Why Wisconsin Matters

Leave a comment

Today could be the most important day in politics until the Nov. 6 presidential election. Today, voters in Wisconsin will decide whether or not to allow Republican Gov. Scott Walker to keep his job, or allow Democrat Tom Barrett, mayor of Milwaukee, to replace him. This recall election is a repeat of the 2010 mid-term election when Walker beat Barrett by about 5 percentage points, and Republicans swept several state houses across the country, including in WI. However, this election should have a far, far higher voter turnout on both sides than the 2010 election, as officials predict voter turnout to be around 60-65 percent, similar to a presidential election.

There are a few reasons why the Wisconsin election matters so much. It will determine the future of unions and how much power they still have. It is also a test of how well Democrats will do in the post-Citizens United world, as corporations and billionaires can now dump unlimited funds into a campaign. The election  also matters  because it will probably determine whether or not WI goes for Romney or Obama in 2012. The state has not elected a Republican president since 1984, and the GOP now believes the state is in play, and for good reason.

The political civil war that has exploded in WI began 16 months ago, shortly after Gov. Walker was sworn in. He did inherit a state with a budget crisis, and his solution to that crisis was to strip public sector unions of their collective bargaining rights. As soon as the bill was introduced, the streets of Madison and the capital building swelled with protesters. Eventually, the bill passed, and since then, membership to public sector unions in WI has plummeted. Last summer, there was a recall to replace some of the state senators that voted for the bill. Of the 6 GOP state senators that faced recall, two were replaced by Democrats, and now the state senate has an even split. More Republican state senators will be on the ballot today for recall, and it’s very possible the Dems will win control of the state senate. After the summer recall, activists succeeded in forcing a recall election of Gov. Scott Walker. They turned in petitions with over 1 million signatures.

Unions realize that today’s election matters a hell of a lot. They have spent a lot of time and energy protesting and forcing the recall. They have also poured money in to help Tom Barrett defeat Walker. If Walker does indeed win today’s election (current polls show him ahead by just a few percentage points), then Walker’s agenda will most likely go national. For decades, the GOP has wanted to dismantle unions, which traditionally help Democrats win elections through their organization and get-out-the-vote efforts. If Walker wins, he has succeeded in crushing unions in a state that used to be considered very progressive. It is likely that his tactic of stripping unions of collective bargaining rights will be done by other GOP governors, especially in Florida, Ohio, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. That will lead to decreased union membership and the very real possibility that unions may not be around any longer in a few years, and if they are, they will have little to no political muscle.

This election also matters because it’s a test of how Democrats will adapt to the post-Citizens United world, the Supreme Court ruling that made it possible for corporations and billionaires to donate unlimited funds to a campaign. So far, Walker has raised over $30 million, while Barrett has only raised about $4 million, according to this article by CNN. The article also points out that about 70 percent of Walker’s donations in the last month have come from out-of-state, including Texan Bob Perry, who created the swift boat attacks on former presidential candidate John Kerry in 2004. Perry cut a check to Walker for $500,000. It’s easy to see why the race is so close. A few months ago, the passion and the energy was on the left and against Walker, but a hell of a lot of money has kept the recall election close. To win elections, Democrats need to find a way to raise Super PAC money and compete with the GOP fundraising abilities. If not, they will lose elections, just as they did in 2010 and just as they may in WI today.

Finally, the election also matters because it will have an impact on the presidential election. The recall is a test of each sides get-out-the-vote efforts. Democrats believe that if they have a lot of boots on the ground, they can defeat Walker and have more success in the November election. However, if Walker wins today, the activists in WI are going to feel demoralized. Will they want to knock on doors for Obama in November? Will they have any energy left? If Walker wins today, it is very possible, maybe even likely, WI will vote for a Republican president for the first time since 1984.

Elections matter, and state elections do have an impact on national elections and the agenda of both major political parties. I do believe Democrats could have done a lot more to help Tom Barrett. President Obama didn’t even stop to stump for Barrett. Last night, he tweeted his support for Barrett, but it could be too late. The only big gun that has assisted the Democratic candidate is Bill Clinton, who campaigned in the state on Friday, but it may be too little, too late. Meanwhile, if Walker wins today, billionaires that want to see unions totally dismantled will encourage other Republican governors to follow Walker’s path and crush unions to the dustbin of history. They will realize that they can indeed buy elections. Pay attention to the results from today’s election for an indication of where this country is headed in terms of workers’ rights and the future of unions, as well as who has the upper hand come November, Romney or Obama.

