The Fab 14

Signs and buttons inside and outside of the Wisconsin Capitol, proclaim people's love for the Wisconsin 14 or the Fab 14. The WI 14 are the 14 democratic senators of Wisconsin who have been heroes to the protesters and the union supporters. On Thursday morning of the 17th, the Senate was convening to begin discussion on the budget fix bill. Its passing was a forgone conclusion. The Republicans held the senate with a 19-14 margin and were pushing it through at high speed. The Republicans noticed that 14 members of the senate were missing. The Sergeant of Arms was dispatched to retrieve them so they could begin. The search was hampered by hundreds of students preforming a sit-in, making it extremely difficult for him to get to the offices. Once there he could not account for any of the democrats. As time went on it was discovered that they were in Illinois. There absence prevented a quorum and by senate rules they need 3/5 majorities to pass fiscal bills. Their absence makes them 1 vote short of a quorum.

Since then Governor Walker and Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald have claimed that they are preventing democracy from occurring and they were acting unethically. To some this is wrong, they have delayed the process by leaving and preventing a quorum. Others see them as obstructing democracy and ignoring their duty to the voters and taxpayers. They want them to return to have a yes or no vote on the bill and move on.

To the unions and the protesters this was an act of political courage. They become the heroes the hour. Recently, many have seen the democrats as being spineless, afraid to make a stand that may be politically dangerous. Often we have been left down by elected leaders, who look at the political winds before acting. However, they took a bold act, that took courage and conviction. Whatever their faults may be, they saw the massive crowds and opposition toward bill and most have recognized that would have support if they acted to block the bill. So they used the most effective tool in their disposal and that was leaving the state of Wisconsin and went to Illinois.


Walking through the protesters there are signs that state "We love the WI 14" or "Fab 14" and other signs indicting their support for them. Since then, Senators Erpenbach and Miller have made calls, made appearance on news shows to state why they left and have given calls to supporters to encourage them.


Most likely it was the actions and courage of those senators that embolden Indiana House Democrats to leave their state when a similar bill was proposed. There action was one of many that has help grow the movement and show that the unions and labor will fight back and will not meekly accept an erosion of their rights.