To the Wisconsin Dems demands for a face to face meeting:
Wisconsin Democrats who fled the state more than two weeks ago to block a vote on a Republican plan to limit public sector union powers asked on Monday to “resume serious discussions” to break the impasse.
Senate Minority Leader Mark Miller appealed in a letter on Monday for a face-to-face meeting with Republican Gov. Scott Walker and Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald “to reach a bipartisan solution to our differences … .”
Wisconsin’s 14 Senate Democrats left the state on February 17 to prevent a full Senate vote on the proposals, which were part of a bill to close a budget gap in the current fiscal year.
The proposals have touched off weeks of pro-union rallies at the Capitol Building in Madison and around the country to protest the changes which Walker said are needed to fix a state budget deficit.
Walker’s office did not immediately comment on the letter.
And shouldn’t. The hell with these people. They should get their butts back to work.
Period.
UPDATE: The Wisconsin Senate Majority leader has responded… beautifully:
March 7, 2011
Sen. Mark Miller
Parts Unknown, ILDear Senator Miller,
Thank you for your hand-delivered letter with an offer to meet, in Illinois, about the business and future direction of Wisconsin.
Let’s set aside how bizarre that is for a moment.
As you know, this legislation is designed to finally balance the state budget, prevent layoffs and create jobs in the real world. There are hundreds of thousands of unemployed or underemployed Wisconsinites, and at least 1,500 more whose jobs are in the balance because of your media stunt. We all deserve better than this.
In the meantime, members of your caucus have been meeting with the governor’s staff, talking to the media, trying to find a way back to Madison, and contradicting your message in public. In case you don’t remember, you were present yourself at one of those meetings with the governor’s staff. Your grasp of reality, and control of your caucus as minority leader, continues to amaze me.
As you know, your opportunity to compromise and amend the bill was on the floor of the state Senate. As you know, you forfeited that right and opportunity when you decided to flee the state instead of doing your job.
Your stubbornness in trying to ignore the last election and protect the broken status quo is truly shameful. While we wait for you and your colleagues to finally show up, Senate Republicans continue to stand ready to do the job we were elected to do, here in Wisconsin. I hope you are enjoying your vacation, and your vacation from reality.
Sincerely,
(signed)
Scott Fitzgerald
Senate Majority Leader
Stick that in your pipe and smoke it Dems…
