Letter to the Wisconsin Republicans From a Conservative Prison Guard

[kpete]

Letter to the Wisconsin Republicans From a Conservative Prison Guard
Submitted by zelda on Sun, 02/27/2011 - 00:21

"Good Afternoon All,
I just wanted to voice my extreme displeasure to all who voted for Walker's Budget Repair bill!!!!! Do any of you know who is affected and what they really do for a living and what they make? I know that you all can't possibly believe in your hearts that this is the best thing for the state of Wisconsin!! Why then are you all following like little lambs??? I just don't get it!!

By the way, I am a 46 year old lifelong conservative Republican and I'm a Corrections Officer. I worked hard to get this position via testing (aptitude and psych), lie detector tests or LVA, several interviews, etc. The process took almost a year to get into Corrections. After that, it was 4 weeks at the academy and 8 weeks training on the floor, then a year of Probation.

You use the word entitled very loosely and I'm not one who feels entitled, but I definitely feel that I earn the great benefits that have been associated with the Public Sector! I brush shoulders daily with some of the most dangerous criminals including local and Federal prisoners. Many of these have been incarcerated for some time and many have some type of disease such as HEP A, B, or C or worse yet, HIV. All it would take is for them to spit on me and get it in my eye or mouth and it will change my life forever!!! Did you know that inmates like to save their urine and feces so that they can throw it at Officers. Sounds like fun doesn't it and I do it proudly to protect the Public outside the facility and the very same individuals I just spoke of. I work a 4 on 2 off schedule which means that I only get a 'weekend' once every six weeks and I work most Holidays. Yes, I get paid for working the Holiday, but the fact is we are there 24/7/365. By the way, I work a 2pm - 10pm shift and when a third shifter calls in, sometimes when I'm ready to go home after a stressful shift, I'm told that I need to stay another 8 hours until 6am to fill out third shift and I do it. Again, yes, I get paid overtime, but you try working 16 hours straight and then hang with criminals.

Walker excluded Police and Firefighters because they are Public Safety workers. WHAT THE HELL DO YOU CALL MY JOB???? I don't think I get paid a grotesque wage at $40k/yr. It's not the private sector that has complained about my pay or benefits.

It's Walker and you Republicans that have tried to create this division within our state's people. Why????

To all you Democratic lawmakers, I apologize for voting nothing but Republican all these years. They are not who I thought they were!! Don't you Republicans see the protests throughout the state? Hey, I'm a taxpayer too!! Don't tell me that you're protecting the taxpayers. This is simply a way to attack some of the finest middle class workers and I for one am considering moving out of Wisconsin as I am so distraught at the lack of honest wholesome government.

Again, why are you Republicans following Walker so blindly? An independent nationwide poll said that 61% of people do not su pport taking away collective bargaining. Even just Republicans only support this attack on CB with a number somewhere around 54%. These are facts! Why then do near 100% of our Republican lawmakers vote for this horrible bill. By the way, thank you to the 4 that voted against it. You are the only ones with balls!!!! Why don't you stand up and tell him it's just not right. Go ahead and take my money that was promised in the way of pension and health care. I'll give you that, but knock off the attack on my collective bargaining rights. Do you have any idea how we as employees will be steamrolled without representation? You don't do you. You buy this crap by Walker about being protected by the Civil Rights laws in this state. That's crap. Have you noticed that the other Governors in Indiana and Florida have pulled back on the push to attack collective bargaining?? Why do you think this is? Because it was wrong from the start. Do you know how many states have budget problems worse than Wisconsin, but have no Public Service collective bargaining? Do you know how many states have less budge problems and still have public sector collective bargaining. Do you really know about Walker's record in Milwaukee? Yes, I still thought he was the best choice too and voted for him, but I don't believe any longer. Do you know about the Milwaukee workers that were fired illegally and Mr. Walker brought in out of state workers to fill the positions. Now Milwaukee is still having to pay these Milwaukee workers because it was illegal.

I know you already blindly voted this in, but you need to take a breath of fresh air and exhale the Walker air for a moment and work to undo the damage you've helped to cause.

