9:23 am There is now a purple SEIU RV parked outside Walgreens, where the Teamsters used to be. The Capitol is pretty empty. They dumped my purse out at security.
Security at the Capitol still exists...even though the court ruling on March 3rd said that access must be restored to how it had been in January. Usually, there are 2 doors open, generally North and South Hamilton Streets (with MLK for staff and disabled people). There is a line, with several state troopers. You take all metal items out of your pockets and put them in a plastic bin, and the usually look in any purses or bags with flashlight. They sort around a little, but not much. It was definitely a surprise that they dumped my entire purse...especially since it is a very small purse that can ONLY hold a wallet, phone, keys, lip balm, and some tissue. Then you go through a walk-through metal detector, and get wanded only if you set it off. It's a very low-tech operation because it was set up so hastily. The metal detectors are portable, and the tables are just that....folding tables.
The Teamsters were there for 3 weeks, with two huge painted trucks. Scott Walker may be the only person in the world who can have the *Teamsters* parked outside his door for weeks...and still not change his mind. The Boilermakers also have an RV, which is painted with beautiful scenes of boilermaking.
9:24am has a WI state employee ID, which might make Capitol access easier...at least until the next repression shows up.
Apparently, just *having* an employee ID means that you are trusted enough to skip the security lines. I suspect that this will cease at some point, but for now it's useful.
12:29pm The sister of Dem Sen Kathleen Vinehout "harbored" some of the Dem Sens: http://www.wispolitics.com/ind
And then she wrote about it. Very well.
12:33pm A Senate ballot would eliminate some of the punishments for the Dems...http://budget.wispolitics.com/
However, it seems like the Dems are still considered in contempt of the Senate. It isn't really clear to me what will get them *out* of contempt...
12:51pm Question about whether R-Sen lives in district: http://www.fdlreporter.com/art
I want to cut him some slack on the question of where he lives...but conservatives have consistantly challenged Tammy Baldwin's (authorized due to credible threats) use of her office address. If Hopper is not residing in his district, his constituents can determine what to do about it.
3:36pm is torn between "it is a beautiful, sunny, warm day for a protest" and "so fucking tired, just wanna take a nap".
4:56pm Lady Forward is rocking a boombox on her shoulder. I always wondered why her arm was extended. She seems to like instrumental quasi-rock?
The Lady Forward statue on the State Street corner has been decorated many times. She's been blindfolded, has worn tee-shirts, carried signs, and, during the budget presentation, been wrapped in orange snow fencing.
5:07pm There are about 15 people in the Rotunda. One is singing. Is this strategic because the legislature is out of session, or have we changed plans, or are we tired?
The answer seems to be that we have moved past the point of protests at the statehouse, and into the point of action towards recalls, boycotts, and protests around the state. There's a movement to show up wherever any of the Republicans are speaking. There are recall campaigns against the 8 Republican Senators eligible for recall. And there's several lawsuits regarding the bill.
And then....the internet died, so there was an early bedtime, for once.
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