about economic transformation under the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
"This transformation process started by the prime minister has already produced a positive impact which the people can see for themselves compared to what is being done by the opposition," he said.
On the Merlimau by-election, Muhyiddin advised the BN's election machinery not to be over confident although the people now favoured the BN.
"Starting from today, go down to the ground to meet voters, listen to them and find out how we (BN) can be of help to them," he said.
Meanwhile, Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam, who was also present at the press conference, said Melaka BN was ready to face the by-election and was confident of a bigger victory this time around.
Jasin Umno committee member Roslan Ahmad, 44, was picked as the BN's candidate for the by-election.
Nomination is on Saturday and polling on March 6.
It is called following the death of the incumbent Datuk Mohamad Hidhir Abu Hassan, of the BN, on Jan 20.
"I notice confidence in the BN has increased since the general election in 2008 and the people now are more comfortable with the BN," he told a press conference after announcing the BN's candidate for the Merlimau by-election here Wednesday.
Muhyiddin said the "feel good" factor was based on the victories achieved by BN candidates in the past several by-elections but the scenario needed to be strengthened further.
He said the BN had undertaken political transformation as well brought about economic transformation under the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
"This transformation process started by the prime minister has already produced a positive impact which the people can see for themselves compared to what is being done by the opposition," he said.
On the Merlimau by-election, Muhyiddin advised the BN's election machinery not to be over confident although the people now favoured the BN.
"Starting from today, go down to the ground to meet voters, listen to them and find out how we (BN) can be of help to them," he said.
Meanwhile, Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam, who was also present at the press conference, said Melaka BN was ready to face the by-election and was confident of a bigger victory this time around.
Jasin Umno committee member Roslan Ahmad, 44, was picked as the BN's candidate for the by-election.
Nomination is on Saturday and polling on March 6.
It is called following the death of the incumbent Datuk Mohamad Hidhir Abu Hassan, of the BN, on Jan 20.
The Malaysian Consultative Council for Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST) has joined a growing chorus calling for period novel “Interlok” to be replaced as required reading in national schools.
The Malay novel by laureate, Datuk Abdullah Hussain, was written over 40 years ago and became the subject of controversy after a Selangor school head, who quoted from the book during assembly last month, was accused of racism.
“Interlok” is set in the early 1900s and recounts the country’s history from the point of view of three male protagonists — Seman, a Malay; Chin Huat, a Chinese; and Maniam, an Indian.
Several political parties and non-governmental groups claim the word “pariah”, as used in the book, is derogatory and demeaning to the ethnic Indian community who are mostly Tamil.
They want it banned on those grounds.
“We are saddened that education is being compromised to advance a very insidious attempt to ridicule, insult and belittle the non-Muslim citizens of this country,” the MCCBCHST said in a statement today, siding with the detractors.
“MCCBCHST once again appeal to you Prime Minister Sir, to withdraw the novel ‘Interlok’ and replace it with another novel that is free of derogatory words and suggestions,” the non-Muslim faith council added, urging Datuk Seri Najib Razak to live up to his 1 Malaysia slogan.
In making its case against any amendments to the text, the book’s author and supporters have insisted there is nothing wrong with the book as it was written based on historical fact.
The Education Ministry helmed by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin set up an independent panel to review the book last week.
It has one month to complete its work.
The FBM KLCI extended its losses on Wednesday, Feb 23 in line with the decline at regional markets still worried over the worsening turmoil in the Middle Eastern region, as risk-averse investors continued to stay on the sidelines.
The FBM KLCI pared down its losses to close 2.52 points lower at 1,511.11, weighed by losses at blue chips including Axiata, MISC, KLK and Sime Darby.
Market breadth improved with gainers leading losers by 433 to 385, while 275 counters traded unchanged. Volume was 1.7 billion shares valued at RM2.05 billion.
At the regional markets, Japan’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.80% to 10,579.10, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index shed 0.36% to 22,906.90, Taiwan’s Taiex lost 1.67% to 8,528.94, South Korea’s Kospi fell 0.42% to 1,961.63 and Singapore’s Straits Times Index lost 0.57% to 3,001.85.
Meanwhile, the Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.25% to 2,862.63.
