SO, we have been super busy for the last few months;
In June we went to Washington for 3 weeks and visited our families. Benjamin's Brother Alex graduated with his associates' degree, and I got to see my Sister Lena's house. It was pretty fun. We also discovered that our kids are great at traveling! We stopped by Yellowstone National Park, Mt Rushmore, and a bunch of other historical sights; Our kids traveled really well. We didn't even bring along a movie player!
Also, at 12 noon Wisconsin time we all sang a couple of Songs from the Solidarity Sing a Long. My kids saw one day that it was 12 noon in Wisconsin (10am in Washington) and they started singing 'Bring back Wisconsin to me' and 'watch him stew'. I have never been more proud. Except perhaps the time when my 2 year old raised his little fist during the chorus of "Solidarity Forever".
I have also been able to get back into helping with the recall efforts. I have gone canvassing for Fred Clark and the Democratic Party a few times already, but this weekend I got to be a part of 'Get Out the Vote'. I went door-to-door and encouraged or reminded People to vote on Tuesday. It was quite different from working with the Democratic Party. My main hang up was remembering to tell people which group I was with.
By the way, if you vote in a primary election for a democrat, then you are instantly labeled as a democrat leaning voter. So if you vote in primaries across party lines, be prepared to get lots of visitors around election time!!
This week I am planning on attending the assembly "debate" on the State's redistricting plan. It violates current law, so a new law will also be passed to make it legal. Then every city and county will have to redraw their lines, and set aside their own carefully made maps that they have been making for the past few months.
This will cost money, but I am sure that it will be pushed through like everything else.
I really hope that these "taxed too much" people show up and protest the unconstitutional waste of public money that this redistricting entails.
The Assembly has also hired a set of lawyers to represent them- these lawyers drew up the redistricting plans, and they will stay on after the redistricting is over. The State Government has a legal team already, but they are not being used; Perhaps this is to avoid the scrutiny surrounding their dealings.
I put nothing past the Republican Party of Wisconsin. I believe that they are capable of every crime that exists. I also beleive that their support plays off of peoples' fears and latent racist and classist ideas. In America today there is a large group that will blindly follow this extreme fascist agenda simply because it is wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Henry Wallace
Henry A. Wallace wrote this article on fascism in the New York Times in April of 1944. It is pretty relevant today in Madison, WI. I think that many Walker supporters would disparage this article as being alarmist, as many elements of the TEA Party and ALEC are described quite accurately.
“When facism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross." -Sinclair Lewis
“When facism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross." -Sinclair Lewis
Monday, April 25, 2011
arizona's immigration law---from ALEC!
Arizona's Immigration law was written by and fro the private prison industry. NPR did a nice story on this connection. Illegal immigration is a problem that needs to be addressed in this country. The solution is complicated; the ALEC is attempting to capitalize on the issue with a 'solution' that will benefit the private prison industry.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
alecwatch
Here is a good report on the ALEC. I think that alecwatch.org is going to become one of my favorite websites. The Alec is launching a PR campaign. They have been in the new lately, and that is bad for them. The ALEC is currently launching a public relations campaign. Their message is essentially to say that their highly organized, secretive, and effective model is a form of free speech, that other people do the same thing, and it is really nothing to worry about. William Cronon has a great analysis which disputes this claim. This issue is addressed under the heading 'a cautionary note'
If the extent of their corrupting influence in known, the public will be angry. The funders of ALEC may be boycotted. Their ROC (return on corruption) will be negative.
If the extent of their corrupting influence in known, the public will be angry. The funders of ALEC may be boycotted. Their ROC (return on corruption) will be negative.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Mark Pocan infiltrated ALEC
Mark Pocan Infiltrated ALEC a few years back, here are his observations.
That there are not socially conservative causes in ALEC seems to confirm the idea that they really are all about maximizing profits for large corporations. After the legislation comes out of the ALEC, it is then wrapped in a flag and couched in Christian values before it is sold to the American People.
The marketing of this stuff is amazing. Advertising is expensive, and it works. Plenty of people believe this stuff, who are otherwise nice normal people. I believe that once the lies are exposed, that these same people will look at the origins of this agenda, and realize that they have been used.
It is good to have family values, it is good to have personal responsibility and work hard. It is wrong for your elected government to tell you that their legislation is for the good of the people when in actuality it is written by and for the good of large corporations.
Glaxoclinesmith should not write medicaid prescription re-embursement legislation. Koch Industries should not write environmental regulations. Private charter schools should not write school reform. These things are wrong; wrong for every state that adopts these measures, and they are wrong for Wisconsin.
Even if everyone in the state joins the tea party and Walker becomes the president, I will still say this is wrong, because it is. The truth will out; maybe not today or tomorrow, but it will and when it does I am going to be on the right side of history.
That there are not socially conservative causes in ALEC seems to confirm the idea that they really are all about maximizing profits for large corporations. After the legislation comes out of the ALEC, it is then wrapped in a flag and couched in Christian values before it is sold to the American People.
The marketing of this stuff is amazing. Advertising is expensive, and it works. Plenty of people believe this stuff, who are otherwise nice normal people. I believe that once the lies are exposed, that these same people will look at the origins of this agenda, and realize that they have been used.
It is good to have family values, it is good to have personal responsibility and work hard. It is wrong for your elected government to tell you that their legislation is for the good of the people when in actuality it is written by and for the good of large corporations.
Glaxoclinesmith should not write medicaid prescription re-embursement legislation. Koch Industries should not write environmental regulations. Private charter schools should not write school reform. These things are wrong; wrong for every state that adopts these measures, and they are wrong for Wisconsin.
Even if everyone in the state joins the tea party and Walker becomes the president, I will still say this is wrong, because it is. The truth will out; maybe not today or tomorrow, but it will and when it does I am going to be on the right side of history.
Monday, April 11, 2011
a reason to recall
Here is a good reason to oppose the Walker agenda.
http://scottwalkerisgoingtokillme.blogspot.com
Even if nothing else, this story alone is reason enough to oppose the big business legislation that is taking over our state. This makes me sick, actually, it makes me really proud of the sunburn I got Sunday afternoon canvassing for the recall of Alberta Darling.
http://scottwalkerisgoingtokillme.blogspot.com
Even if nothing else, this story alone is reason enough to oppose the big business legislation that is taking over our state. This makes me sick, actually, it makes me really proud of the sunburn I got Sunday afternoon canvassing for the recall of Alberta Darling.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Prosser- Palin
I now know how Prosser was able to pull ahead in this supreme court election; sure he's the incumbent, and he is going for his 3rd term, the Americans for Prosperity launched a few new "nonprofits" that all funneled 2.2 million dollars for tv ads against Kloppenburg (Kloppenburg had around 1.4 million in outside support). Not to mention that a sitting justice hasn't been unseated in a LONG time.....
no, it was Sarah Palin's last minute endorsement. Palin also has an opinion on the national budget, which she recently shared with all of her twitter followers;
My new slogan for anything related to money will be "We can't AFFORD cowboy poetry & subsidizing abortion."
I am disappointed by the Kloppenburg loss, but I am not discouraged. I have done my homework, and this is a long fight. I feel strongly about my obligation to be politically involved in this. Even if all of the recalls fail, the entire state decides to repeal all environmental regulations, and the entire state votes to scrap public education altogether; even if the Koch industries succeed in their massive misinformation campaign. If everyone in the state learns about ALEC and says "so what" I will not dismiss this far- right agenda. I can not stand by and watch my state be destroyed.
"We will not remember the words of our enemies, but rather the silence of our friends" -Martin Luther King JR.
no, it was Sarah Palin's last minute endorsement. Palin also has an opinion on the national budget, which she recently shared with all of her twitter followers;
My new slogan for anything related to money will be "We can't AFFORD cowboy poetry & subsidizing abortion."
