A few emails from our lovely contributor, Carrie

Dear Scott Walker,I OPPOSE senate bill 22 and so much more. Today is Memorial Day, and I hope everyone had an opportunity to thank military servicemen, servicewomen, and their families for the sacrifices they endure. I OPPOSE senate bill 22 and so much more.

Carrie

 

 Dear Scott Walker,

I OPPOSE senate bill 22 and so much more. I know that technically I did not email you last night. I was visiting my family, so I did not send an email. I did, however, write an email and saved it to send today. You can let me know if you feel like we should start our count over again or not. Here is my letter written on 5/28/11 and emailed on 5/29/11:

Dear Scott Walker,

I OPPOSE senate bill 22 and so much more. How was your Saturday? I got to spend mine with my husband, mom, step-dad, sister, twin nieces, nephew, and 6 dogs. Does that sound busy? It was! We were up pretty early and spent a couple of hours getting cereal and talking. Then we got to work. We dug up and transplanted some yucca plants, put a canopy on a gazebo, planted flower seeds, moved dirt from a pile and spread it down to plant grass seed, planted grass seed, and watered plants. We got a lot done, and we could not have done it without each other. We cooperated and used teamwork. Have you had a chance to cooperate and use teamwork lately? It is amazing when people cooperate and use teamwork because you can get more done in less time. Plus, everyone contributes, which creates a feeling of mutual dependence and importance. People work within their areas of strength and also learn about the strengths of others. Throughout these experiences, people have the opportunities to learn new strengths and information, as well. I know from personal and professional experience that when we all genuinely want each other to succeed, we make sure that we all succeed because we are on the same team working together. When we are more concerned with what is "in it for us" and "who is going to get the credit" we do not always put forth our best effort. Sometimes we can harbor feelings of resentment or negativity when we feel someone else is going to get credit for all of our work. Remember there is no "I" in team. Today we all worked had in different ways at different times, and in the end everything turned out great! Additionally, we got the work done so quickly that we were able to go for four-wheeler rides, play soccer, and throw balls and frisbees for the dogs. 

You may think, "Great, you were working with your family doing "fun" things, so of course you all had a great time and completed the work with smiles on your faces." I assure you that I would not have chosen to do any of those activities today. Getting bit up by mosquitoes and black flies while smelling your own armpits is not my idea of fun. Working together, contributing, talking, interacting, completing a project, and accomplishing a task with others is what makes it fun. The task and the people will always change, the "fun" will not. Fun is what you make it!

I had a phenomenal Saturday, and I hope you did too. I OPPOSE senate bill 22 and so much more.

Since this is sort-of a letter within a letter, so I OPPOSE senate bill 22 and so much more. 

Carrie

 

Dear Scott Walker,I OPPOSE senate bill 22 and so much more. I do not have time to write a detailed email today. I just wanted to make sure that you know and it gets recorded that I OPPOSE senate bill 22 and so much more.

Carrie

 

 

Don't forget that I OPPOSE senate bill 22 and so much more.

Dear Scott Walker,

I OPPOSE senate bill 22 and so much more. I am feeling creative tonight and want to write another poem to communicate my feelings. I wrote a poem in my email for 4/18/11. That was one of the emails I pre-emailed you with the "open on" subject line. It had words that rhymed with OPPOSE because I OPPOSE senate bill 22 and so much more. I have chosen a different format for this poem; I hope you are still able to understand my message:

I OPPOSE senate bill 22 and so much more

Openly and

Purposefully I craft original emails nightly

Partly for me and mostly for you

Only to find

Some machine is yet again speaking on your behalf

Everyone has a voice, and I want to hear yours

Sound bites simply are not

Enough for me anymore

Now we have reached

A

Time in our relationship that I must say to you:

Enough is enough!

Big, little, young, old, no one 

Is spared from your

Litigation bills (Do the taxpayers know you are costing them money when you violate the law?)

Lawyers, lawsuits, law, low-down dirty shame!

