"There is way too much emphasis on short-term issues like deficits and unemployment, which are important issues," Moyo said. Policymakers have long obfuscated the actual costs of their state's financial obligations by ignoring longer-term issues such as structural debt, she said.  "The proverbial chickens have come home to roost," Moyo added.  Whether the continued confrontations are the opening act to a broader budget debate or just the latest standoff in the rough-and-tumble arena of state politics, the proposed bills have nonetheless drawn thousands to statehouses across the Midwest.  In Indiana, House Democrats tore a page out of the Wisconsin book by walking out on a Republican-supported bill that would reduce private-sector union rights.  Republicans, who make up 60 of 100 House seats, lacked the two-thirds majority needed for a quorum.  "It is incredible that this legislation is being described as a step toward reform, when in fact, it will mark a huge step backward for most Hoosiers," said House Democratic Minority Leader B. Patrick Bauer in a written statement.  The bill would prevent private-sector unions from requiring workers to pay dues for representation.  Meanwhile, a bill to limit the collective-bargaining power of some public-sector workers sparked protests in neighboring Ohio, where crowds packed the state capital, Columbus, for a second week.  The measure, known as Senate Bill 5, would eliminate tenure as a consideration when making layoff decisions, require workers to pay at least 20% of their health insurance premiums and institute merit-based pay for some public-sector workers.  Republican Ohio Gov. John Kasich said the proposed curbs on collective bargaining rights are meant to "restore some balance to the system," not destroy unions.  Critics say the bill not only undercuts workers' rights, it also fails to address systemic deficit problems.
Republican lawmakers in the nation's heartland might be feeling a case of heartburn after their budget bills spawned demonstrations in at least three states over what protesters view as an attack on