Despite Scott Walker And Paul Ryan, Democracy Is Still Alive And Kicking In Wisconsin

Great that Wisconsin state Rep. David Bowen, a DNC super-delegate, pledged his support to Bernie after Bernie's sweeping victory in his state last week. Bernie beat the establishment candidate 567,936 (56.6%) to 432,767 (43.1%) and won 71 of Wisconsin's 72 counties. Bowen, who is Vice-Chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party mentioned on his Facebook page that Wisconsin "voters have decided by a 14 point margin that they desire the political revolution Bernie Sanders speaks about... I am honored to endorse the Senator and to work with the campaign in amplifying its message that has taken a hold in Wisconsin." (Next door in Minnesota, that state's 3rd congressman, Rick Nolan, endorsed Bernie too yesterday and committed his super-delegate vote to his cause.)

But that wasn't even the best news out of the Badger State this weekend-- not by a long shot. Circuit Court Judge William Foust has struck down Scott Walker's extreme right-wing anti-union law as unconstitutional and tossed it out. Walker's right-wing Attorney General, Brad Schimel, is filing an appeal, of course.

Wisconsin's right-to-work law, championed by Republican Gov. Scott Walker as he was mounting his run for president, was struck down Friday as violating the state constitution.

...Three unions [International Association of Machinists, United Steelworkers and the AFL-CIO] filed the lawsuit last year shortly after Walker signed the bill into law. They argued that Wisconsin's law was an unconstitutional seizure of union property since they now must extend benefits to workers who don't pay dues.

Dane County Circuit Judge William Foust agreed. He said the law amounts to the government taking union funds without compensation since under the law they must represent people who don't pay dues. That presents an existential threat to unions, Foust wrote.

"While (union) losses today could be characterized by some as minor, they are not isolated and the impact of (the law) over time is threatening to the unions' very economic viability," he wrote.

...The law's Democratic supporters hailed the decision as a victory for the middle class and working families.

"The extreme right-wing Republican agenda has been incredibly harmful to working people and businesses in Wisconsin," said Democratic Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca.

Frederick Perillo, lead attorney for the unions, said the judge's decision was based on well-established Wisconsin law and should stand on appeal.



"I don't think the decision can just be dismissed as a product of a liberal judge in one county. ... We think that justice prevailed in the lower court and we would be hopeful that it would continue to prevail," he said.

The lawsuit was brought by three unions-- Machinists Local Lodge 1061 in Milwaukee, the Wisconsin AFL-CIO chapter and United Steelworkers District 2 in Menasha. Phil Neuenfeldt, president of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO, said the ruling was a "needed check on Scott Walker's attacks on working families."

"Right to work has always been unjust, now it's proven unconstitutional," he said.

Let's keep the revolution alive and, by the way, speaking of Wisconsin... can you help STOP PAUL RYAN: