It's Only Rights

Recently, there has been much unrest in our state and our community due to the sudden introduction of Gov. Walker’s controversial budget bill. We can’t let it divide our community.

We all live in Wisconsin; we all pay taxes; and we all want a good standard of living and hope for a better future.

Upon thinking the situation over and listening to all the talking heads on both sides, the one thing that seems to surface repeatedly is fairness. We all get disgusted with the Wall Street bankers; we don’t like it when we have to pay for something and someone else does not. We are being pitted against one another in this political controversy, and that gets us nowhere.

Unfortunately, this has turned into a private sector versus public sector battle, but we need to realize that we need each other. If public employees don’t have money to spend in the community, the private sector loses, too. I have an uncle who worked for a private company in Wisconsin and belonged to a union. He is now comfortably and happily retired thanks to the work their unions did for him. He agreed that good pay and working conditions attract better workers. He, as well as my brother who owned a business in Madison, voted for Walker so he would balance the budget. Neither had any intention of voting for union busting.

When I asked my uncle if he would have given up his bargaining rights, he answered a vehement: “No---never!” Both my brother and uncle said they would call their representatives tomorrow and tell them to vote no to the bill. The middle class needs to fight for this, or there will no longer be one. Nurses, snowplow drivers, sewer workers, police, postal workers, military personnel, firefighters, teachers, etc. are all rallying in Madison to preserve the rights of the middle class. These people may be you, your family or your neighbors.

We are all in this together. Don’t let this controversial bill pit us against each other. Please write emails and call your legislators throughout the state and voice your opinion today. They work for us, both private and public employees of the middle class.