I have succumbed to the Capitol Protesters Ague. It was bound to happen, despite the gallons of Purell available throughout the weeks of protesting.
We got back in last night. It felt awesome, like a huge relief. Nobody is quite sure how it happened though – even though I was there it wasn’t clear. Here’s the sequence of events:
6:00 pm – Susan & I are finishing up drinks and snacks at Natt Spil before heading up the street to the Majestic for the River Alliance Wild & Scenic Film Fest. Susan checks Facebook only to discover that the Senate GOP had suddenly called a conference committee to vote on a revised version of the “Budget Repair” Bill that removed all fiscal elements but kept collective bargaining cuts (more on the inconsistency there later). Brief discussion ensues, culminating in our ditching the film fest in favor of some nighttime outrage.
6:20 – 7:00 pm – Various rumors fly around about what is taking place inside. We congregate under the Senate chamber windows, shouting “Shame” and “Let us in”. Shortly after arriving, Kelda Roys, Dem Assembly member, posts on FB that the Senate has passed the revised bill. Fury in the crowd.
7:15 pm – Word arrives that the Assembly Dems are trying to hold a public hearing in order to keep the Capitol open all night (rules say the building must be open as long as a public hearing is held or one of the legislative bodies is in session). We wait, but the doors do not open. The hot spokesman for the Madison Building & Trades Union rallies us as Susan tries to get a good photo of him (we are able to ascertain that he is not wearing a wedding ring).
7:45 pm – When we’d arrived at the King Street entrance there were a couple of hundred people there, trying to learn what was happening inside. Now there are clearly several thousand of us, making a huge racket and quite upset. The masses are flowing back and forth between King Street and MLK Jr. Street entrances, following will o’the wisp rumors of doors being opened. Suddenly there is a shout “Doors open! Doors open!” The lower level doors at the MLK Jr entrance are wide open. No police or security guards in sight. We swarm the building.
8:30 pm – The Capitol is packed to the rafters. More bodies inside than I have seen on any previous day in the past weeks. I’d estimate at least 10,000 people. The noise and energy are intense, passions are high, but we remain good, polite midwestern protesters: “Excuse me,” “Oh, sorry, didn’t mean to bump you,” “Anyone want a sign?” A group has occupied one of the women’s rooms on the second floor so it can be kept open for use (all other restrooms are locked). We are smushed into a side corridor, so whenever a roar goes up from the crowd in the center of the rotunda, we are in the dark about what has happened. Susan & I try several passes around to see if we can get a better vantage point.
9:30 pm – The rotunda railings are once again festooned with signs. People are settling in on piles of coats for a lengthy occupancy. Already free pizza, pb&j sandwiches, cookies, water, cough drops and doughnuts are being distributed to the crowd. Folks are clustered around the few outlets available, recharging phones and laptops and iPods. As Jake says later, it is like we never left.
10:15 pm – We are told that the Assembly will vote on the revised bill at 11:00 am tomorrow. Many are planning on staying the night in order to be able to blockade the Assembly chambers in the morning.
10:20 pm – I remember the Candinas chocolate in my purse. Susan & I split it. A whiskey truffle. Goes down smooth.
10:30 pm – We decide we’ve put in our time and must go get some sleep in order to return to rally once more. On our way down King Street to the car, we are serenaded by a parade of cars honking our “this is what democracy looks like” over and over. We join them for a loop around the square, and then I drop Susan off at her car with a final chorus of honking.
Home, sleep, burning anger and passion, but underneath I am resolute in my belief that we will prevail.
It will be interesting to see what, if anything, becomes of the GOP in WI after this.
I predict the phrase “going down in flames” will become over-used.
You need to get this published. Awesome. Especially the hot union rep and whiskey chocolate bits!! 🙂
But will it mean going down in flames. Voters tend to have short memories. Will they still remember this come Jan. 2012 when Walker would be open to recall?
Or are enough WI voters pleased with his work? After all, he was elected. I don’t consider that to be a mandate, but voters are, in my opinion, a fickle lot.
Current polls indicate 60% of voters disapprove. A two-week old campaign – entirely on FB and on foot at rallies – has netted over 150,000 pledged signatures for a recall petition. Door to door campaigns in most of the 8 recall-targeted GOP Senators’ districts were active today collecting signatures.
He was elected, but by a slim margin and with low voter turnout. I am confident we can dump him. The biggest challenge will be finding a candidate to run against him in January – I’m thinking Dave Obey might be persuadable.
Hey! Why not me! I’m unemployed. Have plenty of family in WI. I’m definitely a liberal (closet Socialist probably). And I used to work in city government.
And I both speak well and can do so in public.
Vote forkboy1965. Time to put him to work.
I’ll get some campaign signs made up pronto!