I've heard tell that some people can fiddle the devil out of hell and back down again. In Wisconsin we might just have heard a strain of that kind of music. About the time the cold was getting so deep that we thought it'd never go away and the ice on the lakes was still hard and we knew, we did, that the fish were fast asleep at the bottom.
I remember the sounds in the halls of the Capitol. During the day they were sweet and strong, those voices of Common People singing and chanting and laughing and shouting. Yes, that was sweet music, it made me feel happy to be there, joyful in my heart even though my toes ached and the winds stung my cheeks.
But, in the night, some nights, the music turned dark and dangerous and things happened behind doors when that music played. Whoever was fiddling then smoked the strings and the feet of those who met at dimly lit, walnut smooth desks, danced so feverish that the news in the morning came as though years had passed, it was that astounding. Deals were made, calls went out, interviews were given and many, many lies were told during that winter just passed. The Common People lost their promises, their jobs and their rights to ask for better pay and good working conditions.
And when the spring brought green to the muddy ruts around the Capitol and the sky took on a deeper blue, the fiddler was still in some room somewhere in that building. He was still fiddling so the men who made deals and told lies could keep dancing those crazy steps. They danced so hard they passed laws against the safety of the People! They made guns from their dancing and they laughed like maniacs as they scribbled the words - Concealed Carry. It was madness I tell you!
There's more than one fiddler. I know that now 'cause I am no longer a young one. I've seen some things. There's a fiddler playing in each and every office and Capitol that has those crazy, mad dancers who vote for guns and cuts and have red eyes that burn through decency and compassion. Their feet are swollen, painful and maybe even bleeding but they can't stop dancing, they can't stop taking from the Common People.
The Fiddler provides the music for terrible things. Why, you ask, would anyone want to dance to this music? Because the fiddler and his master make promises. If you can dance fast enough and long enough and wild enough and your dancing brings in more money and more power and more of everything, then you will be able some day to stop dancing and reap your reward.
But I know some things. That never happens. Never. It's a joke.
Power To The Common People!
p.s. The fiddling is loud today - can you hear it? The mad dancers are closing driver's stations in heavily democratic areas so those voters cannot get their state IDs and opening stations in predominately rethuglian areas. Someone has seen what's happening and is breaking the story. Thank goodness for people who hear different music!
Wisconsin Needs A Moral Compass
Showing posts with label power. Show all posts
Showing posts with label power. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Thursday, July 7, 2011
The Top of The Top Ten Worst Governors
Well, I can't say I was shocked really but it was something to see. The headlines at AlterNet.org listed Koch Bros. funded and backed, collective bargaining hatchet man Scott Walker as the top of the Top Ten Worst Governors in the United States. I'm sorry - the actual article title was The 10 Scariest GOP Governors: Bringing a Radical Right-Wing Agenda to a State Near You . Still, worst is about the same isn't it? And Scott W is at the top of the list. Groan. We all knew it was bad but taking top place for scariest? That is really awful. Here's some of what AlterNet had to say about Mr. Walker:
"Without Walker, public sector unions wouldn't have become a rallying cry for the left, that's for sure. But he picked the wrong fight in a state with a proud history of organized labor—a state that teaches labor history in the public schools."
Damn skippy!
"Still, the bill passed, Walker's still in charge, and he's been taking aim at those who could defeat him. He got his way with a vicious voter ID bill and his budget cuts hit everything from the state university to the public schools to the state's health care program, one of the best in the country. He targeted rural broadband, people with disabilities and reproductive health care, and he's even messing with craft beer. (He really should know better on that one, but it seems there isn't a fight Walker's unwilling to pick.)"
Does the term "thug" come to mind?
AlterNet went on to say in regards to all ten of the scary governors:
"These governors all have some things in common. Most of them were elected in 2010 while progressive turnout was depressed and conservative anger, particularly the virulent anti-government type springing from the Tea Party movement, spilled over at the polls. Many of them took over swing states from Democratic administrations. Most of them did not run on promises to take away collective bargaining from workers, slash pensions and health care and outlaw abortion. Instead, they focused on jobs—and, admittedly, their own solution to creating jobs, which is, of course, cutting taxes.
