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Here is the path for Wisconsin for the next 6 months: (No General Strike!)

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Jackpine Radical Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-11-11 01:05 PM
Original message
Here is the path for Wisconsin for the next 6 months: (No General Strike!)
I wrote this to a nephew who has been in the demonstrations in Madison asking for advice on what he can do next, so some of the content is specific to him, but the general points stand:


As for action, beyond the demonstrating, I think the first thing on the schedule is to get JoAnne Kloppenburg elected to the Supreme Court. For one thing, I think Walker's new law will be challenged & will eventually get to the WI Sup. Ct. But beyond that, we need a progressive majority on the Court for a lot of other reasons. That election is April 5. The way to win it is to get everyone out to vote. In most years, very few people vote in these off-year elections (like maybe 10% of eligible voters), so this is one place where getting out the vote is extremely important. You could do door-to-door work &/or concentrate on getting other students out to vote. SC elections are theoretically nonpasrtisan, but I imagine your county Democratic Party chair might just happen to know where you could tie up with others who are campaigning for her. You probably ought to join your county party if you aren't already a member. Also, local union leaders would be a good source of practical information on how you can help.

In addition to the SC election, there are 2 other practical things you could get involved with. As I imagine you know, 8 Republican State Senators are eligible for recall. In order for recall elections to happen, a lot of signatures have to be gathered on petitions. This has to happen within 60 days, and the clock is ticking. You could volunteer to go out to the district of one of these senators and help collect signatures. Then, once the recall election is scheduled, you can go back & help get out the vote--phone bank or go door to door or whatever. You might even be able to phone bank from home while babysitting.

The eight vulnerable State Senators are Luther Olsen, Robert Cowles, Randy Hopper, Glenn Grothman, Mary Lazich, Dan Kapanke, Alberta Darling and Sheila Harsdorf.

Here is a link to a map of State Senate districts: http://legis.wisconsin.gov/ltsb/redistricting/PDFs/Sena...
I think your closest target would be Dan Kapanke, whose district is just north of yours.

There is also a special election (I think on May 3) to replace 3 Republican Assemblymen. These seats are vacant because Walker appointed them to Cabinet posts. All are from normally very safe Republican districts, but again, lots of people will stay home on Election Day because it's an off-year, and there are no super-sexy races going on. The 3 are Mike Huebsch (94th), Scott Gunderson (83rd) & Mark Gottlieb (60th).

Here's the Assembly District map: http://legis.wisconsin.gov/ltsb/redistricting/PDFs/asse...
I don't think any of them are close enough for you to travel there easily.

It's truly amazing how this mess has woken the state up. Maybe we needed this shock treatment to turn things around, sort of like a drunk hitting bottom.
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bobthedrummer Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-11-11 01:15 PM
Response to Original message
1. I'm glad my Congressman's (Ron Kind) office has been involved since 2009
Edited on Fri Mar-11-11 01:15 PM by bobthedrummer
in trying to bring a man that walked away from a federal grand jury in Milwaukee in 1970 after people testified against him for a murder he committed and the human trafficking he was involved with then.

Imagine what it was like to be stalked for decades by this man, identified as Eugene "Tiny" Krienert in this photo taken at a Green Bay homeless shelter in November 1988, Jackpine Radical.

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eowyn_of_rohan Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-11-11 01:19 PM
Response to Original message
2. I just printed out "Republican 8" recall forms to take to the rally tomorrow
I couldn't find any recall petitions to sign when I was there yesterday so thought this might be a needed "service". Hopefully we'll get a few signatures.
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Jackpine Radical Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-11-11 01:28 PM
Response to Reply #2
3. That's great. Are you talking about a local rally?
You'll no doubt want to verify addresses of signators.
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eowyn_of_rohan Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-11-11 01:42 PM
Response to Reply #3
4. This is for tomorrow's Madison rally
Edited on Fri Mar-11-11 01:48 PM by eowyn_of_rohan
You can only sign the petition for the Senator who represents the district you live in. I printed out the Senate voting district maps for all 8 recall-able Senator, and will ask each person who their Senator is, and where they live. I figure if people are able to match the senator with the correct district chances are good they will be legitimate signatures. I don't know how to verify their address without asking to see their driver's license or ID and I wouldn't feel right doing that. I've never had anyone ask to verify my address when I have signed petitions - have you?


Wanted to add-- Tomorrow's rally in Madison is predicted to be huge, and includes the Tractorcade, so I am hoping 1000's of people from other districts show up!
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Jackpine Radical Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-11-11 01:53 PM
Response to Reply #4
5. In this case, I would ask.
This is a very big deal, and I think everyone will not only understand, but will even welcome your caution. We really have to have our ducks in a row on this because every hint of problems will get blown up.