On Bursa Malaysia, Axiata fell nine sen to RM4.95 after it posted net loss of RM367.04 million in the fourth quarter ended Dec 31, 2010 compared with a net profit of RM558.28 million a year ago, mainly due to impairment recorded in the current quarter.
MISC lost 20 sen to RM7.90, KLK 40 sen to RM21.08, Sime Darby three sen to RM9.16, Maybank two sen to RM8.72, YTL 10 sen to RM7.40 and Hong Leong Bank 11 sen to RM9.29.
Other losers were IJM Corp that fell 28 sen to RM6.25, Hartalega 24 sen to RM5.51, GAB 16 sen to RM9.42, Jaya Tiasa 13 sen to RM4.90 and Cepco 11 sen to RM2.04.
Kulim was the top gainer today, ahead of its share split and one-for-one bonus going ex on Thursday. The stock added 62 sen to RM15.88.
BAT rose 38 sen to RM46.70, Nestle 30 sen to RM45.30, DiGi 20 sen to RM26.40, Scientex 16 sen to RM2.92, Lion Forest Industries and Public Bank 16 sen each to RM1.99 and RM13.42, and Tex Cycle 15 sen to 44 sen.
Tanco was the most active with 133.84 million shares done. The stock gained 15.5 sen to 42 sen. The company had reached an agreement with lender Lehman Brothers Commercial Corp Asia Ltd (in liquidation) for the settlement sum of RM144.63 million which would involve the payment of RM44 million cash as well as the transfer and vesting of certain PROPERTIES [] at an agreed value of RM100.63 million.
Other actives included Karambunai, HWGB, Olympia, Iris Corp and SAAG.
Sarawak Chief Minister (CM) Taib Mahmud is the most depised man in Sarawak. He is Malaysia’s longest serving Chief Minister and just like ex-president Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, ruled for 30 years. On 11 February 2011, the Egyptians celebrated as Mubarak finally yielded to people power.
For the people of Sarawak, their time will come. It is just a question of when.
For decades, Taib ruled Sarawak with an iron fist. He crushed the people’s spirit with one hand and grabbed what was rightfully theirs, with the other. He had no desire to listen to the people and he destroyed those who opposed him. He used the police to do his dirty work and it is alleged that paid thugs would do the rest.
What he could not obtain easily, he simply took, by force if necessary. He grew rich at the expense of the Sarawakian. His treated his people like dogs, but happily cultivated the friendship of those in the west – the rich and famous, and those in power.
But the tide is turning. If Taib thought he could silence the people, then he is wrong. Everyday, there is an expose about his and his family’s personal wealth being splashed in the news. The foreigners he called ‘friends’ are slowly distancing themselves from him.
The Sarawak people are fighting back and they are bringing the fight into their homes. They’re not doing it with parangs or blowpipes. Their weapon is more potent. It is with incisive arguments and sharp critiques.
These are the voices of the ordinary man in the street or the rainforest, which are carried over the airwaves and into Sarawak households. This is the voice of Radio Free Sarawak (RFS). Thus far, Taib has not been able to stop the RFS from operating.
Taib has tried and Malaysia’s Special Branch personnel have been seen shadowing the main voice of RFS and other Malaysians at events that have been held in London, when these highlight the abuses of the Sarawak and Malaysian governments.
On 22 February, the two faces behind RFS came out of hiding. They are an unlikely duo – an Englishwoman and an Iban from Sarawak. She is Clare Rewcastle Brown – the sister-in-law of former British Prime minister Gordon Brown; he is the main voice of RFS – Papa Orang Utan aka Peter John Jaban.
Claire was born in Sarawak when it was still under British rule. She used to accompany her mother who was a mid-wife and whose work would take her into the interior. Jaban was an election monitor working in Taib’s state-controlled radio but was sacked for allowing callers to criticise Taib.
Claire said that they decided to reveal their identities because of death threats posted to the Sarawak Report website which is run by Clare. Sarawak Report is an anomymous blog which gets 18,000 hits per day. Both the Sarawak Report and RFS expose the excesses of Taib, his family and those in his inner circle.
According to Claire, Taib is responsible for “the outrageous deforestation which has seen 95% of the Sarawak’s rainforest cut down and replaced by logging and palm oil plantations which have enriched Taib and his family.”
