The News

Today citizens in Wisconsin are submitting petition signatures to have the sixth repub senator - Robert Cowles - put on the ballot for a recall election. This is what People for the American Way had to say:

"That's six -- Dan Kapanke, Randy Hopper, Luther Olsen, Sheila Harsdorf, Alberta Darling and now Robert Cowles -- of the eight GOP senators eligible for recall, and it covers all of the senators who are considered most vulnerable. A net gain of only three seats is needed for the Democrats to take control of the Wisconsin Senate.

Things are heating up! If things go as planned, we expect the first recall elections to be held in early July. That gives us just over two months to stage a targeted and strategic mobilization effort and send as many of Gov. Scott Walker's cronies in the state senate packing as we can.

Republicans have filed recall petitions against three of the 14 Democratic senators who stood in solidarity against Gov. Walker's attacks on Wisconsin's working families -- Sens. Dave Hansen, Jim Holperin and Robert Wirch. So we have to play defense as well as offense."

The group has organized rallies and other events across the state. People For reminds us that Wisconsin is vitally important for all of the country not just because of the ring-wing attacks on workers rights but because of the attack on the middle class as well.

And why is this so important? Have you been reading about Michigan? This is from a care2 article this morning:

"Michigan Republicans are very serious about their plans to systematically undermine the democratic process and replace elected officials with private managers of their own choosing. How do we know? The state is giving a crash course in advising troubled municipalities to literally hundreds of financial professionals so they can later be placed as emergency managers, much like what is happening in Benton Harbor. The problem, of course, is that turning a municipality around and turning a failing corporation around are two very different beasts. And Gov. Snyder's fiscal emergency legislation not only ignores the differences between the public and the private sectors, it thumbs its nose at the taxpayer investment in their locality by refusing the people a voice in the process."

Back in Wisconsin Rep.Paul Ryan is running in to a little flak as he trundles his Chop Shop plan for Medicare around to town hall meetings. Care2 blogger Robin Marty calls it a "draconian budget plan" and I am not in disagreement with that phrase. Draconian - meaning to act like Dracula and suck the blood out of a living being. (my own definition but I like it.) Boos and hisses have greeted Ryan as well as challenging questions about where the money goes when it leaves Medicare and who will benefit. Questions about support for the elders of our country. Questions about the privilege of the wealthy. A group called Americans United for Change has taken out ads suggesting people contact Rep. Ryan and others who are promoting his plan. Good idea. Think of the phone and the Internet as The Streets!

http://www.americansunitedforchange.org/

So many people are writing and talking about the money, the tax cuts for the wealthy, how we will manage with so many supports taken out from under the middle class. This tiny little blurb came from a friend today, something read in a quick look at the day's news. "Exxon has declared earnings of nearly 11 billion dollars in the first quarter!!! Now why do they need tax breaks?" This report on what just one oil company is raking in as profits in the first quarter takes place underneath the discordant rhythms of Dancing With The Stars, the royal wedding and whether Donald Trump will declare for the 2012 race. Also underneath the distractions, which abound in our culture, is the continuing release of toxic elements from Japan.

My mother-in-law needs some treatment for a particularly painful bout of sciatica. When I checked in with her this morning she was struggling with the discomfort and waiting on her doctor to phone her. I suggested she consider acupuncture to deal with the pain and with the underlying issue. Her question to me - would the center where she would go for acupuncture take Medicare? That is all she has for health coverage. So, not that it will go away while she is living - hopefully not - but look at what could happen to others down the time line. The alternative to seeking treatment that deals with the cause of pain is meds and more meds, perhaps some expensive tests, lots of time, additional monies not anticipated and, ultimately, often continuing problems. A voucher for health care is not going to support people. It sounds like a roulette game. Pick the best option for the least money and.......good luck!

Please consider a call to Speaker of the House John Boehner at 1-202-225-0600 and Majority Leader Eric Cantor at 1-202-225-2815 to express your outrage that Medicare is on the block, that you don't think seniors should be on vouchers. Ask them why they voted to end Medicare. Call today.

By the way, I guess President Obama referred to the 'birthers' as carnival barkers. I'm cool with that. What a non-starter that is! Can we get on with real issues, please?

Power To All The People!