Walker under fire from progressive TV campaign in Wisconsin

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Progressive groups in Wisconsin are taking their case against Governor Scott Walker (R) to the airwaves.

Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC) and Democracy for America (DFA) are sponsoring a new ad that features the voices of public workers who would be affected by Walker’s plan to make unions pay more for benefits and strip them of collective bargaining rights.

“Governor Walker and the Republicans just gave over $100 million in tax cuts to corporations, and now they’re asking teachers and nurses to pay for it, and attacking workers rights to negotiate for fair benefits,” one teacher from Madison told viewers.

“It will probably cost us between $400 and $500 a month in income,” Richard Scoby, a graphic designer from Middleton, explained. “I’ve tried not to think about it — just be out here on the square. It’s not selfish. It’s just survival.”

“I believe the issues that are being discussed here in Madison are not unique to Madison or the state of Wisconsin,” Jeremiah Holden, an educator from Madison, said. “These are national issues. Money is being taken away from workers and the tax breaks given to major corporations.”

“This is Republican class warfare, an attack on the middle class,” Kathleen Slamka, an electrician from Oak Creek, declared. “This is a battle we need to win.”

The ad directs viewers to go to WarOnWorkingFamilies.com where they can join an e-mail list and contribute money to the campaign.

The ad came on the heels of a set of robocalls from PCCC and DFA that argue Republican state senators in Wisconsin should be recalled.

The Republican Governors Association (RGA) has also announced an ad of their own supporting Walker.

The Washington Post‘s Greg Sargent argues that the RGA “badly distorts” the history of the standoff in Wisconsin by not acknowledging that the unions have already agreed to pay more for their benefits.

“The unions have already agreed to the benefit concessions Walker has asked for, as long as he doesn’t roll back their bargaining rights,” he argued. “Walker has refused. The sticking point has nothing to do with benefits.”

This video is from PCCC, uploaded to YouTube March 1, 2011.