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UW Students & Workers Give 'Grinch' Doyle a Lump of Coal
by josh Email: jghealey(at)wisc.edu
19 Dec 2004
As Governor Doyle prepares to release his 2005-2007 biennial budget proposal rumored to cut the UW system funding by another 10 percent, the growing coalition of UW students, workers, and community members - with a guest appearance by Santa Claus himself - delived their "Students' Christmas wish list" to the state Capitol on Thursday, December 16.
"As the holidays approach, we are asking Gov. Doyle to show some holiday spirit in his upcoming budget proposal that will last beyond the season," said Alison Goetsch, member of the Student Labor Action Coalition (SLAC). "By making students a priority and fully funding education from kindergarten to college, Governor Doyle will be known as a friend of the students of Wisconsin, rather than the Grinch who stole Christmas."
Gabriela Varela, Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlˇn (MEChA) co-chair, said: "We are demanding that Gov. Doyle and the Joint Committee of Finance members pursue these policies not just for UW students but for all Wisconsin residents. We are calling on them to reinvest in the public good - from higher education to health care to equal rights for all - rather than in the narrow interests of corporate lobbyists."
Santa Claus, a.k.a. Mike Quieto, co-president of the Teaching Assistants' Association (TAA, AFT-WI #3220), read the Christmas wish list, which included demands for Gov. Doyle such as lower tuition, zero-cost health care for state workers, stopping TABOR and the 'Defense of Marriage' ammendments, prioritizing education over incarceration, and meeting with students before announcing the budget.
Santa also led the approximately 50 activists in singing pro-education, pro-labor Christmas carols at the offices of Doyle and all 16 members (Republican and Democrat) of the Joint Finance Committee. No legislator was willing to meet with the students and workers, although all of their staffmembers received a copy of the Christmas wish list as well as a candy cane or a lump of coal, depending on where they placed on Santa's 'naughty and nice' list. Needless to say, most of the legislators, including Gov. Doyle, receivd a lump of coal.
Below are two of the songs that the activists sang for your viewing pleasure. Happy holidays!
****************** "Jingle Bells" (the 'Save the UW' remix) Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way Oh what pain it is to see tuition hiked each day - HEY! Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way Doyle is turning more and more college students away- HEY! We want low tuition - more diversity Health cares for TA's and no adversity Joint Finance Committee - Pay for education More classes and professors and less incarceration Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way Oh what pain it is to see tuition hiked each day - HEY! Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way Doyle is turning more and more college students away- HEY! Free education - fair wages for our labor So stop that motherfuckin' bill that you call TABOR Republicans and Democrats: make our spirits bright Make the budget fair - or we won't give up the fight Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way Oh what pain it is to see tuition hiked each day - HEY! Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way Doyle is turning more and more college students away- HEY! *************** "Silent Dorms" (to the tune of "Silent Night") Silent dorms, empty classrooms All is quiet, all is doomed Doyle has defunded the university This once-great school is in mediocrity Free tuition now Free tuition now Busy Capitol, Deals galore Doyle and Gard are corporate whores They ignore the needs of Wisconsin They're even worse than Tommy Thompson Save the university Save the university Cold night, long fight Out of dark we bring light Force them to do what they know is right The powers that be will face our might Badgers will unite Badgers will unite!
See also:
http://www.petitiononline.com/UW4Life
Uw Students Deliver Christmas Jeer To Doyle - Gov Better Watch Out - Carolers' Message Frosty - Capital Times Dec 17, 2004