[oldembed src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lJdEF12IMYs" width="400" height="290" resize="1" fid="21"]

After attacking public union workers and passing draconian and very controversial new laws in Ohio and Wisconsin that vilified public workers as an albatross around the necks of their states, both Walker and Kasich are pretending as if nothing happened at all, and now are hypocritically thanking those same public workers.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) have decided to pay tribute to state workers.

In Ohio, Kasich declared this week "Public Service Appreciation Week" on Monday. The same day, Walker announced a new public employee "recognition" program in Wisconsin. Given their high-profile battles with unions and state employees, plenty of people in the two states are wondering whether the olive branches are some kind of joke.

When "honoring Ohio's thousands of public employees," Kasich asked his fellow Ohioans to "reflect on all that our public employees do in our communities, and thank them for the invaluable work they do each day." During his first four months in office, Kasich has made rolling back the collective bargaining rights of public workers a centerpiece of his administration's agenda.

In response to the declaration, Ohio House Minority Leader Armond Budish (D) said in a statement that he had to "check my calendar" to make sure it wasn't April Fool's Day. He continued: "Do you thank teachers and firefighters for the invaluable work before or after you slash their wages and benefits?"

Now that we've screwed you, we will thank you. Workers are shocked by the chutzpah of these moves, and Wisconsinites are responding in kind:

The Wisconsin Capital Times reports that today a group of state employees are rallying outside the Capitol to instead recognize "State Employee Depreciation Day."