I never believed in unions all these years because I thought they asked too much in bad times, but now I see that we are all adults and my union AFSCME has been very reasonable in it's negotiations on new contracts. I just don't understand how all of a sudden people like me are the problem. Have you done fiscal impact studies to determine the trickle down effect on charities, retail sales, etc.?

Please stop with the union busting and remember, people like me are simply your friends and neighbors.

In my opinion, I truly believe the Senators who left for Illinois were forced to do what they did and I personally hope they can hold out for months to prove a point. I would gladly take money out of my pocket to help buy them food and clothing.

By the way Republicans, I truly believe you've sealed your political fate. Most of my friends are conservatives and none of them work in the public sector, but all are appalled by this move by Walker. Keep pushing and you'll push your way right out of office if you haven't already. You have lit a fire under people like me that normally just voted the way they feel the best.

I will now be very involved in my community and others if possible to drive you out because you simply don't belong. I truly believe the Republican party in Wisconsin has become corrupt. There has got to be another way! I've given up on Walker because he is simply loving the limelight he's in. He wants to be a rock star. I strongly urge you Republicans that really know best to be heard and forget about the blind following the blind.

Thanks to the Democrats for fighting for people like us and truly understanding the far reaching implications of this union busting bill on good workers."




Rep. Nick Milroy posted this letter on his facebook page at 11:00pm Friday night. It is written by a prison guard, and addressed to the Repuplican Reps. who voted FOR this bill. PROFOUND.
http://www.squattable.com/news/022711/letter-wisconsin-republicans-conservative-prison-guard

[gateley]

1. Wow - wish we could extend a "welcome" to this guy and thank him for the

job he's doing. I'm glad he sees we're fighting for him, many don't but the good Dems keep fighting for them, too. :patriot:

[SpiralHawk]

2. k and r

I expect we'll be hearing similar laments from hordes of people who realize how the Republicon eeleete billionaires have suckered them with Fox Propaganda and Rush Draft Dodger Limbaugh, etc etc

Ya gotta kinda feel sorry for how badly they have been SUCKERED by the republicons

[timefortherevolution]

40. Not really. This guard was ok with voting repub so long

as their policies didn't affect him.

Typical Republican voter---now that the salaries that Repubs are cutting are his own,
he's all up in arms.

[laylah]

42. +1...

That was my first thought, my second is "about time". Do ANY of us really react until it effects us personally? Yes, this yahoo voted Repub for a long time, the GOOD thing is, s/he now sees the light!

BTW, a belated welcome.

Jenn

[nolabear]

46. When the student is ready, the teacher will appear. Don't shut them out.

We need all the converts we can get.

[Quantess]

55. See, I'm sort of a bleeding heart "understanding" type.

He spends all his time working, and the few hours leftover are spent on family, going to church, tinkering in the garage, playing pool, watching TV, or whatever he does to fill the few leftover hours of time, that he never really examined politics.
It's hard to stay on top of everything these days.

[MadMaddie]

58. At least he has seen the light

Everyone falls short sometimes.....

Look the reason that the Koch brothers are winning this war on the middle class is because they have invested billions in dividing us.

The worst thing that could happen to the the Koch brothers and the Repug party is if the common folk find common ground and are not divided.

We may not see eye to eye on everything but we are the working class.....


What's the saying......

"United we stand, Divided we fall"!!

[TheMadMonk]

61. Problem is mate they WEREN'T exactly SUCKERED.

Not until these endgame plays finally brought to them what for so bloody long they have been perfectly content with seeing happen to others like blacks, hispanics, and Asians, and in the time of the great labour disputes the southern Europeans and Irish.

Trickle down is the exact opposite of reality, and for so long Middle America was a cheerful participant in the process of moving wealth from the bottom to the top, because they were allowed to play with the money and pretend it was their own along the way. If they were ignorant, it truly was only because they chose to be so.

Eventually Middle America began indulging in canibalism in the 80's, gave away it's liquid assets to the Savings and Loans scam, did it again with what was left kiting Dot Com schemes into the stratosphere, put their world on a credit card, and then when that wasn't enough interest free store loans full of lots of "fun gotchas" and the latest and quite possibly final (for Middle America) catastrophe of the sub-prime mortgage debacle.

