Breaking News: With Gov. Walker's 'Tools,' Wisconsin Begins Dismantling Public Education

[The Sushi Bandit]

Source: The Progressive

Using the word "tools" over and over again, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker explained to the press how his budget cuts to public education--approximately $900 million: the biggest in state history--the end of collective bargaining for teachers, and other drastic changes will actually result in a net savings for schools in Wisconsin.

"We're giving our schools and local governments the tools they need," to make needed reform he said, which amounts to "a net benefit to school districts."

Predicting a "robust economy" and job growth, he added "As we get on that economic upturn, we'll have the tools in place so money will be going into the classroom and not into excessive benefits packages."

In a separate press conference, Democratic representatives Sondy Pope-Roberts of Middleton and Fred Clark of Baraboo denounced what they described as the governors move to privatize the entire education system in Wisconsin.



Read more: http://www.progressive.org/rc0316b11.html

[proud patriot]

1. grrrrrrr

:mad:

[KansDem]

2. It is entirely appropriate for him to use the term "tool."

He knows first-hand, since he's a tool of the Koch Bros...:grr:

[bemildred]

19. +1

First thing popped into my head.

[alstephenson]

3. I was educated in the Wisconsin public school system.

I graduated from high school in 1969. The Wisconsin public school system was known as being among the best in the country back then. And, yes, property taxes were among the highest in the country but I guess people understood the value of education. I am sad for the current and future students of Wisconsin.

[newspeak]

21. well, at one time Wisconsin and California

were the two most progressive states for education. It only takes a couple of damaging, ignorant greedy repugs to change it.

[KamaAina]

32. Funny you should mention that

After years of underfunding, California has sunk to about the middle of the pack in terms of student achievement, and headed downward if it's headed anywhere. :(

[louis-t]

4. How does making everyone work for less promote "jobs growth"?

Or create a "robust economy". Asshole.

spelling

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. I predict the war has just started

[Drale]

6. Boy he's a TOOL alright

one hell of a tool.

[CLANG]

16. Gullible too!

[whoneedstickets]

7. Money "into the classroom"...how?

How does money get to the classroom other than through staff compensation, benefits or development? Better desks? More computers? Republicans must think that education is like factory work and that if you invest in capital infrastructure you can eliminate the human element. Let's replace the teachers with emotive robots!

[jwirr]

8. Has anyone even asked the school boards if they even want these

tools?

[Viking12]

28. Yep.

All four major state associations representing schools and local governments (not their employees) say this isn’t true.

[underpants]

9. Takes one to know one

"Governor you have a Koch on line 1"

[thecrow]

10. "As we get on that economic upturn...."

Say whaaaaat................?

:wtf: is more like it

[nebenaube]

26. Simple... that's part of the seduction line...

See, he wants us here in WI to think that if we give the Koch brothers what they want, they will come into the state and invest heavily creating jobs... We are not buying it!

[dixiegrrrrl]

11. What is HIS benefit package? Anyone know??

[Snoutport]

12. chilling. nt

[MineralMan]

13. Thank you...all you Wisconsin Democrats who sat on your hands

in 2010. Hope you're happy now. Let's correct this in 2012, shall we?

[hay rick]

14. Echoing Chris Christie's "toolkit" in NJ.

Link: http://www.state.nj.us/governor/news/news/552010/approved/20100510c.html

Best quote on Walker's tools- "As for the 'tools' the governor says he is giving school districts, "his tools are all hatchets."

Brace yourself for the robust economy and job growth that Walker predicts. This is going to be the time that the supply-sider dream intersects reality...

[CLANG]

15. How can one person be allowed to destroy an entire state?

It boggles my mind! :grr:

[totodeinhere]

20. All you have to do is win the election.

The voters share a lot of blame in this. They should never have elected this guy.

[Doctor_J]

17. Anyone still think the protesters "won"?

:eyes:

[neoralme]

22. Exactly. If somehow Walker, through lies or actual real improvements,

does some perceived good by the electorate, that will be it. When that law was passed and a general strike was not called immediately that set in motion a much greater chance of defeat for the unions and the teachers. Walker can get all the money he needs. The protesters have signs and guys driving tractors. These are not exactly war implements. I wish they would have a poll here to see what the board thinks.

[Name removed]

23. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[riderinthestorm]

24. +100000. Sob. nt

[nebenaube]

27. no it's too late for that...

The damage is done. There will be no improvements until Walker is gone because Walker has us all looking over our shoulders; having dividing us into two hostile camps faced off in opposition. It's peaceful for now. That is the only blessing.

