I still remember, as a kid, tying a yellow ribbon around a tree in front of my house during the 444 days that Iran held 52 Americans hostage. Iran is not a place we should be doing business with.

A wise governor told me a long time ago, political capital you don't get more of by keeping it. You get it by using it.

There could not be a more stark contrast between Wisconsin and Illinois.

The people who are making you feel under attack is your union leadership, and they're doing it for politically intense reasons.

Now things have changed for the better. Our reforms end seniority and tenure so we can hire and fire based on merit and pay based on performance. That means we can put the best and the brightest in our classrooms - and we can keep them there.

The unions say 'last hired - first fired,', we say hire and fire based on merit. We want the best and brightest in the classroom.

It's time to put our differences aside and find ways to work together to move Wisconsin forward.