Wisconsin Union Wisconsin Republican senators leave through secret tunnel after march 9th vote

[MiamiFisherman111]

Thanks

[gmontez25]

These cowards on the bus, and the cowards who support them. You fool no one with your self-serving dribble. While the rest of the world cries and struggles for democracy, here in the dairyland we have these cow-ards (cow inerds) and their followers acting like the most Totalitarian of states, where the voice of the people are completely silenced, thus the escape through the tunnel, and the posting by ignorant people of posts that offer no real value, just excuses, faulty, illogical excuses.

[TheValerator]

People are angry; They are doing a good job staying within the bounds of the law- the bus is not blocked, The pro

tests have done a good job of holding training sessions for people so that they can learn how to effectively peacefully protest. The public sector unions are being busted as part of a larger agenda to privatize public services from schools to prisons- Massive privatization will likely cost the state in the long run, as there is less oversight and more opportunities for waste.

[beesleeper]

Japan disaster, Charlie Sheen, Osama took the national spot light, but you're not forgotten Wisconsin

(a dozen states away)

[ufowisconsin]

secret tunnel?

how conspiratorial

we like it!

was it really senators or shape shifting reptilians posing?

was it really a bus or a cloaked ufo?

[rahurdinmadison]

Good job getting this historic footage! My compliments and thanks.

[joeasmythe]

The unions have sown their cowardice and fear of a fair vot... Now it is up yo the good people of Wisconsin to back Gov. Walker, who is doing all he can to put the state back on a balanced budget

[ilikelazers]

by far the most shamefull part of this whole thing is that this blue collar state could possibly elect a republican. where were these ppl on nov. 2? It blows my mind that a person who isn't rich or a buisness owner with at least 20 employees could even consider voting for a republican. oh wait.... idiots still vote on the gay marriage and abortion tickets. unbelievable

[lanee1967]

FrostinkFlare: Of course these people have to work, why the hell do you think they're freezing their butts off every day fighting for their jobs?

Shame on these Republican senators and the rest of the fascists in the USA who are selling the people out to Wall Street. SHAME! SHAME! Shame on the people who support these union busting slimeballs.

[jasonc32amg]

This has been a great example of what unions and liberals are really all about.

[futurecop3100]

Wow, they are so peaceful......NOT.

[FrostinkFlare]

Don't these people have to work, and they are complaining about a small increase in what they have to pay, yet are not going to work, so they are losing more money by protesting then they would with what Walker is doing... are they not?

[rgb0223]

The behaviors on demonstration in this video are beyond the pale. High paid public employees protesting against the tax payers. Unions remain vital to defending the rights of the "little guy." But PUBLIC employee unions are on the wrong side of this issue. Their beef is with taxpayers making much less money than do they.

[Sluggo1971]

Screech louder and maybe your postion will somehow magically be vindicated. Great strategy. I am totally on board with Unions now because I heard a woman screeching nonsense and a guy yelling "cowards" from the safety of a crowd and total anonymity....without the least sense of irony of course.

[BlackRepublican2010]

When does every citizen have the right to give to the campaign or candidate of their choice except for public employee unions bc of mandatory union dues?This fight was not about workers' rights, it was the first amendment rights of workers and the union bosses effort to preserve their money machine to support their own interests over the average American. The union bosses' effort was so pathetic they bused in people from other states & damages done to capital building were upwards of $300k.

[yes4me]

Please recalls these republicans and the governor.

[WRXgurl88]

Actually all the Madison Metro Bus Drivers are part of a Union, Teamsters- Local 695. They are very proud of it, the driver wore his teamsters patch on his uniform. He had no choice in that matter and he wasn't going to take a chance at losing his job. He was told to go uptown and pick up people, he was not told who.

[Jujuman2003]

My prediction: the bill will be voted as unconstitutional, the Republican politicians who voted for it will be recalled, and Walker will be defeated when he runs for reelection. And the unions will provide Obama with a very comfortable win in 2012. Republicans have just shot themselves in the foot--AGAIN.

[loetzfan]

@Jujuman2003 I wouldn't put much money on any of these, especially the first.

[7beers]

Shane! Shane! Come back, Shane!

[project49]

Users are free to express their differing opinions about this video and about the ongoing protests in Madison, but if your comments do not relate to the video or constitute hate speech they will not be posted.

