The Motley Cow

Walker knew.

2012-02-01T07:00:00.000-08:00

From our friends at Cognitive Dissidence:

Walkergate: But There's More. There's Always More.

Another Republican helping Obama's reelection.

2012-02-01T06:58:00.000-08:00

Rick Tyler: Democrats abort black babies - Rick Tyler - Salon.com

Maddow asked Tyler about some of Gingrich’s racially coded attacks on President Obama, and Tyler went off. He began by comparing the Republican and Democratic platforms of 1856 and finding the Democratic platform was racist, and that was about the last true thing he said. From claiming Democrats “abort black babies” to charging that African Americans need the movie “Red Tails” because they don’t have any positive role models, it was the GOP id unleashed. Watch at your peril.

Planned Parenthood patient care defunding drive continues.

2012-02-01T06:48:00.000-08:00

Right wing morality squad pressure continues to defund Planned Parenthood because it does nothing but kill babies.

Oh wait, not.

Do You Know What Planned Parenthood Actually Does? | MoveOn.Org

More Walkergate: Secret Email System Revealed in "John Doe" Probe of Walker Staff

2012-02-01T06:44:00.000-08:00

And on and on it goes....

Maybe he just didn't know what his staff was doing? Yeah, that's it.

Secret Email System Revealed in "John Doe" Probe of Walker Staff

While Wink was busy organizing Walker fundraisers down the corridor from Walker's office, Deputy Chief of Staff Kelly Rindfleisch was organizing multiple fundraisers from a spot 20 feet away. Thousands of emails were sent by Rindfleisch from her personal laptop organizing fundraising events on behalf of Brett Davis, the Walker team's choice for the Lieutenant Governor. Davis now runs Wisconsin's Medicaid program.

Walker's central re-election strategy? Premier Election Solutions

2012-01-31T06:13:00.000-08:00

Who needs voters when you can control the ballots?

Premier Election Solutions

Walker's owners: The Party People of Wall Street

2012-01-31T06:09:00.000-08:00

Everybody have fun tonight.

--okay, not everybody.

The Party People of Wall Street | Truthout

"The last three decades have witnessed a carefully calculated heist worthy of Robert Redford and Paul Newman in 'The Sting' — but on a massive scale. It was an inside job, politically engineered by Wall Street and Washington working hand-in-hand, sticky fingers with sticky fingers, to turn the legend of Robin Hood on its head – giving to the rich and taking from everybody else. Don’t take our word for it — it’s all on the record."

Who's the social parasite? Scott Fitzgerald’s $18,128 in 2011 Per Diems

2012-01-30T06:46:00.000-08:00

His per diem alone provides a bigger income than 14% of his neighbors?

And what do they get for this? ...that's the question.

Breaking Down Scott Fitzgerald’s $18,128 in 2011 Per Diems | Wisconsin Factcheck

Any way you look at it, $18,128 goes a long way. According to this map from the New York Times, a household in non-metropolitan areas of Wisconsin (like Dodge County) with an income of $18,128 ranks in the bottom 15% of all households. Or, in other words, Big Fitz’s per diem allowances alone give him more income than 14% of his neighboring households. Talk about a broken “government handout!”

More Big Fibs from Paul Ryan.

2012-01-29T13:35:00.000-08:00

Keep in mind that Ryan's entire public career has been about finding moral justifications for selfishness. It helps keep his pathology in context.

FACT CHECK: Paul Ryan Falsely Claims He Supports Ending Subsidies to Wealthy, Eliminating Loopholes | DCCC

Today on Fox News Sunday, Republican Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (WI-01) falsely claimed he wants to stop "subsidizing the wealthy" and "get the loopholes out" of our tax code.
In reality, Paul Ryan and House Republicans have repeatedly voted to protect tax breaks for the ultra wealthy and tax loopholes for Big Oil. In fact, Ryan himself authored a plan to give the ultra wealthy tax breaks and supported the creation of tax loopholes for some of his top contributors. Ryan and House Republicans are now opposed to ending these kind of tax breaks for the ultra wealthy in order to stop a payroll tax hike at the end of February.

Waring Fincke's Daily News Column: What it would be like with no government

2012-01-28T08:07:00.000-08:00

The "Don't Tax Me" Plutocrats who've been running the country for much of the past 30 years have been rewriting America's social contract without consulting everyone.

Here's why they're wrong.

What it would be like with no government

Glenn Grothman on Walker: doesn't know what year this is.

2012-01-27T16:57:00.000-08:00

Oh Glenn, the country you and your fellow travelers are worried about losing existed for only 20 minutes, in 1952, on television.

Grothman: "If we let Scott Walker go down our country is going down" - JSOnline

From Wausau: Walker's jobs claims strain truth

2012-01-27T08:09:00.000-08:00

Walker's betting the Big Lie technique will work... and why shouldn't he? It works all the time.

But not everyone's bought it.

Our View: Walker's jobs claims strain truth | Wausau Daily Herald | wausaudailyherald.com

Gov. Walker is using superficial and disingenuous arguments when it comes to his record on job creation. But he's not the only one. His enemies in the Democratic Party claim that Wisconsin's six straight months of private-sector job losses at the end of 2011 are proof that Walker's policies not only have failed to create jobs so far, but that they never will work.

It's simply too early to make that claim, and it ignores all the national and international factors that have stunted job growth in Wisconsin.

The truth is, it is neither Walker's fault that the state lost private-sector jobs in the last half of 2011, nor to his credit that some businesses were hiring.

What Did Walker Know? When Did He Know It?

2012-01-26T20:11:00.000-08:00

Right, so either he didn't know -- which makes him an idiot -- or he *did* know -- which makes him a criminal.

I suppose the Koch's will be happy to support either one.

Wisconsin 'John Doe' Probe: What Did Walker Know? When Did He Know It? | The Nation

Just hours after he delivered a State of the State address that he hoped would set the tone for his campaign to avert a recall election threat, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker was hit with exactly the sort of news that embattled politicians fear most.
Two former aides to Walker—one of whom was in the employ of his campaign until just days ago—have been charged with felonies and misdemeanors in the ongoing “John Doe” investigation of wrongdoing by aides, political allies and campaign donors with links to the embattled governor.

Does Wisconsin have a budget deficit?

2012-01-26T20:09:00.000-08:00

Does Wisconsin have a budget deficit? - JSOnline

First we didn't and now we do - so Walker was lying which time? It all depends on what "accounting procedures" means.

Scott Walker billboard outside closed GM plant in Janesville, now removed.

2012-01-19T20:42:00.000-08:00

Conservatives used to be better at irony. No William F Buckley's in this bunch.

Scott Walker billboard outside closed GM plant in Janesville (long) - YouTube

Walker lied about Wisconsin being broke... and...

2012-01-19T20:39:00.000-08:00

... and about whether he was interested in job creation or something else. The blue (gains) are under Doyle's budget. The red (losses) are under Walker's budget. Any questions?

2011 jobs by month WI

Remembering why Wisconsin Recalls by a Naught TEA Republican |

2012-01-19T16:26:00.000-08:00

I remember REAL Republicans who were interested in fiscal responsibility and uninterested in imposing loony morality and science on the rest of the nation. Remember them?

Some of them are coming out of the closet.

Remembering why Wisconsin Recalls by a Naught TEA Republican |

Today there were tears in my eyes as I watched boxes of Recall petitions being carried into the GAB office in Madison WI. Over 1,000,000 WI citizens gave our Governor Scott Walker a peoples referendum on his TEA Party Budget and theft of open and transparent politics in WI. For, you see, I am a WI Republican, and have watched with horror as the TEA Party infiltrated our Party of Lincoln, LaFollette, Reagan & Thompson turning it away from exactly what we in WI stand for…Progressive People Powered Democracy.

Here we go again. All Current Creationism Bills Originate From An Amendment Drafted And Proposed By Rick Santorum In 2001

2012-01-14T14:58:00.000-08:00

How long until local fundamentalists in West Bend, and now perhaps the ideological zealots controlling Madison, attempt --once again -- to override the US Constitution by imposing their religious views in place of science?

Not too long, I'm guessing.

All Current Creationism Bills Originate From An Amendment Drafted And Proposed By Rick Santorum In 2001 | Addicting Info

Since January 1st, three state legislatures in Missouri, Indiana, and New Hampshire have all introduced bills that would force schools to teach creationism as an accepted science even if students, parents, and teachers are not Christians. Such bills infringe upon religious freedom as protected by the United States Constitution. Since 2004, 12 states have tried to pass creationism bills. Only one, in Louisiana, has become law. You may be wondering, where did all of these bills come from?

