I have been blogging daily over the weekend - catch up and look at the photos!
A questin came up about how democratic Governor Cuomo in NY "doing the same thing".
I want to thank Randi and Jessica for setting the record straight.
From Randi - I am also from NY Rod, and Governor Cuomo is definitely not doing the same thing. What Cuomo is saying is we have to cut some budgets to balance the state budget - he has never said a word about going after unions or their right to collective bargaining. Whoever you are speaking to is seriously misinformed. If Cuomo was trying to do what Scott Walker is trying to do, his approval rating wouldn't be near 80% right now.
From Jessica - I live in NY too, and if Cuomo tried to pull what Walker is, there would be a MUCH bigger uproar than you are seeing in Wisconsin. (well, it's pretty big here!!).
Thanks
I happened to have Fred Rissers, 26th Senate District Democrat and one of the Wisconsin 14s email address and wrote him a letter. Below is what I sent.
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My father in law is a living Survivor of the USS Indianapolis and has been called a hero. He has never really liked being called a hero, he says all he is is a Survivor and in a small way I can understand where he is coming from.
The word hero is used way to often and I feel is sometimes being used to just show extreme appreciation!
However, I believe you and the other 13 members of the Wisconsin 14 . . are true heroes.
I work for Family Services and have stood behind you a few times getting coffee in the morning at Starbucks. Two years ago in Starbucks I had canvas prints of the inside of the Capitol hanging in Starbucks. I say this because I have grown attached to the Capitol and I swear, if you believe an inanimate object can have feeling, she is very very proud of what you 14 have achieved in the act of fairness.
You see for 105 years he old girl has been bastion of fairness, it is the very reason she was created. She is happy! She is energized!
Thank you!
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Sometimes I forget that maybe some of you have real lives that are not immersed in politics (at the moment). So if some of this is redundant - it's only filling in what some might not know .
Greatest 3:53 second Political Speech ever
Background
Democratic Senators are still hold up in ILL until further notice so The Bill that takes away rights of workers and basically gives the current Governor the right to change any law with free will can not pass the Senate because you need ONE Democrat to form a quorum . The Bill was proposed Friday afternoon with it supposedly being rammed through in 6 days so the public could not actually READ it.
But things are going wrong for the Republicans.
Two main votes are needed and both in Republican controlled houses. The Assembly vote was suppose to be a no brainer, rubber stamp it and move on, should take an hour or two.
We all know what happened in the Senate but the secondary story is what happened in the Assembly.
The Democrats were told the debate would begin at 5:00 with the voting after the brief debate.
At 4:50, with know democrats in attendance, the Republicans, decided no debate was necessary and started the vote! The democrats, offices around the capitol heard and RAN to the Assembly Chamber. Stopped the vote in the nick of time. Here is what Representative Gordon Hinze had to say!
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Looks like teachers are out again Monday. DJ found her yearbook as she was in school the last time The teachers went on strike. All days were made up and she seems to have turned out OK!
rage Against the Machine will be performing on the Square tomorrow along with some other unknown band (to me).
State Workers have a forced furlough and it's a fed holiday! I hope to see you out there! Let's keep up the fight. DJ and I will be down.
Ian's Pizza has added more Countries for pizza orders Korea, Finland, Egypt, Denmark, Australia, Canada and have started to get hate calls!
Walker is being interviewed by George Stephanopolous on Good Morning America tomorrow. They are asking people to post questions they have for the governor on their fb page.
I leave you with this awesome music video!
http://vimeo.com/20168864
Wisconsin "Budget Repair Bill" Protest Pt 2 from Matt Wisniewski on Vimeo.
Long Live The Wisconsin 14.
Rod
How sad for the children of Wisconsin that the teachers can't put their differences aside and get back to the classroom. Are the parents of those children having to call in sick also? So now you not only have teachers not working you have parents not working either. Who is the winner in this? Certainly not the kids!! Education is a whole lot different than it was years ago and if a child misses ONE day they are missing out on a lot. What about all the special needs kids who need their daily OT, PT, and speech? Oh, I guess the hell with them, I need to parade my butt all over Madison holding a stupid sign. The teachers need to suck it up and get back to the classroom!!!
ReplyDeleteExactly calli - there is no winner - all Walker has to do is say he will TALK to the Unions - simple as that.
ReplyDeleteSick leave? Isn't that something the Unions gave them? You can dump sick leave in The Bill.
Special needs kids will REALLY get the shaft on this deal. Jenny has a child with Down Syndrome - she will lose ALL help under Walkers plan. Birth to Three is killed!
So you talk about Special needs but you only care about the children YOU can teach.
callie - you really do not value your worth as a teacher. In the Governors eyes you are just a worthless person who deserves less pay and your children should not have the best tools available.
Walker is anti-education - he was kicked out of College for God sake. He is saying YOU are the problem.
Class rooms should have 45 kids to reduce the faux deficit (that he created)..
Callie, Columbus schools were out one single day.
ReplyDeleteWinter weather has interrupted many more days than that, this year.
And now is as good a time as any to compliment the staff-- at least the grade my child is in-- at Columbus Middle School. My daughter had never been in a brick-and-mortar public school before this year, and to say that I had great trepidation in putting her in a public school would be putting it mildly. But I have been nothing but impressed at the CMS teachers I have dealt with, as well as the front office. My daughter is excited to be in the classrooms, learning from these individuals. I've had much opportunity to observe at least the vehicles the teachers own; none of them look new or high-end. God bless them for doing their best in a profession that has no true financial incentive-- nobody is in this profession to get rich, or to "skim off the public trough." Which has nothing to do with the issue at hand, really-- just a note of support.
Rod, I absolutely agree with you about the purpose of education for the individual. It is to create functioning, literate American citizens who will have at least some choice as to how their lives will play out (college? farming? med school? IT? police? Armed Forces?), and to encourage as many as possible to achieve to the maximum of their capabilities. I'm thrilled about Elweed. I'm absolutely sure he is not the only individual who has been invigorated and inspired by all of this.
The happiest and most successful are those who can find the silver lining, and remain positive.
Thanks for this great blog Rod! Callie- you don't seem to understand the grave importance of all of this- Rod- you are right-on! M, too!
ReplyDeleteI will be emailing the Fab 14!
I am in Special Education and I would be highly concerned if my students were out and not getting their needs met. I feel like I am a valued member and I did not go into this profession thinking I would be making a lot of money. If I had wanted to make a lot of money I would have gone into something else. I always feel I am 100% better off, no matter what happens in our contract, than my neighbor who has not worked in two years and has no health insurance. Even if a Gov. feels I need less pay at LEAST I am getting a pay, more than what my neighbor is getting!!
ReplyDeleteYou neighbor is getting screwed by our Governor. HE is the one getting hurt, not you but your kids and your neighbor.
ReplyDeleteThis has nothing to do with you Callie!
If anyone is screwing my neighbor, I would say it is Obama. Where are the jobs he promised? Scott Walker was not in office when he lost his job. Hope and change, hope and change.
ReplyDelete