A year or more into their terms, taxes have been cut, the wealthy are doing fine, and working people, particularly immigrants and women, are struggling. The promises of jobs have given way to Shock Doctrine-style cuts, attacks on unions, public services, and voting rights. Since it can be hard to keep up with the moves by different governors around the country, we've compiled a list of the 10 scariest GOP governors and their proposals."
The article asks what's next? Yeah, a good question. I guess the term scary is right on when it comes to these power-backed, big money-supported, guillotine-wielding people. My suggestion is to get some good sunscreen, a nice broad-brimmed hat and a stainless steel water bottle just in case we need to pour out in to the streets again (or continually) and make our loud common voices heard. No guarantees just solidarity. And that is what makes community resilient. When We The Common People join together and speak truth to power we find our common courage and our strength to confront the powers and principalities.
Power To All The Common People!
"Without Walker, public sector unions wouldn't have become a rallying cry for the left, that's for sure. But he picked the wrong fight in a state with a proud history of organized labor—a state that teaches labor history in the public schools."
Damn skippy!
"Still, the bill passed, Walker's still in charge, and he's been taking aim at those who could defeat him. He got his way with a vicious voter ID bill and his budget cuts hit everything from the state university to the public schools to the state's health care program, one of the best in the country. He targeted rural broadband, people with disabilities and reproductive health care, and he's even messing with craft beer. (He really should know better on that one, but it seems there isn't a fight Walker's unwilling to pick.)"
Does the term "thug" come to mind?
AlterNet went on to say in regards to all ten of the scary governors:
"These governors all have some things in common. Most of them were elected in 2010 while progressive turnout was depressed and conservative anger, particularly the virulent anti-government type springing from the Tea Party movement, spilled over at the polls. Many of them took over swing states from Democratic administrations. Most of them did not run on promises to take away collective bargaining from workers, slash pensions and health care and outlaw abortion. Instead, they focused on jobs—and, admittedly, their own solution to creating jobs, which is, of course, cutting taxes.
A year or more into their terms, taxes have been cut, the wealthy are doing fine, and working people, particularly immigrants and women, are struggling. The promises of jobs have given way to Shock Doctrine-style cuts, attacks on unions, public services, and voting rights. Since it can be hard to keep up with the moves by different governors around the country, we've compiled a list of the 10 scariest GOP governors and their proposals."
The article asks what's next? Yeah, a good question. I guess the term scary is right on when it comes to these power-backed, big money-supported, guillotine-wielding people. My suggestion is to get some good sunscreen, a nice broad-brimmed hat and a stainless steel water bottle just in case we need to pour out in to the streets again (or continually) and make our loud common voices heard. No guarantees just solidarity. And that is what makes community resilient. When We The Common People join together and speak truth to power we find our common courage and our strength to confront the powers and principalities.
Power To All The Common People!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Times of Change
I finished the book Nefertiti. Though it is difficult to know all the details of a life lived so far in the past the author did a good job of investigating Nefertiti's life as far as anyone can know. She was a woman of courage and also of intense ego. However, she became Queen of Egypt at fifteen years old and began having children soon after. We might say these days when children in our society remain children far in to their teens, "What would a teenager know about ruling a country?!" She was the second wife of Amunhotep IV who also was in his teens when he became Emperor of Egypt and together they had six daughters, built the vast city of Amarna and presided over troubled times when their decisions brought down the revered priests of Amun and raised up a sun disk priesthood. Nefertiti and Amunhotep had the faces of themselves and their family carved and painted on every surface in the city and spared no expense to continually remind the common people who the supreme rulers were.
