I've been posting a lot less than I usually do, for two reasons. One of those reasons is my new home theater system, of which I've now worked out most of the kinks. The second reason is that The Other Half is home on vacation (staycation?) until Monday. Also--I suppose this is a third reason--we actually went out for some exercise today! And the plan is to step that up to 4-5 times per week. This shouldn't prevent me from blogging after I get into a rhythm, as exercise will take the place of Countdown with Keith Olbermann in my schedule.
But I have managed to catch The Rachel Maddow Show most nights lately, and I'm impressed. Mostly, I'm impressed with how well she holds up in HDTV on a new 60" set (the same cannot be said of many, many other TV stars). Rachel's framing of the Wisconsin Governor vs. Unions conflict has been different from most reports, getting down to the nitty gritty. Whatever you believe about the money, and the fiscal state of Wisconsin (and even PolitiFact is giving Rachel a BZZZT! on some of that), it's important to note what's behind the Governor's actions. Much of it is the right-wing's hatred of Unions. But what is behind that? Mostly that Unions do tend to champion liberal causes, and are the largest donors to Democratic candidates. In fact, if the Unions get squashed in Wisconsin (and sure to follow, everywhere else), all you have left is the big right-wing donors in politics. Unions, oddly enough, are just about the only counter-balance to the big, giant, billionaire-funded right-wing organizations pushing all those "Concerned Americans for Drilling in Yellowstone"-type commercials. Oy.
But did you know that many of the benefits that we used to take for granted, and are now having slowly stripped away, were born in Wisconsin?
Friday, February 18, 2011
Wisconsin: Birthplace of Workers' Rights? Possible Deathbed Too?
Labels:
Campaign Finance,
The Rachel Maddow Show,
Unions
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Actually, I did know that. My best friend attended Samuel Gompers middle school (named for the labor leader). In addition to labor relations, Wisconsin also innovated in the area of ethics laws for politicians (a response to the corruption of the 19th century, when Wisconsin's Governor was usually owned by the lumber barons).
ReplyDeleteI'm heading to the State Capitol today. I'm hoping to get some good pictures of both protests. Americans for Prosperity is busing in some Tea Partiers. Joe the Plumber may even show up.
The free ride GOP goons were vastly outnumbered!
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