I have decided, after contemplation, to start using my real name.  I believe that it would add credibility to the fight for Wisconsin.  My stories can be verified and special interest groups will not be able to claim that recalls, opinions, and elections are being conducted by outsiders. 

In an attempt to balance the incredible media attention that is being given to Sen. Harsdorf and Gov. Walker's agenda, I wrote an opinion letter and sent it to local newpaper editors.  The River Falls Journal the Hudson Star-Observer each ran shorter versions in their opinon sections.  In my own city, New Richmond News actually ran the entire version posted below.  I was very happy for the cause - especially since Gov. Walker, Sen. Harsdorf and Rep. Murtha all had lengthy opinions right across from my letter.   

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Can you remember that night the Packers won the Super Bowl? My husband had to leave the room at the end of the game, fearing the worst!   But then, for a few precious days, all of WI was united in jubilation.  It made it all the more meaningful that The Pack were underdogs with countless injuries.  Half-way through the season, everyone counted us out.  But our players believed in themselves, and we wanted to believe in them.  In the end our team had done it, against all odds and predictions.

That night seems like forever ago.  We haven’t just forgotten that feeling of unity, but have forgotten just why we love our Packers. They’re always the underdog. Why? Because our team isn’t owned by a corporation or CEO.  It’s owned by the people of Wisconsin.

Throughout these last few months, it’s occurred to me that Wisconsin is now facing the same decision. Will our state be owned by the people or out-of-state special interests? The Packers don’t succeed because they have the most money and buy all the best talent. They thrive because they play as a team, believe in themselves, and feed off the collaborative will of the people. That’s what has always made Wisconsin great, too. We’ve been leaders in the nation in areas of education, health care, worker’s rights, and environmental initiative.  And we’ve done it all without corporate special interests.

Now, Gov. Walker and Sen. Harsdorf would bring those special interests here.  The corporate model of absolute control would replace the cooperative model between workers and managers.  Additionally, and without our consent, corporations seek to purchase our publicly owned power companies.  I don’t recall giving Gov. Walker or Sen. Harsdorf the authority to do any of that.  Democracy spreads in the Middle East – only to disappear in the Midwest?  That doesn’t seem right.

Now, can we improve unions?  Absolutely.  Unions must, and will, change.  Just as ineffective football players are replaced – so should ineffective workers.  Society depends upon public servants to perform well in the jobs given to them.  If they can’t do it, they should find other work.  However, we never considered selling The Packers in the lean years (‘70’s and ‘80’s – my entire childhood I watched my father suffer!).  Nor should we eliminate unions now, in a knee-jerk reaction to difficult times.  Instead, we tweaked The Pack.  In the same way – we should tweak how unions bargain.  They were pressured, and they complied, with all of the financial concessions asked of them.  They’ve only asked for the right to exist during the lean years. 

In contrast to unions who willingly share the sacrifice of this recession - big corporations have been entitled to tax breaks by Walker/Harsdorf.  In my book, shared sacrifice means everyone - including friends.

As Wisconsinites, our shared love for our Green Bay Packers centers around the trust and respect that we have for the players.  And we love our team – because we own it. We’re invested.  In the same way, let us respect and trust our public servants to work for the collective good of our state.  We love Wisconsin - because we own it.   So let us all stand together and tell Corporate America, Gov. Walker and Sen. Harsdorf that Wisconsin is not for sale.  Our Packers aren’t owned by a corporation…why would we sell our state to one?

But don’t just take my word for it. Take theirs.

Current and former Green Bay Packers, all members of the NFLPA union, released this statement:

"We know that it is teamwork on and off the field that makes the Packers and Wisconsin great. As a publicly owned team we wouldn't have been able to win the Super Bowl without the support of our fans.

"It is the same dedication of our public workers every day that makes Wisconsin run. They are the teachers, nurses and child care workers who take care of us and our families.

But now in an unprecedented political attack Governor Walker is trying to take away their right to have a voice and bargain at work."The right to negotiate wages and benefits is a fundamental underpinning of our middle class. When workers join together it serves as a check on corporate power and helps ALL workers by raising community standards.

Wisconsin's long standing tradition of allowing public sector workers to have a voice on the job has worked for the state since the 1930s. It has created greater consistency in the relationship between labor and management and a shared approach to public work.  

"These public workers are Wisconsin's champions every single day and we urge the Governor and the State Legislature to not take away their rights."