Government Workers Heard, Private Citizens Have Had Enough

What's not to like?

The head of the Wisconsin teachers union has asked the teachers to go back to work, signaling that the efforts to intimidate the government have resulted in stirring up a great deal of anger on the part of the citizens that are paying their saleries, healthcare benefits and retirements.

Meanwhile, the teachers in question have begun to receive notices of their impending layoffs.

Third-grade teacher Alaura Cook said teachers remained united against Walker's bill, despite his insistence it would save at least 1,500 jobs.

"It's never good when anybody loses their job," Cook said. "But we know in the long run if we keep our rights they could somehow find the money to hire those teachers back."

Nice thinking. I just hope it's your job that's first on the blocks.

Among those who already have received nonrenewal notices is the wife of Senate Republican Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, a key Walker ally. Lisa Fitzgerald is a counselor in the Hustiford school district, where all 34 teachers have gotten the warnings.

"The layoffs are real," Scott Fitzgerald said Friday. "I don't know if the Democrats understand that. This isn't some game of chicken."

No, they don't get it, Scott. This is the slow group you're working with, and it takes a little longer.

Meanwhile, Senate Democratic Senator Chris Larson, whose job is secure while he's still out on the lamb, was all for playing chicken:

"It's quite despicable that he would use layoffs as a political tool," Larson said. "A lot of his tactics are veiled threats. We can see right through them."

You'd feel better about it if it was Chris' job that was on the line, wouldn't you?