Ron Johnson Ducks Questions On His $10 Million Payday

2012-01-14T06:32:00.000-08:00

Once again demonstrating that he's no Russ Feingold...

Ron Johnson Ducks TPM Questions On His $10 Million Payday: ‘It’s A Private Company’ | TPMDC

Johnson’s office also ignored multiple questions about the windfall payment on Monday. He has yet to produce a written deferred compensation agreement that was signed and dated before he launched his campaign. Election law attorneys say a written agreement is critical, and without one, Johnson could face serious charges that he violated campaign-finance laws barring direct corporate funding of federal candidates.

America Isn’t a Corporation

2012-01-13T05:57:00.000-08:00

Krugman nails another one....

The primary conceptual dissonance siting between neoconservatives and reality: economics is different from physics and citizens are different from consumers.

We're seeing this confusing in Wisconsin's university system funding (7% of the state budget taking 38% of the cuts). You can impose a business model on anything ... but only if you want it to be a business. What if it's not?

America Isn’t a Corporation - NYTimes.com

Iran: The Neocons Are At It Again

2012-01-12T14:36:00.000-08:00

Some thought about our chickenhearted officials beginning the drum beat for more war.

"Be the first one on your block to have your kid come home in a box."

From Ralph Nader Iran: The Neocons Are At It Again

he same neocons who persuaded George W. Bush and crew to, in Ron Paul's inimitable words, "lie their way into invading Iraq" in 2003, are beating the drums of war more loudly these days to attack Iran. It is remarkable how many of these war-mongers are former draft dodgers who wanted other Americans to fight the war in Vietnam.

Indiana Senate Bill Would Give School Boards The Power To Force Teachers To Teach Creationism As Science

2012-01-12T14:33:00.000-08:00

Here's they come again. I imagine they'll be trying this again in West Bend soon enough.

Hey, why is it, btw, that free market economics requires creationism be taught?

Because in a universe where economics is the same as physics and biology, consumer demand dictates what's true, that's why.... in the same way that fast food is preferable to real food.

Anyway, until they come for us:

Indiana Senate Bill Would Give School Boards The Power To Force Teachers To Teach Creationism As Science | Addicting Info

This is what happens when religious extremists have control over a political party in America. A Senate bill being considered in Indiana would allow school boards across the state to force teachers to teach creationism as science. Senate bill 89 would amend the Indiana Education code by adding the following passage:
“Sec. 18. The governing body of a school corporation may require the teaching of various theories concerning the origin of life, including creation science, within the school corporation.”

UW offering free series to brush up on your knowledge about Open Meeting laws and Parliamentary procedure.

2012-01-12T14:25:00.000-08:00

Better living through civility -- and understanding the actual laws. Maybe we should require the Fitzgerald's -- and Justice Prosser -- to sit in?

Get the Details at the Open Government Laws and Parliamentary Procedure WisLine Series

An opportunity for detailed instruction on critical subjects for local officials and staff is available beginning Thursday January 19, 2012 with the he first installment of the Open Government and Parliamentary Procedure WisLine Series. You can choose programs on Open Meetings Law, and Public Records, Public Official Ethics or gain more confidence conducting or participating in meetings by attending the WisLine course on Parliamentary Procedure. Instructors include attorneys from the Wisconsin Towns, Association, League of Municipalities, Wisconsin Justice Department and the UW Extension.

Walker used to like recalls... now, Koch money to create resentment.

2012-01-12T14:19:00.000-08:00

Irony irony irony.

John Nichols: Walker used to like recalls

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign is spending a lot of the money it has collected from out-of-state billionaires to fund a television ad campaign that preaches against recall elections.
The governor’s “Recall: No” campaign, which has been augmented by a push from Americans for Prosperity, a project of the billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch, argues that the push for a recall election is simply “sour grapes.” Walker and Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch won the 2010 election, the line goes, so Wisconsinites should swallow hard and shut up for four years.
This fantasy, that elections produce a “king for four years” or an “elected despot” (to borrow phrases from Thomas Jefferson and James Madison), has been promoted by the governor in interviews with right-wing talk radio and regular appearances on Fox News and CNBC programs.

Read more: http://host.madison.com/ct/news/opinion/column/john_nichols/john-nichols-walker-used-to-like-recalls/article_5a75797d-aec4-5f99-b950-d71a701bae2f.html#ixzz1jHjf5UHv

Walker's Waste, Fraud and Abuse report includes Loch Ness Monster.

2012-01-10T14:46:00.000-08:00

And now, for the rest of the story....

Pocan & Larson release response to Walker's “misleading” Waste, Fraud and Abuse report | Wisconsin Politics

Governor Walker’s commission issued a misleading report that takes credit for decisions that have already been made or that are outside of the authority of state government,” said Rep. Pocan. “Much of the supposed savings in Governor Walker’s plan are about as real as the Loch Ness Monster.”

Don't get distracted: Republicans Versus Reproductive Rights

2012-01-09T06:01:00.000-08:00

It's easy to forget that one of the key themes in the next year is taking away any right to an abortion. As the rhetoric ramps up, their position will move even further toward authoritarian control of this, medical, decision.

Republicans Versus Reproductive Rights - NYTimes.com

In Iowa, the Republican presidential contenders tried to outdo one another in attacking reproductive rights as they sought the support of caucusgoers from the religious right. In New Hampshire, where voters are less socially conservative, the candidates have focused more on economic issues.

But the message from Iowa was crystal clear: Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, Ron Paul, Jon Huntsman Jr., Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry all stand ready to restrict a woman’s right to make her own childbearing decisions and deny essential health care to millions of women.

America’s Unlevel Field

2012-01-09T05:53:00.000-08:00

Krugman does some math.

America’s Unlevel Field - NYTimes.com

Americans are much more likely than citizens of other nations to believe that they live in a meritocracy. But this self-image is a fantasy: as a report in The Times last week pointed out, America actually stands out as the advanced country in which it matters most who your parents were, the country in which those born on one of society’s lower rungs have the least chance of climbing to the top or even to the middle.

Walker Gives Local Leaders Tools to Blackmail Police and Firefighters

2012-01-08T15:15:00.000-08:00

The police and firefighters in Wisconsin knew this was coming. That's why they stood with the rest of us last Spring -- and why we all stand together now.

Walker Gives Local Leaders Tools to Blackmail Police and Firefighters | Wisconsin Politics

Madison -- Gov. Scott Walker's smoke and mirror budget has found yet another unsuspecting target -- Police and firefighters. It was widely believed these two groups would escape the fiscal axe, however, a state budget clause that allows municipalities to dictate the form of public safety workers' health insurance plans has been put in play by some local leaders.

The cost of the recalls? There is no price tag on democracy. |

2012-01-08T08:04:00.000-08:00

They're now trying to claim that "the people" expressing their "sovereignty" is "too expensive"??

Well, it is, of course -- but only for those who would keep us from it.

Mr. Walker made his own bed - and now he has to lie in it. Had he behaved like something closer to a Wisconsinite, none of this would have been necessary.

Some reflections from our friends at Bluecheddar.net:

The cost of the recalls? There is no price tag on democracy. |

Friday the GAB said the recalls would run about 9 million dollars.*
As I recollect, that’s a little over 2 times the average corporate welfare hand-out to Spectrum Brands. As much as I’d enjoy spending the rest of my afternoon combing through Walker’s crony economics and spitting snark, I’ll instead submit this pretty darn good statement from the Wisconsin Democratic Party:

2012 Presidential Candidate Religion and State Scorecard

2012-01-06T07:37:00.000-08:00

So wow, Huntsman has no chance of being nominated by the GOP.

2012 Presidential Candidate Scorecard | Secular Coalition for America

Krugman: doing the math on Obama's job creation.

2012-01-06T07:15:00.000-08:00

Bain, Barack and Jobs - NYTimes.com

Porno on Noah's Ark

2012-01-06T07:08:00.000-08:00

A few unanswered questions for the Fundamentalist.

Porno on Noah's Ark - YouTube

Scott Walker Slams Out-Of-State Money In Wisconsin Recall While In Washington For Fundraiser

2012-01-05T15:05:00.000-08:00

The Headline says everything we need to know about him.

Scott Walker Slams Out-Of-State Money In Wisconsin Recall While In Washington For Fundraiser

Report: Questions raised about 3 new State Investment Board appointees

2012-01-05T14:48:00.000-08:00

It's all just business. How could that be a problem?

