Wisconsin state Senate Minority Leader Mark Miller, head of the 14 Democrats who have fled the state in order to block budget quorum on Gov. Scott Walker’s anti-public employee union proposals, has just released a statement responding to Walker’s Monday press conference — in which Walker slammed Miller’s request for a meeting at the state line, and accused Miller of being responsible for the breakdowns in negotiations.
In his statement, Miller says that the people “have spoken loudly and clearly” on the main issues. “They oppose Governor Walker and the legislative Republican’s radical overreach that uses a budget repair bill as an excuse to try to strip workers of their rights and make a power grab that endangers health insurance for working families and helps seniors afford their prescription drugs,” Miller writes. “They also want their elected leaders to reach a reasonable compromise that moves their state forward.”
Then Miller says that it’s the Republican leaders who have said they have “zero flexibility” on the proposals, while Dems “remain united” and want to negotiate — a possible reference to GOP claims that some of the Dems were on the verge of breaking ranks and coming home. “I would hope as we move forward the Governor and Republican leaders will spend less time at press conferences and more time on the phone or at meetings pursuing a resolution to our differences.”
The full statement can be read here.
