Nice Guys Finish Last: Wisconsin Republicans won't eliminate collective bargaining without AWOL Dems

Whenever I hear lefties say that Republicans are great at playing hardball politics, I have to laugh to myself.  In Wisconsin, Senate Republicans have a nuclear option for passing the contentious collective bargaining parts of the bill, but won't use it. 

The Daily Caller: Wisconsin’s Senate can move forward on many pieces of legislation — and could eliminate some or all collective bargaining rights for public sector workers — even without the 14 Democratic state senators who fled to Chicago.[...]

Wisconsin’s Senate needs a quorum, or 20 senators, to proceed on any spending or fiscal business. There are only 19 Republican state senators, and because all the Democrats fled, the Senate can’t hold a vote on Gov. Scott Walker’s budget. But a quorum isn’t needed for most non-spending legislation.

Newly elected state Sen. Leah Vukmir, a Tea Party favorite, told The Daily Caller the Senate could separate the removal of collective bargaining rights for state and local employees from the spending bill if the Democrats refuse to return. Vukmir said she’s not yet sure if Wisconsin’s Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald will do so, but said it’s a possibility. [MORE]

Given how the WI's Senate Democrats have flatly refused to do their jobs, it would seem like passing the parts of the bill without them would be the way to go.  But remember we are dealing with Republicans who too often want to play Mr. Nice Guy.

Associated Press: MADISON, Wis. -- The Republican leader of the Wisconsin state Senate says there will be no vote on a bill taking away union rights for government workers until Democrats return.[...]

But Republican Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald says he will not attempt to pass any portions of the bill without Democrats present. The Senate is meeting Tuesday to take up other measures, such as a resolution commending the Green Bay Packers on winning the Super Bowl.

What a jackass. The only thing Scott Fitzgerald will receive for being Mr. Nice Guy is a good swift kick in the teeth from Democrats.

If I were him, I would give the Democrats a week from hell for fleeing the state.  I would start out each day by passing all sorts of Republican dream bills, like the Voter ID bill.  I would end the week with passing all the collective bargaining rights legislation.  I would not even give the AWOL Democrats a heads up what I was going to do.  They chose to abandon their jobs so there is little need to worry about them.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: The Daily Caller

Via: Associated Press

Via: Moe Lane