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Scott Walker, Union Buster

Started by Valerian, February 17, 2011, 09:31:43 AM

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Oniya

"Language was invented for one reason, boys - to woo women.~*~*~Don't think it's all been done before
And in that endeavor, laziness will not do." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Don't think we're never gonna win this war
Robin Williams-Dead Poets Society ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Don't think your world's gonna fall apart
I do have a cause, though.  It's obscenity.  I'm for it.  - Tom Lehrer~*~All you need is your beautiful heart
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Valerian

I mentioned earlier that Walker was sued by the AP and the Madison paper the Isthmus for refusing to release his emails, which he claimed overwhelmingly supported his plans.  (They didn't.  Shocker.)

Now he's decided that he likes the open records law after all, since he can now use it as a club.

http://scholarcitizen.williamcronon.net/2011/03/24/open-records-attack-on-academic-freedom/

Quote
last Tuesday night, March 15, I launched my first-ever entry for a blog I had long been planning on the theme of “Scholar as Citizen,” about how thoughtful scholarship can contribute to better understandings of issues and debates in the public realm. In my first blog entry, I published a study guide exploring the question “Who’s Really Behind Recent Republican Legislation in Wisconsin and Elsewhere?
...
What I did not anticipate—though I guess I should have seen it coming, given everything else that has happened in Wisconsin over the past couple months—was the communication that the University of Wisconsin-Madison received on Thursday afternoon, March 17—less than two days after I posted my blog—formally requesting under the state’s Open Records Law copies of all emails sent from or received by my University of Wisconsin—Madison email address pertaining to matters raised in my blog.
...
My most important observation is that I find it simply outrageous that the Wisconsin Republican Party would seek to employ the state’s Open Records Law for the nakedly political purpose of trying to embarrass, harass, or silence a university professor (and a citizen) who has asked legitimate questions and identified potentially legitimate criticisms concerning the influence of a national organization on state legislative activity. I’m offended by this not just because it’s yet another abuse of law and procedure that has seemingly become standard operating procedure for the state’s Republican Party under Governor Walker, but because it’s such an obvious assault on academic freedom at a great research university that helped invent the concept of academic freedom way back in 1894.

Things are very, very bad.
"To live honorably, to harm no one, to give to each his due."
~ Ulpian, c. 530 CE

Kuroneko

#427
Things are very bad.  Most of my colleagues see this attack against Prof. Cronon as a witch hunt and wonder who will be next and how far it will go. 

Also, forgive me if this was posted earlier in the thread (I looked, but didn't see it right off), but the budget bill was published by the Legislative Rfference Bureau ( a non partisan group) this past week despite the injunction against it.  Republicans contend that since it was published by someone it goes into effect today. 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/25/wisconsin-union-law-publi_n_840870.html  and also

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/us_wisconsin_law

In addition to the state supreme court race, one of the proposals up for approval on my county ballot is one that will allow the county to exceed the maximum property tax revenue for the next two years to help prevent local schools from being crippled by the projected loss they are about to take under the budget bill.  It's certainly a last resort measure, and one that other counties are likey to consider because they have no other alternative.  If passed, it will push my property taxes well above 3K.  The increase would be about 8$ per $1000 of assessment, but given that I'm about to lose close to 5K per year in salary, it would be difficult, even though I'm in favor of doing what we can to save education and not cutting out important programs, like the arts.

Just for reference, when I lived in Iowa, I payed $600 per year in property taxes.  So, even though property taxes are indeed relative, they aren't that cheap here in WI.  At least, not where I live. 
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RubySlippers

I love Scott Walker and our governor in Florida also a Scott (Rick Scott), he is going to ruin things for the Republicans in 2012 in two key states if they keep this up. I agreed on our state not getting High Speed Rail we have no regional mass transit in place to support it in Tampa Bay where I live. But the rest of my governors policies stink.

