Datura
actually a very nice person
Hi!
As the location field on my profile indicates, I currently live, work, and attend a public university in the state of Wisconsin (even though I still identify as a Minnesotan, and maintain that Minnesota is the best state in the entire United States). Wisconsin's not well-known outside of the U.S. Midwest, and understandably so; Milwaukee, its largest city, has been hurt quite bit by deinstruialization and everything that goes with it, and is also largely ignored due to its proximity to the colossus that is Chicago. There are a few other cities, too. Madison, the capitol city, is one of the most liberal areas in the country, and home to the world-class University of Wisconsin. Green Bay is home to one of the best American sports franchises and is a beautiful port city to boot.
There are a few other things Wisconsin can boast about, despite its lack of relative cultural significance. Nature buffs have plenty to love about the state; it has all four seasons, including below-freezing winters and humid summers, and its promiximity to two of the Great Lakes (Michigan and Superior) provides a lot of beautiful natural scenery. Its agriculture industry is one of the most prosperous of its kind in the country; in terms of financial stability and representation in state politics, Wisconsin farmers have a lot of reason to be happy. And then there's the world-class higher education! The University of Wisconsin is consistently ranked as one of the best universities in the world, and the University of Wisconsin system aspires to provide affordable, quality education to all of its residents, regardless of income or geographical circumstances.
It may not be New York or California, but hopefully I've made a convincing argument that Wisconsin is still a pretty nice place!
Now I need to talk about something that's going on that, for lack of a better word, is fucking it all up. In 2010, a year when disillusionment with the Democratic Party was pretty high, the people of Wisconsin elected a Republican man named Scott Walker for state governor.
Fine. A conservative governor. That's nothing new, especially in the Midwestern U.S., which is known for the polarization between left-leaning urban areas and right-leaning everywhere else. He campaigned almost exclusively on lower unemployment and lower taxes. Basically, he was a conservative American's wet dream! For liberals like me, this was disappointing, but not a huge deal. I've learned to channel my conservatism-related rage into more productive outlets than ranting about it on the internet. I don't like conservative politicians, but I don't find it unreasonable to wait for the next election cycle to make that dissatisfaction known.
Scott Walker is different. He's not a normal conservative politician. He's a warrior for radical conservatives, aiming to inject his ideology into every facet of Wisconsin politics. His big "claim to fame" is his budget repair bill, which effectively stripped collective bargaining rights completely from unionized laborers, including teachers. (It should be noted that the "debt" this bill aims to reduce is debt that resulted directly from his unprecedented tax cuts to Wisconsin's corporations and most affluent taxpayers. Let me emphasize that: this debt did not exist before he took office. He came into the office with a SURPLUS to work with.)
I could go in-depth into some other things he's done, but I'd highly advise everybody to spend a minute or two on this website for a general idea. I'm personally affected by the unprecedented higher education cuts; tuition is at an all-time high, and aid is at an all-time low. And civil rights? If you're a woman, or gay, or a marginalized person of any kind: Scott Walker is not on your side. Most public health programs, including those which provide assistance to low-income people, are either waning or have been eliminated completely.
And he doesn't represent the people of Wisconsin, either. Almost all of his money comes from out-of-state billionaires, the most notable of which are Koch Brothers, oil tycoons who have a stake in our exploitation.
But Wisconsinites? We're not complacent people. When somebody is this irresponsible, we goddamn make our disapproval known. That's why over one million people, myself included, signed a petition to invoke a recall election this spring. We're sending this corrupt man, and all those like him, a very clear message: we have a voice, and we're going to use it. The people always have the final say.
Only two governors have ever been recalled in United States history, and people like myself are hoping to make Scott Walker the third. Wisconsin's not a largely important place, but my intention with creating this thread was to show people that THERE IS HOPE. The state of politics in the United States, and many other countries, is atrocious. BUT YOU'RE NOT POWERLESS. You can defend your right to your well-being even in the face of well-funded ideologically-corrupt political machines. Keep an eye on Wisconsin, because it's about to turn into one of the most tense, polarizing episodes in modern politics.
I'll provide any important updates as I come across them, but in the meantime, feel free to ask me questions or share your experiences. I'm deeply involved in Wisconsin state politics and would love to talk more about everything that's going on.
