Many have tried to explain why the new Walker rule gives school districts the "tool" to cut teacher salaries by up to 30% if they want or need to make such a cut.  And many, including myself, could have done a better job explaining the numerous interlocking cogs that make this happen.

The Progressive just did a pretty good job laying it out, explaining the good faith elements in play and why school districts no longer have to worry about violating them: 

Interest arbitration became a statutory part of the collective bargaining process for public employees in 1978. It was enacted as a way to avoid lengthy, contentious contract negotiations and strikes, and it encouraged both sides to compromise and to make reasonable final proposals. If negotiations came to an impasse, an independent arbitrator had the power to decide which side’s offer was most legitimate, given comparable salaries, history, market conditions and budget constraints. Arbitration served as a check on the abuse of power.

Unfortunately the big news today for Chris Christie isn't that he's in Wisconsin campaigning for Walker.

In a racist screed, the National Review just put out a hit piece enitled "Chris Christie's Islam Problem." Apparently the rumors of Christie being considered for VP is too much for the conservative rag and they had to take him out by reminding everyone that he isn't as racist as the rest of the party when it comes to dem thar damn Mas-lams.

Years ago I worked on the campaign of a veteran Wisconsin state legislator who was quite comfortably ahead in the polls. Being myself a campaign veteran, but one not yet beholden to cherished notions of proper campaign strategy, I posed a question at the planning table.

We were, I noted, about to conduct the usual get-out-the-vote approach that targeted frequent voters. Get the polling lists from recent past elections, examine who came out always or most frequently, and concentrate your attentions upon those members of the electorate.

But, I said, most campaigns now do that only because it's cost-effective and funds are often precious. With a big lead, I suggested, perhaps we should take advantage of an opportunity to BUILD rather than DILUTE the base.

After all, if you keep going ever more intensely after fewer and fewer voters, you are also increasing the proportion of voters -- infrequent or merely potential -- who are left untouched and thus more likely to drop away, unappreciated and taken for granted.

In an interview with Sly this morning, gubernatorial candidate Kathleen Falk became the first candidate to come out strong against Scott Walker's new Act 10 implementation rule that gives School Boards the "tool" to balance their budgets by not including approximately 30% in teacher salaries that comes from so-called educational add-ons.    (School boards can restore that 30% funding outside of the teacher salary contracts, but the rule will give them the political cover to make pa