I am disappointed by the Kloppenburg loss, but I am not discouraged. I have done my homework, and this is a long fight. I feel strongly about my obligation to be politically involved in this. Even if all of the recalls fail, the entire state decides to repeal all environmental regulations, and the entire state votes to scrap public education altogether; even if the Koch industries succeed in their massive misinformation campaign. If everyone in the state learns about ALEC and says "so what" I will not dismiss this far- right agenda. I can not stand by and watch my state be destroyed.
"We will not remember the words of our enemies, but rather the silence of our friends" -Martin Luther King JR.
Prosser's 8,000 votes
Okay, so I was not going to call fraud on this one; but there is some really compelling circumstantial evidence;
An additional 14,000 votes were found in Waukesha county after election day. The computer analyst who made the discovery and is in charge of the county elections is a former employee of David Prosser. She was also part of another election-related scandal back in 2002, where she avoided prosecution by trading her testimony for immunity. She has been criticized for her management of the computer system, apparently she used her personal computer instead of county-owned machines, and refused to let the county IT personal ensure that it was properly backed up and supported. The discovery of the votes was not reported for 29 hours.
This discovery of votes occurred because she claims that the village of Brookfield's data was not saved in the totals, though she 'hit save several times '. This woman has been a data analyst for 12 years.
And, then there is this; the totals from the polling places indicate a huge wave of voters late in the day...
Here is what our Governor said about the discovery of missing ballots;
An additional 14,000 votes were found in Waukesha county after election day. The computer analyst who made the discovery and is in charge of the county elections is a former employee of David Prosser. She was also part of another election-related scandal back in 2002, where she avoided prosecution by trading her testimony for immunity. She has been criticized for her management of the computer system, apparently she used her personal computer instead of county-owned machines, and refused to let the county IT personal ensure that it was properly backed up and supported. The discovery of the votes was not reported for 29 hours.
This discovery of votes occurred because she claims that the village of Brookfield's data was not saved in the totals, though she 'hit save several times '. This woman has been a data analyst for 12 years.
And, then there is this; the totals from the polling places indicate a huge wave of voters late in the day...
I don't know if there was fraud, but if I was looking for someone to commit fraud, This is who I would pick. This warrants an investigation, which has already started. We should at least figure out why so many Waukesha voters can't stop at the polls until 7pm- does no one vote in the morning, during lunch or on their way home from work? What is it with the massive 7pm rush to vote? If people are in line at 8pm, they are allowed to vote, so an extremely long line might explain the odd numbers.
Here is what our Governor said about the discovery of missing ballots;
A recount could begin as soon as next week. “As long as the rules are clear, as long as there aren’t ballots somehow found out of the blue that weren’t counted before, things of that nature, as long as everything’s above board, I think that’s fair,” said Walker.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Kloppenburg
Joanne Kloppenburg has probably won a supreme court seat. If the recount confirms her lead, then she will have unseated an incumbent Supreme Court Justice, which she trailed by 20 points just 6 weeks ago.
I was at her after party tracking the ups and downs as precincts trickled in. Many polling places had a larger than usual turnout, some even ran out of ballots, which made the count slow, especially in urban areas. Early voting-which tended to favor Kloppenburg- also slowed the count I was there until 1:30am when she came out to tell us that the vote was officially too close to call, and the counting would resume in the morning.
The Kloppenburg victory, if it is upheld, is remarkable in this fete. I am a bit wary of declaring anything further, because Kloppenburg won on the "anyone but Prosser" ticket. David Prosser openly declared his support for Walker, and his intent to 'Complement' the Governor and GOP agenda. I also sincerely believe that Kloppenburg will uphold the law, and much of the actions of the current administration have been within the limits of the law.
I am absolutely sure that Prosser would be biased towards the GOP agenda. He has argued that it is not necessary for a justice to recuse themselves from cases involving campaign contributos, replacing the "if a reasonable person can see a bias" test with the "if I think I can be unbiased" test.
Kloppenburg has not won yet, even if her lead holds, it is not official until after the recount, which could take weeks. Even pulling 50% of the vote is a phenomenal accomplishment.
Prosser supporters, including the Koch-topus, outspent Kloppenburg supporters 3:2 on outside advertising. The unions and protestors were very instrumental in volunteering for Kloppenburg, however the Tea Party is also highly organized and they promoted Prosser. Both candidates took public financing, which probably prevented this from being as quite as nasty as the Gableman/Butler race a few years back.
I really think that we need to find a way to reverse Citizens' United, however that is less likely, as the Koch-topus has stretched its tentacles as far as the US Supreme Court. Open records for donors to nonprofits would also be a good step.
I was at her after party tracking the ups and downs as precincts trickled in. Many polling places had a larger than usual turnout, some even ran out of ballots, which made the count slow, especially in urban areas. Early voting-which tended to favor Kloppenburg- also slowed the count I was there until 1:30am when she came out to tell us that the vote was officially too close to call, and the counting would resume in the morning.
The Kloppenburg victory, if it is upheld, is remarkable in this fete. I am a bit wary of declaring anything further, because Kloppenburg won on the "anyone but Prosser" ticket. David Prosser openly declared his support for Walker, and his intent to 'Complement' the Governor and GOP agenda. I also sincerely believe that Kloppenburg will uphold the law, and much of the actions of the current administration have been within the limits of the law.
I am absolutely sure that Prosser would be biased towards the GOP agenda. He has argued that it is not necessary for a justice to recuse themselves from cases involving campaign contributos, replacing the "if a reasonable person can see a bias" test with the "if I think I can be unbiased" test.
Kloppenburg has not won yet, even if her lead holds, it is not official until after the recount, which could take weeks. Even pulling 50% of the vote is a phenomenal accomplishment.
Prosser supporters, including the Koch-topus, outspent Kloppenburg supporters 3:2 on outside advertising. The unions and protestors were very instrumental in volunteering for Kloppenburg, however the Tea Party is also highly organized and they promoted Prosser. Both candidates took public financing, which probably prevented this from being as quite as nasty as the Gableman/Butler race a few years back.
I really think that we need to find a way to reverse Citizens' United, however that is less likely, as the Koch-topus has stretched its tentacles as far as the US Supreme Court. Open records for donors to nonprofits would also be a good step.
Monday, April 4, 2011
ALEC
The ALEC is trying to take over my country. They say it in their own words on the top of their public webpage "controlling the nation by controlling the state houses" I have a few articles that discuss these guys better than I ever could.
This even lists the members if the 'private enterprise board' remember, each of these companies sent their employees here, paid 1,000 to join ALEC, then another undisclosed amount of money to be on the private enterprise board. The model legislation drafted by this group is then proposed as law by the republican lawmaker side of the operation- the lawmakers' pay a token $100 to be a part of the group, they are then lobbied by ALEC at private conferences and conventions. I am sure that this model legislation will benefit the members of the private enterprise board- but it is not likely that it will benefit the public.
This even lists the members if the 'private enterprise board' remember, each of these companies sent their employees here, paid 1,000 to join ALEC, then another undisclosed amount of money to be on the private enterprise board. The model legislation drafted by this group is then proposed as law by the republican lawmaker side of the operation- the lawmakers' pay a token $100 to be a part of the group, they are then lobbied by ALEC at private conferences and conventions. I am sure that this model legislation will benefit the members of the private enterprise board- but it is not likely that it will benefit the public.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Personal implications of the Walker agenda
Some who read my blog are tired of the politics being discussed. My entire family, the Valerie, the Ben and the kids are all involved and affected by the current political strife in our state, so its news is our news. Here are some of the ways that the current Walker/ALEC legislation, besides being a morally wrong, and making us physically ill, will affect our lives.
