It would be shameful if Wisconsin rolled over when it came to recalling Gov. Scott Walker from office.
The Ohio vote on collective bargaining, and now this embarrassment for Scott Walker in Kansas, is a loud and clear message that nationally Walker is a lousy governor and toxic. From Daily Koz:
Kansas labor unions and Occupy Wichita are claiming victory after Walker's planned visit to Wichita next week for a fundraiser with Kansas Governor Sam Brownback was abruptly cancelled. Word is Walker and Brownback feared the massive demonstrations that were being planned to protest Walker's appearance.
Here’s the press release: Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has cancelled a high-priced Wichita fundraiser with Governor Brownback and RNC Chair Reince Priebus. Thousands of Kansas workers … had planned to protest Walker's policies and his appearance at the fundraiser. Several busses full of protestors … "Obviously this is a victory for working Kansans," said Wichita / Hutchinson Labor Federation president Judy Pierce, "Governor Walker's anti-worker policies have made headlines across the country, but Kansans are facing some of the very same attacks here courtesy of Governor Brownback. The fact that our own Governor would stand with Governor Walker sends an appalling message to Kansas working men and women.
Tickets for the event with Governor Brownback were going for as high as $15,000, but while facing a recall election Walker is able use a loophole in Wisconsin law to collect unlimited contributions from individual donors. "This week, Kansans stood up and sent our own message that we don't want Walker's radical brand of politics in Kansas, just as Ohio voters rejected similar anti-worker initiatives in their state at the ballot-box. The message is loud and clear: Americans just don't support policies designed to hurt working families."
Excellent.
ReplyDeleteIt is essential that these demonstrations occur at as many of Walker's appearances as possible; they serve to educate and remind the public about the damage Walker and his supporters are causing to Wisconsin and the nation.
The cumulative effect of public demonstrations every time Walker peeks his head out of the Governor's Mansion grows with each event.
A good example of the use of this public education technique occurred way back in the late 1970's during the fight to clean up Love Canal. For those who aren't familiar with the infamous toxic waste dump, here's a link to get you started: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKIM9sE0t6I
After residents learned of the 21,800 tons of toxic wastes that were buried in their town just east of Buffalo, NY, they made sure that President Jimmy Carter enjoyed similar demonstrations each time he appeared in public during early 1978. In this case, organizers effectively used the president's events to piggy-back their message on the media coverage given to all presidential appearances and were able to cheaply and effectively spread their message to the nation. By fall of that year, Carter had declared the neighborhood surrounding the canal as a disaster area.
This stuff works.