Another promise broken: Why Walker isn't fooling this Republican

Life-long Republican Gary Olson has a gift for elucidating the real reasons we should all recall Scott Walker and Scott Fitzgerald, and guess what? It has nothing to do with union busting or party politics.  It's about how Walker is using duplicitous accounting techniques to suit his political needs - the same thing he criticized former Governor Jim Doyle for doing and said he'd never do.

This open letter to Wisconsin citizens is Gary's second guest post on Monologues of Dissent.  His first, "Why Wisconsin Can't Afford Scott Walker (or Scott Fitzgerald)," explained why Walker and Fitzgerald's tired claim that they don't like "kicking the can down the road" is just a ruse distracting us from the massive debt we're incurring under their fiscally irresponsible policies.

 Another promise broken:  

Why Walker's magic deficit formula & other budget tricks aren't fooling this Republican

When it comes to the current state budget, I am in awe over how much celebratory emphasis the Wisconsin GOP is placing on the term “balanced” as if it has never been accomplished before in our state’s history. In no way am I trying to be flippant or snarky, but our state is legislatively mandated to balance its budget every two years. It is not a choice to balance the state budget, it is mandated - it is the law. So the next time someone tells you that Governor Walker balanced the state budget, ask them which governor has ever failed to do the same.

If the Legislature fails to approve a biennium budget on time, it is my understanding that the state automatically defaults to the approvals and provisions set forth in the previous budget until a new one can be signed into law. Minnesota was a perfect example of what happens to states that do not have such a provision in place and the government has to shut down until the new budget is approved.

What I find rather interesting about the 2011-2012 state budget is the manner in which Governor Walker and Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald are making numerous public claims that they balanced the budget and created a projected surplus to boot. Yet in January of this year Governor Walker and Senator Fitzgerald discovered that according to federal law, they could not make the cuts that they wanted to make to the states healthcare program for children and low income recipients unless the state had a deficit. Suddenly a rabbit was pulled from the hat and state officials certified to federal government officials that under Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), the state will have a deficit. 

In other words, Governor Walker used the accounting principle of “Cash Basis” accounting, to show the public that the state budget was balanced. But then in order to get what he needed from the federal government, Governor Walker used GAAP to show a state deficit. Governor Doyle played similar games with the two different accounting principles as well, but as a gubernatorial candidate I thought that Scott Walker criticized Jim Doyle and the Democrats for doing this. I truly thought that Governor Walker was going to bring an end to such tactics of accounting trickery. Clearly I was wrong in that assessment.

I tried not to rip on Governor Doyle just because he was a Democrat, but I certainly cannot accept the same or worse by Governor Walker just because he is a Republican. Nor can I excuse Senator Fitzgerald for supporting such shenanigans. This is truly embarrassing to Wisconsin and to my Republican beliefs. Neither of the two are showing me that they are very believable, and that is a very sad way to feel towards publicly elected officials of their positions.

Sincerely,

Gary Olson

Lake Mills

Letter from a Republican: Wisconsin cannot afford Scott Walker (or Scott Fitzgerald)

The following open letter was written by Gary Olson, a Republican who has been corresponding with both Governor Scott Walker and his state senator, Scott Fitzgerald, for the past year.  Gary takes issue with the lack of transparency in the current administration, as well as its false claims of fiscal responsibility. In this letter, he lays out his case and explains how Walker and Fitzgerald are kicking the can down the road by more than doubling our debt-to-revenue ratio, despite their claims otherwise.

Letter from a Republican:

Wisconsin Cannot Afford Scott Walker (or Scott Fitzgerald)

by Gary Olson

Governor Walker openly claims that his administration balanced the state budget that required closing a $3.6 billion deficit. My Senator (Scott Fitzgerald) frequently touts that the GOP led budget created a surplus, while not raising taxes. As a tax payer, much of this sounds rather appealing until I started putting pen to paper on the figures. So much of this just does not seem to add up when you look at the funds that were cut versus the level of spending that was approved in the 2011-2013 state budget. How exactly did we close a $3.6 billion deficit, generate a $306 million surplus, and increase the overall budget spending by $1.1 billion while being completely broke and not raising taxes?

I believe that the 2011-2013 budget pushed a lot of debt into the future by delaying debt service payments until 2013 and well beyond. Debt structuring through the sale of bonds and other means of borrowing into the future are not limited to Scott Walker or the Republicans, it is a practice used by both parties. It was bad enough that Governor Doyle did this as much as he did; now we have a governor who campaigned against doing those things, only to be demonstrating otherwise. On top of that, Governor Walker is talking about covering the $143.2 million deficit (that was supposed to be a $306 million surplus) by borrowing even more money so that we do not have to raise taxes or issue another Emergency Budget Repair Bill for the budget that we are only nine months into. What impact will this move have on our state’s existing long term debt service and our ability to keep up with the payments?

The state standard for debt-to-revenue ratio is no greater than 4%, with a target debt ratio of 3-3.5% of General Program Revenue. When Governor Walker took office, Wisconsin’s debt ratio stood at 2.28%. That is not a plug for the former governor or a jab at the current governor, they are simply the numbers according to the June 14^th 2011 LFB memo from the state. Under the 2011-2013 state budget, our debt ratio is expected to grow to almost 5% next year. In 2013-2014, it will grow to over 5%, and it could easily be much higher if we do not see a generous 4% growth in revenue.  Forget about asking how close we are to 4% growth because currently our revenue is actually declining according to recent LFB figures.

I do not believe that Wisconsin has ever seen a debt-to-revenue ratio of 5%, much less higher? Furthermore, I do not feel confident that we will see a 4% growth in revenue anytime soon, but I will be very happy to be wrong about that. As a taxpayer, I am deeply concerned about the amount of debt that we took on and the delayed interest that we will be paying on over the next ten years so that we can say that we have a balanced budget today.

Yes, I am a Republican but that does not mean that I have to buy into everything that my Governor or my Senator are doing, especially when it comes to the handling of my tax dollars. My confidence in the two of them has been shaken and I am deeply worried about our financial future as a state if we continue balancing budgets in this manner.

