Ed Garvey, Chi-com

I ask that you all bear with me on this post. I jotted some things down this afternoon on this Ed Garvey article, and I want to share those thoughts even though I won't be succiciently linking.

Today, Ed Garvey had this piece in the Capital Times. Here are the excerpts to which I objected:

Students are mobilizing. They are sick of higher tuition, fewer courses and lower state support. They are demanding a tuition freeze, as well they should. And the absurd lock-'em-up-and-throw-away-the-key policies of the past 20 years are now open to question as legislators and the governor find the education budget is bare because Corrections has such a huge appetite. Yes, we are beginning to hear about alternatives to incarceration, sensible parole policies and even a call to review so-called truth in sentencing.

Students deserve this? I’m all for some subsidization of in state tuition, but WI students already have a pretty sweet deal comparatively. And our cupboard is bare? What are we, the sixth biggest per capita spender, and the highest ranked high school we have is number 213?

The Center for Democratic Action held a conference last Saturday where participants made it clear they are no longer willing to be fed pap by local TV and radio stations. They will challenge holders of FCC licenses if stations do not present a diversity of views. Through underground magazines, blogs, newsletters, Free Speech TV, WORT and community TV, alternative sources of news are springing up everywhere. More and more people visit progressive Web sites and listen to Amy Goodman. Something is stirring.

Diversity of views=more of his, none of ours.

The realities of our budget problems are becoming too obvious for people to swallow the simplistic formulas of the two right-wingers seeking the Republican nomination for governor. They are out of step with the people as they compete for Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce dollars and endorsements from the likes of Milwaukee radio host Charlie Sykes. The public knows we cannot expand services to a growing population without raising taxes or eliminating loopholes. We aren't stupid. You can't keep building and filling prisons and increase support for education and health care.

A growing population means a growing tax base. That isn’t why we are facing budget problems. Our budget problems are the result of our representatives spending money like drunken sailors.

Even the plight of the poor is coming into focus. The bumper sticker solutions of Tommy Thompson's time, from bride-fare to W-2, cannot withstand the light. W-2 had no chance of reducing poverty. It was a diversion. And a costly one designed to make chest-thumping politicians look good.

Let’s see a third option then, Eddie, because the old welfare system only encouraged poverty.

In Wisconsin, 400,000 people do not have health insurance. Our wages are stuck in place. That is unacceptable to the good people of this state and they are being heard at the People's Legislature sessions.

Does he intentionally make his organization sound like the Chi-coms and the Politburo?