I don't generally go beyond quilting topics here, but I would like to take a minute to share a couple thoughts about what's going on in Wisconsin right now:
I'm a state worker. I teach at a state university, my husband works as a programmer here. And I listened to Governor Walker tonight--and I'd like to thank you, Governor, for stating very clearly that the people who were protesting deserved to be heard while
at the same time you were very obviously
not listening.
State workers have already, in the past several years, given up a lot--I've had a substantial pay cut in the form of furloughs, which doesn't change my workload or tenure expectations. And state workers are not necessarily angry that you're proposing additional pay cuts (the way you and yours are demonizing us and spinning this whole thing)--no, what people are protesting, and what people are really, truly angry about is your proposal to eliminate rights that are guaranteed to private sector workers by federal law: the right to collectively bargain with our employers.
What the governor is proposing is not about balancing the budget--if he
really wanted to do that, why not eliminate tax cuts for corporations? What the workers are upset about is not about balancing the budget on our backs--well, that's certainly part of it--but honestly. Take away our right to organize, what's next?
I'm tired of being demonized for trying to do my job (to give kids a college education, to help make better citizens out of freshly minted high school grads--which, if anyone would like a stab at it, be my guest) and paying taxes just like everyone else.
And that's it for my off-topic-ness. Quilty discussion and fabric pictures will resume after Friday Night Sew-In, and thank you.
