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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (June 20, 2012)
jpnrtkuib (Obstruer June 20, 2012 Opinion articles do not necessarily represent the views o f the Portland Observer. We welcome reader essays, photos and story ideas. Submit to news@portlandobserver.com. O pinion i con SÎH V oters TURM oh — ** EMPLOYES Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning Residential & Commercial Services X CAN'T \ STANO Minimum Service CHG, $45.00 HÌ0H AHP A \i<5H w r/pe§ looKÌMCr tx’WN THÈÎR. no$e§ , ON fA E /W tfÿ \ ' why ; New Prices Effective May 1,2010 Martin Cleaning Service OURARliy ÎN W W SlzÎGHUZ piMïe m w Page 9 A sm all distance/travel charge m ay be applied CARPET CLEANING 2 Cleaning Areas or more $30.00 Each Area , Pre-Spray Traffic Areas (Includes: I sm all H allway) 1 Cleaning Area (only) $40.00 Includes Pre-Spray Traffic Area (Hallway Extra) Stairs (12-16 stairs - With O ther Services): $25.00 A Microcosm of Today’s Divided America Area/Oriental Rugs. $25.00 Minimum Area/Oriental Rugs ( Wool): $40.00Minimum A wakeup call in Wisconsin Heavily Soiled Area: J ohn S tauber W e 'r e n ic e people out here in D airyland. Just ask a n y o n e — th a t's our reputation. But the purple state o f W isconsin is a p o litical m icrocosm o f today's divided A m erica. T he bitter battle over w hether to recall our governor divided this state like the C ivil W ar. In the end, union crushing G ov. Scott W alker w on, despite the efforts o f the M adison- and M ilw aukee-based uprising that at times put more than 100,000people into the streets. They protested m any o f W alker's actions, but above all they objected to w hat the tea party g o v ern o r h im self described as a secret "bom b" — his bid upon ta k ing office in early 2011 to destroy public em ployees' right to co llec tively bargain. I'm alm ost 60 and have lived in W isconsin since birth. T he m obili zation to force W alker's recall e le c tion was greater and m ore energetic than anything I e v er w itnessed in the B adger State. B igger than the protests at the height o f the C ivil R ig h ts stru g g le o r th e p ro te s ts against the V ietnam W ar, in w hich I by p articip ated . B ut this u p risin g stum bled on June 5 w hen neither the governor nor three o f his four ta rg e te d le g islativ e su p p o rte rs w ere recalled. O ne R epublican state senator did get recalled, but the 2012 legislative session has already ended. W alker's victory sent a state m ent from W isconsin that a m ajo r ity o f the state's voters eith er sup port his radical agenda o r didn't feel that the recall election w as n eces sary. D em ocrats pointed to polls sh o w in g th a t P re sid e n t B arac k O bam a still leads M itt R om ney for the N ovem ber election here. But that's ju s t grasping at straw s. W hat's the lesson here? W alker outspent his D em ocratic opponent T om B arrett by $30.5 m illion to $4 m illion. T hat com es to $23 for every vote W alker won, com pared to $3.47 fo r each o f B arrett's votes. But it's too sim ple to say that m oney bought this election. In the w ake o f the S u p rem e C ourt's C itizens U nited decision, an outpouring from rich people and corporate interests — m any based outside W isconsin — bankrolled W alker's bid to cling to pow er. Sure, lib e ra l g ro u p s an d u n io n s a lso poured tens o f m illions into the D em ocratic side o f the battle, but they w ere severely outspent. H ere's my take on it. W orking c la s s p e o p le in W isc o n s in are scared. They're hurting. They're very w illing to turn their backs on unions and the D em ocratic Party. W alker is in the crosshairs o f an investigation that could kill his politi cal career. M any top aides from his previous governm ent jo b are under criminal indictment. He could be next. Y et voters put that aside to send a m essage against D em ocrats, liber als, and the urban com m unities in M adison and M ilw aukee. People in W isconsin are econom ically d e s p e ra te . T h e y 're n o t see in g th a t unions, liberals, o r D em ocrats are helping. M any o f them are w illing to give the tea party a chance. M ore importantly, the Dem ocratic Party, P resident B arack O bam a, the progressive m edia, and organized labor failed to connect with average c h e e se h e a d s. B ig m o n e y d e fe a te d p e o p le pow er, but progressives share the b lam e for this defeat. John Stauber founded the Cen ter fo r Media & Democracy. He lives in Madison, Wise. THE LAW OFFICES OF Patrick John Sweeney, PC. Patrick John Sweeney Attorney at Law 1549 SE Ladd Portland, Oregon Portland: Hillsoboro: Facsimile: Email: (503) 244-2080 (503) 244-2081 (503) 244-2084 Sweeney@PDXLawyer.com t Additional $10.00 each area (Requiring Extensive Pre-Spraying) UPHOLSTERY CLEANING Sofa: $69.00 Loveseat: $49.00 Sectional: $ 109 - $ 139 Chair or Recliner: $25 - $49 Throw Pillows (With Other Services): $5.00 % ADDITIONAL SERVICES • Area & Oriental Rug Cleaning • Auto/Boat/RV Cleaning • Deodorizing & Pet -'A , Odor Treatment • Spot & Stain Removal Service • Scotchguard Protection • Minor Water Damage Services SEE CURRENT FLYER FOR ADDITIONAL PRICES & SERVICES Call for Appointment (503) 281-3949
