Never before in my life have I been so inspired to write like I have been this week. Since Gov. Scott Walker announced his proposal this past Friday, I have been carrying around my laptop with me everywhere, as if it were my third arm. I have been streaming through numerous articles, pictures and videos, astounded by how much the budget repair bill has seeped through to the core of our state’s citizens.

Once upon a time, a young engineering student vowed against getting wrapped up in politics; she claimed it was a hopeless battle, a pendulum that swings back and forth between a bipartisan system that cares more about the R or D alongside a name than the issues their constituents care about. Now, she stands neck deep in it, inspired by her state’s activism.

The past three days have turned the protest from a rally against the proposal to a rally for democracy. The public hearings that have been taking place without pause at the who have been listening, truly listening, unlike Chairman Robin Vos, it is mind-boggling how any assembly of people, regardless of party affiliation, could deny such deserving people their basic right to a voice.

The public hearing has consisted of personal accounts from a father whose son told him how he doesn’t want his school to suck, a fifth generation Wisconsinite who asked what collective bargaining has to do with making economic adjustment, a second grade teacher who stated the name of the bill is a disgrace to the intelligence of the constituents, as well as some of the most incredibly eloquent and inspiring speakers I have ever heard, all demanding justice.

On Tuesday, the sentiment of the Democrat-dominated public to engage discussion with the Joint Finance Committee was evident, but the Republican-dominated JFC chose to ignore it. A UW-Madison chemistry PhD student, for instance, asked, “What will it take for you to vote against this bill”? to which he received a stinging silence enforced by an adamant chairman.

The people of the state were asking questions, but nobody on the committee was allowed to answer them. Vos made it clear it was not meant to be a discussion, but rather an attempt to make people feel as if they were being heard. This attempt was made lukewarm by the fact that the majority of the committee members tuned out after the last supporter of the bill spoke at 1 p.m. on Tuesday. As one middle school teacher commented during his testimony, the committee looked like his students 30 minutes into math class – bored, careless and just ready to get to recess.

I commend the committee for sitting through 16 hours of what seemed like a broken record at times: a teacher, who loves what she does, who will be forced to sell her home if this bill passes. The same statements seemed to play on repeat. But this was because everyone was united in the obvious sentiment of how rash and thoughtless Walker’s proposal was to balance the budget on the backs of the poor and middle class.

The JFC Republicans have made it clear they don’t care about the heartfelt stories of the teachers who have educated the students of this state, the corrections officers who have maintained this state’s inmates and the teaching assistants who have been fighting to make this the best damn public university it can be. These are the people who care about the genuine good of the state, but it seems that since they’re not the ones with the big pockets, they matter less.

For these reasons, watching the hearing take place has been quite uncomfortable. It became a little bit more comfortable on Wednesday when, after the Republicans adjourned the hearing at 2:30 a.m., stating that allowing people who signed up to speak by 6 p.m. was enough, the Democrats moved the hearing elsewhere to ensure everyone was heard. From there, the annoying two-minute alarm that beeped passionate stories to a forced close and the condescending remarks from Vos ceased, while the eloquent voices of this state continued to echo through the walls of the capitol.

At the close of the public JFC hearing, Sen. Rob Jauch, D-Poplar, stated, “I have been in legislation for 25 years … (and) I have never experienced so much passion.” In the proceedings of the past three days, the people of this great state have been setting the stage for American citizens, and citizens worldwide for that matter, to exercise their right to speak and be heard. The nation is watching how this plays out – Ohio, Indiana, Idaho and Tennessee all have legislation in the works to strip workers’ right to collectively bargain.

So thank you to all the people who carried forth the message through the stacks of Valentines to Scott Walker, who were willing to wait eight or more hours to speak for two minutes and sleep on a hard cold floor in the capitol building to ensure their voice was heard in a state that is trying to silence it. You make me feel proud to be a Wisconsinite.

Victoria Yakovleva ([email protected]) is a senior majoring in chemical engineering.