June 3rd, 2012
Even in the post-Tea Party climate, the latest GOP dirty trick in Wisconsin is a genuine new low.
Showing posts with label Wisconsin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wisconsin. Show all posts
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Only Nine?
Dec 1st, 2011
Green Bay Progressive, doing a roundup of PolitiFact ratings, presents nine reasons not to trust Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker.
Still... only nine?
Green Bay Progressive, doing a roundup of PolitiFact ratings, presents nine reasons not to trust Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker.
Still... only nine?
Monday, November 21, 2011
The Looming Wisconsin Recall Election
Nov 21st, 2011
You can follow the recall drive and get involved HERE
The recall petition drive to oust Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker collected over 100,000 signatures in its first four days. They need to reach roughly seven times that number in the next two months.
John Nichols observes that the Governor's desperation and that of his monied-backers is already getting ugly:
"The governor and his allies have not missed any openings to try to block the recall. The Koch brothers are already paying for pro-Walker television ads put together by their Americans for Prosperity group, and the governor’s campaign is spending heavily on its own ads—$300,000 since last Monday. (There are estimates that spending on Walker’s behalf will exceed $50 million.) Republican legislators have moved to give the governor veto power over election rules. And the Republican Party of Wisconsin has organized a campaign to intimidate recall petitioners with a website that urges party minions to "monitor" and challenge nurses, teachers and small-business owners who seek signatures. In some cases, Walker backers have grabbed petitions and ripped them up.
But there was no evidence Saturday or Sunday that any of the governor’s attempt’s to protect his political career were working."
"You know the folks that were angry about this started a recall and they were told they needed to collect 73,000 signatures in sixty days," said Walker. "Well, not hundreds, not thousands, but tens of thousands of ordinary people did an extraordinary thing. They stood up and took their government back."
You can follow the recall drive and get involved HERE
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| Image via |
John Nichols observes that the Governor's desperation and that of his monied-backers is already getting ugly:
"The governor and his allies have not missed any openings to try to block the recall. The Koch brothers are already paying for pro-Walker television ads put together by their Americans for Prosperity group, and the governor’s campaign is spending heavily on its own ads—$300,000 since last Monday. (There are estimates that spending on Walker’s behalf will exceed $50 million.) Republican legislators have moved to give the governor veto power over election rules. And the Republican Party of Wisconsin has organized a campaign to intimidate recall petitioners with a website that urges party minions to "monitor" and challenge nurses, teachers and small-business owners who seek signatures. In some cases, Walker backers have grabbed petitions and ripped them up.
But there was no evidence Saturday or Sunday that any of the governor’s attempt’s to protect his political career were working."
A few days earlier, Nichols reminded readers "...Walker was not always opposed to recall elections, and he did not always want to control and constrain them. Walker was elected Milwaukee County Executive in a 2002 recall election. In 2010, when he was running for governor, he hailed the process as democracy in action." EMPHASES OURS
"You know the folks that were angry about this started a recall and they were told they needed to collect 73,000 signatures in sixty days," said Walker. "Well, not hundreds, not thousands, but tens of thousands of ordinary people did an extraordinary thing. They stood up and took their government back."
Indeed, they did. In much the same manner they would like to now.
Monday, November 14, 2011
"Values Voter" Values In Wisconsin
Nov 14th, 2011
Screw fair play, to Hell with the law and look out democratic process in Wisconsin. Angry "conservatives" are gearing up to play very dirty tricks in the run up to the expected recall of Gov. Scott Walker.
Via Mother Jones:
"A group of self-identified conservatives say they plan to sabotage the effort to recall Wisconsin GOP Gov. Scott Walker, which begins on Tuesday, by burning and shredding recall petitions they've collected and misleading Wisconsinites about the recall process.
These plans, discussed in Facebook posts that were first reported by the blog PolitiScoop, entail posing as recall supporters and gathering signatures, only to later destroy the petitions. They also include telling Wisconsinites that they can only sign one recall petition (which is false—they can sign different petitions as long as they each correspond to a different organization) and directing signature collectors to the homes of registered sex offenders. (Requests for comment were sent to each of the Facebook posters who allowed messages from other users.)
