Clearly, it is not easy to be a Wisconsin Republican legislator and cast a vote with the workers and against the union-hating Republican governor. But five --four state reps and one state senator -- did it, even though they undoubtedly took a lot of heat for it.
Dale Schultz , the only senator to vote no, was reportedly threatened with being thrown out of the GOP caucus.
Craig Gilbert's analysis in the Journal Sentinel shows that four of the five are in marginal districts, but one, Dick Spanbauer of Oshkosh, is in a totally safe Republican seat. So why did he vote against the union-busting bill?
Part of the story is personal: Spanbauer, 65, points to a long family history of union membership. “I was raised that way,” says Spanbauer. “My old man was a factory worker.”
Whether they were motivated by saving their political hides or, like Spanbauer, did it from personal conviction, a thank you to those five would be in order.