Klimate Karma

Call it karma, call it poetic justice, but I can't help but note that the 2015 Christmas distasters, driven by climate change enhanced El Nino have hit hardest in the southern states that repeatedly insist on voting for the Republicon Party, the party of anti-science zealots who's Purchased Politicians continue to deny the fact of global warming for fun and profit.

Maybe if they get hit over the head enough times by these events of ever increasing violence and frequency these voters will wake up and realize that they've been lied to and GOPropagandized with a crass and craven disregard for the safety and well being of their families, friends and neighbors. And then maybe, just MAYBE, they'll realize that if the GOPsters are willing to lie to them about something as crucial as the very future of our planet and our progeny they'll realize that there is literally nothing that they won't lie to them about if the payola is plentiful.

If we don't solve this problem and there's anyone left in the future to consider the history, today's Republicon Party will get a lion's (or should I say Lyin's) share of the blame!

Unfortunately, the disastrous effects are spread out far beyond Merica's Republicon Rubes!: 
Deadly extreme weather on at least five continents is driven in large part by a record-breaking El Nino, but climate change is a likely booster too, experts said Monday.

Goodbye Wisconsin!

In a Secret Ceremony, on the eve of the one year anniversary of the publication of the video version of my song The Badgered State Blues (12/17/14), Wrong Way Walker signed a bill dismantling Wisconsin's Non-Partisan Ethics and Elections Board, doubling the level of bribery allowed to our so call "Representatives" and making secret the economic interests of the Bribers.

How ironic and appropriately inappropriate and one more big reason to lament the systematic dismantling of our beloved Republics (state and federal) by our Plutocratic Rulers!

I was Proud to be a Wisco Kid you see

We were the Laboratory of Democracy

With Goodwill, Progress, a government Clean and Pure

But Corrupticons have come to Rule

With Felons and Cronies in a Big Cesspool

And I don't feel like I'm from here anymore.

Not from here anymore, not from here anymore

You can take the whole damn state and shove it right up . . you're

Gonna regret the stage you've set

Them chickens ain't back home roostin yet

and we don't feel like we're from here anymore

Goodbye Wisconsin!

Mein Trumpf!

As his crazy crescendo crests (we hope) establishment Republicons are becoming increasingly alarmed that The Donald will thwart their attempt to yet again seize the Whitehouse. After all they can only flip so many electronic votes without it being obvious to the public at large, so it's got to at least be somewhat close next November.

But the GOPsters have no one to blame but themselves for their plight. They've spent years spewing GOPropaganda from their wingnut radio network and FuxSnooze. They've simultaneaously whipped up and dumbed down their base to make them more easily manipulated for fun and profit.

More recently they've repeatedly demonized our first black president, calling him a Muslim, questioning whether he's really Merican and insinuating to him all manner of "dark" intentions. Blatant racism is long out of style in most quarters, so they've been encouraging a more subtle version ever since Ronald Reagan launched his 1980 campaign in Philadelphia, Mississippi, the site of the murder of civil rights workers in 1964, Crying the Confederate Creed of "State's Rights!

We see this subtle racism today with the Republicon war on poor people and their attack on voting rights among many other fronts. The current "We Back the Badge" reaction to the "Black Lives Matter" movement is a prime example of this and a turning of a blind eye to an obvious history of racially based police abuses now be recorded on our phones as well as to the core American value of Justice for ALL!

In 2010 in the wake of the racially based Tea Party wave the Republicons, in a crass attack on representative democracy, you know Our Republic, Gerrymandered the entire country. In doing so they created a spider web of wingnut state legistative and congressional districts, where Trumpy Type Crazy Talk is not only tolerated it's applauded! Those districts have produced the most extreme rightwing "representatives" since the civil war, resulting an echo chamber where their most extreme, hate and fear filled constituents are ripe for the picking and ready to rally to the call "Mein Trumpf!"

Pall Ryand recently proclaimed this about Trump's call to Ban all Muslims:  "This is not conservatism," Ryan said at a news conference with House Republicans Tuesday. "What was proposed yesterday is not what this party stands for and, more importantly, it's not what this country stands for."

