flanders

Richard Trumka warns politicians not to expect a blank check from Labor while talking with Laura Flanders in June in Washington, DC.

"Too much has been spent on defense and killing at the expense of people, of working class people," Will Williams, of Veterans for Peace Madison, said to Laura. "And I say that because, when you look at the statistics, it costs one million dollars a year to keep one troop in Iraq. Yet we talk about we can't balance the budget unless we do it on the backs of working class people. And it's wrong." Williams spoke with Laura from the streets of Madison during this weekend's protests. He pointed to the widening wealth gap and excessive military spending as evidence that the middle class is being forgotten. "This governor we have has taken away everything that working people had, what was built throughout years of struggle," Williams said. "He took it in the stroke of a pen." Distributed by Tubemogul.

"They've awakened a sleeping giant. People who have never been engaged are engaged," Lena Taylor, Wisconsin state representative, told Laura Flanders from the streets of Madison. "900 million dollars, almost a billion dollars, out of education. How can we be prepared for our future?" Distributed by Tubemogul.

Rolling down the streets of Madison in their tractors, Wisconsin's farmers joined the protests that rose throughout Madison this weekend. While in Madison, Laura spoke with Scott Schultz, executive director of Wisconsin Farmers Union, who spoke about the ripple effects of the anti-union bill that will be felt throughout their community. Distributed by Tubemogul.