Another reason for going public is the mysterious death of Sarawak Report’s main whistleblower, the American Ross Boyert who once worked for Taib. Boyert was found dead in a Los Angeles hotel room with a plastic bag around his head.
Clare said, “The inquest (into Boyert’s death) is still pending but there was a sense that Peter and I could be in danger. Rather than hide, we’ve decided to come out fighting.”
For both Clare and Peter, the important thing was to “give the 2.5 million oppressed people of Sarawak a choice”.
“The leader of the opposition party, a charismatic human rights lawyer called Baru Bian, inspires hope of real change in the upcoming election, but scandalously only one-third of the electorate are registered to vote and the corrupt Malaysian government turn a blind eye because Taib always delivers them Sarawak, their richest state.”
In 2008, Clare went to Sarawak to report on a by-election and secretly filmed companies clearing rainforests for oil palm. That was when she was introduced to Jaban and invited him to London to be the voice of RFS. Sadly, for as long as Taib is in power, Jaban is unable to return home.
He said, “I miss my four children, I miss my home.”
Wiping the tears from his face, he said, “I am prepared to die for this cause.”
What asked about their chances of success, Clare said, “People say our man hasn’t got a prayer in the election and that Taib will intimideate voters as he always does but I think our reports are having a huge effect and that there’s a groundswell for change.”
Malaysians will agree with Clare’s sentiments, “You’ve got to take heart from what is happening in the middle-east to rulers who seemed equally immovable until just a few weeks ago.”
In a flat above a restaurant in Covent Garden, an investigative reporter called Clare and a tribesman from Borneo covered in tattoos prepare to transmit their daily revolutionary radio broadcast deep into the Borneo jungle.
They make for an unlikely double act - she is a white, middle-aged Englishwoman, and he the proud grandson of a Dayak headhunter who broadcasts under the pseudonym Papa Orang Utan. Their aim is no less outlandish: to expose the alleged corruption of Taib Mahmud, chief minister of the Malaysian state of Sarawak on the island of Borneo 6,500 miles from London, and bring an end to his 30-year rule.
"This is Radio Free Sarawak," begins Papa Orang Utan, donning his headphones to interview a village headman who has been forcibly removed from his land and who, quite remarkably, speaks to them on a mobile phone from the edge of the Borneo rainforest. Clare briefs Papa: "Make sure you ask if he knows that it's chief minister Taib who has stolen their land? And get who he'll be voting for!"
Until now the identity of the "pirates" behind Radio Free Sarawak has been a closely guarded secret - and for good reason. Scandal-plagued Taib, 74, is one of the world's most ruthless and wealthiest men - richer allegedly than the Sultan of Brunei, whose independent country lies alongside - and locals who oppose him can feel the full force of his retribution.
But today is a watershed: the duo have bravely decided to out themselves ahead of the upcoming Sarawak elections, expected in April. Indeed, the Evening Standard can reveal that the mystery Englishwoman who set up Radio Free Sarawak four months ago and who brought out the tattooed tribesman - real name Peter John Jaban - to front her broadcasts is in fact Clare Rewcastle Brown, sister-in-law of former prime minister Gordon Brown.
The last time she was in the public eye was in May 2009 when she published a letter defending the then prime minister's cleaning arrangements in the wake of the expenses scandal. Her piece, "The true story of Gordon Brown, the cleaner and my husband", laid out their "very ordinary shared cleaning arrangements" and explained why The Telegraph's front page "scoop" was groundless.
"My poor husband Andrew," she recalls, "was the face on the front page on the first day of the expenses scandal, which was pretty damn unfair given that Gordon's arrangement with the cleaner was later judged wholly legitimate. The reporters arrived on our doorstep thinking they'd 'got Gordon' but they hadn't done their due diligence and when we presented them with the truth, they didn't want to hear it."
Today she sees less of her husband's older brother, "Gordon and Sarah being mainly up in Scotland", but they are "a close-knit family" and "Gordon is hugely supportive," she says.
Rewcastle Brown, 51, born in Sarawak to British parents in the days before the former British colony was handed over to Malaysia, lived in the region until the age of eight, and she is the author of the hard-hitting Sarawak Report, a hitherto anonymous blog that gets 18,000 hits a day.