As the location field on my profile indicates, I currently live, work, and attend a public university in the state of Wisconsin (even though I still identify as a Minnesotan, and maintain that Minnesota is the best state in the entire United States). Wisconsin's not well-known outside of the U.S. Midwest, and understandably so; Milwaukee, its largest city, has been hurt quite bit by deinstruialization and everything that goes with it, and is also largely ignored due to its proximity to the colossus that is Chicago. There are a few other cities, too. Madison, the capitol city, is one of the most liberal areas in the country, and home to the world-class University of Wisconsin. Green Bay is home to one of the best American sports franchises and is a beautiful port city to boot.
There are a few other things Wisconsin can boast about, despite its lack of relative cultural significance. Nature buffs have plenty to love about the state; it has all four seasons, including below-freezing winters and humid summers, and its promiximity to two of the Great Lakes (Michigan and Superior) provides a lot of beautiful natural scenery. Its agriculture industry is one of the most prosperous of its kind in the country; in terms of financial stability and representation in state politics, Wisconsin farmers have a lot of reason to be happy. And then there's the world-class higher education! The University of Wisconsin is consistently ranked as one of the best universities in the world, and the University of Wisconsin system aspires to provide affordable, quality education to all of its residents, regardless of income or geographical circumstances.
It may not be New York or California, but hopefully I've made a convincing argument that Wisconsin is still a pretty nice place!
Now I need to talk about something that's going on that, for lack of a better word, is fucking it all up. In 2010, a year when disillusionment with the Democratic Party was pretty high, the people of Wisconsin elected a Republican man named Scott Walker for state governor.
Fine. A conservative governor. That's nothing new, especially in the Midwestern U.S., which is known for the polarization between left-leaning urban areas and right-leaning everywhere else. He campaigned almost exclusively on lower unemployment and lower taxes. Basically, he was a conservative American's wet dream! For liberals like me, this was disappointing, but not a huge deal. I've learned to channel my conservatism-related rage into more productive outlets than ranting about it on the internet. I don't like conservative politicians, but I don't find it unreasonable to wait for the next election cycle to make that dissatisfaction known.
Scott Walker is different. He's not a normal conservative politician. He's a warrior for radical conservatives, aiming to inject his ideology into every facet of Wisconsin politics. His big "claim to fame" is his budget repair bill, which effectively stripped collective bargaining rights completely from unionized laborers, including teachers. (It should be noted that the "debt" this bill aims to reduce is debt that resulted directly from his unprecedented tax cuts to Wisconsin's corporations and most affluent taxpayers. Let me emphasize that: this debt did not exist before he took office. He came into the office with a SURPLUS to work with.)
I could go in-depth into some other things he's done, but I'd highly advise everybody to spend a minute or two on this website for a general idea. I'm personally affected by the unprecedented higher education cuts; tuition is at an all-time high, and aid is at an all-time low. And civil rights? If you're a woman, or gay, or a marginalized person of any kind: Scott Walker is not on your side. Most public health programs, including those which provide assistance to low-income people, are either waning or have been eliminated completely.
And he doesn't represent the people of Wisconsin, either. Almost all of his money comes from out-of-state billionaires, the most notable of which are Koch Brothers, oil tycoons who have a stake in our exploitation.
But Wisconsinites? We're not complacent people. When somebody is this irresponsible, we goddamn make our disapproval known. That's why over one million people, myself included, signed a petition to invoke a recall election this spring. We're sending this corrupt man, and all those like him, a very clear message: we have a voice, and we're going to use it. The people always have the final say.
Only two governors have ever been recalled in United States history, and people like myself are hoping to make Scott Walker the third. Wisconsin's not a largely important place, but my intention with creating this thread was to show people that THERE IS HOPE. The state of politics in the United States, and many other countries, is atrocious. BUT YOU'RE NOT POWERLESS. You can defend your right to your well-being even in the face of well-funded ideologically-corrupt political machines. Keep an eye on Wisconsin, because it's about to turn into one of the most tense, polarizing episodes in modern politics.
I'll provide any important updates as I come across them, but in the meantime, feel free to ask me questions or share your experiences. I'm deeply involved in Wisconsin state politics and would love to talk more about everything that's going on.
