Fake 'Koch' call to Walker uses HR 3 arguments against unions #p2

So, how about that call from "David Koch" to Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker (R), eh? Pretty funny!

Of course, more than a few commentators have noted that the call, while a prank, reveals some important truths about the relationships between powerful, wealthy donors and high elected officials. More than that, it also clarified that the real aim of the collective bargaining provisions of the Wisconsin budget bill isn't cutting costs, but breaking the backs of unions. Walker even spilled the beans on a possible plan to trick Democratic lawmakers into returning to the capital in order to reestablish a quorum and move the bill.

But I found something, thanks to a tip from David Swanson, in the fake Koch call to Walker that's of still greater interest, though it's not as neat and funny a storyline as just being a basic jackass.

At one point in the call—about eight and a half minutes into the conversation—Walker rationalizes his fight against the public sector unions by saying that what they were doing was particularly egregious because "essentially, you're having taxpayers' money being used to pay to lobby for spending more of [the] taxpayers' money."

That's a straight-up Istook amendment fungibility argument, and it's come back into vogue with Republicans thanks to H.R. 3. Yes, the bill most people still think of as an abortion measure also hides the key to this attack on collective bargaining rights.

rest at http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/02/24/949219/-Fake-Koch-call-to-Walker-uses-HR-3-arguments-against-unions?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+dailykos%2Findex+%28Daily+Kos%29