>From Jack Smith: > I appreciate your coverage of what's happening > in Wisconsin. If you are interested in the Koch > financing of the tea party, see > > http://www.avonhistory.org/mil3/tea10.htm > > It seems to me that, in 2010, "Archie Bunker" > voted for the thieves because he hates Obama. >
Thank you Jack. The influence of Koch Industries has been getting lots of play here in Madison Wisconsin. Thanks for performing a reminder. Here's Mother Jones take: http://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/02/wisconsin-scott-walker-koch-brothers I just sent the following letter to my Governor: ************************************* To Governor Scott Walker: My name is Steven Johnson and I live at [REDACTED], Madison, Wisconsin. I have been a Wisconsin public employee for more than 30 years. I have worked at Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR), UW Division of Information Technology (DoIT), UW Space Astronomy Lab (SAL), and I am currently employed at Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT). I have been a union member since the mid 1980s. As I begin to approach retirement, and as I reflect back on the employment choices I made I must admit the fact that it never bothered me that with my professional training and educational background in related data processing fields I could have made more money working out in the private sector. I came to Madison in 1967 at the age of 14 and I never wanted to leave this beautiful city surrounded by its lakes and University environment. Working for the state of Wisconsin was where I wanted to be. Last Friday, Wisconsin's state and local public employees offered to accept all of the economic concessions called for in your budget repair bill. This includes pension and health care concessions. You have claimed that these concessions are needed in order to resolve Wisconsin's current budget crisis. While it is both unfair and inaccurate to constantly vilify the work of unions as of being the cause of Wisconsin's current economic crisis, the fact that the unions are nevertheless willing to abide by these concessions was the right thing to do. All that the unions asked in return was to keep the right to bargain collectively intact. It is my understanding that you turned the offer down. Let me repeat: A solution to Wisconsin's current economic crisis was offered up by the unions and placed in your hands, and yet you turned it down. It is becoming clear to me, and I think to countless others who have bared witness to your refusal to even consider the union's offer, that your primary objective was never about balancing the budget. I am astonished to discover that resolving our state's budget has actually taken a secondary seat to what I assume you must sincerely believe is a "greater calling", that of destroying the collective bargaining rights of the Wisconsin's unions - and to achieve that objective by whatever means and at whatever cost it might take. I can only assume that you must believe that after this "Greater Calling" has been satisfied will you then focus your energies on fixing Wisconsin's financial crisis. Is this true, Governor Walker? Governor Walker, I urge you to reconsider the union's generous offer, an offer that would resolve the current financial crisis. No one wants the current impasse to drag on. It makes no sense particularly when a practical solution that accepts the main principals of your financial concessions has been accepted by the very "enemy" you seem to believe needs to be vilified and crucified by you and the constituents who originally voted you into office. The Union is not the enemy. Nor are we who support our unions. Executing the "final solution" towards the Union will not solve Wisconsin's ailing economy. The solution is to help cure Wisconsin's ailing economy, and the unions and its members are willing to do their part, just like everyone else. Regards, Steven Vincent Johnson Wisconsin Department of Transportation ************************************* I must now go back to the front lines. "Have fun storming the State Capital!" ...and yes, it probably will take a miracle. Regards, Steven Vincent Johnson www.OrionWorks.com www.zazzle.com/orionworks
