And They're ... Out!

"If the building is closed, there's no one to listen to a demonstration."

Before I continue with coverage of yesterday's Wisconsin State hockey tournament, who advanced to tonight and whose seasons ended (see update here), I note with glee: The overnight "protesters" at 10pm last night, finally voluntarily evacuated the Capitol building.

It was supposed to happen last Sunday night, that if they weren't out by 4pm, they would be removed. But the police/politicians balked, and the occupying kids took this as a victory.

Some -- heck, even law professors* -- seemed to applaud the move, noting the restrictions that were being placed on who then could enter. The idea seemingly being: it would provide negative video footage to see peaceful protesters actually being dragged away and arrested; best to do things ... gradually. Complimenting the "professional" police presence, and more than once. My problem with all that? You're keeping out others, normal daytime visitors who wanted to see the hallowed halls, take pictures and tours, and otherwise generally enjoy the building -- free of homeless-looking hippies, and their belongings, taking over the grounds.

Exactly right, ruled Judge Albert yesterday. It IS unconstituional to ban daytime access to the Capitol, for protesters and non-protesters alike. BUT, there is no reason to permit any overnighters -- the State may impose "reasonable restraints" on the time, place, and manner of future protests. Absolutely right, in my book too.

Give them an area to make their case, but keep the building open to others, like myself, in town for personal reasons like winter sports games, who might want to visit too. Years ago, we used to take Mal's grandnephew to the County Zoo, and then to the Veterans Museum on the Square, which has amazing dioramas and a workable periscope that allows the viewer to look out and see the Capitol ground. Not saying a trip to the Capitol would have been in the works this year had the protesters not been there, but the point is the same.

It's the People's Capitol. All of us throughout the state, not just the Madison greasers and hangers-on who love them. I was proud to show off the building to my parents -- which houses the Supreme Court too, and has beautiful murals and displays of its own -- 5 years ago when I was sworn in as an attorney. It was an honor, a respected place, for ALL of us.

But, you say... this is more serious politically, what is taking place in the past weeks re. government employees being told legislators will vote on honoring the special privileges in contracting that they have enjoyed all these years.* Absolutely, I counter, they have a right to protest, and bang their drums and make all the silly signs and symbols they like. (Yesterday, they carried 5 coffins in the street, the newspaper linked above reports... like, hello? What's up with that?)

But the restrictions and usual rules -- building closes at nighttime for ALL visitors -- should have been honored from the get go. Nevermind the law professor apologists, who claimed signs of people resisting arrest and being dragged out screaming and otherwise performing would have invoked 60s memories and perhaps made martyrs of the otherwise peaceful protesters. (My, how our standards have fallen if we give them prop points for not being violent.)

My favorite line, in today's complete MSM newspaper coverage of yesterday's judicial rulings? (not yet up on the law professor NewMedia social blogs, I see. Must be sleeping in...) In acknowledging that it's unconstitutional to keep anyone out during daytime hours, given those "reasonable restraints" on time, place, and manner?

"If the building is closed, there's no one to listen to a demonstration."

Well... DUH. The protesters all then voluntarily left the building last night at 10pm, the newspaper reports. (Betcha some kiddies tried to hide out in the lavatories or otherwise stay in though. Closing the UW library, when I worked there, we always had to make sure to check the empty rooms/carrels, etc. Sneaky, sneaky, you know.)

Capitol Police Chief Charles Tubbs also urged protesters to comply, saying, "I'm asking you as a person to leave. I don't want to arrest anyone."

So they left. Finally.

In the end, all but a handful decided that since they came together as one inside the Capitol, they wanted to leave together. A large group marched out at about 9 p.m., drumming and singing "Solidarity Forever."

Several Democratic Assembly members, some with tears in their eyes, thanked them. After marching out an exit, the protesters erupted into chants of, "We'll be back tomorrow."

Fine, come back but like everyone else: find your own shelter tonight.

Now I ask you, how much taxpayer money again has been absolutely wasted on these people, who couldn't confine sharing their messages outside, during daytime hours?

Security, cleaning... LAWYER COSTS and court fees?? It adds up, and what they do not at all seem to understand is, the moneypot is finite. This is how you want it spent, Wisconsin taxpayers? Letting children, and hippie law professors, be entertained with their 60's flashbacks? Somebody calculate those costs, and explain why the "Get. Out. Now." actions weren't taken 2 weeks back...