Report: Questions raised about 3 new State Investment Board appointees [WTAQ News Talk 97.5FM and 1360AM]

The chairman of the panel, West Bend Republican Glenn Grothman, said he was not aware of any present issues involving Petersen – and he planned to look into the matter before Wednesday’s hearing.
Petersen told the Journal Sentinel in 2001 he didn’t believe there was a problem with him owning the same stocks as those of the Investment Board, which manages $83 billion in retirement funds for state workers and most local government and school employees.

Ex-Walker aide charged with three theft counts - JSOnline

2012-01-05T09:12:00.000-08:00

Tick tock tick tock....

No cigars, but they're not done looking yet.

Ex-Walker aide charged with three theft counts - JSOnline

Tim Russell, a former campaign and county aide to Gov. Scott Walker, was arrested by authorities on Thursday and charged with three theft counts as part of the ongoing John Doe investigation into Walker staffers, sources said.
Computer records show Russell was charged with two felonies and a misdemeanor count of theft. One source said the charges are tied to Operation Freedom, an annual military appreciation day held at the zoo.

Walker's substituting fees for tax hikes.

2012-01-05T07:15:00.000-08:00

From our friends over at The Political Environment, some first rate digging into the Little Governor's plan to pay off his friends in the road building industry.

Get Ready For New Wisconsin Road Taxes, Fees, And/Or Tolls

The groundwork for more highway spending financed through new tolls, fees and/or higher fuel taxes is being laid down in Madison by a state transportation planning commission stacked in the highway crowd's favor.

And while we'll get a look at the commission's thinking at a public hearing in Madison on Wednesday, January 12th - - and we'd be thrilled to see a commitment to spending restraints, a "fix-it-first" agenda and an equal footing for passenger rail transit, too - - the predominance of commission members with ties to our highway-happy culture - - broadly defined - - suggests that Big Government is working on methods to collect more money from motorists and ramp up the road-building.

Let's start with an innocuous news release that the Wisconsin Department of Transportation issued last year about the commission. Pay attention to the minimal biographical information about the members.

Humanities, and values, still matter.

2012-01-05T07:01:00.000-08:00

Our local state senator and recent rightwing media star, Glenn Grothman, has spent a lot of time, recently, suggesting that a university education is a waste of time. (Would it be too easy to note that it didn't seem to do him much good? )

It's worth remembering that all that abstruse and difficult to understand research that goes on in universities precisely embodies the skill sets required to create the next generation of technological, and economic, innovation. The university has to prepare people for jobs that don't even exist yet. You can't do that by training and instruction, you can only do that by education.

Essay on new approach to defend the value of the humanities | Inside Higher Ed

"For ultimately, to take advantage of the vocational potential of humanities study as we propose is not to sell out to the corporate world, but to bring the critical perspective of the humanities into that world. It is a perspective that is sorely needed, especially in corporate and financial sectors that have lately been notoriously challenged in the ethics department, to say the least. Humanities graduates are trained to consider the ethical dimensions of experience, linking the humanities with the sciences as well as with business and looking at both these realms from diverse perspectives. To those who worry that what we urge would blunt the humanities' critical power, we would reply that it would actually figure to increase that power, for power after all is the ability to act in the world."

Conservative Bible Project Cuts Out Liberal Passages

2012-01-04T16:59:00.000-08:00

Finally, they're going to be true to their understanding of sacred Scripture, and correct it according to what they actually believe.

... uh, say what?

Conservative Bible Project Cuts Out Liberal Passages

Lo and behold, the Bible has gotten too liberal, according to a group of conservatives. And it needs a little editing.
That's the inspiration behind the Conservative Bible Project, which seeks to take the text back to its supposed right-wing roots.
Yes, even scripture is not orthodox enough for the modern conservative. Not that it's the fault of the author(s), exactly. The group cites a few reasons why the Bible is too progressive: "Lack of precision in the original language ... lack of precision in modern language" and "translation bias in converting the original language to the modern one."

Ironically, had they bothered to study the Greek and Aramaic, they would never have become this kind of 'conservative'.

Santorum’s wife’s abortion was different, you see.

2012-01-04T16:55:00.000-08:00

The standard neo-conservative hypocrisy ramps up another notch. Not to be outdone by Newt, apparently, there's this:

Santorum’s wife’s abortion was different, you see. | Lousy Canuck

I hereby call on Rick Santorum to sue the doctor who performed the surgery that saved his wife’s life. While it may not be a criminal act yet, at least you can get damages from the doctor for daring to save your wife’s life at the expense of your wife’s constitutionally endowed infection source. That act was a second-trimester abortion. It was a “partial birth abortion”. It was done only to save your wife’s life. It is done generally only to save other mothers’ lives. It is not a criminal act in any respect. If you do not sue this doctor, you are a hypocrite of the highest order, and deserving of the worst epithets people can Google-bomb you with.

Don’t be fooled: Walker’s recall is not about collective bargaining rights |

2012-01-04T13:22:00.000-08:00

From our friends at Blogging Blue.

The BIG MONEY is inbound and will try to make everyone forget that this was never about collective bargaining, but about Wisconsin values. This is a real culture war built around individual vs. corporate control of government.

Don’t be fooled: Walker’s recall is not about collective bargaining rights

Recently, local news stations in the Milwaukee area have reported that Walker’s recall is due to the issue of collective bargaining rights. But that’s simply not the case. The loss of the right to collectively bargain may have propelled Wisconsinites to storm the Capitol last February, but that’s not what his recall is ultimately about. Don’t be fooled; this recall is about the Wisconsin way vs. the Walker way.

Judges again rule for Democratic group in redistricting case

2012-01-04T08:25:00.000-08:00

Judges again rule for Democratic group in redistricting case - JSOnline

Madison - In a scathing ruling, a three-judge panel decided for the third time Tuesday that a Democratic group has a right to an array of information on how Republican lawmakers drew new legislative districts.
Saying that GOP lawmakers and their attorneys have filed "frivolous" motions trying to keep their information private, the panel also required the attorneys for the Republican defendants to pay the attorneys' fees for the plaintiffs for the motion.
"Quite frankly, the Legislature and the actions of its counsel give every appearance of flailing wildly in a desperate attempt to hide from both the court and the public the true nature of exactly what transpired in the redistricting process," the ruling reads.
The federal panel first ruled Dec. 8 that the group could depose a consultant and Senate aide and made a similar ruling on Dec. 20.
Republicans who control the Legislature then filed a motion to clarify what information could be released. They argued some information that consultant Joe Handrick has should remain confidential, as he was hired because litigation was likely and thus has attorney-client privilege.
On Tuesday, the panel unanimously ruled Handrick's discussions with legal counsel are not protected by attorney-client privilege and he must testify on those matters.
In essence, the judges again found there was little the Republicans can keep from the plaintiffs, a Democratic group.
The panel of judges - two of whom are Republican appointees - gave a rhetorical smack to the GOP lawmakers and their attorneys.

New Research Weakens Case for Small Business Tax Relief

2012-01-04T07:53:00.000-08:00

So, the Republicans have even been wrong on small business... hm.

From tax.com:

New Research Weakens Case for Small Business Tax Relief

They find that it is the youth of small firms, not their size per se, that is creating jobs. In fact, their findings show that mature small firms have a negative effect on job creation. "A natural conclusion from our findings on the role of firm size and age is that policies that target businesses of a certain size, while ignoring the role of age [of the firm], will likely have limited success in improving net job creation," the authors write.

Walker throw 68,000 Wisconsinites under the bus.

2012-01-04T07:51:00.000-08:00

Maybe this will finally start to sting people enough to wake them up.

State should plan for health care reform - JSOnline

Walker now has shifted the state's position, stating that Wisconsin would suspend planning for implementing the new competitive health marketplaces under the Affordable Care Act until the U.S. Supreme Court decides legal challenges next summer. The problem is that Wisconsin's full implementation plan is due by the end of 2012, and the Legislature will be out of session before the case is decided, leaving Wisconsin unprepared to meet the deadline. This position is inconsistent, as Walker continues to vigorously implement a number of his own initiatives that are under legal challenge, such as his elimination of most collective bargaining rights for most public employees and voter ID.
Part of Walker's motivation for this shift seems to be that that he and his top officials actually believe that skyrocketing health insurance costs and access to affordable coverage are not major problems in Wisconsin. Last fall, Walker's insurance commissioner vehemently defended the health insurance industry, asserting that Wisconsin's health insurance market is working well and that costs are "manageable."
In an op-ed in the Journal Sentinel, Walker's health services secretary claimed that all of the nearly 65,000 people he wants to force off BadgerCare still will have access to affordable coverage, reflecting an unrealistic view of what health consumers actually face when they seek to obtain coverage.
This "rose-colored glasses" view of Wisconsin's health insurance market is not borne out by the facts. According to Citizen Action of Wisconsin's annual Wisconsin Health Insurance Cost Ranking report, released Christmas week, health insurance premiums in Wisconsin have increased at an unsustainable rate, skyrocketing by 182% since 2000, 18% above the national average.