2 people emailing nightly, one pouring her heart out, the other searching for something...a heart?

2 immediate replies received, one a message about mail delivery failure

And the other, a generic letter desiring to usurp power from a hard-working, tax-paying citizen

No you are not going to pretend to be representing me

Do not write that you are my governor

Shirley is my grandma, and she is my governor. I voted for Grandma Shirley and

Others are writing her in on the ballot, too.

Making cuts and calling votes

Under the cover of darkness

Children's education: cut!

Healthcare services: cut!

Mother and baby benefits: cut!

Oh, and don't forget about public transportation: cut!

Recycling: cut! Really? How is what you are doing benefiting the citizens of Wisconsin?

Everyone needs to look in the mirror at some point. 

I OPPOSE senate bill 22 and so much more.

Dear Scott Walker,I OPPOSE senate bill 22 and so much more. How has you Sunday been so far? Mine has been amazing! I did not get out of bed until 9 am! Then I did dishes, cleaned the kitchen, and prepped our meals for the rest of the week. This is goinga to be a busy week for us. How about you? The weather was so nice that I sat outside this afternoon to grade papers. Tonight will bring some beef Kung Pao for dinner and working on report cards. What are you going to be doing tonight? I hope you were able to fit in a little Sunday funday, even if it is just grading papers in your backyard on a sunny afternoon. Wait, you wouldn't be grading papers. Even if it is just creating an authentic reply to emails in your backyard (paid for by taxpayers) on a sunny afternoon. Enjoy your Sunday funday :) I OPPOSE senate bill 22 and so much more.

Carrie 

 

Dear Scott Walker,

I OPPOSE senate bill 22 and so much more. I am starting to feel like I am the only one working at this relationship. I ask questions, share experiences, and seek mutual understanding, but you just keep replying the same thing over and over:

Thank you for your e-mail message.  I welcome you expressing your views and concerns to me, and I commend you for participating in your state government.  I take into account the views of all of the citizens of Wisconsin, and I will keep your specific comments in mind during my service as your Governor.

If you would like more information about my positions on issues, or would like to read my public statements on issues, I encourage you to explore my website: www.walker.wi.gov.  I like to respond individually to every letter and telephone call I receive; however, I cannot respond to each e-mail individually due to the volume.  If your request is time sensitive, please call my office at (608) 266-1212. You may also write to me via conventional mail at Governor Scott Walker: PO Box 7863, Madison, WI 53707.

As noted on our website, please know that any communications may be subject to release under Wisconsin's public records law and that our policy is generally to release communications sent to this email address.

Once again, thank you for contacting me. Please feel free to contact me again if I can ever be of assistance to you.

Sincerely,

Scott Walker

Governor

I think you may becoming a little complacent in this relationship. I want you to know that I am not. This is important. I will not just fade away. I will email daily, unless I happen to miss a day, and then I will begin emailing daily again the following day. That reminds me, since a did miss emailing you last Sunday, are we starting fresh with the anniversary date, keeping the old one, or acknowledging both of them? I OPPOSE senate bill 22 and so much more.

Sincerely,

Carrie

What Teachers Make, or
Objection Overruled, or
If things don't work out, you can always go to law school

By Taylor Mali

He says the problem with teachers is, "What's a kid going to learn 
from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?" 
He reminds the other dinner guests that it's true what they say about 
teachers: 
Those who can, do; those who can't, teach.

I decide to bite my tongue instead of his 
and resist the temptation to remind the other dinner guests 
that it's also true what they say about lawyers.

Because we're eating, after all, and this is polite company.

"I mean, you¹re a teacher, Taylor," he says. 
"Be honest. What do you make?"

And I wish he hadn't done that 
(asked me to be honest) 
because, you see, I have a policy 
about honesty and ass-kicking: 
if you ask for it, I have to let you have it.

You want to know what I make?

I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could. 
I can make a C+ feel like a Congressional medal of honor 
and an A- feel like a slap in the face. 
How dare you waste my time with anything less than your very best.

