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Posted: February 23, 2011 01:01 AM

The Huffington Post's Senior Political Editor Howard Fineman appeared Tuesday night on MSNBC's "The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell" to discuss Wisconsin and the current dispute over labor unions.

Fineman pointed out that "the public is already on the side of the public employee unions." He elaborated, "lots of other Republican governors, Mitch Daniels in Indiana, Tom Corbett in Pennsylvania, Rick Scott in Florida, all have said to one degree or another that they would not go after employee bargaining rights in order to cut the budget...the Governor of Wisconsin is way out there on a limb and Obama wants to just leave him there."

Expanding on the political calculations of the White House, Fineman said, "the President and his advisors feel that they're getting some political benefit out of this nationally. And one way they are is a fired up labor movement."

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The Huffington Post's Senior Political Editor Howard Fineman appeared Tuesday night on MSNBC's "The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell" to discuss Wisconsin and the current dispute over labor unions. ...
The Huffington Post's Senior Political Editor Howard Fineman appeared Tuesday night on MSNBC's "The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell" to discuss Wisconsin and the current dispute over labor unions. ...
 
 
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Cabo600
Mongo only pawn in game of life.
02:14 PM on 02/23/2011
The whole Republican Party is getting punked on this one, and they deserve to.
Zadeekah
Like Sisyphus, it's hopeless but keep trying
01:34 PM on 02/23/2011
Faced with a choice between collapse and chaos caused by continuing business as usual, and making the changes necessary for achieving a sustainable future, the Democrats have resolutely decided to keep their heads firmly planted in the sand and maintain the status quo.

Just as the Tea Party has been duped by the ruling oligarchy, so the so-called progressives have been duped by the unions--neither side is immune to propaganda. Sooner or later, however, reality is going to intrude into these pipe dreams.
03:17 PM on 02/23/2011
The long-standing right to collectively bargain had NOTHING to do with the "collapse and chaos" to which you refer. However, the loss of the right to unionize has had EVERYTHING to do with the fall of the middle class in America over the last 30 years, a right which could build the "sustainable future" for the next generation. The Tea Party exists solely to kick the supports out from under the Left, while unions exist to "sustain futures" for middle class families. To compare the two groups is life comparing Fox News and CNN.
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
LDF
That's me in the red coat
04:06 PM on 02/23/2011
Rubbish.
This comment has been removed due to violations of our [Guidelines]
12:50 PM on 02/23/2011
Did anyone really expect Obama to come out against Big Business? Seriously?
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
LDF
That's me in the red coat
04:08 PM on 02/23/2011
As somebody who's been on the ground in Madison every day since day 1, I'm glad Obama has not interjected himself. As long as he offers some support, but otherwise stays out, this remains what it started as . . . a grassroots movement. As such a movement, it's much more powerful.
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devildog21
"War is a Racket" -Smedley D. Butler MajGen USMC
04:46 PM on 02/23/2011
Good point. I admit I was unsurprised but disappointed by Obama's fence straddling, but I do agree with you that maybe it's better he straddles rather than supports.
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Roy Merritt old car guy
Loves Nostalgia Dragsters
12:03 PM on 02/23/2011
Why is it that Germany can work with its unions and have a great economy and America attacks unions. Germany has a law that the unions sit on company boards and the German economy had some difficuly 2 years ago but now is a great economy. They don't have any gripes about their unions and even business sees that by including employees in the business decissions it pays off. You have employees that have self worth and companies that are profitable. Walker caused this crisis himself by spending the surplus he enherited and then cried deficit. His whole plan was to bust the unions before he ever stepped in the door. If you are a Wisconsin state worker and you voted for Walker you got what you needed a shafting. But this is a continuation of the Ronald Reagan 1981 killing of unions and the Republican agenda is to demonize unions until they get the American worker by themselves and then we will have a Chinese style America.
02:33 PM on 02/23/2011
I have been in Germany and I agree with you. My relatives have a much better life than most Americans. The very wealthy are coddled too much in America. They use their wealth against the working people.
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devildog21
"War is a Racket" -Smedley D. Butler MajGen USMC
04:49 PM on 02/23/2011
Because they don't allow corporations to make all their decisions for them. They didn't have the kind of leadership that we have had in which "greed is good" and the "me generation".

They are a very progressive nation and you can be sure that now that corporations and/or right wing ideologues own our media, we will never be able to attain the level of progressivism that they have. Even more ironic is that Wisconsin is considered to be the birthplace of progressivism.
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Sarita
Please tell me the truth
11:24 AM on 02/23/2011
"the public is already on the side of the public employee unions."

