For Democrats and unions, this is an uphill battle against reality. They are up against two stone walls. First, there simply isn't enough money. Second, the public has grown very resentful for having to pay for lavish benefits and pension while they struggle mightily in this economy. Unions know that if this battle is lost in Wisconsin it will likely be lost nationwide. Democrats have no choice but to back the unions or risk watching one of the biggest supports lose strength nationwide.
I do feel some pity for the rank and file union worker. Because of greedy union leaders and short sighted weak politicians, these folks were sold an impossible promise. A promise that they built their futures on. Now that the jig is up, they are going to be forced to deal with reality at a very difficult time in the economy. On some level though, they all should have known it was too good to last forever. It is no secret that they were getting much more than the very people who pay their salaries and that is a situation that sooner or later need to be corrected.