Once again our little Pally get's wrong, well mostly. While these cynical strains have always been a part of conservatism and the Republican Party, except for rare outbreaks (McCarthyism, WALKERISM) only a fringe element. Over the past 30 years the GOPsters have both intentionally and unitnentionally built these elements into a major component of today's radical "conservatism" and the Republicon Party.

The part our Ayn Rand worshipping House Speaker got right? "It's not what this country stands for." And therein lies their problem from the Fascist Frankenstein Monster of their own creation. It's about strangle them and their party.

It probably too late for this election. But it's long past time for the Republican Party to return to the American values that this country does stand for, or face generation Xile and be condemned to wander the wilderness. Republicons Repent!

Badgered State Dems Suffer Stockholm Syndrome?

I could not agree more! I hate the Republicons for who they are. I hate the Democrats for who they refuse to be!

Seriously, could they be more worthless!!!

http://www.isthmus.com/opinion/citizen-dave/the-democrats-deserve-to-be-in-the-minority/

Maybe they've got the stockholm syndrome.

Black Friday Stomp!

Quickly worshippers, to the Temples of Consumption!

I'll be right here if anybody needs me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wm7KdpwS2JM

Money Isn't Speech, But a Democracy Drowning Megaphone!

Last night Nate Hamilton was arrested for disturbing the peace when he refused to stop using a megaphone in the public square. Nate is the brother of Dontre Hamilton who was shot to death by a Milwaukee policeman last year for sleeping on a park bench. Nate and the Coalition for Justice were protesting at the Christmas tree lighting in Red Arrow Park where his brother was gunned down.

You see if you use a megaphone in a public square and drown out the voices of the other people who are rightfully there participating in a public event, you get arrested for disorderly conduct. The very same standard should apply to America's Billionaire's. We all have the right to speak, but Money is their Megaphone. And they are drowning out the voices of the rest of America in our public square while we're rightfully participating in the Most Sacred Public Event of All, OUR ELECTIONS!

Money isn't Speech. It's the Megaphone Drowning Democracy's Voices!

It gets even worse, because while we are allowed to know that it was Nate Hamilton using his megaphone for civil disobedience, the same standard does not apply to our Billionaire Rulers. These Traitors are buying our right to democratic representation out from under us and they're doing it ANONYMOUSLY!

The first Amendment guarantees the right to free speech, but it says nothing about Megaphones or Anonymity. The masked Donors Deluging OUR Representatives are our Jihadi Johns and Our Republic is Bound and on it's Knees!

Ban Billionaire Bullhorns!

ISIS is Right, Merica's Full of @$$ouls

Wrong Way Walker says they can't enter the Badgered State
Pall Ryand says they can't enter the country
Donald Grump says they should be tracked in a database
Jab Bu$h and Tad Crooze say their should be a religious test for entry
Been Carson equates them all with rabid dogs
Carply Fiorina says we've already done enough

To be fair, Chris Christie, Rand Paul and Marco Rubio were open to taking in the Refugees fleeing death & enslavement and Lindsey Graham said We Should Take Our Fair Share or We Should Tear Down the Statue of Liberty Good on you Lindsey!

 In wake of 911 the Republicons rushed headlong to do exactly what Bin Laden wanted done to usher in the new caliphate, invade the middle-east. As a direct result we now have that newly declared caliphate, ISIS, whose apocalytic vision includes a final battle in Syria with "Rome", the forces of the west. And yet many of the Republicons are calling for a repeat of American boots on the ground, those of other American's sons and daughters, not theirs, but American boots none the less. Doesn't the phrase "know your enemy" not ring any bells in their belfries!?

And now once again, in the false hope of insulation from the world the Chickenhawk GOPster Dupes are fulfilling ISIS's dream of creating religious hatred and division to drive muslims from the arms of the world community in general and the west in particular and into the grasp of the Doom-Worshipping Demagogues.

I guess we should  always expect small-minded, short-sighted, fear-mongering bigots to do the wrong thing when the chips are down. Once again, Way to Go @$$ouls!