Sincerely,

Gary Olson, Lake Mills 

 Gary Olson on why he is standing up and speaking out against Scott Fitzgerald, after voting for him many times.  Think Fitz will take him up on his challenge to a debate?  I wish he would.

Wisconsinites aren't buying Walker's "savings"

Last week, Governor Walker sent out an "E-Update" with some very shady math about how profitable his "reforms" have been in Wisconsin. As one of the many, many taxpayers suffering under his cuts and increases to local taxes, I had a lot to say about that.  Turns out I wasn't alone.

Isthmus published my own letter to Walker as a Citizen editorial on The Daily Page, and one reader shared her own response to Governor Walker's message:

Governor Walker sent me the very same letter! Here's my reply: 

Please post on www.reforms.wi.gov complete and accurate information about the impacts of Governor Walker's reforms on the Hudson School District and on homeowners in the Town of Hudson, both of which are located in St. Croix County.

As reported in the Hudson Star Observer on 7/13/11, 7/21/11, and 9/21/11

• The Hudson School District was unable to recoup the $2.6 million in state funding cuts it suffered-despite making budget adjustments by increasing staff contributions for retirement accounts and health insurance, getting competitive bids for staff health insurance, allowing no increases in staff salaries and benefits for union or nonunion employees, cutting forty (40) staff positions, recognizing savings from staff retirements and attrition, cutting operating costs, cutting transportation costs, and increasing student fees;
• Property owners in the Hudson School District will see at least an additional two-percent (2%) increase in the property tax levy for the Hudson School District under the 2011-13 state budget and budget repair bill; and as a result,
• Under the 2011-13 state budget and budget repair bill, the Hudson School District will be able to provide less to students in the next and future years, but will be able to do so at a higher cost to us local taxpayers.

As shown on our Town of Hudson residential property tax bill for 2011, the results of Governor Walker's reforms are that:

• Although the 2011 assessed value of our home did not increase over the 2010 assessed value, our 2011 property tax bill did increase by 6.9% over our 2010 property tax bill because state aids to St. Croix County, Town of Hudson, Hudson School District, and WITC were cut significantly in 2011 compared to 2010 dollar amounts;
• 2011 state aids declined from 2010 state aids by 7% for St. Croix County, by 7.3% for Town of Hudson, by 6.7% for Hudson School District, and by 30.6% for WITC;
• The state portion of our 2011 home property tax bill increased by 1.8%;
• The St. Croix County portion of our 2011 home property tax bill increased by 8.0%, even though the St. Croix County Board again reduced the annual County budget and the 2012 County budget is 24% lower than the 2008 County budget;
• The Town of Hudson portion of our 2011 home property tax bill increased by 0.1%;
• The Hudson School District portion of our 2011 home property tax bill increased by 7.5%, even though the Hudson School District took all possible steps to cut costs; and
• The WITC portion of our 2011 home property tax bill increased by 5.4%.

Currently, the information posted on www.reforms.wi.gov regarding the impacts of Governor Walker's reforms in St. Croix County appears to be an example of misleading, if not outright lying, through omission. Surely Governor Walker would not want anyone to be mislead about the actual effects of the 2011-13 state budget and budget repair bill.

- Posted by a reader from Hudson, WI on 01/05/12 (reposted here with her permission).

Scott Walker: Bad for Education, Bad for Wisconsin (interview)

Monologues on air: interview with Ed Schultz.

Technically, it's only a monologue if you're talking to Scott Walker, a stone wall, or other things that don't give a crap. Regular people talk back, and then you call it dialogue.

I was really honored to be invited on the Ed Schultz Show on Sept.26, 2011 to talk about why I wrote an open letter to Brian Williams and Scott Walker's bad-for-education budget. Here's the interview, if you missed it.  Thanks to Ed Schultz for the continued dialogue on Wisconsin and the assaults on public education nationwide, and for giving me the opportunity to call Scott Walker out as the tooljob he is on national tv.

Click here to listen to the radio interview:
Scott Walker's Useless "Tools" - Interview with Ed Schultz 26 Sept 2011 by Monologues of Dissent

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Wisconsin Recalls: It's (Also) About Saving Our Schools

An open letter to anyone who cares about public education, and to anyone who thinks the Wisconsin recall elections are just about public employees and collective bargaining.

3 August 2011

Dear friends,

You may have noticed, in the past few weeks, a couple of events coming out of Wisconsin news: The first is that our recall elections are coming up, and on August 9 and 16 the people will vote to see which of our recalled Senators will remain in office.  Up for recall are both Republican and Democratic legislators, and the stakes are high around the state as the balance of power could potentially shift in our Republican-run regime. The second thing you might have heard about is our participation at the Save Our Schools event in Washington, DC, which had a large Wisconsin contingent. These two events are not unrelated.  Public schools are under attack, and the recall elections might be our last chance for a while to fight for them. I ask that you take a few minutes to consider the evidence and the potential impact of these elections on policies that directly effect our children, and their schools.

Exhibit A: Alberta Darling, the Republican Senator from District 8 who famously admitted that she does not listen to public testimony during the budget hearings because (1) people had "already spoken" on this issue "at the ballot box" (a lie in the extreme, when you consider that Scott Walker did NOT campaign on his education-killing budget), (2) the people who testified didn't matter because they weren't "taxpayers" (since taxpayers would be working at that time - the time she purposely selected to limit potential testimony) and (3) the hoards of people testifying against the bill were irrelevant to her, because they didn't represent the "silent majority" of Wisconsin citizens who were too busy or too lazy to speak up in support of the budget.  That Alberta Darling, you should know, is being sued for her violation of the Open Records Law in refusing to produce her correspondence and appointments with out-of-state groups like the American Federation for Children, who have poured over $500,000 into Wisconsin recall ads and contributed to the campaigns of Republican legislators across the state. Other legislators have complied with similar requests. Why won't Darling produce these records? What is she trying to hide? Exhibit B might provide some answers to that question.

