Wisconsin Capitol sees smaller crowd on second anniversary of protests
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Kalea Cummings, 5, and her mother Megan Miller, of Madison, focus on the glow of candle light during a candle light vigil on the anniversary of Act 10 at the Wisconsin State Capitol on Thursday.
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The crowd at the Wisconsin State Capitol was smaller than those during the height of the protests after Act 10 was passed two years ago, but it was nonetheless enthusiastic.
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Ellen Holly, chair of the Walworth County Democrats, front, sings along with the Solidarity Sing-Along at the Wisconsin State Capitol on Thursday.
MADISON — Two years ago today, tens of thousands of people descended upon the state Capitol in Madison to protest Act 10, Gov. Scott Walker's bill that all but ended collective bargaining for most public-sector workers.
One year ago, opponents of Walker and the collective bargaining law returned in the midst of an unprecedented recall campaign.
The crowd that showed up to mark the second anniversary of those protests Thursday night was much smaller than those seen at the movement's height.
But the message it sought to send, according to teacher and Democratic Party of Walworth County chairwoman Ellen Holly, was simple: "We're going to keep showing up."
Holly was one of a couple hundred people who attended Thursday night's protest, which was organized by unions that represent Madison teachers and teaching assistants at UW-Madison.
Members of the Solidarity Sing-Along, a remnant of the protests that still gathers most weekdays in the Capitol rotunda, led the crowd in a series of pro-union and anti-Walker renditions of songs like "We Shall Overcome" and "This Land is Your Land."
Those who attended brought familiar signs from marches and rallies two years ago, reading "Stop the attack on Wisconsin families" and "Stand with Wisconsin." As the sun set, organizers distributed candles for a vigil marking the anniversary.
Holly, who was at the Capitol three days a week during the biggest protests in 2011, said it was important to show that she and other Wisconsin voters are still engaged and unhappy with Act 10.
"We're already geared up—I know Rock County is and I know Walworth County is," she said, "to restore the Wisconsin that we love."
After a year that saw Walker survive that recall effort and narrow hopes of overturning the collective bargaining law reduced to a court battle, however, it's not entirely clear where that movement is going for now.
Even if Democrats defeat him, Walker will still be governor through at least 2014 and Republicans control both houses of the legislature. That leaves the effort to restore collective bargaining in what would appear to be a holding pattern.
Democratic Party of Rock County Chair Mike Southers admitted any such effort will likely not be politically viable until after the next round of elections at the earliest.
"It would be difficult," Southers said. "From a political process, is there anything that could be done until 2014? Probably not."
United Auto Workers Local 95 vice president David Vaughn agreed that collective bargaining likely wouldn't return in the immediate future, but that didn't mean the movement was at a standstill.
Vaughn said issues that the protests over Act 10 raised—most importantly the divide between rich and poor—have gained momentum in the past two years.
Comparing it to a train that started in Wisconsin, Vaughn said the national political discussion about income inequality, which dominated the Occupy Wall Street protests and took a major role in the 2012 presidential campaign, has its roots in the fight over collective bargaining.
"That train's going to keep going around the country and people are going to be jumping aboard," he said. "As other people start losing rights, money, their dignity (and) find out that it's economic injustice, there's going to be more people that are getting on that train."
Holly said she believed that while the movement began over one piece of legislation, it has grown to encompass a variety of such controversial state issues as mining regulation and education funding.
"It's a bigger picture now," she said. "It started out with collective bargaining, but now it's a whole collection of very negative things."
Still, Holly said the issue that first brought mass protests to the Capitol two years ago would stay on her mind, and keep her motivated.
"Sometimes things move slowly, but we keep showing up," she said.
Feb 16, 2013 at 3:26 p.m.
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Just read that the U.S. bank on Milton Ave. was robbed today - Madison news beat the Gazette on this one....
http://www.wkow.com/story/21224610/2013/...
Feb 16, 2013 at 3:15 p.m.
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please note how helge 1939 must resort to name calling 'walker and his goons' Are we all supposed to be grateful he didn't take it to the extreme the guy in this video did? By the way, the speaker he is trying to drown out is a 14 year old girl. Nice, huh? Betcha didn't see this on the msm!
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2011/04/...
Feb 16, 2013 at 2:20 p.m.
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Not even a news story.But the butt kissing Gazette will still print anything thats pro union.
Feb 16, 2013 at 1:12 p.m.
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I see the haters are in full bloom this time of year. Must be too cold to go hang out at Carver's Rock park....
Feb 16, 2013 at 12:16 p.m.
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The rest of us will keep showing up too. At the polls, where it actually matters.
Feb 16, 2013 at 10:02 a.m.
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awesome video RAF...thanks...
Feb 16, 2013 at 9:26 a.m.
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We the People of Wisconsin no longer will allow ourselves to be held hostage to Public Employee Unions! It's over you Union Bullies, no more fake sick notes, no more calling in sick when and closing schools while perfectly healthy teachers protest, our children deserve so much better. Scott Walker has brought Wisconsin from having a 1.6 Billion dollar structural deficit to having a 400-Million dollar surplus. God Bless Scott Walker!
Feb 16, 2013 at 9:17 a.m.
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Just learning how mirrors work Gariff? I guess you can teach old dogs new tricks after all.
Feb 16, 2013 at 8:38 a.m.
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Just because your face is in every mirror
in your house, Raffie...