Because What's a Hero?

Ever since 9/11 our nation has been obsessed with the term "Hero". There were real examples that day, the best example being New York's police and firefighters who risked and lost their lives to save others. But over time since then it's increasingly gotten to the point of absurdity, where people say things like their parents are their heros because they did what parents do, go to work and raise a family. Please, if that type of thing is the standard, the world has been over-run with "heros" since the dawn of hominids to the point of it being a meaningless term.

One good definition though is a person who accepts risk for themselves to do the right thing for others. Above is a map of shame, states whose "leaders" have gotten red faces when confronted with the prospect of doing the right thing for others who are literally fleeing for their lives! These red faced little people are either chickenshits, fear-mongering @$$ouls, bigots or all three.

So which America will we be? A nation of cowardly, insular @$$ouls, a potrait which ISIS will spread around the globe to great effect through their social media propaganda campaign "Murica don't want no Muslims"? Or will we be the Heroic America that does right thing because we understand that doing the right thing seldom comes without some risk and that doing the wrong thing seldom comes without it's own just "reward"?

Walker's Wisconsin Derailments!

A year ago last week Wisconsinites tripled down on one of the worst bets made in our history and now it is literally affecting our Public Health, Safety and our Environment. This weekend two train derailments occured in the Badgered State. 13 oil tanker cars carrying the dangerously volatile Bakken Crude that has caused deaths in accidents elswhere derailed in Watertown and spilled 1,000 gallons of oil causing the evacuation of 35 residences. In Alma, more than 2 dozen cars derailed spilling 20,000 gallons of ethanol into the Mississippi River. Booms have reportedly been deployed to contain the ethanol. However ethanol, unlike oil which floats, is water soluable and doesn't float so the skimming booms are essentially useless, color it escaped.

Both of these derailments have indefinitely delayed Amtrak passenger trains (and presumably freight traffic) and that is where the culpability of our infamous Gubnah is obvious. Wrong Way Walker, in complete ideological blindness, turned down federal funding for passenger rail between Milwaukee and Madison costing our state both money and jobs. Another WWWalker Epic Jobs FAIL! That federal funding would have fixed the rails that pass through Watertown to accomodate 110 MPH high speed passenger service. Currently there are long stretches of these rails so badly degraded that speeds are limited to 35 miles an hour for safety. It didn't WORK WALKER!

Those rails are also used by freight trains that move commerce through Wisconsin and between the rail hubs of Chicago and the Twin Cities so the funds for passenger rail would have fixed the rails used by these oil tankers AND improve our economy and infrastructure, but no. Way to go WWWalker! The rails where the train in Alma derailed and spilled were slated to be part of a second phase of upgrades for passenger rail between Chicago and Minneapolis. But WWWalker's Myopic Job-Killing Actions Derailed that Project Too!

I suppose the people of our Badgered Land could be excused for electing WWWalker once, after all, he hid his Scapegoating, Bomb Dropping Divide & Conquer intentions from voters in 2010. I suppose they can even be forgiven for falling for his Billionaire Backed Barrage of Garbage a second time. But the election for a third time of the Most Divisive Figure in Wisconsin Politics since Joseph McCarthy is unforgiveable as too many in America's Dairyland are Utterly incapable of telling a "Rascal" from a Hole-the-Ground. In SO Many Ways The Results Are In, Wisconsin is literally coming OFF-THE-RAILS!

Another RulerCon Witch Hunt - The Song Remains the Same

I wrote this song about Bill Clinton years ago. And the verses don't apply to what happened today to another Clinton. But when it comes to the theme of another Shameless Political Hacktivist GOPstructionist Filibastard Witch Hunt by the Republicons well . . . the song remains the same!

Me & WWWalker Together, What Are The Odds!

What are the odds? Me and Scott Walker on the same elevator at Lambeau Field!

