'Meeting fire with fire' after moves by Democrats block Republican vote

MSNBC.com

MADISON, Wis. — With Republican state lawmakers stymied over plans to pass an anti-union bill, and Gov. Scott Walker saying he would not compromise, Tea Party activists joined in the controversy by organizing a rally Saturday in support of the legislation.

Drew Ryun, president of American Majority Action, one of the conservative groups planning the demonstration, said organizers were "meeting fire with fire."

"We have buses coming in from all over the state," Ryun said of what was dubbed the "I Stand With Scott Walker" rally. "We see this as the opening salvo of the 2012 election season. The Tea Party movement facing off against the unions. And we like the odds."

Walker on Friday ruled out a compromise proposed by a key union to retain collective bargaining rights in exchange for public workers accepting benefit cuts.

At a press conference, Walker said he could not consider the offer by the largest state workers union because it only covered some public employees and came late in the process.

Walker and other Republicans have been trying to pass a controversial bill that would end a half-century of collective bargaining for most public workers in Wisconsin.

Opponents of the bill staged their largest rally so far on Friday. Police estimated some 40,000 attended, exceeding Thursday's 25,000.

State Senate Democrats said they would stay away for days or even weeks, while Republican efforts to pass the bill in the state Assembly also faced obstacles.

The legislation appeared to be stalled until at least next week.

Across the rotunda in the state Assembly, Republicans aborted an attempt to hold a final vote on the bill without Democrats....Read Full Article At MSNBC