By now, the gentle reader is probably fully aware that on this past Friday afternoon, people were peacefully protesting the lack of justice regarding the murder of Dontre Hamilton, as they have done so several times in the past eight months. However, on Friday, in the course of their protest, they briefly blocked I-43. As they say, it was a minor inconvenience brought about my a major injustice.
What the gentle reader might not know is that the cowardly Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke found himself to be above his head and ran to Scott Walker for help. Walker granted Clarke's request and ordered out the National Guard, even though they don't have a mission or objective yet.
It reminded me of another Wisconsin governor that was a lot like Walker - Jeremiah Rusk. But in 1886, it was laborers and not African Americans who were the targets:
Governor Rusk was under considerable pressure from employers to stop the strike. Employers were saying that they would turn the entire society upside down and use the bombing in Haymarket Square as their proof that a revolution is under way.
Rusk called the Mills and told Captain Treaumer of the Lincoln Guard "if the strikers try to enter the mill, shoot to kill." Captain Treaumer then ordered his men to pick out a man, concentrate and kill him when the order is given. The strikers spent the night in open fields nearby while the Militia camps stayed at the Mills with sentries posted. During the night the sentries were shooting at anything that moved. A Navy tug brought provisions for the guard.
May 5
Around nine in the morning the strikers gathered again chanting "eight hours," a reporter who slept with them reported that it was odd that this was a group with no real leadership, but everyone was united in one single purpose.
The crowd approached the mill and faced the militia who were ready to fire. Before Treaumer knew the crowd's real intentions he ordered halt, but the strikers, who were about two hundred yards away, did not hear him.
He ordered the militia to fire. The crowd was in chaos as people fled the scene. The Milwaukee Journal reported that six were dead and at least eight more were expected to die within twenty four hours.
It also needs to be pointed out that this isn't the first time Walker has threatened to use military force against peaceful protesters:
In 1886, Wisconsin made history right here in little old Bay View. The situation then is being eerily repeated by our own Governor Rusk Walker who is calling for the removal of all worker rights in both the public and private sectors, and has threatened said workers with the National Guard if there is any "unrest." What is worrisome is that he has not defined what he considers "unrest."
Back in 1886, workers were joining forces and demanding pay raises and eight hour work days. They almost shut down every business in the city until they agreed to start treating their workers with respect and as people. When the strikers came to Rolling Mills in Bay View, where things got ugly. Governor Rusk, at the pleading of big businesses (WMC, anyone?), sent out the state militia. The rest, as they say, is history...
One might have hoped better from even Walker, but when his supporters and fellow right wing nut jobs have no issue with mocking the death of a black man, I wouldn't put anything past Walker - especially if he thinks it might help his slim to nonexistent chances to be president.
Says the Republican party to our troops! Then to think that after the sacrifice that they give to our great country, to tell our troops that they are not entitled to jobs, sure takes a lot of Chutzpah this close to the election!
“This country is home to the finest workforce in the world, where
people have been raised to believe that anything is possible if they
work hard. Yet in spite of the mettle and tireless spirit of the
American people, our economy continues to flounder.
“It is time to restore America’s greatness, to unleash the innovation
and entrepreneurship that have made us an example to other nations.
Washington needs new leadership that understands that throwing money at
our problems is not the answer and that pro-growth, pro-jobs policies
are the key to jump-starting our economy and creating jobs.” 2012 RNC Convention Speaker & Ohio Republican Senator Rob Portman.
" High unemployment, declining incomes and crushing debt
is not a new normal. It’s the result of misguided policies. And next
January, our economy will begin a comeback with the Romney Plan for a
Stronger Middle Class that will lead to more jobs and more take home pay
for working Americans.
America is on the wrong track; but Mitt Romney and I will take the right
steps, in the right time, to get us back on the right track!
I believe my record of getting things done in Congress will be a very
helpful complement to Governor Romney’s executive and private sector
success outside Washington. I have worked closely with Republicans as
well as Democrats to advance an agenda of economic growth, fiscal
discipline, and job creation." Paul Ryan's(R- Wall St.) 2012 RNC Convention Speech.
The problem with the republicans being upset about unemployment in America is it is 100% fake outrage.
Lets not forget that Mitch McConnell started off President Obama's tenure with this:
1. Tax Cuts to Help America’s Small Businesses Hire and Grow
Cutting the payroll tax in half for 98 percent of businesses:
The President’s plan will cut in half the taxes paid by businesses on
their first $5 million in payroll, targeting the benefit to the 98
percent of firms that have payroll below this threshold.
A complete payroll tax holiday for added workers or increased wages:
The President’s plan will completely eliminate payroll taxes for firms
that increase their payroll by adding new workers or increasing the
wages of their current worker (the benefit is capped at the first $50
million in payroll increases).
Extending 100% expensing into 2012: This continues an effective incentive for new investment.
Reforms and regulatory reductions to help entrepreneurs and small businesses access capital.
2. Putting Workers Back on the Job While Rebuilding and Modernizing America
A “Returning Heroes” hiring tax credit for veterans: This provides tax credits from $5,600 to $9,600 to encourage the hiring of unemployed veterans.
Preventing up to 280,000 teacher layoffs,while keeping cops and firefighters on the job.