My kids are all doing well at school, my kids will not suffer academically from the cuts to their school funding, I am a full time Mom, and we don't have many special needs. Maddie has been given some help through the Talented and Gifted program TAG, which is being defunded by the state. Her teacher consulted with the TAG coordinator and was given a few workbooks and lesson plans, but even that small amount of help will no longer be available.
I plan to vote April 5th in the spring election, and I generally do not carry ID with me. I plan to vote for candidates that have traditionally been favored by minorities and civil rights advocates. If voter ID is enacted in Wisconsin, it will have an effect on my voting habits. I live across the street from a polling place, but if I forget my license, I will have to travel home, pick it up, and then go back. I have four children, and getting to the polls is already difficult. I can easily imagine that this burden of proof will reduce the number of successful voters, and will not prevent any appreciable amount of voter fraud.
"The hottest place in hell is reserved for those who remain neutral during times of great moral conflict." -Martin Luther King jr.
My kids are all doing well at school, my kids will not suffer academically from the cuts to their school funding, I am a full time Mom, and we don't have many special needs. Maddie has been given some help through the Talented and Gifted program TAG, which is being defunded by the state. Her teacher consulted with the TAG coordinator and was given a few workbooks and lesson plans, but even that small amount of help will no longer be available.
I plan to vote April 5th in the spring election, and I generally do not carry ID with me. I plan to vote for candidates that have traditionally been favored by minorities and civil rights advocates. If voter ID is enacted in Wisconsin, it will have an effect on my voting habits. I live across the street from a polling place, but if I forget my license, I will have to travel home, pick it up, and then go back. I have four children, and getting to the polls is already difficult. I can easily imagine that this burden of proof will reduce the number of successful voters, and will not prevent any appreciable amount of voter fraud.
"The hottest place in hell is reserved for those who remain neutral during times of great moral conflict." -Martin Luther King jr.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
gop misinformation machine ramble
Walker and the GOP misinformation machine are telling plenty of lies about everything from the true cost of employee pensions to the cause of our nation's current financial troubles. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will cost the United states 170 billion dollars in 2011, for a total of 1.29 trillion since 2002. This breaks down to approximately $100 per household per month. The wars are a big drain on our national economy, and taxes have not been raised appropriately to compensate for the added cost. Instead it seems that the GOP is launching a national attack on public employees attempting to use the unbalanced budgets not to bring military spending under control (even in peacetime, the military makes up a huge percentage of the national budget, and is a major expense) but rather to convince the public that public sector unions are greedily taking more than their fair share of benefits and perhaps even salary, though there is a lot of data to counteract this...My conclusion is that the GOP is desperate to win the next presidential election. The military spending is the main problem, but their constituents support military appropriations, so the new scapegoat is public sector unions.
Much like the 'Welfare Queens' of the 1990's Public employees are an easy target. There already exists resentment and prejudice against the upperclass moderately well educated teachers, librarians, professors, and other public employees. They are do deal with the public, so many people have anecdotal stories of a lazy or stupid teacher that they can point to when deriding the incompetence of librarians or professors. They do belong to unions, and like any large organization some of the bureaucracy gets in the way of common sense. These instances are the exception rather than the rule; Most of the time the union protects veteran teachers from being fired for not following the latest fad in education reform (and everyone seems to know how to improve teaching these days, except of course for those actually trained to do it).
Perhaps the public sector workers in Wisconsin will weather this storm, I am fighting for them, but in reality there is a lot of anger and resentment out there over this economy, people are angry that a black man is in the White House. The GOP is conveniently channeling this anger away from the war that is draining our resources, towards public employees. It might work, as there are a lot of stupid people out there. But I am fighting for the rights of public employees, and I will fight this misinformation machine. They are lying, and the truth will out.
Much like the 'Welfare Queens' of the 1990's Public employees are an easy target. There already exists resentment and prejudice against the upperclass moderately well educated teachers, librarians, professors, and other public employees. They are do deal with the public, so many people have anecdotal stories of a lazy or stupid teacher that they can point to when deriding the incompetence of librarians or professors. They do belong to unions, and like any large organization some of the bureaucracy gets in the way of common sense. These instances are the exception rather than the rule; Most of the time the union protects veteran teachers from being fired for not following the latest fad in education reform (and everyone seems to know how to improve teaching these days, except of course for those actually trained to do it).
Perhaps the public sector workers in Wisconsin will weather this storm, I am fighting for them, but in reality there is a lot of anger and resentment out there over this economy, people are angry that a black man is in the White House. The GOP is conveniently channeling this anger away from the war that is draining our resources, towards public employees. It might work, as there are a lot of stupid people out there. But I am fighting for the rights of public employees, and I will fight this misinformation machine. They are lying, and the truth will out.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
protesting week 6
The Alec group was discussed by UW Madison Professor Bill Cronon in his new blog, Scholar as Citizen. I looked through his blog, and at first dismissed it as crazy conspiracy theory. However, after posting about the ALEC group, our friend Bill Cronon's employer, the UW Madison, was served with a Freedom of Information act request from the Walker administration, and then the ALEC group took down their website. Cronon discusses this extensively on his blog, but to me this drastic action by the far-right shows that they do indeed have something to hide. I have long suspected that this was not about the budget, but now we have evidence about the true motiovations behind this administration. In other news, We participated in our first march last Saturday. 
I have been singing with a group in the rotunda everyday at 12, and they were asked to lead the crowd in some songs before the march. I didn't get to actually be with the crowd, but we still had fun. 
The kids played during the rally, then we waited until the very end before we joined in. We wanted to make sure we had plenty of room so no one would get lost. 
There wasn't any problem with the march. There were lots of people, but everyone was super nice and helpful. When I had to pick up a kid, someone even carried my sign for me. 
We had never walked down state street before, and so we discovered this lovely badger sculpture. Maddie loved the Badger statues.
I have been singing with a group in the rotunda everyday at 12, and they were asked to lead the crowd in some songs before the march. I didn't get to actually be with the crowd, but we still had fun. 
The kids played during the rally, then we waited until the very end before we joined in. We wanted to make sure we had plenty of room so no one would get lost. 
There wasn't any problem with the march. There were lots of people, but everyone was super nice and helpful. When I had to pick up a kid, someone even carried my sign for me. 
We had never walked down state street before, and so we discovered this lovely badger sculpture. Maddie loved the Badger statues. 
This week, a small cold crowd gathered, as a group from whitewater finished their walk and hand delivered letters to two senators and two assemblymen. The walkers wore their robes and hoods! there were about 30 of them. It was a great statement. Jut one of the many demonstrations that are happening everyday all around the state.
Some person made a SHAME cake, and was serving it to all the protesters on Saturday. It was a cute little act of protest, and since it was 20 degrees, the cake tasted pretty good. 
This was up on a window a few weeks ago, but I like it.
Friday, March 18, 2011
music and inspiration for the protest
Here are some of the lovely songs that I have learned over the past few weeks. I have so much anger about this budget bill, and the direction of this far right administration, It is difficult to voice my feelings in an effective way. I have managed to make some pretty great protest signs, but I have also been singing. Several singing groups have sprung up in the protest. The Unitarians sing every Tuesday at 7pm, and the Solidarity singing group is m-f at 12 in the rotunda. I like these groups because I can express my anger not only through protesting, picketing, and talking, but also a beautiful, powerful song.
solidarity forever-- a very powerful strong--
I love I'm sticking to the Union! Girl Power!
Especially for anyone who has ever fought sexual harassment at work..
I love this..please just sign me up for Jail for Justice after listening to this song.
The classic this land of course, we added a verse about access to our own gov't building after the DOA locked us out last week.
We shall overcome is always a great song, and it was very easy to add a verse that goes "Scott Walker won't be governor some day (someday soon!)" january 2012, the recall starts. I shall participate.
