What's really going on in Wisconsin

Read this: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/02/21/947947/-The-Koch-Brothers-End-Game-in-Wisconsin

No, really, I mean it; read it. This union thing? It's a shell game, a diversion. A Big, loud, straw man. Not that it's not important, far from it! Selling out the infrastructure workers anywhere is not just bad business, it's monumentally stupid. Not that Walker won't take whatever concessions he can wring from the unions along the way, and be damned happy about it; we all know he will. But let's review a few things:

Wisconsin HAD a budget surplus when Walker came into office.

Wisconsin lost that surplus almost immediately to "business tax cuts" (I'm guessing I know which kinds of businesses benefitted from those cuts, and it's NOT the local, small businesses....) and a health care bill that Walker put in place.

NOW Walker has this mad crisis to offset the deficit (which he created.)

So enter the deunionizing schtick, which everyone knows won't help the budget, but will only hurt more or less everyone.

Now, let's pause here, and look at Walker's big supporters. To whom does Walker owe his office? It's not a new or unknown name, and it's no surprise either. Koch brothers, directly, and through the sort of money-shifting voodoo they do so well, pretty much bought this guy the Governorship.

OK, here's where it gets dicey, but stick with me a minute more. Why does this matter? What do the Koch brothers or their interests have to do with unions in Wisconsin? Well, not much, and that's just the mystery. Until one looks closely at the REST of the budget Walker is pushing.

Say Walker concedes on the union issues, and admits defeat. The Dems come home, the budget passes, and there is much rejoicing. But what's in the rest of the budget? How about this little gem, so far unnoticed, and unremarked:

"Sale or contractual operation of state−owned heating, cooling, and power plants. (1) Notwithstanding ss. 13.48 (14) (am) and 16.705 (1), the department may sell any state−owned heating, cooling, and power plant or may contract with a private entity for the operation of any such plant, with or without solicitation of bids, for any amount that the department determines to be in the best interest of the state."

I hear you saying "Huh?" What this little bit of jargon does is allow the state government to sell off any public utility or power plant to a private entity anytime, for whatever price it likes, with no oversight. Let that sink in a second.

By sneaking this provision in under the union kerfluffle, Walker can now hand over Wisconsin's public utilities to anyone he likes. And who do we suppose he likes? The folks that put him in office, of course. Considering the assets already owned by the Kochs in Wisconsin, this could create a staggering monopoly.

So if Walker's budget, even with removal of the anti-union component, passes with this provision, the only thing keeping such a monopoly from happening would be Walker's sense of fair play and desire to protect the citizens of Wisconsin from being raped at the hands of a massive corporate monopoly.

Anyone want to take any bets on that?

Didn't think so.

Spread the word, pass this around.....

Evaluation!

Well, I had my chair in to evaluate my teaching today. *collapses in nervous heap* I wasn't really too wigged about it before hand, and class went fine, but I find I'm a little wound up now, after the fact!

I think it went well. We ended early, but we were reviewing for our mid-term exam, so not much to do about that. It's hard to leave time for students to ask questions, but at the same time, be sure to use all your time.... But my reviewer said he understood, and he seemed pleased. He asked some questions about how the students participate, but said it was good that they were asking questions, and didn't seem afraid to do so. He asked if I had any that just wouldn't talk, and I said there were a few that had only piped up occasionally. He asked if I would pick a student that hadn't talked, and I said I didn't think it was my place to put anyone on the hot seat, but that I would say something like "OK, anyone but these three" or whatever, if I kept getting answers from the same few students. He seemed to like that a lot, too.

Given that the topic is religion, he asked if I was surprised at their (lack of) background knowledge. I said I was sometimes quite surprised, and had had to make some adjustments on that basis. Then I told him I had had them write a mini-bio first thing, and I was really pleased to see that no one had been at all judgmental, but there was a lot of exchange going on between students of different backgrounds. I think he really dug that. He also said he saw good signs (asking questions, taking notes, looking back in their notes in order to offer answers, that kind of thing). He also seemed to like the way I structured the exam, in that I tried to focus on having them make connections in material over just regurgitating facts.

So, I think I've done the best possible, and I shall simply have to wait and see how it comes out in the written report.... (And I'm clam as can be about it. Really. I am, honest....)