A year ago today at the Wisconsin protests, things had drifted from the Walker budget to more generic left-wing causes.

It was no longer apparent that the protesters were mostly Wisconsin school teachers. There were more UW students and teaching assistants.

"The crowd was a bit thinner," inside the Capitol. "Lots of drumming." The sound of vuvuzela. Outside, there are some marchers. It's a bit wan. It's a Monday.

The teachers prepare to go back to school, and there are intimations that the schoolkids will be drawn into the controversy. "I  can't believe people who are fighting to preserve their job benefits would even think to appropriate the children this way. It's mind boggling."