As I was searching for the music to we shall overcome, I found the MLK speech by the same name.
I especially loved this line;
"Before the victory is won.. some will be misunderstood and called bad names and dismissed as rebel-rousers and agitators… But we shall over come."
This will help me get through protesting this weekend. I can do this! Dr. King says so.
solidarity forever-- a very powerful strong--
I love I'm sticking to the Union! Girl Power!
Especially for anyone who has ever fought sexual harassment at work..
I love this..please just sign me up for Jail for Justice after listening to this song.
The classic this land of course, we added a verse about access to our own gov't building after the DOA locked us out last week.
We shall overcome is always a great song, and it was very easy to add a verse that goes "Scott Walker won't be governor some day (someday soon!)" january 2012, the recall starts. I shall participate.
As I was searching for the music to we shall overcome, I found the MLK speech by the same name.
I especially loved this line;
"Before the victory is won.. some will be misunderstood and called bad names and dismissed as rebel-rousers and agitators… But we shall over come."
This will help me get through protesting this weekend. I can do this! Dr. King says so.
The complete text;
We Shall Over Come…
Deep in my heart I do believe… We shall over come.
Now I join hands often with students and others behind jail bars singing it: “We shall over come.”
Sometimes we’ve had tears in our eyes when we joined together to sing it, but we still decided to sing it! “We shall over come.”
Lord before this victory is won some will have to get thrown in jail some more but we shall over come. Don’t worry about us, before the victory is won some of us will lose jobs, but we shall over come…
Before the victory is won, even some will have to face physical death. But if physical death is the price that some must pay, to free their children from a permanent psychological death.. then nothing shall be more redemptive… We shall over come.
Before the victory is won.. some will be misunderstood and called bad names and dismissed as rebel-rousers and agitators… But we shall over come.
and I’ll tell you why.
We shall over come because the arch of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.
We shall over come because Carlyle is right: “No lie can live forever“.
We shall over come because William Collin Bryant is right: “Truth crushed to earth will rise again“.
We shall over come because James Russel Lowell is right: “Truth forever on the scaffold.. Wrong forever on the throne… Yet that scaffold sways the future. And behind the dim unknown standeth God within the shadows, keeping watch above his own“.
We shall over come because the Bible is right… “You shall reap what you sow.
“
We shall over come… Deep i my heart I do believe! We shall over come.
And this with this faith… We will go out and adjourn the counsels of despair and bring new light into the dark chambers of pessimism. And we will be able to rise from the fatigue of despair to the buoyancy of hope. And this will be a great America! We will be the participants in making it so…
And so as I leave you this evening I say… “Walk together children! Don’t you get weary!”Wednesday, March 16, 2011
March 25th
March 25th is the day that the 'budget repair' bill sans anything fiscal, is being published as a law. Doug La Follette decided to take the full 10 days to publish the bill despite the Gov's urging to declare an 'emergency' and publish it much earlier.
It is also the 100th anniversary of one of the worst labor disasters in history, the triangle shirtwaist fire. This disaster fueled many labor reforms through energizing labor unions. Labor laws were won almost exclusively through organized labor demanding better working conditions, sick leave, 10 or 8 hour days, benefits, end to child labor, etc. The government tends to support businesses, which have an interest in the status quo. Change must come through the people. The people organized and demonstrated, had strikes, marches, and some even died in the interest of promoting fair labor laws.
This bill represents a huge step backward for my State and the nation. I want to commemorate it appropriately, right now I am planning a 'day of shame' sort of like a birthday party, except the cake says "shame" and we even have a pinata representing the bill that we bash open to release out civil liberties (symbolized by candy).
This is not the end; so much is on the table, and this administration has so many more dirty tricks to come! I pledge to demonstrate everyday until public workers are allowed to collectively bargain, and repeals their classist education reform. I have a vacation scheduled for June. If this is not resolved, I will find a way to demonstrate while on vacation (if they have a city hall and poster board, then I can picket!)
It is also the 100th anniversary of one of the worst labor disasters in history, the triangle shirtwaist fire. This disaster fueled many labor reforms through energizing labor unions. Labor laws were won almost exclusively through organized labor demanding better working conditions, sick leave, 10 or 8 hour days, benefits, end to child labor, etc. The government tends to support businesses, which have an interest in the status quo. Change must come through the people. The people organized and demonstrated, had strikes, marches, and some even died in the interest of promoting fair labor laws.
This bill represents a huge step backward for my State and the nation. I want to commemorate it appropriately, right now I am planning a 'day of shame' sort of like a birthday party, except the cake says "shame" and we even have a pinata representing the bill that we bash open to release out civil liberties (symbolized by candy).
This is not the end; so much is on the table, and this administration has so many more dirty tricks to come! I pledge to demonstrate everyday until public workers are allowed to collectively bargain, and repeals their classist education reform. I have a vacation scheduled for June. If this is not resolved, I will find a way to demonstrate while on vacation (if they have a city hall and poster board, then I can picket!)
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Protesting is so hard, but I must continue.
Protesting and demonstrating is really hard. Picketing is mentally tough. Talking with Tea partiers and conservatives who have misinformation and racist classist ideas is really difficult. After my last action, I was mentally spent. It is difficult to stand up for my beliefs, but I have to do it.
I have learned how to calmly discuss these issues with the misinformed. I can keep things from escalating to a yelling match, which is important. I am good at keeping things civil.
But what I can not handle is the number of people who believe the lie that public sector unions are bringing down the economy, and that if we can only eliminate them, we will magically have great education systems and lots of money just like Utah, Texas, Mississippi, Arizona, oh wait, it didn't work out so well in those places..... oh well.
I am not going to individually decry every statement from every whack-a-nut conservative fake statistics factory right here, but I can. I have good information and a good argument in favor of public sector unions, the reasonable funding of public schools (the voucher program described in this budget will segregate the schools), and The need to not make these horrendous, unnecessary changes to Badgercare.
I actually haven't had a lot of opportunity to talk to pro-walker supporters face to face. I get a lot of yelling, lots of one-liners, and handouts full of random statistics from the Maciver institute, and the few times I have been around Pro-walker people, they have really wanted to make a point, but would not listen to anything that I have had to say. Of course, part of what I am saying is that to support Walker is to deliberately and needlessly hurt the most vulnerable of society; That to support this 'budget' is to allow too much power to one man over for the state badgercare program; that to not fund ESL in public schools is in effect racist, and that public workers are just the lastest group targeted by the GOP, as the cause of all of our problems.
Remember 'welfare queens' from 1995? Yeah, well, turns out there really weren't any. So there was a giant uproar, tons of welfare reform, which was a solution without a problem. The whole 'welfare queens' deal did serve to unite conservatives in hating poor black women with children, which is always good for America.
Part of this targeting of public employees is to build up support among conservatives so they can be united in their hatred of something. 10 years ago it was illegal immigrants- remember the giant wall proposed on the Mexico border?- and the right still hates non-english speakers, but there are more public workers, they are more visible, and they also play into all of the anti-intellectual fears of the right.
I am not sure how to best fight against this fear mongering, but fight against it I must.
I have been avoiding extra curricular activities at my church because I know that many people there are sympathetic to the Conservative anti-union, anti-public employee, anti-immigrant(racist), anti-social safety net stance of this Administration. However that is about to change. I have been sleeping outside, carrying signs, singing and praying in public for this cause. I am recommitting to talk to people being duped by the tea party who are in my life. I do not want my inaction to be misinterpreted as consent to their crazy ideas. I am not going to bring it up, but I am not backing away when the subject is introduced.
I am sure that it won't make any difference in general, but when I was a kid I believed the lies about welfare queens and that the poor were less morally good than the wealthy. It took a few good history classes, several good books, and one excellent sociology class to change my mind. Education does work, so I have to go out everyday and educate the population about these issues.
