Fellow TAUWP members and friends of TAUWP,
Let's call for Walker's resignation. I believe we need to show leadership in the current controversy which threatens the integrity of the state of Wisconsin, including state institutions such as the UW System. I believe that Scott Walker has demonstrated very clearly that he is unfit to continue to hold office in Wisconsin. This is why I suggest that we *join the call for his resignation*. State Senator Tim Carpenter is among the leaders who have already gone on record demanding that Walker resign. (This, of course, is only the beginning. When, in 1973, citizens and prominent Americans started demanding that Nixon resign, very few people thought that he would eventually be forced to do so). Many of us are building the foundation for a recall campaign, though official signature gathering can't begin until the fall. By the way, Walker has come under serious criticism from Madison's mayor and Madison's chief of police. Also, there is now an ongoing investigation of his conduct, in terms of possible violations of state ethics statutes.
In his first weeks in office Walker has already betrayed the citizens of Wisconsin, and I believe that he has violated the oath of office he took when he became governor (see the text of the oath - pasted below). Specifically, he has not "faithfully" and "impartially" discharged the duties of his office. On the contrary, he has broken faith with the citizens of Wisconsin by prostituting himself to the billionaire Koch brothers of Koch Industries, Inc., based in Wichita, Kansas (and, of course, other powerful, out-of-state corporate interests).
Walker has revealed his total lack of impartiality in the sense that he is clearly favoring out-of-state corporate special interests over the interests of Wisconsin citizens. Most "non-connected" Wisconsin citizens generally can't get through to speak to Walker, and yet he has proven to be eager and very available when calls come in from billionaire special interests, his sugar daddies. Do we have a "smoking gun" to prove this? Yes, we do! As many of you know, this is the "smoking gun": Ian Murphy of the website Buffalo Beast called, claiming to be Walker's sugar daddy David Koch, and Walker took the call and spoke with "David Koch" for approximately 20 minutes. The transcript of this conversation (full text available athttp://www.ibtimes.com/articles/115601/20110223/ian-murphy-david-koch-scott-walker-conversation-full-text-transcript.htm) reveals to be very Nixonesque, only worse. He is even more corrupt and, apparently, more open about his inclination toward dirty tricks, even if they would likely spark violence among a crowd of innocent, non-violent Wisconsites. Yes, he admits that he contemplated the option of sending hired goons ("troublemakers") into the demonstrations, and he decided not to for narrow political reasons, NOT AS A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE (this comes through clearly in the transcript). He also reveals a devious plan to trick Senate Democrats into returning to Wisconsin with a phony offer to sit down and talk (again, check it out in the transcript).
Walker acknowledges that there are sweetheart elements (for Koch Industries) embedded in the bill and that Koch Industries has a "vested interest" in passing this bill (the most obvious thing is the provision that would allow an expedited selling off, probably at bargain basement prices, of our state power plants to commercial interests like Koch Industries). He acknowledges it by saying "That's just it." He also eagerly welcomes the idea of receiving a lucrative gift (a deluxe vacation gift paid for by his sugar daddy, "David Koch") as a reward for ramming through the bill that would strip Wisconsinites of their collective bargaining rights. Again, all these points come through clearly in the transcript. PLEASE READ THE TRANSCRIPT.
At the very least, we should be stimulating a more vigorous discussion of what's going on in Madison, especially what's going on in the corrupt Walker Administration.
We should also do whatever we can (calls, letters, faxes, emails, text messages) to get Obama to fulfill his campaign promise to put on his "comfortable shoes" and stand with us on the frontline of a labor campaign to protect our collective bargaining rights. The 2008 campaign footage of his specific promise to us on this point has been playing a lot lately on MSNBC. We should be asking: why won't Obama "step up" and show his solidarity? His brief comment a week ago to a network affiliate is NO SUBSTITUTE for a trip (NOW!) to Wisconsin to stand with us in this struggle.
Please come to Madison (the Capitol) on Saturday (tomorrow) and bring friends and family. It will be a big day in this whole campaign! Check into possibilities of busses from your communities as well as carpooling. We really need a big turnout!
And please pass this message along to your colleagues and friends and relatives, and let me and others now your opinion(s) on what's going on and what our strategy should be.
In solidarity,
Mark
meinsho@yahoo.com
608-574-4802 (cell)
********************************
Oath of office:
The Actual Wisconsin Oath of Office Public Servants in Wisconsin are Required to Take
Wisconsin Statute EB-154 (6/86).
"I, (official's name), having been elected or appointed to the office of (title) swear (or affirm) that I will support the constitution of the United States and the constitution of the State of Wisconsin, and will FAITHFULLY and IMPARTIALLY discharge the duties of said office to the best of my ability. So help me God." (emphasis added)
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Top Five: Why Wisconsin Matters to You (Bill Scher)
Thousands are rallying in Wisconsin and across the nation to oppose conservative governors who are attacking the collective bargaining rights of our civil servants. And the people in the streets are not just public sector union members.
Why? Why are so many who are not part of a union so committed to protecting the role of organized workers in our government and our economy?
1. Weak Economies Need More Demand: Our economy is struggling and our state budgets are distressed because increased unemployment and falling home prices have reduced economic demand.Weakening the ability of any workers to negotiate fair pay and secure retirements will only weaken demand further, hurting the overall economy.
2. Strong Standards Strengthen The Middle Class. When public sector workers can negotiate for fair pay, healthy workplaces and secure retirements, that puts pressure on private sector CEOs to do the same, or else they risk losing talent to the public sector. Making public sector work less inviting does nothing to make private sector jobs pay better. We need to raise the bar, not lower it.
3. Decent Government Pay Means Decent Government: Most everyone wants our federal, state and local governments to function effectively. That means being able to attract skilled, productive workers with fair pay, healthy workplaces and secure retirements, all of which will be lost if public workers can no longer bargain for their compensation packages.
4. Public Employees Are Not The Problem: Study after study shows the public employees do not receive extravagant compensation, and that the problems with state public pension systems are largely overblown. State budgets are reeling from an economic recession caused by reckless Wall Street speculators, top end tax cuts and corporate tax avoidance. The projected shortfalls in public retirement benefits derive mostly from skyrocketing health care costs thanks to private insurers, and poorly performing pension investments thanks to deregulated Wall Street firms.
Furthermore, civil servants in Wisconsin and elsewhere have repeatedly said they are willing to make concessions regarding pay and benefits. Unlike conservative corporate executives, they have proven their willingness to share the sacrifices. What we can't negotiate is their right to negotiate.
5. Scapegoating Lets The Culprits Get Away: Right-wing billionaires like the Koch brothers are pumping millions into a nationwide effort to break the public employee unions. Why would they bother? Because if they can get most people to blame public employees for the nation's economic ills, they won't hold irresponsible corporations accountable and force the ultra-rich to make any sacrifices, such as higher taxes and tougher regulations.
Now that you know why the assault on public employee unions affects us all, what can we do about it?
Sign The Petition: The AFL-CIO has a petition supporting fair pay and worker rights, to be delivered to all 50 state legislatures
Attend A Rally: SEIU and Jobs With Justice both have compiled lists of rallies taking place all across the country this week.
Share This Blog Post: Share with your friends, neighbors and colleagues the reasons why we all should care about the attack on our civil servants.
This is a critical moment in our nation's history. Will we be a nation where workers can thrive, or where workers are nickel and dimed? Will we have a vibrant economy that works for all, or will we have a stagnant economy that serves the few?
Now's the time to stand up.
Posted on Campaign for America's Future (February 22, 2011 - 3:14pm ET)
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