"English is still the unifying language in Sarawak and I use my blog and broadcasts to expose the outrageous deforestation which has seen 95 per cent of Sarawak's rainforest cut down and replaced by logging and palm oil plantations which have enriched Taib and his family," she says. "What's more, my investigations indicate some of the Taib family money is right here in London and includes a lucrative property portfolio in the heart of our capital."
Her work, she adds, is also about "giving the 2.5 million oppressed people of Sarawak a choice".
"The leader of the opposition party, a charismatic human rights lawyer called Baru Bian, inspires hope of real change in the upcoming election, but scandalously only one-third of the electorate are registered to vote and the corrupt Malaysian government turn a blind eye because Taib always delivers them Sarawak, their richest state."
She says their decision to go public was prompted by death threats posted to the Sarawak Report website and by the mysterious fatality of her chief whistleblower in America. "Before Christmas, Taib's disaffected US aide Ross Boyert was found dead in a Los Angeles hotel room with a plastic bag around his head. The inquest is still pending but there was a sense that Peter and I could be in danger. Rather than hide, we've decided to come out fighting."
She kicks off her leather boots and laughs. "The irony is that Taib and his people think we're a huge operation but there are just five of us with a couple of laptops and a mixer. Advances in MP3 technology mean that these days shortwave radio is cheap and easy to do. We've been so effective that Taib's people believe we're funded by George Soros, whose foundation funds Radio Free Burma."
Her outfit - started in October from the dining room of her loft in Victoria where she lives "in shabby dilapidation" with Andrew and their two teenage children - costs less than £10,000 a month, she says. Initially she funded it herself but she's since roped in some "better-off friends" who help out "anonymously". "Not Gordon," she hastens to add. "His support is strictly moral!"
Her passionate dedication to a cause 99 per cent of Londoners have never heard of sometimes causes strains, she admits, with friends and family. "But I honestly believe that Taib is probably one of the worst environmental criminals on the planet and that he has taken huge amounts from the country of my birth."
She smiles. "He never saw me coming. When he set up his property companies in 1982, he could never have imagined that some mad woman sitting in her kitchen in London would unravel his property empire simply by scrutinising company reports online."
As an investigative journalist who started with the BBC World Service in 1983, she is better equipped than most to uncover the wealth of the Mahmud family.
"My investigations have indicated that Taib and his family have a property empire in Canada, the US and the UK. Funds have been generated by Taib selling off rainforests with some of the money going through the British Virgin Islands."
The Evening Standard put these allegations to those who are behind the companies and they were denied.
Rewcastle Brown's passion for the rainforests of Sarawak was kindled as a child when she accompanied her mother, Karis, a midwife, into the jungle. Back then, Sarawak had the most biodiverse rainforest in the world with 3,000 species of trees, 15,000 plants, 420 birds and 221 mammals.
"My mother would drag me to remote clinics to show the indigenous Dayaks what a healthy baby should look like," she recalls.
"Everyone in those villages sleeps in one long-house and my mother frequently saved the lives of their sick babies. As a kid, my first friends were the local children and we used to climb trees and run barefoot, dodging the odd scorpion."
The family came to the UK when Rewcastle Brown was eight and she attended a private boarding school and later finished her masters in international relations at the LSE. It would be 38 years before she returned to Sarawak on a media trip where the degradation of the rainforest - so evident from the air - shocked her to the core.
In 2008 she went back to report on a by-election and secretly film companies clearing rainforest for oil palm. That was when she "fell into a peat bog and nearly died", and it was also when she met Jaban, 46, an election monitor fired from Taib's state-controlled radio for allowing callers to criticise the chief minister.
Last year she invited Jaban to become the voice of Radio Free Sarawak in London. It was a drastic step because it meant that while Taib stays in power, Jaban can never go back.
"I miss my four children, I miss my home," he says, tears streaming. He looks vulnerable, like a fish out of water, but he suddenly straightens. "I am prepared to die for this cause," he says. "In the days of my grandfather, you had to bring a decent clutch of heads as a sign of your masculinity when you got married. Today things have changed but you still have to be a man."
What are their chances of success? Rewcastle Brown ponders for a moment. "People say our man hasn't got a prayer in the election and that Taib will intimidate voters as he always does but I think our reports are having a huge effect and that there's a groundswell for change."