I am so glad that I have had the opportunity to be educated, and also to be exposed to times of unemployment and poverty because if not, I may still be a fearful, close-minded conservative.
I have learned how to calmly discuss these issues with the misinformed. I can keep things from escalating to a yelling match, which is important. I am good at keeping things civil.
But what I can not handle is the number of people who believe the lie that public sector unions are bringing down the economy, and that if we can only eliminate them, we will magically have great education systems and lots of money just like Utah, Texas, Mississippi, Arizona, oh wait, it didn't work out so well in those places..... oh well.
I am not going to individually decry every statement from every whack-a-nut conservative fake statistics factory right here, but I can. I have good information and a good argument in favor of public sector unions, the reasonable funding of public schools (the voucher program described in this budget will segregate the schools), and The need to not make these horrendous, unnecessary changes to Badgercare.
I actually haven't had a lot of opportunity to talk to pro-walker supporters face to face. I get a lot of yelling, lots of one-liners, and handouts full of random statistics from the Maciver institute, and the few times I have been around Pro-walker people, they have really wanted to make a point, but would not listen to anything that I have had to say. Of course, part of what I am saying is that to support Walker is to deliberately and needlessly hurt the most vulnerable of society; That to support this 'budget' is to allow too much power to one man over for the state badgercare program; that to not fund ESL in public schools is in effect racist, and that public workers are just the lastest group targeted by the GOP, as the cause of all of our problems.
Remember 'welfare queens' from 1995? Yeah, well, turns out there really weren't any. So there was a giant uproar, tons of welfare reform, which was a solution without a problem. The whole 'welfare queens' deal did serve to unite conservatives in hating poor black women with children, which is always good for America.
Part of this targeting of public employees is to build up support among conservatives so they can be united in their hatred of something. 10 years ago it was illegal immigrants- remember the giant wall proposed on the Mexico border?- and the right still hates non-english speakers, but there are more public workers, they are more visible, and they also play into all of the anti-intellectual fears of the right.
I am not sure how to best fight against this fear mongering, but fight against it I must.
I have been avoiding extra curricular activities at my church because I know that many people there are sympathetic to the Conservative anti-union, anti-public employee, anti-immigrant(racist), anti-social safety net stance of this Administration. However that is about to change. I have been sleeping outside, carrying signs, singing and praying in public for this cause. I am recommitting to talk to people being duped by the tea party who are in my life. I do not want my inaction to be misinterpreted as consent to their crazy ideas. I am not going to bring it up, but I am not backing away when the subject is introduced.
I am sure that it won't make any difference in general, but when I was a kid I believed the lies about welfare queens and that the poor were less morally good than the wealthy. It took a few good history classes, several good books, and one excellent sociology class to change my mind. Education does work, so I have to go out everyday and educate the population about these issues.
I am so glad that I have had the opportunity to be educated, and also to be exposed to times of unemployment and poverty because if not, I may still be a fearful, close-minded conservative.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
AND its is still winter...
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The weather is still cold, and there is still great uproar in this state. As you all doubtless know by now the Senate was able to take all of the non-fiscal items out of the budget repair bill, put them into another bill, and pass it. This was done without the usual 24hours notice required by law, and that evening protesters swarmed the capitol.
The head of the capitol police Charlie Tubbs promised that the doors would be open the next day at 8am, and several members of the protest encouraged people to leave at their leisure. However, teh last time that the protesters left the capitol, and were promised entry the next day, the place remained on lock down for two days, so a few hundred people refused to leave and spent the night.
The next morning, Thursday, The assembly was scheduled to meet at 11am, but at the doors of the capitol remained locked until a few minutes before 11am, the assembly delayed their session by 90 minutes so that the public would have access to the session.
The police said that they were conducting a "security sweep" and all protesters were put through metal detectors. There are 160 police in the capitol on a normal day, and there were only about 200 campers; my guess is that the DOA could have done this 'security sweep' several hours previous, but wanted to incite the crowd by making it appear that they would not be allowed into the building for the assembly vote.
I don't think that Charlie Tubbs, the head of the capitol police lied; I think that the Governor misinformed him on purpose to cause problems with the crowd. I also think that he planted bullets on the lawn of the capitol last week to justify his own over-the-top security. There is nothing that I would put past this guy!
I have always heard that politicians are corrupt, but now I have first hand evidence.
The legislation monstrosity passed, and now we have a bunch of court challenges, and 16 members of the senate have petitions circulating to recall them. This is not my Wisconsin, but with some hard work perhaps I can help to get it back.
The weather is still cold, and there is still great uproar in this state. As you all doubtless know by now the Senate was able to take all of the non-fiscal items out of the budget repair bill, put them into another bill, and pass it. This was done without the usual 24hours notice required by law, and that evening protesters swarmed the capitol.
The head of the capitol police Charlie Tubbs promised that the doors would be open the next day at 8am, and several members of the protest encouraged people to leave at their leisure. However, teh last time that the protesters left the capitol, and were promised entry the next day, the place remained on lock down for two days, so a few hundred people refused to leave and spent the night.
The next morning, Thursday, The assembly was scheduled to meet at 11am, but at the doors of the capitol remained locked until a few minutes before 11am, the assembly delayed their session by 90 minutes so that the public would have access to the session.
The police said that they were conducting a "security sweep" and all protesters were put through metal detectors. There are 160 police in the capitol on a normal day, and there were only about 200 campers; my guess is that the DOA could have done this 'security sweep' several hours previous, but wanted to incite the crowd by making it appear that they would not be allowed into the building for the assembly vote.
I don't think that Charlie Tubbs, the head of the capitol police lied; I think that the Governor misinformed him on purpose to cause problems with the crowd. I also think that he planted bullets on the lawn of the capitol last week to justify his own over-the-top security. There is nothing that I would put past this guy!
I have always heard that politicians are corrupt, but now I have first hand evidence.
The legislation monstrosity passed, and now we have a bunch of court challenges, and 16 members of the senate have petitions circulating to recall them. This is not my Wisconsin, but with some hard work perhaps I can help to get it back.
Where to go from here....
AND the recall efforts have begun!
http://host.madison.com/app/interactive/senate-recall-chart/
I live in DANE county, my senator FRED RISSER, is 84 years old and the longest serving senator in the senate. He is not likely to be recalled, but I am going to put up a few yard signs anyways.
My options for action include;
canvassing for Joanne Kloppenburg -not because she is super liberal, but rather because her opponent has openly expressed his support for Walker and the agenda of the far-right republicans that have recently seized our state like an infectious disease.
Several articles have cited how the Kloppenburg is being painted as a lefty liberal, but there is really scant evidence for this. Ofcourse I am very against the incumbent Prosser, as he appeared at a AFP rally, as well as a Recall Mark Miller rally a few days ago.
I can travel to districts where democrats are up for recall (if enough signatures are collected) and canvass in their support. I may do this, my out-of-district participation may be criticized, but the AFP's 3 million dollar pro-walker commercials are also from out-of state, and I find that even more disgusting. plus, I have had peaceful protest training, so I am good at canvassing.
I can protest at the capitol everyday until walker is recalled, specifically against him, or against the various far-right agenda bills being proposed on Voter ID (a solution without a problem!) and the nefarious Arizona-esque anti-immigration bill being drafted by rep. Don Pridemore (what a fitting name!)
In addition to the total wreck of our proud labor tradition, the budget hasn't passed yet, and even the 'budget repair non-fiscal' bill is not competely legitimate as the clause about no-bid contracts for state-owned power plants was added between being passed by the senate and assembly...this is what happens when you cobble a bill together and pass it 1:50 after it is proposed....I like to think that the drums and chanting outside were a distraction that helped this accident to happen....
Anyways, I will be busy for a bit! Feel free to join me!
