Union Protesters and Tea Party Share Some Traits

Many liberals disappointed in the president’s veer toward fiscal austerity this legislative session have nonetheless rallied against Republicans in recent weeks because of the anti-union measures in Wisconsin, said Roger Hickey, co-chair of Progress for America’s Future.
But it’s an open question, he said, if they will remain motivated to vote for a president who doesn’t support their agenda.
“Our hope is that it will also translate into a demand for Democrats to stand up and fight for jobs instead of austerity.”
Hickey pointed out that the anti-union measures in Wisconsin and Ohio have also come in potential presidential battlegrounds. They are populated largely by white, working-class voters who turned sharply against Democrats in 2010.
“Lose those big industrial states, you’re cutting off one arm, you’re making it hugely difficult,” he said.