flooded the state capitol, the area around the state capitol since the announcement of what the senate republicans did? reporter: it seems now most of them are inside the capitol building. i can see the streets around the capitol are blocked off. it is kind of cold out here. most people want to be inside. it is ear-splitting volume inside the rotunda right now. very emotional, very fired up these demonstrators. greta: on february 17th, the democrats left the state of wisconsin. the reason it wasn t done, republicans said the collective bargaining was an integral part of the fiscal package. now they are saying something different bicep rating it out? reporter: it was very by separating it out? reporter: it was very interesting. separating the language came from senator erpenbach from illinois. fitzgerald said they didn t want to do that because the budget works if it is
flooded the state capitol, the area around the state capitol since the announcement of what the senate republicans did? reporter: it seems now most of them are inside the capitol building. i can see the streets around the capitol are blocked off. it is kind of cold out here. most people want to be inside. it is ear-splitting volume inside the rotunda right now. very emotional, very fired up these demonstrators. greta: on february 17th, the democrats left the state of wisconsin. the reason it wasn t done, republicans said the collective bargaining was an integral part of the fiscal package. now they are saying something different bicep rating it out? reporter: it was very by separating it out? reporter: it was very interesting. separating the language came from senator erpenbach from illinois. fitzgerald said they didn t want to do that because the
is your wife part of the problem? no, my wife s not part of the problem. teachers aren t part of the problem. what we re simply looking for is a different way of paying for government. for almost 40 years, since the legislature created collective bargaining, the tables have been tipped in favor of the unions. and we re just trying to pull that back a little bit. we re trying to bring that level playing field back so that mayors and school boards and county board members can get a ç fair shake when they walk up to the table. that s really what this is about right now. senator erpenbach, you just heard senator fitzgerald say that teachers aren t part of the problem, which i m sure makes for more domestic tranquility at home. but this has been, it seems, nothing but an attack on the collective bargaining rights of teachers unions, of other public employee unions in the state of wisconsin. the label is that they are the problem, they re our problem in the state budget.
this. the governor thought aboutç planting some trouble makers, senator fitzgerald. lawrence, that makes no sense. we re trying to keep a lid on it here. i mean, if there s anything that we ve talked about over the last ten days, it s making sure that these massive crowds outside the capital remain safe and secure and kind of we re able to put together a contingency plan in case something would happen. now, it s just the opposite of what we ve been discussing with the governor. we want to make sure everyone s safe at the end of the day. senator erpenbach, are you surprised to hear the governor talking about, thinking about sending in troublemakers? extremely surprised. and actually very disappointed. they ve had probably 600,000 people in and out of madison in this past week, and i don t think there s been any arrests. there might have been a couple, but i don t think there have been. especially on the biggest day when i heard there were anywhere from 70,000 to 100,000 people
well, the only problem with because we thought about that. my only gut reaction to that would be right now the the lawmakers i ve talked to have just completely had it with them. the public is not really fond of this. the goverr thought about planting some trouble makers, senator fitzgerald. lawrence, that makes no sense. we re trying to keep a lid on it here. i mean, if there s anything that we ve talked about over the last ten days, it s making sure that these massive crowds outside the capital remain safe and secure and kind of we re able to put together a contingency plan in case something would happen. now, it s just the opposite of what we ve been discussing with the governor. we want to make sure everyone s safe at the end of the day. senator erpenbach, are you surprised to hear the governor talking about, thinking about sending in troublemakers? extremely surprised.