Word Fountain Flood Issue

Leave a comment

The Osterhaut Library in Wilkes-Barre puts out a literary magazine every few months called Word Fountain. It features poetry, prose, and fiction. For the next issue, the editors plan to do a glossy edition, thanks for a grant, focused on the flooding caused by Hurricane Agnes in 1972 and Hurricane Irene last year. If you have any writing that is flood-related, or any pictures, consider sending it in to the staff at Word Fountain. Here is some more info, taken from the journal’s website:

Hurricane Agnes has an anniversary on June 22nd 2012.  It’s been 40 years since Agnes tore through our towns.  When Hurricane Irene followed her lead, we here at Word Fountain decided to do something about it.  We are creating a special issue of our literary magazine.  Once printed, this publication will generate donations that will go to a fund at the Luzerne Foundation to help recovering flood victims.

You can help.  Send us your 2-D art, photos, writings of 1,000 words or less (any age, any genre).  We chose the 40th anniversary as an extended deadline.

Submission Guidelines:

1,000 words or less, any genre, from any age group

Original photos and 2-D art will also be considered

Topic:  Hurricane Irene and/or Hurricane Agnes

flooding inNortheastern Pennsylvania

Extended Deadline!  June 22nd 2012

Osterhout Free Library

Attn:  Word Fountain Editors

71 S. Franklin Street

     Wilkes-Barre,PA18701

570-823-0156 phone

570-823-2475 fax

wordfountain@osterhout.lib.pa.us

http://thelibrarywordfountain.wordpress.com

www.facebook.com/thelibrarywordfountain

Vintage Theater Closes Its Doors for Now

Leave a comment

By now, I’m sure a lot of people who read this blog know that the Vintage Theater in downtown Scranton is closing, at least temporarily.  The owners are trying to find a new location to continue providing the variety of music, art, and literary events that the venue offered. Tonight will mark the final event at the Vintage Theater’s Penn Avenue location, an art show featuring portraits of local writers, artists, and musicians. The event begins at 6 p.m. and is part of Scranton’s First Friday Art Walk. If you are out and about, I encourage you to stop at the Vintage Theater and say goodbye to its current location.

For me, the Vintage was special because its owners allowed me to host various poetry workshops and readings. I even had the book release party for Front Man there in the fall of 2010, and I’m grateful to have celebrated that accomplishment with family and friends in that venue. Vintage also had a writing group that met every Saturday, and some of its key participants hosted a poetry open mic night the third Thursday of every month. I attended it a few times and was the featured reader a few months ago. That open mic provided writers of varying levels the chance to hone their skills and share their work in public, which is especially useful for beginning writers.

Last night, I read at the KGB Bar in the Lower East Side of New York City. It was my second time reading there, and at both readings, the bar was packed with an attentive audience. After I finished the reading, I thought about how lucky artists and writers in the city are to have spaces like the KGB Bar, the Bowery Poetry Club, and the Cornelius Street Cafe, venues that always have a packed house and events going on every day of the week.  These venues thrive because they have people willing to support them. When the Vintage re-opens and perhaps reshapes its mission, I hope even more people come to events to support it and keep its doors open.

For now, I’m sure that the folks who frequented Vintage will find other places to go. I have heard that the writing group that met there every Saturday will now meet at Northern Lights Cafe in downtown Scranton every Saturday afternoon. Meanwhile, people can also check out New Visions Studio and Gallery on Vine Street, which also offers a lot of concerts and some literary events, including the Writers Showcase. There is also the Library Express in the Steamtown Mall, which has an open mic poetry night the last Thursday of every month at 6:30, as well as various workshops and author events. In an ideal world, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre would have a variety of venues with a slew of events.

Here’s an old picture of me reading at the Vintage during the release party for Front Man.

Image

KGB Bar Reading

Leave a comment

If you’re looking for something to do this week and you’re anywhere near New York City, then you should come by the KGB Bar, located at 85 East 4th Street, and see me read with some other writer friends, including Taylor Polities, Sandee Gertz Umbach, Rich Uhlig, and Pat Florio. The reading is going to be a mix of poetry, fiction, and non-fiction, and the event is free. I read at the KGB Bar last July, and it’s a unique venue that hosts several readings and literary events throughout the week. They also have a fairly large bar and a lot of drink and food specials.

