Boycott Johnsonville Foods: Contributed $44,000 To Scott Walker Since 2005!

Stunning amounts of money has been spent over the years from Ralph C. Stayer, president of Johnsonville Foods, and his sister Launa Stayer and Johnsonville staff.  They are major contributors to Scott Walker donating over $44,000 since 2005!

See it for yourself.

Then contact Johnsonville Foods and tell them that you will not buy their products until they stand up for the working men and women in Wisconsin.  Tell  Johnsonville Foods that union men and women are not to be treated like chopped liver in Wisconsin, and deserve the right to collective bargaining.  Tell them to stand up to Governor Walker and denounce the union busting bill now before the Wisconsin State Legislature.

Why should state workers, public employees, and those who support labor buy Johnsonville Foods if they will not support us?

Wisconsin Car Dealers Who Supported Scott Walker, Should You Now Support Them?

Notice to state workers, public employees, and friends of labor.

Should our consumer dollars support  car companies that gave huge amounts of campaign cash to Scott Walker when he ran for governor?  Should we not now expect, given the union busting bill that Walker has proposed, that these same car companies publicly call on Walker to stop the harm he is doing to workers?

Where will you spend your dollars?  With those who supported Scott Walker?

Darrow family at Russ Darrow Group auto dealers (the Darrow family also owns J. D. Byrider car franchises) gave over $6,000 to Walker. 

 Contact Russ Darrow   1-888-840-1680

See  Russ Darrow contributions to Scott Walker. 
 
Bergstrom family at Bergstrom car dealerships gave over $4,000 to Walker.

Contact Bergstrom.   608-271-2211

See  Bergstrom  report on Scott Walker money.
 

Jon Lancaster Jon Lancaster gave $5,000.   Contact Jon Lancaster.   608-843-8941

See Jon Lancaster report on money Scott Walker.

 
John Zimbrick of Zimbrick Inc. gave $300.  Contact Zimbrick and tell them you are are not pleased with their actions.

 See  Zimbrick report on money Scott Walker. 

David and Robert Hudson of Middleton Ford – $250 each 1-888-221-4966.  See the campaign reports here.

Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz “National Family Conversation” Taking Place At Wisconsin State Capitol

I mentioned on my blog earlier that the mood today at the State Capitol was pointed, and yet not in your face confrontational.  At least that was the case from my perspective.  When both the Tea Party and friends of labor took to the Square there was not the level of meanness that I expected to see.  I was pleased with that.  I was quite heartened that there were earnest but frank discussions underway.  That is good for Wisconsin, and for democracy.

So I was glad to see that Mayor Dave Cieslewicz saw much the same this week, and blogged about it too.

This is consistent with what I’ve witnessed all week. I’ve spent a couple of hours each day on the Square and in the Capitol Building to get a feel for what’s going on and, of course, I’ve been watching the news reports both local and national. It’s clear that Madison is the focal point right now of a national conversation about the future of democracy. The protests that started with collective bargaining have spilled over into related issues of social justice and democratic process.

It’s a spirited debate in the Madison spirit. Passionate and strong but with a sense of levity too. My favorite protest sign so far: “I Blame Brett Favre.”

This is a national family conversation we’ve been putting off, but it has to happen, and it’s starting to happen right here in Madison. The conversation has been fierce, articulate, loud, and civil.

We have to work out our differences and stay together as a nation. There has to be compromise in the air somewhere. But first we all have to be heard. And the hearing seems to be starting right here at home. This is what democracy looks like.

Pictures Of Picket Signs At Madison Capitol During Union Rally

Perhaps the most amusing picket sign on Saturday was the one that a rather determined middle-aged women carried with a lot of pride.  She marched towards me holding it high.  It read, “Lets Clone Scott Walker”.  I politely laughed as she passed, and then turned heel and caught up with her in about 5 steps. 

“Ma’am,” I said, “you do realize that your governor is not friendly to science that would allow research into stem cells or cloning of any kind?”

Her blond hair bobbed as she lifted her head a little higher in a dismissive nod, and without word marched on.  As I write this tonight I am still wondering how she missed the irony when she was making her sign prior to the rally.

And so it was on Saturday as the 70,000 who assembled under sunny skies on the Capitol Square marched and chanted their slogans regarding Governor Walker’s union busting bill.

