Where does the AP get its reporters

I've often wondered where the Associated Press finds the people who write its articles. After reading one article this morning I have narrowed down the possibilities to two 1) under a rock or 2) the planet Mars. The article I am talking about is about how the demonstrations in madison Wisconsin that attracted about 25,000 union workers and students to the state capitol is the rebirth of political activism after decades of quiet. It was written by Dinesh Ramde, who is not exactly a household word. In the entire article about the rebirth of citizen activism, Ramde fails to mention anything about the biggest burst of citizen activism seen in many years, the Tea Party. Last year Tea Party rallies that were not part of anyone's election campaign brought out many millions of voters. Indeed, on April 15th, there were more than a million at rallies nationwide. Glenn Beck drew half a million or more to his 8-28 rally in Washington. Even if Ramde wants to ignore all the activism that came from conservatives, there was also the rally held in Washington by the left that drew at least a quarter of a million people last fall. But this idiot still writes about the rebirth of activism shown in Madison.

Dinesh, let me clue you in. the rallies in Madison are not political activism. They are labor disputes. The big issue is whether or not state workers in Wisconsin will have to pay for part of their own health care and pensions like everyone else in the country. Indeed, since the amounts asked of the state workers is about half of what private work force people pay, the response is an over the top temper tantrum. The rallies are also a sign that the teachers' unions realize that their hold on power has slipped. In the old days, no government in Wisconsin would dare to have challenged the benefits of the teachers. It would have been political suicide. The union could bring out its troops (like those now in Madison) and defeated opponents. Well they tried that last fall and they lost. So now, the intimidation and threats will not work. Those in office got there despite the best efforts of the unions. So for once, the government will try to do what is fair and right rather than just what is good for the teachers union. Indeed, the very nature of the protests show that the unions know they have next to nothing to say to support their position other than "don't cross us or we will get you!" To say the least, even the union members realize that arguing that if the teachers have to pay for part of their benefits like everyone else does, the quality of teaching will suffer and hurt the kids, is nonsense. Why would anyone who teaches do worse if the cost of their healthcare changes. For most private workers, the cost of healthcare changes every year, and usually not for the better. After each of those changes does the quality of the work performed go down. No! So all that is left for the teachers is a display of rage. How dare the legislature actually make them pay for part of their benefits. That results in the current temper tantrum. Of course, all the usual suspects run to get involved, so Jesse Jackson is now on the scene arguing that this is a civil rights issue. (paying for healthcare in part is civil rights? Oh well, no one ever accused him of making sense.) Leftist students from the University of Wisconsin are also there for fun and games. Nevertheless, the crux of the dispute remains an effort by the state government to make clear that the workers work for the state and not vice versa.