Here is some info about the other readers:

Taylor M. Polites is a novelist living in Providence, Rhode Island with his small Chihuahua, Clovis. Polites’ first novel, The Rebel Wife, was published in February 2012 by Simon & Schuster. He has an MFA in Creative Writing from Wilkes University and BA in History and French from Washington University in St. Louis. In 2009, he was awarded the Norris Church Mailer Fellowship from Wilkes University. He has lived in Provincetown, Massachusetts, New York City, St. Louis and the Deep South. He has covered arts and news for a variety of local newspapers and magazines, including the Cape Codder, InNewsWeekly, Bird’s Eye View (the in-flight magazine of CapeAir), artscope Magazine and Provincetown Arts Magazine.

Richard Uhlig is the author of the Knopf-published novels, Last Dance At The Frosty Queen and Boy Minus Girl.  He is also the screenwriter of the award-winning film Dead Simple, starring James Caan and Patricia Richardson, as well as Kept, starring Ice-T.  He recently wrote, produced and directed the short film comedy Can’t Dance, starring Karen Lynn Gorny.  The film won Founder’s Choice Award at the Queens World Film Festival. Richard lives in New York with his wife and two small children.

Sandee Gertz Umbach is a poet and writer from Western Pennsylvania, currently residing near Pittsburgh.  Her poems have been published in numerous literary journals, including Poet Lore, The Ledge, Gargoyle, and The Green Mountains Review. She has been the recipient of a Pennsylvania Council on the Arts fellowship grant and is a Sandburg-Livesay Award Winner. Her recently released poetry collection, The Pattern Maker’s Daughter, (published by Bottom Dog Press) is set in the industrial steel city of Johnstown,Pennsylvania and reflects coming of age themes with a strong narrative sense of place and landscape.  Geology, geography, weather, and even neuroscience collide as this “Girl Interrupted” speaker tells her stories from the heart of one of America’s colorful working class cities.

Patricia Florio spent 17 years as a certified professional court reporter in Brooklyn’s federal court system when she decided to change careers.  She’s had this constant buzzing muse prompting her to write since she was a teenager.   Her first book “My Two Mothers” was published in August 2011.  She has gotten excellent reviews.(see it on Amazon.com)  She’s married to her husband Ralph for 40 years and they live in the Historic Victorian town of Ocean Grove on the Jersey Shore.  She received her undergrad from Rutgers in Liberal Studies and her M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Wilkes University.

 

Some General Updates

Leave a comment

I’ve been having a decent streak of luck over the last few weeks in terms of publishing credits. I recently had a poem published over at Solstice Literary Magazine. I recommend checking out the publication. It has a great editor and an impressive advisory board, which includes Stephen Dunn. You can check out my poem, “Before He Enlisted,” here. The poem will also appear in my full-length collection, All That Remains, next year. I seem to keep writing about soldiers every now and then and the consequences of Iraq and Afghanistan (which is now the longest war in U.S. history). “Before He Enlisted” belongs with that set of poems. One of them is also included in my chapbook Front Man, “Political Soundtrack,” which addresses the wars from a protestor’s point of view.

I also had a poem published over at vox poetica, an e-journal run by the wonderful Annmarie Lockhart, who will also be publishing my full-length. You can check out the poem “The Plot” here. This poem will also be included in the new book.

I was also interviewed by fiction writer Gale Martin regarding my poetry and writing process. The interview is available here. Thanks again to Gale for that interview, and if you like her work, then you can see her read in Scranton when she takes part in the next New Visions Writers Showcase! More details will be available about that event closer to the July 21 date.

This month was also productive and lucky in the sense that I’ve been invited to be the featured poet in the late summer issue of the journal Third Wednesday! The main editor has asked for 8 of my poems and an intro to my work/poems.

I hope the good news will continue throughout the rest of the summer months!

James Franco as Hart Crane

Leave a comment

James Franco has inhabited another role of a poet for a biopic movie. In the semi-new film The Broken Tower, he takes on the role of early American Modernist poet Hart Crane. The film was written, produced, and directed by Franco. I have not seen it yet, though I do plan to rent it from Amazon, one of the only places I’ve found it to be available. It also opened recently in some larger cities, including New York. I liked Franco quite a bit as Allen Ginsberg in the film Howl. However, that film was different in the sense Franco did not direct it or write it, and the film mostly centered around the obscenity trial the poem caused in the 1950s, shortly after it was published by City Lights Books. It only covered very few parts of Ginsberg’s life.

