Well done Gov Scott Walker of Wisconsin!

[longfingernails]

Finally, the venal public sector unions have gotten their just deserts, if only in a small corner of the world.

Gov Walker has shown inspired leadership, and is surely a contender for the GOP Presidential nomination.

We could do with someone of his mettle here - often, Cameron is far too consensual for his own good - not because he lacks steel, but he just has too much of the misguided noblesse oblige sense of "fair play".

Anyway, if Gov Walker continues in this vein, he may one day be spoken of in the same breath as Thatcher and Reagan!

It is in the nature of any functioning democracy that public sector workers cannot be mistreated (according to the public's feelings) for extended periods of time.

If the public feels that lower debts for their grandchildren are more important than a diversity co-ordinator's gold-plated pension, then that is all to the good.

Unions are simply unnecessary in the public sector. However, it doesn't surprise me in the slightest that the left have so little faith in democracy - they prefer quangos, unaccountable layers of bureaucracy, and thuggish unions.

My prediction: in 5 years (assuming the reforms stay on the State statute books during that period), Wisconsin will have bigger increases in productive, tax-generating private sector employment than the American average.

Meanwhile, union membership will dwindle - both because the unions will no longer have any say whatsoever in any matters of public sector significance, and also because by forcing members to opt-in, rather than the current opt-out arrangements, a large number of people just won't bother. The Democrats will be livid, of course, but public services will become more efficient, with higher calibre workers, and far better public satisfation ratings.

LutherGravy - bless.

OP - well said, that man!!

Once you remove collective bargaining you open the door (even more) to women being paid less than men for the same job.

LFN are you Sarah Palin?

No. Whilst not being by any means the reincarnation of Shakespeare, I think even my harshest critics on Mumsnet would acknowledge that I am more articulate than the idiotic Sarah Palin.

I could not have voted Republican in 2008 in good conscience, simply because there was such an dumbo on the ticket. That said, Obama is a disaster for the US. His spendng-on-debt-binge dwarfs even Gordon Brown's. His relinquishing of global US leadership, and together with it, the doctrine of American exceptionalism, should worry all of us in the West. He wants to Europeanise America. A far better solution would be to (partly) Americanise Europe.

He wants to Europeanise America. A far better solution would be to (partly) Americanise Europe.

Please God no.

the doctrine of American exceptionalism.

Dont you mean double standards and hypocrisy, the divide between rich and poor is a disgrace to any civilised country.

Since the collapse of the motor industry parts of Detroit resemble a third world country many other cities are going the same way.

Biggest polluters on the planet with the Chinese catching up.

Some Americans remind me of the Tories, ignorance combined with a great sense of entitlement.

BTW I agree you are no Palin, the idea of her in the White House is frightening.

Reviving this old thread because it is so amazing and inspirational!

The unions became desperate - after Walker's reforms, getting rid of automatic union membership of state employees, union membership has been cut by more than half - and that is only in the very first year!

Through sound conservative economics, Walker has balanced the budget, emaciated the public sector unions forever, and cut unemployment in Winsconsin.

So the union thugs have forced a recall amongst the people of Wisconsin - only the third ever gubernatorial recall election. And it looks like the people of Wisconisn - a crucial swing state in the 2012 Presidential elections - are going to re-elect Walker, and deliver a firm message to the unions and Democrats!

Whilst I don't agree with his social views, I totally applaud Walker's groundbreaking economic policies. The way he has dealt with the unions has been thoroughly inspirational. He reminds me of Maggie in her prime taking on Scargill. Cameron could certainly learn a thing or two from him.

This is a crucial election. If Walker wins tonight (as seems expected), it bodes really well for the 2012 election - it shows Obama's class war tactics just don't resonate with swing voters. If the Democrat wins, it'll be seen as a vindication for union thugs.

This interesting op-ed suggests that Gov Walker could be a Vice-Presidential pick for Romney.

www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/vice-president-scott-walker/2012/06/04/gJQAIa9aDV_story.html

It is thought-provoking - but I think it would be a mistake. Romney is simply too centrist and Walker should complete his fine work reforming Wisconsin. VP is a non-job.

I think the OP is absolutely right. Public sector unions are a scourge, both in this country and the US. The public sector should be run for the benefit of those paying for it - private sector workers.

Been drinking the Fox News kool-aid, have we?

There, there, drink down that heady corporate brew of hate, suspicion, paranoia and ignorance, come on, it'll warm you up inside and make all those horrible grey areas, details and nuances go away.

I don't think I've ever watched Fox news in my life. If I have, it was only for a few minutes.

For anyone crazy enough to be watching the results, this seems to be a good map, frequently updated (even if it is from the appalling Huffington Post):

elections.huffingtonpost.com/2012/wisconsin-recall-results#map

Early results were always going to favour Walker - but I am cautiously optimistic - Walker has around 60% of the vote in precincts counted so far with around 20% of the total vote counted. There were reports of huge turnouts in Democrat fiefdoms like Madison and Milwaukee - but hopefully they are being more than matched by Republican strongholds.

Exit polls showed a dead tie but they don't include absentees, which are likely to break quite nicely for Walker.

"The public sector should be run for the benefit of those paying for it - private sector workers."

Yes, because all private sector agencies do so much better than the public sector, don't they?

Apart from the lovely private sector companies who are employed by the government to get people into work, but are accused of milking the system, of course.

Gov Walker seems to be winning by a landslide. His margin will decrease when Milwaukee comes fully in, but still. The people of the Wisconsin have spoken, and they have delivered a very strong message to public sector unions: they are no longer relevant, or desired.

That message will now reverberate around America, and hopefully, even the world.

If the amount of fraud within the public sector was made fully known to the voting public, Labour would never win an election again, they'd be obliterated. It's disgusting.

Do you have evidence of fraud in the public sector? Can you back up your assertions?

If Obama is in danger of losing Wisconsin, he is in very deep trouble indeed.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/mitt-romney/9314865/Mitt-Romney-hails-boost-to-White-House-hopes-after-Wisconsin-election-victory.html

There is hope for America yet.

What job do you do, LFN? What is your salary?

i hope you run yout own business...

breadandbutterfly
"What job do you do, LFN? What is your salary?
i hope you run yout own business..."

God I hope not.
Paying minimum wage.
bullying the workers.
not employing women because of that pesky maternity leave.
minimal health and safety.
s/he/it would be a awful boss.

True - but from her point of view she wouldn't need to worry about what she owed the unions...

What I do is none of your concern, and irrelevant.

What is important is that public sector unions have been totally and utterly broken by Gov Walker - and the people of Wisconsin have endorsed his reforms wholeheartedly.

This spells the beginning of the end for public sector unions in America. A fine thing to celebrate!

It is not irrelevant - it would put your posts in context and make reading them much more entertaining.

Do you also celebrate setback's in women's rights too?

Is it fun cheering those who'd deprive you of your rights?

Baffles me utterly - go on, tell us what you do. Give us a laugh.

The public sector workers in Wisconsin have the same rights as any other worker in Wisconsin. What they don't have is special rights because they are public sector workers, while the people who pay for the public sector do not have special rights. Hopefully the same thing will happen here soon because I for one am tired of being taxed to the hilt to pay for public sector largesse.

Oh, you mean like the banks.

Yes, with you there Josephine old gal.