There is a consolidated effort through the establishment of non-profit organizations that are covertly propaganda vehicles to sneak pass even the most thoughtful of progressives and liberals. But, before I name them, let's look at some of what we know Gov. Walker and the Republican's are doing or wanting to do:
- Eliminate the regulatory powers of government except as to protect personal property and provide fiscal benefits to increase the bottom-line for corporations:
- Ex: Gov. Walker has replaced and privatized the Dept. of Commerce with the purpose of "responding to the needs of businesses". (Wait and see what happens to the WI Dept. of Finance, don't say I didn't warn you)
- Strategically get rid of public services that are not used by the upper classes, in exception to Social Security since that's Federal. (But wait, watch how he forces, indirectly, cuts to Medicare, by cutting Medicaid incredibly). These services include the State's health care plan, BadgerCare, Family Care, Senior Care, FoodShare, as well as programs for out-of-home/foster children.
- Reduce government revenues through tax reform.
- Just like the national Republicans, Scott Walker has increased the deficit by giving corporate tax breaks. Watch what happens to the State's capital gains tax, or at least the debate over it. (wink wink), meanwhile providing another $25 million to fund his new economic development agency.
Who are these agencies you say? The Wisconsin Way, Bold Wisconsin, and Competitive Wisconsin, who share "support" (meaning corporations, institutions, and individuals that contribute to and/or are on the board of...) former Governor Doyle's "Climate Change" task force.
Let's start with: the Wisconsin Way. This is probably the most popularly known organization, that provides policy direction, "research", and ideas to our State and locally elected officials. Last year, the Wisconsin Way were one of the headliners of the Wisconsin Counties' Associations annual conferences, and probably will be for a long while. The WCA is the lobby organization made up of Wisconsin's 72 counties, attended by the Counter Board Supervisors across the State. Now, there are numerous things in the Wisconsin Way's "Blueprint for Change" that I can agree with. I am not demonizing Wisconsin Way, I am merely saying that they have strong influences from Right-Wing organizations. However, things such as making police and fire a "fee based service" is not one of them. (to see that they actually recommend a fee-based emergency force scroll down to "2b").
Let's look at some similarities between Gov. Walker and the Wisconsin Way
- They recommend a confederation of economic development agencies to tackle the issues and "needs" of businesses for "Economic growth" or job creation. Gov. Walker develops his Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation that replaces the Dept. of Commerce.
- The WI Way is all about cutting property taxes, "consolidating" and "reforming" services, "review all state mandates", and "eliminate the capital gains tax", while providing a 5-year corporate income-tax free period for all new businesses to Wisconsin. Need I say more?
Be Bold Wisconsin is a conception of Competitive Wisconsin. It shares the same recommendations as Wisconsin Way, in that it calls for "education reforms", from creating accelerated higher education courses for people wanting to enter the workforce, to work-study programs for grade schools, increase in funding "highly demanded" skills, and, well, again "reforming" the education system. Did I mention that Gov. Walker wants to split up UW-Madison from the UW-System.
Now that Gov. Walker is in office, he has the chance to act on his grudges he's been carrying for a long-time, and has the support of private industry, and the Right-Wing (or what we Left-Wing "Radicals" recognize as neoLiberalism domestically and globally). Gov. Walker has always hated the Milwaukee County Board, Milwaukee Public Schools, the UW System and their Board of Regents, among other groups. So, combine an ego with a thirst for power and vengeance with a covert national Right-Wing system of "reform" supported by billionaires, and you have the perfect recipe for the disaster to come.
My next blog entries will be explaining neoLiberalism, and all things that all people must know as to protect Democracy from the megalomaniacs of extreme corporatism.
Please recognize friends, that this is truly not a partisan fight. It's class warfare, but I guess I should stop talking before someone blames me for inciting a civil unrest. And if it happens, it better be towards Wall Street, and the Beltway (D.C.) for increasingly stripping the Democratic rights, freedoms, and powers of the People. There, I said it.