Wisconsin Protests and Democratic Flight

Heck, AP is getting snarky on this one.  Excerpts:

...Outside the Capitol, demonstrators marched in a procession led by Jesse Jackson, who said workers "should be at the table full-strength to solve the problem."

The governor "should not crush them to solve the problem. The labor-business-government is the balancing wheel. If you crush labor, there is no balance."

Walker insists the concessions he is seeking from public workers — including higher health insurance and pension contributions — are necessary to deal with the state's projected $3.6 billion budget shortfall and to avoid layoffs.

Eliminating their collective bargaining rights, except over wage increases not greater than the Consumer Price Index, is necessary in order to give the state and local governments and schools the flexibility needed to deal with upcoming cuts in state aid, Walker said.

The arguments don't wash with Democrats who say the fight is really about political power and quashing the unions, longtime supporters of Democrats. Protesters and Democrats are also furious over the speed that Walker's moving — he publically unveiled the proposal just one week ago.

"This isn't the Wisconsin we want," said Mary Bell, president of the 98,000-member statewide teachers' union. "We want a voice in the process."

Ironically, Democrats were trying to remove themselves from the process as a way to get what they want...