Nevada, Chicago And Elsewhere

Ah, those pesky outside agitators are at it again. From Wisconsin Gov. Scott Brown’s “fireside chat” last night:

As more and more protesters come in from Nevada, Chicago and elsewhere, I am not going to allow their voices to overwhelm the voices of the millions of taxpayers from across the state who think we’re doing the right thing. This is a decision that Wisconsin will make.

Pure code for the complete and unadulterated demonization of the protesters. Equating the state workers with the “outsider” – strange, different, scary and the ultimate threat. Even Gov. Brown has to know that at the first sign of the slightest dissent, any dictator will blame outside forces. Fidel Castro did it for decades. The tiniest form of foment – blame the big, bad United States. I find Brown and his ilk despicable, but at least I give them credit for truly believing in what they are saying and doing. To a flaw.  You don’t see anyone going around accusing them of being abducted by aliens.

Funny, though how those outside agitators don't include billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch.  Or their energy conglomerate  Or the nonprofit group they heavily finance.

Among the thousands of demonstrators who jammed the Wisconsin State Capitol grounds this weekend was a well-financed advocate from Washington who was there to voice praise for cutting state spending by slashing union benefits and bargaining rights.

The visitor, Tim Phillips, the president of Americans for Prosperity, told a large group of counterprotesters who had gathered Saturday at one edge of what otherwise was a mostly union crowd that the cuts were not only necessary, but they also represented the start of a much-needed nationwide move to slash public-sector union benefits.

“We are going to bring fiscal sanity back to this great nation,” he said.
What Mr. Phillips did not mention was that his Virginia-based nonprofit group, whose budget surged to $40 million in 2010 from $7 million three years ago, was created and financed in part by the secretive billionaire brothers Charles G. and David H. Koch.

State records also show that Koch Industries, their energy and consumer products conglomerate based in Wichita, Kan., was one of the biggest contributors to the election campaign of Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin, a Republican who has championed the proposed cuts.

And, speaking of someone I (have to) believe, has to believe in what he says:



While Gov. Walker’s use of language may seem benign in comparison to Glenn Beck, it is not only anti-intellectual, but it’s downright dangerous. It’s as stone’s throw from demonizing the local firefighter as an “outside agitator” out of step with the mainstream constituency, to the conspiratorial ramblings of someone like Glen Beck.

Listen closely.