Today the Ed Reform class held its annual Evapalooza in Albany. Classes cancelled, kiddies bundled onto buses for the event. Pom poms shaken, t shirts worn. Blocks snowplowed specially for just for them. Of the ten elected schmucks standing shoulder to shoulder with Charter Empress Eva Moskowitz, 8 of them were Democrats. You know, our friends in Albany.
As much as I hate to be the one to remind everybody, when NYSUT's big thinkers refused to stand behind Zephyr Teachout and Tim Wu they pretty much rolled over, put their paws in the air and squeaked "Uncle." As our putative union representation against the forces of darkness a lot of us had a Carl Paladino sized beef with this maneuver. One of the more ingenious rationalizations for this brazen act of cowardice was a misplaced loyalty to do anything that might muss Kathy Hochul's hair or cause her the tiniest reflux of agitas. Take a bow for that one Mr. Deely, you scored some serious originality points if nothing else.
See folks, it wasn't a matter of backing Teachout or even Howie Hawkins later on in the general election. Most of you teachers are nice enough people but you're pretty simple and you really don't have the messaging ability to grasp the subtle nuances involved in the Byzantine world of politics. The real issue here was we don't want to do anything to "hurt" our dear friend Kathy the bank lobbyist who until recently lobbied for the same bank Robert Wilmers operates. Yeah, who'd want to upset her? If we did anything to hurt Kathy Hochul she might, ohhh, I dunno... maybe show up alongside Eva Moskowitz to bang the drum for more charter schools. Now we definitely don't want anything like that to happen do we? Including Hochul a total of 10 elected humans planned to take the stage with Eva Destruction Moskowitz today. Two of them were from that party we all like to think of as the one who supports the rich hedge funders and privatization.As well they should be. I understand the GOP has nothing for me and I am fine with that. If the GOP held a pro privatization rally and a pro charter fund raiser, I'd completley understand they're doing what they are supposed to be doing, looking out for corporate wealth and encouraging the transfer of public assets to private control.
The problem I always have though is when our so called allies, the Dumbocrats, show up in force to support a leader in the field of union busting, for profit, corporate ed reform. Eight of the stiffs polishing Eva's arse with their noses in Albany today are Democrats including our dear friend and ally Kathy effing Hochul, Sheriff Andy's Gal Friday. The same goddamned bunch of hacks who demand our teacher votes every November and tell us over and over how much they love and support teachers must really think teachers aren't very bright. Cause when you tell me you love me and ask me for a few hundred grand in Vote Cope funds then run off to Albany with the first Charter School floozie who bats her eyes at you I have to start questioning the nature of the relationship.
And as long as we're on this painful but necessary topic our good friend and ally at Perdido StSchoolBlog reminds us today that American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingrovel was called in like a bush league pinch hitter from the Cuomo bullpen when it appeared Tim Wu was in striking distance of Hochul back in the primaries. Naturally a Teacher's Union President stands tall for the membership and says "Sorry Andrew but I can't robocall on Kathy Hochul's behalf. As your running mate she is tarnished beyond redemption by her mere proximity to such an odious, vindictive teacher hating turd as you. No way, Pal."
Yeah that's how it happens in the movies or in some of our imaginations if we aren't paying attention. Instead of the above dream sequence this is what Weingrovel had to say:
"Hi, this is Randi Weingarten- you may know me as the president of the American Federation of Teachers but I'm calling today as a fellow Democrat and delegate to the Democratic National Committee, to urge you to vote for Kathy Hochul for Lieutenant Governor in Tuesday's Democratic Primary.
I worked closely with Kathy when she was in the Congress. She fought back against extremist Republicans who attacked Medicare, Social Security, affordable healthcare and stood up for public schools, our children, our families and our educators. Her 100 percent pro-choice, pro-equality, pro-worker pro public school record is exactly what we need in our next Lieutenant Governor.
In Congress, Kathy sponsored the Safe Schools Improvement Act to require school districts nationwide to implement anti-bullying policies. Kathy has pledged to help invest in our public schools and expand Universal Pre-K to every region of the state so all of our children get a head start on success.
This is Randi Weingarten and I urge you to vote for Kathy Hochul for Lieutenant Governor in the Democratic Primary this Tuesday September 9th. Thanks."
I guess Randi missed the part where Kathy supports Eva Moskowitz and her privatization and charter for profit agenda.Not to mention a test and punish agenda and an APPR that trusts standardized test results to fire teachers. How Weingrovel remains at the head of the second largest teacher's union in America is a question for the ages. She has consistently fraternized with the likes of Murdoch, Broad, Klein and Gates while trying to pretend she has the interests of rank and file teachers in mind. Weingrovel is the poster child for entrenched union hackism. The best day AFT has will be the day they unload this Quisling collaborator and let her go work for Pearson or Murdoch or Molloch. With friends like these huh Gary? asks The Dude in The Big Lebowski. That's right Dude. Friends like these. That's all I'm sayin.
Splendidly put.
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