Today we were polar "bird watching" as we held our Recall Senator Harsdorf Here sign. As gentle snow fell all around, encapsulating us in a snow globe atmosphere, we quietly collected 119 signatures for her recall because of her support of Gov. Walker's "Budget Repair Bill." You see, for every middle finger we recieved...we garnered 15 affirmations in return.
"Thank-you so much for being here!" was the most common response. One woman cried because she was so happy to sign, her hands shaking in the cold. It was like a community gathering at our one-table-operation. Folks greeted each other while they waited in line...like they were congrugating at the local coffee shop. The age span ran from barely legal to an elderly man who needed help holding the clip board. We recieved honks and cheers, handshakes and encouragement. Twice we received coffee and one woman brought my sons cookies when she noticed that they were watching a movie in a warm, nearby car.
My husband was holding the sign most of the day. He was bold and unashamed. I found the sign way too heavy to hold for more than 20 minutes. The sign needed to be big because the city wouldn’t allow us to plant one – only carry it. So the bigger the better. I also would rather sit at the table because it feels "safer" and I like talking to people. I gave out slips of paper listing the website to recall Walker along with local rallies and the upcoming state supreme court election in April.
When we returned home this evening, we heard the news that Governor Walkers’s republican senate stripped most public worker's collective bargaining rights in a sneaky, and perhaps illegal, late night vote. Immediately, protestors broke through the police baracade, illegally occupying the capital past closing time. They screamed "Shame! Shame! Shame! Shame!" as the senators streamed out of the building.
But I need to see the bright side in all of this right now - I have to remain empowered in order to keep going. Not only are we back on top of the local and national news where we belong, but we'll rake in the signatures tomorrow. On a windy, 35 degree day - we had a line of folks. Just imagine what we'll achieve on Friday when the temperatures will reach 50 degrees here, and workers in WI wake up to the new reality - their rights were just taken from them.
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Ann Nichols
Lynette Stark
Chicago Guy
Daniel Geery
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Chauncey DeVega
Salon.com
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Hang in there!
YOU (we) ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE!
Fighting this battle beside you has been so motivating. I love you.
""The bill passed. The BILL PASSED. And do you know how those f*ckers got it to pass without the Democrats being there? They stripped all budgetary measures from the bill, just so that they could destroy collective bargaining and break the unions. Now their intention lies naked; their sole goal was to do that. They have destroyed 50 years of progress towards equity and fairness. Thanks a F*CKING bunch Republicans! Now, because of you, I have no future in the state where my family has lived for 165 years. My dad was right when he left in the 70's... I thought Wisconsin was a place where my dreams could be possible. I was wrong. As a librarian, I'll be making even less when I get out of here because none of the librarians will be unionized. I'm having a hard time getting to sleep. ""
I told him to stay in school. I told him help is coming. He is one voice..but they are all crying. To paraphrase, ...today, we are ALL Wisconsinites! Tell us how we can help? Besides getting people to the polls in 2012.
Once can only hope...
Midwest: Democracy Out.
“…Why are these conservative and right-wing bastards picking on NEA and its affiliates? I will tell you why: It is the price we pay for success. NEA and its affiliates have been singled out because they are the most effective unions in the United States. And they are the nation’s leading advocates for public education and the type of liberal social and economic agenda that these groups find unacceptable…”
Sounds good, isn’t it, BUT…
“…Despite what some among us would like to believe, it is not because of our creative ideas. It is not because of the merit of our positions. It is not because we care about children. And it is not because we have a vision of a great public school for every child. NEA and its affiliate are effective advocates because WE HAVE POWER. AND WE HAVE POWER BECAUSE THERE ARE MORE THAN 3.2 MILLION PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING PAY US HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN DUES EACH YEAR BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE THAT WE ARE THE UNIONS THAT CAN MOST EFFECTIVELY REPREENT THEM…”
I can’t add anything to this statement, after all, Mr. Chanin knows better – he’s been with the NEA, I believe, for more then 30 years. There is little that is voluntary about the millions in dues paid to the NEA every year. If you want to teach in a public school that is under an NEA contract in those jurisdictions (like California and New York and Wisconsin), you must pay dues to the NEA. IT IS THE LAW!!?. There is nothing voluntary about it. Second, that is tax payer money he’s talking about, which is exactly what is so corrupting about public sector unions: the government is lobbying itself for its own expansion. This is crazy!!
