Politics Matter. . .
Wisconsin has been a political
battlefield since 2011 when the first efforts to recall state senators
began. The conflicts have continued
nearly non-stop since that tumultuous year and have divided a state that has
historically been one where clean politics and bi-partisan cooperation have usually
been considered the norm. This is
especially true when we compare Wisconsin politics to those of neighboring
states like Illinois, and with the bitter
conflicts that have divided other places in America.
The
election of Scott Walker changed Wisconsin
politically, socially and economically, and the change was not for the
better. We see the evidence of the
divisive nature of our current climate in many ways. Whether it is in the massive number of
lawmakers deciding to leave office in order to escape the toxic environment, or
the struggles to balance local and school budgets, or the fact that friends,
family and neighbors find it difficult to talk about important issues with each
other, the end result is the same. We
are more divided now than we were just a few years ago.
There may be no more
polarized place in swing-state America as national trends are amplified by
fierce campaigns, an impassioned electorate, and a...
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|By Craig
Gilbert
Democrats have made huge
gains in the suburbs since the Reagan years, but they haven’t made any progress
in the areas around Milwaukee.
The New York Times|By
Nate Cohn
Wisconsinites have learned
the hard way that elections really do matter.
For too long we failed in our duties as citizens to hold our elected
officials accountable by exercising our voice at the ballot box. Scott Walker was elected by a significant minority
of eligible voters, yet has not hesitated to govern as though he speaks for the
majority. Once gaining power, Walker and his supporters
quickly worked to attempt to solidify their control of all aspects of our state
government. Progressives and those who
speak for more moderate policies found themselves fighting to maintain a voice
in state government.
Ray Ciszewski, of St.
Benedict the Moor in Milwaukee,
understands all too well the burdens that voter ID laws create.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|By Judith
Browne Dianis
In about six months we
will have another opportunity to speak out against the policies that have
divided and damaged our state. The
campaign will be difficult and it will be bitterly contested. We've already seen the attack ads begin, and
that was only the opening salvo in what promises to be a vicious, no-hold
barred struggle to reclaim our state. A
struggle that will test the resolve and the strength of those who rose against Walker's policies in
2011. Despite a few challengers it seems
clear that the November election will feature Walker vs. Mary Burke.
Scott Walker's had four years
to do it his way. From the 250,000 jobs broken promise to the disastrous WEDC, Walker has stumbled
badly. Yet he blindly touts his '
Green Bay Press-Gazette
She’s a political novice—and
that may be what it takes to knock off Wisconsin’s
governor, of whose jobs plan she says: ‘I’ve seen eighth-graders’...
The Daily Beast
Calling herself “a fiscal
conservative,” Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mary Burke broke bread with Milwaukee business leaders
Tuesday and pitched her ideas on jobs, education and the...
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|By Bill
Glauber
The November 2014 election
is of huge significance for Wisconsin Progressives. Walker
is a strong candidate in the state, but his strength lies in his ability to
mask the reality that his policies create for a majority of citizens. This election provides the potential to begin
the push back to changing the debate about a number of issues of great
importance to the health and well-being of the citizens of our state and of our
nation. The fight may have begun in
2011, but it is continuing to escalate as we move forward.
The key issues in the
conflict revolve around the role of government in our society, and the type of
community that we want to be a part of.
On one side you have the Conservative, austerity movement that seeks to
privatize as much as possible and leave individuals isolated and divided. This vision of economics hasn't worked,
doesn't work and won't work here or anywhere else. The idea that we need to support the wealthy
and the corporations while letting the common citizen struggle is inherently
flawed and runs counter to the values espoused in our founding documents. Documents that speak of "liberty and
justice for all," not just the privileged few.
Wisconsin lawmakers have cut
taxes 43 times since 2011, reducing revenue by $1.9 billion over that period
and limiting investments in Wisconsin’s...
wisconsinbudgetproject.org
Conservative economic pundits
just love to justify "business-friendly"...
Los Angeles Times
Don’t be too depressed by
Thomas Piketty’s arguments. Inequality is a choice.
The New York Times|By
David Leonhardt
There
is a certain amount of irony in the data that shows the "liberal
bastion" of Dane
County is actually one of
the most successful areas in economic terms.
I oppose the idea of Dane
County seceding from Wisconsin and becoming
its own state, but, if Dane County, which is regarded as Wisconsin's...
prairiebadger.wordpress.com
This privatization effort
has centered around public education.
The idea that all students, from all backgrounds should receive a
quality publicly funded education is one that should be supported by all who
value our democratic traditions.
Vos promised GOP delegates
that he and fellow conservatives were ready to fight the party moderates on an
array of issues in coming years.
madison.com|By
Lee Enterprises
A new report reveals
widespread fraud and mismanagement in our...
