Rick Snyder is killing Michigan, and serving the remains to corporations News From Underground is a daily e-news service run by Mark Crispin Miller, a Professor of Culture and Communication at NYU. It is based on his belief that academics, like reporters, have a civic obligation to help keep the people well-informed, so that American democracy might finally work. If you'd like to receive updates delivered to your inbox daily, sign up for News From Underground Alerts: Message from Mark: "I am a one-man operation, although assisted greatly by some volunteers, and, now and then, by people paid by others for one-time projects. There is no shortage of skilled, dedicated folks out there who want to help me. Please donate via the PayPal button above or via PayPal by email to: markcrispinmiller@gmail.com
IT University Online Transgender News, Culture, Opinion and Conversations - HuffPost Gay Voices The Bartleby Project Timothy D. Slekar: Rejecting Standardized Testing With The Bartleby Project "I'm inviting you to join a real conspiracy, call it an open conspiracy, with real consequences on millions of real lives. I know that sounds megalomaniacal, but be patient. If we pull this off, a great many will bless us, although the school industry few will curse us. This is about a project to destroy the standardized testing industry... This adventure is called 'The Bartleby Project.'" John Taylor Gatto. My 11-year-old son loves the show Myth Busters. I am currently thinking hard about asking my son to participate in the Bartleby Project and to write "I prefer not to take your test" across the top of his state test in March. Is it fair to ask my son to carry out an act of civil disobedience? Since late in August, my son has been subjected to a system of indoctrination that has essentially squashed his inner desire to learn -- the Ruinous Culture. But what has been lost during these past five months? As his father, I need to advocate for him.
Karl Rove's Secretly-Funded Crossroads GPS Attacks Unions in Nationwide Ad Karl Rove's secretly-funded Crossroads GPS is spending $750,000 airing a terribly misleading ad attacking public-sector labor unions. With support declining for the GOP's anti-union stance, Rove's group is looking towards the 2012 elections and aiming to counteract that slide by unfairly demonizing unions. The ad also attempts to lay the blame on President Obama, directing viewers to tell Obama "You've had enough." The group spent at least $17 million in the 2010 midterm elections, and along with Rove's American Crossroads PAC, is planning to spend $120 million in the 2012 elections. "Why are Democrats shutting down state capitols to protect a system that pays unionized government workers 42% more than non-union workers?" False. "A system that collects hundreds of millions in mandatory dues to back liberals who support government unions..." False. False -- through misleading editing. The same goes for unions defending the integrity of other public services against right-wing attacks.
Madison Reacts to Gov. Walker Signing Anti-Labor Bill Video by Jacob Wheeler Friday at 9:30 a.m. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker signed into law his legislation that prohibits collective bargaining among public-sector employees. Thus ended a dramatic legislative week in Madison: on Wednesday night at 6 p.m., Republicans in the State Senate forced a vote during an impromptu executive session; and yesterday at 3:30, the State Assembly followed suit. Gov. Walker held a press conference today at 3 in the Wisconsin State Capitol where he called the union-killing bill “what’s best for the middle class” but said that he never meant to say anything against state workers. Walker seemed to contradict himself at various points during the press conference, confessing that he was just doing what other states are doing, but simultaneously casting Wisconsin as a leader in passing such legislation. Reaction around Madison was swift. Support this story and all the stories from The Uptake.
AlterNet: Wisconsin Firefighters Shut Down Bank That Funded Walker Everybody knows the GOP's biggest weakness is money, so why not hit 'em in the sweet spot? That's what many amazing Wisconsin firefighters did yesterday when they collectively began withdrawing their funds from Madison's M&I Bank -- whose executives and board members were among the highest donors to Governor Scott Walker's campaign. Heeding a call by Firefighters Local 311 President Joe Conway to 'Move your money,' union members withdrew over $100,000 from the bank, with some reports stating that number is as high as $192,000. Either way, it was a hefty enough chunk of change that M&I shut its doors and closed for the day at 3PM. This is a very simple, very peaceful way to inflict some serious damage on the money-grubbers; super kudos to the Firefighters Union. Anecdoctally -- 'M&I Bank received $1.7 billion in bailout money via President George W. UPDATE: Stranded Wind over at DailyKos has photos of the protest outside M&I, and says the ante has been upped to $600,000!
Diane Ravitch: Eight Civics Lessons from Governor Walker Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin has taught the nation some very important civics lessons. The price is high, but we should pay careful attention to what he teaches by example. The first lesson: Citizens should not be hoodwinked by rhetoric. Governor Walker said that the state was broke. Lesson two: It is really important to vote. Lesson three: Voters should listen carefully to the candidates and ask for details about what they will do if they win. Lesson four: Politics in a democracy is different from politics in an authoritarian state. Lesson five: Leaders in a democracy do not crush their opposition. Lesson six: Citizens should not believe politicians who talk "school reform" yet plan to cut $1 billion from the state's education budget, while privatizing public schools. Lesson seven: Governor Walker's attack on teachers has galvanized millions of demoralized teachers across the nation. Now it's up to us to learn from those civics lessons and get our democracy back on track.
Up to 100,000 protest Wisconsin law curbing unions Teachers: the new enemy of the states? The Republican-fueled assault on collective bargaining in Wisconsin has (rightfully) been THE topic in the political arena recently. In defense of the collective bargaining rights for public employees, the teaching profession has often been invoked. For much of my professional lifetime as a teacher, I would have wagered that invoking the plight of teachers as a reason to support or oppose opposition would have been a high-percentage move. The level of verbal and legislative invective being hurled at the profession lately, however, has me wondering if the enemies of schoolteachers don't think they now have the upper hand with the voting public. Just look at some of the items on the legislative agenda from coast-to-coast: Idaho: A series of bills are working their way through the GOP-dominated legislature which will hit most of the items on the right-wing anti-teacher wish list. [Recent] events point to a convergence that is remaking the politics of education.
Klein Once Called Snow Day for Caroline Kennedy Former New York City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein once called a snow day after Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg asked him for the favor, according to a published report. In its gossip column "Gatecrasher," the Daily News reported that Klein and Kennedy appeared at an event recently, and told the story. Klein said that soon after Mayor Bloomberg named him chancellor in 2002, he visited Kennedy Schlossberg in Martha's Vineyard, where her son, Jack, asked if he had the power to declare snow days. Klein said he did and the boy asked for one on his birthday, Jan. 19. Klein said he would. Several years later, Klein had still not called a snow day for the child. Klein added that one of the four snow days he declared during his time as chancellor was that day.