In one post, Will R. Jenkins says, "I'll be able to destroy 15-20K signatures." If things go well, he adds, he might even "be able to destroy upwards of 15-20% of the entire collected ballots in the state of Wisconsin."
What is absent, thus far, is any condemnation from the state's Republican Party or its leaders. Apparently, the Tea Party chant that they want to "take back our country" refers to a very different country indeed.
Shameful. And dangerous. Suffice to say, were the parties reversed and a number of "self declared" liberals were opening boasting of similar plans, this would be the lead story on every major outlet for the remainder of the year.
Period.
Via Mother Jones:
"A group of self-identified conservatives say they plan to sabotage the effort to recall Wisconsin GOP Gov. Scott Walker, which begins on Tuesday, by burning and shredding recall petitions they've collected and misleading Wisconsinites about the recall process.
These plans, discussed in Facebook posts that were first reported by the blog PolitiScoop, entail posing as recall supporters and gathering signatures, only to later destroy the petitions. They also include telling Wisconsinites that they can only sign one recall petition (which is false—they can sign different petitions as long as they each correspond to a different organization) and directing signature collectors to the homes of registered sex offenders. (Requests for comment were sent to each of the Facebook posters who allowed messages from other users.)
In one post, Will R. Jenkins says, "I'll be able to destroy 15-20K signatures." If things go well, he adds, he might even "be able to destroy upwards of 15-20% of the entire collected ballots in the state of Wisconsin."
What is absent, thus far, is any condemnation from the state's Republican Party or its leaders. Apparently, the Tea Party chant that they want to "take back our country" refers to a very different country indeed.
Shameful. And dangerous. Suffice to say, were the parties reversed and a number of "self declared" liberals were opening boasting of similar plans, this would be the lead story on every major outlet for the remainder of the year.
Period.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Working Class Hero - Wisconsin Version
Sept. 5th, 2011
What are you doing for the rights and dignity of America's workers? This Labor Day, take a few minutes to do more than fire up the grill.
What are you doing for the rights and dignity of America's workers? This Labor Day, take a few minutes to do more than fire up the grill.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Nothing To See Here, Folks
August 4th, 2011
An apparently very nervous Reince Preibus (which still sounds like a creepy Star Wars name) is using his position as head of the RNC to tell the media they should just ignore next week's recall elections in Wisconsin. At the very least, he argues, whatever happens has no bearing on the issues looming in 2012. Uh huh.
From TPM:
"I don't think its a test run," Preibus said on a conference call with reporters this morning. He added that even though some of the key issues on the ballot in the coming weeks in his home state are "a similar debate to what we're having in the country," the "the localized nature of it doesn't allow it to be analogous to the 2012 election."
If the polls are to be believed, that's good news for the GOP."
We will be watching closely... sorry, Reince.
An apparently very nervous Reince Preibus (which still sounds like a creepy Star Wars name) is using his position as head of the RNC to tell the media they should just ignore next week's recall elections in Wisconsin. At the very least, he argues, whatever happens has no bearing on the issues looming in 2012. Uh huh.
From TPM:
"I don't think its a test run," Preibus said on a conference call with reporters this morning. He added that even though some of the key issues on the ballot in the coming weeks in his home state are "a similar debate to what we're having in the country," the "the localized nature of it doesn't allow it to be analogous to the 2012 election."
If the polls are to be believed, that's good news for the GOP."
We will be watching closely... sorry, Reince.
The Looming Wisconsin Recalls
August 4th, 2011
Things are looking very good for the Democratic contenders in next week's Wisconsin recall Elections. That is, if the dishonest and potentially criminal activities of the Koch funded Americans For Progress don't effectively steal it.