I make kids sit through 40 minutes of study hall 
in absolute silence. No, you may not work in groups. 
No, you may not ask a question. 
Why won't I let you get a drink of water? 
Because you're not thirsty, you're bored, that's why.

I make parents tremble in fear when I call home: 
I hope I haven't called at a bad time, 
I just wanted to talk to you about something Billy said today. 
Billy said, "Leave the kid alone. I still cry sometimes, don't you?" 
And it was the noblest act of courage I have ever seen.

I make parents see their children for who they are 
and what they can be.

You want to know what I make?

I make kids wonder, 
I make them question. 
I make them criticize. 
I make them apologize and mean it. 
I make them write, write, write. 
And then I make them read. 
I make them spell definitely beautiful, definitely beautiful, definitely 
beautiful 
over and over and over again until they will never misspell 
either one of those words again. 
I make them show all their work in math. 
And hide it on their final drafts in English. 
I make them understand that if you got this (brains) 
then you follow this (heart) and if someone ever tries to judge you 
by what you make, you give them this (the finger).

Let me break it down for you, so you know what I say is true: 
I make a goddamn difference! What about you?

Dear Scott Walker,

I OPPOSE senate bill 22 and so much more. Okay, let's address the white elephant. Wait, that is a white elephant gift! If you are unfamiliar, a white elephant gift is a gift that costs more to keep than give away. ***Rhetorical question coming*** Are you a white elephant gift? I kid, I kid! I kid because I know the answer; that is also why I warned you about a rhetorical question coming. Getting back to the topic at hand, what is it called when something seems unstoppable? What is something called when it will do what ever it has to do to get what it wants? Ahh, it is all coming back to me now; it is called the 800 pound gorilla in the room! Some people confuse this with the elephant in the room; they are different. What you and I want to address is the 800 pound gorilla in the room. Before we do that, I am looking for a punch-line: What do you get when you cross a white elephant with an 800 pound gorilla in the room? I know what I would say, but I am going to save that for my signature line. 

Let's get to the meat and potatoes of this email. Assembly Bill 7, also known as the Wisconsin Voter Suppression Bill, passes the Assembly today on 5/19/11. Here is a clip of what happened today in case you did not see it. 

http://youtu.be/wpJ_U1j_cm4 

Mike Ellis says things such as "shut up" and "no, nuh, nuhuh, no, nuhuh" and is very demanding and intimidating. The clerk calling the roll seems quite uneasy and his initial questioning about whether or not to continue the call is quickly squashed with "continue the roll-call" (repeatedly). After his second questioning, Mike Ellis demands to have the count. I present exhibit "800 pound gorilla in the room".  

Here is another clip of Mike Ellis swearing on the senate floor:

http://youtu.be/G7Tlsk4toUc

This clip is to reinforce Mike Ellis' lack of self-control and myopic agenda. I represent (as in present again) exhibit "800 pound gorilla in the room". 

I have heard that this bill will be in front of you to sign into law as early as next Wednesday (5/25/11). I would like to pose a question to you. Have you thought about whether or not you will sign Assembly Bill 7? Have you thought about the impact of signing this bill? Have you thought about what the financial ramifications to the state and taxpayers will be if you sign this bill into law? Have you thought about the statistics regarding voter fraud in the state of Wisconsin? Have you thought about the fact that there is insufficient voter fraud in the state of Wisconsin to make a statistical difference? Have you thought about the amount of disenfranchisement you will be inflicting on hard-working citizens of Wisconsin? Gosh darn it, I intend to pose one question to you so I am more likely to elicit a response from you; then that morphs into multiple questions. It reminds me of posters I saw in Madison "Screw us and we multiply". One question leads into the next, which gets me thinking about another, then I wonder what you would say about...you get the picture, right? I mean correct! I have really been trying to break my habit of using certain words. For example, why say tool when you can just as easily say "handheld device that aids in accomplishing a task"? If you have done nothing else for me, you have created an aversion to certain words. Let's refocus to the many questions I posed to you about Assembly Bill 7. Luckily for you, all of my questions can be answered with "yes" or "no". I purposefully did not require more explanation than that. I want you to have time to personally reflect on your reasoning. You have nothing to justify to me. I voted my conscience; I voted for Grandma Shirley. You are the one you have to go to bed with at night. You are the one you have to look at in the mirror in the morning. You are the one you need to face throughout the day. I mean, really, if you cannot convince yourself, how can you be expected to convince the people who bought the election for you? Grrr, did I go there or was it just in my head? I am pretty sure I went there. Bought, brought, tomato, tomaaahto. What does it really matter? You will still send me an automated response that does not come close to addressing any issue we need to discuss, right? :) Great, at least you are consistent. 

