Open Letter to J.B. Van Hollen: Stand up during "Sunshine Week"

Note: This letter is modeled on, and highly plagiarized (with permission) from Philippa Bergmann's excellent letter to Attorney General J. B. Van Hollen. I stand with Ms. Bergmann in calling on the people of Wisconsin to demand Mr. Van Hollen fulfill his duties as Attorney General - particularly after his declaration of "Sunshine Week" to celebrate transparency and citizen oversight of government. Van Hollen, a Republican, has been audibly silent during the past few weeks as Republican legislators and Scott Walker continue to violate Wisconsin law in forcing their (shared) political agenda through the legislature.  Please take action by calling and/or writing to Mr. Van Hollen yourself: Phone: (608) 266-1221. Fax: (608) 267-2779. Email: vanhollenjb@doj.state.wi.us  (I might add that this  email address has been recently removed from the DOJ website - nice transparency, huh?)

Wisconsin Department of Justice
P.O. Box 7857
Madison, WI 53707-7857

15 March 2011

Dear Mr. Van Hollen:

On February 28th, you wrote an address to the people of Wisconsin, the people you serve, the people who elected you, about this particular week, March 13th-19th, a nationally-proclaimed "Sunshine Week" highlighting the wonders of the transparency of a democratic government:

                "March 13-19 is Sunshine Week. This national initiative commemorates the transparency and citizen oversight so essential to our democratic system of government. Compliance with our state Open Meetings Law and Public Records Law is an essential duty of all Wisconsin government agencies, officials, and employees.

                As Wisconsin’s chief law enforcement officer, I bear special statutory responsibility for interpreting and providing advice about our Open Meetings Law and Public Records Law. I have committed the Department of Justice to educate government personnel and members of the public about these important laws, and to facilitate compliance with their requirements."

This is a fantastic idea and one can only assume you will celebrate your public display of honoring your statutory responsibility by enforcing the recent and very public infractions of these laws that have been committed by Republican members of the Wisconsin legislator, most notably in the illegal vote on Assembly Bill 11 on March 9, 2011, at which Minority Leader of the State Assembly, Peter Barca, read aloud YOUR OWN memo while the rest of those present simply ignored the law and participated in the illegal vote.  Senator Scott Fitzgerald and Representative Jeff Fitzgerald presided over these hearings with an arrogance and lack of respect for the law that was horrifying to watch. I personally watched this unfold, live, and could not believe the abuse of office and abuse of power I was witnessing. As Attorney General, you have clearly not gone far enough yet to “educate government personnel…and to facilitate compliance” with these laws. It is now required of you that you uphold these laws by holding those who violated them accountable.

Mr. Van Hollen, the entire state watched these events unfold. The entire world is watching. The video of these events records this explicit violation of the Open Meetings Law for all to see. Formal complaints have already been filed by Minority Leader of the State Assembly, Peter Barca, Mayor of the City of Madison, Dave Cieslewicz, and County Executive Kathleen Falk, which provide evidence of even further violations of State Law by the Republican legislators. 

You cannot sit by idly and pretend these abuses have not occured. As you say, Mr. Van Hollen, you bear special responsibility in regards to these important laws. Please stand up to your pledge to serve the people of this state and to uphold transparent democracy.

I am also extremely concerned over the following, which seems to indicate that a conflict of political interests may be preventing you from doing the job you were elected to do:  During his widely publicized telephone conversation with an imposter Governor Scott Walker presumed to be David Koch, Mr. Walker stated that he had the Attorney General's office "looking into" strategies to force the 14 Democratic Senators to return. This constitutes a misuse of the independently elected office of the Attorney General for primarily political motivations.  

You have been alarmingly absent and silent since February, Mr. Van Hollen. It is now Tuesday, March 15th, Day 3 of National "Sunshine Week." Where is our "Top Cop"? 

Sincerely,

Heather DuBois Bourenane

A Concerned Citizen of Wisconsin

Springing Forward: let's work together

Dear Mr. Walker and Mr. Fitzgerald,

Wow. Look how far ahead we've sprung already! THANK YOU to the people of Wisconsin for proving to the world that your momentary victory in the legislature does not translate into a victory over the people. You cannot ignore us forever! You have, in fact, a moral and legal obligation to represent us. So let's start working together. I have a few ideas on how we could do this most effectively, while being respectful of our rights to speak freely and openly about our many political disagreements.