Exhibit B: The influence of ALEC and the AFC on Wisconsin's trickle-down education legislation.

If you've been following the news about Wisconsin, you know that one of the things Wisconsin citizens are most angry about is the draconian, unnecessary cuts to public education - over $1.7 billion (!) in cuts to our schools, which are forced now to balance budgets by forcing teachers into early retirement and cutting programs that are essential to our most at-risk students. These cuts, however, don't come in vacuum. While Walker repeatedly claims these cuts are just mandatory hits that show how we all have to "tighten our belts," not all belts in Wisconsin are getting tighter. These cuts come hand-in-hand with corporate tax breaks, a 15% increase to road construction and to other areas that benefit funders of Walker's campaign, as well as increased funding to charter schools - including the use of public funds to provide vouchers for rich children to attend private schools, legislation that comes to us directly from the coffers of one of Wisconsin's major campaign contributors: Amway/Prince mogul Betsy DeVos and her astroturfing front-group, American Federation for Children, a group which has a national aim to privatize public education.  Michigan-based Betsy DeVos is perhaps most famous for her openness in acknowledging that she expects a "return" on her political investments - "buying influence," she calls it - a return that her Wisconsin investments, Scott Walker, Scott and Jeff Fitzgerald (the brothers who serve as heads of the Wisconsin Senate and House), Senator Alberta Darling, Representative Robin Vos (the current WI head of ALEC), and others (including some Democrats) are apparently more than willing to provide. It's also worth noting that Scott Jensen, the former Wisconsin Assembly Speaker who was convicted of felony charges of abuse of office, sits on the AFC board as "Senior Advisor" to its "Governmental Affairs Team." The conservative group The Presidential Coalition, an offshoot of Citizens United, has spent $300,000 in ads supporting Republican Luther Olsen in his race against Fred Clark in District 14. Ethics violations have been filed against tax-dodger Kim Simac, who's challenging incumbent Jim Holperin (D) in District 12, for failing to included the "paid by" on her tv ads. While both sides have raised significant funds at the grassroots and local level, the number of out-of-state special interest groups pouring money into keeping the Wisconsin Senate Republican is directly linked to the national movement to privatize public schools, a fact that voters should not overlook when entering the ballot boxes in the upcoming weeks. What return do they expect on their "investments"? Is the quality of your child's education a price you are willing to pay for it?

Exhibit C: Scott Walker, national pawn poster boy for "school choice." 

Code for privatizing public education, "school choice" legislation slowly defunds public schools as it builds up programs to fund private education.  With millions of dollars pouring into these efforts, our own Scott Walker has become the national model for the shameless exploitation of public funds in the name of "education." When he signed into law the voucher bill that conservative news outlet Newsmax glowingly called "the largest expansion to the state’s school choice programs in history," Betsy DeVos sang his praises: “Governor Walker and state legislators pledged to put Wisconsin’s children first, and today that important pledge has become law. We encourage governors and state legislators across the nation to be equally bold in fighting for the creation and expansion of school choice programs.” Claiming to represent minorities and low-income interests, the AFC garners misleading "support" from conservative front groups like School Choice Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Council of Religious & Independent Schools, Hispanics for School Choice, and Democrats for Education Reform, all of which have similar goals of using public funds to support private education with the elimination of income caps, district regulations, teacher accreditation, testing and curriculum requirements, and the legal requisite of citizen input and transparency.  In short, the privatization and deregulation of public education, which can be more simply and accurately referred to as the destruction of public education as we know it. And Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is marching at the forefront of this movement, proudly presenting the keynote address at the AFC's annual national conference in Washington, D.C. this spring. Dean Pagani sums up Walker's speech perfectly:

The keynote speech at the AFC summit was given by Wisconsin’s Scott Walker, who has become the symbol of the taxpayer battle against public employee unions. His remarks however did not dwell on the labor/management aspect of the choice movement. Instead, Walker made a direct connection between school choice and economic expansion. More than half a dozen times during his remarks he came back to the idea that statistics in his state show the more choice has expanded the more the economic strength of the state has “expanded on a parallel track.”

Walker and those who supported his education-killing budget know exactly what's at stake here. They are willing to sacrifice the good of our schools and the quality of public education for the benefit of the few, and the already-affluent. They do not have my children's interests in mind, and unless you're rich, they don't care about your kids, either.   This is why we need to recall Scott Walker, Alberta Darling, and every other Wisconsin legislator who supported this bill. They all ran on a pro-education platforms, and have since done everything in their power to defund public education in favor of a privatized, tax-payer funded private school system.  Ironically, they continue to depict outraged Wisconsin citizens as 'out-of-state' dissidents or union thugs, while they meet behind closed doors with members of ALEC and the AFC, selling our kids to the highest bidder and asking us to pay the price.

I ask that you join me in sharing with your friends and neighbors in Wisconsin the importance of these recall elections - to us, and to the rest of the country as they watch these elections unfold. People need to know what is really at stake here. It's not just about unions. It's not about money, or partisan politics, or collective bargaining. It's about all that, and more. It's about transparency. It's about voter rights, worker rights, human rights. It's about protecting our state from national policy-pushers whose policies will only benefit the few. It's about protecting our schools.  It's about our kids.  And my kids are not for sale, and their education isn't either. How about yours?

Sincerely,
Heather DuBois Bourenane
Wisconsin taxpayer, parent, and supporter of public education

Scott Walker's keynote address at the AFC national policy summit. "National policy," eh? What about states' rights and local governance?  Who do you want deciding on the curriculum at your kids' school? If you want to remain a part of this process, these recall elections matter more than you realize. When public schools are privatized, citizen input and publicly elected school boards are a thing of the past.  The Wisconsin legislators who voted in blind partisan support of Walker's policies have abandoned our schools and the communities they serve. That is why I'm working to see them recalled. They have broken their promises and sold out our kids. It's about the children.  It's about the schools.

