Chaos in the Streets

If you have viewed the website for any news organization over the past few weeks, then chances are you have seen or read a story about civil unrest. Even today when I visited the website for Fox News, the main headline was all about chaos in the capital, protestors storming government buildings, and politicians fleeing the area. Only this story wasn't about Egypt, Yemen, Iran, Jordan, Libya, or Tunisia. It was about the great state of Wisconsin, right here in the midwestern United States.

Yes, you read that right. The same political protests that we thought were only happening in the Middle East have begun to occur right here in America. Even having their beloved Green Bay Packers win this year's Super Bowl hasn't stopped the people of Wisconsin from venting their anger.

So why is it happening? Wisconsin is actually the birthplace of collective bargaining, making it one of the most unionized states in the country. For the last century, unions have held the upper hand in negotiations, just as they have in other states that are now in fiscal trouble. But tough times call for drastic measures, and Wisconsin governor, Scott Walker, is looking to cut his state's deficit through pension reform and forcing public workers to contribute more to their health premiums. Sound familiar?

Only Walker is looking to take things a step further, even further than the intrepid Chris Christie. He is aiming to eliminate collective bargaining altogether, and that has sparked a furor that has resulted in his placing National Guard troops on standby. It has even garnered the attention of President Obama, who has publicly stated his support for the unions. But kudos to Walker for standing up to him, advising the anointed one that he needs to focus on balancing his own budget, which he is a long ways away from accomplishing.

The photos online are daunting. Take a look if you haven't already. Protesters standing shoulder to shoulder on every level of the Capitol, seemingly ready to explode if they don't get what they want. State troopers everywhere, standing tall with their arms crossed, ready to spring into action if needed. It has all the makings of a disaster waiting to happen.

A couple of months ago, I expressed my concerns that this would happen in my post titled "The New Europe?" After the riots that occurred last year in the streets of Greece, Italy, France, and Great Britain, I put forth the idea that Europe may only be one step ahead of us. Those riots were rooted in the government taking back entitlements, and as state governments here faced mountains of debt and massive budget deficits, you knew it was only a matter of time before they started taking entitlements back as well.

Christ Christie led the way, and now Walker, several other new Republican governors, and even Democrat Andrew Cuomo of New York are following his lead. What choice do they have? It's either keep spending the way they're spending and run out of money, or endure painful cuts to help stave it off.

As I write this post, Governor Walker has been asked by Republicans in the State Senate to send state troopers to force their Democratic colleagues back to the Capitol. They have fled the area and are in hiding, all in an effort to boycott the proposed legislation. According to Fox News, the troopers are actually en route.

Could this be just the beginning? Will there be more protests like this nationwide as states do everything they can to cut spending? I would answer that question with a resounding "yes." Just as the unrest in Egypt gave rise to revolts in neighboring countries, there is no reason to think that protests in the land where collective bargaining began will not spread to other states where unions perceive their rights as being trampled on.

Believe me when I tell you, there are people throughout our country who are loving this. Van Jones and his cronies have been calling for a socialist revolt for some time, and would rejoice in seeing a major uprising unfold. Proponents of wealth distribution who despise the rich want to see millions of people march and clamor for their supposed rightful share. To me, the scariest part is that I cannot say with any fair amount of certainty that it won't happen.

So what will the outcome be in Wisconsin? I'm sure it's safe to say that if the legislation doesn't pass, there will be a raucous cheer emanating from the walls of the Capitol. Protesters will leave peacefully, mission having been accomplished. But what if the legislation doesn't pass? Will they merely leave angry, chanting nasty things about the governor? Or will they riot, creating an ugly scene that's sure to be televised throughout the entire world? Let's face it. As Americans, we like to consider ourselves more civilized and cut from a different cloth than those who have led political revolts in other parts of the world. But are we?

Even if we get through the Wisconsin crisis unscathed, what happens when food prices begin to sharply increase? What happens when the price of gasoline skyrockets in the next few months, as several analysts have predicted? What happens when the people who have had their entitlements taken away really begin to feel the pinch?

How I wish I had the answers to those questions. Of course I want to believe that things will remain civil. I'd like to think that people will not be beaten or even killed in our streets. I'd like to think that news reporters will not be brutally attacked and sexually assaulted. I'd like to think that our military will not have to be dispatched in order to keep the peace.  But the fact is that no one can say for sure what will happen. And that is what has to be the most unsettling part for all of us.

Here's to hoping that sanity prevails, that unions everywhere begin to understand the gravity of the situation and do their part to save our states from economic armageddon. If they don't, then batten down the hatches and prepare for the worst. America is on the verge of becoming the next frontier in the war of economic uncertainty.