Public employees, including teachers, will apparently agree to Gov. Scott Walker’s request of benefit givebacks if Walker and legislators agree to take the removal of collective bargaining rights off the table.
That’s according to State Sen. John Erpenbach, a Middleton Democrat, in today’s Journal Sentinel.
This is a fair, common sense compromise that should win the support of lawmakers. Of course, I highly doubt it will.
Walker and Senate and Assembly Republicans are out to bust the unions, plain and simple. What they’re seeking to do is about 10 percent “budget repair” and 90 percent sticking it to the unions. I just wish they would admit it. At least that way it can be an honest debate.
At this point, both sides are so entrenched that compromise seems a distant dream.
South Milwaukee Blog 
I’ve got an even better solution. The people of Wisconsin get together in their own areas, elect people to represent them on the floor of legislature, calmly recommend a course of action to these elected individuals through calls, letters and email, and then these elected individuals would get together to vote on the course of action to take. If the people disagree with that course of action, they would return to Step 1 during the next regularly scheduled vote and replace the previously elected with new ones who could again meet and choose a different course of action.
Beats the heck of having one group running away and hiding like dictators after a coup and another group ignoring their responsibilities to their jobs and screaming like a bunch of two-year olds until they get a “compromise” that they never bothered to offer before.
I agree SM Guy – the Dems need to get back to work. I have tried to contact my Dem (Chris Larson) but unfortunately his voice mail is full, so I sent an e-mail. I suggest all voters who want this drama to end, to do the same.
###