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Laugh line o’ the day– WI Gov. Scott Walker: Republicans are “the ones who care for the everyday people”

Posted by GottaLaff

· Saturday, May 4th, 2013 at 3:34 pm

Hey, did you guys hear the one about Republicans reinventing themselves? Oh em gee, it’s hilarious. They actually think they’re pulling a fast one on Americans by claiming to reach out to voters who flat out rejected them in 2012. The punch line is, they think saying they’re doing that is the same as– wait for it– actually doing it!

Clearly, they’ve been failing miserably at this sham of a “makeover.” Just follow that link above to see the myriad ways they’ve made fools of themselves. It’s as funny as it is pathetic.

It just got even funnier.

WisPolitics has this Moment of Levity from Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker from his speech to the 2013 state GOP convention:

“We’re the ones who care for the everyday people of this state and this country, and it’s about time we stood up and told people about it.” [...]

Walker said that principle was at the heart of his decision to push for more educational opportunities, be it in traditional public schools or charter schools, and to turn down federal money to expand the Medicaid program. [...]

Walker mocked claims from critics that the change was a sign he hates poor people.

Oh me oh my, where to begin?

“We’re the ones who care for the everyday people of this state and this country.” That must be why you were nearly kicked out of office. And why your “screw the 47%” presidential candidate lost in a landslide.

“His decision to push for more educational opportunities, be it in traditional public schools or charter schools.” He cares so much about educational opportunities that he’s 1) doing everything he can to bust teachers’ unions, and 2) funding school vouchers and charter schools “leaving public schools on life support.” Privatizing R Us.

“Turn down federal money to expand the Medicaid program.” Nothing says “caring for everyday people” like taking away their lifeline.

“Walker mocked claims from critics that the change was a sign he hates poor people.” Did it ever occur to him that they say that because he hates poor people? See: “Turn down federal money to expand Medicaid.”

On second thought, this wasn’t very funny after all. More like infuriatingly, hypocritically tone deaf.

7 Comments

Categories : Uncategorized

Wisconsin public schools scored better than private voucher schools in standardized achievement tests

Posted by GottaLaff

· Tuesday, April 23rd, 2013 at 11:49 am

· 1 Comment

The Journal Sentinel has the following story in full, but I’ve hit my view limit and now would have to subscribe, so I’m relying on HuffPo’s summary. The Sentinel’s article is titled “Wisconsin voucher students lag in latest state test.”

As you may recall, Republican WI Gov. Scott Walker has been pushing for school vouchers, and he’s also tried his best to bust unions, as in teachers’ unions, as in public schools. Remember this?

Previously I’ve posted that Walker’s budget funds school vouchers and charter schools “leaving public schools on life support” followed by Oops! Three Wisconsin voucher schools got state money after losing accreditation. He claims he wants more “choice,” but does Wisconsin spend more per student on vouchers than public schools?

Now it looks like public schools are getting the last laugh. Students who go to private schools, aka voucher schools, in both Milwaukee and Racine got lower standardized achievement test scores than the kids in Milwaukee Public Schools and the Racine Unified School District.

Must be all those thuggy union teachers and their thuggy union ways.

Meantime, Wisconsin Public Radio is reporting this:

A government watchdog group says voucher advocates have spent nearly $10 million over the past ten years trying to influence elections in Wisconsin.

And that’s what all this is about.

UPDATE: Speaking of union busting, please read Lee Fang’s latest at The Nation:

The Commonwealth Foundation, a right-wing think tanks in Harrisburg, is plotting to go after public sector employee unions. In a letter from Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA) on behalf of the Foundation, the think tank announced “Project Goliath,” a new effort to make Pennsylvania the next Wisconsin or Michigan.

1 Comment

Categories : Uncategorized

Tags : education, gop fail, privatization, public schools, Republicans, republicans are becoming obsolete, Scott Walker, teacher's unions, test, union busting, vouchers, wisconsin

GOP reinvention? Republican WI Gov. Scott Walker to push school vouchers

Posted by GottaLaff

· Saturday, March 23rd, 2013 at 3:19 pm

· 1 Comment

It was only yesterday that I posted this:

Dear GOP: Do you think America is deaf, blind, and/or stupid? On second thought, don’t answer that. Their claims of reinventing themselves are a joke. They can use all the carefully parsed words they want, but they are fooling nobody.

Of course, that was about a personhood bill that would ban abortions in North Dakota. Today it’s about Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker’s war on public education and unions.

Previously I posted that Gov. Scott Walker’s budget funds school vouchers and charter schools “leaving public schools on life support” followed by Oops! Three Wisconsin voucher schools got state money after losing accreditation. He claims he wants more “choice,” but does Wisconsin spend more per student on vouchers than public schools?

