Is the Wisconsin battle really just a power grab?

Now that the Wisconsin budget battles are in their second week, more is becoming clear as to what actually precipitated Governor Scott Walker and the state's Republican legislative caucus to propose a sweeping budget reduction coupled with elimination of collective bargaining rights for public sector employees. Chances are, it wasn't to reduce deficits or even stab at the heart of a traditional political enemy to the GOP, but it might still be about the bottom line.



According to some research into the legislation, it appears that it is designed to facilitate the sale of public utilities to subsidiaries of Koch Enterprises. The Koch brothers are the primary financiers behind the Tea Party movement, largely responsible for the election of highly conservative politicians like Scott Walker. If this research is proved true, then Scott Walker is using the budget crisis to kick back lucrative utility purchases to the Kochs in return for their support during the campaign.

Though it appears that the Democrats are winning the battles, both in the state capitol and in the hearts and minds of their constituents over the value of collective bargaining rights. A majority appears to support the protesters - however, Scott Walker and the Republican delegation the Wisconsin State Senate might be willing to scrap the collective bargaining issue in order to let their sweetheart deal for the Koch Brothers to go through.