I wasn't intending to bring down the Tea party with my actions, but apparently the destruction of my state is the goal of the tea party, so turn about is fair play.
http://host.madison.com/app/interactive/senate-recall-chart/
I live in DANE county, my senator FRED RISSER, is 84 years old and the longest serving senator in the senate. He is not likely to be recalled, but I am going to put up a few yard signs anyways.
My options for action include;
canvassing for Joanne Kloppenburg -not because she is super liberal, but rather because her opponent has openly expressed his support for Walker and the agenda of the far-right republicans that have recently seized our state like an infectious disease.
Several articles have cited how the Kloppenburg is being painted as a lefty liberal, but there is really scant evidence for this. Ofcourse I am very against the incumbent Prosser, as he appeared at a AFP rally, as well as a Recall Mark Miller rally a few days ago.
I can travel to districts where democrats are up for recall (if enough signatures are collected) and canvass in their support. I may do this, my out-of-district participation may be criticized, but the AFP's 3 million dollar pro-walker commercials are also from out-of state, and I find that even more disgusting. plus, I have had peaceful protest training, so I am good at canvassing.
I can protest at the capitol everyday until walker is recalled, specifically against him, or against the various far-right agenda bills being proposed on Voter ID (a solution without a problem!) and the nefarious Arizona-esque anti-immigration bill being drafted by rep. Don Pridemore (what a fitting name!)
In addition to the total wreck of our proud labor tradition, the budget hasn't passed yet, and even the 'budget repair non-fiscal' bill is not competely legitimate as the clause about no-bid contracts for state-owned power plants was added between being passed by the senate and assembly...this is what happens when you cobble a bill together and pass it 1:50 after it is proposed....I like to think that the drums and chanting outside were a distraction that helped this accident to happen....
Anyways, I will be busy for a bit! Feel free to join me!
I wasn't intending to bring down the Tea party with my actions, but apparently the destruction of my state is the goal of the tea party, so turn about is fair play.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
protests are ongoing- just like me!
shaming the "stand with walker" bus as it leaves the Alliant energy center. My favorite chant of the day; "You're on our side -you just don't know it" I love the energy of this movement, and the positive momentum. Keeping it positive really cuts the stress, and the potential aggression that this nasty piece of legislation is inciting. Unfortunately, some people like Senator Grothman, mistake the desire to keep things peaceful and positive as a show that the protests are just an excuse to go out and party.
I have been involved in this effort for a while now, and I am almost exhausted. I have a lot of things that I would rather do than protest and picket everyday. But I believe in this effort, and if I do not do all that I can, and this thing passes, then I will be in a way a bit responsible for the result.
My fellow citizens are so creative!
This is sort of true. REpublican SEnators!!!! TUrn from the dark side!!!
Sunday, February 27, 2011
posters
I am constantly amazed not by who I see out protesting -over 70thousand satruday- but rather who is not out. People are busy, but this is a huge issue, and if it goes the wrong way thsi could be a disaster for our country.
Strangly, I find that the people who are least worried about this bill are generally from places where there is not a great private sector. If you were educated in the 43rd best state in the nation, you might not value excellent public schools.
This is the source of apathy for most people from out of state. I grew up in Washington, had a medium education, and I want to continue this state's tradition of excellence in education.
Hall of support; over 10,776 comments from moveon.org encouraging the protests.
Hall of shame,
lists each republican member of the senate and assembly and the amount of money contributed to them by the Koch Brothers corp. The Koch Brothers also funded the "prowalker" anti-protest last saturday, and they founded the Americans for Prosperity, a Tea Party group.
There is also a paper for each democratic assemblyman and senator thanking them for their actions.
Scott Walker threatened to layoff public employees is the Dems did not return from out of state and pass his Koch Brothers budget. There was been a significant cry from public employees saying that they want the Senators to stay away; they would rather a few lose their jobs than our whole state lose its integrity.
Please vote for Joanne Kloppenburg. Her opponent has openly stated that he supports "conservative causes" which here means rubber stamping the most right wing radical agenda our state has ever seen, destroying 50-125 years of a tradition of worker rights.
when I am surrounded by tea partiers trying to get me down, I remember that others have had it worse and have done better. I want this poster!
and of course, there is a cute harry potter reference;
Strangly, I find that the people who are least worried about this bill are generally from places where there is not a great private sector. If you were educated in the 43rd best state in the nation, you might not value excellent public schools.
This is the source of apathy for most people from out of state. I grew up in Washington, had a medium education, and I want to continue this state's tradition of excellence in education.
Hall of support; over 10,776 comments from moveon.org encouraging the protests.
Hall of shame,
lists each republican member of the senate and assembly and the amount of money contributed to them by the Koch Brothers corp. The Koch Brothers also funded the "prowalker" anti-protest last saturday, and they founded the Americans for Prosperity, a Tea Party group.
There is also a paper for each democratic assemblyman and senator thanking them for their actions.
Scott Walker threatened to layoff public employees is the Dems did not return from out of state and pass his Koch Brothers budget. There was been a significant cry from public employees saying that they want the Senators to stay away; they would rather a few lose their jobs than our whole state lose its integrity.
Please vote for Joanne Kloppenburg. Her opponent has openly stated that he supports "conservative causes" which here means rubber stamping the most right wing radical agenda our state has ever seen, destroying 50-125 years of a tradition of worker rights.
when I am surrounded by tea partiers trying to get me down, I remember that others have had it worse and have done better. I want this poster!
and of course, there is a cute harry potter reference;
thoughts on today's protest
this inspires me.
The protest here in Madison is not the Protest in the middle east, It is not Tahir Square. However, I am fighting for something that I believe in, and there is a some opposition to the movement; I do not like to be different, but I am not going to cave on this issue.
Also, with the kangaroo court we used to call congress, Our democratic senators are hiding out to try and stop or slow this crazy bill that is being railroaded through.
I can march for a few hours in 12 degree weather. I can be unapologetic about my own beliefs and stand up for what I believe - especially when it is not popular. I can associate with the opposition, try and convince them, and just not go away. Others have done more, I can do more.
1 percent of the state was at the capitol today.
Here is a great song.
The protest here in Madison is not the Protest in the middle east, It is not Tahir Square. However, I am fighting for something that I believe in, and there is a some opposition to the movement; I do not like to be different, but I am not going to cave on this issue.
Also, with the kangaroo court we used to call congress, Our democratic senators are hiding out to try and stop or slow this crazy bill that is being railroaded through.
I can march for a few hours in 12 degree weather. I can be unapologetic about my own beliefs and stand up for what I believe - especially when it is not popular. I can associate with the opposition, try and convince them, and just not go away. Others have done more, I can do more.
1 percent of the state was at the capitol today.
Here is a great song.
Friday, February 25, 2011
me in the media!
I appeared in a pro-scott walker add! I was at the protest, and at 8 seconds, as the announcer is talking about "being flooded with out of state protesters" I am on the far right. You can only see my sleeping bag, but that is definately me!
I hate the assertion that the protesters are from out of state.
BTW, there is also a rumor that most of the tea partiers were not from Wisconsin, so the allegation is on both sides. However, the difference is that in the Assmebly debate, a republican assemblyman stood up and made the accusation that we were not from Wisconsin. Lying on the public record is a more serious matter.
One of the assembly democrats defended us, he said "they are from wisconsin, they are all from here; and they aren't here because they like to sleep on the floor or smell bad or bang on drums, they are here because they are scared about their future and the future of their state."
I don't mind a debate, a heated debate, even ultimately being defeated is fine if it is done correctly. (which was NOT the story in the assembly this morning, but that is another issue)
I am very offended by the lies being told about me in the media and by governor and the Wisconsin Republican party.
b
I hate the assertion that the protesters are from out of state.
