As if we didn't have enough of our own failed Republicans to deal with in Texas, embattled Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is coming to Austin this week to speak to the ultra-conservative, right-wing Texas Public Policy Foundation's annual policy orientation. And by "policy orientation" we mean "ways to screw over teachers, students, the elderly, the poor, women, minorities, and anyone who isn't a card-carrying member of the 1%."
Walker is facing a recall back home in Wisconsin, where his conservative policies have alienated a vast swath of Badger State residents. Walker has cut almost $300 million from University of Wisconsin system funding. He passed a restrictive Voter ID bill like ours in Texas, which will prevent legal, registered voters from casting a ballot. He's virulently anti-union, anti-firefighter, anti-public worker and anti-teacher, as demonstrated by his efforts to ram through a bill that slashed their benefits and destroyed collective bargaining in the state.
Basically he's like Rick Perry in one of those Packers Cheesehead hats.
(By the way, a bunch of present and former Packers players have even spoken out against Walker's all-out assault on working Wisconsinites.)
So it's no surprise he's coming to Austin to visit with the painfully anti-humanist folks at TPPF, who've never met a social safety net they didn't want to shred. Well here in Texas we know a thing or two about failed Governors. So it's no surprise to see the Texas AFL-CIO organizing people to protest Walker's attack on working Wisconsinites. Join the AFL-CIO and give Scott Walker a fitting welcome to Austin this Thursday, January 12, 11:30 a.m. at Brush Square, 4th and Neches. Let's show Scott Walker that we've heard about his terrible anti-workin' folks policies up in Wisconsin and that we don't like him coming here and telling conservative Texans how to do even more harm to the people in our state.
A release from the Wisconsin AFL-CIO about the event is below, emphasis mine:
Working Families to Protest Gov. Walker in Texas In a show of solidarity union and community members set to protest Wisconsin Governor's fundraising trip to Austin
(MILWAUKEE, WI) - The Texas AFL-CIO and the Austin labor movement are encouraging union and community members to stand up for worker rights and to come together to support the Wisconsin gubernatorial recall effort when Governor Scott Walker visits Austin, Texas on Thursday. There will be a Texas-style protest, at noon on Thursday, January 12 at the Hilton Austin downtown at 500 E. 4th Street.
Gov. Walker will be speaking at the right-wing Texas Public Policy Foundation's annual policy orientation for Texas legislators.
"Wherever Scott Walker goes, working people will stand together to hold him accountable for his union-busting, middle-class destroying agenda which not only hurts people in Wisconsin but hurts working people throughout the country," said Phil Neuenfeldt, President of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO. "We stand together as one movement to fight for economic equality and social justice in the global economy."
"We applaud the Texas AFL-CIO for their efforts to expose Scott Walker and his extreme agenda," said Stephanie Bloomingdale, Secretary-Treasurer of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO. "Gov. Walker's attacks on public employees, education, health care, child labor laws, and voting rights threaten the very fabric of our nation. Fortunately, hard-working men and women are standing up in Texas and in every corner of the United States to say enough is enough."
Join the Texas AFL-CIO this Thursday, January 12 at 11:30 a.m. at 4th and Neches. They're meeting at Brush Square, that patch of grass between the Convention Center, the train station, and the Hilton.
To get your protesting juices a-flowing, here's a charming video of some folks in Wisconsin protesting Scott Walker. Read their story here.
