Will Democrats Betray Unions?

The New York Times reports today that Democratic law-makers are in discussions with Scott Walker which may lead to Walker getting some of the restrictions on unions he seeks. It is all a dirty, dirty business.


http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/05/us/05wisconsin.html?_r=1&ref=scottkwalker

Wisconsin Recall Effort Launched

Wisconsinites have wisely launched an effort to recall state legislators most-closely tied to Governor Scott ("The Wrecker") Walker. The effort is serious and may very well result in the removal from office of these cretinous Benedict Arnolds. Circulators are being sought to get petitions around to voters. Evidently, one does not need to be a Wisconsin resident in order to be a circulator as long as one meets the other simple criteria.

The Walker of Wis

The Walker of Wis

I am Walker – the Great and Powerful. Who are you? WHO ARE YOU?

Dorothy: If you please, I am Dorothy -- the teacher small and meek. We've come to ask --

Walker: Silence!

Dorothy: Oh, Oh, Jiminy Crickets!
 
Walker: The Great and Powerful Walker knows why you have come. Step forward, IT Man.
 
IT Man: U-ahh.

Walker: You dare to come to me for a salary, do you? You clinking, clanking, clattering collection of caliginous junk!

IT Man: Oooohhh. Uh, yes, yes sir. Y-y-yes, your Honor. You see, awhile back we were walking down State Street --

Walker: QUIET!

IT Man: Oooohhhhhh!
 
Walker: And you, Park Ranger, have the effrontery to ask for a pension. You billowing bale of bovine fodder!
 

Ranger: Thanks, your Honor – I mean, your Excellency –
I mean, your Governorship.

Walker: Enough! And you, Librarian. Well?!

[The Cowardly Librarian faints]
 

Dorothy: You ought to be ashamed of
yourself, frightening her like that when she
came to you for help!
 
Walker: Silence, Whippersnapper. The beneficent Walker has every intention of granting your requests.
 
The Cowardly Librarian: [coming to] ...What's that? Huh? What'd he say? What'd he say?

Walker: But first you must prove yourselves worthy by performing a very small task. Bring me the Skype of David Koch!

The Park Ranger: B-b-b-b-b-b-b-but...if we do that, we'll have to offend him to get it.

Walker: Bring me his Skype and I'll grant your requests. Now, go.

The Cowardly Librarian: But what if he kills us first?

Walker: I said GO!


*************

With apologies to and great love for: The Wizard of Oz.

(c) 2011 by The Musical Patriot. All rights reserved.

Coming Soon

Coming Soon: The Walker of Wis: A Spoof for Our Time. An original take-off of a favorite movie scene. Check back here soon.

Wisconsin Gave Hope

This evening I continue to follow the situation in Wisconsin. As I write this I am following various leads on line. My usual sources of information, including Huffington Post and the Wisconsin State Journal, are letting me down so far this evening.

When I get better information I will post the latest on the situation in Wisconsin.

Meanwhile, the protestors in Wisconsin over the last several weeks have given such hope to workers all across the country. We realize that if we all had collective bargaining rights our lives could be ever so much better than they are, for so few of us now have such basic rights.

More power to the Wisconsin protestors.

Evidence: Madison Police Defy State Constitution, Subvert Democracy

The local Madison, Wisconsin, daily is reporting evidence the Capitol police have violated the state Constitution by barring most of the public from the Capitol building today. I waste no time in saying, Shame on any one who would limit general public access to a state Capitol, particularly on a normal day of business! This is an egregious and most serious breach of democratic principles. What is this, Qaddafi's Libya? After all, what gives any police force anywhere in America the right to pick and choose who gets to enter the building of the State Assembly?! Under the circumstances protestors in Madison, who have been peaceful, should feel under no obligation to obey any kind of order to exit the Capitol since they know they may not be allowed back in, and particularly since they are not interfering with meetings. In fact, in the report linked to here, it was the police who temporarily blocked entrance to a member of the Assembly!

It is time Gov. Walker came down off his high horse and started seeking genuine solutions to his state's budget crisis, which appears, after all, to be caused or exacerbated by ideologically-driven decisions of his own.


N.B. This blog has always decried violence and will continue to do so.

http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_549b88ea-4359-11e0-bf9e-001cc4c002e0.html

Hope for Democrats in 2012

This article at Huffington Post shows the voting math can favor Democrats in 2012 provided public employees stand firm on the issues of union rights. With broad public support in polls as well as support among the ranks of protestors, this seems likely. Author Howard Fineman lays bare the Republican strategy for 2012 which follows the gubernatorial strategy of 2010 which was only partially successful. He also demonstrates the up-side to the otherwise-maligned Citizens United Decision of the Supreme Court.

(I can give here a heretical view that the Supreme Court may have actually had a point to make in terms of the Constitution. Government should indeed be careful about curtailing how citizens spend money in campaigns. The problem, of course, is that a corporation is not a person and thus not a citizen. And a union, while an organization, is still made up of persons [and persons who can vote for their own leaders], and whose organization is non-profit.)


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/25/the-real-political-math-in-wisconsin_n_828429.html

Com Check

Astronaut Eric Boe completes successful communications check. He expresses extreme happiness.

Astronauts Continue to Enter Space Shuttle

The astronauts continue to enter the space shuttle and to be strapped in. The astronauts almost appear to be upside down with their outstretched feet actually above their torsos.

Second Astronaut Enters

Astronaut Mike Barratt has entered spacecraft.

The Mission Commander

Mission Commander Steve Lindsay is now donning his emergency back.

Astronauts Have Reached Launch Pad

The astronauts have reached the launch pad and are about the enter the space shuttle.

Bloggin the Final Launch of Space Shuttle Discovery

This afternoon, it is my pleasure to provide a few live up-dates of the final launch of Space Shuttle Discovery.

A few minutes ago I saw the flight crew depart from their headquarters building, enter the astrovan and travel to the launch pad.

Democrats in Wisconsin Senate Respond to Changed Circumstances

After a staffer from an on-line blog "pranked" Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin by impersonating plutocrat David Koch, Democrats today reacted to the revelation by Walker in the phone call of a plan to trick Democrats into returning to Madison.

The story is best read at the Huffington Post web site. (Click on blog post title above for more.) There is no need for me to make any kind of snide comment here. I can't say I feel pity for Walker. But whatever caused the governor to accept this prank call, he has become a pathetic figure in the Greek sense. No matter how you slice it or dice it, as they say, this is a person who never should have been elected governor. His motives are corrupted and his political judgment has been called into serious question.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/23/wisconsin-democrat-walker-master-plan_n_827367.html

American Fascism in a New Guise

You can check the links at bottom right for a free download of Sinclair Lewis's It Can't Happen Here, the landmark novel about a fascist regime which develops under the leadership of a Democratic President. While this is a novel and 2011 is reality, the parallels between fiction and non-fiction are there to be seen. Highly recommended.