UPDATE: On Aug. 3, 2011, a day after a lawsuit was filed against her for withholding public information in violation of the Open Records Law, Alberta Darling produced the requested information regarding her relationship with the American Foundation for Children, currently pouring hundreds of thousands of dollars into her campaign.  See more here and see the emails, which clearly show the AFC's hand in authoring the Wisconsin legislation, here.

How to Survive Without Money Using Scott Walker's "Tools"

25 July 2011

Dear friends of dissent,

cc: Scott Walker

If you've been paying attention, you've probably noticed Wisconsin governor Scott Walker often mentions the "tools" he's given us to "tighten our belts" and wondered what this meant, on account of he hasn't actually done anything that benefits anyone in this state except the very richest.  Turns out, interestingly, that these "tools" are "helpful cuts to your pay and benefits" and the "tighten your belt" part really does mean "get skinnier," because you're starving now. Good thing for us, though, a little starving never hurt anyone, unless you get to the part where you "starve to death," which you should try to avoid at all costs. So here are some handy tips on how to get the most out of the tools Scott Walker was generous enough to provide you, but without actually dying:


Buying food

1. Pack a brown bag, plebe! Who do you think you are, eating in restaurants? Paul Ryan? Know your place.
2. Save money on food by not getting hungry.
3. If you must eat (since you leftists think you're entitled to everything!), save money by only eating food that is offered to you free of charge at parties, potlucks, and homeless shelters.
4. Consider going on a grocery strike (since you leftists love striking so much!) and just don't buy a single item of food until your cupboards are completely bare (or did you also think you were "entitled" to a stocked pantry?)
5.  Clean out your fridge and pantry to surprise yourself with things you forgot you had and make a feast. What? After throwing out all the things that expired on or before 2005 you're left with only a box of baking soda, vinegar and some almost-stale tortillas? Wasteful ingrates like you don't deserve to eat.  Make a volcano burrito. It might be good.
6. Raid the neighbor's vegetable garden in the dark of night (since you leftists love organic produce so much). The next day, be sure to go on and on about "all those damned raccoons" you've been seeing in her yard.
7. Swallow your pride. It's more filling than you'd think. 

Buying other stuff

1. Only buy anything if it's on clearance AND you have a coupon. Start referring to your coupon folder as your "tool box."  
2. Reduce! Measure shampoo into a thimble before washing your hair. Limit showers to 2 minutes or less. Only flush the toilet when company is coming over.
3. Reuse!  Use old bills you can't pay as scratch paper for writing lists of all the things your kids aren't going to be able to do this summer because you're so broke.
4. Recycle! Sew last year's too-small winter coats together to make trendy ponchos for the kids to wear this year!
5. Who needs new clothes when you already have so much right here? Kids growing too fast? Just tell them capris and half-shirts are back in style. Shoes have too many holes in them? There's a name for that - sandals! Wardrobe needs a facelift? Give everything a whole new look by embroidering "Recall Walker" on it.
6. Redefine "essentials." Do you really "need" things like deodorant, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?
7.  Take "window shopping" to the next level by just leaving your full cart of stuff at the store. Pretend you bought it, but later, when you go to wash the dishes and there's still no detergent, say "Boy, that went fast!" (repeat)
8. Buy a really fancy copier and just make your own money. The fancy copier just paid for itself! And now you're rich! You can buy anything! [Note: If it doesn't work out, this tip has the bonus advantage of providing potential free room and board in the form of jail time!]

Paying Bills
Unfortunately, even if you follow all of the advice above, your tools don't work on bills, which continue to go up, even though your pay has gone way down.  Luckily, though, there are a couple of options for you:

1. Cancel everything and move into a cardboard box. Problem solved!
2. Move to a state with more jobs and fewer tools.
3. Recall Walker, or persuade him to resign, and elect politicians who are invested in Wisconsin families rather than their corporate funders.

I hope you find this invaluable advice useful and wish you the best surviving Scott Walker.  Let me know how it goes.

Yours in poverty and dissent,

Heather DuBois Bourenane

"I'm 96 years old, and I'm not a Republican anymore. Thank you."

A Wisconsin grandmother speaks out 
against Scott Walker and the Wisconsin GOP 

and thanks the protesters for fighting for her rights.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bluerobot/5491328318/sizes/z/in/photostream/

The following letter was shared with me by my friend, Melissa Luther, who has been active in the Wisconsin protests since Governor Scott Walker first announced his intentions to "balance" our budget on the backs of the poor, the elderly and our children, while taking away workers' rights and granting exorbitant tax cuts to corporations. It is a powerful reminder that we are not alone, and our work is not in vain.  It is a thank you to all who have stood up to challenge these attacks on Wisconsin families. And it is a plea to those who think our struggle is all about partisan politics:  listen to what Katherine has to say.  Listen to her daughter. And ask yourself, "Who is on my side? Who is standing up for me and my family?" 

Melissa received this email from a woman named Shelly on Friday, July 23, 2011. Shelly had sent the letter to one of the phone bank organizers and asked that it be forwarded to every volunteer for the recall campaigns, and we're sharing it here so that everyone can hear this touching story of unexpected solidarity and thanks  to every person who is fighting against the blindly partisan power-grab of the GOP whether it be through volunteering, sharing information, protesting, organizing to support the  recall elections, helping the elderly procure voter id cards now that the poll tax has been enacted, etc.  Thanks to Melissa for sharing this with me, and especially to Shelly and Katherine for sharing their stories. Might want to grab a Kleenex.

Hello,

My name is Shelly. My mother, Katherine, asked me to send this e-mail to you. She is 96 years old and unable to use a computer. I want to be clear that these are HER words, I am only her scribe.

Hello, my name is Katherine. I was born in West Virginia however I have lived in Wisconsin since 1973. That's when my husband Edward retired from serving in the Air Force. Edward passed away 6 years ago and let me tell you! It's not been easy surviving without him but I keep going everyday because I have a family that still needs me. We have 3 beautiful daughters and many grandkids. Edward and I have been Republicans all our lives but I knew him well enough to know that he'd roll over in his grave if he knew what Republicans are these days. 

