Wisconsin Movement Against Scott Walker, Privatization IS The New Civil Rights Movement

I caught the noon-time talk radio programming transition long enough Monday on AM 620 WTMJ between conservative talkers Charlie Sykes and Jeff Wagner to hear them stumble around a true fact while reassuring each other that things are going to be all Right.

As they pooh-poohed the power of protest and political recall energy building across Wisconsin since Scott Walker pushed through his rollback of collective bargaining rights and introduced a far-right state budget proposal, Sykes belittled the idea that what was happening was a new civil rights movement.

Then I walked over to UWM for a rally, and I do not recall ever seeing in my 28 years in Milwaukee such a big and diverse crowd (A cell phone picture of just a fraction of the group).
Blacks. Whites. Latinos. Oldsters. Students. Teachers. Women. Men.

United.

You know what? It is a new civil rights movement - - based on workers' rights to organize and students' rights to an affordable education so they can find gainful employment and have the voice that Walker's union-busting would deny them.

Sykes had the right wording but the wrong analysis. I'm sure he wasn't in the crowd, but had he stopped by, he might have seen what's happening out there, and what is going to roll down on his side of the electorate beginning right in UWM's backyard, on April 5th, when Scott Walker's clone Jeff Stone, Republican Assemblyman from Greendale, is defeated to replace Walker as Milwaukee County Executive.

Walker Recall Organizers Meet

Good turnout, here.

Cato Institute Says Its Data Misued By Karl Rove Anti-Union TV Ads

Is nothing sacred? Even among friends?

Plenty of Democrats and liberal groups have found themselves on the receiving end of Karl Rove's political cheap shots, but who'd have thought that the Koch-founded libertarian/conservative Cato Institute would say it was the latest Rovian victim?

A Cato research official is claiming that Rove's new conservative fund-raising and advocacy machine "Crossroads GPS" - - it has pledged to spend $120 million in the presidential year 2012 - - twisted Cato data about worker salaries to fit the narrative in anti-union TV ads aired by Rove's group in Wisconsin and elsewhere.

The Washington Post has the details.

You can see the ad - - and data about union wages purportedly exceeding private sector wages by 42% attributed to the Cato Institute, but twisted, Cato says - - here.

Crossroads GPS says the ad was inspired by what's happening in Wisconsin.

I'd say the ad buy suggests that Walker needs some support.

Randy Hopper (R) Website Still Lauds Jim Doyle (D), Wind Turbines

State Sen. Randy Hopper, (R-Fond du Lac) - - busy fending off a mounting recall effort - - must be too busy these days to update his website, and either keep active a link to media reporting about a local wind turbine manufacturer that received a state grant from Jim Doyle, or be a good Walker lackey and delete the entry altogether.


The link goes nowhere, but this is how the Hopper site touts the December, 2009 Doyle grant - - obviously awarded before Scott Walker to moved to damage this budding manufacturing industry statewide, restrict land owners' property rights and freedoms and severely limit wind turbine siting in Wisconsin.

December 12, 2009 - Oshkosh Northwestern

Renewegy gets $525,000 loan from state

Renewegy Inc. has sold its first eight wind turbines and its plans to ramp up manufacturing in 2010 earned the Oshkosh company recognition and financial support from Gov. Jim Doyle on Thursday. Doyle announced Renewegy would receive a $525,000 low-interest loan to help it purchase manufacturing equipment and create 40 jobs in the state's growing renewable energy industry.

Like Most Of Walker Budget, Ending Recycling Support Is Political Garbage

Somewhat overlooked, but getting its proper attention - - Scott Walker's budget ends state support for local recycling efforts, which, as this op-ed points out, is a really bad idea.  Look for lots of local officials to become borne-again environmentalists.

Will Scott Walker be putting these signs at the border:

Wisconsin: Come See Our Over-Flowing Landfills

Walker is already reducing state air quality activity and ending water quality enforcement initiatives.

And in the process, is turning thousands of everyday Wisconsinites into invigorated political activists who are moving through recall elections to rid the state of right-wing extremism, and to retake their government.

Rally For Labor, UW System, At UWM Monday Noon

See you there:

(Milwaukee WI) UWM United - - a coalition of political leaders,student, faith, labor, and community organizations - - is conducting the United We Stand Rally. The group has formed to oppose the UW system split and the proposed 2011-2013 State of Wisconsin budget. 

Speakers will address issues such as public workers’ rights, tuition stability, and funding for public education. 

The Rally will be held March 14th from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm in Spaights Plaza on the UWM campus.  


What: United We Stand rally
Where: UWM Spaights Plaza
When: March 14th, 2011 12:00pm to 2:00pm


Speakers will include State Senator Chris Larson, Reverend Willie Brisco of MICAH, Sheila Cochran, Chief Operating Officer of the Milwaukee Area Labor Council, and Alderman Nik Kovac of the City of Milwaukee. Other speakers will include student, community, labor, and political representatives.

Press contact will be available for contact from 6:00 am onward on Monday March 14th.

