A Proselytizing Priebus

Wisconsin Gov. Walker, despite falling poll numbers and threatened recalls sounds for all the world like a man that believes he won. He is even declaring his anti-collective bargaining legislation “progressive, innovative” and “reform that leads the country” Ohio, Michigan and Indiana are all promoting variations on this anti-labor theme.

Is this a new template for other state Republican legislators?
New RNC Chairman Wisconsinite Reince Priebus backer of the Walker way said “I’m proud of what Scott Walker did in Wisconsin,” […] “I think that he is leading not only the state of Wisconsin, but he is leading this country." Priebus is scheduled to speak with Vermont Republicans touting Walker’s tactics. The Vermont State Employees Association (VSEA) and the Vermont AFL-CIO have called on the Vermont Republican Party to rescind his invitation due to “his anti-worker, anti-middle-class message”

Smoothly paving the way for Priebus’proselytizing is top Vermont Republican former Gov. Jim Douglas who weighed in favorably on Gov. Walker. Significantly as if to say to Vermonters ‘resistance is futile’ he made a point of attacking Wisconsin Dems actions. Douglas said of the democratic legislators' action against budget cuts and for labor "That's irresponsible […] I was pleased to hear leaders of the Vermont Senate from both parties declare that they would never resort to such a childish move."

Its unlikely any of the 14 Wisconsin Democratic state senators rallying in Madison this weekend ever dreamed their legislative process would break down to the point where leaving the session in protest would be a desirable option. It did prove an option they needed and used to their advantage. It is far fetched a similar situation could happen here. Few if any Vermont legislators would dream the legislative process could suffer such a breakdown and it is an unlikely event. But they already disarmed and Jim Douglas and Reince Priebus are sure glad.

Would Vermont legislators ever consider flight?
“No,” Senate President Pro Tempore John Campbell, D-Windsor, said Monday. “I hate to see any legislator walk off the job like that,” he said. “The legislative process is about discourse and about coming up with solutions.”