Nobody Understands Debt

2012-01-02T05:35:00.000-08:00

This does explain why the current power elite in Madison needed to turn a budget surplus into a debt emergency in order to justify their 'emergency' reconstruction of the Wisconsin Idea into something good for the Heritage Foundation and ALEC, rather than for the people of Wisconsin. Debt was never a problem -- the only problem was their own ideology.

From Krugman: Nobody Understands Debt - NYTimes.com

Life In the Age of Scott Walker: "You Are Being Harassed, And Pretty Soon You're Gonna Be Killed!"

2012-01-01T13:57:00.000-08:00

One in a lengthening series illustrating resentment and fear in the American electorate. As usual, resentment and fear are more powerful and attractive than civility or common sense.

Daily Kos: Life In the Age of Scott Walker: "You *Are* Being Harassed, And Pretty Soon You're Gonna Be Killed!"

Walker's "update" doesn't add up

2011-12-31T05:47:00.000-08:00

From the folks over at Monologues of Dissent. A reply to Mr. Walker's end of the year email and his, increasingly characteristic math - the kind where 8.28 = 69.

Walker's "update" doesn't add up

First of all, you claim in your letter that you have lowered the school portion of the property tax levy by one percent across the state, putting $228 million "back in the pockets" of Wisconsin taxpayers, which you claim "amounts to $69 for every man, woman and child in the state" just for the school portion of the tax bill. What kind of fuzzy math is this? Every man, woman and child? The 2010 census puts the population of Wisconsin at 5,686,986. Multiply this by $69 and you get $392,402,034 (not the $228 million you claim you put back in our pockets). As my Dad asked, where's the other $164,402,034? In your pocket?

Multiple Sources Claim They Saw Obama on the Surface of Mars in the Early 1980s

2011-12-30T15:06:00.000-08:00

With a 25% birther-rate in the Republican Party, how could this be refutable?

Multiple Sources Claim They Saw Obama on the Surface of Mars in the Early 1980s | AlterNet

Ayn Rand and the Sociopathic Society

2011-12-30T14:45:00.000-08:00

A nice little rant about the underlying problem with what passes today as conservatism: an ethical system based on selfishness falls into useless contradictions before it gets started. You cannot maintain this kind of system of belief without falling into all sorts of pathologies. QED. Conservatives, these days, are promoting a sociopathic agenda -- and now the guy accosting me (with what, for him, was blistering condescension) for "illegally" collecting RECALL WALKER signatures while standing on public property makes sense.

Ayn Rand and the Sociopathic Society or ‘How I Learned to Stop Loving My Neighbor and Despise Them Instead.’ | Addicting Info

This list goes on for some time. The more I thought about it, the more obvious it became. A conservative society is a borderline sociopathic society.
Dictionary.com defines a sociopath as: a person, as a psychopathic personality, whose behavior is antisocial and who lacks a sense of moral responsibility or social conscience.
Conservapedia says a sociopath is “someone with a personality disorder characterized by an antisocial behavior and an absence of moral responsibility or social conscience.” (I would have cited Wikipedia but we all know they’re a liberal front for George Soros, I think I heard that on Glenn Beck)
The key words here are “moral responsibility” and “social conscience”. Conservative politics lack these essential characteristics. In their place we find greed, hate, lies, an inability to empathize and an overblown sense of entitlement and self importance. In other words: all the indicators of a seriously disturbed person. Except it’s a political philosophy and it has millions of disciples.

Walker’s Republican Party Worked in Conjunction With RNC Bosses

2011-12-29T19:36:00.000-08:00

So, Wisconsin is open for what again?

Walker’s Republican Party Worked in Conjunction With Big Party Bosses | Wisconsin Politics

Scott Walker’s Republican Party Worked in Conjunction With Big Party Bosses at the Republican National Committee on Partisan Redistricting Power Grab
MADISON – This week, startling details emerged from the federal court case challenging the radical, unconstitutional redistricting plot hatched by Scott Walker’s Republican Party, including revelations that the maps were provided in advance to Walker’s big party bosses at the Republican National Committee.
Read more here.

Testimony

2011-12-29T18:14:00.000-08:00

Forwarded from my friend Hugh:

Interesting Senate testimony from an experienced military interrogation specialist. Hello, GOP Presidential candidates: torture is immoral, illegal, unjust, un-American, and simply does not work. "I wish to do my part to ensure that we never again use these harmful, slow, ineffective, and unreliable techniques instead of the tried, tested, and successful ones - the ones that are also in sync with our values and moral character. Only by doing this will we defeat the terrorists as effectively and quickly as possible."

Testimony

Mr. Chairman, Committee members, thank you for inviting me to appear before you today. I know that each one of you cares deeply about our nation's security. It was always a comfort to me during the most dangerous of situations that I faced, from going undercover as an al Qaeda operative, to unraveling terrorist cells, to tracking down the killers of the 17 U.S. sailors murdered in the USS Cole bombing, that those of us on the frontline had your support and the backing of the American people. So I thank you.
The issue that I am here to discuss today - interrogation methods used to question terrorists - is not, and should not be, a partisan matter. We all share a commitment to using the best interrogation method possible that serves our national security interests and fits squarely within the framework of our nation's principles.

From my experience - and I speak as someone who has personally interrogated many terrorists and elicited important actionable intelligence- I strongly believe that it is a mistake to use what has become known as the "enhanced interrogation techniques," a position shared by many professional operatives, including the CIA officers who were present at the initial phases of the Abu Zubaydah interrogation.

Et cetera.

The real reason why conservatives HATE Madison.

2011-12-27T14:46:00.000-08:00

Madison, Wisconsin ranked as best educated city in U.S.

(Reuters) - Los Angeles is the entertainment capital of the United States and New York is the financial hub but Madison, Wisconsin gets the highest marks as the most educated American city.

The midwestern metropolis, which Men's Health magazine described as the city "where the average household has more degrees than a thermometer" edged past Plano, Texas and Raleigh, North Carolina to score the highest grades in magazine's ranking of the 100 cities with the best educated population.

Burlington, Vermont and Seattle rounded out the top five, while Las Vegas, Cleveland and Miami were the least erudite.

Ah, Vegas... that explains Walker's intentions for my pension.

Walker reinstates funding to help rape victims - JSOnline

2011-12-20T20:05:00.000-08:00

It takes a public outcry to cause this Governor to reflect on obligations he -- and the government -- might have toward rape victims and to prevent child pornography?

Uh, yep.

Walker reinstates funding to help rape victims - JSOnline

Madison - Gov. Scott Walker pulled back Tuesday on budget cuts that would have affected services for rape victims and efforts to fight sexual predators of children.

The move came after advocates for victims and some lawmakers criticized the proposed cuts. The decision preserved some $294,000 for services to victims of sexual assault and $45,000 in funding to prevent child pornography.

"We are now helping make sure that funding goes toward preventing sexual predators from preying on our children," Walker said in a statement.

The cuts had been proposed by the state Department of Justice to handle additional budget cuts that had been required by Walker's Department of Administration.

The $174 million in cuts across state government had been required as part of the 2011-'13 budget bill signed in June but weren't specified by agency in that legislation. In October, the administration said the Department of Justice would need to find $4 million out of those total cuts in its agency budget.

The governor is also restoring a 10% cut to the sexual assault funding that was part of a standard cut made to many state programs in the budget.

How the world was created.

2011-12-20T09:50:00.000-08:00

I recall when Scott Walker broke the Wisconsin Idea.

2011-12-18T20:52:00.000-08:00

And so, time to recall him.

I recall - YouTube

California politician advocates assassination of Obama and family

2011-12-18T20:43:00.000-08:00

Apparently they don't have the codes to hack the voting machines after all... or maybe they just want to make sure.

California politician advocates assassination of Obama and family - National Democrat | Examiner.com

Facebook faux pas: California libertarian and Tea Party darling Jules Manson is caught calling for the assassination of President Barack Obama and his children.