I must say, I'm quite disappointed. I have been listening to the news and have been reading in the paper all the things that they are trying to do and I just don't understand it. They are trying to take away my insurance. They want to take my daughters rights away too. She's a teacher and a damn good one. It all just makes me angry. Really angry. Edward proudly served this country and risked his life and this is how they repay us? This is how they repay our family? Why are they doing this? Is it for money? Is it for power? I've seen a lot of things but I always thought we were safe here because of our government. Not that we'd need protection from them. Not in America. 

But now I'm hearing about all of the people who are out there working against them and all I know is that they're doing what's right. That's the reason for this letter. I am 96 and I can barely walk anymore. I have lost vision and hearing over the years as well. I would like to help, but I just can't. So what I want is to say thank you. To the people protesting. To the people calling my house. To the young man who knocked on my door to remind me about the election that I voted in last week. You are fighting for me because I can't fight for myself and everyday I pray that God blesses you and keeps you safe and healthy. Keep up the good work and don't stop until they can't do anything more to our state that will hurt us good citizens. 

I'm not a Republican anymore and won't be again until they get their act together. I hope that someday, in my lifetime, I see our government work in peace again.

God bless you,
Katherine

And from me. My name is Shelly and I also want to thank each and every one of you. I teach 4th grade and am quite repulsed by the attack on my profession. I am also disgusted with our government on a federal level. The Republican Party has lost sight of true American values. Thank you for rising up against their attack. Thank you for volunteering your time and money into these recall efforts. Thank you for looking into the eyes of the ones who will be hurt by their despicable policies and defending them and reminding them that there is hope. You are all heroes and I'm proud to fight with you.

In solidarity,
Shelly

Forward!

The Gall of the Wisconsin State Journal

Below is my letter to the editor of the Wisconsin State Journal regarding the paper's decision to run, on the day that Walker signed his budget into law, an opinion piece lambasting supporters of the recalls and painting them as motivated only by anger, partisanship and stubbornness. I don't count on the State Journal to provide much in terms of real commentary; the paper is a corporate mouthpiece and they rarely stray from their dollared script.  But I did expect them to at least address the topic of the budget on the day Walker signed the bill, and I did not expect them to so soundly disrespect the concerns of their readers.  Needless to say, I was disappointed in their editorial perspective and felt compelled to share my opinion. As most of you know,I've got a couple of working mottos - and one of them is this:

If you don't have anything nice to say, 

you have identified a topic about which you are morally obligated to speak at length.

So here's my two cents, and I encourage anyone who agrees that the recall efforts are not, in fact, a waste of time, but a moral imperative, to write the editor as well.

Update:  The editor, Scott Milfred, was kind enough to respond to my concerns and I have included our exchange below, and informed him that I've done so, to which he did not object.

------------------------------

To: The Wisconsin State Journal

Re: Rampant recalls wrong (6/26)

Dear Editor,
 

I was shocked and disgusted to turn to today’s opinion page and find a giant photo and opinion piece, Rampant recalls wrong, just above an insulting cartoon depicting those opposed to Gov. Walker's budget as senseless chickens squawking about.  Of all days, you chose the day Walker signs his budget to announce that you - like he (surprise!) - feel the recalls are a distraction and a waste of time.  I was even more disgusted when I found the article online under the title "The gall of recalls."

Let's set aside the obvious: your consistently editorializing reportage and the hypocrisy of the fact that Walker himself, when elected through a recall election to the seat of County Executive, called recalls “patriotic” and made a tv ad praising recalls as the people's effort to "take their government back."  Apparently, recalls are only patriotic if the person being recalled is a Democrat.

I disagree with the content of the editorial, and that’s fine. We don’t have to agree. But your editorial is offensive because its central assumption (that foes of Walker want to recall him – and certain justices because they’re “mad” at him or for purely political reasons) trivializes the very real concerns that  Wisconsin citizens - and not just public workers - have about Walker's disingenuous budget, corporatist agenda and refusal to communicate with his constituents.

Worse, though, it angers me that this is the piece you chose to run ON THE DAY WALKER SIGNED THE BUDGET. Of all the editorial possibilities this day provided you,  your choice to trivialize the passionate and informed concerns of so many of your readers is insulting at best and a pandering journalistic ruse at worst. By posting this piece today, you shift public attention from the place it should be - on the budget and its catastrophic potential for Wisconsin - and point your own finger of shame at the people who dare to stand up for their state to protect and preserve democracy. What gall indeed. Shame on you.

I received my renewal notice in the mail this week. Don’t hold your breath for my check.

Heather DuBois Bourenane

This cartoon by Paul Hand was just below the editorial, which did little to soften my fury.

UPDATE       28 June 2011

This is the reply I received from the Wisconsin State Journal by email:

Subject

RE: The gall indeed

Thanks for the feedback.

I really don't think it's such a dastardly position to take that rampant recalls are not a good thing from Wisconsin, regardless of whether it's the left or right launching them.

And clearly you are mad at Walker, no? Are you really suggesting anger at Walker over his striping of collective bargaining rights isn't a key factor driving the recalls?

Heck, we are even mad at Walker for some of his dumb moves. And we like some of what he's doing. While we endorsed Walker for governor, we endorsed more Democrats than Republicans for the Legislature. We are fans of split government.

We think offering and allowing a diversity of views on our Opinion page is a good thing for our community and democracy. If you think we are shameful for doing so, I can accept that. But I really think you are reading WAY into one opinion piece that you disagree with. I read opinions on the Opinion page every day that I disagree with. That's because we give preference to publishing reader views that differ from our own. I would find the Opinion page pretty boring if it only reinforced my views every day.

Regardless, if you really think rampant recalls -- those launched by the left and the right -- are good for Wisconsin, why don't you join the conversation and send us a 200-word letter to the editor that includes your address and phone number for verification.