I suppose, not surprisingly, this extravagance in both physical wealth and in what seems to have been a level of moral bankruptcy, ended in a horrific time that changed Amarna forever. Amunhotep refused to deal with uprisings and instead made a deal with the Hittites, a long-time enemy of the Egyptians. When these people were invited to Amarna for another grand feast and celebration of Nefertiti and Amunhotep's reign, they also brought the plague with them. The city was beset with death. Amunhotep never understood what had happened and Nefertiti tried her best to return Egypt to her former glory following his death. That was not to happen in her lifetime, not entirely.
All stories like Nefertiti are cautionary tales because they are stories about us - about human beings in their time and with all their attendant problems and joys. We read about them making decisions, choosing, leaving, having and raising children, being petty, jealous, swept away by love, angry or just tending their garden wishing for a peaceful life. They were no different than you and me. They are cautionary tales because of just that - we are like them!
Nefertiti and Amunhotep were young people who became powerful beyond their wisdom, even though as we know that doesn't always mean things will go well. They forgot the common people and only gave them thought when they wished to know the common people worshiped them. The emperor and his queen wanted to be seen by the people every minute of their lives and they wanted to live beyond eternity. Their care for and belief in the common people of their time was thin, it was not built upon an understanding that the people who fell at their feet had lives that also mattered. When the plague came to Amarna the common people suffered by the thousands. Still, Nefertiti and Amunhotep thought only of themselves and of who would ascend the throne if they perished.
History gives us myriad examples of Power Gone Wrong, of concentrated power in the hands of people whose egos are far too large. We've seen this in our own country and perhaps we are seeing versions of that in the current time. Power, money, prestige and the desire for more. Those are addictions that warp our abilities for compassion and truth.
May we the common people see with clarity in this time of change. Who has the best interest of all at heart, who is telling the truth and who is maneuvering for advantage. These lessons and cautions did not slip in to the sands of time at the feet of the Sphinx, they are ever present in human interactions.
Power To All The Common People!
I suppose, not surprisingly, this extravagance in both physical wealth and in what seems to have been a level of moral bankruptcy, ended in a horrific time that changed Amarna forever. Amunhotep refused to deal with uprisings and instead made a deal with the Hittites, a long-time enemy of the Egyptians. When these people were invited to Amarna for another grand feast and celebration of Nefertiti and Amunhotep's reign, they also brought the plague with them. The city was beset with death. Amunhotep never understood what had happened and Nefertiti tried her best to return Egypt to her former glory following his death. That was not to happen in her lifetime, not entirely.
All stories like Nefertiti are cautionary tales because they are stories about us - about human beings in their time and with all their attendant problems and joys. We read about them making decisions, choosing, leaving, having and raising children, being petty, jealous, swept away by love, angry or just tending their garden wishing for a peaceful life. They were no different than you and me. They are cautionary tales because of just that - we are like them!
Nefertiti and Amunhotep were young people who became powerful beyond their wisdom, even though as we know that doesn't always mean things will go well. They forgot the common people and only gave them thought when they wished to know the common people worshiped them. The emperor and his queen wanted to be seen by the people every minute of their lives and they wanted to live beyond eternity. Their care for and belief in the common people of their time was thin, it was not built upon an understanding that the people who fell at their feet had lives that also mattered. When the plague came to Amarna the common people suffered by the thousands. Still, Nefertiti and Amunhotep thought only of themselves and of who would ascend the throne if they perished.
History gives us myriad examples of Power Gone Wrong, of concentrated power in the hands of people whose egos are far too large. We've seen this in our own country and perhaps we are seeing versions of that in the current time. Power, money, prestige and the desire for more. Those are addictions that warp our abilities for compassion and truth.
May we the common people see with clarity in this time of change. Who has the best interest of all at heart, who is telling the truth and who is maneuvering for advantage. These lessons and cautions did not slip in to the sands of time at the feet of the Sphinx, they are ever present in human interactions.
Power To All The Common People!
