Lack of representation

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s editorial, “Tax dollars to protect GOP power,” was concise, to the point and spot on (Crossroads, Feb. 5).

I can no longer respect this group as public servants. They are political hacks, plain and simple. I remember a time not long ago in our state when, regardless of party affiliation, though one might agree or disagree with an elected official’s opinion, one could at least trust the official’s intentions. As evidence that such a time existed, consider that leading the effort to undo the current state Republican Party’s mockery of democracy are former state legislators Tim Cullen, a Democrat, and Dale Schultz, a Republican. Working together for the benefit of their fellow citizens. What a concept!

As far as party-skewed redistricting, some say, “Well, both sides do it.” First, that’s hardly an excuse. But furthermore, with today’s greatly enhanced power of computers to aid the effort, this redistricting is light years beyond anything previous. Not to mention that it was done, unlike in the past, in complete secrecy.

As our current crop of political hacks have pushed through their agenda, they have lauded as a side effect of Act 10, that school districts now must compete for qualified teachers. Their right to work legislation, they say, allows workers to compete for success through merit rather than union protection. The (unwarranted) expansion of voucher schools, they claim, is supposed to be beneficial because it forces public schools to improve due to competition from private entities.

If competition is so all-fired important to this gang, why are they doing everything in their power to quash it in the place it matters most in a democracy, the electoral process? These selfstyled tea party types might want to remember that the original revolution was about lack of representation — the very thing that they are trying to guarantee.

Robert Loughran