Andre Simms, Communications Organizer, andre.m.simms@gmail.com

Walker To Kill Farmland Preservation - - Pave And Develop It Instead

An outrage a day? How about an outrage per budget paragraph as Scott Walker's Privatize Everything Plan rolls out.

The Realtors already got their wetlands filling reward, and their slow-down of wind farm siting.

Now they get the whole nine yards, square yards, acres, farms, sections...

Walker Spoiling For Fight With EPA

This is probably part of The Plan:  pick a fight with big guvmint - - this one over how much phosphorus is allowed to gum up our lakes and rivers, as former DNR water division chief Todd Ambs explains.

As I said a few weeks ago: do you want the feds to come in, or do you want local people to enforce existing federal laws?

If you're Walker, neither - - or whatever offers you the most headlines to a) slow down or end state regulations disliked by big business, or b) raise hell and claim that Barack Obama and the evil EPA are coming in to take away our rights.

Walker Budget, Union-Busting Hit Women Hard

I haven't done a deep analysis or crunched many numbers, but it sure seems like Walker's budget cuts and union-busting law hits Wisconsin women the hardest.

Consider:

* Walker exempted male-dominated police and fire unions statewide from mandatory cuts in bargaining rights and also from out-of-pocket increases in health care and pension contributions.

* That leaves the female-dominated professions, like teaching and nursing - - as was evident by the large number of women in these fields carrying signs at Saturday's rally at the Capitol - - without the same bargaining rights, but with paychecks shrunk.

AFSCME could provide the data, but I'm assuming that women make up a very large percentage of many public agencies' line and office workers, so the gender disparities continue.

* Women also take the brunt of the across-the-board $20 cut to W-2 monthly checks proposed in the budget.

* Some low-income, female heads of households are going to be paying even more in state income taxes, though, if you believe the spin, the Walker budget is a no-tax-increase plan.

* And when you cut school breakfasts for poor Milwaukee children, who do we think is most likely to try and manage those consequences? Moms and women teachers.

* And Walker's going after family planning funding, too.

I had raised some of these issues when blogging about the budget as it unfolded - - but I am late in connecting the dots: it was the rally Saturday that helped open my eyes

If you look at Walker's inner circle, and the GOP Senate and Assembly caucuses, you see few women.

After a few months, when Alberta Darling is recalled and defeated, there will be one less.

Let's Raise The Money For A Walker Recall Countdown Clock Billboard

Or a few of those portable electronic event signs.

I'm in for a donation.

Walker Protest Saturday Doubles Size Of Washburn, WI

Walker brings people to Washburn, says the Duluth New Tribune, but not just to a GOP fundraiser

"Bayfield County Sheriff Paul Susienka said Saturday evening that he didn’t have a crowd estimate, but various people had estimated the size at between 2,000 and 5,000. So the protest probably at least doubled the size of Washburn, which has a population of 2,271."

No Madness In This March

What I saw in the crowd around the State Capitol Saturday: 100,000 organizers - - calm, collected and focused now on the recall of Republicans Senators who used the power of the state to take away employment rights, and who will find that abuse of power has consequences.

Even if only a tenth of the people in this stunning crowd shot from Isthmus take up clipboards and petition forms, some incumbents are going to be voted out and will have only themslves, and Scott Walker to blame.

If we were translating the political situation to an NCAA basketball tournament bracket, I'd say Republican State Senators Alberta Darling and Randy Hopper (he of the 200-vote winning margin only) have drawn #16 seeds and are headed for first-round elimination.

And from this media report, it seems as if Bob Cowles doesn't like his positioning, either.

Greater Wisconsin Committee Ad Hits Walker Budget, Tactics

Pulls no punches. I like the "backroom maneuver" description of the  GOP State Senate tactics.

Great Scotts! Fitzgerald Joins Walker As Lead Recall Organizer For Dems

Scott Fitzgerald's undignified, intemperate, ignorant and divisive words speak volumes about why the Gang of Scotts that are ruining Wisconsin needs to be repudiated and recalled and repudiated.

From his Saturday news release, dripping with envy, as Senate Democrats were to take center stage, and before he went after some of his colleagues, by name:

"Today, the most shameful 14 people in the state of Wisconsin are going to pat themselves on the back and smile for the cameras. They're going to pretend they're heroes for taking a three week vacation.

"It is an absolute insult to the hundreds of thousands of Wisconsinites who are struggling to find a job, much less one they can run away from and go down to Illinois -- with pay.

"Their appearance at the Capitol today is in direct violation of the contempt order issued by the state Senate earlier this month, and it proves their absolute disregard for the institution of the Senate and the constitution they took an oath of office to serve."

Fitzgerald is the Speaker of the State Senate. Did he let an intern with a hangover write that news release?

Federal, State Transit Funding Issues Explored

Public Policy Forum frames the debate, here.

Protest Against Scott Walker Comes Off In Washburn

Right on schedule.

Hat Tip, Caffeinated Politics Blog

Great item and photos posted on a favorite blog. Thank you.

I Had This Recurring Thought About Scott Walker In Madison Today

"Would I want this crowd as the core of a recall against me?"