This is because they see the hand-writing on the wall - we are all at the mercy of the Big Corporations and they want to crush the Middle Class.
12:47 PM on 02/23/2011
Correction, they are crushing the Middle Class. They've been doing it for decades.
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Steve Magruder
Administrator, Metro Issues :: Louisville
01:36 PM on 02/23/2011
You may be onto something. I'm thinking that a lot of the expressed support for the union side is indeed coming from non-unionized folks who are becoming increasingly terrified of corporate power, and see unions as a force that stands between them and increasing transgressions from corporatists and plutocrats.
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chucknchar
11:01 AM on 02/23/2011
Solidary then, solidary now, solidary forever!

Elections matter middle class, stop voting your prejudices, they're playing you like a pawn, the corporate republicans are anti-humanity and working folks
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TxLibNan
Proud to be called a bleeding heart liberal
02:51 PM on 02/23/2011
Stop voting your prejudices! How true, too bad they, i.e. the baggers and their ilk, will be in the poorhouse before they give up their prejudices!
I watched, in the South, when the Dixiecrats deserted the Dem's over Civil Rights, but how in the world we let the Repub's make themselves into the party of Family Values I will never know. Their oppostion to Civil Rights and to abortion got them poor Bible Thumpers in the South and Plains states is the only thing I can see. Shame on them all.
F&F!.
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jmk6653
11:00 AM on 02/23/2011
My motto: Before you out on a limb make sure that someone is watching your back!!!
10:53 AM on 02/23/2011
Last evening Cory Booker was a guest on O'Donnell's show. That interview should be played. He came off as being very sensible in how this situation was created and that sacrifice is required to get out. He appeared very realistic and didn't come off as a hand puppet for public service unions . There is a cash flow problem. Perception isn't the problem, realty is. The well is dry.
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SubgeniusMustHaveSlack
Snowboarder, vegetarian, organic gardener.
11:55 AM on 02/23/2011
The cash flow problem is solved by fair taxation.
06:26 AM on 02/24/2011
What you really ment to say is "higher taxation." We have been down that road and it never works. At some point you are going to have to understand the the American people are NOT going to raise taxes untill the government dramaticly cuts spending.
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kareemachan
watashi ha tororu ga oroka da to omoi masu。
12:10 PM on 02/23/2011
Well, maybe Walker shouldn't have first off given those tax cuts to corporations. Maybe he should have looked into restructing the existing debt. Maybe he should have been less eager to shove this through without letting people know about it.

The well may be dry, but that's because Walker's been busy emptying it.
06:31 AM on 02/24/2011
Maybe Gov. Walker is trying to create a climate in which businesses would relocate to Wisconson and create more jobs. I say the folks in Wisconson should keep up the union jazz and maybe those businesses will come to my state.
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Brian Krause
10:30 AM on 02/23/2011
Obama is no friend of the working man. I'm so sick of him turning his back on the base that helped him beat both Clinton and then McCain. Unions are his base and he's throwing them under the bus. He punted on card check and now he's mum on Wisconsin/Ohio/Indiana. Labor needs to exert some muscle. Let Obama know that there are other campaigns (state and federal candidates) that they can support instead of him.
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Sarita
Please tell me the truth
11:25 AM on 02/23/2011
And you say this because...it's the Republicans who are trying to break working families!
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kareemachan
watashi ha tororu ga oroka da to omoi masu。
12:12 PM on 02/23/2011
Cognitive dissonance going on, I guess. Specially about the other campaigns they can support. What does he want people to do - vote for someone who will try his damnedest to take things away from the unions and middle class? Wut?
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devildog21
"War is a Racket" -Smedley D. Butler MajGen USMC
01:17 PM on 02/23/2011
I think he is saying that when it comes right down to it, there isn't a tremendous difference between corporate dems and repubs.

