The Job Interview

This is a job interview based on somewhat condensed questions, but with very real responses from the hypothetical job candidate. Even without any hint of sexual assault allegations, is this a guy you'd hire?

Interviewer (I): Good afternoon, Mr. O'Kavanaugh (O'K). We're here to see if you'd be a good fit for our organization. We're looking for a person of even temperament, a person of outstanding moral character.

I: First question, did you drink beer in high school?

Hypothetical job applicant during his interview

O'K: Yes, we drank beer.My friends and I, the boys and girls. Yes, we drank beer. I liked beer. Still like beer. We drank beer. The drinking age was 18, so the seniors were legal, senior year in high school, people were legal to drink, and we — yeah, we drank beer, and I said sometimes — sometimes probably had too many beers, and sometimes other people had too many beers…. We drank beer. We liked beer.

I: Um, okay. In your high school yearbook, it mentions "ralphing." Does that pertain to alcohol?

O'K: I was at the top of my class academically, busted my butt in school. Captain of the varsity basketball team. Got in Yale College. When I got into Yale College, got into Yale Law School. Worked my tail off.

I: Maybe you didn't understand the question, Mr. O'Kavanaugh. Does "the ralphing" reference pertain to alcohol?

O'K: I like beer.  I like beer. I don’t know if you do…. Do you like beer, (interviewer), or not? What do you like to drink? (Interviewer), what do you like to drink?

I: Um, let's kind of keep on this topic just a bit longer since you've mentioned, at times, that you had too many beers. Have you ever drunk so much that you've not remembered what happened?

O'K: No, I remember what happened. I think you've probably had beers, (interviewer). You're asking about blackouts,...have you? 

I: Um, what?

O'K: I'm curious if you have.

I: Let's move on. Is there anything else you'd like to say?

O'K: This whole (interview process) has been a calculated and orchestrated hit fueled with apparent pent-up anger about (the current organization CEO)  and (his ascension to the position), fear that has been unfairly stoked about my (job performance record), revenge on behalf of the (guy who ran this organization 17 years ago and his wife) and millions of dollars in money from (competing organizations)!

I: Thanks for coming in. We'll let you know.

The Cry of the Desperate

The title sounds as though this is about Trump and his minions, throwing one conspiracy theory after another to detract from corruption found within Trump's administration.

But it's not.

Today, I'm going back to my roots to talk about the man who made this whole blog possible all those years ago: Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker.

Walker is desperate. I can tell because he's lashing out.

Similar to Trump's team (to which Walker has sidled up), Walker's squad has taken to slinging mud. He continues to repeat debunked and salacious claims that his Dem opponent, State Superintendent Tony Evers, let accused teachers keep their teaching licenses (despite investigations and numerous fact checks showing Evers simply could not have legally revoked them). Walker even had his team scrape up yet another possible case to promote against Evers (which, of course, again, was debunked). Even Walker's Lt. Gov. Kleefish pulled out the racism dog whistle to claim (she heard) her Dem opponent took a knee for the national anthem at a public event (which was attended--and the inflammatory accusation easily debunked--by numerous other government officials in attendance that day).

If that's not desperate, I'm not sure what is.

Before Trump's Tweets and the nationwide GOP meltdown, I never thought Scott Walker might lose his reelection campaign. He's upheld some promises (i.e, to endanger the environment to cater to corporations),and has taken credit for state unemployment numbers in a recovering economy (although his "floor" to create 250,000 jobs in his first term fell woefully short). Walker has even taken on some humanitarian/compassionate ideas from Dems (which he will undoubtedly abandon if re-elected).

And, still, Dem challenger Tony Evers maintains a lead in the polls.

Maybe it's because of Walker's disdain for urban areas, or public schools, or university professors fostering free thought, or his incredible dropping-the-ball in regards to our state's crumbling infrastructure. Or maybe it's because Walker and his folks have provided massive funding to foreign corporations to build here (of which conditions of the agreement have already been altered by the corporation). Possibly, Wisconsin is fed up with Walker's promises to make better the juvenile detention facilities, instead opening them to massive abuse and neglect of their charges. Maybe people facing losing their health care are nervous. Or maybe Evers's lead is due to Walker's claims of massive education funding, which don't yet match the massive cuts he made (not to mention the funding siphoned from public to private schools).