Walker is doing everything he can to make it harder on children, including special needs children, to access public education:

Gov. Scott Walker’s proposal to increase funding for voucher and public charter schools as well as his plan to create a new stream of funding to allow special-needs children to attend private schools drew immediate criticism Sunday from the state’s largest teacher union, public school advocates and a major disability rights group. [...]

“(Walker’s) real focus is privatizing public education with another infusion of resources to the unaccountable taxpayer-funded private school voucher program while leaving our neighborhood public schools on life support,” [Mary Bell, president of the Wisconsin Education Association Council, the state’s largest teacher union] added.

Now the Madison Capital Times is reporting more about his plan to force expansion of vouchers to nine school districts:

And influential former GOP leaders are suiting up to lobby for Walker’s plan to make more public school districts offer a voucher option, in which parents can get state funds to help send their children to private schools.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Evers said that “tying report cards to voucher expansion, as Walker proposes, would undermine bipartisan school reform efforts underway.”

How’s that reachy-outy thing workin’ for ya, GOP?

1 Comment

Categories : Uncategorized

Tags : education, future of the republican party, gop fail, gop outreach, implosion, outreach my ass, privatization, public schools, reinvention, Republicans, republicans are becoming obsolete, Scott Walker, spending, teacher's unions, union busting, vouchers, wisconsin

Oops! Three Wisconsin voucher schools got state money after losing accreditation

Posted by GottaLaff

· Thursday, March 14th, 2013 at 4:08 pm

· 1 Comment

Previously I posted about Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker wanting more “choice,” but does Wisconsin spend more per student on vouchers than public schools?

Today JSOnline is reporting that a few Wisconsin schools got state money even though they’d lost their accreditation.

Three private schools in Milwaukee continued to receive taxpayer money through the voucher program after losing their accreditation, under a loophole in state law that requires such schools to obtain that official approval but not maintain it. [...]

But on Wednesday, the head of the agency that rescinded its approval of Brenda Noach and Washington DuBois said that both of those schools have now been reinstated.

Still, the questions raised by the DPI accreditation reports illuminate an oversight hiccup for the voucher programs in Milwaukee and Racine.

Of course, Scott Walker is proposing the expansion of the voucher school program to other cities. What could possibly go wrong?

Accreditation is important for voucher schools because they are not required to follow the same regulations as public schools. [...]

Separate from the accreditation issues, the DPI [Department of Public Instruction] is withholding a portion of each of the three schools’ voucher payment because of a failure to meet financial or other reporting requirements.

Privatization: It’s the Republican dream.

1 Comment

Categories : Uncategorized

Tags : education, privatization, public schools, Scott Walker, spending, teacher's unions, union busting, vouchers, wisconsin

Gov. Scott Walker’s budget: Planned Parenthood closes 4 locations; funds school vouchers, charter schools “leaving public schools on life support”

Posted by GottaLaff

· Monday, February 18th, 2013 at 4:30 pm

· 5 Comments

Gov. Scott Walker’s been a busy little bee. And by busy little bee, I mean he’s destroying lives again: Planned Parenthood announces it’ll close 4 of 27 locations in Wisconsin, blames Scott Walker’s budget cuts:

Planned Parenthood said Monday it will close four of its 27 locations in Wisconsin… between April and July due to a lack of state funding.

Gov. Scott Walker and his Republican cronies in the legislature eliminated public funding for low-income and uninsured patients seeking reproductive health care at Planned Parenthood, the largest provider in the state, because some of its clinics offer abortions.

No war on women, GOP? Really? Two thousand low-income residents will now have to schlep to other counties, drive up to an hour, in order to get what they need to stay alive: cancer screenings, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases, and other women’s health services. How’s that for “pro-life”?

Via JSOnline, we see Scotty’s not only trying to bust unions, but he’s also making it harder on children, including special needs children, to access public education:

Gov. Scott Walker’s proposal to increase funding for voucher and public charter schools as well as his plan to create a new stream of funding to allow special-needs children to attend private schools drew immediate criticism Sunday from the state’s largest teacher union, public school advocates and a major disability rights group. [...]

Mary Bell, president of the Wisconsin Education Association Council, the state’s largest teacher union, said… “The stagnant revenue on top of the largest cuts to education funding in Wisconsin history in the last budget is another clear indication that this governor has no intention of supporting neighborhood schools…” [...]

“(Walker’s) real focus is privatizing public education with another infusion of resources to the unaccountable taxpayer-funded private school voucher program while leaving our neighborhood public schools on life support,” she added.

State Rep. Sondy Pope, ranking Democrat on the Assembly’s Education Committee, said, “These people are trying to starve Wisconsin public schools.”