The Broken Tower centers mostly around Crane’s life, including some of his homosexual relationships, poverty, and suicide. In the short trailer, which you can watch below, there are scenes of Franco reading Crane’s poetry, and I’m not sure how well that will translate to the  screen, as Crane’s work is incredibly dense, whereas “Howl” and much of Ginsberg’s work is not as high-flown.

The New York Times’ review of the film mentions that most of the film is shot in black and white, with a handheld camera.  It also criticizes the film in stating, “But despite earnest attempts, Mr. Franco can’t bring the fervency of Crane’s poetry to life in the extensive recitations.” When I see the movie soon, perhaps I’ll follow-up with a blog post and write about how The Broken Tower compares to the film Howl.

The Return of HWM

Leave a comment

There are very, very few punk bands that I listen to anymore. I don’t even find myself going to shows anymore, mostly because I don’t have the time or the extra money to drive two hours to Philly or NYC to see bands. That said, I was ecstatic when I learned months ago that one of my all-time favorite indie/punk bands, Hot Water Music, was going to release a new album, after eight long years. This is the band whose iconic flame and water logo is tattooed on my left arm. This is the band I drove to Atlanta for because it was one of the only reunion shows they played a few years ago, on New Years Eve.

I’ve always liked HWM because they’ve pushed the boundaries of what punk rock can be, especially on their first few albums released on No Idea Records.  For fans, the dueling vocal style of Chuck Ragan and Chris Wollard is unforgettable on those early LPs. HWM was also unique for injecting intricate guitar riffs and complex bass and drum patterns into their songs, as opposed to the boring power chord style of most punk bands.

The other day, the new HWM album, Exister, was delivered to my doorstep. I ripped open the box and placed the needle on the record. I’ll admit that I was nervous because like other fans, I had high expectations built up in my mind of what I wanted the album to sound like. Mostly, I wanted the band to return to its roots, to that distinct post-hardcore sound of the first few albums. Instead, the new album is similar to the band’s last few records released on Epitaph Records, one of the largest indie labels in the world. It is pure punk rock, fast and hard, with chugging power chords and roaring vocals. All of that said, I was just happy to hear this foursome churn out new music and a new album that is indeed packed with energy.

There are some tracks on the album, especially “State of Grace” and “Exister,” that will be staples at the band’s shows for years to come, if they decide to continue on and use this album as a refreshing new start to their long career.

I am sure some longtime fans will gripe the new album isn’t at all like the early LPs on No Idea Records. But why not just be happy HWM is back? They plan to do a full-blown tour, and it’s likely a lot of those old tracks will be in their setlists. I’m sure their shows will still be a stellar experience. I have never seen any band bring the energy that HWM brings to a live setting. Fans erupt into sing-alongs to every single song in the setlist. I look forward to seeing them play to packed clubs yet again, this time with a proper new album to showcase.

Upcoming NEPA Readings

Leave a comment

We had another successful reading at New Visions Studio and Gallery tonight! The packed audience was attentive and engaged, and I’m appreciative of Anne Henry, David Elliott, Gary Ryman, Bethany Marie, Patricia Florio, and Tom Blomain for sharing their prose and poetry. Though the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area is not as populated as other areas, we do have a blooming and supportive art and literary scene in the area. Time after time, the New Visions Writers Showcase, Prose in Pubs, Vintage Theater Open Mics, and other literary events draw good crowds. Clearly, there is a group of people in this area hungry for poetry.

In the next few weeks, there are some other literary events to check out. On Thursday, May 17 at 8:30 p.m, The Vintage Theater is hosting a memorial reading for local poet Jennifer Diskin, who lost her battle to cancer a few months ago. Writers are encouraged to read one of Jennifer’s poems, or share a poem inspired by her. During the reading, donations will be collected to build a scholarship in Jennifer’s name for the Wilkes University Graduate Creative Writing Program, where Jennifer earned her M.A. She was a staple in the writing community for years, and I had the privilege of reading with her twice before she passed away, one time at a Wilkes alumni reading, and another at Prose in Pubs.

On Friday, May 18, Art SEEN Gallery, located at Public Square in Wilkes-Barre, will host its monthly poetry reading. The event begins at 8 p.m., and it will include an open mic.

