Me so happy: Bizarro World heads to Washington

In Superman's Bizarro World, everything is topsy-turvy.  Bad is good.  Up is down.  Indeed, the Bizarro code includes, in perfect Bizarro English, "Us do opposite of all Earthly things!" (1)  It seems a lot like that in Wisconsin since Walker took over.

Today in Washington,  Scott Walker shared the spotlight with Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin, both testifying before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform about “State and Municipal Debt: Tough Choices Ahead.”  Shumlin played Superman to Walker's Bizarro.

Shumlin, a first-term democrat, took over Vermont, a state with severe fiscal problems, this January, creating austere budgets. (4)  In a state with collective bargaining, Shumlin, as a Senator in 2009, worked with educator unions to achieve concessions, including, among other things, across the board salary cuts and freezes, as well as increased pension contributions. (2)  He negotiated with the state employees union for significant concessions. (3)  He came into office declaring that chastising educators and education would stop. (4)   His speech today included, "I do not believe that those to blame for our current financial troubles are our law enforcement officers, firefighters, and other state employees." (2)  This normal world, it's not a perfect world (teachers discuss strikes, for example, which for Wisconsin public workers are illegal), but Shumlin notes, "...the current debate about state budgets is that the focus has been not on bringing people together to solve common problems, like we have done in Vermont, but on division and blame." (2)  A reporter from Vermont related to me that working together is, indeed, pretty much the case. (4) 

That is the normal world.

And then there is the Bizarro World.

First off, Walker's colleague, Republican Jim Sensenbrenner introduced Walker with what those in the normal world would consider an unflattering term, a "very polarizing figure." (5)  Walker called his own policies "progressive" (5) (which in Bizarro World must mean "incredibly conservative").  He included the Bizarro gem, "Sometimes, bipartisanship is not so good. " (5)  And he was grilled by committee members on everything from not mentioning collective bargaining in his campaign and union busting (both which he admitted during questioning, but at no other time), to the patronizing hire of Brian Deschane, the unqualified son of a bigtime donor. (5) And when I was watching the news, it appeared that Bizarro governor seemed to think the testimony was going swimmingly.

Us in Wisconsin no need to worry.

Me so happy.

Congressman James Sensenbrenner (R-WI) introducing Scott Walker

Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) asking about union busting

(1) Bizarro World entry, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bizarro_World
(2) Mr. Shumlin Goes To Washington, Shumlin website, http://governor.vermont.gov/blog-mister-shumlin-goes-to-washington
(3) Governor...Contract With State Employees Union, Vermont Official website, http://www.vermont.gov/portal/government/article.php?news=1485
(4) Interview with Vermont reporter, personal conversation, 4/14/11
(5) Walker proves a lightning rod..., by Craig Gilbert, JS Online, 4/14/11, http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/119838014.html