Who knows?

I originally didn't think Evers could win because of his ties to public education (which Walker and company have spent years marginalizing and even demonizing). But now that I see it in a new light--that of Walker's "accomplishments" and the substance of that which he highlights in his campaign and commercials--I'm thinking Evers can win and be an effective and unifying leader.

But let's just sit back and see what other kind of mud our desperate Governor starts slinging.

I have a feeling it might make even Donald Trump proud.

Don't Let Trump's Lies Win

This morning, I saw yet another lie from the Commander-in-Chief. This one was how 85% of the media is dishonest.

I shrug my shoulders and keep reading.

Trump lies so often I think I'm becoming immune to it. Nothing he says to manipulate or deflect or denigrate--or that which he just says out of ignorance or his racist or egocentric view of the world--brings me the kind of daily outrage that it did before.

You kind of get used to it--like a flickering light bulb, or the incessant barking of the neighbor's dog--and you just kind of ignore it, right?

Wait...what?.

I mean, Trump continues to peddle lies and hatred and I'm so used to it I just shrug my shoulders?

How terrifying is that? And then I realize that is EXACTLY what this master manipulator wants us to do.

By throwing out so many lies (no, I won't call them untruths or misstatements), Trump believes that the gullible and easily distracted American public won't call him out for it, either because of fatigue (like me) or "it's just what he does" (like virtually every Republican in Congress)"

Hitler is supposed to have said if you tell a lie often enough, it will be believed.

And Trump subscribes to that wholly (i.e., "WITCH HUNT!") . He thinks the American people don't care about the lies he tells. He even says he won't be impeached because he's doing such a good job.

"It's not the truth that matters, but victory."

No, wait, that quote is Hitler's, too.

And I realize that this is scary, folks.

We can't afford to just shrug our shoulders.

Don't let Trump's lies win.

KEEP TRACK OF TRUMP'S LIES HERE at Politifact and at Fact Check.

This is YUGE!

Donald Trump has a penchant for describing anything having to do with his administration as "YUGE!"

Finally, Trump can finally tout something as actually "YUGE!"--Mueller's indictments of twelve Russian intelligence operatives is just that.

The Mueller probe has definitively gone from "witch hunt" to an actual revelation of crimes against this country. Mueller's investigation had confirmed earlier intelligence regarding massive misinformation campaigns, and now has come across enough evidence to identify actors of the Russian government working to attack our democracy.

Now, without speaking of conspiracy or changing of votes or anything, Mueller has apparently documented what can rightly be called an attack on the United States.

GOP members of Congress will continue to sow discord defaming and touting the bias of the DOJ and FBI, but, really, neither has anything to do with this news. The only "Deep State" that can be blamed for this is the Russian government.

And then there's Trump. I wonder how he'll treat the news?

Hmmm.

He decries Mexican immigrants as threats to our country (he's used the word "infest").

He calls out Canada--CANADA!-- as a threat to our national security so he can impose tariffs.

He travels to North Korea to supposedly save the US.

He shuts down travel from Muslim-majority countries because he wants to thwart what he thinks would be any potential attacks.

But yet, a proven cyber-attack on our country, on our democracy--PROVEN!--and there's no reaction. Not really. He blames Obama. He says he believes Putin. And he holds on to his belief (desperate hope, maybe?) that any talk of Russian meddling is a Democrat plot to undermine the legitimacy of his election.

THAT is the most damning of all. The US President doesn't confront or attack or even scold a hostile government that has been repeatedly proven to be attacking the country he represents, whose Constitution he has sworn to uphold.

And I'm not sure why. But I have a few ideas. And I think, in the next few months, we'll see which is the real reason.

And that, my friends, is definitely going to be "YUGE!!!"