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Wild Wisconsin
They're cleaning up after a series of intense storms formed up in Southern Wisconsin last evening and pounded the state. The temps dropped more than 30 degrees in a matter of two hours. Downed trees, floods, power outages and hurricane force winds contributed to a wild night in the Badger State! For all the climate deniers protest about climate change not being due to human activity, I quote Bugs Bunny from the 50s - "What maroons!" Andy and I have been studying climate change, peak oil and global economic changes for over four years. I try my best to vet my sources and pay close attention to who and what I am reading. Our studies tell us this kind of erratic, quickly changing weather and its intense winds, heavy rain and potential tornadoes fit squarely with predictions for climate change. I hope no one was injured in Madison last night when the storms tore through the Capitol.
Storms aren't the only wild things happening in Wisconsin. This came from Wisconsin Wave yesterday:
With each day the fight against Scott Walker's unethical budget grows stronger. On Monday thousands of firefighters, nurses, and community members marched with Russ Feingold to the Capitol to demand that the legislature vote down this immoral document.
Meanwhile "Walkerville," the tent city that has sprung up on the capitol square in Madison, continues to expand, offering a daily reminder to decision makers that the whole state is watching their actions and will hold them accountable if this disastrous budget becomes law.
And more:
Let Walker know that Housing is a Human Right!
On Thursday, June 9th, Governor Walker and Congressman Paul Ryan of Janesville will be addressing a real estate conference sponsored in part by the Wisconsin Realtors Association and the Wisconsin Bankers Association, both major backers of these far-right politicians.
Come join housing rights advocates and other concerned citizens as we protest these men's disastrous economic policies along with the trade associations that lobby incessantly for them.
When: 10am-12pm
Where: The Fluno Center (610 University Ave.)
My post is late for many to get to Madison but you at least will know what is happening. Consider calling Ryan's office and letting them know you support housing as a human right.
It's going to be one of those long, hot summers perhaps. I know today is cooler by 30 degrees than yesterday but in terms of intensity, not only will the storms become stronger but so will the politics. Wisconsin is so polarized. Take a look at some of the stories the Wisconsin State Journal is posting.
http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_70483420-8d7e-11e0-a40c-001cc4c03286.html
There are many related articles on that particular link but remember, too, the State Journal's editorial stance - conservative. It's always helpful to know that when you read a paper. For instance, take another look at news this time from a progressive slant (one I love!):
http://uppitywis.org/
I heard a story on NPR yesterday on my drive to and from work. It had to do with Scott Fitzgerald - the state's prime Walker henchman. Nasty fellow. And not done being nasty or looking for ways to subvert We The People's common good. Follow the money, the power and the corporate influence. That, my fellow People, is truly The Yellow Brick Road. Off to Oz then!
Power To All The People!
Storms aren't the only wild things happening in Wisconsin. This came from Wisconsin Wave yesterday:
With each day the fight against Scott Walker's unethical budget grows stronger. On Monday thousands of firefighters, nurses, and community members marched with Russ Feingold to the Capitol to demand that the legislature vote down this immoral document.
Meanwhile "Walkerville," the tent city that has sprung up on the capitol square in Madison, continues to expand, offering a daily reminder to decision makers that the whole state is watching their actions and will hold them accountable if this disastrous budget becomes law.
And more:
Let Walker know that Housing is a Human Right!
On Thursday, June 9th, Governor Walker and Congressman Paul Ryan of Janesville will be addressing a real estate conference sponsored in part by the Wisconsin Realtors Association and the Wisconsin Bankers Association, both major backers of these far-right politicians.
Come join housing rights advocates and other concerned citizens as we protest these men's disastrous economic policies along with the trade associations that lobby incessantly for them.
When: 10am-12pm
Where: The Fluno Center (610 University Ave.)
My post is late for many to get to Madison but you at least will know what is happening. Consider calling Ryan's office and letting them know you support housing as a human right.