Yes they were lead into it with all sorts of insincere promises, but in almost all instances, the ultimate failure falls to their own choices. ie the "Honeymoon" rates on mortgages, which lead to so many burning themselves by using the interest holiday to fill their homes with the latest and greatest (all too often compounding their problem with no interest, no payment, 400 day store loans (which actually turn out to be with a GE suibsidiary)).

Some "smart" people saw something else here, the possibility to bet the appreciation of land/property values against those artificially low "introductory" interest rates. And thus the just collapsed housing bubble was born.

Ultimately though the success of a fraudster relies on two very simple things, the greed of the mark combined with his laziness and the very high probability that said mark will neglect to do his homework before committing.

[Bozita]

3. Now that's one pissed off Republican!

[gtar100]

36. “A working man who votes Republican is like a chicken voting for Colonel Sanders.” "

Heard that on Norman Goldman's show from a caller. Fits to a tea.

[roguevalley]

37. J. C. Watts father told him that when he ran for congress as

a repub.

[PatrynXX]

45. When even the strongest Republican voters turn on you...

It's the wrong thing to do.. Republicans are really doing themselves in. Just making unions more solid than they ever were before.

[unkachuck]

4. "...I apologize for voting nothing but Republican all these years."

....no need to apologize, we all make mistakes....welcome aboard and we will win this fight....the will of the people shall not be denied!

[reggie the dog]

34. yep, i used to be a republican too

up until I was 21 or so, but i had voted R in 2 election cycles already. By 2000 when i stopped voting R they just stole the election .....

[undeterred]

5. There were a couple of people at the rally today

with signs that indicated they had been lifelong republicans who had their eyes opened by Walker. Union people who felt like he spit right in their faces.

[Blue_In_AK]

16. Sarah Palin had that effect on some life-long Republicans

in Alaska.

[aquart]

6. And another one wakes.

Me, I think he's entitled to every dime he gets and every one of the benefits.

[AsahinaKimi]

7. I wonder what is the velocity of a

Disgruntled Republican changing to become a Democrat? Its amazing during the last Presidential election how many Republicans switched parties because they couldn't stand the likes of Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly, and Glenn Beck. Because the smart ones did jump ship, it left only the GREEDY and the STUPID.

[DeSwiss]

8. K&R n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. You are going to see a lot of this

come to jesus moments... ah that is why Granny never voted for a Republican...

[shraby]

10. Maybe one of the reasons to tighten up our voter registration

with photo id is because more people will be voting Dem in the next election and they don't want they to be able to vote. I like it the way we have it. Go in, give our name, we've found in the book given a ballot and go vote. If we aren't registered, we can register on the spot with two bills that give proof of where we live.

[barbtries]

14. of course that's the reason they're doing it.

anything to keep democrats away from the voting booth. they'll stop at nothing. don't forget gw was president for eight long years.

[StarsInHerHair]

11. K&R 21

nt

[bertman]

12. REC. nt.

[barbtries]

13. that's a good letter

and addressed to the people who need a wake up call: the republicans.

they really overstepped. if they win this round, we should not despair. because they'll all be gone come voting time.

[Crunchy Frog]

15. Good to see another one waking up.

[Raksha]

17. K & R

[Blacksheep214]

18. We are all Republicans!

That would be Eisenhower Republicans. He respected labor and knew that America could do tremendous things. And we did!

Dear Democratic Party. Just because we are down on Republicans does not mean you can do whatever you want either. Most people are fed up with the lot of you on all sides. That, we all pretty much agree on!

This is our chance to show we are better all around and not just on this one issue.

Don't blow it! Like Neville Chamberlain learned, you can't appease a dictator. Bush told the truth when he said "as long as I'm the dictator". Enough! No more compromise!

In Solidarity!
IBEW member

[classof56]

43. Solidarity indeed!

And a double thumbs up!

:thumbsup:
:thumbsup:

[rasputin1952]

19. It often takes something dramatic to change minds...

The situation in WI has created such an atmosphere, and people across the nation are waking up and realizing what is happening under GOP has galvanized the nation and as I've said, this can be the situation that takes out the Teabaggers and the GOP in one fell swoop.

