Pretty cool to see what is

Happening in Madison, WI these past few days.  Teachers are calling out "sick", forcing schools to shut down; protesters have been occupying the state house; and the entire Democratic Senate caucus has left town, actually the state, meaning there can be no vote on the newly elected idiotic Republican Governor's Union-busting bill.  Even some of the World Champion Green Bay Packers have come out against this stupid bill, citing that the Packers are the only publicly-owned NFL team.  Good for all those folks.

They ain't celebrating the Packers' Super Bowl win, they're standing up to Union-busters!

Governor Walker is in a tizzy now.  He's called out the state police to find these Senators.  One of the first things Walker did upon taking office was to nix the Fed money for high-speed rail.  Smart.  The Feds told him if you say no to the new program you cannot use the money for something else.  The money would be shared with the states that want high-speed rail.  Well, now the new Republican goofball Governor of Florida says he don't want no money for high-speed rail, either.  He wants to use the money for highways.  Cannot do that, guy.  Sweet.  It means that us folks in California, who do want high-speed rail, and all the jobs and environmental benefits that it brings to our fair state, will get even more money.

************

Bernie Sanders, I love you.  He may be the last true US public servant we will ever see.  This was posted by digby today.  It is a long interview for blogging standards but you really should read the whole thing.  I am going to say it one more time:  There is nothing wrong with Social Security.  It is fully-funded until 2037.  Plus, Social Security has absolutely nothing to do with the deficit, and lastly, those that you hear who are complaining the loudest about a "bankrupt" Social Security are those that want to destroy Social Security.  Do not listen to them.  They are evil and they are wrong.

Bernie was so magnificent in the interview.  He hit on just about every single issue progressives need to concentrate on in the future and did not pull any punches re the crappy Bush tax-cut extensions.  Love that guy!

************

Meanwhile, there was this cool miniseries I saw on PBS back in the mid-nineties (I did not have Kabletown back then) called Shut Down! It starred Newt Gingrich and Bill Clinton in a stupid political struggle that really did no one any good.  In fact, it only pissed Americans off and embarrassed the GOP.

It appears that golf-loving, tanning salon aficionado, Boehner (along with his new Teabagging buddies) wanta do a remake.  Whatever.  I know how the thing ends.

Some folks just never learn.

************

Saturday, this space:  Tre Bicchieri!