My Dad was having some difficulty walking up the ramp at last night's Packer game so I flagged down a young man with a wheel chair. He took us to an elevator and when the door opened, right smack dab in the middle of the elevator was Wrong Way Walker - Havoc Wreaking Drop Out himself with a stupid look on his face. I don't think he expected to see members of the public on his way to Snooty Skybox Land. I looked at him, he looked at me, Logan Cranley and I exchanged smirky glances, shook our heads in disgust and turned our backs on him.

The Great Divider has absolutely no business taking any part in celebrating The People's Team! And like I said, what are the odds? And Me without my plastic suction cup dart pistol!

Arguing with the Cult of Con

Perfect description for years of experience!

Hungry for Power Games

We bid farewell to the pledge from the Badgered District, Wrong Way Walker - Havoc Wreaking Drop Out!

Beautiful Day, Great BAPicnic & Announcing Thirsty Thursday!

Happy 10th anniversary BAP! 

Great to see all the faces at the picnic, especially the new ones, and to get to talk with a lot of old friends! I hope to see them all and more at another BAP event coming SOON! Speaking of which:

Announcing BAP's first Thirsty Thursday! Thursday October 8th - 7:00pm
Ollie's Sports & Spirits
7305 McHenry Street (Hwy P) Burlington

No agenda, just BAPish Banter, Comradery and a chance share ideas!

BAP Picnic & Concert for the Common Soul!

MUSICIANS, now is the time to come to the aid of your Burlington Area Progressives!

To celebrate the tenth anniversary of the first BAP event, when we hosted local legend Ed Garvey in September 2005, we're having a picnic & Concert! Yes it's been 10 Years, Come Sing Your Songs!

BAP Picnic & Concert for Common Souls
Sunday September 20th - 1pm to 5pm (Packers Play @ 7:30pm)
Echo Lake Park Pavilion
Potluck Lunch & BYOB (Beer/Wine, No Glass Containers)

Or just stop by and play some tunes, all people of goodwill are welcome!

You can play pretty much anything you like and any genre, but the theme is the lives, experiences and struggles of common everyday people. It'll be open mic style with a sound system. 

Time allotted per performer will be based on how many people want to play. Post a comment below if you're interested in performing.

Thanks,

Sean

Gun Lobby Insanity

And to the . . . "Republic" for which it Stands!?

The Fascist American Exchange Council (fALEC), Screwing the Public for Fun and Profit, which would make Mussolini Proud!

Local Control? Not anymo!

Democracy My A$$!

Yours Truly

CorpSerf ID: IMBNFD-OURBNFD-2

Why Can't Conny Think Critically?

So on a friend's Facebook page I encounterd one of the most ridiculous forms of "Logic" I've seen in weeks from one of his "Friends". The fact that Al Gore has made money was cited as evidence that Global Warming isn't real.
This is the kind of magical "thinking" that prevails on the FuxSnooze, nose-led right. Newsflash! The only people making big money that has anything to do with climate change are those who are profiting from the industry that removes carbon from the ground and puts it in the air and that wants to make sure that their reserves continue to be emitted for fun and profit. And other than the denial industry Paid Punditry of the GOPropagandists, that is no conspiricy, it's plain old Evil Greed at the expense of our Progeny, which is an insult to our Ancestors!
So I offered the following:

Here is the equation that was im F=5.35 ln C.

It was developed by Nobel prise winning physicist Svante Arrenius in 1896. It is emperically PROVEN that adding more carbon to air will cause it to absorb more heat from the sun. Indisputably!

You know what else is empirically proven? That humans have removed trillions of metric tons of carbon that was safely sequestered in the gound and put it in the atmosphere thus raising the atmospheric carbon concentration. Indisputably!

You know what else is indisputable? The some people think they can keep their finger in the dike of reality with simple denial, it's only a theory they say. Well electromagnetism is only a theory, so go stick a fork in a wall socket. Gravitation is only a theory, so climb up on the roof and take flying leap, Sheesh!

His response?

We're just going to disagree on this one...and I will not resort to name calling or derogatory, personal attacks like some folks...