[linmat55]

What can one say to the desperation of a group of people that see their way of life being taken away to increase the wealth of the already wealthy. Shame indeed!

Oh, and did I mention that the Koch brothers, who contributed $43,000 toward Walker’s campaign for governor - making them his second biggest backers - are in the power generation business? Oh, and the $43,000 they contributed directly to Koch’s campaign is just the tip of the iceberg.

[Yehudittx]

@linmat55 Oh snap. Kosh Koch Koch Koch Koch Koch. The scapegoats of the moment. People like George Soros who fund every leftwing cause there is are way wealthier than the Kochs. Don't let the union demagogues lead you around by the nose.

The way of life of having the union dues automatically fed them by the taxpayers. Now they have to collect their own dues. Which they can still buy democratic politicians with, who will then vote them more tax money. what a racket.

[crabtrap]

i love the union bums claiming this is the "nwo" taking over;WRONG! it's you spoiled goons getting cut off of the public trough and leeching off the tax payer.

[modernfreestyle]

The unions are out banging their drums and chanting, but this time it isn't working. So now they're kicking and screaming like spoiled children who've finally been told that they aren't getting their way anymore.

The "public-service unions" (an oxymoron) have become nothing more than parasites feeding off "the real working class". I understand the liberal-left's knee-jerk response to support them, but they are completely misguided in this case. Look up some of the union abuses, and then decide.

[cats2006]

Democratic Party Wisconsin chapter said it raised $300,000 overnight and has collected $800,000 from 32,000 donors in just five days.

Party chairman Mike Tate said Senate Democrats have raised $750,000 over the past month alone.

[astrofrk]

I don't believe in Demopublicans or Republocrats, I am an AMERICAN! Walker can give huge tax breaks no big corporations but can't afford to give a fair shake to the workers that created them and if you are non-union, this will hit YOUR job. Capitalism, without proper checks balances is as bad as Communism. I am from Tennessee and we are next, it will be the end of many union halls in here. The corporate greed is putting the USA into a state of revolution! There will be blood on the streets.

[jimmyhuttner]

As usual with progressives, liberals, and dems they act like little babies. Kick scream, cry, make noise and in general try to intimadate. Sorry, the people have spoken and you will have to take it like it or not! Congradulations Gov. Walker and all the Great Senators from the NOW Great state of Wisconsin! Your solution to this stalemate is nothing short of brilliant. To all the teachers and especially union organizers and reps, give up you're finally beaten at your own game.

[notcon4md]

@SamDeRe81 You would too if there were hundreds of people waiting outside to murder you.

[lksuperiorlvr]

Just like rats they are, leave the Capitol thru a tunnel then get on a public bus operated by employee's of the very unions they so detest. I agree with Matt@SLVS but I think the people of this State should take it to the streets where these Koch suckers live!

[MrTedvothjr]

That's not our MPD: that's Obersturmbannfüherer Fitzgerald's Schutzstaffel or 'State Troopers'. How humiliating for those poor Republican political hacks to have to ride on a slob transit vehicle

[MrTedvothjr]

That's not our MPD: that's Obersturmbannfüherer Fitzgerald's Schutzstaffel. How humiliating for those poor Republican political hacks to have to ride on a slob transit vehicle

[MattSLVS]

Awesome! I g ot to hand it to the architect for coming up with a secret tunnel that allows our representativecs to avoid having to walk through a crowd of smelly hippies and dirty Commies. This is probably helping to reduce the spread of communicable disease. Brilliant!

[alpuzz33]

@MattSLVS - They better get used to it. Here in Wisconsin that's their future. They can't go out in public, they can't go out to eat, and they sure can't partake in any local parade. They are now relegated to the bunkers. All of them. Congratulations folks... you've done ostracized yourselves from the very people you were elected to, and payed to represent.

[gardiner94]

What is even more disgusting.....it is so very ironic that this very same bus just had the funding taken away from it. The very driver that escorted their sick selves home...just had his rights taken away from him. All in the name of power and politics. TRULY disgusting. As a driver for metro I'm glad "I" was not assigned to this duty. As I know my coworkers and supervisors were equally disturbed by having to respond.