Things are looking very good for the Democratic contenders in next week's Wisconsin recall Elections. That is, if the dishonest and potentially criminal activities of the Koch funded Americans For Progress don't effectively steal it.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Disenfranchised
July 26th, 2011
If you think the wave of new voter restrictions is NOT an attempt to disenfranchise likely liberal voters, than you are not paying attention. HT to AlterNet for this one. A young man of voting age attempts to get a Wisconsin state ID for the purpose of participating in elections. He is first denied because of "inactivity" in his bank account. He is then told that he has to pay $28 for the ID. Bear in mind that the model legislation for all these new state initiatives, crafted right here in my state of Indiana, only passed muster with SCOTUS because there is no charge for the ID itself (peripheral supporting documents required for issuance have costs attached but that is another matter). The young man and and his mother, who accompanied him, are to commended for capturing their experience on video.
"The mother-son hidden camera team manages to satisfy the bank account busting first clerk and eventually makes it to the third clerk where they discover that unless you explicitly specify that you have come to the DMV for a Voter ID, you will be charged $28. The clerk admits that there is no difference between the Voter ID and the non-Voter ID -- they're literally the same physical object -- but that it's the policy of the establishment to leave the honus for making this distinction on the customer: no signs, no warnings, just a box on the form you have to hope you notice and check.
The mother asks for the clerk's superior who is somewhat helpful. She then asks for the superior's superior which we can assume the mother gave hell to when the camera was off.
Watch in awe/disgust below and then read about the closure of DMVs in highly Democratic districts."
If you think the wave of new voter restrictions is NOT an attempt to disenfranchise likely liberal voters, than you are not paying attention. HT to AlterNet for this one. A young man of voting age attempts to get a Wisconsin state ID for the purpose of participating in elections. He is first denied because of "inactivity" in his bank account. He is then told that he has to pay $28 for the ID. Bear in mind that the model legislation for all these new state initiatives, crafted right here in my state of Indiana, only passed muster with SCOTUS because there is no charge for the ID itself (peripheral supporting documents required for issuance have costs attached but that is another matter). The young man and and his mother, who accompanied him, are to commended for capturing their experience on video.
"The mother-son hidden camera team manages to satisfy the bank account busting first clerk and eventually makes it to the third clerk where they discover that unless you explicitly specify that you have come to the DMV for a Voter ID, you will be charged $28. The clerk admits that there is no difference between the Voter ID and the non-Voter ID -- they're literally the same physical object -- but that it's the policy of the establishment to leave the honus for making this distinction on the customer: no signs, no warnings, just a box on the form you have to hope you notice and check.
The mother asks for the clerk's superior who is somewhat helpful. She then asks for the superior's superior which we can assume the mother gave hell to when the camera was off.
Watch in awe/disgust below and then read about the closure of DMVs in highly Democratic districts."
First of all, this an obvious violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It's a poll-tax. Plain and simple. Second of all, there is still no evidence of any major voter fraud in the U.S. whatsoever.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Today In WTF? Wisconsin Edition
June 27th, 2011
After the miraculous discovery of unsecured votes in the 11th hour of the recent Wisconsin Supreme Court election, one might have thought that the victor, Justice David Prosser, would be mindful that his every action would need to bear greater scrutiny. After all, Prosser didn't have the most sterling of reputations prior to the debacle.
Just before the vote, Meg Jones wrote for the Journal Sentinel:
"Prosser recently acknowledged that he called Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson a "bitch" behind closed doors and threatened to "destroy her" more than a year ago when the court split over removing fellow Justice Michael Gableman from a criminal case as he faced an ethics allegation."
Flash forward to just two weeks ago. Not only has Justice Prosser seemingly learned no lessons in decorum, much less humility, it is alleged that he has taken his resentment and animosity towards his fellow female justices to dangerous new levels.
From the JS:
"Supreme Court Justice Ann Walsh Bradley late Saturday accused fellow Justice David Prosser of putting her in a chokehold during a dispute in her office earlier this month.