Anyone who looks at the data on both sides will come to the the conclusion that Catastophic Man Made Warming is a complete hoax. However, the Warmists will not only refuse to listen to any contrary arguments, they will also fight to prevent others from hearing anything that contradicts their dogma. This is all about CONTROL! Controlling what light bulb you can use, what toilet or car you have, etc.

I see you follow Breitbart Sean C,C. Have a look here in case you missed it...

http://joannenova.com.au/2010/02/the-big-picture-65-million-years-of-temperature-swings/

(NOTE: I haven't looked at that @$hole Breitbart in at least a dozen years, so I don't know where that comes from, must have looked me up the Googles I guess. But as a geologist I can tell you that equating natural climate fluctuations with anthropogenic climate change which result from totally different cause and operate on completely different time scales is exactly the kind of fodder fed to the feebleminded.)

My response:

No Mike, 97% of the scientists who actually study the subject agree that we are causing the planet to heat up. There is neither equal quality information, nor honest motives on both sides, it's completely lopsided. I suggest that you investigate who the Merchants of Doubt are. Remember when tobacco didn't cause cancer? Yes, those people:http://www.merchantsofdoubt.org/

What I presented above are some scientific FACTS. Facts that you have neither disputed nor provided any countervailing, vetted informtion. I don't believe that you can, but I'd like to at least see an attempt.. What you've presented above is a layman's opinion based on nothing, which is exactly what it's worth.

Which begs the question once again, Why Can't Conny Debate?

Answer: Because it's a Faith-Based Ideology!

WWWalker Hit His Head

Well this explains a lot. Wrong Way Walker says he hit his head and that caused his bald spot. Seriously!? Can this man not be tell the truth about ANYTHING? Hey, there's a new malady in the Badgered State - WWWalker Patterned Falseness!

Well, I'll cut him some slack, maybe the fact that WWWalker's a Bald-Faced Liar is due to a Traumatic Brain Injury.

Nice BAP Event!

Nice event on Werdnesday! About 50 to 60 folks showed up to hear Mike McCabe's Blue Jean Nation pitch, which was both inspiring and encouraging. We'll be offering a copy of his book, Blue Jeans in High Places at an upcoming BAP event! "We are commoners. We are politically homeless. We want more common sense in government. We want concern for the common good to be far less uncommon. And we are pulling together to make it happen."

Whaddya think Burlington Area Commoners?!

Mike McCabe - Blue Jean Nation, This Wednesday!

Mike McCabe of Blue Jean Nation
Will address the Burlington Area Progessives
About how we can restore America's representative democracy!

Wednesday August 12th
Burlington High School Auditorium
Meet & Greet at 6:00 - Presentation at 6:30

Mr. McCabe provided a wonderful presentation back in 2006 for BAP as head of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign and we're excited to have him back as we approach our 10th Anniversary!

Come one, come all, open to We the Public, no charge for admission!

Yeah that's right - Ten Years of BAP in Burlington Baby!

Daffy Republicon Voters

Daffy Ducks. Consequences schmonsequences, as long as they cut my taxes. Down Down Back Back MINE MINE MINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously though, there is zero doubt among thinking people that George W. Bush was THE Worst president in American history. And on issues from middle-east policy to healthcare to social security, the Republicon candidates were sound very much like Bushyboy. That excludes John Kasich, that rational Republicon Rarity, thanks to the endangered species act.

What could possibly compel Americans to consider voting for people that would send their children to die in vain on foreign sands, jack the deficit sky high, deny your healthcare, destroy your retirement, corrupt what little is left of your democracy and force your wife, the mother of your children die in favor of fetus. Conswequences Schmonsequences!

The answer? Greed, egoand fear. The propect of saving a dollar on your property taxes here in the Badgered State, thanks to Wrong Way Walker (who did nothing but rapidly rattle off canned talking points in last night GOPster debate) and the vain notion there they're self made men that supposedly don't need gubmint, because they were born white, male and middle class and dispite all odds, rose to become white, male and middle class. Then of course you have to be afraid, be very afraid! Hug your gun, worry about brown people and Dafetly Duck'n Cover. Rubes!