Don't forget to think of a punch-line for "What do you get when you cross a white elephant with an 800 pound gorilla in the room?" Don't forget to look at my signature line for my punch-lines.  Don't forget that I OPPOSE senate bill 22 and so much more.

Sincerely,

Carrie

Punch-line to "What do you get when you cross a white elephant with an 800 pound gorilla in the room?"

Someone who thinks he is CEO of Wisconsin OR someone who thinks he is creating more jobs than he is destroying in Wisconsin OR someone who packs his lunch (or perhaps has his wife pack it) and thinks that is extraordinary OR someone who has no problem disenfranchising citizens of Wisconsin (Please do not be fooled my use of the singular form here. You have some how managed to insulate yourself with white elephant 800 pound gorillas in a room. We are working on that, though.)

Office of Sec. of State, Domesitc Partnership, Voter ID...the list keeps going and going

May 17, 2011                                                                

Dear Scott,

There is no justification or reason for changing the office of Secretary of State. I ask you to leave it alone and unchanged and kill the bill that seeks to do so.

Please confirm that you will do so.

May 17, 2011

Dear Scott,

I just read that you do not want to defend the state's domestic partnership law against a legal challenge and have filed court papers to withdraw from the case.

SHAME!

There is no justification or reason for doing so. Why would you deny your constituents the basic human decency of having the right to visit a loved one in a hospital or receive family medical leave? How un-Christian of you; you are a hypocrite!

I ask you to resume defending the state's domestic partnership law against all legal challenges.

Please confirm that you will do so.

May 17, 2011

Dear Rep. Wynn,

You supported Assembly Bill 7 (the Voter ID bill also called the Voter Suppression Act).

I am really curious why you think voter fraud is problematic at all, let alone increasing, because my understanding is that the voter fraud has NOT been documented as a problem here or elsewhere. (For example, a recent study in Ohio showed that the voter fraud rate for that state was only .00004 percent.)

Please explain the factual basis for your statement that “Voter fraud in past elections has become increasingly problematic” (and please include the number of successful criminal prosecutions for voter fraud in the state of Wisconsin for each of the past 10 years and as the percentage of total votes cast state wide in that year).

Also please explain why, if Wisconsin is broke, you can justify spending (according to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau) more than $5.7 million of our tax dollars to implement the bill.

You sent me a letter that alleged that two investigations in Milwaukee revealed thousands of cases of voter fraud but omitted any identifying information which would verify the allegations, which therefore completely lack in credibility. (Of course if the stories were true - they would have received national news coverage - but didn't.)  And of course you did not identify a single case of successful prosecution.

And I love that you mention the generic unsubstantiated stories by unidentified voters. How about you make decisions based on verified facts instead of rumors?

In addition to the information requested above, please tell me the names and the contact info of the persons who conducted the investigations in Milwaukee which you described in your letter and also please forward me a copy of the investigation reports which I'm sure you would have personally reviewed if you were going to rely on them.

Thank you and I look forward to your prompt response.

May 17, 2011

Dear Rep. Wynn,

I don't appreciate being lied to.

I know that the Voter Suppression Act does NOT have the provisions you mentioned. For example: The ID cards are NOT offered free of charge - one has to ASK for them to be free. How many people will know that? And DMV offices across the state are only in limited locations and open for limited hours. How many people lack transportation? Or can afford to take time off work to go there?

