Wisconsin Needs A Moral Compass

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Back to Business Part 1

Okay. Now that the fun is over, it's time to scan the news and find out what is happening in the streets of Wisconsin (and other places).

Did you hear about the tent city going up in Madison, WI? Last night - Saturday the 4th - dedicated campers began setting up Walkerville on the sidewalks surrounding the Capitol. Yup, we're not gone, not done speaking up! These folks are wanting to maintain a presence, the same presence that began in February of this year over the slash and burn tactics of Walker's administration. These folks have come to, once again, highlight the rough dialog in Wisconsin concerning the governor's decisions. They plan to stay until the 20th of June but you know how things go - they may be there longer - there also may be more. Did you have plans to go camping this summer? Do you enjoy Madison, the lakes and restaurants? Check out The Wisconsin State Journal for today, Sunday the 5th, to see pictures of Walkerville. What a great camping event that would be!

Walkerville sets up just as I've received an issue of The Lowdown by Jim Hightower. I cannot pass up the opportunity to share with you some of what Jim writes this month. It's all about the secretive front organizations, shill corporations and efforts, to subvert the American middle class. Jim lets us know who has been behind the election of all these right wing hatchet artist governors.

Ever hear of the American Federation For Children? I had not. As Jim writes:

"Forget the children, AFC is an astroturf organization spreading the gospel of public education privatization. It is a creature of Michigan's multi-billionaire DeVos family - daddy Richard founded Amway, ranks 62nd among the richest Americans, and owns the Orlando Magic basketball team."

He goes on to detail the organization's own Cruella De Vil - Betsy DeVos - who is an ultra-conservative sweetheart. Her brother is the founder of Blackwater and she has been a dedicated fundraiser for the GOP, for right wing religious political groups and also for the expanding group of school privatizers. You and I won't be surprised to learn that Betsy and her family are cozy chums with the Koch Boys and their clan. Nor would either of us be shocked to hear that Betsy helped finance the Citizens United case last year. Betsy is a right wing warrior so when asked how she felt about using her family's fortune to buy influence in our government she said, "We expect a return on our investment." We musn't be fooled by these folks, they've got money coming out of their ears and the hutzpah to back up their bold moves.

Further on down the list of DeVos family friends we find the Waltons. Nope, not John Boy but the current heirs apparent, Alice and Jim. All these very, very wealthy gabillionaires and their front groups helped fund campaigns in Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Utah and yes, Wisconsin. That's bad enough but these folks do not disclose their activities, their secrets. On top of that, Jim writes that "in campaign after campaign, the 'local' demand for privatization turns out to be little more than AFC money creating the illusion of grassroots support from DeVos, the Waltons, et al. (and) is the only thing propping up many of the so-called 'school choice' organizations at the local, state, and national levels."

Polls taken across the country show that the public - We The People - consistently oppose using tax dollars to fund private schools. We overwhelmingly support public schools for We The People's Kids! Betsy DeVos De Vil wants to change that irregardless of what We The People say we want. She has launched an action fund, Jim says, that will focus on state legislature races "with the intention of surreptitiously stacking legislatures with school privatizers."

As the guy said in the movie Abyss - Hang On To Your Panty Hose! We aren't done by a long shot so hats off to the campers enjoying downtown Madison's sights and sounds. Thanks for your dedication and the rest of Us will get to work on the phones, in emails, with neighbors, writing letters to demand fairness and disclosure as a beginning to government of, by and for We The People!

If you are inclined and have the time - Wisconsin Wave sent this alert:

March to support Walkerville and STOP the Budget
When: Monday June 6th at 11:30am
Where: 316 W. Dayton St. in Madison (near the firehouse) up to the Capitol Square
Join Firefighters, Nurses, Community Members, Farmers...and Tractors!


Tomorrow: More from Jim Hightower & the Lowdown: Who's Trying To Shut Profs Up? and much more!

Power To All The People!

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