Sincerely,

Scott Milfred
editorial page editor
Wisconsin State Journal
(608) 252-6110
smilfred@madison.com
www.scottmilfred.com
Twitter: @ScottMilfred

and my response to that reply:

Dear Mr. Milfred,

Is this a form response or are you talking to me? Because I don't get the impression from your note that you actually read my letter, which addresses (primarily) your editorial gall in ignoring the budget and making absurd claims about "rampant" recalls (before the recall elections even begin!) on the day Walker signed the budget. As my letter makes clear, it would have been preferable to catalog your reasons for loving Walker's budget (and vetoes! you had access to these with plenty of time to editorialize!) than to ignore the news of the day on your opinion page. 

I find it laughably hypocritical (literally: I laughed aloud at your letter) that you would reply to readers who offer angry and dissenting opinions by saying "a diversity of opinions is a good thing..." so how dare you object to my point of view!  Good one.

I don't expect - or desire - to agree with the editorials from the WSJ; I know you tow the Lee Enterprises line and therefore cannot be considered a reliable news source. So don't flatter yourself by thinking my subscription was a reflection of the paper's content; I subscribed to the Sunday-only Wisconsin State Journal for the coupons (because I'm a fat-cat state worker who's living so high on the hog that I can't even go to the grocery store without my folder full of clippings). News, I get elsewhere. As of Sunday, I also get my coupons elsewhere.

As to your question about being mad at Walker: of COURSE people are mad at Walker, and anger is a motivating force in politics. But to assume that the anger - and not the reasons we are angry - is what drives the need to force him out of office, is precisely what is offensive about your initial opinion piece, and also the email you just sent me.

Sincerely,
Heather

PS There's a typo in your message, so if it is a form response you might want to edit it before you send it to others. It should say "WAY too much..." I believe.  While you're editing, you might also do something about the terribly condescending tone of it, too. People who read the opinion page don't really need to be told that conflicting views are a good thing, for instance.

Reply #2 from Scott Milfred (28 June 2011)

Subject

RE: RE: The gall indeed

Heather,

We most definitely have not ignored the budget. Since you say you don't read the newspaper often, that's probably why you missed all of this. Our top priority, in fact, for this year on the Opinion page has been fixing the state budget mess. And we have weighed in on the state budget dozens of times in just the last few months -- back when it mattered, before the guv signed the thing. WE supported some aspects of the budget and railed against other parts of it.

You really seem to be unloading on the newspaper because you disagreed with one editorial. And what precisely is the Lee Enterprises line? We supported gay marriage before Russ Feingold had the guts to, we're pro-choice, pro-medical marijuana, pro-alternative energy, support most school referendums, want to clean up the embarrassing Supreme Court, fight for open and good government, support a higher beer and gas tax, opposed the Las Vegas loophole -- a key Democratic priority last session -- and just endorsed more Democrats than Republicans in the last (regular, not recall) election.

Is this the terrible agenda you dislike?

Sincerely,

Scott Milfred
editorial page editor
Wisconsin State Journal
(608) 252-6110
smilfred@madison.com
www.scottmilfred.com
Twitter: @ScottMilfred

And response #2 from yours truly:

Dear Scott,

Thanks for your note. I'm not entirely clear on why you're trying to engage me in debate on these issues, considering I was just trying to submit a letter to the editor for publication. I feel compelled to respond, though, to clarify a couple of things, since, for an editor, you do not seem to read particularly closely.

I did not accuse you of ignoring the budget. I simply said (which is clear, again, if you read my original letter) that it is an absurdly telling editorial choice that you would post a piece on the "wrongness" of the recalls on the day Walker signed the budget. 

I also never said I don't read the paper; I do, daily, online (though I admit I go to the Capital Times page first). I said I don't expect to agree with your editorials, and that I don't  consider you a reliable source of news due to your established conservative bias, which taints and distorts most of your reporting. My concerns with Lee Enterprises have to do with the increasingly conservative tone of the paper, and its apparent influence over Madison Newspaper's drive to render obsolete and relegate it to online-only the paper I trusted much more for independent news, the Cap Times.

Your laundry list of things with which I might agree is interestingly irrelevant to my letter and my concerns, and your assumption that I am not aware of these things, is (yet again) annoyingly condescending. Your decision to promote yourself, rather than address the responsibility you bear in shaping the political discourse in Madison and throughout the state, speaks volumes.

I find it ridiculous that you accuse me of "unloading on the paper because I disagree with one editorial."  I wrote a letter to the editor on the topic of one of editorial, which ran last Sunday. It's my understanding that this is the customary approach in a Letter to the Editor. If you prefer, in the future, that your readers address every single item with which they disagree, you might consider lifting your 200-word limit restriction.  I have disagreed with countless editorials that you have provided, but that has little to do with the topic of the letter I wrote on Sunday.

If you're trying to win back a customer, by the way, you're taking a curious approach. 

Heather

PS: Just so you know, I maintain a blog, Monoloques of Dissent, where I make public my open letters to Scott Walker and others.  I have posted this correspondence on my page, with links to the editorial in  your paper, as I thought your previous response was an autoreply. I plan to post this reply as well, unless you have reason to request otherwise. I assume that as editor of the opinion page you do not have a problem with your response to my letter being made public.

 Reply #3 from Scott Milfred (28 June 2011)

Subject  RE: RE: RE: The gall indeed
I've been trying to address your concerns.

If you'd like to submit a letter to the editor, it needs to be 200 words. We limit the length so more voices can be heard. Also, you would need to include both your phone number and address for verification.

I'm glad we agree on my long laundry list! :)

Scott Milfred
editorial page editor
Wisconsin State Journal
(608) 252-6110
smilfred@madison.com
www.scottmilfred.com
Twitter: @ScottMilfred

And response #3 from yours truly:

Dear Scott,

I do appreciate that  you've been trying to address my concerns, but you did ask me a number of direct questions in your email, which I interpret (rightfully) as engaging me in debate about these topics.  Apologies, however, if I mistook these questions for literal ones if you meant them rhetorically. If, however, the latter is the case, I think your response was even more condescending than I originally thought.