Modernizing at least 35,000 public schools across the country,supporting new science labs, Internet-ready classrooms and renovations at schools across the country, in rural and urban areas.
Immediate investments in infrastructure and a bipartisan National Infrastructure Bank, modernizing our roads, rail, airports and waterways while putting hundreds of thousands of workers back on the job.
A New “Project Rebuild”, which will put people to work
rehabilitating homes, businesses and communities, leveraging private
capital and scaling land banks and other public-private collaborations.
Expanding access to high-speed wireless as part of a plan for freeing up the nation’s spectrum.
3. Pathways Back to Work for Americans Looking for Jobs.
The most innovative reform to the unemployment insurance program in 40 years:
As part of an extension of unemployment insurance to prevent 5 million
Americans looking for work from losing their benefits, the President’s
plan includes innovative work-based reforms to prevent layoffs and give
states greater flexibility to use UI funds to best support job-seekers,
including:
Work-Sharing: UI for workers whose employers choose work-sharing over layoffs.
A new “Bridge to Work” program: The plan builds on and improves
innovative state programs where those displacedtake temporary, voluntary
work or pursue on-the-job training.
Innovative entrepreneurship and wage insurance programs: States will
also be empowered to implement wage insurance to help reemploy older
workers and programs that make it easier for unemployed workers to start
their own businesses.
A $4,000 tax credit to employers for hiring long-term unemployed workers.
Prohibiting employers from discriminating against unemployed workers when hiring.
Expanding job opportunities for low-income youth and adults
through a fund for successful approaches for subsidized employment,
innovative training programs and summer/year-round jobs for youth.
4. Tax Relief for Every American Worker and Family
Cutting payroll taxes in half for 160 million workers next year:
The President’s plan will expand the payroll tax cut passed last year
to cut workers payroll taxes in half in 2012 – providing a $1,500 tax
cut to the typical American family, without negatively impacting the
Social Security Trust Fund.
Allowing more Americans to refinance their mortgages at today’s near 4 percent interest rates, which can put more than $2,000 a year in a family’s pocket.
Yes everything the republicans have been whining about and blaming President Obama for, a very good start to fix our problems wrapped up in one bill and they blocked it. By the way, Mitch McConnell does not stand alone!
As bad as blocking the American Jobs Act was, today's might be even more egregious!
Congressional Republicans, resolute in their commitment to deny the
Democrats anything that looks like an accomplishment in an election
year, have spent the week obstructing passage of the Veterans Job Corps
Act of 2012. It’s a perfectly inoffensive bill from Senator Patty
Murray, the Washington Democrat, meant to increase hiring and job
training for veterans, especially those who served in Iraq and
Afghanistan.
Who could oppose hiring more veterans as cops,
firefighters and national-parks workers? Who could be against helping
veterans apply their military training to earn civilian occupational
licenses? The unemployment rate for new veterans hit nearly 11 percent
in August, compared with 8.1 percent nationwide. Veterans and
active-duty soldiers are committing suicide at alarming rates. The men
and women who defend America in uniform are 1 percent of the population.
Why shouldn’t the 99 percent give them a hand?
I’ll let the Republicans explain.
Senator
Tom Coburn of Oklahoma says it is dishonorable and cowardly to help
veterans find jobs when there are more important things (what?) to do.
Perhaps forgetting where he worked, he denounced the legislation on
Wednesday as a “political exercise” and a waste of time, since the House
wasn’t going to pass it anyway. (If that’s going to be the standard,
the Senate might as well shut off the utilities.)
“Where is
our honor? Where is our valor? Where is our sacrifice?” thundered Mr.
Coburn, immediately after suggesting that the bill cost too much.
Rand
Paul of Kentucky went further, saying he would block the bill until
Pakistan freed Shakil Afridi, the doctor who helped the United States
find Osama bin Laden. He also wants to halt all American aid to Pakistan
until Dr. Afridi is released. If that halts American aid to veterans,
too bad.
“I care deeply about the veterans . I care deeply about
housing and helping the veterans who have fought for their country. But
this is about whether we as a country and the American taxpayers will be
asked to send good money after bad to allies that are not acting like
allies.”
It’s only “about” that because of Mr. Paul. This ought to be about jobs for veterans.
Ms.
Murray has not managed to open the Pakistani prison cell, but she has
tried to make her bill as bipartisan as possible, by incorporating
wholesale additions from Richard Burr, a North Carolina Republican. The
Senate could have rallied behind this bill, shown its dedication to the
troops, and been done with it by now. But Democrats will have to pass
this bill the hard, slow way, with repeated large votes overcoming
Republican procedural objections. At this rate, it might pass on
Wednesday. Or it might be killed by Republicans committed to making a
bigger point about honor, valor, sacrifice and obstruction.
From now on the Republicans can send our troops to war with the slogan
"Don't come back, you cost too much"!
That's a winning election strategy!
We will see if the American People punish the republican party in November, for their incredible disregard for the amazing men and women in our military!
By now, the gentle reader is probably fully aware that on this past Friday afternoon, people were peacefully protesting the lack of justice regarding the murder of Dontre Hamilton, as they have done so several times in the past eight months. However, on Friday, in the course of their protest, they briefly blocked I-43. As they say, it was a minor inconvenience brought about my a major injustice.
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