But I care only about the health care law and I need Demcratic gains in the Senate and the President to get re-elected to keep it so that is what I'm voting on. If these morons running states can't govern it likely might tip the votes firmly in the direction of the Democrats in key states enough to hold the line.


Serephino

That may be true (I'm hoping people wake up and realize these fuckers are only out for themselves and their bank accounts), but what damage is going to be done until then?

Things are already bad in my state.  Income limits for Medicaid are below the poverty line.  What little help there was for people who make too much but can't afford the bullshit prices of private companies (Adult Basic state insurance) has already been cut.  Lots of teachers are going to be out of work because our Governor doesn't think education should be recession proof, therefore, the last numbers I saw in the news is that education funding is being cut by 2.8 million. 

However, they are working on legislation that would pay for low income families to send their kids to private school!  WTF....  There isn't money to make sure public schools are at least decent, and there isn't money to give people health insurance where their premium is based on income, but there is plenty of money to send kids to private schools??

My fear is that by the next election things are going to be so fucked up that there is no fixing it.  Obama was having trouble when he had Congressional support.  People got so frustrated because they were expecting a magic band-aid that never came, that they got mad at Democrats and elected these greedy mother fuckers.  Congratulations, all you people who voted Republican got what you wanted.  Spending is being slashed.  Too bad you never bothered to ask what they planned on cutting...     


Will

Quote from: RubySlippers on March 27, 2011, 06:08:16 AM
I love Scott Walker and our governor in Florida also a Scott (Rick Scott), he is going to ruin things for the Republicans in 2012 in two key states if they keep this up. I agreed on our state not getting High Speed Rail we have no regional mass transit in place to support it in Tampa Bay where I live. But the rest of my governors policies stink.

But I care only about the health care law and I need Demcratic gains in the Senate and the President to get re-elected to keep it so that is what I'm voting on. If these morons running states can't govern it likely might tip the votes firmly in the direction of the Democrats in key states enough to hold the line.

Doesn't this attitude seem kind of destructive?  Hoping that the other side screws everything up in order to get your side back in power?  Both sides just set each other up for failure.  No one wins.
If you can heal the symptoms, but not affect the cause
It's like trying to heal a gunshot wound with gauze

One day, I will find the right words, and they will be simple.
- Jack Kerouac

Callie Del Noire

Quote from: RubySlippers on March 27, 2011, 06:08:16 AM
I love Scott Walker and our governor in Florida also a Scott (Rick Scott), he is going to ruin things for the Republicans in 2012 in two key states if they keep this up. I agreed on our state not getting High Speed Rail we have no regional mass transit in place to support it in Tampa Bay where I live. But the rest of my governors policies stink.

But I care only about the health care law and I need Demcratic gains in the Senate and the President to get re-elected to keep it so that is what I'm voting on. If these morons running states can't govern it likely might tip the votes firmly in the direction of the Democrats in key states enough to hold the line.

Thing is.. the Democrats screwed up enough to get these leeches into office. That tells me there is still an undercurrent of discontent with some of the actions of the Democrats. For example, back home in North Carolina the Democrats bascially shit on the western side of the state for decades. Ignoring the needs of the state roads, leeching out tax funds and doing everything to line the eastern side of the state's.

For example.. the Yadkin river bridge has been WOEFULLY undersized for almost 20 years. They (the Democrats in Raliegh) tried for years to stick it to the county and/or the Feds.

The democrats were against a non-partisan district panel when the 2010 census results came in (till they lost the state house/senate)

The decision to move the last segment of the 485 loop around Charlotte (which was 2 years from being completed) to start up a bi-pass around Fayetteville/Fort Bragg that wouldn't be needed by traffic loads till sometime in the 2030s. While Charlotte has suffered from chronic traffic issues for at least the last 25 years. (It is one of the largest growing cities in the South)

It took a LOT of essentially shitting on everyone west of the capital to get the Republicans in control of the State house/senates. Something that has only happened once since the reconstruction after the Civil War. That was nearly 90 years ago to boot.