On Sunday, many Facebook users were greeted by the shocking spectacle of a California libertarian and Ron Paul supporter by the name of Jules Manson advocating for the assassination of President Barack Obama. Manson, a failed politician, recently ran for and lost a seat on the City of Carson’s City Council last March.

The following is the text of Manson’s racist, treasonous,deplorable post: “Assassinate the (expletive deleted by examiner editors) nigger and his monkey children”.

Am I the only one who is still surprised that this kind of language is not blood-curdlingly offensive the Right Wingers? That it is, in fact, what passes for News in that universe?

Pope Benedict Peace Message Calls For Wealth Redistribution.

2011-12-18T20:39:00.000-08:00

Even my jaundiced eye is shocked to discover that some of the world's Christians are still Christian.

Pope Benedict Peace Message Calls For Wealth Redistribution

VATICAN CITY (RNS) Noting a "rising sense of frustration" at the worldwide economic recession, Pope Benedict XVI said that a more just and peaceful world requires "adequate mechanisms for the redistribution of wealth."

The pope's words appeared in his message for theWorld Day of Peace 2012, released on Friday (Dec. 16) at the Vatican.

MacIver Institute mostly lying, re: Wisconsin to allow Mickey Mouse, Hitler signatures on petitions to recall Gov. Scott Walker

2011-12-18T17:11:00.000-08:00

More silliness from an increasingly nervous Right Wing. Why are they nervous? They already have the codes to hack the voting machines.

PolitiFact Wisconsin | Conservative group says Wisconsin to allow Mickey Mouse, Hitler signatures on petitions to recall Gov. Scott Walker

Politifact's conclusion

The MacIver Institute said "Wisconsin election officials to accept Mickey Mouse, Hitler signatures" -- suggesting such signatures would automatically be counted toward the number needed to force Walker into a recall election.

For such signatures to actually be counted, they would have to pass undetected through petition circulators, the recall committees, a pair of Government Accountability Board reviewers, Walker’s representatives and other groups that review the petitions. If such signatures were found, Walker could formally challenge them to the board to get them stricken.

There’s an element of truth in MacIver’s statement in that fictitious signatures listed with Wisconsin addresses would be accepted -- but only for review. The statement, however, ignores critical facts -- namely that the signatures would have to pass through several layers of review to actually be counted.

That’s our definition of Mostly False.

Jesus Is a Liberal Democrat. Colbert.

2011-12-17T14:56:00.000-08:00

Remember, no real conservative would get caught dead hanging out with tax collectors.

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Jesus Is a Liberal Democrat

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

Political Humor & Satire Blog

Video Archive

Walker Raises $5.1 Million To Beat Back Recall — $250K From Swift Boater

2011-12-17T14:42:00.000-08:00

Walker Raises $5.1 Million To Beat Back Recall — $250K From Swift Boater | TPMDC

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) is clearly preparing to bring his best game against the Democratic effort to recall him from office. And he’s raising a lot of money for it.

As the Wisconsin State Journal reports, Walker has raised $5.1 million since this past July — much of it in the past month, aided by a state law that allows the target of a recall to raise unlimited funds. In all, Walker has received 18,000 donations since November, the month when the recall process was triggered.

Also, $2.4 million of the total has come from out of state — notably a $250,000 donation from Bob Perry, the Texas businessman who financed the Swift Boat Veterans For Truth campaign of 2004, which spread false information about Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry’s war record.

Contributions over $1,000 to Governor Walker: Out of Staters love Scott Walker

2011-12-17T14:35:00.000-08:00

Millionaires in Texas, Tennessee, and Illinois love Scott Walker.

Wisconsin Democracy Campaign - Contributions over $1,000 to Governor Walker

"Small Business Owner" in Walker Ad Actually a Billionaire That Helped Outsource Thousands of Jobs to China

2011-12-17T14:31:00.000-08:00

From our cousins at Uppity Wisconsin.

"Small Business Owner" in Walker Ad Actually a Billionaire That Helped Outsource Thousands of Jobs to China | Uppity Wisconsin

Oh, oh, oh, oh sweet irony of mine!
So, yesterday we learn that for the fifth month in a row, Wisconsin has led the nation in jobs- lost AND that another large (and very profitable) company-- Thermo Fisher-- is closing its plant in Two Rivers as part of a larger transition toward non-American labor in Mexico and elsewhere.
In the midst of this carnage, Walker has the nerve to put up an ad with "Chris" who is purportedly a small business owner that is extolling the virtues of Scott Walker's job-creatin' business utopia... that is losing more jobs than other state.Well, it turns out that "Chris" is Chris Rebholz, aka the King of Infomercials. Chris made a name for himself, as well as a gazillion dollars, selling products almost exclusively made in China, to Americans via infomercials. Name a product you've seen sold on TV, and the odds was pretty good that it was one of Rebholz's Tristar products.

Robert Reich Puts An Offer On The Table For President Obama

2011-12-17T12:37:00.000-08:00

It's time for government to work for the little guy again.

Scott Walker's Next Target: Cancer Screenings for Women

2011-12-17T12:23:00.000-08:00

Because.... oh yeah, they cost tax breaks for the rich.

Scott Walker's Next Target: Cancer Screenings for Women | Mother Jones

First he gutted worker's rights, then slashedstate education funding and dumbed-down sex ed. Next on Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's hit list? Breast and cervical cancer screenings for women. Come January 1, Wisconsinites who rely on Planned Parenthood to access free cancer screenings may be out of luck.

Merry Christmas everyone: "Supply Side Jesus"

2011-12-15T19:32:00.000-08:00

These days on the RightWing, the story been changed a bit. Jesus no longer throws the money lenders out of the temple -- he caters lunch for them.

Don't forget the Christianist Republican motto: Greed is Good!

Al Franken's "Supply Side Jesus" comic

Walker's Wisconsin Open for business: lost 11,700 private-sector jobs in November

2011-12-15T19:29:00.001-08:00

State lost 11,700 private-sector jobs in November - JSOnline

Wisconsin lost private-sector jobs for the fifth consecutive month in November, the same months that the nation has been adding private-sector jobs, according to a report Thursday from the state Department of Workforce Development.
The state lost an estimated 11,700 private-sector jobs in November from October, the deepest since April 2009 when the nation was in the throes of the recession, according to the agency's data. The figures are based on a monthly government survey of employers and adjusted to smooth out recurring seasonal factors, such as winter-related slowdowns in construction or holiday hiring by retailers.
The government sector, meanwhile, continued to lose jobs at the city and county level, as it has for much of the past two years. All told, the state lost an estimated 14,600 non-farm jobs when the losses in the private sector are combined with the losses in the public sector.
The unemployment rate, which the government derives from a separate sample of households, showed an improvement to 7.3% in November from 7.7% in October, mirroring a decrease in the national rate. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the national rate two weeks ago.

CEO pay jumps 36.5% - Dec. 15, 2011

2011-12-15T19:29:00.000-08:00

Cha ching!

Still good to be one of Walker's owners.

CEO pay jumps 36.5% - Dec. 15, 2011

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Who says American salaries are stagnating.
After two years of lower pay packages, chief executives at the nation's major companies enjoyed a 36.5% jump in pay last year, according to a leading survey of CEO compensation.
The average pay hike is for the top executive at each of the Standard & Poor 500 companies, according to GMI, the research group formerly known as the Corporate Library. A broader survey of CEO pay at 3,000 companies posted an average 27% increase.
Paul Hodgson, senior research associate at GMI, said the sharp rise in pay was out of line with the relatively modest improvement that companies typically achieved in profits or share price during 2010.

Another view of our job loss from the US Bureau of Labor Stats.Wisconsin loses jobs for fifth straight month

2011-12-15T19:25:00.001-08:00

Controversy in the numbers. But not that much controversy.

Wisconsin loses jobs for fifth straight month

But Laura Dresser, an economist with the UW-Madison's Center on Wisconsin Strategy, says even with revisions the numbers show a disturbing trend of jobs losses continuing here even as the national recession eases.
"The unemployment rate can fall even as the number of jobs fall; it just means people have given up looking for work," she says. "When people say they are not actively seeking work, they are no longer counted as unemployed."

What Is College For?

2011-12-15T19:25:00.000-08:00

Good question.

What Is College For? - NYTimes.com

Our support for higher education makes sense only if we regard this intellectual culture as essential to our society. Otherwise, we could provide job-training and basic social and moral formation for young adults far more efficiently and cheaply, through, say, a combination of professional and trade schools, and public service programs. There would be no need to support, at great expense, the highly specialized interests of, for example, physicists, philosophers, anthropologists and art historians. Colleges and universities have no point if we do not value the knowledge and understanding to which their faculties are dedicated.