The special-needs vouchers proposal was opposed by the state Department of Public Instruction, disabilities rights groups, and the state school boards association. They will significantly change “the way students with special needs are served.” Not to mention the over $20 million for special-needs children “could have been applied to help public schools across the state, not just for the minority of children who could use that taxpayer subsidy to attend a private school,” according to Lisa Pugh, public policy coordinator for Disability Rights Wisconsin.

Walker’s all heart, isn’t he? Always looking out for the little guy. And by “little guy” I mean women and children.

Via .ecobumperstickers.com

5 Comments

Categories : Uncategorized

Sen. Rand Paul submits national “right to work” (for less) bill

Posted by GottaLaff

· Sunday, February 3rd, 2013 at 3:26 pm

· 2 Comments

Via Paul’s web site, this lovely press release:

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Sen. Rand Paul this week introduced the National Right to Work Act, S. 204, which seeks to preserve and protect the free choice of individual employees to form, join, or assist labor organizations, or to refrain from such activities.

“Every American worker deserves the right to freedom of association – and I am concerned that the 26 states that allow forced union membership and dues infringes on these workers’ rights,” Sen. Paul said. “Right to work laws ensure that all Americans are given the choice to refrain from joining or paying dues to a union as a condition for employment. Nearly 80 percent of all Americans support the principles and so I have introduced a national Right to Work Act that will require all states to give their workers the freedom to choose.”

Sen. Paul’s Right to Work Act does not add a single word to existing federal law, it simply deletes forced unionism provisions in federal law.

Due to six infringing and freedom-crushing provisions in the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and the Railway Labor Act (RLA), there are currently 8 million working Americans who are required by law to pay union dues. These workers are not required to join a workers union but they are required to pay the dues; and if workers refuse to pay these union fees, they risk losing their jobs to Big Labor.

As you can see, Rand Paul is all about FREEDOM! What happened to being all about jobs? And fairness? And equality? And freedom to, you know, bargain? And having decent working conditions? And pay?

But see, as he introduces the idea of a new national “right to work” (right to work for less) bill, his emphasis is on FREEDOM! Did I mention FREEDOM?

And don’t get me started on “choice.”

As NH Labor News reminds us:

They already have the freedom to pay the representation fee instead of joining.

This is exactly the opposite to everything we are taught to believe in the democratic process. We can have all the debate we want but in the end, the majority rules. Now they are taking the minority and placing them ahead of the majority.

This is an ideological and blatantly anti-union piece of legislation.

It’s worth repeating that it is already illegal to force someone to join a union.

But if FREEDOM of choice is so important to Rand Paul, why isn’t he a proponent of women’s reproductive rights?

The text of the legislation is at Paul’s site.

2 Comments

Categories : Uncategorized

Tags : bad bill, collective bargaining, freedom my ass, gop fail, press release, Rand Paul, right to work, union busting, unions

E-mails link Jeb Bush foundation, corporations, ALEC, and education officials. Corporate funders benefit.

Posted by GottaLaff

· Friday, February 1st, 2013 at 12:34 pm

· 1 Comment

Gee, who’da thunk it? A foundation associated with GOP darling Jeb Bush hooking up with ALEC and pushing school vouchers? We’re shocked, we tells ya, shocked!

E-mails have been posted online here between the Foundation for Excellence in Education (FEE) and a group Jebby set up called Chiefs for Change. Here are its members. They are current and former state education commissioners who support Bush’s agenda of “school reform,” meaning more charter schools, meaning vouchers, meaning privatization, meaning cutting union jobs… and pushing for “cyber schooling” and standardized tests among other things.

Having worked at public schools for years as an educator, I have my own voucher: I can vouch that more teaching to the test and less public education are bad for this country. I can also vouch that private schools mean more discrimination, more inequality… well, just take it from ALEC Exposed:

ALEC bills would privatize public education, crush teacher’s unions, and push American universities to the right. Among other things, these bills make education a private commodity rather than a public good, and reverse America’s modern innovation of promoting learning and civic virtue through public schools staffed with professional teachers for children from all backgrounds.

Oh, and three states are pushing an ALEC bill to require teaching climate change denial in schools.

Via WaPo, a must-read:

A nonprofit group released thousands of e-mails today and said they show how a foundation begun by Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor and national education reform leader, is working with public officials in states to write education laws that could benefit some of its corporate funders. [...]

[The e-mails] reveal — conclusively, he said — that foundation staff members worked to promote the interests of some of their funders in Florida, New Mexico, Maine, Oklahoma, Rhode Island and Louisiana. [...]

There are strong connections between FEE and the conservative American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), according to the nonprofit Center for Media and Democracy…

1 Comment

Categories : Uncategorized

Tags : ALEC, charter schools, corporate interests, education, emails, Jeb Bush, political donations, privatization, public schools, union busting, unions, vouchers

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