It's NOT Working - MacIver Institute - Americans For Prosperity Foundation

The reality is that we, especially in Wisconsin, are going to be bombarded by slick ads in the next 6 months. These slick ads frequently mislead by juxtaposing numbers that seem shocking and draw conclusions from those numbers as if they are facts but truly never substantiated or explained in context.  Another technique is to cite an example, call it a success story, imply that it is true everywhere, every time and again not explain the context or provide any details.

All I can say is please THINK before you just believe.  Everyone seems to have their own echo chamber and you really need to know that the bubbles being blown float for more than a few people.

I really don't want to promote this site or these people but "You Need To Know" -

ItsWorkingWisconsin.com

We heard the sky would fall and that there would be massive layoffs of state and local government workers and teachers. Some asserted that Wisconsin’s budget reform would mark the end of the state as we know it. But the sky’s still there. And Wisconsin is stronger than ever. Thanks to Wisconsin’s budget reform This website is committed to providing the facts to Wisconsin taxpayers. Every week there are more examples of how It’s Working. Together, the Americans for Prosperity Foundation and the John K. MacIver Institute for Public Policy have chronicled success stories...

Evidently the MacIver Institute put this video up on YouTube ItsWorking

It has had 18000+ hits as of 10/30/2011 (uploaded 10/25) with 15 dislikes and 120 likes.  It begins with a number claiming that it was the budget deficit of $3.6 billion that was the reason Walker proposed his special session in which "collective bargaining" was to be tanked.  I think I recall the number was something like $137 million and as I recall the $3.6 billion had more to do with Medicaid costs.  I know I am being just as fuzzy as them.  My grant request of the Koch Brothers was rejected ... so I don't have the resources to debunk this completely ... that's a joke!

In my gut I suspect that the number of hits has been ginned up by a PR campaign ... could I be wrong?  I congratulate the 15 people who are really paying attention ...