And what are “employee rights” and “due process,” you might ask? Well, those are what require New York City to pay 700 union teachers $65 million a year to do nothing. Same thing in Los Angeles, where 165 union teachers collect a total of $10 million a year from tax payers for doing nothing. (the famous "Rubber Rooms")
Our country is now in a very difficult situation – financially and politically. We all suffer and you are not better then us. You have to get to your senses and join the army of millions of Americans who pay for their privileges with their own money.
I did love hearing the capitol resounding with,"Shame shame!" That gave me goosebumps.
Power on, fabulous Wisconsinites! We're with you in spirit (and donations), you are teaching us how to do it when our states are attacked.
Recall their asses, every last elephantine ONE of them!
rated
in Michigan, they've passed a law to strip non-compliant cities, towns, counties and districts of their political independence and replace local elected officials with czars appointed by the governor, they're actually eliminating representative democracy
the Republicans are the shock troops in a vicious class war on American constitutional democracy being waged by a handful of billionaires against the rest of us, they have their propaganda network, a rigged Supreme Court, enough bought Senators of both parties to stifle any threats to their hegemony, and a President who seems afraid to take sides with the people who elected him
you folks in WI are the first to stand up and be counted for the American people in this war, you're an inspiration to the whole country
The state is broke, and quit trying to make this look as though all workers rights have been taken from them...you want to unionize? Go work in the private sector.
The things the unions have done have helped EVERYONE, even those of us in "at will" states.
And anyone that honestly believes a teacher is paid to "do nothing" is an a$$hole, pardon my french. Children in states with unions and collective bargaining do better in school than those states that don't allow it. Unionized, collective bargaining states are ranked WELL over states that are at will.
So my advice to you nay sayers is this: watch out, because if unions and collective bargaining are successfully busted, they (the ridiculously rich people that are the TRUE power hungry greedy b@stards) will be coming for the private sector next. They will take away all the labor laws they can and revert America back to the "olden days" there will be no child labor laws, we'll go back to 100 hour work weeks, no minimum wage, no health benefits, no anything. Don't fool yourselves. If "they" get away with it now, it WILL continue, because corporations are power hungry greedy jerks and they have lobbied and bought and paid for the people that are "in power".
This is NOT about reducing deficit or balancing budgets. This is about power, plain and simple.
Either we stand together or we all hang separately.
You humble me. You trust me to tell you one inside look, inside the beginning of a movement larger than any of us can fathom right now. I can’t express my appreciation to you enough for giving me this opportunity to tell you a story…to tell you one of the stories in Wisconsin right now. I feel that God has given me a small gift in all of this – an audience for my writing. I’m more of a “journal keeper” than a great writer. I’ve never had a vast vocabulary or a unique way with words like so many of you amazing OSers. But I love to write. And to be able to use that passion of mine to further a cause – the cause of the American people - is one of the biggest honors of my life.
Thank-you all.
Based on what I've been reading, through his recent actions, Governor Walker and his sycophants have just stabbed themselves in the back. He has shown everyone just how ruthless and tyrannical he truly is. He has not won at all. If anything, he just lost more ground.
Blessings and G_dspeed.
Always,
Ranger
It's really heartening hearing about your efforts. We will take back Wisconsin.
Latest favorite protest sign:
“Mr. Walker, you may not remember me, but I can recall you.”
Good on you for the signatures collected so far. =o) Rest up, nobody deserves a good night's sleep more than you and your husband after those hours in the cold. You've done good work, today.
Grab a clue...sure teachers are paying out of their own pocket for their benefits...and where did the money in their pocket come from? That's right, taxpayers.