"The facts are that I was demanding that he get out of my office and he put his hands around my neck in anger in a chokehold," Bradley told the Journal Sentinel."
If true, the actions stipulated by Justice Bradley constitute a felony assault under Wisconsin law.
Now, if you thought that this was the WTF? moment, hold onto your hats. Leave it to the resident, senior legal expert at FOX News, Greta Van Susterin, to devolve the discussion further. In a post from her Gretawire site, a post that has been subsequently scrubbed, Van Susterin coolly analyzed the breaking news and argued that Chief Justice Abrahamson must resign. You read that right.
Greta Van Susterin as quoted by ThinkProgress:
"And while I have no idea who is off the wall (Justice Prosser or Justice Walsh or both), I do know one thing, CHIEF JUSTICE SHIRLEY ABRAHAMSON sure is not doing her job to lead the court and to give confidence to the people of Wisconsin. She needs to step aside and let someone else attempt to run that zoo."
Greta seems to have actually argued that a male Justice allegedly physically assaulting a female Justice is the result of a failure to lead on the part of... another female Justice. Again, Van Susterin has removed the post from her site without comment.
We are requesting that any reader who has a cached version of the Gretawire piece or a screenshot to contact us. The story continues to develop...
After the miraculous discovery of unsecured votes in the 11th hour of the recent Wisconsin Supreme Court election, one might have thought that the victor, Justice David Prosser, would be mindful that his every action would need to bear greater scrutiny. After all, Prosser didn't have the most sterling of reputations prior to the debacle.
Just before the vote, Meg Jones wrote for the Journal Sentinel:
Flash forward to just two weeks ago. Not only has Justice Prosser seemingly learned no lessons in decorum, much less humility, it is alleged that he has taken his resentment and animosity towards his fellow female justices to dangerous new levels.
From the JS:
"Supreme Court Justice Ann Walsh Bradley late Saturday accused fellow Justice David Prosser of putting her in a chokehold during a dispute in her office earlier this month.
"The facts are that I was demanding that he get out of my office and he put his hands around my neck in anger in a chokehold," Bradley told the Journal Sentinel."
If true, the actions stipulated by Justice Bradley constitute a felony assault under Wisconsin law.
Now, if you thought that this was the WTF? moment, hold onto your hats. Leave it to the resident, senior legal expert at FOX News, Greta Van Susterin, to devolve the discussion further. In a post from her Gretawire site, a post that has been subsequently scrubbed, Van Susterin coolly analyzed the breaking news and argued that Chief Justice Abrahamson must resign. You read that right.
Greta Van Susterin as quoted by ThinkProgress:
Greta seems to have actually argued that a male Justice allegedly physically assaulting a female Justice is the result of a failure to lead on the part of... another female Justice. Again, Van Susterin has removed the post from her site without comment.
We are requesting that any reader who has a cached version of the Gretawire piece or a screenshot to contact us. The story continues to develop...
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Scott Walker's REAL message
Friday, April 8, 2011
Oh, It's Different If THEY Might Have Done It
April 8th, 2011
Please CLICK HERE to petition the Justice Department to investigate "magic votes" in Wisconsin.
by F. Grey Parker
UPDATE: 4/9/2011 John Fund did the right thing today
An incredibly ugly thing happened yesterday in America. I am not explicitly referring to the discovery of "magic votes" that were previously uncounted due to "human error" in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race. That is a factor in what disturbs me, to be sure. More troubling than this potential impropriety is that the previous day's media cycle began with a coordinated series of attacks
throughout the usual conservative outlets making baseless claims of "potential fraud" by Democrats in the race. At that time, it looked like the liberal was winning.
This is the modern, post-election playbook for the American Right. If they win, even by the slimmest of margins, it is called a "mandate." Ah, but if they lose, well then they goose step to their laptops and TV cameras and imply illegitimacy. It is red meat for those who believe that Americans with whom they disagree are, well, not really American.