[sybylla]

37. Exactly. Wisconsin is facing catastrophic economic problems thanks to Walker

All we have now is the hope that we can change things enough to save ourselves from the worse-case scenario.

[neoralme]

40. I hope you're right. I see the the Washington Repubs backing off

a little from things because of whats been happening in the States. But they are very tricky with their Karl Rove-Sun Tzu ops. Let's see what Summer brings.

[Scuba]

18. Walker lies on "tools" exposed by Isthmus...

Per the March 4 issue of Isthmus:

Walker Quote at Feb 18 presser: "To protect our schools, to protect our local governments, we need to give them the tools they've been asking for, not just for years, but for decades."

From Isthmus: "But as Isthmus reported, all four major state associations representing schools and local governments (not their employees) say this isn't true."

[StarsInHerHair]

25. they're doing this to create child-workers again, I've been saying this for years

under my original name KakostocracyHater & now my new name

[mysterysoup]

29. Starvation and fascism. That's where the US is headed.

That is all.

[Greybnk48]

30. Did anyone ever confirm that Walker was expelled

from Marquette for cheating? I heard that on DU but I don't know if it was ever confirmed.

[KamaAina]

33. Not sure about that, but he certainly did start his career of political skulduggery at a tender age

DU software eats the parens in his Wiki link, so here goes:

During his sophomore year, he ran for president of the student government, but lost to a write-in candidate after he was cited for campaign rules violations. He attended college for four years, working part-time for IBM selling warranties and earning a grade point average in the C's. He did not complete a degree, later explaining that once he had a good job, family took precedence over getting a degree.

So unless you actually believe that family crap (in which case I have some oil property on Maui I'd like to show you :-) ), that leaves the question open as to why exactly he left Marquette.

C average, eh? Looks like a cutting off the same old Bush. :dunce:

[plumbob]

35. Looks like he left for being a jackbooted thug and destroying student newspapers.

http://people645.wordpress.com/2010/08/28/walker-returns-to-the-scene-of-the-crime/

It is unfortunate that Walker’s opponent from the last election, Lena Taylor, actually a normally savvy woman, hadn’t run such a lackluster campaign. Another part of the problem is that Walker, early on, found the value of constantly appearing in the media over the years whether he knew anything or not (often not). He’s a great smoozer.

Pretty good for a guy who ran for student government President at Marquette University in 1988, losing because, angry at not being endorsed by the Marquette Tribune (the paper liked both candidates), he had his cronies go around and seize piles of the paper and toss the,. Subsequently, the paper endorsed his opponent. Side note: Scotty never did graduate.

And yes, there is a Steven Blackwood at Marquette University, and who appears to be active in politics, at least in donations. Now, not being a conservative blogger, I don’t have the luxury of being able to do phone calls or open record requests during the work day, so I have not been able to confirm that these are all the same person. But there is, I believe, enough circumstantial evidence to make it considered plausible.



More at link

[yurbud]

31. if he was really worried about the cost of benefits, he could negotiate with insurance companies at

state level to lower the cost of health insurance for public employees.

But the point was not to save money but break workers.

[sofa king]

34. It's also going to reduce the workload of college admissions boards around the country.

Because any application with a "WI" on the envelope will go straight in the trash.

[fascisthunter]

36. remember, this is all a distraction to Obama

[and-justice-for-all]

38. What a POS...nt

[highplainsdem]

39. THIS is why he's using that terminology, referring to tools:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x658572

That topic is about the American Legislative Exchange Council's "State Budget Reform Toolkit" and the various "tools" it recommends that conservative politicians use.

Walker has been guided by ALEC:

http://www.wbur.org/npr/134040226/in-wis-union-battle-focus-on-billionaire-brothers

The Kochs also fund smaller think tanks around the Midwest, as well as the American Legislative Exchange Council, which drafts model legislation on major issues.

This year's list of model legislation has two proposals that would put the squeeze on unions' political spending. Walker included both of them in his budget.

But the Koch brothers are only part of the rightwing corporate influence on ALEC. This is my more general topic on it:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x591230

You can't understand the similar language and legislation we're seeing from these GOP governors and GOP-controlled legislatures unless you know what ALEC is, and how it operates, with corporate interests helping write "model legislation" -- and all in the guise of an "educational" "charity."

Arizona's immigration law, for instance, was model legislation from ALEC, cowritten by ALEC members who represent the prison-industrial complex, especially CCA, the Corrections Corporation of America. You're seeing similar legislation in other states because ALEC members introduce identical or similar legislaton in their states.

Please look at those topics, and the info linked to in the OPs and replies, and the ALEC website.

[sarcasmo]

41. Kick to the top.