She smiles thinly. "You've got to take heart from what is happening in the Middle East to rulers who seemed equally immovable until just a few weeks ago."
Workers In New York Show Support For Wisconsin Protesters
Amanda Terkel:
In New York City today, workers turned out to show solidarity with Wisconsin protesters and held a rally (with many of the participants wearing cheese wedges on their heads):
WATCH (video by Anna Mumford):
Also during the rally, which was held outside the News Corp. headquarters on 6th Ave., protesters began yelling, "Turn off Fox! Turn off Fox!"
WATCH (video by Charles Lenchner):
Today 9:02 AM 'Dire Consequences'
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker warned that there could be 'dire consequences' if his budget bill failed to pass. AP reports:
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker says failing to pass a bill stripping union rights for Wisconsin public workers would have "dire consequences."
Walker said in a speech broadcast live statewide Tuesday evening that if lawmakers don't pass the bill up to 1,500 state workers could be laid off by July with another 6,000 forced out of work over the next two years.
More from AP here.
Today 7:09 AM Koch Brothers Open Lobby Shop In Madison
The Koch brothers stir up more controversy:
The billionaire brothers whose political action committee gave Gov. Scott Walker $43,000 and helped fund a multi-million-dollar attack ad campaign against his opponent during the 2010 gubernatorial election have quietly opened a lobbying office in Madison just off the Capitol Square.
Read more here.
Today 6:59 AM Paychecks Withheld From Absent Senators
The AP reports that paychecks are being withheld from Wisconsin senators that have fled the state. They need to be picked up in person. The rule change is aimed at forcing the absent senators to return to the state.
Today 6:43 AM Wisconsin Pension Fund Among Nation's Healthiest
HuffPost's Zach Carter reports:
WASHINGTON -- While Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) has painted a dire picture of his state's pension obligations, Wisconsin's pension fund for public employees is among the nation's strongest, according to a report by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center.
The Pew report, issued last year, concluded that Wisconsin is a "national leader in managing its long-term liabilities for both pension and retiree health care." Walker has cited the fund's lack of sustainability as grounds for his plan to revoke collective bargaining rights for state employees, but that proposal has sparked outrage among state employees and drawn tens of thousands of protesters to the state's capitol.
"We're going to ask our state and local workers ... to pay a little bit more, to sacrifice, to help to balance this budget," Walker said in a Sunday interview with Fox News' Chris Wallace, adding that he would be forced to lay off 5,000 to 6,000 state employees if his budget plan was not approved, as well as a comparable number of local public employees.
But the Wisconsin pension fund is simply not in fiscal trouble. Its managers weren't burned by subprime mortgage assets or mortgage-backed securities as the housing bubble collapsed. The fund also relies on an automated dividend system, which pays out benefits in years the system is making gains while restricting payouts in years when it takes losses. And while the pension fund had a rough year during 2008 due to stock market losses, it remains robust, both in terms of fundamental financial stability and in comparison to other state pension programs.
Read more here.
Today 6:39 AM Fled Lawmakers Participating By Phone
The Green Bay press Gazette reports: "A Wisconsin state Senate committee has passed a bill that would require voters show photo identification at the polls over the objection of a Democratic lawmaker participating in the meeting over the phone."
The Democratic lawmaker, Senator Jon Erpenbach, is one of the state senators who left the state.
More info here.
Today 5:47 AM Ohio Protesters Sing 'God Bless America'
WATCH:
Protesters locked out of Ohio's statehouse today joined together in an impromptu singing of "God Bless America."
More photos from the protest here.
According to the AFL-CIO, around 1,000 protesters were allowed inside, which is far below the thousands who were let in last week.
Today 5:20 AM Poll Finds Public Opposition To Stripping Collective Bargaining Rights
From HuffPost's Mark Blumenthal.
A new USA Today/Gallup poll finds additional evidence of public opposition to efforts to roll back the collective bargaining rights of public employees. The survey, conducted by telephone Monday night, asked 1,000 adults randomly selected adults nationwide if they would favor or oppose "a law in your state taking away some collective bargaining rights of most public unions, including the state teachers union." They found 61% would oppose such a law, 33% would favor it and 6% were unsure.