This reasonable discussion makes it clear that the current trend in American politics does not value the search for what can be known scientifically, humanistically, or express artistically -- but only whether it makes money.

Oddly, money doesn't make you -- or your civilization -- better and not everything has a price.

Or does it?

Like many Republicans, Trump still not sure President Obama was born in America

2011-12-15T19:21:00.000-08:00

Maybe Trump has a new TV show coming up and needs the ratings bump?

Trump still not sure President Obama was born in America - Nashville TV | Examiner.com

Walker has support in Wisconsin? Not half the story.

2011-12-15T19:17:00.000-08:00

From our friends at One Wisconsin Now

Half of Walker's $5 Million Take Comes From Out of Wisconsin

Half of Walker's $5 Million Take Comes From Out of Wisconsin

Biggest Donor: Texas' 'Swift Boat' Money Man Bob Perry
Madison -- Gov. Scott Walker grabbed half of the $5 million he raised in unlimited funds from outside of Wisconsin, including $250,000 from Texan Bob Perry, the architect of the infamous "Swift Boat" smear ads.
"Gov. Walker is trying save his skin by taking money from whomever and wherever in the country he can," said Scot Ross, One Wisconsin Now Executive Director. "In all our years of analysis, we have never seen a politician try and win a Wisconsin race with so much non-Wisconsin money."
According to One Wisconsin Now's analysis, Walker's just filed report shows he raised $2.48 million from Wisconsin and another jaw-dropping $2.39 million from out of state. This includes $463,800 from Texas and $439,700 from Illinois alone.
"Walker is criss-crossing the country and taking unprecedented outside money," said Ross. "Walker's already sold out Wisconsin's workers, students and seniors and who knows what he's promising in return for these millions of dollars."

Mining Hearing A Public Policy Low Water Mark

2011-12-15T07:22:00.000-08:00

From our friends over at The Political Environment:

Mining Hearing A Public Policy Low Water Mark

I have attended public meetings for roughly 40 years - - often as a journalist or public official - - and I have never seen a hearing as flagrantly disrespectful to citizens and policy-making, and to the entire notion of The Wisconsin Idea - - broadly defined as Wisconsin government existing to serve the people - - as the State Assembly committee session held at State Fair Park Wednesday on the fast-tracked mining bill.

That one lowered the bar to ground level.

Walker's tax increases

2011-12-13T19:55:00.000-08:00

It's not a tax increase if you increase taxes on the poor.

Inside the Walker tax debate: Was budget an increase or a cut?

Did Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, the target of a campaign to remove him from office, raise taxes or didn’t he?

Seems like a simple question.

Walker, the Wisconsin Republican Party and other supporters repeatedly claim the GOP governor balanced the state budget "without raising taxes."

Meanwhile, opponents such as the We Are Wisconsin labor unions group and One Wisconsin Now, a liberal advocacy group, insist Walker raised taxes on groups such as the "working poor."

The conflicting claims are likely to continue as Walker’s opponents collect signatures in hopes of forcing him into a recall election in 2012.

So, what’s the truth?

'Business Owner' in Latest Walker Ad Thrived During Doyle Administration

2011-12-13T19:48:00.000-08:00

They don't seem flustered by all of this hypocrisy. Are they taking drugs? Or is greed alone sufficient to cause them to ignore their own bad faith?

Historically and theologically speaking, greed has the track record.

Remember this guy from the recent ads?

There's more to the story.

'Business Owner' in Latest Walker Ad Thrived During Doyle Administration - One Wisconsin Now

The "business owner" featured in the latest Scott Walker television ad saw his business grow 1,300 percent during the administration of Gov. Jim Doyle, according to a self-professed claim in the Business Times from 2008. The business owner is actually a vice chair at the Milwaukee Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, which donated $400,000 in 2010 to the Republican Governors Association to elect Walker.

"Given this business owner boasted his business revenues grew by 1,300 percent under the pro-growth policies of Gov. Jim Doyle, it seems curious he would support Scott Walker's radical policies which have left us far behind all our neighboring states in job growth," said Scot Ross, One Wisconsin Now Executive Director. "It must just be the Milwaukee Chamber of Commerce continuing to be a partisan shill for anti-middle class Republicans like Walker."

If You Are Still Earning Minimum Wage, You're a Bad Worker

2011-12-12T21:42:00.000-08:00

Ah, Senator Johnson. True enough, it's best to make money the old fashioned way -- marry into it.

If You Are Still Earning Minimum Wage, You're a Bad Worker | Care2 Causes

Tea Party Calls Biracial Obama A ‘Skunk’

2011-12-12T20:24:00.000-08:00

He is, after all, married to that uppity woman.

Tea Party Calls Biracial Obama A ‘Skunk’ | Addicting Info

Because it’s been at least twenty minutes since a teabagger did something overtly racist, the Patriot Freedom Alliance Tea Party of Hutchinson, Kansas (Kansas? What a shocker…) posted a picture of a skunk on its front page with the caption:
The skunk has replaced the eagle as the new symbol for the president. It is half black, half white, and almost everything it does, stinks.
Thomas Hymer, the “patriot” that runs the page insists that the picture is not racist but merely politically incorrect satire. Of course it’s not. Just like the pictures of Obama as a monkey and a witch doctor have absolutely nothing to do with the color of his skin.

So, seriously, are we saying it's not racist when a racist says it?

The Unaddressed Link Between Poverty and Education

2011-12-12T20:20:00.000-08:00

We can talk about race and gender in America, but class? Never. It's the one big remaining taboo.

The Unaddressed Link Between Poverty and Education - NYTimes.com

NO one seriously disputes the fact that students from disadvantaged households perform less well in school, on average, than their peers from more advantaged backgrounds. But rather than confront this fact of life head-on, our policy makers mistakenly continue to reason that, since they cannot change the backgrounds of students, they should focus on things they can control.

Class Warfare.

2011-12-12T19:27:00.000-08:00

Tommy Douglas said it best.

Occupy This: Is It Comeback Time for Herbert Marcuse? - The Chronicle Review

2011-12-12T18:46:00.000-08:00

Ah, Professor Marcuse, "that's cosmic" said the once wide-eyed Louise Lasser.

We're overdue for a little Frankfurt school revival.

Occupy This: Is It Comeback Time for Herbert Marcuse? - The Chronicle Review - The Chronicle of Higher Education

LRB 3520 Christmas bill for the mining industry in N. Wisconsin.

2011-12-12T17:59:00.000-08:00

They're sneaking LRB 3520 quietly past the voters. The hearing is on Wednesday.

The Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters urges you to oppose LRB 3520, which is
before the Assembly Jobs Committee on Wednesday.

Also see: All I Want for Christmas is Huge Strip Mine

No real jobs will be produced in the manufacturing sector from this, but it will continue the colonization of Wisconsin by Governor Walker's owners.

Hearing time and location:
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
10:00 AM
State Fair Park Milwaukee
Tommy G. Thompson Youth Center

Click here for directions

Walker and Kochs vs. voting:

2011-12-11T18:45:00.000-08:00

I spent a few revealing minutes talking with a Tea Party member this morning. He tried to keep me from collecting signatures for a recall of Gov. Walker by telling me it was illegal -- for an American citizen to stand on public property and collect signatures.

I asked him whether he'd read the Federalist Papers. He hadn't heard of them.

I asked whether the Tea Party believed in corporate control of the government. He seemed to think it did.

When I suggested that he was wrong, he was incredulous. He scoffed at my ignorance and then took a video record to document my illegal action.

It was interesting.

So, in that context, the idea that American citizens don't have the right to a redress of grievances makes a certain amount of sense.

As does this:

John Nichols: Walker and Kochs vs. voting

Billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch finally got their way in 2011. For decades they funded the American Legislative Exchange Council, the collaboration between multinational corporations and conservative state legislators, and the project finally began to yield the intended result.
For the first time in decades, the United States saw a steady dismantling of the laws, regulations, programs and practices put in place to make real the promise of American democracy.
That is why, on Saturday, civil rights groups and their allies rallied outside the New York headquarters of the Koch brothers to begin a march to the United Nations, where they called for the renewal of voting rights in America.

Following a Walker supporter. Case Details for 2011CF000484 in Washington County

2011-12-10T06:57:00.001-08:00

I'm waiting to hear our RightWingers trot out a defense of this guy's freedom to deface Walker Recall petitions.