First, it would be helpful if I could get a schedule of all of your public speaking engagements, so I can join the other Walker stalkers and Fitzgeraldphobes to show my disdain for you publicly. I know you've been trying your best to avoid this by steering clear of Madison, entering and exiting the people's house through your secret (and, apparently, Republican only) tunnels, and attending events which you think only will be attended by millionaires and other people who support you (i.e. aspiring millionaires, their underlings, and the feeble-minded - by which I mean Tea Partiers). And you're doing a pretty good job avoiding that, actually. So I was really happy to see the warm reception Mr. Walker received at your northwoods fundraising hideout and then again at your Republican dinner in Howard. The shouts of "RECALL WALKER" and "SHAME! SHAME! SHAME!" can be heard around the world. Our new slogan: "Where he goes, we go." This way we don't have to worry about your weasly habit of pretending your detractors are only Madison liberals and other ne'er-do-wells, and we can make sure everyone knows how universally hated the two of you are.  So if you could send me your schedules (maybe on Sunday nights? so I could get the week planned out?), that would be great.

Second, I think another very effective way to work together would be if you could please stop breaking the law and defying the Constitution in abuse after abuse of power. For starters, as I've been saying all along, your attempts to take away our right to collective bargaining violate federal and international human rights law, which is a biggie.  And then there's Mr. Walker's continued attempts to misuse and abuse his powers by forcing the police to illegally serve as his palace guards, an act which puts both parties in legal jeopardy. And don't even get me started on the lying and other ethics violations - I'm sure you remember talking about those in other letters I've sent you.  But the email Mr. Fitzgerald sent today to the other Republican Senators really crossed the line. If you haven't read it yet, Mr. Walker, it went like this ( I copied and pasted the whole thing  - you aren't going to believe what he says!):


--------------------------------------------------------
Sen. Fitzgerald: Email re: Senate Democrat voting privileges in standing committees
From: Sen.Fitzgerald
Sent: Monday, March 14, 2011 3:52 PM
To: *Legislative Senate Republicans
Subject: Senate Democrat voting privileges in standing committees

Dear Members,

With the return of the Senate Democrats this weekend, questions have arisen regarding Democrat members’ participation in Senate standing committee public hearings and executive sessions.

Please note that all 14 Democrat senators are still in contempt of the Senate. Therefore, when taking roll call votes on amendments and bills during executive sessions, Senate Democrats’ votes will not be reflected in the Records of Committee Proceedings or the Senate Journal. They are free to attend hearings, listen to testimony, debate legislation, introduce amendments, and cast votes to signal their support/opposition, but those votes will not count, and will not be recorded.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact my office.

Thank you,

Scott Fitzgerald
Senate Majority Leader
13th Senate District
--------------------------------------------------------

Obviously, I find this troubling since Mr. Fitzgerald is clearly in contempt himself, if not outright breaking the law, by refusing to allow elected officials the right to vote and threatening to keep them indefinitely from exercising their Senatorial duties. I imagine we'll be seeing his resignation soon over this abuse of power, but in the meantime, I think it would be really helpful if you could just make a public call for that, Mr. Walker. Can you do that? Because I think putting some political pressure on him would help a lot.

Also, since I live in Senator Mark Miller's district, I'm wondering if all this means I don't have to pay taxes anymore, on account of no longer being represented.  Please let me know because I have some shopping to do tomorrow.  It would be a real shame to go back to the old days of taxation without representation. Wars are waged over such things! Class and otherwise.

Finally, I think it would be extremely helpful for both me personally and all of the people of Wisconsin if you could help us distinguish between when you two are taking your orders directly from God and when you're just doing what the Tea Party billionaires tell you to do. Because it's getting kind of confusing on our end, and I would hate to get mad at the Lord for nothing, when my anger should rightfully be directed at the Koch brothers, or the Menardses, or that Home Depot guy or whatever.  So maybe if you could start your speeches with "And then God said I should prohibit the Democrats from voting by forcing them to get id cards that I knew many of them would have difficulty obtaining" or "The Lord spoke to me, and said, Wisconsin will be much better off if we create a climate of hate and disrespect for teachers, seniors and children" or "I prayed on it, and God revealed that I should take the path toward corporate ownership of state resources."  This would clear up so much.

Thanks for listening, and I look forward to working together on this! Let me know if you need anything from my end! I could be very helpful in editing or writing resignation letters and/or public apologies, and I'm also very good at organizing things, reading, and listening to others - all trouble areas for you, so I think this will be mutually beneficial!

Here's to working together until you resign or get impeached,

Heather DuBois Bourenane

Welcome to the Wisconsin Renaissance!

12 March 2011

Dear Mr. Walker:

Yesterday, you staged a ceremony in which you symbolically killed the labor unions of the working people of Wisconsin.

Thank you, for giving us the chance to be reborn.  I cannot wait to get to work restoring the liberties and dignities of Wisconsin workers!