Here is an abbreviated 195-word version of my initial letter which I hope you will consider including - sorry I didn't meet the word requirement the first time around; thought I came close. But being brief is not my specialty.
--------------------------------

Dear Editor,

I was disgusted to find Rampant recalls wrong, just above a cartoon depicting those opposed to Gov. Walker's budget as senseless chickens squawking about.  I was even more disgusted to find the article online under the title "The gall of recalls” (which you have since changed).

Your editorial is offensive because its central assumption (that the recalls are motivated simply by people being “mad,” or for purely political reasons) trivializes the very real concerns that taxpaying Wisconsin citizens have about Walker's blatant dishonesty, unconscionable budget, corporatist agenda and refusal to communicate with his constituents.

Worse, though, is that this is the piece you chose to run on the day Walker signed the budget.  Of all your editorial possibilities, your choice to disregard the informed concerns of so many citizens is insulting at best and a pandering journalistic ruse at worst. By posting this piece today, you shift public attention from the place it should be - on the budget and its catastrophic potential for Wisconsin - and point your own finger of shame at the people who dare to stand up for their state to protect and preserve democracy. What gall indeed. Shame on you.

Heather DuBois Bourenane
(address, phone - again)

 Reply #4 from Scott Milfred (28 June 2011)

I think you are reading into my responses. Maybe I am reading into yours. That's one of the downsides of email. In any case, your letter looks fine to me, and thanks for the verification info.

Scott Milfred
editorial page editor
Wisconsin State Journal
(608) 252-6110
smilfred@madison.com
www.scottmilfred.com
Twitter: @ScottMilfred

 Response #4 from me (28 June 2011)

That could very well be, Scott. I do tend to read into things. 

I just realized, though, that I forgot to add the postscript to my original letter, which I feel is important!  Can you please make sure this gets added if you do chose to print my letter:

My subscription ends today.

Good thing I had 5 words left!

In any case, none of this is intended to be personal, and I hope it didn't come across as such. My disappointment with the paper is a reflection on the editorial tone and content of the paper more generally, and of the decision to run this particular opinion piece on a day when you were well aware that many Wisconsin citizens were extremely invested in, and devastated by, the signing into law of a bill they view as detrimental enough to the welfare of the state that it warrants a recall.

Look at that! I was just kind of brief. That's new for me. 

Thanks for considering the letter,
Heather

Update (6/28/2011): I came home to a very cordial message from Mr. Milfred on my answering machine, saying he enjoyed our exchange this afternoon and that my letter will be printed in the Sunday paper. Thanks, Scott! I'll look for it online! 

Update (7/4/2012): My letter, sans postscript, did appear in yesterday's paper, and online here.  
 

Governor Announces Brown Bag Q&A with Walkerville Denizens

8 June 2011

Dear Scott Walker,

Cool logo, huh? The AFL-CIO made it. This is not a camping trip.

Good news! A symbolic contingent of that "handful of people" you keep talking about has has camped out outside of the Capitol to let you know that we, the people, continue to oppose, and will not tolerate, your abuse of power.  They've made a beautiful encampment around the Capitol Square, and even named it after you: Walkerville. I can't even imagine how that must make you feel! I couldn't wait to tell you this because I hadn't heard yet that you'd noticed, and I think this is an excellent opportunity for you to take your famous brown bag (tm) outside for lunch one of these days and field a few questions that some of them have for you.  Get someone to work right now on the press release: Governor Announces Brown Bag Q&A with Walkerville Denizens. Do you have any idea how good that makes you look to the rest of the world (which is still, by the way, watching)?

I stand in solidarity with all of these people. You may have heard of "solidarity" in some of the singing that really annoys some people (isn't freedom of speech annoying?!), because one of the songs we like to sing is called called "Solidarity Forever" (which you might know by its other name, "The Battle Hymn Against the Republicans"). Solidarity means we stand together, and speak with one voice, since we share the same myriad concerns, so I took the liberty of volunteering to help you prep for this Q&A/listening session.  What follows is what I hope you'll find an extremely helpful list of questions you are likely to be asked and some suggestions for how you might respond (the cameras, obviously, will be on you, so you probably shouldn't just "wing it" like you have at recent events).  Think of it as a cheat sheet of sorts (we all know how you like cheating!), so you don't have to write anything on your hand or waste anyone's time with that vacant, open-mouthed pause you've perfected of late. 

I would normally not provide this kind of service free of charge, but I figure it's the kind of selfless bipartisan gesture that could really bring our sides together, so why not be the better person (as usual) and just help you out a bit?  Oh, and since one of the trends I've noticed in your public and press appearances is a tendency to lie incessantly, I thought it would be a nice change of pace if you played the "straight-shooter" here and were uncharacteristically honest.  I think this would go a long way in impressing both your supporters and your opponents, who would all feel they had the chance to get to know the real you, being honest and talking straight to the people you govern, munching the ham sandwich that has symbolically saved our state from the brink of financial collapse. So here you go:

Questions You Will Likely Field During Your 

Brown Bag "Listening Session" At Walkerville, 

and Suggested Responses:

Taxpayer: Why are you such an asshole? [variation: Why are you such a dick, bastard, idiot, etc?]

Editor's note: I'm very sorry to start with this one, but I figured it's either going to be the first or the most frequent question you'll be asked, so let's just get it out of the way before we move on to policy points.