Vekseid

I think what needs to end, more than anything, is the idea of party politics in general.

Outside of progressive and libertarian idealists, respectively, for the most part, Democrats and Republicans are on the same side, and it isn't ours.

Trieste

I miss Teddy. :(

While no politician is perfect, he at least pretended to care about his constituency. *kicks Scott Brown et al. in the gnads*

Callie Del Noire

Quote from: Trieste on March 27, 2011, 01:25:26 PM
I miss Teddy. :(

While no politician is perfect, he at least pretended to care about his constituency. *kicks Scott Brown et al. in the gnads*

He like a few of the old school guys.. like the late Jesse Helms, might not have been nice guys but they knew that to stay in office that they had to support their voters. Helms, like the late Senator Kennedy, turned down more prestigious chairman roles to sit on committee that helped the people they represented. (Helms stepped down from another committee to stay on the the Joint Agricultural Committee because that is where his voter's interests laid).

Today.. it's all about what the special interests want. This or that lobbyist/PAC and how much they put into your bottom line.

Serephino

Quote from: Vekseid on March 27, 2011, 01:11:19 PM
I think what needs to end, more than anything, is the idea of party politics in general.

Outside of progressive and libertarian idealists, respectively, for the most part, Democrats and Republicans are on the same side, and it isn't ours.

I agree with this.  Neither side alone has all the answers, but they refuse to cooperate because that would be like treason.

Valerian

The chaos:

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9M96I2G1.htm

Quote
A Wisconsin judge for the second time directed the state to put on hold an explosive law that strips most public workers of nearly all their union bargaining rights, ordering officials on Tuesday to follow her original instructions to stand down.

"Apparently that language was either misunderstood or ignored, but what I said was the further implementation of (the law) was enjoined," said a visibly annoyed Dane County Circuit Judge Maryann Sumi. "That is what I now want to make crystal clear."

Earlier this month, Sumi issued an emergency injunction prohibiting the Wisconsin secretary of state from formally publishing the law -- the final step before it could take effect.

Republican legislative leaders responded by directing the law be published by another state agency, and then declared it valid.

And it is chaos.  Some cities and counties have started withdrawing the extra amounts from public employee paychecks, fearing that if the law goes through after all, they'll have to take much larger sums from employees all at once.  Others aren't doing any extra withholding.  People don't even know what their next paycheck will be like anymore.  That should be great for the economy.  :P


There is some good news:

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9M936I81.htm

Quote
Walker's proposal doing away with state grants for local recycling programs, and eliminating the requirement that such programs exist, drew questions from Republican committee member Rep. John Nygren of Marinette.

"A lot of us are having a hard time understanding the governor's mindset in repealing that mandate," said Nygren, one of several lawmakers who have said they will defend the program.

[Walker's Department of Administration Secretary Mike] Huebsch said that while Walker calls for removing the mandate, many Wisconsin communities would continue to pay for recycling themselves or private companies would fill the void.

So at least there isn't quite so much blind following of Walker's lead going on anymore, and about time, too.



I still can't make the math work, though.  Is Walker really trying to say that the pay cut he wants public workers to take will be enough to cover the $1 billion he wants to cut from education, and things like recycling programs, and all the proposed cuts to Medicaid?

The final twist of the knife?  Walker's Medicaid cuts will help provide more money to bury those who die from lack of care.
"To live honorably, to harm no one, to give to each his due."
~ Ulpian, c. 530 CE

Trieste

I think I just threw up a little in my mouth.

So do they think municipalities are going to preserve recycling programs before or after they start frantically trying to save their now-underfunded schools?

itsbeenfun2000

cities dont pay for the schools in Wisconsin they are funded seperatly they just collect the property taxes for them.

Valerian

Under the new laws, they also won't be able to raise property taxes to cover shortfalls, as they usually do.