In the meantime, there's the law:

Case Details for 2011CF000484 in Washington County

Following a Walker supporter. Case Details for 2011CF000484 in Washington County

2011-12-10T06:57:00.000-08:00

I'm waiting to hear our RightWingers trot out a defense of this guy's freedom to deface Walker Recall petitions.

In the meantime, there's the law:

Case Details for 2011CF000484 in Washington County

Superintendent of Teacher in Walker Ad Says Ad is Complete Fiction: Lay-Offs Occurred in District

2011-12-08T17:36:00.000-08:00

From our cousins at Uppity Wisconsin.

More lies from King Scotty.

Superintendent of Teacher in Walker Ad Says Ad is Complete Fiction: Lay-Offs Occurred in District | Uppity Wisconsin

Scott Walker has a new ad featuring Jeff Knutson, a fourth grade teacher in the Monona Grove school district. Knudson claims:
"When the state budget passed in Madison, a lot of us thought we might lose our jobs. We figured if we didn't get laid off, our class sizes would become unmanageable. But that, didn't happen."
This, according to Knutson's boss, Monona Grove superintendent Craig Gerlach, is simply false. Like nearly allschool districts in Wisconsin, Monona Grove has been forced to lay-off teachers and has experienced increases in class sizes:
"The numbers at Monona Grove clearly don't work. We struggled to put together a budget this year, we made significant cuts in terms of programs, laid-off teachers... we closed a building. Next year, quite frankly, will be brutal."

Why lie? Gov. Scott Walker says recall organizers began effort even before he took office

2011-12-08T17:34:00.000-08:00

Because he can't help himself anymore? He's afraid?

PolitiFact Wisconsin | Gov. Scott Walker says recall organizers began effort even before he took office

Our conclusion

In a CNBC interview, Walker traced the current recall drive and organization to November 2010, arguing that recall leaders were gearing up even before he took office.

But the founder of the website is not a recall organizer; he’s a fringe player at best who took no steps to actually organize the petition drive. Even Republican officials can cite no evidence to the contrary.

While his recall-advocacy website was registered back then, the site was dormant until Walker’s controversial bill was introduced. The real "recall organizers’" website, that of United Wisconsin, kicked into operation only after Walker proposed his controversial budget bill in February 2011.

We rate Walker’s statement False.

Kathleen Falk in the Journal: Walker has not been honest.

2011-12-07T16:55:00.000-08:00

With blistering understatement, Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk makes a few observations about the King.

Walker has not been honest - JSOnline

We are in uncharted waters here in Wisconsin.

For the first time that anyone can recall, we have a governor who did not tell the truth about what he was planning to do as governor. And Scott Walker would not have been elected if he had been truthful about his intentions.

Following the money trail: Anatomy of a right-wing smear campaign

2011-12-07T16:35:00.000-08:00

Oh, surprise.

The political relationship between the two front groups, Media Trackers and MacIver Institute, [quite often associated with Americans for Prosperity (sic)] pro-corporate spokespuppet Rick Esenberg, and conservative mouthpiece Charlie Sykes is perhaps not incidental. Their common denominator is the Bradley Foundation. In November, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported "With more than $600 million in assets, the Bradley Foundation provides a cornerstone for the conservative movement in Wisconsin and across America." And not only does Bradley fund MacIver and Media Trackers, Sykes and Esenberg are both Bradley beneficiaries.

Anatomy of a right-wing smear campaign; Media Trackers, MacIver Institute, and Charlie Sykes

From One Wisconsin Now

Occupy the Bible: Why Jesus is not a ‘free-marketer’

2011-12-07T06:19:00.000-08:00

It's suggestive that the same faux-conservatives who believe in free-markets (without having ever read any Milton Friedman) are often the same people who believe Jesus believed in free-markets (without, apparently, having ever read the Bible).

For these 'Christianists,' Jesus never threw the money-lenders out of the Temple. He catered lunch for them and asked for their advice on financial deregulation.

Occupy the Bible: Why Jesus is not a ‘free-marketer’ - Guest Voices - The Washington Post

You know #OccupyWallStreet is preoccupying the conservatives when Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council feels he has make the convoluted argument that “Jesus was a free marketer, not an Occupier.”

Except, of course, Jesus was an Occupier. Jesus occupied thebiggest bank in Jerusalem, calling it a “Den of Thieves.” He threw the money-changers out. “Then Jesus entered the Temple and drove out all who were selling and buying in the Temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers...” (Matthew 21:12)

West Bend's screaming and entitled conservative babies. Nothing new.

2011-12-06T19:34:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone,

Our local krewe of self-righteously entitled 3 year olds, the crop of true-believers currently in charge of both West Bend City Council and the West Bend School Board -- toddlers who who believe in Social Darwinism but not evolution, Free Markets and Slave Wages -- are not a new phenomenon in American politics. They go back in a line of direct descent from the sort of people who ridiculed Thomas Jefferson's intellect as the trickery of a clever inventor. For more of which, see Richard Hofstadter's well known Anti-Intellectualism in American Life.

But here's a wonderful piece linking this current and popular trend in pseudo-conservativism into a long and delusional feature of American history. This also goes a long way to making sense of the circus which the Republican Party has become.

Enjoy.

The infantile style in American politics - 2012 Elections - Salon.com

The farce known as the GOP presidential campaign has officially become a freak show. Newt Gingrich, the creepiest huckster in American politics, whose unique combination of hypocrisy, opportunism and sanctimoniousness led to his being unceremoniously bounced from Congress back in 1998, is now the front-runner to become the Republican presidential nominee.

[...]

Hofstadter opened that essay by arguing that the new far-right dissenters were not in fact conservatives at all. “[A]lthough they believe themselves to be conservatives and usually employ the rhetoric of conservatism, [they] show signs of serious and restless dissatisfaction with American life, traditions and institutions. They have little in common with the temperate and compromising spirit of true conservatism in the classical sense of the word … their political reactions express rather a profound if largely unconscious hatred of our society and its ways – a hatred which one would hesitate to impute to them if one did not have suggestive evidence both from clinical techniques and from their own modes of expression.”

The shoe fits too. How about that?

hiho

West Bend, defaced petitions, and an atmosphere of fear?

2011-12-06T07:03:00.000-08:00

Hmm... This story from WTMJ could mean nothing, or more than we'd like.

West Bend man accused of scribbling on Walker recall petitions - 620 WTMJ - Milwaukee's Source for Local News and Weather

Here's the complete story. I've added italics to the most important line.

WEST BEND- The Washington County District Attorney confirms that he is looking into allegations that Jeffrey Karnitz scribbled on recall petitions Sunday afternoon in West Bend.

Karnitz was booked into the Washington County jail, but was released.
From behind a closed door, Karnitz yelled at TODAY'S TMJ4, "I'm not commenting on anything."
Out of jail, and as of Monday evening, not facing charges, Karnitz says he is going to talk to a public defender about allegations made against him.
"I was just doing dishes, and I looked out the window and I saw a cop car there with two police officers," said neighbor Gina Tomaz.
Tomaz lives across the street from where signatures were being gathered in the effort to recall Governor Walker and Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefish.
Tomaz says this is the second weekend in a row the same family has had people over to sign the petitions, but she says she was surprised when she saw the cops show up.
"I saw them walk to the house across the street where they were having their recall Walker signature thing going on," Tomaz said.
"Instead of adding his name to the list, he scribbled through names that were already there," said West Bend recall organizer, Waring Finke.
Other neighbors who were too afraid of retaliation to go on-camera said they were having a cook-out and were gathering signatures when the 30 year-old man showed up and scribbled on two of the petitions.
Tomaz says no matter how you feel about the recall, people shouldn't act out.
"You should be able to state your own opinion and not have fear of other people trying to down that or tear up what you are trying to accomplish," Tomaz said.
The district attorney said he will make a decision this week on the case.

Too afraid of retaliation? Everyone who's been collecting Recall signatures feels a little like that.

hiho

Under Walker, Wisconsin is No. 1 job loser

2011-12-05T20:34:00.000-08:00

It's not working. Walker is lying.

John Nichols: Under Walker, Wisconsin is No. 1 job loser

“They didn’t fix the problems,” Walker ranted in May with regard to Illinois officials. “In contrast, we’ve done that. And I believe that’s going to help us attract not only businesses coming in from Illinois (but) reassure employers here in the state of Wisconsin that this is the place, now is the time, to grow.”
This has been Walker’s steady mantra, repeated as recently as this month when he traveled to Chicago.
Unfortunately for Walker — and for the state that suffers under his misdirection — the measure has been made.
And the governor has been proven wrong. Way wrong.
The October jobs figures for the United States were just released. Illinois led the nation in job creation, adding 30,000 new jobs.
And what about Wisconsin?
Under Walker, Wisconsin now leads the nation in job losses.