It's going to be one of those long, hot summers perhaps. I know today is cooler by 30 degrees than yesterday but in terms of intensity, not only will the storms become stronger but so will the politics. Wisconsin is so polarized. Take a look at some of the stories the Wisconsin State Journal is posting.
http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_70483420-8d7e-11e0-a40c-001cc4c03286.html
There are many related articles on that particular link but remember, too, the State Journal's editorial stance - conservative. It's always helpful to know that when you read a paper. For instance, take another look at news this time from a progressive slant (one I love!):
http://uppitywis.org/
I heard a story on NPR yesterday on my drive to and from work. It had to do with Scott Fitzgerald - the state's prime Walker henchman. Nasty fellow. And not done being nasty or looking for ways to subvert We The People's common good. Follow the money, the power and the corporate influence. That, my fellow People, is truly The Yellow Brick Road. Off to Oz then!
Power To All The People!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
The Time Has Come.....
"The time has come", the Walrus said, "to talk of many things; Of shoes and ships and sealing wax, of cabbages and kings; And why the sea is boiling hot - And whether pigs have wings." The Walrus and The Carpenter (A nod to Lewis Carroll whose oddities have always tickled my fancy.
Andy and I are going away for a week to talk of many things and to seriously relax. We may get to shoes, although I doubt it as this little cottage hideaway doesn't require shoes. We may talk about ships and sealing wax but I have a feeling those will fall behind our list of other topics, perhaps quite seriously, why the sea may become boiling hot. Pigs? Probably not on the list.
The oysters in Carroll's whimsical albeit distressing poem realize all too late what is in store for them at the hands of the Walrus and the Carpenter. They try ever so hard to stall the inevitable but in the end the Carpenter and the Walrus simply sort out the largest sized oysters and proceed to dine.
The poem came to mind when I was thinking about going away - I needed a tag line. But then more of it spoke to me - especially the lot of the oysters. There is one elder oyster who, when asked by the Walrus to join the others for a walk on the beach, shakes his head and winks his eye. As Carroll writes - "And shook his heavy head - Meaning to say he did not choose to leave the oyster-bed." He knew something, this old oyster, about imposters, about sweet-talking, smooth-sounding folks who never quite say what they intend to do or what it will cost the rest of us.
Walker as The Walrus? Fitzgerald as The Carpenter? Well, not such outlandish titles. After all, like so many narcissists, Walker said some things then did others. The Wisconsin oysters, though many of us are not unlike the elder oyster winking our eyes and shaking our heads, are lined up waiting for the sorting to commence. I think, though, this may turn out quite differently. I think the oysters are organizing. I think we are not going to be trotted out so far that we can't save ourselves. And we'll be damned if we're going to be dinner!
I'll blog from the secluded cabin in my sloppy clothes tea in hand.
Power Always To All The Oysters!
Andy and I are going away for a week to talk of many things and to seriously relax. We may get to shoes, although I doubt it as this little cottage hideaway doesn't require shoes. We may talk about ships and sealing wax but I have a feeling those will fall behind our list of other topics, perhaps quite seriously, why the sea may become boiling hot. Pigs? Probably not on the list.
The oysters in Carroll's whimsical albeit distressing poem realize all too late what is in store for them at the hands of the Walrus and the Carpenter. They try ever so hard to stall the inevitable but in the end the Carpenter and the Walrus simply sort out the largest sized oysters and proceed to dine.
The poem came to mind when I was thinking about going away - I needed a tag line. But then more of it spoke to me - especially the lot of the oysters. There is one elder oyster who, when asked by the Walrus to join the others for a walk on the beach, shakes his head and winks his eye. As Carroll writes - "And shook his heavy head - Meaning to say he did not choose to leave the oyster-bed." He knew something, this old oyster, about imposters, about sweet-talking, smooth-sounding folks who never quite say what they intend to do or what it will cost the rest of us.
Walker as The Walrus? Fitzgerald as The Carpenter? Well, not such outlandish titles. After all, like so many narcissists, Walker said some things then did others. The Wisconsin oysters, though many of us are not unlike the elder oyster winking our eyes and shaking our heads, are lined up waiting for the sorting to commence. I think, though, this may turn out quite differently. I think the oysters are organizing. I think we are not going to be trotted out so far that we can't save ourselves. And we'll be damned if we're going to be dinner!
I'll blog from the secluded cabin in my sloppy clothes tea in hand.
Power Always To All The Oysters!
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