As I wrote this, a sudden thought occurred to me--there may even be spoofers collecting signatures on forms that they intend to throw away, so that people will falsely believe they have already signed a legitimate form & therefore decline to sign the real ones.
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eowyn_of_rohan Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-11-11 02:09 PM
Response to Reply #5
6. Yes, I've thought of these things, too
I'll give it my best!
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bobthedrummer Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Mar-11-11 04:35 PM
Response to Original message
7. "shock treatment" is waking up those left for dead by the operative Kreinert
that's him on the left in January 1990 preparing to sleep under a Washington DC bridge at an event sponsored by the late DC activist Mitch Snyder


I don't mean to go offtopic here JR (as you know after my call earlier) yet when Walker stated he "thought" about hiring operatives in that prank David Koch call he brought this guy to the minds of many. What a coincidence that I began the internet phase of this search for some justice on 2-14-11.

A general strike may well be down the road now the lying Walker administration has actually "signed" away our rights for the time being-rights that are not for sale to begin with.

Btw JR both State Senator Kapanke and State Senator Hansen have been aware of this tiny quest for some justice (41 years after the Milwaukee grand jury that he walked away from) since last month. Senator Hansen's office helped me in this in August of 2009.

Anyone having real info about the life status of the murderer and human trafficker "Tiny" PM me.
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eowyn_of_rohan Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-13-11 08:49 AM
Response to Original message
8. Thought I'd tell you - it was nearly impossible to get signatures yesterday!
There were too many people - we were all jammed together & it was incredibly noisy! There was NO place to set up! I talked to another couple who were trying to do the same thing and they had no luck either - I got only 2 signatures - LOL. I'll mail those in tomorrow. Were you there?
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undeterred Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-13-11 09:00 AM
Response to Original message
9. Question about recalling Walker
Somebody told me yesterday that if Walker is successfully recalled, AG van Hollen becomes Governor. Do you know if this is true?

Wouldnt it be the Lt Gov who becomes Governor?


Since Lt Gov RK is an idiot, is there a drive to recall her also?

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socialist_n_TN Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-13-11 09:33 AM
Response to Reply #9
10. Well I'm not an expert on WI law, but I have read on here....
that with enough signatures to recall for the SENATORS, they set up a new election. I would assume that it would be the same for governor.

What you heard MIGHT be RW propaganda to hurt the recall efforts. Don't put ANYTHING past those bastards.
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PeaceNikki Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-13-11 09:51 AM
Response to Reply #9
12. Recall triggers an election and Walker is a candidate, there's no interim Gov.
The Lt Gov issue is a little less clear. I think she also needs to be recalled since she was voted in independent of Walker.
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hollowdweller Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-13-11 09:49 AM
Response to Original message
11. I hope something comes of the Wisconsin protests


I hope the dems take the state back. I hope they recall some of the senators.

However I'm skeptical. As far as protests I think that politicians are more than willing to write off large numbers of their constituents, and the electorate is so divided based on party lines no matter what the actual issues I see so much money coming into Walker and the GOP there they may be untouchable.

I also see a group of people with good intentions, but at this point are not considering striking, which is really the only way labor has traditionally hurt them enough to get them to capitulate.
How does striking and protests put any pressure on Walker and the GOP really?

Go out and shut down the schools for about a week or more, let half the police and firefighters not show up and THAT is pressure.

So many people, they just have a highly optimistic opinion of the political process. Bush Vs Gore, Bush Vs Kerry, going to war in Iraq on lies, the republican victory i 2010 and the very passage of the hated legislation in Wisconsin should show the people if they go emptyhanded into a problem they will likely get hoodooed.

But striking. That's the one power they really have they could wield. However labor has been so neutered that nobody even considers going out and striking anymore, and yet it's the one weapon that works against this shit.
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socialist_n_TN Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Mar-13-11 10:18 AM
Response to Reply #11
13. Agree with the general thrust of your post........
I'm not sure that the recall and "within the system" stuff should be abandoned, but I don't have a Hell of a lot of hope for it. WAY too much money on the other side. Now WI MIGHT be different because this has been such a sustained process, but other places? I don't know if I believe it will work consistantly.

Strikes are the ONLY place that will put REAL pressure on the capitalist exploiters because, IF it's done correctly, it's hits their pocketbooks. HARD hits to their pocketbooks. Of course, it's gonna hurt the strikers too, but we're getting less and less to lose anyway.
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