As with days past it was the signs, and the creative way that citizens gave voice to their points of view on placards that made for smiles, laughs, and double-takes.  Here then is a sample.

My favorite today was this one….

Many of the signs hit on education….and the fact that Governor Walker only has a high school diploma.   Like it or not this is a topic that comes up over and over in conversations….and one that resonates among voters.  People want leaders to be smarter than they are.

“In one year I will me more educated than Scott Walker” was proudly carried by a young man in the crowd.

 

Among the cute sign holders today were these two……

Pictures Of Massive Saturday Union Rally At Wisconsin State Capitol

UPDATED

Today was billed when both state workers, public employees, and their supporters would face off in separate rallies with the Tea Party and conservatives on the Capitol Square.  Under ideal weather conditions 60,000 packed the Madison isthmus while waving signs and chanting slogans.    There was no real acrimony that I witnessed, which was good.  In fact, I over-heard real discussions between clearly varying points of view.  That is to applauded.  That is the tone of Wisconsin that should not be divided, as Governor Walker is so desperately trying to do with his bill now before the State Legislature.

There was a HUGE  number of union supporters, and a much smaller number of Tea Party sympathizers.  (I bet it was 10-1.)     It was hard to see the signs of the Tea Party as they seemed to be huddled near King Street while the unions supporters had taken to the streets.  But of the signs that I was able to see it was not even close when it came to creativity.  (I suspect it has something to do with school teachers helping make more memorable wording…..)

James and I milled around and talked with people we knew, and many we did not.  It is amazing in a sea of 60,000 how many faces were ones we recognized and chatted with.  As I stated before this week on CP, when it comes to union people we are not related as kin, but we are connected through convictions.  And that was very evident today.

Here then are some photos of the sights from today.   I will have a separate post of the political signs that made me smile up on this blog later this afternoon.

 

 

Religious Leaders Help Out Wisconsin Senate Democrats Who Walked Out Of Statehouse

Doing the Lord’s work.

Religious leaders in Illinois and Wisconsin on Friday offered their congregations and homes as sanctuary for Democratic senators who walked out of the Legislature on Thursday to block a vote on Gov. Scott Walker’s proposal to roll back collective bargaining rights for public employees.

The invitations, by a handful of churches and synagogues in Madison, Chicago and Glencoe, Ill., are the latest show of support by religious leaders whose faiths support worker rights on moral grounds.

“This is antithetical to all religious traditions,” said Kim Bobo, executive director of Chicago-based Interfaith Worker Justice, which is coordinating the sanctuary effort.

Bobo said she’s spent the week fielding calls from faith leaders around the country where similar efforts are under way.

“They are using the guise of a budget crisis to completely undermine workers’ rights to organize,” she said.

Congregations opening their doors tendered their invitations during a conference call organized by the advocacy group Faith in Public Life on Friday.

Saturday Song: (For Union Protestors) Soweto Gospel Choir “This Little Light Of Mine” “If You Ever Need The Lord”

After the emotional week that has taken place in Madison, Wisconsin only one song came to mind for this weekly feature.  I want to dedicate this to every person, regardless of age, that has joined with state and public workers at the Wisconsin State Capitol be it in person or in spirit. 



Wisconsin Republicans Showed True Colors On Assembly Floor Friday

Color me shocked!

Meanwhile, Assembly Republicans convened their floor session a few minutes before its scheduled start Friday evening and moved Walker’s bill toward final passage before Democrats could enter the chamber, prompting howls of outrage from Assembly Democrats.

The action, taken on a voice vote, prevented the Democrats from introducing any amendments to the bill. Democrats began yelling as they entered the chamber to find the majority Republicans voting on the bill.

“This is unbelievable. Unprecedented. Un-American,” yelled Minority Leader Peter Barca, D-Kenosha. “This is just the most outrageous thing I have ever seen.”

Barca called the actions “illegal” and a violation of Assembly rules.

“There is a stink in this body. There’s a stain on the history of this state with what you’ve done.”

Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald, R-Horicon, said he started early because, “Honestly, I thought you guys weren’t showing up.”

Fitzgerald acknowledged that Barca was correct in his reading of the rules, and members allowed the bill to return to its amendable stage. Fitzgerald then moved to adjourn the Assembly until 10 a.m. on Tuesday, prompting a standing ovation from Democrats, who promised to continue working on amendments to the bill.