USA Today's Dennis Cauchon also reports the following results which, he writes, "suggest how politically difficult it is to solve budget shortfalls" in state governments:
- 71% oppose increasing sales, income or other taxes while 27% are in favor that approach.
- 53% oppose reducing pay or benefits for government workers while 44% are in favor.
- 48% opposed reducing or eliminating government programs while 47% were in favor of cuts.
Today 5:01 AM 'Save the Dream'
A group of progressive organizations is calling for emergency "Save the Dream" rallies at noon (local time) on Saturday in front of every state house in all 50 states to show solidarity with the protesters in Wisconsin.
"In Wisconsin and around our country, the American Dream is under fierce attack," reads the press release for the announcement. "Instead of creating jobs, Republicans are giving tax breaks to corporations and the very rich and then cutting funding for education, police, emergency response and vital human services. The right to organize is on the chopping block. The American Dream is slipping out of reach for more and more Americans, and we have to fight back."
The groups involved are: MoveOn.org, Van Jones, USAction, TrueMajority, Color of Change, PCCC, CREDO, Democracy for America, Center for Community Change, National People's Action, Courage Campaign and Progressive Majority.
Today 4:57 AM Indiana Governor Says Time To Ditch Labor Bill
The Indianapolis Star reports:
Gov. Mitch Daniels signaled this afternoon that Republicans should to drop the right-to-work bill that has brought the Indiana House to a standstill for two days and imperiled other measures.
Daniels told reporters this afternoon that he expects House Democrats will return to work if the bill dies. It would be unfortunate if otherbills are caught up in the turmoil, he said.He will not send out state police to corral the Democrats, theRepublican governor said.The Democrat minority has right to express its views, he added.The governor clung to his view that this is not the year to tackle right to work.
Read more here.
Today 4:35 AM What Wisconsin Is Really About
Kevin Drum has a big piece in the latest issue of Mother Jones detailing what the protests in Wisconsin are really about. The decline of unions has hurt the middle class.
Read it here.
Today 4:14 AM Pro-Union Website Blocked In Wisconsin State Capitol
A website being used to help organize protests against Gov. Scott Walker in Wisconsin has been blocked from the Capitol Building in Madison, according to reports.
More info here.
Today 4:12 AM The Last Time Scott Walker Went After Unions
Rachel Maddow takes a look at the last time Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker went after unions.
Today 3:36 AM Florida Governor Weighs In On Wisconsin Protests
Florida Governor Rick Scott came out against taking away collective bargaining rights from public employees during a radio interview today:
“My belief is as long as people know what they’re doing, collective bargaining is fine,” Scott said in an interview with WFLA Radio in Tallahassee. Scott said what he means is that as long as the discussion is honest about what benefits employees are getting, he has no objection to public employees being members of unions.
Today 3:02 AM Wisconsin Dem Senators Give Up On Governor
HuffPost's Amanda Terkel reports:
WASHINGTON -- Wisconsin's public employee unions have agreed to cuts to their health care and pension funds, and a moderate Republican state senator has offered a compromise that would temporarily, not permanently, strip their collective-bargaining rights, but Gov. Scott Walker (R) refuses to budge on the latter issue. Now, state Senate Democrats say they're done with Walker and seek ways to work around him.
"We had a Senate Democratic caucus last night, and we've pretty much given up on the governor," said state Sen. Jim Holperin (D). "I think this is a governor who is a very stubborn individual and maybe does not understand fully the collateral consequences of his stubbornness. So we've decided to refocus on the people we believe may be flexible to some degree, and that's Senate Republicans. A lot of those Senate Republicans have been around a long time, and I think understand the gravity of eliminating rights from people."
Holperin and Wisconsin's other Senate Democrats remain in Illinois, a move that prevents their Republican colleagues from reaching the quorum needed to move forward on budget bills like Walker's. So far, Democrats said, Walker has ignored all their calls and requests to meet together.
Read more here.
Today 2:39 AM Wisconsin State Senate Puts Pressure On Fleeing Lawmakers
New York Times reports:
With the Capitol braced for another week of protests and deadlock over a budget bill that would severely restrict public employees’ unions here, the top Republican in the State Senate announced that the body would resume consideration of other matters.