You rejected EVERY every single amendment that would have helped prevent the bill from disenfranchising thousands of Wisconsin voters:

* amendment to require administration to find a way to pay for voter ID bill without raiding transportation fund; amendment fails.

* amendment to require DMVs to have evening and Saturdays in every county. Now that we are requiring people to have a DMV issued ID to vote, we should make sure people have access to DMV offices. Many counties have no DMV office or are only open once a month; amendment fails.

* amendment to allow voters to vote without photo ID if they object to photos of themselves being taken for religious reasons; amendment fails.

* amendment to require mobile DMV stations on college campuses if we aren't going to have offices in every county open at night or on weekends

* amendment to have mobile DMV stations in high poverty areas; amendment fails.

* amendment to clarify what it means to have the name on your ID "conform" to the name on the voter rolls; i.e. John F Smith in the ID versus John Smith on the voter rolls; amendment fails

* amendment to make it clear on the DMV form that they can get the ID free of charge; amendment fails.

* amendment that moves the deadline to clarify the provisional ballot to 10 days after the election; amendment fails.

* amendment to address absurdity in the law: you need photo ID to get a birth certificate AND you need a birth certificate to get a photo ID; amendment fails

* amendment to ensure that the homeless and those in transient housing can still vote without proof of residency; amendment fails. Stone, author of the bill says homeless people will now have 'responsibilities' to exercise their right to vote. He also concedes he doesn't know if DOT will give an ID with the address of a public library, as the homeless currently do. Wow.

* amendment to inform the voter if their vote has been deemed provisional. How else are voters to know if they have to correct their ballot; amendment fails

* amendment to exempt towns from this bill; amendment fails. So much for local control.

* amendment to remove requirement that voters mail in a copy of their photo ID when they vote by mail;amendment fails.

* amendment to waive fees for secondary ID's to get DMV voter card to avoid poll tax; amendment fails.

* amendment that out of state license is acceptable form of ID if corroborating ID of current WI address; amendment fails.

* amendment to clarify that if license is suspended revoked it is still valid for the purposes of voting; amendment fails.

* amendment that says employers have to give 3 hours off of work to get to one of these rarely open DMV centers; amendment fails.

* amendment to require clerks to keep voter lists up to date so that you right to vote is based on you proving your qualification as a voter NOT on the potential mistakes in a voter list; amendment fails.

* amendment to keep expired ID's valid back to the last NOVEMBER general election; amendment fails.

* amendment to allow for Student ID's to be valid ID's for the purposes of voting; amendment fails.

* amendment to restore straight ticket voting; amendment fails.

* amendment to all people with disabilities to be required from having to sign the voter roll if a disability prevents them from doing so; amendment fails.

* amendment to give people with disabilities the opportunity to vote with other forms of government issued ID's; amendment fails.

* amendment to make it illegal to bribe someone with anything of value in exchange for signing a recall petition. Kensoha bartender was caught on tape trading shots for signatures. Amendment fails.

* amendment to allow voters to stay on absentee list if they miss one election; amendment fails.

* amendment to require county clerks to post results online community by community and ward by ward on election day. This would avoid clerks magically finding more than 14,000 votes two days after the election in a way that changes the outcome of a statewide election. Amendment fails.

* amendment to allow any ID issued by any level of government to be valid for the purposes of voting. It will save the state at least $7 million on the cost of the bill; amendment fails.

* amendments to allow affidavit to be signed verifying someone's identity if they don't have proper documentation on Election Day; they all fail

You are NOT representing the people of your district - you are merely rubber stamping the corporate agenda advanced by Scott Walker.

Shame on you! We will not forget.

When all the trees have been cut down, when all the animals have been hunted, when all the waters are polluted, when all the air is unsafe to breathe, only then will you discover you cannot eat money.