Suggested response:  I'm sorry I've brought you to the point where you have no recourse but to use such language, but let's face it: I'm a total dick. And I'm going to stay that way until you either depose me or lose focus as a group and watch me get reelected for a second term, so get used to it.  I'm an arrogant, remorseless jerk, incapable of empathy [Editor's note: empathy is the ability to consider, relate to and understand the feelings and perspectives of others. Be sure to use this word, as both your supporters and your detractors will be thrilled to learn that you now know what it means]. I don't want to go into the "why" of it, because then we get into a long story about my childhood, and my college years, and my feelings of inadequacy and inferiority about dropping out of college, and the ensuing need to overcompensate and my contempt for anyone with a degree, so let's just leave that one off the table: I'm an asshole, and I'm not going to let a handful of out-of-state rabble rousers give the rest of the country the impression that the taxpayers of Wisconsin didn't know when they hired me to be CEO of this state that I am now, and I always have been, an asshole.

Taxpayer: Why do you hate my children?

Suggested response: Well, that's a complicated question, because there are so many angles to it. But I guess the main reason is because your children are not rich [or white, depending on who asked the question; in some cases you might say both]. My policies are carefully designed to benefit affluent families, whose predominately white children I actually love very much. So I don't hate all children, let me make that very clear. Just yours. Kids who go to private schools, kids who already have health insurance either through their married parents' work or through their single mother, are ok in my book. Kids who want to get a special voucher to let the state pay for them to go to a private school so that their parents can have a chance at cementing the racist class system that keeps so many people down all over this country - those kids I adore. Kids with disabilities, and just your average public school kids, not so much. And homeless kids? I can't even bear to look at them.

Taxpayer: Why do you hate my parents?

Suggested response: Hey now, that's not fair. You shouldn't just assume I hate your parents - your parents could be millionaires for all I know! 

If the person insists his/her parents are not millionaires, add this:

Just because I don't support programs like Senior Care, and just because the AARP has launched a major campaign to make sure people know how dangerous my policies are for the hundreds of thousands of senior citizens in our state - people who worked hard their whole lives and paid, diligently and patriotically into a system they trusted - doesn't mean I "hate" them. It just means I have no respect for them, and that I don't have a moral problem with their not being able to afford food, housing or medical care. It's so like you liberals to jump to a logical conclusion based on evidence and facts.

Taxpayer: Why do you hate me?

Suggested response: Well, it's a nice day and we're all here to listen and to move forward. So I'll just say that, again, just because I'm trying as hard as I can to force you out of your job, steal your pension, reduce your health care benefits, you name it!, doesn't mean I hate you. It just means I have no respect for you. None. In fact, I think my good friend Glenn Grothman said it best, and I think a lot of taxpayers are wondering what I'm doing right now, talking to you people when I could be out raising money to keep you in the gutter where you belong. So you could be a little more grateful, if you don't mind my saying. I'm here, aren't I? Next question.

Taxpayer: Why do you hate Wisconsin?

Suggested response: Well, I'm not from Wisconsin originally, but I did move here when I was 10, so I like to tell people I "grew up in Wisconsin" because, I was literally still growing then, and have continued to live here since. And I guess I would have to say, the main thing I hate about Wisconsin is its history. Especially its history of progressivism, union building, and success. I'd like to see all of this destroyed in a new, better Wisconsin, where there's less talk of "the people" and "moving forward" and more privatizing of everything. Look at craft beers for example - you guys like beers right? - imagine how much better off we'd all be if it was a little easier for Miller/Coors to compete with big brands like Anheuser-Busch? You'd support that, right? You'd take one for the team, right? That's my philosophy for Wisconsin: take one for the team. A team of highly paid corporate lackeys who will control your assets and make sure everything is taken care of. Just think of all the jobs that will be created when all those small-time breweries close down and then all of those people can get the new jobs that I'll create just for them! So don't worry about it! I've got this under control. That's another thing I hate about Wisconsin - there's just too much democracy. The people of this Wisconsin did not hire me to be CEO of this state so that I could spend all my time "listening to the people" and "representing them" - if I did that, nothing would get done around here. And I'm not going to let a handful of people show me what democracy looks like, even if I have to put an end to democracy to avoid seeing that.

Taxpayer: Why are you such a liar?

Suggested response: Well, that's a relative question. I think it's pretty clear, as Stephen Colbert once said, that reality does tend to have a pretty liberal bias, so telling the truth isn't really an option for me if I want to continue duping my supporters into thinking I have the best interests of this state in mind. But, you know, that's a good question, and you certainly have the right to express that point of view, and I respect that.

Taxpayer: What do you think about making the Cream Puff the state dessert, when people of this state have been advocating for years for the Kringle to take the honor?

Suggested response: [start with your phony cackling laugh to break the ice - this is a great question for you to try to wrap things up with!] Well, the people of the great state of Wisconsin really know better than anyone how to make a dessert, and the Cream Puff is pretty famous from what I understand, and there are probably people out there, from Illinois or the Twin Cities, who say the Kringle should have a chance, too. And they have every right to say that. But I'm not going to let a handful of people dictate what dessert the majority of people in line to buy Cream Puffs at the State Fair say is the best dessert in this great state. I'm not going to let them do that. Cream Puffs may be nationally ubiquitous (like the robin), but ours are the best, and we're not going to let them stop us from moving forward on this. And when the people of Wisconsin elected me to be CEO of this state, they knew I was the kind of guy who would make the bold moves, and, hey, we're broke! It's not about "what do we want?" here, it's about "what's going to fix this crisis?" And if there's one thing that can turn this state around, it's our famous Cream Puff.

------

And there you have it! You'll probably get some variations on these same questions, but I think if you just stick to the script and your usual talking points, this could be a really mutually beneficial event and I do not have a doubt that after all these months of being alternately ignored and insulted by you, forcing you to have an actual, meaningful conversation with your constituents you would be the final nail in your political coffin, which is, of course, our ultimate goal.

So, I look forward to what could, potentially, be the last of your disgustingly hypocritical brown bag lunches, and that you'll take this opportunity either to wake up to the fact that we are not going away and you cannot ignore us, or resign.

Until you do,

Heather DuBois Bourenane

Wisconsin citizen and friend of Walkerville and all it represents to your growing and well-earned reputation as a hater of democracy

Walkerville at night is a beautiful sight. Photo: Madthinker.

This is not about the money.  And it never was.  Photo: Madthinker