Funding for prisons is hardly being cut at all, though -- from $1.3 billion to $1.2 billion.

One billion less for education; just as much as ever for prisons.  There's a great demotivational poster in there somewhere.  :P
"To live honorably, to harm no one, to give to each his due."
~ Ulpian, c. 530 CE

RubySlippers

Quote from: Will on March 27, 2011, 12:31:06 PM
Doesn't this attitude seem kind of destructive?  Hoping that the other side screws everything up in order to get your side back in power?  Both sides just set each other up for failure.  No one wins.

No I'm going to benefit from and need the health care reform to stay, I'm only voting to keep that in place anything else is not my concern at the moment. Nice thing about being poor they can't take much away from you it gives one little to worry about. If they cut education funding say its not going to close schools down so the poor still get a K-12 education for children. I have no health care at all so that is a gain even if shoved into a Medicaid HMO its better than the nothing I have right now. I never likely will own a home or make alot of money or have assets worth going after. So I'm actually better off than others in many ways.

So all I can do is hope my side that gave a health care reform stays in long enough for it to kick in.

Trieste

Quote from: Valerian on March 30, 2011, 10:22:56 AM
Under the new laws, they also won't be able to raise property taxes to cover shortfalls, as they usually do.

Funding for prisons is hardly being cut at all, though -- from $1.3 billion to $1.2 billion.

One billion less for education; just as much as ever for prisons.  There's a great demotivational poster in there somewhere.  :P

Guess which one - schools or prisons - have more rigorous food QC protocols in place, too? ;)

HairyHeretic

Well, if they're cutting the funding for Planned Parenthood and Schools, I guess they're thinking they're likely to need all those prison spaces.  :P
Hairys Likes, Dislikes, Games n Stuff

Cattle die, kinsmen die
You too one day shall die
I know a thing that will never die
Fair fame of one who has earned it.

Callie Del Noire

Quote from: HairyHeretic on March 30, 2011, 10:48:08 AM
Well, if they're cutting the funding for Planned Parenthood and Schools, I guess they're thinking they're likely to need all those prison spaces.  :P

It's like.. Prevention doesn't work (in the mind of folks like Walker) despite all proof to the contrary. ANYTHING in the way of positive prevention is being tossed aside. Schools.. the best way to build a skilled job force.. shafted.  Planned Parenthood.. a good way of teaching responsible birth control behavior.. shit canned.

Seriously folks.. this 'Mommy and Daddy will teach you' crap DOESN'T work when the parents aren't around or dodge it. I did rounds with my mom when she worked for the Health Department in SC. There were a LOT of pregnant girls who had NO IDEA how conception worked.

Seriously surprised that between that and my mom's time in the Birthplace in Gastonia that she didn't become a raging alcoholic. Never saw my mom more depressed than the night she had to help an EIGHT year old give birth. Or dealing with a HIV positive child.

Then there is this restricting of property taxes and fees to keep the lower levels of government from looking for alternate ways to support their schools. That's .. viscous.

HairyHeretic

But see, that's when OUR FRIENDS THE CORPORATIONS can step in to help manage those schools that are doing poorly. They'll make sure that the PROPER things get to taught to the future wageslaves corporate citizen drones children.

Maybe they can also help with the recycling of the destitute. They don't really NEED all those organs, do they? Good money in organ legging.


Sorry, I've been reading Shadowrun again :)
Hairys Likes, Dislikes, Games n Stuff

Cattle die, kinsmen die
You too one day shall die
I know a thing that will never die
Fair fame of one who has earned it.

Callie Del Noire

Quote from: HairyHeretic on March 30, 2011, 11:03:23 AM
But see, that's when OUR FRIENDS THE CORPORATIONS can step in to help manage those schools that are doing poorly. They'll make sure that the PROPER things get to taught to the future wageslaves corporate citizen drones children.

Maybe they can also help with the recycling of the destitute. They don't really NEED all those organs, do they? Good money in organ legging.