[imafanindeed]

apparently, according to metro, they have to respond when the police ask them for a bus for reasons of "public safety"

[bailey08816]

The Bush administration as one of its parting gestures prohibit public transit agencies from providing charter service. This activity qualifies as a charter. Service should have been provided by a private operator, even school buses. Isn't ironic how Republicans will be causing the shutdown of Metro and abetted them in violating Federal rules.

[1wiggie]

Those Senators better enjoy that free ride while they can. After the bill they just passed takes effect there wont be anymore buses to ride! That driver is a Teamster. Ironic isn't it?

[regardingjohn]

and none of them paid! Isn't that illegal? Can we arrest or fine them?

[grantpoint]

Note that the when the bus was commandeered by the Walker regime to accommodate the pack of privileged honkeys, all it's riders were thrown off.

[frugalkilts]

The Real Shame is this folks brow beating people that were legally elected and were doing the will of the people.. or at least the will of the 93% of the people in Wisconsin that are NOT Union members

[MeitschiUSA]

@frugalkilts What planet are you on? The will of the people? The governor got into office deceitfully, and unfortunately, too many people weren't smart enough to do their homework and see beyond the flood of tv ads campaigning. I'm not a public sector worker, nor am I union, but I know WRONG when I see it.

[frugalkilts]

@MeitschiUSA

Are you saying he lied about what he was going to do? I think you need to look at what he said on the campaign trail. So how would you fix teh 3.6 BILLION deficit.. beside tax the rich and raise taxes on everybody except union workers

[notcon4md]

@MeitschiUSA What about the senators? were they deceitfully elected? are you saying that the majority of Wisconsin is uneducated? Hm, idk, maybe that says something about the education system. Wow, this is beginning to sound like your line of reasoning works against you.

[nabashalam1]

I am surprised that the Koch Bros didn't charter a luxury bus for their cronies...

[KenInME]

@nabashalam1 Koch Brothers don't waste money on luxuries for their servants.

[mggacker]

glad they finally got their work done. honest people do not run from difficult problems they created

[MeitschiUSA]

@mggacker Sorry, the senate dems did NOT create the problem. As I recall, SB 11 was Walker's bill and it was the Republican members of the Assembly who rammed through a vote on the bill, taking roll before the time of the meeting and then not even allowing the dems to vote. Do your homework instead of repeating rhetoric.

[alpuzz33]

@MeitschiUSA Naw, they just did their HUGE part in ramrodding it through. Scott Fitzgerald took his mug to Fox news and dropped trou. It's all about bustin' the Unions. It's all about Political agendas. The Wisconsin Republicans are splitting the State for long term political gain. All of them.

[MarkinSandyEggo]

@alpuzz33 - When the majority does something that he majority of citizens wants done, it is THEIR fault for splitting the state? When the republicans win based on a transparent agenda, then you expect them to do what the dems want, instead of what they promised to do? How does that pass the logic test?

[notcon4md]

@MeitschiUSA not allowing dems to vote?? what?? they weren't even there!

[CrowMeris]

Thanks for posting this!

[KiddKarrim]

The more and bigger commotion around their disgusting activities the better. The common man and woman need to do just what they are doing. The government of America is not afraid of its people, that is why they do what they want and get away with it. Now is the time! Now is the time! I do wish that the bus driver had left the bus, but he might not have even been a union bus driver.

[biggerturtle]

@KiddKarrim Walker 1 Unions 0 HAHAHA

[Effedup]

The irony of these vile pieces of crap being whisked away inside a public bus driven by a union driver is AMAZING to me.

Those that laughed off the comparisons of Madison to Egypt a few weeks ago probably won't be laughing much longer. I do not see this ending well AT ALL.

[biggerturtle]

@Effedup IThis will be start of the end of public unions in this country The greed , corruption and thuggery of union bosses combined with the lazy slacker mentality of their members is now out in the open. Union teachers don't care about their students but rather about lining their own pocketsThe NEA is going down; the free market will prevail .Then we will get decent teachers to educate our kids instead of the incmpetent , lazy union teachers many of whom should have been fired long ago

[konchog3]

@biggerturtle You seem to have reality backwards.

