Madison: A prairie fire rages on

MADISON, WIS. - Gov. Scott Walker could hardly be heard at times over the chants of protesters the past few days, but he has made clear he's not backing down.

"What we continue to push for in this Capitol," he said at one point, "is bold."

It's turning Wisconsin into ground zero of a growing national showdown between public employee unions and conservatives determined to corral state budgets. And it could have widespread, lasting consequences far beyond the state.

The standoff here entered its fifth day Saturday, when nearly 70,000 demonstrators went face to face with smaller groups who came in support of Walker for the first time.

Police officers stood between supporters of the Republican governor on the Capitol's muddy east lawn and the pro-labor demonstrators who surrounded them. The protest was peaceful as both sides exchanged chants of "Pass the bill! Pass the bill!" and "Kill the bill! Kill the bill!"

Walker and the Republican-controlled Legislature are determined to usher in the biggest change to Wisconsin labor relations in 50 years and at the same time cut into the might of public employee unions. Union backers argue that Walker and GOP legislators made the state's budget crisis worse with tax breaks for businesses and others, then demanded sacrifices from unions.

Walker is going for it all -- curtailing collective bargaining rights for public employees and proposing sharp increases in their health care and pension contributions. The nation's eyes are focused on Madison to see the result -- and the fallout. Increasingly, political watchers say what happens in Wisconsin could become a defining national moment with lasting consequences.

"It's like pins and needles here now," said Maria Gjovig, a school counselor from St. Croix Falls who was among the protesters. "We never saw this coming, and now I am not sure there's an easy way out of this."

Minnesota faces many of the same financial pressures and political forces. Political leaders here are marching toward a showdown of their own as Gov. Mark Dayton's tax plan is met by firm opposition by Republicans who control the Legislature.

For its part, the GOP has long looked to hobble union influence and cut employee costs. The looming budget showdown is likely to force some of the same testy conversations about public employees and their benefits.

Warfare or solving problems?

"Some of that stuff is happening here with [the Republicans'] newfound majorities that claim to be trying to protect the middle class," said Minnesota state Rep. Michael Nelson, DFL-Brooklyn Park, a union carpenter. "[But] it's outright warfare on the middle class."

The final two flashpoints: Wisconsin racked up a multibillion-dollar deficit and Republicans thumped Democrats in the last election, giving them control of the Capitol.

Suddenly, the Wisconsin GOP found itself in a rare position to finally get a clear shot at a long-eyed target -- public employees and their benefits.

"We've decided to deal with the problem," said state Rep. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater. "Did we know it was going to get ugly? Yes, we did. If we are successful here, I know other states will do it, too."

Nass stood in his office Friday afternoon munching a sandwich as he leafed through Walker's proposed budget bill. Then he pointed to Dayton's proposal to tax high earners to patch Minnesota's budget.

"How often can you go back to high earners when you are in trouble?" he asked. "We can't keep avoiding the problem. Eventually, you get to a point you say, 'No more.'"

"What it's about for the Republicans is to destroy unions," said Mark Clear, a Madison alderman. "Maybe that's cynical, but that's about destroying the Democratic power base. You are seeing it in other states, and Wisconsin is the microcosm because we are the state that went from blue to red most extremely."

Saturday's standoff

During Saturday's dueling protests in Madison, union supporters shouted, "Go home!" at Scott Lemke, a 46-year-old machine parts salesman from Cedarburg, Wis., who wore a hard hat and carried a sign that read "If you don't like it, quit" on one side, and "If you don't like that, try you're fired" on the other.

At a rally organized by Tea Party Patriots and Americans for Prosperity, supporters of Walker carried signs saying things like "Your Gravy Train Is Over ... Welcome to the Recession" and "Sorry we're late Scott. We work for a living."

"We did have an election, and Scott Walker won," said Deborah Arndt, 53, of Sheboygan Falls. "I think our governor will stand strong. I have faith in him."

Fitzgerald said Republicans have the votes to pass the bill just as soon as 14 Senate Democrats who fled the state on Thursday return to the Statehouse. Without them, there isn't the required quorum to vote on legislation. The missing Democrats have threatened to stay away for weeks.

Walker's spokesman, Cullen Werwie, said on Saturday that the fastest way to end the stalemate was for Democrats to return and "do their jobs."