Representatives Or Dictators?

In Wisconsin, Democratic lawmakers in the Assembly have been filibustering for hours in a last-ditch effort to halt passage of the bill that would strip Wisconsin public employees of most of their collective bargaining rights:

Democrats kept the Wisconsin Assembly up overnight with a droning filibuster in another desperate attempt to block the Republican governor's bold plan to strip public sector workers of nearly all of their bargaining rights.

. . .

The Assembly debate began around noon Tuesday, with lawmakers coming to the floor under heavy guard as protesters in the rotunda cheered and banged on buckets and bongo drums. Democrats introduced dozens of amendments and gave drawn-out, rambling speeches criticizing the bill. Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald said around 8 a.m. Wednesday — after 20 hours of debate — that he was working with Democratic leaders to take a vote on passing the bill by the end of the day.

. . .

"Can you hear that?" Rep. Tamara Grigsby, D-Milwaukee, screamed into her microphone. "Can you hear the cheers? Can you hear the chants? Can you hear the voices of the people who elected you? How can you not hear that?"

. . .

Dressed in orange T-shirts proclaiming they were fighting for working families, Democrats introduced 66 amendments, with more than half coming after midnight, and promised more were on the way.

Democrats offered to adjourn shortly before 3 a.m., Republicans — who easily have enough votes to pass the bill once they have disposed of the Democrats' amendments — refused and began the long grind of voting each change down one by one.

"We understand. You don't like the bill. We get it," Rep. Joel Kleefisch, R-Oconomowoc, said. "(But) at the end of the day the vote has got to come, folks."

So Wisconsin Republicans are doggedly lurching forward with this zombie legislation, singlemindedly fixed on stripping public employees of their rights. It doesn't matter that crushing the unions won't solve the "budget crisis" (which is fake, in any case) nor does it matter that the public is against them.

It's highly ironic to see such defiance in the face of opposition and public outcry in our own backyard, when another strongman-led government is in emergency defiance mode:

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has insisted he will fight to the 'last drop of blood' in a defiant speech that follows days of bloodshed on the streets of his country.

. . .

He claimed his own home had been bombed by 'superpowers' and said 'rats' had been paid to disfigure the reputation of Libya.

He said: 'I am not going to leave this land' and added he would not 'give up' like other leaders, in an apparent reference to the deposed Tunisian and Egyptian presidents.

OK, Wisconsin Republicans might not exactly be Muammar Gaddafi (they haven't yet turned guns on the protesters), but it's striking to see how Wisconsin Republicans' defiance mirrors that of a cheap dictator's.

Wisconsin Republicans have to decide if they're representatives of the people, or simply cheap dictators themselves.