The latest New York Times/CBS News poll of the American people's attitude to unions and what is happening in Wisconsin follows:
Solid majorities of WE, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE STAND WITH THE UNION:
61 percent of US think public employee salaries (averaging about $50,000 for college educated workers, including the top professions — doctors, lawyers, research scientists, teachers, police officers, firefighters) and benefits are about right or too low.
60 percent of US oppose taking away the collective bargaining rights of unions.
56 percent of US oppose cutting the pay of public employees in order to reduce state budget deficits. (It is important to note that the Wisconsin public employee unions have already agreed to the pay cuts and individual payroll benefits contributions demanded by the Governor.
48 percent to 37 percent of US believe the unions have the right amount or too little influence in American politics today. (This figure, a solid plurality just shy of a majority, reflects the effectiveness of right wing and corporate-financed propaganda to lie to, deceive, and confuse the American people with falsehoods and biased information.)
By 45 to 41 percent the American people believe states are trying to reduce public employee benefits to reduce deficits rather than weaken unions. Once again, this reflects the national picture, which includes states with Democratic governors and some Republican governors who are running away from Walker as fast as they can.
Given the choice of raising taxes, decreasing public employee benefits, decreasing roads and transportation funding, decreasing funding for education, 41 percent of the American people chose raising taxes. This is significant because it goes against the mantra and article of faith of the radical right Republican/Tea Party that they have some sort of mandate from WE, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE to cut essential spending programs in order to give us a tax cut. If the question were asked, should we raise taxes on the rich and the corporations in order to reduce state budget deficits WE, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE would have overwhelmingly said: YES!
A PPP Wisconsin poll shows that today the November election results would flip, with 52% to 45% of Wisconsinites saying they'd vote for the Democratic candidate, Tom Barrett, in a hypothetical re-do of the Wisconsin gubernatorial race.
Heard on the radio from a retired educator, Margaret, in Wisconsin:
"WE'RE THE ANTIDOTE TO THIS GOVERNOR WHO SLITHERS AROUND IN THE DARK SHADOWS."How's that for vivid, poetic imagery? See, that's the point. Our highly educated teachers deserve every last penny they receive from us. AND THEN SOME. In Wisconsin, we have a governor who did not graduate college and has shown nothing but contempt for teachers and the critically important role they have in our society. Schoolyard bullies are typically dropouts; but they can go on to become statehouse bullies. Walker's lack of formal education shows.
AWESOME! Internet GEEKS of the World, UNITE! Let the ruling classes tremble at the people's revolution. The people have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win!Dear Citizens of the United States of America,
It has come to our attention that the brothers, David and Charles Koch—the billionaire owners of Koch Industries—have long attempted to usurp American Democracy. Their actions to undermine the legitimate political process in Wisconsin are the final straw. Starting today we fight back.
Koch Industries, and oligarchs like them, have most recently started to manipulate the political agenda in Wisconsin. Governor Walker's union-busting budget plan contains a clause that went nearly un-noticed. This clause would allow the sale of publicly owned utility plants in Wisconsin to private parties (specifically, Koch Industries) at any price, no matter how low, without a public bidding process. The Koch's have helped to fuel the unrest in Wisconsin and the drive behind the bill to eliminate the collective bargaining power of unions in a bid to gain a monopoly over the state's power supplies.
The Koch brothers have made a science of fabricating 'grassroots' organizations and advertising campaigns to support them in an attempt to sway voters based on their falsehoods. Americans for Prosperity, Club for Growth and Citizens United are just a few of these organizations. In a world where corporate money has become the lifeblood of political influence, the labor unions are one of the few ways citizens have to fight against corporate greed. Anonymous cannot ignore the plight of the citizen-workers of Wisconsin, or the opportunity to fight for the people in America's broken political system. For these reasons, we feel that the Koch brothers threaten the United States democratic system and, by extension, all freedom-loving individuals everywhere. As such, we have no choice but to spread the word of the Koch brothers' political manipulation, their single-minded intent and the insidious truth of their actions in Wisconsin, for all to witness.
Anonymous hears the voice of the downtrodden American people, whose rights and liberties are being systematically removed one by one, even when their own government refuses to listen or worse — is complicit in these attacks. We are actively seeking vulnerabilities, but in the mean time we are calling for all supporters of true Democracy, and Freedom of The People, to boycott all Koch Industries' paper products. We welcome unions across the globe to join us in this boycott to show that you will not allow big business to dictate your freedom.
of you have sat, and perhaps thought, with us!
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