Prominent right wing commentator and activist John Fund fired the first shot in Wednesday's WSJ. He laid the usual groundwork for mistrust and it was widely linked to by organizations like FOX.
Some selections from his agit-prop:
"Any recount will be scrutinized for irregularities and possible vote fraud. A recount in a similarly close race in neighboring Minnesota's 2008 U.S. Senate race stretched on for months, amid charges that some counties counted absentee ballots according to different standards than others did. Al Franken, the Democrat, was eventually sworn in after pulling ahead by 315 votes. His victory gave—for a time—Senate Democrats the critical 60th vote they needed to pass ObamaCare over a potential filibuster."
Please CLICK HERE to petition the Justice Department to investigate "magic votes" in Wisconsin.
by F. Grey Parker
UPDATE: 4/9/2011 John Fund did the right thing today
throughout the usual conservative outlets making baseless claims of "potential fraud" by Democrats in the race. At that time, it looked like the liberal was winning.
This is the modern, post-election playbook for the American Right. If they win, even by the slimmest of margins, it is called a "mandate." Ah, but if they lose, well then they goose step to their laptops and TV cameras and imply illegitimacy. It is red meat for those who believe that Americans with whom they disagree are, well, not really American.
Prominent right wing commentator and activist John Fund fired the first shot in Wednesday's WSJ. He laid the usual groundwork for mistrust and it was widely linked to by organizations like FOX.
Some selections from his agit-prop:
"Any recount will be scrutinized for irregularities and possible vote fraud. A recount in a similarly close race in neighboring Minnesota's 2008 U.S. Senate race stretched on for months, amid charges that some counties counted absentee ballots according to different standards than others did. Al Franken, the Democrat, was eventually sworn in after pulling ahead by 315 votes. His victory gave—for a time—Senate Democrats the critical 60th vote they needed to pass ObamaCare over a potential filibuster."
Kathy Nickolaus' Shaky Presser
April 8th, 2011
This warrants a serious investigation. Mrs. Nickolaus has a long history of questionable behavior. Many on the right think this is funny. Had these votes, which if confirmed are just over the requirement for a state funded recount under Wisconsin law, been for Kloppenburg, I don't think the right would be so gleeful. Do you?
UPDATE -This is the longer full video
This warrants a serious investigation. Mrs. Nickolaus has a long history of questionable behavior. Many on the right think this is funny. Had these votes, which if confirmed are just over the requirement for a state funded recount under Wisconsin law, been for Kloppenburg, I don't think the right would be so gleeful. Do you?
UPDATE -This is the longer full video
Quote Of The Day - Waukesha Edition
April 8th, 2011
Please CLICK HERE to petition the Justice Department to investigate "magic votes" in Wisconsin.
In light of the questionable events in Waukesha, WI yesterday, we are trying to round up as much information on the submission of "magic votes that favor Prosser in the state's Supreme Court race as we can. There is strong and somewhat damning coverage at AlterNet.
Please CLICK HERE to petition the Justice Department to investigate "magic votes" in Wisconsin.
In light of the questionable events in Waukesha, WI yesterday, we are trying to round up as much information on the submission of "magic votes that favor Prosser in the state's Supreme Court race as we can. There is strong and somewhat damning coverage at AlterNet.
"It is fraud to conceal fraud" - Legal Maxim
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Only Progressive Special Interests Are Bad
April 6th, 2011
That would seem to be the message on FOX. Media Matters notes that more outside money went to Prosser than Kloppenberg. That sure didn't make this segment from America Live.
That would seem to be the message on FOX. Media Matters notes that more outside money went to Prosser than Kloppenberg. That sure didn't make this segment from America Live.
Scott Walker Dimisses Half Of Wisconsin
April 6th, 2011 5:30pm CST
Well, the Prosser/Kloppenberg showdown turned out to be one of the most exciting statewide elections in recent U.S. history. All the results are in. Turnout for a Springtime off-year election was a staggering 1,479,976 ballots cast. Kloppenberg leads Prosser by a mere 204 votes. There is talk of a recount but no firm declarations of intent to pursue one at this time. It is being referred to as "likely."
