[Iran Press TV] Wisconsin Republican Governor Scott Walker has rejected the offer of a meeting with Democratic senators to negotiate a compromise over the ongoing labor stalemate.In a televised news conference, Walker argued that Senate Minority Leader Mark Miller's request was absolutely "ridiculous."
"For us to move forward, we need reasonable and responsible officials," Walker said. "This letter is absolutely ridiculous. He [Miller] is the person standing in the way."
"Sen. Miller is misleading the public just like he misled us," said Walker, adding that he had sent two staffers to meet with Democrats on Sunday but could not reach an agreement that would bring the senators back from Illinois.
On February 17, 14 Democrats in Wisconsin state senate left to prevent a quorum and thus block a full Senate vote on a bill Walker offered to close a budget gap in the current fiscal year.
In a Monday letter, Miller requested a face-to-face meeting with Walker and Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald "to reach a bipartisan solution to our differences."
The Republican governor has unveiled a two-year budget plan, which would reduce the state government expenditures for schools and local governments by $4.2 billion, or 6.7 percent, in a move to rein in a budget deficit of $137 million, and a projected $3.6 billion gap over the next two years in Wisconsin.
The budget plan has been met with massive protests by public union workers.
Political analysts in the US say that protesters are unable to get their message across due to the lack of proper coverage by media companies such as FoxNews and CNN, which heavily depend on high revenues from subscriptions and commercials.
CNN's income from its subscription rights in 2009 alone was $578.8 million, while FoxNews made $569.5 million.