Feb 16, 2013 at 8:12 a.m.
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I suspect your daily mirror views are not enough...
Feb 16, 2013 at 7:55 a.m.
Feb 16, 2013 at 7:50 a.m.
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Candle light vigil for dead unions. You guys crack me up. Too funny, but oh so true.
They have overreached and put themselves out of business. Just as liberals will do in this next Obama term.
Feb 16, 2013 at 7:46 a.m.
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Haha, anniversary of Walker recall victory!!
1. smaller crowd because unions no longer bussing and flying people in from all over and out of state.
2. 50% of the public sector union prisoners opted out and freed themselves from union bondage.
Feb 16, 2013 at 7:36 a.m.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pla...
Feb 16, 2013 at 7:18 a.m.
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The unions today is dead and that is why the candle light for all those union members who think the union is still good for them. Yes 60 yrs ago it had a purpose, but not today or future. So union folks taste the water and see the good that has come out of this in your taxes.
Feb 16, 2013 at 3:31 a.m.
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A candle light vigil. Are you serious? This is not the way you get support for anything. Candle light vigils are meant for morning the death of someone special not a political agenda
Feb 16, 2013 at 2:53 a.m.
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I, for one, am glad these folks keep showing up. It keeps the damage done by them and their out of state partners in crime fresh in the peoples' minds. I hope this story reminds everyone of the tax dollars spent on police protection and building clean up and repair. I also hope everyone is asking themselves how people who show up every day in the capitol are supporting themselves and their families?
Feb 16, 2013 at 2:22 a.m.
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Not enough doctors willing to sign sick notes, I guess.
Feb 15, 2013 at 8:59 p.m.
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I said it before and I'll say it again. Collective bargaining for public employees is a thing of the past. It is dead, kaput, done. It will never again see the light of day. The democrats will see how much extra money they have to further their utopian agenda and will leave the public employee unions to rot. So even if they ever do regain power they will give lip service but will never seriously entertain the idea of restoring collective bargaining.
Feb 15, 2013 at 7:40 p.m.
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When the Democrats eventually get back in power this will become a paid state holiday for all union workers not just teachers.
Feb 15, 2013 at 6:43 p.m.
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"February 11, 2013 shall ever be remembered as the day the ACLU launched a reclamation of the rights of the People of Wisconsin under our Constitution unlike the February 14, 2011 anniversary of the day Walker "dropped the bomb" in a shockwave awakening Wisconsin's finest to be alert, be aware, and be active beginning the long, hard work to restore our once honorable state."
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I believe the ACLU and it's lemmings were told loud and clear by the majority of Wisconsin's voters on June 5th of 2012, that their vision of Wisconsin and the path the state was to take was in direct conflict with what the majority of the residents wanted. We will give them that same message in the next election......
Feb 15, 2013 at 6:39 p.m.
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This is how they equate it. To death...get a life and appreciate what you have,....self serving people...
Feb 15, 2013 at 6:38 p.m.
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Who died?
Feb 15, 2013 at 5:27 p.m.
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As time goes by, it will be realized the huge savings Act 10 will have on Property Taxes and the State in general. The people will speak again in 2014 and support our great Gov Walker.
fyi, My property tax bill was reduced $364.00 this year, DDHS tax share was down 4 percent not to mention Twnsp and Co. % decline all by having public employees contribute a small share of what the receive.
Feb 15, 2013 at 5 p.m.
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KTM - did you mean "why THEY'RE having ..."? Don't understand children participating in "that stuff" (i.e. a political event)? It's a great civics lesson often no longer taught in school. It teaches the best lesson - PARTICIPATORY democracy! February 11, 2013 shall ever be remembered as the day the ACLU launched a reclamation of the rights of the People of Wisconsin under our Constitution unlike the February 14, 2011 anniversary of the day Walker "dropped the bomb" in a shockwave awakening Wisconsin's finest to be alert, be aware, and be active beginning the long, hard work to restore our once honorable state. Only 56 men signed the Declaration of Independence and quite literally changed the world. Far more Wisconsin citizens are now engaged now. Those of ALL ages are encouraged to join the Solidarity Sing Along (weekdays, noon-1, State Capitol rotunda, and be invigorated with hope for our once honorable and revered state! Which Side Are You On? http://youtu.be/RxoxEOgeChY Solidarity Forever: http://youtu.be/tz2se0gSVxg
Feb 15, 2013 at 4:58 p.m.
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Dear Gazette....Why is the glass always running dry when your writers and headline writers critique liberals and liberal movements? Stressing the attendance numbers in the lead paragraphs instead of focusing upon the rationale for the movement is shoddy journalism at best. If Savidge would have covered the Last Supper he would have focused upon the quality of the fish.
Feb 15, 2013 at 4:43 p.m.
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People bring their Kids to that stuff? Like they know why there having a candle light vigil!
Feb 15, 2013 at 4:21 p.m.
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As the song goes, "We're not going away, ol' Scotty. We're NOT going away. Until that day when justice holds sway, we're not going away."
Feb 15, 2013 at 4:16 p.m.
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walker & his goons wont be in office for ever
Feb 15, 2013 at 4:13 p.m.
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The 53% who elected Walker aren't going away either.
Thanks, Scott Walker!
Feb 15, 2013 at 4:11 p.m.
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marking this anniversary is as embarrassing as celebrating the anniversary of Kim Kardashian's marriage to Chris Humphries.
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