So. What does Gov. Scott Walker have to say about all this? Is he proud that so many more Americans turned to vote than was expected in a nation crippled by apathy? Does he make a temperate statement while he awaits the decison of the Prosser camp to either concede or demand a recount? Certainly not.
From WisPolitics:
"Gov. Scott Walker said this afternoon that the spring election results show there are "two very different worlds in this state. You've got a world driven by Madison, and a world driven by everybody else out across the majority of the rest of the state of Wisconsin," Walker said at a press conference in the Capitol."
Really? Walker's first public reaction the the election is to engage in not-so subtle smears of half the participating electorate? Yup.
"In particular, he said the results in the race for his former post as Milwaukee County executive reflected its status as a "dark blue county."
"Dark?" Yes. The governor just referred to the highest minority populated region of his state as "dark."
"Walker added that Justice Prosser's performance in many parts of the state bodes well for GOP senators who may face recall elections later this year. "For those who believe it's a referendum, while it might have a statewide impact that we may lean one way or the other, it's largely driven by Madison, and to a lesser extent Milwaukee," the governor said. "But those Senate recall elections on both the Democrat and Republican side aren't being held in Madison, they aren't being held in Milwaukee."
I submit the results map below for consideration. Gov. Scott Walker has no shame. He can portray this race as having been seemingly won by weirdos, minorities, whatever. But the claim has no more basis in fact than anything else the man says.
Well, the Prosser/Kloppenberg showdown turned out to be one of the most exciting statewide elections in recent U.S. history. All the results are in. Turnout for a Springtime off-year election was a staggering 1,479,976 ballots cast. Kloppenberg leads Prosser by a mere 204 votes. There is talk of a recount but no firm declarations of intent to pursue one at this time. It is being referred to as "likely."
So. What does Gov. Scott Walker have to say about all this? Is he proud that so many more Americans turned to vote than was expected in a nation crippled by apathy? Does he make a temperate statement while he awaits the decison of the Prosser camp to either concede or demand a recount? Certainly not.
From WisPolitics:
"Gov. Scott Walker said this afternoon that the spring election results show there are "two very different worlds in this state. You've got a world driven by Madison, and a world driven by everybody else out across the majority of the rest of the state of Wisconsin," Walker said at a press conference in the Capitol."
Really? Walker's first public reaction the the election is to engage in not-so subtle smears of half the participating electorate? Yup.
"In particular, he said the results in the race for his former post as Milwaukee County executive reflected its status as a "dark blue county."
"Dark?" Yes. The governor just referred to the highest minority populated region of his state as "dark."
"Walker added that Justice Prosser's performance in many parts of the state bodes well for GOP senators who may face recall elections later this year. "For those who believe it's a referendum, while it might have a statewide impact that we may lean one way or the other, it's largely driven by Madison, and to a lesser extent Milwaukee," the governor said. "But those Senate recall elections on both the Democrat and Republican side aren't being held in Madison, they aren't being held in Milwaukee."
I submit the results map below for consideration. Gov. Scott Walker has no shame. He can portray this race as having been seemingly won by weirdos, minorities, whatever. But the claim has no more basis in fact than anything else the man says.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Yeah, I Said Bagman
April 4th, 2011
An observation on the unfolding Wisconsin side show
Personally, I would've at least called Walker a spifflicated palooka. The guy keeps spoonin' the applesauce. He's tryin' to take the whole state and maybe even the country for a ride. He thinks we're all pushovers.
by F. Grey Parker
“Gov. Walker has repeatedly stated that all public employees must sacrifice, but it appears his political appointees are exempt from any sacrifice. Media accounts in the past few weeks have focused on two appointees with close Republican connections getting questionable appointments with excessive raises.
Gov. Walker’s budget adjustment bill that is tied up in court gave him 37 additional political appointees and recent revelations make that highly inadvisable.
