February 6, 2010
Let us hear from you!
When you go to Camp Randall for a Badger football game, everyone (or so it seems) wears red in support of the home team. Same at the Kohl Center when the UW hockey and basketball teams take the floor--we are one group in support of our university and our team. Doesn't matter if you are a Socialist, Democrat, Green or Republican, we cheer for the common goal.
This week I drove to Milwaukee to tape a program with one of my heroes, Vel Phillips. The MATC program was focused on our progressive past. The host pointed out that Vel is the only African-American to win statewide office in our state's history, dating back to 1848! The only one. (It must also be said that we have never elected a woman to the U.S. Senate or Governor.) Progressive?
We had to discuss the shameful "Willie Horton"-style campaign launched against Supreme Court Justice Louis Butler--an African-American who should have joined Vel in the winner's circle but was defeated. He has been nominated by the President to the federal bench in Madison. The Judiciary Committee has voted to confirm Butler twice--12-7.
It is time to hear from the Wisconsin home team. Sensenbrenner, Petri, Ryan--let's hear from you. Put on your red sweater and announce that the Senate should confirm our guy! No filibuster--please. If they remain silent and this good man loses in overtime, it will be a reminder of our past; the bad past not the good.
The call came after my blog entry was posted yesterday. Tony Evers, DPI head, praised by Governor Doyle, has threatened to block $176 million in federal money scheduled to go to Milwaukee Public Schools. In his State of the State speech, Jim Doyle threatened MPS. He "guaranteed" us that MPS would be a broken system. Yikes! MPS refused to go with the Arne Duncan, Doyle, Barrett scheme to replace the elected school board with the mayor of Milwaukee. So, punish them! Make them fail! Whoa Nelly, Governor, play fair. If you can't persuade your colleagues to go with your idea, don't punish the kids!
It is time for Tom Barrett to declare he is not running as Doyle-lite--he is his own man. MPS is his responsibility.
An old friend said "they must be kidding." Sadly, I don't think they are.
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Pat Robertson declares that the Washington blizzard is the wrath of God made manifest because government has sold its soul (and our democracy) to corporate America.
-Franz Fripplfrappl | Stoughton, WI | February 6, 2010
I really fear for the state of Wisconsin. First of all, our state was ruined by Tommy Thompson and his good-ol'boy ruination for all those years. Then we get a good ol-boy Democrat, Jim Doyle, who kind of kept the wolves from the door on a lot of things but I sure don't like this privatizing education. It's fishy that Barbara Lawton isn't running - I was so looking forward to her as Gov - and Tom Barrett (who I never liked) is being pushed. We do not need our schools privatized. Anyone who stands up to the Race to the Top (sounds SO Republican) privatization BS has my backing. What we need is a new breed of Democrats - or a Green - that will fix the mess. We don't need Democrat-lite or going back to the Dark Ages with Republicans!!!
-Ingrid Gottfried | Portage, Wisconsin | February 8, 2010
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