Dear Scott Walker,

I OPPOSE senate bill 22 and so much more. I want to address a bill that will be in front of you. I am uncertain of the number and even if you are aware of it, and the radio announcement that I heard made it seem as if you may or may not pass the bill, so you might not know what is coming your way. I just heard a very brief segment about the bill to stop disinfectant additions to Wisconsin drinking water, so I want you to clarify your position and how you think it will benefit Wisconsin as a whole. I say benefit Wisconsin as a whole because, well, just read my signature line. Ahh, I am a softie and pasted it here for you: When all the trees have been cut down, when all the animals have been hunted, when all the waters are polluted, when all the air is unsafe to breathe, only then will you discover you cannot eat money. ~ Cree Prophecy Do not confuse me with an Angel Softie, though. We all know that Georgia Pacific products are not benefiting angels or softies! I am fairly certain you know that Georgia Pacific products are benefiting the Kock brothers. Remember, you thought you were taking a call from one of them a couple of months ago. I have called you, but the voice mail is always full. Anyhooo! Getting back to the quotation: When all the trees have been cut down, when all the animals have been hunted, when all the waters are polluted, when all the air is unsafe to breathe, only then will you discover you cannot eat money. ~ Cree Prophecy It may not be you or your kids, but if we keep this up, it will definitely be your kids' kids that will not be able to eat money. So, do you support the proposal to stop disinfectant additions to Wisconsin drinking water? If so, how does this benefit your stance on hydraulic fracturing, or hydrofracking as the kids are calling it now-a-days, in Wisconsin? From what I understand, you are a proponent of the hydraulic fracturing procedure. Have you seen news footage about the ramifications for people living in the areas where hydraulic fracturing procedures are taking place? Have you seen how people can light their tap water on fire? Have you heard of Halliburton? I assure you, these are reputable news sources reporting about hard-working citizens. I have seen these segments on news sources such as 60 Minutes (http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7054210n) and local news stations. I will pose the question again in case you got side tracked by the video: Do you support the bill to stop disinfectant additions to Wisconsin drinking water? If yes, how does the bill to stop disinfectant additions to Wisconsin drinking water benefit Wisconsin? If yes, how does the bill to stop disinfectant additions to Wisconsin drinking water benefit hydraulic fracturing in Wisconsin? If yes, how does the bill to stop disinfectant additions to Wisconsin drinking water benefit Halliburton hydraulic fracturing in Wisconsin? If yes, how does the bill to stop disinfectant additions to Wisconsin drinking water benefit living, breathing citizens of Wisconsin? I just want to know the benefits. Oh, by the way, I already know that I cannot eat money, so I am unwilling to allow you to cut down all my trees, hunts all my animals, pollute my waters, and contaminate my air. Oh, by the way, I am not alone. We OPPOSE the bill to stop disinfectant additions to Wisconsin drinking water. We OPPOSE hydraulic fracturing in Wisconsin. We OPPOSE senate bill 22 and so much more. 

Carrie

Have you ever had the kind of day where your head is spinning?

