Defeat at the Double Cross Ranch

Hurray for Wisconsin voters! We weren't duped by the Fake Democrats that the Repubs tried to foist on us. Congratulations to all the Real Democratic winners in this round of The State That Kicked The Hornet's Ass. Perhaps we who have been educated in Wisconsin by Wisconsin teachers are smart enough and clever enough to see through lame efforts to pull the wool over our eyes. I can just hear the phone conversation with the Kochs at the Double Cross Ranch this morning...

"Mr. Koch? Is that you, sir? I am calling from the Capitol. Right, the Capitol in Madison, Wisconsin. Sorry to tell you the news, sir, but the Democrats won all their seats yesterday. Yup, that's right, all six of them. Well, I am sorry, sir, we tried mighty hard to confuse them with our cardboard cutouts of Democrats but they just didn't buy it, sir. What's that, sir? Well, yes, sir, indeed we did put pressure on voters. I had all the men workin' real hard, sir. Oh, now I don't think that's quite fair, Mr. Koch. Just because we didn't keep those Democrats from winning seats doesn't mean we shouldn't get paid. What's that? I need to tell the men that they'll have to wait to see what happens in Washington on the debt crises? Mr. Koch, that hardly seems right. Me and the men, no offense intended, don't make much money workin' for you and your brother. Heck, we barely can afford rent on this barn. And me, Larry and Moe, we get Social Security. Yessir, we'll sit tight. Yessir, I guess we could look for part time jobs. No sir, we ain't no slobs."

It's good to celebrate a victory. This one is a bit like "One small step for man..." and it may very well take that continuing kind of effort we exerted to get to the Moon and land on it forty-two years ago. It will mark a small step in the direction of regaining ground after the disastrous 2010 Mid-terms and all that happened after that. And it also points out what kind of effort, personal education and vigilance is needed to have gotten here today. From here on in, we cannot afford to relax because we know the Repubs have a plan and they are working that plan hard. Don't think that out at the Double Cross Ranch all is quiet and sad today. Far from it. They're busy over cowboy coffee and biscuits. Those outlaws are a scrappy bunch!

As wonderful and uplifting as this news is, the debt ceiling crises plods on in Washington and is frightening people everywhere. We have about two weeks before the country could, without raising the debt ceiling, go in to default on payments. Many possibilities loom if that happens including not mailing out Social Security payments to seniors, not mailing out checks to Veterans and/or not paying active duty military. I have written to Obama several times, John Boehner, and the Double Cross Ranch hand, Paul Ryan, as well as Mitch McConnell. It seems the Tea Partiers, who have just about completely co-opted the Republican Party, have determined to stand like cement statues against raising the debt ceiling. They don't seem to care an eyelash if Grandma Johnson gets her measly SS check and therefore can't pay her measly rent or if nineteen-year old Hank over in Afghanistan hunkered down in some forsaken rock pile gets his paycheck so his wife and two-year old back in Cadot, Wisconsin can buy groceries or if Arnie, who was wounded in WW II and is now very ill, gets his check so he can toddle to the VA for his treatment.

But they don't mind at all if Muffin Fitzgerald-Walker gets a bonus this year that equals eighty times the GDP of a Pacific island or that Wall Street is, well, Wall Street (they don't wear no stinkin' Sears suits there!) or that corporations, like the one the Koch's operate, make obscene amounts of money. No, that's perfectly okay. The Repubs, aka Tea Partiers, feel that the ultra-wealthy are the gas that runs the country's engines, they're the movers and the shakers, the innovators and the doers and they should continue to receive tax breaks. The TP's don't want to impede these movers from moving all the money in to their storehouses because those politicians live on hope that all that gold will eventually trickle down to them. They'll be rewarded in some way for their service to Manna. They'll get appointments to boards, jobs as CEOs, chairs on important committees, or ranch hands for the Koch Boys just like Walker did. They will be relieved that they made it out of the Common Person's life and in to the secure and beautiful life of The Rich.