Bill Moyers
Yet, we see a continual
effort by those in power, Democrat or Republican, to undermine our public
schools and to restrict the power of those who work and learn in them. Educators, students, family and invested
community members find themselves struggling to make their voices heard over
the powerful lobbying efforts of school privatizers and privateers.
What follows below is nothing
original. It's simply another reminder. I know this is an unpopular thing to
say in certain education circles but someone has to say it: Common Core State
Standards a...
atthechalkface.com
The Chicago Teachers Union
passed a resolution opposing the Common Core State Standards, in what may have
implications for its parent union.
blogs.edweek.org
Along with education,
health care has become a venue where the differences between political
ideologies is clearly demonstrated.
Access to health care should be a basic right and should be promoted by
anyone who wants to have a government that insures the "general
welfare" for its citizens. Yet, we
have seen a concerted effort to limit the availability of health care for our
most at-risk citizens. These efforts
have been disguised as "good economic policy", "limiting
government", or "letting the market decide," but in reality are
simply another example of profiting from the needs of others.
His rejection of federal
Medicaid dollars either costs Wisconsin lots
of money or lots of lives.
urbanmilwaukee.com
Republicans have begun to
see the effects that their policies have had on different demographic groups,
but their efforts are often motivated by political, not social justice
goals. While the same argument can be
made against the Democrats in many ways, the choice between parties is still quite
clear when we look at policies and intent.
Leaders at the state
Republican convention tried to send a message that the party was broadening
beyond its overwhelmingly white voter base.
madison.com|By
Lee Enterprises
When
we put all of these things together it becomes clear that 2014 could be a
turning point in Wisconsin politics. We can either continue on the path of
divisiveness and inequality, or we can change course and work to chart a path
towards a more socially just society. In
order for this to happen we will need to communicate our ideals and hold all
candidates responsible for upholding our values. We can't trust in any party or candidate, but
must remember that in a democracy, the people have a choice in what their
government looks and acts like. We can't
allow ourselves to get the government we deserve through apathy or
ignorance.
The
Good, The Bad and
The
Ugly. . .
The Good . . While I find myself constantly at odds with President Obama on issues
involving education I applaud a majority of his work. Those on the right have been attempting to
undermine his presidency from day 1. The
American people need to get some honest facts in order to be able to make
reasoned decisions about the policies that our president has fought to
implement.
Hey, Obamacare Truthers: Gallup just found the
number of uninsured Americans is the lowest its found since 2008, when it
started polling.
newrepublic.com
Senator Paul proclaims that
more Kentuckians have lost their insurance under Obamacare than had insurance
to begin with. - Math Fail!
Addicting Info
There is a local movement
to attempt to change the way that public money is invested in building
projects. Currently we are seeing
companies exercise their political influence to gain access to public
money. This movement seeks to put the
people in charge of how tax dollars are spent and what projects are approved in
Madison.
The Bad . . . Only one bidder, and one that has been among the biggest education
profiteers? Monopolies rarely, if ever,
work to benefit the majority of people, and this one has harmed too many
students, schools, communities and educators.
The global education company
Pearson has won a contract from the Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness
for College and Careers to develop test items, deliver tests, report results,
and analyze...
blogs.edweek.org
Justice is supposed to be
blind, but we all know that judges are human beings, and as such will have some
bias when making decisions. The key is
that they must reference the law, and that there are processes to appeal and
challenge rulings.
A study covering 1953 to 2011
found that “the votes of both liberal and conservative justices tend to reflect
their preferences toward the...
The New York Times|By
Adam Liptak
Walker supporters, and defenders of the "Money is speech"
line of reasoning are enjoying this ruling.
However, the fight is not over yet.
U.S. District Judge Rudolf
Randa issued the 26-page decision late Tuesday, calling on prosecutors to
immediately stop the long-running investigation into possible illegal
coordination between the various groups.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|By Bill
Glauber
Less than a day after a
federal judge halted a probe into conservative groups and the campaign of Gov.
Scott Walker, prosecutors filed an emergency appeal Wednesday of the
unprecedented decision.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel|By Jason
Stein
There are two things to know
about the federal court decision this week...
Talking Points Memo
The Ugly . . . Too often I hear people talk about how racism is a historical problem,
but not a problem in modern America. The message that we would like to believe is
that racism is a problem that existed in America, but that we overcame
it. The reality is quite different. Progress has been made, but we certainly have
a long way to go.
LaTonya Smith is upset with
the personal attention she got at Hobby Lobby recently. She was being watched,
closely.
madison.com|By
Lee Enterprises
The federal government’s
vigilance in enforcing the court-backed desegregation of the country’s schools
is a shadow of what it once was.
psmag.com
No comments:
Post a Comment