Feudalist Robin Vos Assaults the Serf's Right-to-Know

So I picked up a Wisconsin Gazette the other day and there was a good article about all the anti-conservation mearsures crammed into the Badgered State budget by the Republicons. Many of the items focused on the Enbridge Tar sands company and their pipelines and guess who comes into play, our own little feudalist Robin of Vos.

Enbridge was having trouble with Dane County in getting approval for their pipeline. So GOPsters made any local insurance requirements illegal. Cuz they're all about local control, right? Furthermore, they changed Wisconsin's eminient domain law, giving Enbridge essentially the right to take any property they want, anywhere in the state, for any pipeline they want to build.

And here's the kicker Wisconsin Public Radio obtained drafting memo's through the Public-right-to-know law that a staffer in Vos' office invited Enbridge attorneys to sit down with law maker's and "assist" them in drafting these measures.

More evidence about why the GOPsters in general and Robin Vos in particular, don't want you to know, what they don't want you to know and why they don't want you to know it, to protect their "Constituents" from the serfs, you know, you the people!

Republiclown Debate!

The first Republiclown debate is next Thursday night (8/6) and I can't wait. We should have a drinking party. Everytime something stupid and/or obnoxious is uttered you have to drink a thimble full of 3.2% beer. We'll get trashed!

I anticipate laughing my ass off! As the Dear Leader of the fields of Iowa, Wrong Way Walker has a big target on his forehead. Pull!.
Especially now that one of Walkers money gods called The Donald Dumbdumb and the Trumpster responded 'Oh, finally I can attack. Finally. Finally.' I would have never done this,"

Trump: "Wisconsin's doing terribly. First of all, it's in turmoil. The roads are a disaster because they don't have any money to rebuild them. They're borrowing money like crazy," he said. "I wrote this stuff all down, although I don't need it because I have a really good memory — but they projected a $1 billion surplus and it turns out to be a deficit of $2.2 billion. And money all over the place. The schools are a disaster, and they're fighting like crazy because there's no money for the schools. The hospitals and education is a disaster."
But wait there's more: http://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-scott-walker-dumbdumb-2015-7

THIS is why I've been hoping and praying that Walker would run. Now if only the rest of my dream will come true and this will be his undoing. He's going to ripped and new one and nobody deserves it more. As bad as Trump would be, I honestly believe Scott Walker would be far worse, I'm not sure the country could weather a Walker regime. George W. Bush was easlily the worst president in American History. It's not even a close contest. Wrong Way Walker would be GWB on Steriods!

Here's to next Thursday being the beginning of the end of this @$$hole. Thimbles up, Cheers!

Vulture Vos: Eviscerate Public Right-to-Know!

Robin Vos nabs his second covetted BAP Forked Tongue & Fangs Award!

None of the 16 Republicons on the Badgered State's Joint Finance Commitee would admit to authoring or introducing the budget amendment that would have eviscerated the public's right-to-know who is writing their laws and lobbying their supposed "Representatives". But they all voted for it (all four Democrats voted against).

When a furor arrose about this traitorous attack on democracy from left, right and center the GOPster Bosses blinked and shelved their assault . . . for now.

In his opinon piece on this near fiasco, Burlington Area Progressive Jim Hansen quoted a response to his email from Robin Vos: “After substantive discussion…we have agreed…that any changes in the state’s open records law would be removed…The intended policy goal of these changes was to provide a reasonable solution to protect constituents….It was never intended to inhibit transparent government.”

Yeah right and I have a bridge for sale. That's nothing but full damage control GOPropagandist spin.

Wrong Way Walker, Scott Fitzgerald and Vos have all acknowledged their involvement. However, now we know that it was in fact Robin Vos, Assembly Speaker and Wisconsin Public Sector Chair of the Fuedal American Legislative Exchange Council (fALEC) that coordinated this attempt to screw the citizens of Wisconsin out of their democracy.

Oh and when the Bosses Blinked they issued this joint statement on the matter: After substantive discussion over the last day, we have agreed that the provisions relating to any changes in the state's open records law will be removed from the budget in its entirety. We are steadfastly committed to open and accountable government. The intended policy goal of these changes was to provide a reasonable solution to protect constituents' privacy and to encourage a deliberative process between elected officials and their staff in developing policy. It was never intended to inhibit transparent government in any way.