Um, WI, it's not just Trump

While most Wisconsinites are distracted, mouth agape, at the horrific occurrences emanating from our commander-in-chief, we may tend to overlook our own horror show closer to home, in the person of Scott Walker.

In addition to sidling up to Trump, Walker, too, has continued his assault on transparency and honesty, which is really an assault on Wisconsin.

Just today in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, classic Walker dealings are highlighted. In one, Walker throws under the bus State Superintendent (and also possible Dem Gubernatorial foe) Tony Evers by claiming Evers's inaction regarding underperforming schools. Walker says Evers should have taken over such schools. Um, but it's not true. Evers neither has the power or opportunity to do so.  Politifact refutes Walker's premise and statement resoundingly:

Walker's actions to decimate WI public education (reducing funding, increasing vouchers, 

demonizing educators) shouldn't ever allow him to cast any (even false) stones

And Walker has continued to get in bed with business at the expense of our state environment (an earlier post here). Today's entry in this category from the Journal Sentinel details Walker quietly receiving talking points from big farm lobbyists to ease environmental restrictions for large livestock farms, whose unregulated runoff decimates our waters.

Green Bay's massive dead zone of too-little 

oxygen is, in large part, due to farm runoff

So, it's merely business as usual. Well, if you're a business.

If, however, you're just a citizen who values things such as transparency and honesty in your government, Wisconsinites are getting a front row seat to "The Creature From the Dishonest Government."

Who needs Trump when we have Walker?

New None-yun: What Winning Looks Like!

White House Top Economic Advisor Lisa Kudrow

Oops, sorry. Economic Adviser LARRY KUDLOW interviews Larry David

Oops, sorry. THIS is Larry David, not Bernie Sanders

Trump Economic Advisor Gives Brief Look at White House Thinking

 New None-yun: What Winning Looks Like!

(um, click the above link)

Another Blow to the Middle Class

While some are cheering the Supreme Court's decision today that  "non-members cannot be forced...to pay fees to unions representing public employees," (Reuters) it is another devastating blow, not only for unions, but for the middle class.

I know you aren't all union fans, but things such as improved safety, training, and fair wages are a result of union presence in all businesses--whether or not they employ union employees. Although, yes, unions--as with any organization--look out for their own interests, their interests actually are, believe it or not, their workers--your neighbors, your friends, your family. Add this to tax cuts for those with higher incomes (not including the relative pittance of some of those one-time bonuses, or the meager savings from tax rebates) and previous statewide decimations of union advocacy in both the private and public sectors, and, well, it doesn't look good, really, for the middle class.

By removing the requirement for non-union members to pay for services provided--such as the above-mentioned safety, training, and wages--this Supreme Court decision dramatically reduces the funds for a union to effectively keep those middle-class benefits from deteriorating. It will take money out of the pockets of the workers (thus, the economy will have less flowing into it), and puts it in the hands of the corporate executives and shareholders.

"But isn't that a good thing? That way, shareholders can get more money on their investments, and corporations can put more back into their businesses!"

Um, yeah, but that's not the way it works in the real world. Even while this "trickle-down" theory stemmed recessions under Reagan and GW Bush, income inequality actually worsened. In other words, the rich got richer, and the poor (and middle-class) got poorer.

And that's most of us.

That's already me. From a personal perspective, as a teacher, my union was completely eviscerated in 2010 by the Wisconsin legislature (a post of mine at the time). My wages froze, benefits were reduced (less pension, higher health costs), things such as working calendars and conditions were decided with no educator input, and there were few employee protections (matters are decided by a district-appointed third party). Overall, I lost more than ten percent of my paycheck, and have wages that do not increase unless I petition for it every three years citing additional district-related, but out of the classroom, activities (read: how much extra labor I put in, which really doesn't make it a raise, does it?). And the "savings" to the districts really haven't been put back into the system (districts hold referenda to increase their funding).

I don't mean to complain, I'm just sharing how it really is.

And sadly, for your middle-class neighbors, friends, and family, that's how it also will be.

Well, and likely for you, too.