I believe that Walker will be recalled after his first year in office under the WI Constitution, and some of those in the legislature will be gone as well...I think also that this will have nationwide consequences for the GOP. Even life long R's are wondering just what the GOP has done after being elected to "create jobs", and are actually destroying the job market...not to mention they think they have some kind of "mandate" to take on social issues, as opposed to the perceived "fiscal responsibility" the GOP thinks they "own".

If anything, this should show those that sat out the mid-term just how important their vote truly is, I can't think of anything more patently ridiculous than sitting out an election...even if one is not happy w/a candidate, there are always local issues on the ballot that others are voters are willing to allow others to make a decision on that will affect them dramatically...I don't care if R's sit out an election...but for a D or I to do so inevitably spells disaster.

[B Calm]

20. I never could understand why working people shoot theirselves in the foot

and vote republican, unless it's only for their bosses entertainment. ASS KISSERS. . .

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

21. The veil is starting to lift.....

K & R

[Vinca]

22. The problem is that this writer, had he not been in his current position,

would probably be banging the drum for Walker. It's a great letter and I hope it has some impact, but there is something almost cultish about Republicans. You especially see it right after the new talking point goes out. One by one they appear on the tube blabbering "job-killing" this and "job-killing" that if that's the phrase du jour. They're sheep.

[reformist2]

23. Yep. I'm afraid that he's still in the "what's in it for me" mode.

Also, this part of his letter did not ring true at all: "Most of my friends are conservatives and none of them work in the public sector, but all are appalled by this move by Walker. Keep pushing and you'll push your way right out of office if you haven't already." Suddenly, everyone he knows has changed their viewpoint at the same time he did, and for the same reasons? Unlikely. But I do appreciate that he at least realizes that the Republicans are not his friends. I'll give him that.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

24. This needs to be read by the other side...post it to rightwing boards

[tallahasseedem]

25. This is a great letter...

it sucks that it had to come to this for him to see the light, but he is coming nonetheless. You over-reached this time Republicans, now it's up to us to make them pay for it.

[H2O Man]

26. Outstanding!

Recommended, of course.

I absolutely agree with those here who are saying we need to distribute this far and wide.

[Evolve_Already]

27. The Hubris!

Boggles the mind it does, Scott Walker(after being phone punked, after polls indicate the disastrous numbers on his war against the unions...) has the audacity night after day holding press conferences and evidently enjoying the sound of his own voice. Perhaps he needs to be reminded what came of the Greek mythology character named Narcissus.

[loudsue]

28. If this dude signed his real name to the letter, he's toast.

The Koch brothers will make short work of putting pressure wherever they need to in order to make sure he never has a job in Wisconsin again.

Republicans are corrupt and vengeful to the core. They get people fired all across the country for holding the views this man just wrote about. Almost all media people who held these views have been fired. It happens in the utility industry, cellular industry, oil industry....all across this country. Once employers know you're a liberal, you can't get a job.

[ellie]

29. Oh my

the repukes really stirred up a hornet's nest with their actions, didn't they?

[sabrina 1]

30. Wish he had been awake before but better late than never

and I suppose people had to witness what these corrupt Republicans were actually all about before they could make the necessary decision to never vote for them again.

I hope Democrats on the National level will now start stepping forward and standing up for the people. It's safe to come out for the people now!

[butterfly77]

31. K&R..

[Callalily]

32. What a powerful letter!

Thank you!

[PatSeg]

33. Great letter

I'll bet there are a lot of conservatives in Wisconsin who feel the same way. Probably not just Wisconsin actually.

[The Doctor.]

35. This is what happens when Republicans pry themselves away from Fox

and look for themselves at what is going on.

[Ikonoklast]

38. Oh, NOW he's pissed. When other people lose their jobs...meh.

He's still a Republican, he's just pissed off it's HIS livelihood being messed with.


Well, sucker, you got what you wanted, and now Walker is going to privatize all the state prisons, you can re-apply for your job at $8 dollars an hour, with no benefits.

Some of these people need to be kicked in the balls realkly hard before they open their eyes.