BTW, there is also a rumor that most of the tea partiers were not from Wisconsin, so the allegation is on both sides. However, the difference is that in the Assmebly debate, a republican assemblyman stood up and made the accusation that we were not from Wisconsin. Lying on the public record is a more serious matter.
One of the assembly democrats defended us, he said "they are from wisconsin, they are all from here; and they aren't here because they like to sleep on the floor or smell bad or bang on drums, they are here because they are scared about their future and the future of their state."
I don't mind a debate, a heated debate, even ultimately being defeated is fine if it is done correctly. (which was NOT the story in the assembly this morning, but that is another issue)
I am very offended by the lies being told about me in the media and by governor and the Wisconsin Republican party.
b
there may be hope afterall....
Early this morning, In the Wisconsin state assembly, the republican speaker called for a very short surprise roll call vote. The Budget repair bill was passed in a short -43 second- roll call vote, after which the republicans fled the building.
2 Republicans and 1 Independent did not vote for the bill. Was this because, like the 13 democrats who didn't vote they did not have time? probably not; by all reports, and the footage I have seen, they were all near enough to their seats.
This means that some of them were not comfortable with using semi-legal tactics to get their vote through.
This was not the first attempt at passing this thing behind the backs of Democrats, I was attending the assembly earlier, when a roll call vote was quickly called. The minority speaker, Peter Barca shouted out the rule that was being broken, and then moved to remove the speaker. The vote to remove the speaker was 33-63, so at least 4 Democrats did not vote to remove him. The Dems who spoke beleived that he called the vote not because he thought it would work, but because he wanted to incite the masses of people gathered outside watching the proceedings on TVs.
After witnessing hours of republican/democrat straight party line votes, I am so glad that a few Republicans were willing to not vote for this bill in this way.
Perhaps all is not lost.
2 Republicans and 1 Independent did not vote for the bill. Was this because, like the 13 democrats who didn't vote they did not have time? probably not; by all reports, and the footage I have seen, they were all near enough to their seats.
This means that some of them were not comfortable with using semi-legal tactics to get their vote through.
This was not the first attempt at passing this thing behind the backs of Democrats, I was attending the assembly earlier, when a roll call vote was quickly called. The minority speaker, Peter Barca shouted out the rule that was being broken, and then moved to remove the speaker. The vote to remove the speaker was 33-63, so at least 4 Democrats did not vote to remove him. The Dems who spoke beleived that he called the vote not because he thought it would work, but because he wanted to incite the masses of people gathered outside watching the proceedings on TVs.
After witnessing hours of republican/democrat straight party line votes, I am so glad that a few Republicans were willing to not vote for this bill in this way.
Perhaps all is not lost.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
I used to have respect for republicans.
I just sat in on the Assembly last night, and I now have no respect for our assembly republicans. The Dems introduced a lot of amendments to the state budget 'repair' bill yesterday, and now, 47 hours later, they are going through the process of defending their amendments and then having the republicans vote them down.
I listened to amendments 45-57, they were each proposals to exempt the prison guards at various institutions from the state worker ban on collective bargaining.
The democrats talked about each institution, someone who had actually visited the site talked about its unique needs and the neccessary safety and staffing considerations. The prison guards would not be guaranteed a method of ensuring their own safety without collective bargaining rights. The administration at each site could change the staffing ratios, eliminate training, put workers in dangerous situations.
The inmates would suffer from this as well. Prison inmates generally eventually return to the population. If they are not given good care, treatment, and training while incarcerated, then they will be more likely to reoffend, return to prison, and end up costing the state even more money.
I sat there for 2 hours, listening to assembly men and women talk passionately about their prisons, and the prisonguards who run them, then the giggling, teetering republicans voted unanimously to table every ammendment.
I used to have respect for these people. This is not funny, it is not a game, Scott Walker thinks that he can use our state as his launch pad into tea party valhalla, but he is wrong. I will do everything in my power to bring him down. I will camp out at the capitol, I will protest his sponsors, I will write letters, I will get arrested if the Assembly Dems think it will help -I offered, and they told me not to-
I will work night and day everyday to ensure that the whole state and the whole nation knows the truth about the crimes being committed here against the citizens of Wisconsin. These assemblymen will not be re elected. Their names are on this bill, they are also to blame for it; I have witnessed their crimes and they must be accountable.
If the budget 'repair' bill passes, the next step is a general strike.
I listened to amendments 45-57, they were each proposals to exempt the prison guards at various institutions from the state worker ban on collective bargaining.
The democrats talked about each institution, someone who had actually visited the site talked about its unique needs and the neccessary safety and staffing considerations. The prison guards would not be guaranteed a method of ensuring their own safety without collective bargaining rights. The administration at each site could change the staffing ratios, eliminate training, put workers in dangerous situations.
The inmates would suffer from this as well. Prison inmates generally eventually return to the population. If they are not given good care, treatment, and training while incarcerated, then they will be more likely to reoffend, return to prison, and end up costing the state even more money.
I sat there for 2 hours, listening to assembly men and women talk passionately about their prisons, and the prisonguards who run them, then the giggling, teetering republicans voted unanimously to table every ammendment.
I used to have respect for these people. This is not funny, it is not a game, Scott Walker thinks that he can use our state as his launch pad into tea party valhalla, but he is wrong. I will do everything in my power to bring him down. I will camp out at the capitol, I will protest his sponsors, I will write letters, I will get arrested if the Assembly Dems think it will help -I offered, and they told me not to-
I will work night and day everyday to ensure that the whole state and the whole nation knows the truth about the crimes being committed here against the citizens of Wisconsin. These assemblymen will not be re elected. Their names are on this bill, they are also to blame for it; I have witnessed their crimes and they must be accountable.
If the budget 'repair' bill passes, the next step is a general strike.
Monday, February 21, 2011
nonviolence training
I got to attend some nonviolence training, It was very straight forward, know when to walk away, avoid confrontation, etc. I also learned about how to avoid getting arrested, and how to avoid being arrested, as well as the pro's and cons of each.
I also got to write the phone number of the ACLU on my arm. In a different discussion I was warned that the large numbers of police that were patrolling the capitol were friendly, but they obeyed orders, and "they are not here to serve you lunch".
Also, at another meeting, the people were encouraged to bring their "less granola-y friends" to improve the presentation of the protesters.
I also got to write the phone number of the ACLU on my arm. In a different discussion I was warned that the large numbers of police that were patrolling the capitol were friendly, but they obeyed orders, and "they are not here to serve you lunch".
Also, at another meeting, the people were encouraged to bring their "less granola-y friends" to improve the presentation of the protesters.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
links to protest stuff
I had an excellent12th grade history class, (Thank you Mr. Lynch!) In that class I first learned about the struggle for workers' rights in this country. The Jungle by Upton Sinclair, was an expose on the meat packing companies of its day.
The struggle for workers' rights is real, it is long, and it was been a hard fight. Effectively removing them is also turning into a hard fight.
One more reason to love Kenn Lonnquist,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGc46S7el3U&feature=related
Saturday evening Representative Jorgensen talked about the history of labor in this state. He cosponsored with republicans, a labor in the classroom bill a while back.
He pointed me to this incident, back in 1886 in Milwaukee.
this is a link to an article about the bay view roller mill disaster of 1886, a crowd was protesting to get the 8 hour workday, and The State Militia fired on the unarmed crowd killing 7 people.
http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/turningpoints/search.asp?id=935
I should also mention that Representative Janet Bewley Stayed up until 1am hearing testimony. Thank you Representative Bewley!
The struggle for workers' rights is real, it is long, and it was been a hard fight. Effectively removing them is also turning into a hard fight.
One more reason to love Kenn Lonnquist,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGc46S7el3U&feature=related
Saturday evening Representative Jorgensen talked about the history of labor in this state. He cosponsored with republicans, a labor in the classroom bill a while back.