The move seemed intended to increase the discomfort of the Democratic state senators who have fled the state as a way of preventing a vote on the union legislation. Starting Tuesday, those senators, who are in Illinois, will have to watch from afar as Republicans continue the work of governing without them, taking up matters from the mundane to the controversial.“By not being here, they’re basically deciding to let things go through the body unchecked,” said Scott Fitzgerald, the Senate majority leader. “They’re not here to represent their constituents. We’re here to work.”
Read more here.
Today 2:27 AM Dem Minority Leader Silent On Missing Indiana Members
A spokesman for Indiana House Democratic Minority Leader B. Patrick Bauer declined to elaborate on the whereabouts of statehouse Democrats, some of whom may have fled to Illinois or Kentucky, according to the Indianapolis Star.
"I cannot confirm or deny anything at this point in time," the spokesman said.
Today 2:12 AM Ohio Statehouse Doors Locked
A labor official told The Huffington Post that the doors to the Ohio statehouse have already been locked, although they estimated that there are only about 700 people inside. Last week, thousands of people were allowed inside. Members of the press and individuals who will be testifying are reportedly still being allowed in. Twitter users are also beginning to notice the development.
Today 2:08 AM Indiana Dems Leaving The State
Indiana Democrats have begun leaving the state rather than face a vote on anti-union legislation, the Indianapolis Star reports, taking a page out of the book of their Wisconsin brethren.
A source said Democrats are headed to Illinois, though it was possible some also might go to Kentucky. They need to go to a state with a Democratic governor to avoid being taken into police custody and returned to Indiana...
Asked at what point he would call in the Indiana State Police to attempt to round up the Democrats, [House Speaker Brian] Bosma said: “We’ll see how the day goes.”
Today 2:03 AM Statement From Indiana Rep. Patrick Bauer (D)
House Democratic Minority Leader B. Patrick Bauer said in statement Saturday that Indiana residents "will face an unprecedented attack from a radical House Republican legislative agenda designed to dismantle Indiana’s public school system and deprive working men and women of their rights to earn a decent wage."
Excerpt from the statement below:
“It is incredible that this legislation is being described as a step toward reform, when in fact, it will mark a huge step backward for most Hoosiers,” Bauer said.
Public schools in Indiana already have had to deal with $600 million in spending cuts ordered by Gov. Mitch Daniels over the past two years. Now Bauer said they will see even more cuts, thanks to pursuit of legislation that diverts state tax dollars toward private interests through charter schools and vouchers.“As more public money goes toward for-profit schools, the funding available for public schools grows smaller and smaller,” Bauer said. “This week we will be considering a new state budget plan (House Bill 1001) that cuts support for the vast majority of schools across Indiana. That means larger classes and fewer programs and materials for those children who will never have the chance to attend a private school.”
Full statement here.
Today 1:49 AM Is Indiana Next?
Indiana Democrats staged a walkout this morning in an effort to block Republicans from having the two-thirds majority necessary to pass a bill that would restrict private-sector union rights.
The Wall Street Journal reports:
Republicans arrived at the statehouse Tuesday morning to find no Democrats present, as protesters applauding the walkout could be heard inside the chamber.
According to TheIndyChannel.com, House Speaker Brian Bosma says this is a first for Indiana lawmakers:
"Roll call shows 58 members present. For the first time I can recall, the House is unable to conduct its business today for failure of a quorum at the outset of a session day," said House Speaker Brian Bosma.
Bosma questioned Terri Austin, D-Anderson, one of three Democrats present, about when or if her caucus would return to the floor."I cannot predict how long it will take the members of the Democratic caucus to do their work and do it thoroughly," Austin said.Bosma recessed the House until 2 p.m., when another quorum call was scheduled.
More details here.
Today 1:32 AM University Student On Capitol Sleepovers
Dispatch from University of Wisconsin-Madison student journalist Talya Minsberg, who's on the ground in Madison:
Monday night, around sixty men and women marched from Madison's Fire Station #1 to the capitol with blankets, pillows and plenty of snacks to spend the night with fellow protesters on the hard marble floor of Wisconsin's capitol.
"We just couldn't stand by and let this happen to our brothers and sisters," Mahlon Mitchell, State President of the Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin (PFFW), said. "We are firefighters, we respond to emergencies, and we are responding to an emergency of the middle class."