I'm out of town at the moment but have been assured that at least 100,000 of my closest friends will be in Madison today to send the message: Wisconsin is alive and well! The people are rising and the people will win - at the ballot box, in the workplace, and for the future of our children.  Forward!  Thanks, Mr. Walker, for the very hard push.

Forward! Until you resign,


Please resign,
Heather DuBois Bourenane

P.S. My 11-year-old nephew, whose birthday we are celebrating this weekend, asked me to share this special message with you in honor of this great awakening: "Mr. Walker, you are stinky and smelly. You smell."

Waterloo, Wisconsin

11 March 2011

Dear Mr. Walker:

Today you ignored the facts, the advice, the arguments, the pleas and the tears of the smartest and hardest working people of this state. None of us will forget it. And we will pay the price for years to come.

Today we refocus our efforts toward your recall and preventing the passing of the rest of your budget bill, to salvage what we can for public education, public health, and public services.

You may think you've won, that you've already sold it, but Wisconsin is not for sale, and it's not yours for the selling.  You clearly count this as a victory, but Naomi Klein is right - this isn't your "air traffic controllers moment - it's your Waterloo."

Resign, before we resign you,

Heather DuBois Bourenane

Your resignation, and ours

10 March 2011

Dear Mr. Walker:

Today you proudly celebrated the darkest day in Wisconsin political history, demolishing 50 years of a great American tradition that began right here in Madison. Tomorrow you will sign that darkness into law (assuming your lawyers let you do so). And you'll go before the cameras, and lie again to the people of this state about how ripping away the rights of workers will help create jobs. You'll make snide remarks about "doing their jobs" and putting government to work. You'll refer again to your manufactured crisis and pretend the only way to fix it is if those of us who already give the most give more. I'm not looking forward to tomorrow.

Today, I read your sophomoric drivel in the Wall Street Journal, which was basically just lifted from previous speeches, and full of misleading examples that you don't support with any evidence whatsoever. I heard you applaud the illegal vote, the unannounced meeting, the devious way your legislators weasled this bill through. I heard your idiotic admission that the bill is a fiscal measure, providing the illegality of voting on it without a quorum. I heard you, yet again, directly oppose "hardworking taxpayers of Wisconsin" to "government employees" as if we don't also work hard, or pay taxes, or deserve to be referred to as citizens of this state.

I went to the Capitol today, twice. I saw a few thousand people, many of them teary-eyed, singing the national anthem. I saw video of elected officials being once again barred from entering their workplace. I watched live as the Assembly passed this bill in just as disgraceful and shameful a manner as the Senate did last night.

And I saw something new in the faces of the people of Wisconsin. A controlled and courteous anger, to be sure, but that was already there. What I saw today was resolve. I saw people who are angry, and determined and strong, and are resigned to not give up this fight. We will succeed in our recall efforts. We will win at the polls in April. We will restore Wisconsin to its rightful Blue State status and reclaim the rights that so many people fought, and even died, to protect. We will ensure that schools, BadgerCare, SeniorCare, are sufficiently funded, since we know what matters most. We will insist that those who can most afford to pay their share. And we will see your political career go down the toilet. The bill, however, we won't flush. We'll recycle that, like good lefties do. Because we're also taking back our recycling program.

Shame on you, Mr. Walker, and shame on the Republicans who voted with you.

Please resign,
Heather DuBois Bourenane

 

Shame! Shame! Shame!

9 March 2011

Mr. Walker, Mr. Fitzgerald, and all of the Republican Senators (excepting Dale Schultz) of Wisconsin:

Shame on you.

Shame on you for your "childish stunts" that have "tarnished the very institution of the Wisconsin state Senate," as Mr. Fitzgerald - without any sense of irony or dignity - accused Senator Mark Miller for standing up to defend the rights of the citzens of Wisconsin.

Shame on you for thinking you can defy the law, reject the Constitution, ignore the voices of your constituents.

Shame on you for your cowardly actions, your subversive and disastrous efforts to put your own agendas before the needs of the people of Wisconsin.

Shame on you for hijacking the people's house and abusing your power at every turn.

Shame on your for attacking the rights of hard-working, tax-paying citizens and treating them as if they were less than human.

You have brought shame to our state and the people will not stand for it. If you thought we were fighting this bill before, get ready to see some REAL peaceful protesting.  The collective bargaining blow is beyond the pale, but it's only the tip of the iceberg. I will see you at the Capitol tomorrow.

Shame! Shame! Shame!