Walker wants to charge people to protest...A legal review.

2011-12-05T20:32:00.000-08:00

But wouldn't that violate the Constitutional right to free speech and the peaceably assemble?

Yep. But for the details, let's check the law.

What Price Protest? : Marquette University Law School Faculty Blog

[...]

The requirement that a fee be paid in advance of the exercise of First Amendment rights constitutes a prior restraint on the exercise of free speech. See Forsyth County, Ga. V. Nationalist Movement, 505 U.S. 123 (1992). Advance fee requirements are recognized as a prior restraint because some individuals will forego the exercise of their rights rather than apply for advance permission or pay the fee. Prior restraints on the exercise of free speech are highly disfavored under constitutional law. While they are not per se unconstitutional, prior restraints will be subjected to heightened scrutiny. The Supreme Court has articulated the following standard for evaluating the constitutionality of government permitting schemes:

Even in a public forum the government may impose reasonable restrictions on the time, place, or manner of protected speech, provided the restrictions “are justified without reference to the content of the regulated speech, that they are narrowly tailored to serve a significant governmental interest, and that they leave open ample alternative channels for communication of the information.”

Nathan Kellum, Permit Schemes: Under Current Jurisprudence, What Permits Are Permitted?, 56 DRAKE L. REV. 381 (1985).

Journal exposes Walker's exaggeration.

2011-12-04T19:53:00.000-08:00

State jobs figures carried an asterisk - JSOnline

Madison - Announcing the best job numbers of his tenure with a splash last summer, Gov. Scott Walker left out the fact that his office had been told in an internal report that the monthly numbers were "very questionable" and "suspect."

West Bend man held for defacing petition, police say

2011-12-04T19:19:00.000-08:00

It is, of course, a felony. Maybe listening to too much Charlie Sykes or Rush or Beck or FoxNews finally convinced him that the rules don't apply to him.

Looks like we'll find out on Monday.

West Bend man held for defacing petition, police say - JSOnline

A 30-year-old West Bend man was arrested Sunday on allegations of defacing recall petitions for Gov. Scott Walker and Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch at a residence in West Bend.
"The suspect stood in line to sign a petition and when given the petition clip board, he scribbled out some names on the actual form and the recall worker took the clipboard back and he left the scene without any incident," West Bend police Sgt. Matt Rohlinger said.
Police used a license plate number to track down the suspect.
The incident happened about 12:20 p.m. outside the house of a teacher who was collecting signatures, said Waring R. Fincke, a lawyer who is one of the organizers of the recall effort in Washington County.
The man was being held in the Washington County Jail.
The man will likely appear in court Monday, Rohlinger said.

GOP Supercommittee Member Admits Bush Tax Cuts Didn't Create Jobs, Can't Explain Why

2011-12-04T19:14:00.000-08:00

No wonder Governor Walker can't explain why his budget isn't working.

GOP Supercommittee Member Admits Bush Tax Cuts Didn't Create Jobs, Can't Explain Why | ThinkProgress

‎"As Center for American Progress Director of Tax and Budget Policy Michael Linden found, 'in the past 60 years, job growth has actually been greater in years when the top income tax rate was much higher than it is now. In fact, 'if you ranked each year since 1950 by overall job growth, the top five years would all boast marginal tax rates at 70 percent or higher.' The GOP, as Upton displays, simply has no explanation for these facts."

Undeterred by a fact based universe, Scott Walker courageously speaks out.

2011-12-04T10:13:00.000-08:00

Remember: you can fool some of the people all of the time. King Scotty is depending on it.
But apparently not most of the people.

Walker fails at the facts, again -- this time about the St. Norbert's poll showing that a majority of Wisconsin voters want him recalled.

From Politifact.

As Wisconsin Democrats geared up to begin the process of recalling Gov. Scott Walker, a public opinion survey released Nov. 15, 2011 contained some troubling results for the first-term Republican.

The poll, conducted by St. Norbert College in De Pere and Wisconsin Public Radio, said 58 percent of respondents believe Walker should be recalled. That was an increase from 47 percent in an April poll conducted by the same partnership.

The Capitol Police deck the halls...

2011-12-04T08:01:00.000-08:00

Fa la la la laaaa, la la, la laaaaaaaaaaaa.

Thank you.

The Capitol Police deck the halls...

Despite A 0.0002 Percent Rate Of Voter Fraud, Reince Priebus Claims Wisconsin Is 'Riddled With Voter Fraud'

2011-12-03T06:58:00.000-08:00

More distraction. The Republicans are dismantling systems to prevent voter fraud, so what's this about?

Despite A 0.0002 Percent Rate Of Voter Fraud, Reince Priebus Claims Wisconsin Is 'Riddled With Voter Fraud' | ThinkProgress

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus made a curious claim on MSNBC today, alleging that Wisconsin is a state “that was absolutely riddled with voter fraud.”
The problem? A recent study by the nonpartisan Brennan Center for Justice found just seven cases of voter fraud out of three million votes cast in Wisconsin during the 2004 election, a fraud rate of 0.0002percent. All seven of these cases involved persons with felony convictions who weren’t eligible to vote after being released from prison.

The Wisconsin Lie Exposed - Taxpayers Actually Contribute Nothing To Public Employee Pensions - Forbes

2011-12-02T20:10:00.000-08:00

As we move closer to recalling King Scotty, it's useful to revisit some of the lies his patrons and owners spread in order to shore up support for him. Remember that "Make 'em pay their fare share" stuff? Yeah, it was a lie.

So, let's go back to February for a few moments.

The Wisconsin Lie Exposed - Taxpayers Actually Contribute Nothing To Public Employee Pensions - Forbes

Pulitzer Prize winning tax reporter, David Cay Johnston, has written a brilliant piece for tax.com exposing the truth about who really pays for the pension and benefits for public employees in Wisconsin.
Gov. Scott Walker says he wants state workers covered by collective bargaining agreements to “contribute more” to their pension and health insurance plans. Accepting Gov. Walker’ s assertions as fact, and failing to check, creates the impression that somehow the workers are getting something extra, a gift from taxpayers. They are not. Out of every dollar that funds Wisconsin’ s pension and health insurance plans for state workers, 100 cents comes from the state workers.
Via tax.com

Immunity sought for another person in probe of Walker aides

2011-12-02T19:01:00.000-08:00

Hum hum hum.

Immunity sought for another person in probe of Walker aides - JSOnline

Norquist Tells GOP That Raising Taxes On The Middle Class Doesn't Count As A Tax Increase

2011-12-02T16:17:00.000-08:00

Ah, Grover... an evil Muppet who escaped from a cartoon world to become a Republican Strategerist.

Norquist Tells GOP That Raising Taxes On The Middle Class Doesn't Count As A Tax Increase

Anti-tax zealot Grover Norquist, the president of Americans For Tax Reform and author of the radical anti-tax pledge that has played a significant role in hamstringing budget and deficit-reduction negotiations, has said that it is unacceptable for those who have signed his pledge to vote in favor of any tax increase. But now that President Obama and congressional Democrats are backing a tax cut aimed at stimulating economic growth, Norquist has changed his tune.

Walker’s New Plan: Charge Protesters Big Money | TPMDC

2011-12-02T16:14:00.000-08:00

Since money=speech in the Walkerstan Universe, it only makes sense to charge for the right to speak.

But there is that annoying business first:

U.S. Constitution: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

Wisconsin Constitution: "The right of the people peaceably to assemble, to consult for the common good, and to petition the government, or any department thereof, shall never be abridged."

I suppose with enough of their people on the Supreme Court they'll be able to find a work around.

In the meantime, King Scott is making plans and calling for his fiddlers three.

Walker’s New Plan: Charge Protesters Big Money | TPMDC

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s administration is rolling out a new strategy to deal with the waves of protests that have fallen upon the state Capitol, ever since he rolled out his anti-public employee union legislation, and which have given rise to the recall campaigns targeting him and other Republicans: Make the protesters pay for all the costs of the increased event security.
As the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports, the Walker administration announced the new policy on Thursday, and it will be phased in by Dec. 16. Under the policy, groups of four or more people must request permits at least 72 hours in advance, for events at the state Capitol or other state buildings.