Corporate dems are a little more subtle in their support of corporations, but that's the only difference. Obama has an opportunity to come out strongly in favor of working people, but he has only straddled the fence as of yet.
12:00 PM on 02/23/2011
Look Obama is not perfect but he cares more about workers then the tea party and republicans and he is doing the right thing here. he does not need to get involved. Walker is doing a good enough job of having people turn against him. Obama as president can't get involved in the states fight. public opinion is behind the workers and Obama on this. It’s an attitude like yours that got the republicans elected in nov to begin with. you’re willing to turn your back because you’re not getting everything you want. no one get everything they want. there are things he has done that I don’t like. yet he has done a lot more good then he has done bad. I stand firmly behind the president. if I don’t I know what the other side looks like. you’re seeing it in Wisconsin, Arizona, Ohio, every other state going against women, the middle class, and worker. that is the other side. If the dems can’t stand strong and as one against the tea party and republicans there will be a lot more destruction of everyone who is not rich
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TxLibNan
Proud to be called a bleeding heart liberal
10:15 AM on 02/23/2011
Let me begin this by stating 'I have never been in a union in my life" However I did work in an industry that was heavily unionized and I and also first and second level management reaped many benifits from our company just to keep us even with them. I said that in the interest of full disclosure!
Now what I believe:
The entire AFL-CIO should have walked out when St. Reagan broke PATCO!
The middle class has gone steadly down hill since 1981!
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TomFox
10:49 AM on 02/23/2011
Awesome....I was a Junior in college will Reagan pulled this. You are exactly right. Honestly, I don't think many of us understood the context for what is going on.....but we do now.
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Steve Magruder
Administrator, Metro Issues :: Louisville
01:39 PM on 02/23/2011
Exactly. If I understood then what I do now, I wouldn't have been dumb enough to support Reagan. I now shake my head at my former self for doing so.
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SubgeniusMustHaveSlack
Snowboarder, vegetarian, organic gardener.
11:56 AM on 02/23/2011
Total truth.

F&F
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bantrybay
10:12 AM on 02/23/2011
Teachers start at 30,000 have a 40% premiums with annual increases in these every year, increases to their pensions contributions and are frozen for 4 years!!! What is good here? In my private sector, we are paid better, have better medical plans and are not frozen and oh by the way, get overtime after 40hrs which teachers do not get when they work over and on weekends. This is why we are losing and not attracking teachers today. It is a hostile work arena with nothing but attacks, attacks and more attacks and now you want them to be silenced with no VOICE? This is a crisis America, the kind we have not seen in a long time....and our children will pay for the exodus in this occupation and the GOP Greed is to blame. Obama needs to grow a set and stand up and live up to the bs he spewed in his campaign.becuause if labor dies, so does the Dem party Barak, corporate America is not your friend and contributors. And if Obama does not get it, the DNC better.
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
SubgeniusMustHaveSlack
Snowboarder, vegetarian, organic gardener.
11:57 AM on 02/23/2011
The President is on our side.

Stop doing the work of the republickans.
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momofvegasgirls
My bio is not for sale !
12:59 PM on 02/23/2011
F & F!
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devildog21
"War is a Racket" -Smedley D. Butler MajGen USMC
01:24 PM on 02/23/2011
If he is, why doesn't he come out and say so. The only thing I've heard him say about it was to straddle the fence. Then again, there should also be a LOT more national dems coming out in support of this effort and there has largely been nothing but silence from them.
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kareemachan
watashi ha tororu ga oroka da to omoi masu。
12:15 PM on 02/23/2011
I believe Obama walking a fine line here. He's helping the protesters thru the DNC, but if he goes overboard when approving of their actions, it just gives the TP/NOP more fodder with which to attack him. I think you can be sure he is keeping a very close eye on what's going on - and consulting with legal authorities about this.
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breakingpoint
War is a Racket - Smedley Butler
09:56 AM on 02/23/2011
I don't know what's worse, Corporate Democrats or Corporate Pundits who make excuses for them
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Colleen Myers
Question everything
09:55 AM on 02/23/2011
I think that President Obama is doing the right thing by stepping back in this issue. Just as this was coming to light, he made a statement that he was against any bill that would be considered "'union busting". Immediately after, in Wisconsin and on Fox News, they began to claim that he was busing people into the state to protest, and immobilizing the DNC to get what he wanted. Lies, of course, but I think that the White House saw that if he continued to take a side, that it would be spun and ginned up. I don't think that the debate needs him anyway, the Republicans/Tea Partiers seem to be doing a good job of destroying themselves without him.
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pahpah25
09:50 AM on 02/23/2011
i live in florida.....our local tax-collector is 92 years old.....he draws a salary of approx.of approx.
$ 192,000 a year. and he very seldom leaves his house...he also cashed in on florida's notorious D.R.O.P prgram, wherein, he retires, collects his beneifts, then gets his old job back , at $192, 000 a year..its called double dipping.....and politicans scream about teacher"s salaries???????????
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4
10:26 AM on 02/23/2011
Iowa Gov. Branstad is double dipping, too- taking retirement pay from his first 16 years in office and collecting his full salary this time around. It's legal because of a law he signed the first time exempting retirees who win elected office. He also supports a bill in the Iowa legislature to pull a Walker on public employee unions and has threatened big layoffs. Hypocracy and irony abounds.
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kareemachan
watashi ha tororu ga oroka da to omoi masu。
12:16 PM on 02/23/2011
Ah, Florida. My apologies, but I'm so glad I don't live there.