A governor cannot ask his employees to sacrifice while rewarding his political cronies and relatives of big donors. I call on the Legislature to halt any expansion of political appointments, no-bid contracts or gubernatorial power over rule-making in the future. This includes special session bill AB 8, which could come back to the Assembly as early as tomorrow.
If there is any shred of independence among legislative Republicans they will not allow the hiring of additional political cronies after the revelations of the past weeks. This is simply not how we do business in Wisconsin.”
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| "Hinky Dink" & "Bathhouse" |
The history of Chicago's political underbelly is something of a hobby of mine. Having grown up in it's shadows and in a house of a decidedly political timber, it just fascinated me. I can tell you amazing stories about the bad old days. It was once truly a city without peer in a nation without a whole lot of "sunlight." For a time, it even made "Boss" Tweed's Tammany Hall in New York look good. I hadn't thought about it much recently until a short time ago.
Yesterday, I posted about Gov. Scott Walker's (R-WI) doling out state money and an important position to the seemingly unqualified, legally challenged and not college degreed son of a major political backer. It's a stunning caper. I jived to a few pals that Walker's shenanigans would've made the average 1950s, cigar-chompin', Chicago-Machine hack blush. After some further thought, I have concluded that this was correct. No one in the first Daley Administration would ever have done anything this blatantly not on the level.
In the midst of a dust-up Walker has intentionally crafted to steamroll over his own state's nearly century long history of open government while giving the high hat to organized labor, he has put an apparent connected bum on the taxpayer's nickel to the tune of just over 80 thousand samolians. To find a guy this craven in Chicago's past, I can only come up with the infamous prohibition era bosses of the 1st Ward, Michael "Hinky Dink" Kenna and "Bathhouse" John Coughlin.
At the height of the "Hinky Dink" and "Bathhouse" stranglehold on power in Chicago, a frustrated Mayor Carter Harrison questioned "Hinky Dink" about his quite eccentric and bent partner. The Mayor wanted to know if "Bathhouse" was using narcotics or might actually be certifiable. Kenna looked at Harrison. He suggested that it was not really explicable. "To tell you the God’s truth, Mayor, they ain’t found a name for it yet," he said.
When a 21st Century Midwestern Governor is reminiscent of either of these goofs, he can take his good government malarkey and scram. I begin to wonder if Walker might not be ossified. Maybe he's just a piker. This is only beginning to heat up, kids. I am pretty sure that it ain't goin' away.
Wisconsin Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca (D-Kenosha) is awfully temperate in his response, if you ask me:
“Gov. Walker has repeatedly stated that all public employees must sacrifice, but it appears his political appointees are exempt from any sacrifice. Media accounts in the past few weeks have focused on two appointees with close Republican connections getting questionable appointments with excessive raises.
Gov. Walker’s budget adjustment bill that is tied up in court gave him 37 additional political appointees and recent revelations make that highly inadvisable.
A governor cannot ask his employees to sacrifice while rewarding his political cronies and relatives of big donors. I call on the Legislature to halt any expansion of political appointments, no-bid contracts or gubernatorial power over rule-making in the future. This includes special session bill AB 8, which could come back to the Assembly as early as tomorrow.
If there is any shred of independence among legislative Republicans they will not allow the hiring of additional political cronies after the revelations of the past weeks. This is simply not how we do business in Wisconsin.”
Personally, I would've at least called Walker a spifflicated palooka. The guy keeps spoonin' the applesauce. He's tryin' to take the whole state and maybe even the country for a ride. He thinks we're all pushovers.
He is wrong.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Conniption In Wisconsin
March 23rd, 2011
Please support the efforts to recall Wisconsin's anti worker corporatists HERE, HERE and HERE
Hey! Are you a disgruntled Wisconsin conservative who feels depressed that the tide of public opinion does not actually support your initiatives? Are you angry that so many of your fellow citizens are trying to use the tools guaranteed them under the law to recall valiant corporatists working against those greedy "workers"?