On Thursday, May 31, the Library Express Bookstore in the Steamtown Mall will host its open mic poetry night. The event starts at 6:30 p.m.

Ph.Ds on Food Stamps

Leave a comment

The Chronicle of Higher Education just published a fascinating article about the number of people with graduate degrees currently living off of food stamps. You can read the full article here. The article proves how much deep budget cuts to education have  a severe impact on everyday people, including folks that spent years getting an M.A. and then Ph.D., but then struggle to survive.

The article tells the story of two part-time teachers, Melissa Bruninga-Matteau,a 43-year-old single mother with a Ph.D. in medevial history. The article states, “Her take-home pay is $900 a month, of which $750 goes to rent. Each week, she spends $40 on gas to get her to the campus; she lives 43 miles away, where housing is cheaper.”

However, she does not blame the colleges where she teaches for the pay, but rather the cuts to education that impacted the school where she teaches. The article goes on to say,” In Arizona last year, Gov. Jan Brewer, a Republican, signed a budget that cut the state’s allocation to Yavapai’s operating budget from $4.3-million to $900,000, which represented a 7.6 percent reduction in the college’s operating budget. The cut led to an 18,000-hour reduction in the use of part-time faculty like Ms. Bruninga-Matteau.”

The article also highlights the plight of Elliott Stegall, a white, 51-year-old married father of two. He teaches two courses each semester in the English department at Northwest Florida State College, in Niceville, Fl. He recalls the first time he ever stepped into the welfare office: “The first time we went to the office to apply, I felt like I had arrived from Eastern Europe to Ellis Island. The place was filled with people from every culture and ethnicity. We all had that same ragged, poor look in our eyes.”

Over the last 10 years, the number of people on food stamps has skyrocketed. There has been an increase of 17 million in 2000 to 44 million people in 2011, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Web site, and as the article proves, there are a variety of people now in need of food stamps, medicaid, and other welfare programs, including teachers.

The article doesn’t make clear any solution to his problem, but there is an election in the fall. Though a lot of the governors that were elected in 2010 still have some years left in office, their positions on education could change if they faced more opposition in the state house and senate. A lot of these Republican governors enjoy party majorities, so they are left unchecked. But what would happen if they did have more opposition? They certainly would not be able to ram through budgets similar to that of Jan Brewer’s.

New Visions Writers Showcase Returns

Leave a comment

After a very successful installment of the New Visions Writers Showcase in March, which featured slam poet William James, the Writers Showcase will return on Saturday, May 12 at 7 p.m. with a line-up of three prose writers and three poets. Once again, the event is free and will take place at New Visions Studio and Gallery, located at 201 Vine Street in Scranton.

The event will feature readings from Anne Henry, Gary Ryman, Bethany-Marie Gagas, David Elliott, Patricia Florio, and Tom Blomain.

Here is some more info about each reader:

Anne Henry recently completed her M.F.A. in creative writing from Wilkes University, and she is currently conducting a creative writing workshop for adults in a continuing education program and runs summer workshops for teens. As she searches for an agent for her memoir, she is also hard at work on her novel, Truth Be Told.

David Elliott is a professor of English at Keystone College, and a longtime member of the Mulberry Poets and Writers Association. He is the author of a book of haiku entitled Wind in the Trees, and the collection Passing Through. His work has appeared in a number of journals and anthologies.

Gary Ryman is the second of three generations of firefighters, and the author of the book Fire Men: Stories From Three Generations of a Firefighting Family. He is a past chief of the Scott Fire Company in Lackawanna Count, and he is currently completing his MA in American History.

Bethany-Marie Gagas is currently finishing her Master’s of Teaching degree from Marywood University, and her poetry has appeared in local journals.

Patricia Florio is the author of the book My Two Mothers. She is also a travel writer for stripedpot.com. She graduated with an M.F.A. from Wilkes University, focusing on creative non-fiction. Currently, she lives on the Jersey Shore and conducts a reading series there. In 2012, she was a Normal Mailer Fellowship finalist.

Tom Blomain is the current president of the Mulberry Poets and Writers Association, He is the author of Gray Area and the forthcoming collection of poems Blues From Paradise (Foothills Publishing). He is producer of Graffiti, a poetry and music program on Electric City Television, for which organization he serves on the Board of Directors. A graduate of Keystone College and Dickinson College, he resides in the Hill Section, and is currently working on a collection of original songs with his group, Nobody Fancy.

Hope to see you there!