Wisconsin’s Battle

The mega-bubble the planet was immersed in could not stand the tension and exploded! It splashed on every living creature, from port to starboard and vice versa. In a globalized society, the joys, few, and sorrows, many, are distributed as if the earth’s surface had an infinite network of communicating vessels and we universally share laughter and tears. When the global disease is an astronomical lack of filthy lucre, the distribution of collateral damages exacerbates poverty in the traditionally poor, while more buoyant people simply tighten their belts. Absolutely nobody can get away from the downpour. It’s the same the whole world over. In the U.S., one hell of a mess is breaking out. The epicenter: the state of Wisconsin.

The newly elected Republican governor, Scott Walker, close the tea party, intends to make budget cuts that will leave the state employees unprotected. And what about collective bargaining? Forget about it. An outrage, rather a challenge, between the dictatorial desire of the Republican radical movement and the democratic forces of a state with a liberal tradition.

This direct attack on the hypothetical democratic spirit of the United States got an immediate response. Forty thousand citizens peacefully occupied the Capitol in Madison (capital of the state of Wisconsin) and 14 Democratic legislators left the state to avoid voting on the absurdity of Scott Walker. From New York to California, the nation’s eyes are on Wisconsin, on the peaceful battle being waged in the city of Madison for the defense of collective budget bargaining. It seems so elementary, but the aim is to bring down the slogans of the tea party anti-union law.

Obama has addressed the nation and accused Scott Walker of “assaulting” the unions, overriding the collective bargaining agreements of public employees, including teachers. And the more poignant thing: the right to negotiate, which is universal and comes from the human rights. Governor Walker replied from his TV platform, Fox News, and told him to go to hell and to review the salaries of his own employees. As I said before, it’s the same the whole world over. But when it happens in the U.S., consequences invade and infect half the world.

Wisconsin’s peaceful battle is in full swing. Other states such as Ohio, Indiana and Pennsylvania are getting ready for their respective battles.

In my view, and you don’t need to be too smart to realize this, three fundamental issues underpin this universal row: crushing social injustice and corruption of the political class (increasingly fond of money that makes their bank accounts grow); a relentless progression of the unemployment rates, which channels the desperation to fight for their rights; and an unstoppable engine: the youth who won’t resign themselves to the future that we are foretelling. And there is a very effective weapon: social networks.

Wisconsin’s battle is just one more battle. But it’s in North America, which puts a lot of pressure on it. Let the good win — not the Seventh Cavalry from the movies, but the young democracy.