Dear Mr. Walker.......

Open letter to the Governor of Wisconsin from a constituent.

I am writing from a community in southern Wisconsin. We pay attention to things down here just like our brothers and sisters all over the state. We've been paying attention since February 11th when the young folks in Madison decided to support their educators by going in to the streets and shouting about fair play, honest wages, and how angry they were that you were going to take away their teachers collective bargaining rights and the collective bargaining rights of many other public employees. We've been paying attention since thousands of us traveled to Madison to protest your night time flights of fantasy, your under-handed and under-the-table deals and the knowledge of who actually pulls your strings.

We're still paying attention. How do I know this, Mr. Walker? Because I see more and more signs in the windows of homes in the community in which I live, more bumper stickers, more yard signs declaring RECALL WALKER! I have one in my window, too. That is not a surprise to me but my question is, is it a surprise to you? And if it is something of a surprise, why would that be true? Oh, I know, you probably think we're all a bit simple-minded out here in Common Middle Class Land or what will be left of it when you're done. I know, we liberals/progressives are just daft when it comes to finances and budgets and support structures. We can't be depended on to guide the ship of state with a steady hand on the tiller. We'd sail off the edge of the known world with all our silly social programs trailing along behind us. We don't have the backbone to dish out the tough love you and your cohorts do to rein in this out-of-control nearly bankrupt state. Thank goodness you are here to save us!

Anyway, that's what I imagine you are thinking. I might be way off in left field though. You might not be thinking anything of the sort. You might be thinking that concealed carry is just the ticket or that ending collective bargaining is Just In Time political maneuvering ala others of your kind across the U.S. or that Judge Prosser simply has a bit of a temper but otherwise is a peach of a fellow or that Paul Ryan's draconian plans for state and federal support services are nothing but line items in the war on the middle class which was overdue according to you and others of your kind.

That's what I imagine. Because, Mr. Walker, I can't imagine a person who has the best interests of the people of his state at heart doing even one of the things you have done since you have been in office in Wisconsin. Because, Mr. Walker, I think you are in the pocket of the Koch Bros., and who knows who else and they make or break your agenda. Because I think the office of the governor of Wisconsin has been bought by Big Business and you are the Big Business hired gun.

The other day a patient with whom I visited told me she had moved from Wisconsin to Illinois. When I asked her why she told me that Wisconsin is going down the tubes, that it isn't friendly to regular people and that it is becoming a state of governmental outlaws. Are you an outlaw Mr. Walker? Is Scott Fitzgerald an outlaw? Do you work for the Koch Boys, the wealthy ranchers who own everything and everyone and hire people like you to do their dirty work? Is Wisconsin returning to the days of the Wild West?

I can only say beware the pitch forks and torches, Mr. Walker. When the citizens lose so much that they can barely subsist, there may be more marches and more protests. Civil unrest is a mighty thing to be responsible for, Mr. Walker.

I remain in solidarity with the Common People just like me.

Power to All the People!

Wisconsin Supreme Court Backs Walker

You've heard no doubt. It was on the national news, scrolling across the bottom of television screens everywhere. The "election" of Judge Prosser sealed the fate of collective bargaining rights in Wisconsin. Judge Sumi's decision was cast aside and the anti-union, anti-middle class voices spoke. The following is from All Headline News online:

On a 4-3 vote, the Wisconsin Supreme Court upheld on Wednesday the state’s anti-union law. The decision reverses a ruling by a lower court which ordered a permanent injunction against the law. The court said the state legislature did not breach Wisconsin’s constitution in curbing the collective bargaining rights of most state employees. The court decision is a major political victory for Gov. Scott Walker, who supported the bill amid protest by teachers, union members and others who believe the law is an affront on workers’ rights.

If they did not break the open meeting law then what would we call what happened? Many people have many questions!

Visit The Cap Times at www.host.madison.com to read excellent posts on this historical vote. It will, without a doubt, change Wisconsin. According to a Care2 article this morning:

But the decision is not likely to take the pressure of Republicans in the state anytime soon. A new poll released shows Gov. Walker's popularity is at an all-time low with at least half of the state favoring recalling the Governor. That same poll shows Walker losing to either Russ Feingold or Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett in a hypothetical future match. Recall efforts against six GOP senators also took a major leap forward as EMILY's List endorsed five candidates in those recall elections. Wisconsin is simply one state in a national strategy of permanently disenfranchising Democratic voters and eradicating decades of gains by the middle-class.

The truth of that last sentence is reverberating in my head this morning as I read these posts. It is and has been a concerted ultra-right-wing agenda operating in destruction mode. For further looks at that read this from Care2.

http://www.care2.com/causes/politics/blog/wisconsin-wants-to-repeal-child-labor-laws-too/

It is impossible to arrive at any other conclusions than money - that has to be the driving force behind these draconian moves to completely dismantle the middle class in America. What else could it be? We don't believe the song and dance about balancing budgets, we know that's horse manure. We don't believe people like Walker-Fitzgerald are compassionate people at heart, that's clearly not the case. I haven't made it to sixty-three years old without knowing some things and one of the things I know is money has a smell to it, a glint to it, a shrill sound to it and things done in money's name have a sneakiness to them. These decisions beings made in Wisconsin, these deals being done in the dark, these calls to the Kochs, the threats and the lies all smell, sound, glitter like lots and lots of money.

Please call your state representative, your senator and let them know you are appalled at this hijacking of Wisconsin. Just like the playground it often takes a group to defeat a bully.

Walker et al are now moving along other fronts. One is to roll back Child Labor Laws. If the word appalling doesn't work here I don't know what does! Another front is the environment. This is from League of Conservation Voters.

Dear Jeanie,

The Wisconsin recall fight is ground zero for the future of sound environmental policy.

The state of Wisconsin has emerged as ground zero for efforts to take back our democracy from corporate special interests. As you’ve probably heard, Tea Party-backed lawmakers, led by Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, are pushing one of the most egregious anti-environment agendas in the nation. And if they succeed unchallenged, other states may soon see similar efforts.

The Koch Brothers and their dirty polluter allies are investing millions to keep the Wisconsin State Senate’s anti-environment majority. They invested heavily in Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and other Tea Party governors during the 2010 elections and there are not about to see their investments fall short.

So far, Scott Walker has delivered handsomely for dirty polluters. Walker’s anti-environment attacks include:

Shutting down Wisconsin’s $400 million wind industry
Rejecting $800 million in mass transit funding (absolutely disgraceful when gas is at $4 per gallon)
Providing campaign donors special exemptions to build on Wisconsin’s wetlands

If Scott Walker and the Koch Brothers win this summer it will open the floodgates to unchecked dirty polluter campaign money. If they win in Wisconsin, every sound environmental policy in every state will be under threat. But just as important, Wisconsin LCV is backing a strong slate of pro-environment candidates who will fight for important environmental protections and vital clean energy policies.

Keep your eye on this Common Struggle. It is the struggle of us all!

Power To All The People!