Dear Scott Walker,
I OPPOSE senate bill 22 and so much more. Have you ever had the kind of day where your head is spinning? Have you ever had that kind of week? Have you ever looked at the calendar and realized that it is only Wednesday?!? This is the sort of week I am having. I know that you have visited select schools (mostly charter and under quite secret pretenses); perhaps you feel that is enough to give you a "feel" for the state of education and perhaps even education itself. I assure you it is not. I am going to extend an invitation to you, yet again, to spend a day with me. I will let you pick the day because I am positive that any day you choose from now until 6/16/11 will either be busy, busier, or the busiest you have ever been (I will not guarantee that it will be the busiest I have ever been. I cannot make this guarantee because it is a very definitive term, and quite frankly, I do not have time to think about when I have been the busiest, let alone rate it against other days to determine if that is, in fact, the case.) Please look at your schedule and see what works best for you. I am willing to pick you up at the high-speed rail station, and we can carpool from there. Oooops! Is the Badger Bus still running the Madison/Milwaukee route? Wait, I think I heard something about an SUV perk to your job. I got an SUV with my job, well actually I guess it was for my job. You know transporting curriculum and supplies. I guess technically it was bought with taxpayer money, of which a portion is mine, after I performed a service. Wait, I may have even been a factor in producing more productive citizens and more future, if not current, taxpayers. Is this starting to make your head spin? Let's take it step by step. I do not "receive" anything; I earn it. I pay for everything I own. I pay for somethings other people own and consume. I pay for somethings people are using temporarily (ie: your car and housing). I am busy. I love what I do. I want you to come spend the day with me and learn why I cannot imagine doing anything else. I will provide you the opportunity to meet people you will not forget. I can offer insight into a resolution. Enough about me, let's talk about you. :) You will see me in "action". You will realize we have more in common, as people. You will laugh hard, cry hard, laugh until you cry hard, and maybe all of those in one day. If you stick it out for one week, you will almost certainly have the opportunity to do all of those. You will volunteer for recess and/or lunch duty. You will have the opportunity to play "explosion tag" if it is nice out. You will arrive home exhausted. You will reflect and fall asleep with a smile, after grading and/or lesson planning, of course. You will wake up thinking you are one of the luckiest people in the universe. Perhaps I am projecting a bit; that is how I feel, and I cannot wait to share that feeling with you. :) I OPPOSE senate bill 22 and so much more.

Carrie

You haven’t responded to my e-mail from February 22,2011

Dear Governor Walker,

I was initially going to write to you to ask some questions about your recent legislation— in particular, the voter identification law and your proposition to deny hospital visitation rights to same-sex couples, but it occurred to me that you haven’t responded to my e-mail from February 22,2011 addressing your intent to strip public workers of their collective bargaining rights.  This made me question whether or not my efforts to write you again would be futile. While waiting to hear from you, I’ve been following all sorts of news in anticipation of finding a logical rationale to your motive; but, as you are probably well aware, the media can be a less than reliable source of information.  This, governor, is why countless friends, colleagues, acquaintances and I have decided to go directly to you for answers.

I’ve been waiting 77 days for your response. While I’m only 26 years-old, and can only tally the number of jobs I’ve held on one hand, I have yet to encounter a job where it is permissible to allow this length of time to pass before addressing an inquiry from a client.  In fact, in my present job, I can be reprimanded for not returning a phone call, letter or e-mail within 24 business hours.  In the event I need more time to compose a thoughtful, informed response because a situation requires special tact, sensitivity, or resources I must acquire, I'm necessitated to acknowledge the writer  in a short personal message indicating that her message is important, and I will address all points as soon as I am able.  This, of course, eases the writer’s mind and communicates that her concern is legitimate.  Even if it seems superfluous to me, it is my duty to attempt to understand his point of view and address it, nonetheless.  My workplace has enforced this policy so as to hold its faculty to the highest professional regard.  After all, it's what I'm paid to do.

I imagine the demands as a governor are greater than I can possibly fathom.  Though as fathomed by an English teacher, maybe they aren't.  I imagine, like me, that your job extends well beyond the workday, and, like me, you often lie awake late into the night questioning whether the decisions you make every day in your job are, indeed, the best ones;  also, like me, I imagine you constantly search for ways to thoughtfully address the needs and concerns of the people you are paid (and elected) to serve. 

Since I am only one of your constituents with one letter, I’m not offended that you haven’t found the time to address my e-mail.  Maybe it became lost in the abyss of cyberspace; maybe, as you were contemplating my points, you spilled coffee on your keyboard which launched a much more urgent debacle, and you simply forgot about it.  Maybe a computer virus wiped it out.  Some of these are circumstances beyond your control.  I am, however, skeptical that this has also happened to the letters and e-mails of every single person I know who has written to you. 