Sleeping in provided free housing to demonstrators, those bussed in from in- and out-of-state. Without the free room and board, this group would have been restricted, like all other justifiable past protests. (There's a reason the March on Washington is for a singular date, or weekend. Make your point, show us your honest numbers, and then -- peacefully -- go home. Take a lesson from the successful ones in the past?)


Mal had joked me last Saturday about sleeping free in the Capitol this still-winter week, before he headed down to the State tourney to work, where he usually stays in his truck, to save $ on hotel costs, and because they stay late putting in the ice, monitoring it overnight, and getting back to work early. Oh no they're kicking everyone out by (last) Sunday night, I told him, not sure sometimes if he's pulling my leg or not. (He's amused by hippie chicks, for the most part, so I could see him making rounds at the Capitol. Coming from two recent weeks sleeping in a tent/hammock in Jamaica, I get the impression the environment was the same.)

So finally, many tax dollars later, we have wise legal minds speaking up, righting wrongs, and the kiddie protesters are out. Really, they've made their point: "We Deserve these Benefits, and Will Not Let Them Go, no matter how little is left in the overall money pot. Collective Bargaining is Our Right."

That's what I took of their message anyway, even though, were they adults willing to sit down akin to a family budget meeting and face realities, they'd realize their course is piggish, and collective bargaining for public sector unions was always a gift, and never a "right". Now let's bring back the runaway lawmakers and vote on it, shall we?
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* Speaking of,
Looks like somebody's Hoosier husband is going to have to find a new way to entertain himself in the long Wisconsin winters, eh? "Yes You Can!" Heh.

Here's today's "it's all about MEeeeee!" comment: If you are one of the many people who criticized me and Meade for selfishly jumping ahead of a line, it's time for an apology.

She's always playing the apologize! card, it seems.

Here's the problem I have with her logic: instead of pointing out, as some of us did, that it WAS wrong to shut out ALL people beginning this past Monday morning, liberal protesters and regular Wisconsin folk visiting their State Capitol alike, she used her looks and charms, and printed up press-pass-credentials for her Meade honey, to get themselves in. So sure, they advanced, but where was the effort -- the outcry? -- that it simply was wrong to keep others out period, even if the elites like themselves pushed their own way in, demanding entrance.

Once in herself, and the NewMedia new husband too, she sure seemed sympathetic to those campers-out, it seems to me. "Look -- they're cleaning up after themselves!" (Nevermind all their sleeping bags and personal junk stashed in plain sight.) Wow, really keeping the bathrooms clean! (nevermind that if they had been bunking in private homes, or at motels like they should have been under the "No Overnight Guests at the the Capitol" rules, there'd be no toothpaste for them to clean off the sinks they were using, in the first place; no extra t.p. and handsoap needed for the overnight guests who presumably were defecating there in the morning in toilets, and hopefully washing their hands after. ADDED: I won't accuse them of shaving whiskers in the sink -- shaggy look "proves" something, I guess. Time in the trenches perhaps.)

Althouse -- in my ever so humble, yet freely offered, opinion -- likes to have it both ways, really: special privileges (remember, she's a State worker too, even if her salary is coming from a donor's contribution-- the XX-sponsored professor) and all those generous benefits, who once stated publicly on her blog pre-second-marriage, that one condition under which she'd remarry would be to share her health insurance plan. Not to get too personal, but if the husband is an entrepreneur with no outside employer of his own, well then he's in on this game too, right?

Pretending to "cover" the performances these past weeks, and exhibiting such sympathy -- delight almost -- with the straggly crowds and silly signs, really is a win-win for her. She gets to play at being a conservative, yet those protesting, were they to win (which they won't), helps her own pocketbook.

But please, don't pretend that in gaining admittance, you did something ... Constitutional, sticking up for us all. I didn't see you demanding that all other visitors gain access to the Capitol, including those out-of-area families and people just down visiting this week.

Typical lib (hey, let's be honest here...),
once they get IN, once they get theirs, they suddenly forget all the injustices visited on others. Usually, those quiet ones paying the price for the libs' own past privileges and guilty consciences, which they then turn and share freely with self-selected beneficiaries, despite all the rest of those held back at the doors of the halls of justice.

I can see it. Suspect others are starting to, too... (Hope she keeps up those fine clothes and good looks as she ages -- ie/City girls just seem to find out early, how to open doors with just a smile... The meritorious strength of her writing, and other persuasive skills -- or lack thereof -- will leave the professor wondering where the conservative fan base went, I think. Watch for some real "conservative" stances to come out on the blog soon...

That-- quickly seen after justifying her voting for Pres. Obama -- seems to be the pattern... Re-establishing those "conservative" creds, that is. Or trying, anyway.)