Joseph Thomas Klein Declared Candidate for County Executive
In Milwaukee, we are now engaged in a struggle for democracy, not against foreign threats, but from our own oligarchs.
In Milwaukee, we are now engaged in a struggle for democracy, not against foreign threats, but from our own oligarchs. These oligarchs are empowered by a willing commercialized media, they successfully propagandize and divide the people, they chip away at progressive heart of Wisconsin, and they roll back laws that were the result of over a century labor struggle. Here and now, this is the true struggle for American democracy, the true struggle for the rights of the people, the true struggle for creating a democratic community.
“A community is democratic only when the humblest and weakest person can enjoy the highest civil, economic, and social rights that the biggest and most powerful possess.”
— Asa Philip Randolph, Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters
Politicians are the servants of the people; to remain aloof, living in virtual castles in the sky is an anathema to democracy. In our democratic community, the politician treats every citizen with equity and respect.
Bodyguards and schedulers put our political class on a pedestal behind glass walls. It is time to fire the guards, shatter that glass, and let the air of common democracy back into the roman temple at 901 North 9th Street.
I will work with the ordinary people of AFSME 48, ATU 998, and all Milwaukee County workers, guaranteeing fair and safe working conditions and that wages and benefits are negotiated in good faith. At the same time, we will seek an equitable deal for the taxpayers, in keeping with our fiduciary responsibilities to our citizenry.
If the “Opportunity Schools Partnership Program” shall comes to pass, I pledge to work with MPS, the school teachers, and the parents, to assure that the transition and implementation is both fair to all parties involved, and lives up to the ideals of our democratic community.
I pledge to you, the citizens, my dedicated attempt to build here in Milwaukee County a truly democratic community. In our democratic community, economic opportunity and social justice are not just rhetorical devices in a meaningless epidictic utterance designed to sooth our own egotism, but the animating spirit that infuses our democratic koinon.
Finally, access to open records should be sacrosanct. The personal privacy of innocent employees and citizens should be the only thing impeding any open record request. I invite my friends in the press to ask Milwaukee County for all of my past correspondence with the incumbent, his staff, and predecessors, in all its unflattering and embarrassing glory. Ignoring public record requests, because they may be embarrassing, expose ineptness, or reveal unintentional malice, are emblematic of the undemocratic community … the community that we herein strive to reform and make truly democratic.
Respectfully, your servant,
Joseph Thomas Klein
Wisconsin Pirate Party Organizer
Member CWA local 37083, AFL-CIO
United States Army (Retired) OIF Veteran
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
Recent Press Releases by Joseph Thomas Klein
A Democracy with out Debate is a Farce
Oct 23rd, 2015 by Joseph Thomas KleinI am dedicated to the dream of transforming our society into a just society, where social and civil rights are upheld for all citizens, including the powerless.
Chris Abele’s Pledge to MPS and its Students Neglects Democracy
Sep 23rd, 2015 by Joseph Thomas KleinWe are engaged in a struggle for democracy against the oligarchs, influential capitalists who want to control the government in order to benefit personally, often at the expense of the common citizen.
I wonder if Mr. Klein would be up for a public debate between himself, Abele and Larson.
Would be interesting and hopefully shake things up.
He mentions addressing minority unemployment and would be curious how he would do this in the real world not just theory or a vacuum.
It’s just hard to take anyone as a serious candidate when they can’t spell and grammar check their own press releases and have a website that looks straight out of the 90’s. That latter part is most surprising when they’re in the IT field… not to mention the font makes one’s eyes bleed trying to read it.
I wanted to give him a chance and check out his platform… but if a candidate can’t bother to make their platform readable, they I can’t be bothered to try to read it.