Other states facing legislation that would threaten state employees' bargaining rights are beginning to mirror Wisconsin's own mayhem, from unions protesting in Ohio to legislators fleeing in Indiana.
Although Wisconsin is not the only state to be considering suspending bargaining rights for state workers, the volatile statewide reaction and measures taken by the government have created a domino effect in states facing similar political situations.
""This is an intense political battle that's been set off by the strong pro-republican shifts in these states, including especially here and Ohio, so it's not surprising we're seeing a big fight about it,"" said UW-Madison political science professor Charles Franklin.
Ohio's newly elected Republican Gov. John Kasich uses reasoning similar to Gov. Scott Walker's in justifying suspending collective bargaining rights in saying it is necessary in fixing the deficit.
""I'm going to balance this budget, and I am going to restructure this state and collective bargaining is just one piece of an overall program to make us competitive again,"" Kasich told Fox News.
Ohio's unions have responded with anger, taking after the demonstrators who in Madison who are in their second week of round the clock protest. The Ohio Civil Service Employees Association is particularly upset with their lack of input in the process of this bill.
""We have been shut out of this process from the introduction of this bill,"" OCSEA President Eddie L. Parks said in a statement. ""No one came to us and said, ‘Let's sit down and talk about this.'""
Democratic Indiana legislators also mirrored their Wisconsin counterparts by taking off to Illinois, which Franklin said ""needs a refugee policy.""
""As for legislators fleeing, that's a little surprising that it's had a domino effect, but it reflects Democrats being in the minority and being faced with threats to the existing rules of the game that have prevailed in these states for 30, 40, 50 years.""
Now that Wisconsin has been thrust into the national spotlight, it's actions over the next few weeks could have a huge impact on its neighboring states.
""I think [Wisconsin] sets the stage insofar as it shows other states just how intense the political battle can be when you try to change the rules of the game,"" Franklin said.
