Wisconsin House Passes Walker Bill

I'm not there, so I'll let the words of those there stand:

Roughly an hour ago, after 61 hours of debate, the Republican state Assembly Speaker unexpectedly called a vote and then left the voting open for only seconds until a bare majority present had cast yes votes and then closed the voting, too quickly for most of the Democrats in the chamber to even get a chance to vote. Democrats erupted into crimes of "Shame, Shame, Shame" as Republicans filed out of the hall. Here's our report from the scene.

Or from their person on the scene:

MADISON, WI -- The Wisconsin State Assembly has just passed Gov. Scott Walker's budget repair bill, including its controversial provisions to eliminate almost all collective bargaining rights for public employee unions as well as many other provisions to weaken union organizing.

After much buildup in the 61-hour debate -- of Republicans wanting things to be over, and Democrats railing against Republicans who they said would cut off debate -- at about 1 AM Speaker Pro Tempore Bill Kramer (R) announced that he would hear a voice vote for a roll call on final passage. Immediately, the majority Republicans shouted their ayes, and the Democrats were booing, as they tried to be recognized to demand a separate motion to cut off debate.

Then Kramer called the vote. Within seconds, the digital vote system on the wall announced 51 ayes and 17 nays, and voting was suddenly closed. With a total of 96 members, that got to a majority for the bill but left 28 members who hadn't had a chance yet to vote.

At that point, the Democrats got up, chanting "Shame! Shame! Shame!" and similar exclamations, as the Republicans filed out of the room.

There were many Democrats I spoke to and overheard in the chamber, who said they didn't get a chance to vote, or that they were pushing the "No" button at their desks as hard as they could -- keep in mind that a majority of their 38-member caucus was recorded as casting no votes at all. (Interesting to note there were also four Republicans who voted no -- after having joined every party-line vote against Democratic amendments. Some Dems speculated that the GOP leadership had allowed some Assembly Republicans in marginal districts to skip the vote or vote 'no' on the final tally.)

Wow. These guys are willing to go down with the ship I guess. Let the re-calls begin. Oh yeah, and for anyone who thinks not being recorded on the vote will help them, wrong again.