Sound familiar? Right out of the Viper's mouth!

The statement went on to say that a Legislative Council Study Committee would be formed "to allow for public discussion and input."

 Stay tuned good people. This is just one attack in an all out war on representative democracy by the oligarchs and their GOPish minions!

Yours Truly,
Sean Cranley - CorpSerf#: IMNFD-1-ONURFD-2

Open Records Law

Recently, late in the evening of Thursday, July 2, the powerful Legislative Joint Finance Committee approved last-minute changes to Wisconsin's Open Records Law in the 2015-'17 budget by 12 Republican votes and four dissenting Democratic votes. These changes were added without the knowledge nor any input from the public! As of yet, no GOP lawmaker has taken responsibility for drafting the changes.

The proposed changes would have restricted public records communications with current and former staff, drafting records of legislation, as well as records created by the Walker administration, state agencies, and local governments.

On July 4 news media across the state urged citizens to contact their government lawmakers and request they remove the proposed changes to the Open Records Law. Of the emails I sent to lawmakers and public officials, only a reply from Assembly Speaker Robin Vos addressed my concerns. He said that “After substantive discussion…we have agreed…that any changes in the state’s open records law would be removed…The intended policy goal of these changes was to provide a reasonable solution to protect constituents….It was never intended to inhibit transparent government.” However, their self-serving action suggests that GOP members are trying to hide information from the public!

In the end, the voice of the people from throughout the state demonstrated to the Republican lawmakers that Wisconsin deserves and expects transparent government. Lawmakers, however, have not abandoned this issue and have called for a legislative study to further explore changes to Wisconsin’s Open Records Law. This is a bipartisan issue that should concern every citizen. In the coming days, citizens need to contact their elected officials and voice their opinion on this most important issue.

Jim Hansen

Burlington, WI

Higher-Income American Schools Out Score All Other Developed Countries!

I appended the following article on to a BAP Blog post regarding the Republicon attack on our public schools as "failing", but it deserves it's own post, because of this big, but little known FACT: However, closer inspection of the numbers reveals that “the average American PISA reading score for higher-income schools exceeded that of all other developed countries . . ."

http://www.sheboyganpress.com/article/20121209/SHE06/312090207/Community-Conversation-Tackling-poverty-key-meaningful-education-reform?odyssey=nav%7Chead

EXCERPT: The educational disadvantage for the poor is apparent in international exams such as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). In the most recent PISA exam, the United States placed average to below average when compared to other developed countries in reading, science, and math. These are the statistics certain politicians like to quote when they speak of “reforming” our education system. However, closer inspection of the numbers reveals that “the average American PISA reading score for higher-income schools exceeded that of all other developed countries while the average score for lower-income American schools was far lower. In fact, the PISA scores by America students were more influenced by their parents’ economic backgrounds than any other OECD country.” (“America’s Poverty-Education Link,” Howard S. Friedman) In other words, our educational system is not in dire need of reforming, but it is definitely not working for the children whose families are in poverty.


A side effect of the way Report Card scores are calculated penalizes schools with more economically disadvantaged students. For example, scores are lowered 5 full points because of lower attendance rates and another 5 points if dropout rates are more than 6 percent. Each teacher’s Personal Performance Review Score is now partially tied to their school’s Report Card score. Many districts are also moving to tie teacher pay to their personal scores in the belief this will make teachers more accountable. As a consequence, experienced high-quality teachers are likely to gravitate towards the schools and districts which have the best facilities and the lowest poverty — where their score and pay is not penalized. Alongside several years of budget cuts to education, these ingredients are not likely to encourage the best and brightest to enter or stay with educating our youth. Policies that indirectly favor wealthy districts are not a recipe for success for our nation or our children.

So you GOPsters can take your school "reform" and your false mantra of "failing public schools" and stick it righ where it belongs . . . in the garbage. It's the Poverty Stupid!