The Great Creator called: You're fired.

7 March 2011

Dear Mr. Walker,

Let me first say, that I didn't start this day out being angry. I started it, actually, feeling slightly contrite, and even a little silly, for having publicly referred to you as a "jackass" on the same day that I took a civility pledge I could not keep. I was even making mental revisions as I got the kids ready for school, thinking "how can I soften that a little and yet still show the same level of contempt and total lack of respect I have for this man?"

Later, I was feeling, I have to say, pretty good. I wrote a little bit for my blog before work about the amazing spirit of solidarity and awareness shown by the people of Wisconsin. I read the FANTASTIC news that two lawsuits have been filed against you - one demanding you provide evidence of alleged "majority" of 8000 emails you received in support of your bill (ha to that! I think we all know very well what kind of letters you are receiving) and the other for ethics violations (obviously! kind of a no-brainer there, eh?) regarding your many abuses of power and violations of numerous Wisconsin statutes. I was, very briefly, elated.

Then three things happened that really soured my day, and I blame you entirely for two of them. First, I read an article that on the one hand explained a good deal of your idiocy, but on the other really, really infuriated me.  It was called "Scott Walker Believes He’s Following Orders from the Lord" and Matthew Rothschild wrote it for The Progressive. (The Progressive is a publication in which people write articles that are substantiated with evidence, and people read it to learn more about the world. It's pretty good. You should check it out). Anyway, in this article you are quoted as having said "I don’t believe God picks sides in politics. I believe God calls us to be on His side." And when I read this, it occurred to me that somewhere in the seemingly boundless depths of your entitlement, in the seemingly endless cavern that is your faculty of reason, you actually believe that you are on the "side" of God. That you actually believe, for instance, that God doesn't have a problem with letting the rich go untaxed while the poor are asked to "sacrifice." That God doesn't have a problem with eliminating social programs that help the poor, feed the needy, give medicine to the sick. That God, when it comes down to it, is actually telling you what to do and that “The Great Creator, no matter who you worship, is the one from which our freedoms are derived, not the government.”

Well, I have some unfortunate news for you, Mr. Walker. (1) God is not directing your every move. That honor belongs to your Tea Party puppeteers. And (2) as much as you try to use religion to wish away what you seem to think of as the "logical necessity" of social inequity, you cannot possibly suggest that the government doesn't want you to be poor, God does!  Your efforts to manipulate the faith of people to convince them that God, and not the government, is responsible for controlling the laws and structure of society hearkens back to an age before books. It is exceedingly clear to me that you have absolutely no grasp whatsoever of either politics or religion, and that you really, truly have no idea how civil society is supposed to function. And that is a very scary thing, considering you are currently in charge.

The second thing for which I blame you was slightly more predictable, but infuriated me nonetheless. And that was when you opened your shamelessly lying mouth at today's press conference. You not only tried to shift the blame for your big, disgusting mess onto the brave senators who dare stand up to your dictatorial megalomania by refusing to be bullied into passing your "budget" bill (I put "budget" in quotes here to indicate I'm fully aware that this bill has nothing to do with the actual budget and everything to do with your frighteningly misguided political agenda), but you also had the nerve to once again suggest that the Democratic Senators are involved in some (possibly illegal but about which you are just speculating and rumor mongering and have no evidence for) activities with the unions. This from a man who was caught blabbing like the new, unqualified hire that you are trying to kiss up to his boss/benefactor, (faux) Koch. When I heard this, I immediately regretted having felt regretful for calling you a jackass, and knew I must get right to work writing to you again to implore you to resign.  It's really the only option at this point, isn't it? Just go. We're so far past the point of having no dignity that it's embarrassing for all of us to drag it out. Please, Mr. Walker. Resign.

On that note, I'll just add that the third thing that spoiled my day really did have nothing to do with you, but I could not be more disappointed to see that it is actually snowing. Again! Thank The Great Creator that you didn't fire all the snowplow drivers yet. We might still need them tonight. The Lord works in mysterious ways.

Until you resign,
Heather DuBois Bourenane
Infuriated taxpayer, union member and state employee

Postscript:  3/8/2011 - I found the perfect soundtrack to this post in Matt Wisniewski’s third installment of his series of videos of the Madison protests, soundtracked by Johnny Cash's "God's Gonna Cut You Down"