Do you fear that close to a million dollars in out of state astro-turf propaganda just isn't enough to get "your" message across? Are television ads showing a Wisconsin teacher (stock video of a model/actress pretending to be a teacher who is not actually from Wisconsin) not winning over hearts and minds to "your" fight? Well, one man felt just that way.
From The River Falls Journal:
"River Falls police were asked to track down and find a suspect who had made off with a batch of Sen. Sheila Harsdorf recall petition signatures late Sunday afternoon. The alleged theft occurred on the sidewalk near EconoFoods. The male suspect pretended he wanted to sign the petition to recall Harsdorf but instead swiped the forms with signatures and drove off.
The man drove back in five minutes and tossed the petition toward the group of volunteers. Either it was a poor throw or they couldn’t catch. The paperwork landed on wet pavement.With a vehicular and suspect description, an officer traced the man to his home near the River Falls Area Hospital.
Please support the efforts to recall Wisconsin's anti worker corporatists HERE, HERE and HERE
Do you fear that close to a million dollars in out of state astro-turf propaganda just isn't enough to get "your" message across? Are television ads showing a Wisconsin teacher (stock video of a model/actress pretending to be a teacher who is not actually from Wisconsin) not winning over hearts and minds to "your" fight? Well, one man felt just that way.
From The River Falls Journal:
"River Falls police were asked to track down and find a suspect who had made off with a batch of Sen. Sheila Harsdorf recall petition signatures late Sunday afternoon. The alleged theft occurred on the sidewalk near EconoFoods. The male suspect pretended he wanted to sign the petition to recall Harsdorf but instead swiped the forms with signatures and drove off.
The man drove back in five minutes and tossed the petition toward the group of volunteers. Either it was a poor throw or they couldn’t catch. The paperwork landed on wet pavement.With a vehicular and suspect description, an officer traced the man to his home near the River Falls Area Hospital.
The man seemed indignant that a police officer was at his door and denied being near EconoFoods. Then he said he couldn’t be accused of stealing the petition signatures because he returned them.
When informed of his arrest, he allegedly resisted being handcuffed and began yelling about police brutality. His wife, also home, told her husband to calm down."
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Madison! cont...
March 12th, 2011
A stunning aerial shot of today's demonstration for the rights of labor in Madison, WI. This may be largest pro labor gathering in American history. Wisconsin citizens can pledge to support the recall of Gov. Scott Walker HERE. Donations to support the recall can be made HERE.
A stunning aerial shot of today's demonstration for the rights of labor in Madison, WI. This may be largest pro labor gathering in American history. Wisconsin citizens can pledge to support the recall of Gov. Scott Walker HERE. Donations to support the recall can be made HERE.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Scott Walker's Reality, cont...
March 11th, 2011
I am beginning to think Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker actually does exist some sort of parallel reality. Continuing his victory laps over the most destructively anti-middle class legislation in America in decades he told AP today:
"What we're doing here, I think, is progressive. It's innovative. It's reform that leads the country,
and we're showing there's a better way by sharing in that sacrifice with all of us in government," he said."
Progressive? Far out. As far as the "sharing" of sacrifice is concerned, it's a good time to point out that Walker's fear-mongering warning of a "3.1 billion dollar deficit" is decidedly smaller than the 5.3 billion dollars in new tax cuts for corporations within his budget. Get it?
Again, we urge all Wisconsin citizens to PLEDGE TO SUPPORT Gov. Walker's recall.
"What we're doing here, I think, is progressive. It's innovative. It's reform that leads the country,
and we're showing there's a better way by sharing in that sacrifice with all of us in government," he said."
Progressive? Far out. As far as the "sharing" of sacrifice is concerned, it's a good time to point out that Walker's fear-mongering warning of a "3.1 billion dollar deficit" is decidedly smaller than the 5.3 billion dollars in new tax cuts for corporations within his budget. Get it?
Again, we urge all Wisconsin citizens to PLEDGE TO SUPPORT Gov. Walker's recall.
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