Sorry, I've been reading Shadowrun again :)

Check out the backstory to Cybergen.. :D

The CORPORATE States of America.

Vekseid

Quote from: Valerian on March 30, 2011, 10:22:56 AM
Under the new laws, they also won't be able to raise property taxes to cover shortfalls, as they usually do.

Funding for prisons is hardly being cut at all, though -- from $1.3 billion to $1.2 billion.

One billion less for education; just as much as ever for prisons.  There's a great demotivational poster in there somewhere.  :P

Many prisons these days provide slave labor for private industry. Subsidized slave labor, at that.

Ironwolf85

#447
sonfa bitch, this can't happen, this won't happen...
I swear if shit gets that bad... well we can still fight back, that is the reason the US has endured such ebbs and flows or power.
Take away a people's power to get things done within the system, and they will step outside the system to survive. keep squeezing the poor and impovished out, and no amount of fake patroitisim will save you from being lynched in a riot.

Sorry but we here in in the northern new england, have a vehiment anti-corprate stance. people are bitter about the mills and industries closing like they did in the 90's and 00's. we still feel sold out, backstabbed, for all the devotion New Englanders and Rustbelters showed their companies, the suffering they endured, the factoies they worked in to provide for their families....
most towns and cities in the early 1900's grew up around a company or industry in an almost cyberpunk fashion, and suddenly the corprate powers abandoned their loyal, well paid, hard working labor, for cheap chinese shit...
private sector companies would be idiots to simply expect people here to welcome them with open arms.
we wouldn't greet them with shot guns of course... we're not like that... but a polite no from city and state governments, and a middle finger from the populace.
oh and they can't touch our schools in NH, here's a quick wiki so I don't have to explain all about my state
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_New_Hampshire
Prudence, justice, temperance, courage, faith, hope, love...
debate any other aspect of my faith these are the heavenly virtues. this flawed mortal is going to try to adhere to them.

Culture: the ability to carve an intricate and beautiful bowl from the skull of a fallen enemy.
Civilization: the ability to put that psycho in prision for killing people.

Oniya

Bugger all.

http://www.abc6onyourside.com/shared/newsroom/top_stories/videos/wsyx_vid_10097.shtml

Ohio's state senate narrowly passed the anti-collective-bargaining bill.  The Dems are fighting to have it put on the November ballot for the voters to weigh in on, but for now... it's about 3 hours away from being signed.
"Language was invented for one reason, boys - to woo women.~*~*~Don't think it's all been done before
And in that endeavor, laziness will not do." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Don't think we're never gonna win this war
Robin Williams-Dead Poets Society ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Don't think your world's gonna fall apart
I do have a cause, though.  It's obscenity.  I'm for it.  - Tom Lehrer~*~All you need is your beautiful heart
O/O's Updated 5/11/21 - A/A's - Current Status! - Writing a novel - all draws for Fool of Fire up!
Requests updated March 17

Ironwolf85

it will be repealed...
believe it or not, the reason the US has survived is that regardless of how this crap happens, we adapt, change, and react. the people DO control this country, regardless of how much some may wish otherwise.
it will be killed after people realize the terrible affects of this... when the budget is drained by repeated court cases, the standard of living declines... and so on.
greed is not good, in fact all the idological isms are bad for a nation.
somehow I think assholes like these are kinda scared, ever notice since it's loss in september two years ago some consertives are getting slimier?
that's not to say the whole republican polotical philophy is rotten, it's just that, since the loss their's a major shake up in their ranks, and the rotten apples are falling out into the public view?
Prudence, justice, temperance, courage, faith, hope, love...
debate any other aspect of my faith these are the heavenly virtues. this flawed mortal is going to try to adhere to them.

Culture: the ability to carve an intricate and beautiful bowl from the skull of a fallen enemy.
Civilization: the ability to put that psycho in prision for killing people.