Given the sheer volume of mail you must receive and the likelihood that it is simply humanly impossible to address each one in the personal manner that professionalism merits, I might suggest a simple televised address providing detailed answers and explanations to the most commonly asked questions.  Maybe this could be a regular occurrence (with a possibility of contributing to your goal of 250,000 jobs?).  I feel this might provide some degree of relief to those who are trying to reach you, but can’t, and also relieve your inbox and mailbox of redundant  materials.

  It could very well be that the task of properly addressing the abundant concerns of your constituents prevents you from adequately executing the many other demands of your job.  As is the case in every other profession of which I’m aware, if an individual is unable to sufficiently perform all tasks of his or her job, that individual is asked to resign.  If I feel I cannot perform all aspects of my job due to stress, anxiety, or a general sense of overwhelming, I have a personal duty to myself and a professional duty to my students and colleagues to allow a more capable individual to take my place.

Furthermore, if you are receiving such a high volume of negative mail that you simply cannot personally address each writer in a prompt, passable way, it is a clear reflection of your competency and professionalism.  That said, please use the content of your mailboxes, either electronic or otherwise, as a gauge of your performance and take the necessary steps to alleviate anxiety and stress on yourself as well as the citizens you've neglected.

Before I bring my most recent points of distress to your attention, I'm attaching a second copy of my February 22nd e-mail with the expectation that you will respond to it in a way that is not vague, dismissive, or automated.  Moving forward, it is my hope that  in responding to citizens  in a way that is prompt, personal, and thoughtful, you will improve communication and, therefore, begin to build trust and support with the skeptics of your constituency.    

Sincerely,

Marcy Berenschot

Have you ever been in love?

Dear Gov. Walker,

Have you ever been in love? Have you ever cared deeply about someone? I know you're married and have children, but that does not necessarily mean you've been in love. Marriage makes you look like a wholesome person--makes you a better candidate for political office--especially to republicans who love to tout about "family values"--having kids is even better for your pursuit to the top.

But I ask you if you've ever been in love because, if you have been, you would know that love makes us extend our lives beyond ourselves; we want to be with the person we love--we want to protect them, support them, touch them, share our secrets with them, let them cry on our shoulder and cry on theirs. We want to laugh with them, bike ride with them, hike with them, and, we want to grow old with them. And, part of growing old is going to the doctor more frequently and sometimes even becoming hospitalized. My dear grandparents just died within the past 2 years--my grandmother just this past April--and for the decade (maybe more) leading up to their deaths, they spent a lot of time in and out of the hospital. And when one was hospitalized, the other was right there next to their bed. This is what love is all about.  Is this what you would do for your wife? And, if so, would you do it out of love or for your image?

I'm in love with someone and have committed my life to her. We're only in our 30s so I hope not to worry so much about hospitals yet. We bought a house in Milwaukee and have started planting flowers in the yard. We walk our 3 dogs and play with our cat. We like to play the game Quiddler--have you played that? It's sort of like scrabble, but you use cards instead of a scrabble board. We watch movies and check our facebook accounts. We spend nearly all of our free time together. We love each other. And we do no harm to anyone. And now, on top of everything you're already doing to my family (I am a Milwaukee Public School Teacher facing a potential lay off because of your budget bill, and then I would not be able to afford my mortgage; not to mention the fact that you're stripping me of my right to collectively bargain), you want to strip me of my right to love my partner--to extend my life beyond my own--simply because SHE is a SHE and I am a SHE.  If my partner is hospitalized, YOU, Scott,  have decided that I do not have the right to be by her side--even though that is love. If she becomes seriously ill, YOU, Scott, have decided that I do not have the right to family medical leave--even though that is love.  If she is on her deathbed, YOU, Scott, have decided that I do not have right to decide what is best for her--the one I love--the one I have spent my life with, planting flowers with, walking dogs with, camping with, watching movies with. You surely must have never been in love before.

Someone who has been in love would only want other people to be in love too--and someone who has been in love would never restrict someone else from being with their lover in their greatest times of need.

I ask that you continue to defend the state's domestic partnership registry. Please.

And lastly, I hope that, for the sake of Wisconsin, you will fall in love someday.

Amy