[peace frog]

39. Agreed, but I'll give him points for honesty

You have the governor and state legislature you voted for, pal, deal with it. Now get out there and protest alongside your union brothers and sisters!

[bluestate10]

51. 100% agree. There is nothing great at about the letter at all. It was written

by a man that voted republican thinking that other people, in particular those on welfare, were going to get screwed. But now that Walker and his merry band of republicans have the drill aimed dead at the ass of that lifelong republican, middle class, working man, the prison guard screams, "why me?". It is easy to vote hatefully when one's own ass is not on the chopping block, the same chopping block that poor people have to some how avoid every fucking day.

[Beartracks]

60. Swindled people aren't hateful.

They're just not paying attention.

I, for one, am glad this guys blinders came off. I pray there are many more like him.

------------------------

[willhe]

41. people that vote republican are facts ignorant

when all you listen to is republican assholes that work in the government talking about how bad government is why the hell doesnt that in itself dont wake you up. why dont they ever ask if government is so bad why do they want to work in it.

republicans are evil by design. al queda has absolutely nothing on the terrorist organization known as the right wing. every thing they support destroys america or its people.

taxes are governments income. cut spending raise taxes deficit solved fn 'morans'. and for all these idiots crying about entitlements they arent voting to cut their pensions. why should they be more entitled than we are.

the problem is not people living longer the problem is the workforce is shrinking all thanks to the terrorist mask as the republican party.

it says 'we the people' but the same assholes that always cry about the constitution are the same ones that make it 'I'

[Little Star]

44. Well, I for one am glad he has seen the light even if...

it is only about this one issue and even if it is all about him and his job.

People do change their political leanings. Sometimes it is issue by issue. Why not praise him for speaking out about this? Once the seed of doubt (regarding republican thinking) is planted something just might grow if we water & care for it. Why be judgmental? Not a one of us is perfect.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

47. i have trouble sympathizing with people who voted him in

to begin with

[Brickbat]

48. I am so, SO tired of people waking up only when it affects them. Part of being human is using that

part of your brain that makes it possible to understand what an experience is like for someone else.

[bluestate10]

53. If republican voting middle class people keep voting republican and

electing people like Scott Walker, Scott of Florida, Kasich of Ohio, Brewer of Arizona, Daniels of Indiana, the once middle class republican voting citizens will know what it is like to be jobless in their late forties and their fifties, will know what it is like to not be able to fund their children's educations, will know what it is like to see their children live a lower standard of living. Some of the middle class that is electing republicans don't give a shit, they some how think that the hammer is not going to swing around and split their skulls. But soon their dreams will be over and nothing but the bitter reality of fighting for jobs that pay $12, if they are lucky, will confront them.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

59. indeed

[1776Forever]

49. The GOP motto is Privatize in the name of those like Blackwater/Xe who will probably be taking over

this guys and other guards jobs soon!

[opihimoimoi]

50. Better Late than Never

[bluestate10]

54. When the prison guard could have made a difference, he did not.

His letter is all about his "public safety" group not being exempted from removal of collective bargaining like cops and firefighters were exempted. He care now only because his organization is among the ones that Walker and majority republicans will steamroll first if democrats don't some how prevent that outcome. Cops and firefighters are somewhat more visionary, they realize that if Walker wins the ongoing battle, they are next when their contracts comes due for negotiation.

[opihimoimoi]

56. I know...its so frustrating to see the fence sitters open their eyes only when the shit hits

[Kurovski]

52. K&R

There's a person who's not the least bit interested in giving walker the tools to make him poor.

Self-interest and survival, The Koch's do it, we should too. (and there's more of us than them.)

[TxVietVet]

57. If you work for a living, the republiklans will screw you.

Read this.

The Wisconsin Lie Exposed – Taxpayers Actually Contribute Nothing To Public Employee Pensions


http://blogs.forbes.com/rickungar/2011/02/25/the-wisconsin-lie-exposed-taxpayers-actually-contribute-nothing-to-public-employee-pensions/

[davidthegnome]

62. I respect this man

and I respect his integrity. I don't care who he's voted for or what policies he has supported in the past, I'd say welcome aboard, with open arms.