Heather DuBois Bourenane

Your political agenda, your phony emails, and a plan for action

9 March 2011

Dear Mr. Walker and Mr. Fitzgerald,

Today Mr. Fitzgerald finally admitted on national television that the motivation behind your undemocratic and unlawful attempts to push your bill through using a phony "crisis" is entirely about destroying the unions for the purpose of eliminating their funding to the democratic party and thus (potentially) harming President Obama's chances of reelection.  Your idiotic "masterplan" is finally exposed for public scrutiny, even though we knew all along this was your intention. (I'm calling it "idiotic" not just to be rude, but because (1) it's so stupid, and (2) it will never work. We will not stop fighting. Ever.)

Now that your political agenda has become impossible to deny, perhaps some of the few Wisconsinites who still remain duped into thinking any of your budget bill will be of benefit to this state (except, perhaps, for the 100,000 Wisconsin millionaires who will likely remain loyal to this self-serving bill) will wake up like the rest of us. It could not be more obvious that you care more about advancing your agenda than the citizens - or future - of this state.

Mr. Walker, I don't believe for one minute that the select emails you let "leak" yesterday show a sincere readiness to compromise.  You have, in every press conference and every other communication, made perfectly clear that you have no respect or consideration for Wisconsin workers.  You have made even more clear that you are unwilling to negotiate or concede any point.  And Mr. Fitzgerald's letter to my own Senator, the Honorable Mark Miller, shows a lack of professionalism and disrespect that nearly rivals the venom of my own correspondence with the two of you. But let's keep in mind that I'm a righteously indignant private citizen and public employee; you are elected officials and are obliged to uphold an oath that requires you to uphold the Constitution of this state and behave publicly in a manner befitting of your offices. It's clear that you are in violation of those oaths, and the increasing evidence that you put party politics before the good of the state is further tantamount to treason.   For these reasons, and the many more I have outline in prior correspondence, I demand that you resign.  Preferably, immediately, but if you want to wait until after this weekend, that would be ok, I guess, because I heard Michael Franti and Spearhead might come to Madison to support the rights and freedoms of Wisconsin workers and citizens, and it would be a shame to have to cancel that. So maybe you can just announce your intent to resign today, and we can take care of the details on Monday.

Looking forward to it,
Heather DuBois Bourenane
Taxpayer, voter, and outraged citizen of Wisconsin

P.S. Aren't you glad God didn't tell you to fire the snow plow drivers yet?! Turns out we did need them again after all! I told you the Lord works in mysterious ways!

Happy International Women's Day (and other reasons you should resign)

8 March 2011

Dear Mr. Walker and Mr. Fitzgerald,

First off, Happy International Women's Day! You must feel pretty good on a day like today, because if it wasn't for men like you we wouldn't even have a day like this in the first place.  But, thanks to measures like your misogynistic attempts to ban women from obtaining reproductive health services and banning insurance companies from covering birth control, we still need to take at least one day a year to remember that women aren't just oppressed "internationally," but also right here in the good old USofA. So thanks! This day's for you!

More importantly, though, I'd like to address a claim that both of continue to make, that's really been bothering me. It has to do with your absurd contention that the protesters in Madison and throughout the state are "outsiders" - either some shadily ominous union messengers or representatives or equally frightening White House goons hell-bent on winning the next election.

There are a few reasons why this is total br*t@wr*st, and I think we can agree on the first one, which is, obviously, that it's a lie. The people who stand united against you are not "outsiders." They are tax-paying citizens of Wisconsin from all bents of life and political perspectives. They are laborers, teachers, nurses, police, librarians, students, daycare providers, parents of students in public schools, members of the clergy, doctors, fire fighters, lawyers, professionals of every sort. They are, in short, a perfect cross-section of the diverse population of Wisconsin and every time you imply that they are not, you insult each and every citizen of this state. Which is very, very rude of you, considering the stature of your respective offices, and your mutual disrespect for honesty and the people of Wisconsin.

The other reason this is so troubling, though, has to do with your repeated attempts to position the public outrage over your budget bill as an "us vs. them" - "union workers vs private sector," "public employees vs taxpaying citizens" debate. It's not. First, because everyone knows that this is a specious and superficial claim, and you hate public and private unions equally, in any case. And secondly because public employees pay as much tax as anyone else and contribute entirely on their own to their pensions.  Trying to dupe the rest of the public into thinking otherwise is duplicitous and immoral.

