A Declaration of Civil Disobedience Against A Fascist Governor

A Declaration of Civil Disobedience
From the People of the State of Wisconsin

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for the citizens of a state to occupy its Capitol building, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind require that they should declare the causes which impel them to civil disobedience.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, and that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life [the continuation of which may necessitate medical care], liberty, and the opportunity to collectively bargain. That, to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That, whenever any form of legislation becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it.

Prudence, indeed, will dictate that even legislation introduced a matter of days before final votes are scheduled, should not be changed for light and transient causes; and, accordingly, all experience has shown, that mankind are disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to disrupt their lives to come and rally at their Capitol.

But, when a long train of abuses and usurpations evinces a design to reduce them to an underclass of powerless citizens, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such legislation, and to preserve previous guards for their future security. The history of the present Governor of Wisconsin is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of a priority for wealthy supporters of the Governor and his political party. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has ignored the budget deficit when passing tax breaks favorable to his political donors, but invoked the budget deficit when seeking to injure his political foes.

He has squandered earlier opportunities to release details of his budget repair plans, instead hiding them in attempt to introduce and pass a bill before public input and scrutiny can be obtained.

He has included policy items of widespread and indefinite consequence in this emergency budget repair bill; including the severe limitation of collective bargaining rights of public employees, and the transfer of Medicaid decision-making power from the legislative to the executive branch, thereby circumventing public input on changes affecting the health of millions of children, elderly, and disabled residents of his state.

He has proposed, in separate legislation, to impose new barriers to voting, especially among the young, the old, and the poor.

He has reminded his constituents that elections have consequences, but he has forgotten that one of these consequences is that he is governor of the whole state of Wisconsin, including those who did not vote for him.

He has refused every offer of public employee unions and Democratic leaders to negotiate or compromise on the offending legislation. In every stage of these oppressions, we have petitioned for redress. Our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury.

For the support of this declaration, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes [such as they are], and our sacred honor.

A CAST Member