He pointed me to this incident, back in 1886 in Milwaukee.
this is a link to an article about the bay view roller mill disaster of 1886, a crowd was protesting to get the 8 hour workday, and The State Militia fired on the unarmed crowd killing 7 people.
http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/turningpoints/search.asp?id=935
I should also mention that Representative Janet Bewley Stayed up until 1am hearing testimony. Thank you Representative Bewley!
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Protest Pictures
Every protest needs a pipe and drums group. This one led the Firefighters' Union. They were excluded from the no collective bargaining proposal in the State Budget Bill, but they showed their support and showed up en mass. They paraded through the Capitol Building and the crowd went wild. The Police union also supported the demonstration; they also showed in large numbers, but they didn't have any bagpipes, so they they were less memorable.
A sub theme of the signs was "anti-tea party" The tea party held a counter demonstration on the opposite side of the square, but it was a significantly smaller than the main protest. There were visible "peace marshalls" around, and lots of reminders that we were having a nonviolent protest. Organizers feared that the larger crowds in addition to the Tea Party would lead to conflict. We were also warned that they may have weapons. The police stood by and asked everyone to not carry weapons into the captiol- this was not an issue any other day of the week.
As far as I could tell, the Tea party was a sad minority. There weren't many taunts, more like "hey come join us!"
There seems to be lots of overlap between the working class republican base and people who support the right for unions to exist.
Fox 'News' was even offering Tea Partiers a free lunch, of course they had to show an ID. Teapartiers like to require ID. Oh well, I shouldn't mock the uppermiddle class white conservative minorty.
I had originally intended to protest Sarah Palin, ("refudiate this Bill!" and "Do anti-intellectuals support walker? You betcha!" -with a picture of Palin) but She will embarrass herself without my help. Plus, while jogging around the square I was hearing snatches of the Tea Party speaker, and felt my commitment to nonviolence beginning to wan.
More Cowbell Less Walker...
This is the scene in the middle of the Rotunda, and this has been kept up day and night for 5 days.
I love the popular culture references! I actually saw 2 gandolf signs.
These people are so creative! I also saw one that read "Hey Walker, why can't we be friends with benefits?" and a "Stop the Imperial Walker"
Some crazy lady was running laps around the square form 5am until about 8, then she took a break and did more! She must have done like 20 miles.
Protesting + exercising = protestercising (Martin came up with this word mash-up!)
The State motto is "Forward", this statue is The Lady Forward, and here she is blindfolded. I think I might try to be her for halloween this year.
Friday, February 18, 2011
protest at the capitol
Today we braved the crowds, and went to check out the protest at the capitol. We had to walk at least a mile to get there, because the 25,000 other protestors were using most of the parking spaces.
Inside the capitol rotunda, it is packed. All 3 levels are filled with people. Everyone is polite. I had to chase my kids through a very dense group, and everyone gave way, I am so impressed with how gracious everyone was- I guess since they are 75% teachers, they nice as a rule.
Here we are with some of the best teachers from our school, some of these people had been at the capitol 10 or 12 hours a day, for three days, picketing against Gov. Scott Walker's Budget Repair bill.
This bill would, among other things, take away the right of public employees to engage in collective bargaining. Pretty much, it would outlaw unions. It also cuts funding of lots of arts and music in the schools, cuts finding to special education, and lots of other things. The budget needs to be repaired, but this is not the way to do it.
Maddie colored her sign herself. Martin used a sign from one of his teachers.
Reed was pretty happy watching the crowds. There were lots of drummers, musicians, and chanting. There was even some singing- public singing is a rare thing these days! It was fun to do; and really brought us to a correct mindset.
Maddie was in the background for a CNN broadcast!!
(middle front; red pants)
There were lots of people protesting different elements of the budget repair bill. This couple is protesting cuts to special education funding.
As fun as visiting the protest was, it is real work for the teachers and union employees who are picketing 24 hours a day. These are real public employees who are looking to protect their own rights. This is a serious issue, and I hope that some of our republican wisconsinites will reconsider their position on this bill.
Inside the capitol rotunda, it is packed. All 3 levels are filled with people. Everyone is polite. I had to chase my kids through a very dense group, and everyone gave way, I am so impressed with how gracious everyone was- I guess since they are 75% teachers, they nice as a rule.
Here we are with some of the best teachers from our school, some of these people had been at the capitol 10 or 12 hours a day, for three days, picketing against Gov. Scott Walker's Budget Repair bill.
This bill would, among other things, take away the right of public employees to engage in collective bargaining. Pretty much, it would outlaw unions. It also cuts funding of lots of arts and music in the schools, cuts finding to special education, and lots of other things. The budget needs to be repaired, but this is not the way to do it.
Maddie colored her sign herself. Martin used a sign from one of his teachers.
Reed was pretty happy watching the crowds. There were lots of drummers, musicians, and chanting. There was even some singing- public singing is a rare thing these days! It was fun to do; and really brought us to a correct mindset.
Maddie was in the background for a CNN broadcast!!
(middle front; red pants)
There were lots of people protesting different elements of the budget repair bill. This couple is protesting cuts to special education funding.
As fun as visiting the protest was, it is real work for the teachers and union employees who are picketing 24 hours a day. These are real public employees who are looking to protect their own rights. This is a serious issue, and I hope that some of our republican wisconsinites will reconsider their position on this bill.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
political action!
Governor Walker has recently proposed removing collective bargaining rights for all Wisconsin State employees. This includes the Teachers' Union. The Madison School district is taking a day or two off to protest this, and I am in support of their actions.
I cannot, with 4 children, brave the capitol square to join in the protest, but I can have my children write letters. Also, letter writing is an educational activity.
I explained the situation as basically being "The teachers do not think that this is a fair way to be treated, so they are protesting" My kids understand the basics, and have been writing and drawing pictures.
Some may criticize this as using my kids to echo my own political ideas, but just by being my kids they are exposed to me and my influence. Which they will probably eventually adopt as their own until they are mature enough to either embrace or reject my ideas for their own.
Plus, many adults get involved in politics without more than a child's understanding of the issues. Many right wing republican/ libertarian commentators act like children, so why should actual children be left behind?!
If you wish to write letters to our governor, here is his address;
Office of Governor Scott Walker
115 East Capitol
Madison
I cannot, with 4 children, brave the capitol square to join in the protest, but I can have my children write letters. Also, letter writing is an educational activity.
I explained the situation as basically being "The teachers do not think that this is a fair way to be treated, so they are protesting" My kids understand the basics, and have been writing and drawing pictures.
Some may criticize this as using my kids to echo my own political ideas, but just by being my kids they are exposed to me and my influence. Which they will probably eventually adopt as their own until they are mature enough to either embrace or reject my ideas for their own.
Plus, many adults get involved in politics without more than a child's understanding of the issues. Many right wing republican/ libertarian commentators act like children, so why should actual children be left behind?!
If you wish to write letters to our governor, here is his address;
Office of Governor Scott Walker
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
snow!
We had a real blizzard this week! 30 mph wind and 11 inches of snow. We got great giant drifts all over our yard. Everyone had a snow day. Reed has really enjoyed the snow. He asks to go out and cries when we don't take him outside with us. He likes to walk around while we shovel snow or sit and throw little snow balls.
Maddie hollowed out a drift to make herself a snow cave. She also buried herself in snow.
We shoveled out trails through the drifts so we can walk around the yard.
Everyone loved playing in the snow. Benjamin and I shoveled the driveway for 2 hrs each. Benjamin liked getting some exercise and skipping work. The kids made sled routes out of the drifts, and are planning on turning some of the larger piles of snow into snow caves once they freeze overnight. If we succeed we will post the results.
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