Further, by insisting that this debate is hinged solely on the question of unions - and particularly the collective bargaining rights of public employees, you very manipulatively turn our attention away from the myriad ways this bill gives rightful cause to revolt:  Your hijacking, for instance, of BadgerCare, SeniorCare, Medicaid and public power plants. Your misappropriation of public funds to pay for rich kids to attend private and charter schools even as you gut the public education budget to absolutely inhumane levels.  Your hateful treatment of women by turning back the clock on all our progress in reproductive health.  Your gutting of our state's exemplary recycling programs and other environmental efforts. Your careful manipulations of measure after measure, and the sneaky and undemocratic way by which you've tried to force them through ARE the heart of these protests.  It's not, as we've said so many times, about the money. It's about our rights. 

Today, Mr. Fitzgerald, you had the nerve to say "We're no longer dealing with the people who have been in and around the Capitol." Well, I've been in and around the Capitol like crazy the past three weeks. I live here, I pay taxes here, and I work here. I'm not going anywhere.  And I'm sick and tired of the two of you lying about the people of Wisconsin - to our faces, and to the world. One day, you will have the right to remain silent. But that day has not yet arrived. While we wait for it, I suggest you apologize to the people of this state for insulting their justified objections to your immoral budget.  It could be a joint press conference or something. And at the end you could surprise everyone with a joint resignation. You'd go down in history! What greater gift could you give the people of Wisconsin?

Well, enjoy the rest of your Women's Day! I hope my children live to see a time when this day really is a celebration of women, and not just an asterisk in the grand narrative of entitlement of people like you. And I look forward equally to the day when they thank me for publicly calling for your resignation, and fighting for what is right and what is true.

Please resign,
Heather DuBois Bourenane

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"

What happened in Madison while you were at the country club

Yesterday's rally was full of these slobs.

6 March 2011

Dear Mr. Walker,

I was sorry to miss you yesterday, but pleased to see that the good people of Columbus gave you a fitting "welcome" as you once again avoided your gubernatorial duties for some country club hobnobbery with your teabagger supporters in yet another history-revising celebration of Ronald Reagan. 

I'm guessing you probably choose to avoid the gazillion images of protesters in Madison, and I'm sure you heard by now that the Koch brother-funded "Americans for Prosperity" bus tour was a total wash, so let me fill you in on some of my favorite signs and scenes from the rally in Madison yesterday, which generally sum up why you are so universally hated by anyone who both thinks and has read your public-school destroying, union-busting, environment disrespecting, woman-hating, working-class tromping bill:

• 100% of teachers are more educated than Scott Walker
• Don't use my taxes to send rich kids to private schools. Fund public education.
• KILL THE WHOLE BILL
• Save Recycling. Trash Walker.
• I am not a slob
• We will never go away
• Care about educators like they care for your child
• Not union, not public employee, but also not insane, not cruel, not greedy, not rich, not misinformed. KILL THE BILL.
• Why does Scott Walker hate my teachers?
• I don't believe in the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny or Walker's "Silent Majority"
• Wisconsin is not for sale
• Walker's report card: High-speed rail, F. Public education, F. Plays well with others, F-.
• Stop the war on workers
• Leadership, not dictatorship
• Negotiate, not legislate
• This is what democracy looks like
• Democrats think the glass is half empty. Republicans think the glass is theirs.
• You shame us.
• The people, united, will never be defeated.

I saved that one for last because it was my own, and because it is true. The hard-working, tax-paying people of Wisconsin, Mr. Walker, will continue to stand against you until you renegotiate this bill, or (and, again, I can't stress this enough - preferably) resign. 

Resigning would save everyone a lot of trouble, since the recall is inevitable and you don't stand a chance. Quit now, like your hero, Sarah Palin. I'm sure your friends the Koch brothers could chip in for your spin machine to make this move attractive to your poor, deluded "base" (and I use the term base here in the most derogatory way; it has two meanings, look it up). Maybe you could go be a lobbyist or a FOX "news analyst" or something. Or maybe you want a break from the public sphere, until things cool down and people stop comparing you to Hitler and Hosni Mubarak, or at least until my four-year-old daughter stops describing you as "you know, Scott Walker, that guy with the mean face who locks the people out of the Capitol." I'm sure you can find some new work out there. Not as a teacher, of course, since you don't have a degree, but there should be plenty of job opportunities around here once we get our Blue State status back.  Maybe you can help build the high-speed rail.

And just think of it, once you resign, you can spend even more frolicking at country clubs while working people suffer, and not have to feel guilty about it, or receive unpleasant emails from perfectly good people who find you so deplorable, so thoroughly revolting, so wholly unqualified and incompetent, that they cannot even address you without feeling slightly nauseous, and infinitely furious.

Until you resign,
Heather DuBois Bourenane

The cheese, united, will never be defeated.

We know you're not from Wisconsin, but has anyone seen the actual birth certificate?