Introducing the “Reekies” for Most Noteworthy Post-Recall Comments
posted at 2:42 pm on June 7, 2012 by Mike Antonucci
In what will now never become an annual event, we present the “Reekies” to those brave souls who offered unique interpretations of the Wisconsin recall results. Here they are:
* The John Edwards Belated Admission Award goes to Toni Lardinois, executive director of the Green Bay Education Association, for saying that “the governor’s reforms to education were not all gloom and doom as union protesters at the state Capitol a year ago were predicting.” The school district in Green Bay states the governor’s changes “resulted in no teacher or program cuts for the coming year.”
* The Shoichi Yokoi Award goes to the union activists who marched in Milwaukee yesterday demanding the repeal of Act 10.
* The Where’s Waldo Award goes to Bob Bruno, a professor of labor and employment relations at the University of Illinois, who said, “Labor was not really at the forefront as much as were students, the community, farmers’ groups.”
* The Leon Festinger Cognitive Dissonance Award has co-winners – AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka for “I wish it was about collective bargaining. It was about everything but that.” and Indiana State Teachers Association president Nate Schnellenberger for “I think if he runs for re-election he’ll be voted out of office by a fairly wide margin. I think it’s erroneous to think that the people have approved his policies.”
* Finally, the Martingale Award for Outstanding Achievement in Campaign Finance goes to John Wilson, former executive director of the National Education Association, for his innovative solution to the millions of dollars NEA and its affiliates lost in the recall election – “The course correction I suggest is not to be intimidated, but to be emboldened. If every educator in the United States gave ten to twenty dollars a month to the NEA Fund for Children and Public Education, we could build a war chest to match those who are working against public education.”
Blowback
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No award for Howard Dean and the “beginning of the end of American democracy”?
Mr. Prodigy on June 7, 2012 at 2:57 PM
“Fund for Children and Public Education? Geez these guys are good BS.
saltyrover on June 7, 2012 at 5:11 PM
” If every educator in the United States gave ten to twenty dollars a month to the NEA” ….as opposed to the $50/week they are forced to pay? My CWA Union spends money on nothing but “retreats” and Donk coffers. After 20 years, they won’t even throw us a t-shirt to strike in! Of course we haven’t had a contract since August of ’11 and don’t expect one until they’re free’d up after November.
hutch1200 on June 7, 2012 at 8:35 PM
I like ‘em all. And I like the “Reekies” concept too. I’m sure it will transmogrify gracefully into whatever it needs to be for continued entertainment…
J.E. Dyer on June 8, 2012 at 6:46 PM
I nominate Howard Dean as this year’s recipient of the “Howard Dean Award for dubious prognostication”.
RobBert on June 8, 2012 at 8:02 PM
Speaking of Howard Dean, what about THE YEEEAAARRRGGGH AWARD to that guy who said through his tears on t.v., “democracy died today.”
Lourdes on June 9, 2012 at 9:29 AM