[Effedup]

@biggerturtle That's right, it was the unions that tanked our economy 3 years ago, must have missed all those teachers blowing billions of dollars of other people's money. And then when all the teachers got together and voted to give these same people trillions of dollars of our money, missed that, too, and also when they were supposed to be throwing those assholes in jail for it. Those damn teachers!

Do you like being a corporate whore? Or are you too stupid to realize that you are?

[biggerturtle]

@Effedup In part - unions just like wall street bankers are a cancers that are in different ways destroying the U.S. economically. I dislike corporations as much as I dislike unions - both are greedy, corrupt organizations looking to line their own pockets to the detriment of others - it just depends whose political dick you want to suck . And as to teachers, merit and quality do not count with the NEA - it is no wonder that our educational system is such a mess.

[nknikora]

@biggerturtle

You are completely uninformed.

[biggerturtle]

@nknikora WRONG 1)-Look all that happened in D.C. recently - a travesty 2);look at the 4000 teachers in New York who are incompetent ,don't teach but still get paid for doing NOTHING 3) look at teacher of the year in Milwaukee who got fired for beng too new and instead inept senior teachers were kept Shall I continue?

At least in Wisconsin, good teachers will now prevail, lousy teachers wiil be fired and our kids will get a better education It'ds over; you watch

[nknikora]

@biggerturtle In Wisconisn, the school budget is being gutted, and because teachers with dedication and many years of experience are threatened with losing the pensions they have earned over the past decades, highly qualified teachers will leave the classroom. Teachers are an easy target when you use testing as a barometer for success. People discount poverty as a root cause for classroom failures. No teacher can teach a hungry, homeless child to give a damn about standardized tests. Wrong Blame

[biggerturtle]

@nknikora It's the NEA that's the problem, not every individual teacher

[nknikora]

@biggerturtle But, it's every individual who is being punished, not to mention the students. Are you in favor of bigger class sizes. Have you stood in front of 25 children of varying ability, all hoping that you can provide the key to their individual learning needs? It is not easy, and the vast majority of teacher are not lousy or lazy, as constantly characterized by the comments I see. All unions are made up of individuals...not just some faceless mob, or slobs, as Glenn Grothman called them.

[MarkinSandyEggo]

@nknikora

"But, it's every individual who is being punished, not to mention the students."

It is not punishment to contribute to YOUR pension and YOUR health care - it is just economic reality, and much less contribution than 90% of the US citizens.

"not to mention the students..."

If you care about class size, teachers should take a larger cut, which will allow more teachers with the same cost

[kds1776]

The bus driver was probably pretty frazzled by the whole thing, but too bad he/she didn't think to let them board, and then become sick and rush off the bus looking for a bathroom, and leaving these evil people stranded and surrounded on that bus.

[dave4white624]

I agree with everyone who has said that it is ironic for the Senate Republicans to escape via public transport. On the other hand, it's understandable from a pragmatic standpoint: a city bus is about the last place you would expect to find them. They would be truly undercover, if not for this citizen videographer! As for why they didn't pay the fare, they probably didn't know how. Do you think any of them have ever taken public transport before? :-)

[flashypaws]

this movie would have been much cooler if that bus would have exploded right at the end.

[usaf6872]

Oh, you mean they called on some ridiculously high-paid government union employees to escort them and chauffeur them?! The "NOT IN SERVICE" tag on the bus is priceless. It's a good identifier for the Scottie Walker mini-me riders.

[dillenbeck53531]

I find it interesting that a system that is going to loose $7 million of their budget due to their actions provided an escape route for them. Also, since when did Madison Metro become a charter service for the Senate?

[agi0]

Cowards.

[project49]

if you pause at :56 you can see that Charles Tubbs is in the front of the bus in charge.

[shavis001]

@project49 Forgive me, I could simply google this, but who is Charles Tubbs?

[project49]

@shavis001 he is the head of the state capitol police.



[MadGrizzly]

Anyone else find it hypocritical that they took socialized transportation. And I don't see any of them putting their $2 fare in there.

[CrowMeris]

@MadGrizzly

They probably told the driver to send the bill to the Koch brothers.

[LisaFaiss]

Wow...the power of citizen journalism. Thanks for sharing.

[notcon4md]

Wow, that is scary. If there was a secret tunnel, I don't blame them. They would've either gotten trampled or lynched. And the whole chanting incessantly thing is totally intelligent and democratic.