'TANTRUM POLITICS'
'We'll be throwing the rascals out'
I'd like to respond to several points in community columnist Jack Bruss' "Resorting to tantrum politics in Wisconsin" column (Perspectives, July 26).
The 14 Democratic senators didn't "run away." They left in order to stall the Republicans bent on ramming through their budget-repair bill before its union-stripping, education-gutting provisions could be widely publicized. The subsequent protests by tens of thousands of outraged citizens was grass-roots democracy at its best. This was the kind of activism that ended the Vietnam War, fueled by the same sort of democratic fervor that is sweeping dictators out of the Middle East. To call the protests "tantrums" is insulting. Standing up for one's beliefs isn't selfish or childish. On the contrary, it takes courage, discipline and determination.
It's also untrue that Gov. Scott Walker's opponents haven't presented their side of the issue. Anyone who reads newspapers or watches televised news couldn't possibly have missed the many legislators and middle-class working people speaking out against the Republican efforts to end programs for the middle class while giving breaks to the wealthy.
Bruss says the way to change the course of politics is by voting. Really? So far Republicans have done everything possible to make it more difficult to vote: passing a pointless and expensive voter ID law, closing driver's license offices where photo IDs may be obtained and gerrymandering political districts - blatant attempts to ensure that fewer Democrats are elected.
Nevertheless, those obstacles aren't going to stop motivated voters who detest Walker's politics. We'll be out in force on Aug. 9.
We won't be throwing tantrums. We'll be throwing the rascals out.
Pat Kilday
Oshkosh
Source Link: http://www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/126500728.html
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