"We recognize how much energy rises when we come through, it's an awesome responsibility. It's very humbling," Pete Silva, a retired Kenosha firefighter said.
Silva estimated that 250-300 firefighters make it to the capitol to support union workers daily. It is an impressive showing, but Mitchell stresses "We never do things for notoriety -- we do it because it is the right thing to do."
WATCH:
Read the full piece here.
Today 1:04 AM Egyptian Gifts Pizza To Protesters
In another showing of solidarity among protesters around the world, Politico reports that Ian's, the Madison pizzeria making it possible for supporters to send food to the demonstrators, received an order from Egypt over the weekend:
The blackboard behind the counter lists the “countries donating” as “Korea, Finland, New Zealand, Egypt, Denmark, Australia, US, Canada, Germany, China, England, Netherlands, Turkey, Switzerland, Italy” and has the abbreviations for all 50 states listed below, with donating states circled.
The small pizza chain with locations in Madison and Chicago has been using Facebook and Twitter to take what started as one phone call and make it into an international movement. Saturday night, the State Street location was so overwhelmed by orders it had to cease its delivery operations. But employees still are finding time to update the restaurant’s social media pages to keep the pizza revolution going and share with the world their chalkboard progress.
Read more here.
Today 0:37 AM Bizarro Tea Party?
Jon Stewart added his voice into the debate over Wisconsin workers' benefits on last night's episode of "The Daily Show." HuffPost Comedy has all the details, including video,here.
Today 0:22 AM Dropkick Murphys To Release Wisconsin Song
Irish-American Celtic punk band Dropkick Murphys just announced they will release a song called "Take 'Em Down" on their upcoming album in honor of Wisconsin workers. They'll also be selling a limited-edition t-shirt, sales of which will benefit the Workers Rights Emergency Release Fund.
According to a statement on their website:
Hey Everyone the Dropkick Murphys would like to take a moment to acknowledge the struggles of the working people of Wisconsin and to pledge our support and solidarity by releasing the song “Take Em Down” from our upcoming album. We think it’s appropriate at the moment and hope you like it.
Click here to listen to "Take 'Em Down."
Today 0:15 AM Walker: Layoff Warnings Could Come Next Week
HuffPost's Amanda Terkel reports:
In an interview with WISC-TV Tuesday morning, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) warned that lawmakers needed to pass his budget repair proposal by Saturday or the state may be forced to layoff 1,500 government employees. Those people wouldn't be fired right away, but would receive notices that they're at risk of being laid-off as early as next week:
The $30 million we would save just by starting wage and benefit reforms in April would prevent us from having to layoff 1,500 state government employees. But now suddenly, if you miss the opportunity...for debt restructuring -- that saves about $165 million through the remainder of this fiscal year -- so suddenly you're talking about either a much larger number of layoffs of state workers or potentially cutting other services. Our intent with this, and the next budget, has been to avoid layoffs here, and in the next budget to avoid layoffs at the local level as well. [...]
Timing-wise, we'd have to work with the Department of Administration, but at-risk notices -- people wouldn't be laid off immediately. But there are rules under the current contracts that require us to notify state workers within a fixed amount of time, and we'd have to do that early next week. ... You'd exempt certain areas like public safety -- because you obviously can't lay off people in the Department of Corrections and the prisons.
The public employee unions in the state have already agreed to Walker's demands on health care and pension reforms. But Walker is refusing to remove the provisions that would strip them of their collective bargaining rights. The state's nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau said that a debt restructuring plan in the bill, which would save the government $165 million, needs to be passed by Saturday at the very latest in order to have enough time to take effect.
When asked whether Republicans would pass the collective bargaining provision to a non-budgetary measure -- which doesn't need a regular quorum and could therefore be pushed through without any Democrats, Walker did not advocate such an approach, but he also didn't deny that he would pass such a bill if it reached his desk. "That kind of says to those 14 that they don't have to participate in democracy. You want to be a part of democracy, you've got to be in the arena, and the arena is right here in Madison, Wis," said Walker.
WATCH:
02/22/2011 12:07 PM Governor Scott Walker To Deliver "Fireside Chat" Tuesday Night
WEAU in Wisconsin reports that Governor Scott Walker will deliver a live address tomorrow night which he is calling a "fireside chat."
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