David Sewell - Mr. Walker (A Wisconsin Protest Song)

David Sewell, legendary Madisonian busker and IWW member, penned this song in response to Governor Walker's attack on state unions and the response from the workers within Wisconsin.

You can contact David Sewell at houseofwillowbrook@yahoo.com to order cds, inquire about booking, or just pass on some kind words.

While Wisconsin's annual budget hole of $3 billion seems like a lot of money, it's just 1.2 percent of the state's $244 billion economy. Wisconsin's GDP ranks 54th in the world, between the United Arab Emirates and Finland. Governor Scott Walker claims he needed to cut state employees wages and benefits in order to save $139 million to ease the budget,. However, a week before introducing the bill, he handed out $140 million in tax cuts to corporations. When state employees agreed to the pay and wage cuts as long as they could keep the right for their unions to negotiate on future contracts, Walker rejected their overture. The Wisconsin "repair" bill is not about fixing the state's budget. It's about destroying unions.

Please support your fellow workers to gain and keep rights whether they work in the public sector or the private sector. Our strength lies in organization, and a fully organized strike would have already killed this bill.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• david sewell
• mr. walker
• walker
• governor
• wisconsin
• protest
• madison
• repair
• sewell
• iww
• union
• tasedlak
• sedlak
• anarchy
• socialism
• capitol
• democracy
• right

[angaldous]

Does anyone know this man personally? My sister is studying documentary film and is pondering doing her 2nd documentary film on the events occurring here in Wisconsin (once I convince her this is her time to do it). Anyone know if this amazing song writer would mind sharing the rights to his song??

[tasedlak]

@angaldous

Yes, I'm positive David Sewell would allow it to be used. After recording the video, David told me in a Woody Guthrie-like way, "Do whatever you want with it. I wrote it for the protesters."

You can reach him through the email address I've listed in the info under the video. Also, I know there's a glitch in the video at the 3 min mark. If you want the original video I shot, I can give you that.

Thanks for the interest in David Sewell, his music, and the fight for workers' rights!

[The1028jb]

love it, i want to get a copy if it for a union where a greed company locked out all its union employees in minnesota and north dakota for support to them

[nielfmoser]

Excellent! Thanks for putting this on YouTube.  I will let people know about it. A great message.

[jrayeyt]

Solidarity from Texas.

[geoman7447]

Great song for a great cause! You may also enjoy my "Ballad of Scott Walker (thirty pieces of silver)" We must work to remove this man from office or it will take decades to undo what he and the Fitzgerald brothers will institute in our beloved state.

[sunflowerpowers]

Right on David! Power to the people of Wisconsin. This bill hurts absolutely everyone making less than $200,000 a year, children, anyone with a disability, ederly, anyone on medicare, the environment, not to mention a century of reversing democratic progress. Money is the bottom line for anyone who can ignore these facts to support a bill that is so hurtful for so many.

[SocialistaTribalista]

fantastic song, wish i could have it on my mp3 on the way to the picket line.

[knittingmama30]

We love you David. Your song is incredible. Your voice, your wisdom... well, it just shines.

Jessica, Eli and Celia too

[johnnydekalb]

Thank you David!!!!