William Cronon (right), a University of Wisconsin-Madison professor, has become something of a
cause celebre in American media and political circles.
An Op-Ed piece he recently wrote for The New York Times discussed the recent political events in Wisconsin involving its governor, legislature, public service unions, and collective bargaining. Cronon explored the efforts of political conservatives both within the Badger State and outside Wisconsin to cut the unions down to size and, ultimately, eliminate them.
An entry in Cronon's blog goes into considerable, thoughtful detail about the conservative movement, its influential institutions, powerful backers, and formidable discipline. He includes links to websites of various right-wing organizations, and demonstrates a seriousness of purpose that gives his opinion a desirable sense of
gravitas.
The appearance of Cronon's Op-Ed piece, combined with his web links to information about the conservative movement, led to a curious development. The deputy executive director of the Wisconsin GOP requested, under the state's strict open records laws, e-mail from Cronon's state e-mail account. As UW-Madison is a state school, Cronon's e-mail account is subject to an open records request. The university has taken the matter under consideration, with one eye toward academic freedom.
At first glance, it would seem the GOP tried to swat a fly with a baseball bat. However, this line of reasoning would assume Cronon is the target of the Republican effort. He's too small a fry for this highly visible style of action. Something else is in play here.
Since the 2010 mid-term elections, the Republican Party and its conservative networks have schemed to aggressively advance their political agenda in Congress and in state legislatures. The nation, in effect, has become a laboratory for political tactics. Various states are made to order for this sort of experimentation. The union-busting activity began in New Jersey; its success emboldened the GOP to go on an anti-union offensive in the Midwest.
Scott Walker, the newly-elected Wisconsin governor, serves a useful purpose for the Right. He is not running for national office (unlike Indiana's Republican governor). His state can be sacrificed in the 2012 presidential election for the "greater party good." He has majority votes in both houses of the legislature to make his proposals politically unstoppable.
Walker's legislative actions and the protest movement against them offered tremendous opportunities to test the conservative movement's most extreme forms of legal and possibly illegal actions. In a small state, tactics could be refined that would contribute toward a larger, strategic prize. In that sense, Wisconsin 2011 resembles the Spain of 1936, with Walker playing the role of Francisco Franco. It is in this context that the GOP's move against Professor Cronon and The New York Times makes best sense.
"Republican, Scott Walker, recall, collective bargaining, AFSCME, WEAC, rally, union, Alberta Darling, Randy Hopper, Dan Kapanke, Rob Cowles, Scott Fitzgerald, Sheila Harsdorg, Luther Olsen, Glenn Grothman, Mary Lazich, Jeff Fitzgerald, Marty Beil, or Mary Bell."
Most of the names, the Journal-Sentinel article continues, are Republican senators. Marty Beil is the head of the Wisconsin State Employees Union and Mary Bell is the head of the Wisconsin Education Association Council.
Will the right-wing find any dirt that will appear on its propaganda vehicles? Maybe. That's not as important as chilling relatively open communication, freedom of thought, and implying pro-union linkage between individuals or institutions. Does that atmosphere feel familiar? If you're thinking the bad old days of the Bush-Cheney secret police state, with all the ugly implications of blackmail and extortion connected to it, you're on the right track.
I doubt the GOP cares about Cronon; the Grand Old Party cares a great deal about the Times and its national reach. When one eliminates sources, gathering and reporting news becomes far more challenging. It also becomes far easier to present "fair and balanced" reporting which reflects right-wing ideological assertions, as opposing voices become muted or distorted.
Resisting intimidation is not an easy matter. No amount of politically liberal bravado will change that psychological reality. However, to successfully resist first means understanding one's adversary. Professor Cronon attempted to provide pathways to that useful goal. He deserves our gratitude for his actions, and for his opposition to Mafia-style, right-wing strongarm tactics.
Time for something a little silly, courtesy of the Swedes. According to an AP story reprinted in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, a moose which apparently ate one too many fermented apples literally found itself up a tree. The episode, which took place in southwestern Sweden, includes an observation that the moose might have been "'half-stupid.'"
Nick Ashford, the "Ashford" of the songwriting/performing team Ashford and Simpson (photo), recently passed away from cancer at age 70. The Associated Press obit appears in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
Pat McGilligan, the rare film historian who prefers living in America's interior to either coast, has just published a biography of director Nicholas Ray. He discusses his new book -- Nicholas Ray: The Glorious Failure of an American Director -- in an interview in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
In the undercard to Wisconsin's State Senate's August recall elections, Green Bay's incumbent state senator, Dave Hansen, retained his seat against a Republican challenger. This result, while not entirely surprising, may be a harbinger of things to come. The recall score, after one inning: Democrats 1, GOP nil. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel has the details.
The Wisconsin state senate recall elections, sparked by the Republican drive to trim collective bargaining rights of public employees, have slipped into a higher gear. Recently, a primary campaign was held in which fake Democrats ran against legit Dems. The Republican effort to run as Democrats was intended -- and was successful -- to buy time for GOP Governor Scott Walker (photo) and his Republican state senate colleagues.
One year ago today, I posted my first entry in Inner Harbor. In the past few days, I've reflected about the blog, some of its entries, and comments I've received both publicly and through private communication. I'm deeply appreciative and grateful to all who have read the blog, reacted to it in some fashion, and/or wanted to be followers. As a writer, it is deeply satisfying to know that the entries have stimulated a reader's thinking, entertained in some way, suggested new perspectives, and/or offered topics with which one was unfamiliar.
William Cronon (right), a University of Wisconsin-Madison professor, has become something of a cause celebre in American media and political circles. An Op-Ed piece he recently wrote for The New York Times discussed the recent political events in Wisconsin involving its governor, legislature, public service unions, and collective bargaining. Cronon explored the efforts of political conservatives both within the Badger State and outside Wisconsin to cut the unions down to size and, ultimately, eliminate them. An entry in Cronon's blog goes into considerable, thoughtful detail about the conservative movement, its influential institutions, powerful backers, and formidable discipline. He includes links to websites of various right-wing organizations, and demonstrates a seriousness of purpose that gives his opinion a desirable sense of gravitas.