Someone told me once that I was prejudiced against wealthy people. They were shocked I could be so callous because as they said, the wealthy are often philanthropists. True, sometimes a wealthy person does do good things for others. That's appropriate. I think when you have gobs of money you ought to be involved in helping others with your gifts. Also true, I am rather prejudiced against the wealthy. I admit it. The folks meeting at the Double Cross Ranch today are the uber-wealthy and their power is eye-watering. They move others about like puppets which is why we must keep close eyes on the politicians - they have strings tied to wealth and that wealth seeks to buy our freedoms and our planet.

Power To All The Common People!

Common Privileges

It was supposed to rain today but it has been dry and, for the most part, sunny. Andy and I read most of the morning then took a long walk and finished with a drive around the outer perimeter of the Galena Territories. Interesting. It's a non-gated, gated community with all the amenities that come with a level of privilege. There are twenty-six miles of walking/hiking trails, a stable, a marina (nothing allowed on the lake over 10 hp), a lodge, an owners clubhouse and three 18-hole golf courses set amongst the homes. The Territories are being managed well by a maintenance group that barely makes their presence known. In fact, the occupants of the Territories are barely seen, at least we haven't seen many since we arrived on Friday last. It is quiet here. Very quiet.

We've had several long discussions on privilege even to the extent that we have no idea what we are talking about since neither of us has been more than a brush near privilege. At least we think we might have been that close. It's not clear since we also don't know how much money constitutes a lot. There is a home next to our rental cottage for sale. I looked it up. It is listing currently for $1,475,000.00. The home has 6 bathrooms, 6 bedrooms, a dog run, a three-sided granite fireplace, a game room, a sauna, an exercise room and some other rooms. I'd list those however I am not altogether sure what they are so you can just imagine. There are many houses in the Territories for sale that are listed well below the million and a half price but I'll bet there are many that will give this property a run.

Andy and I can't get our heads around that kind of monied privilege. We don't know what people do who make the kind of money to have an $8,650/mo house payment. Or a 4-car garage or not to even live here but live in Chicago and use this as a weekend/summer retreat. Amazing. On our walk this noon we tossed around possible careers a person (or two) would have to have to afford this luxury. Then we began laughing because we have no idea what we are even talking about. We live in a 2-bedroom apartment in Janesville, Wisconsin, a relative haven for the Common Person. We have one older car with high mileage and don't travel except to see relatives. We rent movies from Netflix, don't go to theater movies much, pay bills (sins from previous years), read books bought cheap from Amazon or from the library and consider a really, really good time coming to this cottage as a splurge for 7 days. We also have considered a good and important time to be going to protest in Madison. I don't think we would fit in here with the level of savior faire needed to negotiate the monthly cocktail parties at the Clubhouse.

All that said, we are having a completely fabulous time as renters of the cottage. It's interesting to peek in on what wealthier people are doing with and having in their lives. Each time we drop in to the Territory store for something or other we see ladies from Chicago shopping the bakery or the package store. I have seen some sizable rocks!(I don't just assume they're from Chicago, the plates give them away) Friday morning we will have to pack up and return to Janesville. In the meantime we have had a view in to a gated world. It's been quite instructive.

Tonight we are missing a Common People's gathering at the Holiday Inn in Janesville to protest Gov. Walker's appearance there. He's coming to do some Business Speak to the Forward Janesville group. I muse on what it is Forward Janesville will come away with when the Gov leaves tonight. What will they hear during his remarks that will assure them Janesville is a priority on his agenda? What do they wish for him to do about the GM plant, hulking at the side of the Rock River? What is it they feel he can give to their effort to encourage business in this beleaguered community after the end of nearly one hundred years of auto manufacturing? Especially as the apparent end of collective bargaining, a mainstay of the auto industry, is also going the way of the plant. I don't wish to leave this hideaway in the privileged Territories but I'd give anything to have a Star Trek transporter so I could drop in on the festivities tonight. The Common People are going to be there, outside, holding signs and singing songs. I know they feel privileged to be exercising their rights in their own home town.

Power To All The People!