Most-Read Items Last Week (Walker, Winning: Hat Tip, C. Sheen)

Feeding back to readers the five items downloaded most frequently last week, and many thanks:

Walker's Budget Attacks The Poor - - His Response,... Mar 6, 2011  Scott Walker Could Retire Alberta Darling Mar 9, 2011 Walker's Poll Numbers Still Dropping Mar 4, 2011 Boycotts, Large And Small, Follow Walker's Union-B... Mar 11, 2011 Senate Passes End To Collective Bargaining For Pub... Mar 9, 2011

Scott Fitzgerald, Failed Senate Leader, Has News Release Hissy Fit

And this is the guy who spilled the beans to Fox News about what the budget-repair bill was really about.

Hint: It wasn't about money.

Though we are finding out now that in fact there are some fiscal items in the measure, so its passage and content appear even more illegitimate.

Fitzgerald may be trying to divert attention from the way he is running the Senate. Legal eagles need to look more closely.

Nuclear Plant Failures In Japan Should Stop Wisconsin Nuke Lovers

Pretty scary headline on this Washington Post story:

Explosion rocks Japanese nuclear power plant; 5 reactors in peril

Made me recall (you just can't get away from that word in Wisconsin these days) another item and recent headline:

Lift ban on new nuclear plants in Wisconsin

That was on an editorial in the Wisconsin State Journal, just days after Republicans took control of the government in November.  A few lines right from the top are now in some better perspective - - and not just about nuclear power, as the biomass and wind options cited have been blocked or cancelled outright by Walker and his legislative and political allies, too.

"Republicans who just won control of the state Capitol in Madison should lift a ban on the construction of new nuclear power plants...

"Gov.-elect Scott Walker spoke in favor of lifting Wisconsin's moratorium during his successful campaign. Many other Republicans and a growing list of Democrats are on board, too...

"Technology has improved safety and efficiency. Some countries, such as France and Japan, are even recycling their spent fuel...

"Wisconsin is striving to use more biomass from forest and farm waste for energy. Wisconsin has finally made it easier to erect wind turbines across the state. Solar energy is starting to become more affordable to harness.

"But nuclear power is Wisconsin's only major source of carbon-free electricity, and it can be generated around the clock.

"Wisconsin needs to keep its future energy options open, and that's what lifting the moratorium on new nuclear power plants will accomplish."

Two Noteworthy Points About Walker's Visit Tonight To Far North Washburn, WI

1. A local newspaper is reporting that a pro-labor protest is being planned via Facebook for Walker as he heads to Washburn - - about as far north from Madison as you can get and still be in the state.

2. The words "Scott Walker" and "Abe Lincoln" can actually be used in a sentence not written for "Saturday Night Live:"

"Governor Scott Walker is planning to visit Washburn Saturday, while Washburn officials are hoping to have extra security for the Abe Lincoln Dinner, and regional protesters plan to be present for the event."

[Update: Another article suggests to me that Republicans, predicting Armageddon, may be trying to frighten the public.]

No Caption Needed

Walker's Two-Faced Position On Protest "Thuggery"

To the fake David Koch, he said this:

Fake David Koch: But, uh, what we were thinking about the crowds was, uh, was planting some troublemakers.

Walker: You know, the, well, the only problem with that — because we thought about that. The problem — the, my only gut reaction to that is right now the lawmakers I’ve talked to have just completely had it with them, the public is not really fond of this. The teachers union did some polling of focus groups, I think, and found out that the public turned on ’em the minute they closed school down for a couple days. The guys we’ve got left are largely from out of state, and I keep dismissing it in all my press conferences saying, ‘Eh, they’re mostly from out of state.’ My only fear would be is if there was a ruckus caused is that that would scare the public into thinking maybe the governor has gotta settle to avoid all these problems.

 To Sean Hannity, Thursday on Fox News, he said this with regard to protesters: 

Hannity:.."pro-union protesters continually disrupted [legislative efforts] efforts.

Walker: "And, thankfully, again, our lawmakers stood up to those sort of thuggery attacks and we're not going to allow that here in the state of Wisconsin. We could have good, civil debate. The people -- the people who work for state and local government have been decent and I respect them throughout this process. But the people coming from other states that bring these sorts of tactics just don't belong here. And, hopefully, they'll move on to another state where they think those tactics might work because they don't work in Wisconsin."

The Immediate Benefits Of National Health Care Reform

The next time you hear someone attacking "Obamacare," remember the good things the new law did immediately for millions of Americans:

1. Insurers cannot cancel policies if a person becomes sick
2. Insurers cannot place lifetime dollar limit caps on policies.
3. Insurers cannot deny coverage to children under age 19 due to pre-existing conditions.
4. Parents can keep adult children on their policy up to age 26.
5. Smaller companies are allowed tax credits up to 35 percent of premiums to help buy insurance if they have 25 or fewer employees and average wages of less than $50,000.

Walker Skewering In Forbes Has Had More Than 225,000 Downloads

Who'd have thought Forbes would offer its platform to such an anti-Walker writer?

Forbes, founded in 1917, is anything but a left-wing publication. It bills itself as "a leading source for reliable business news and financial information."

About Walker, British Media Pull No Punches

Not the kind of reporting we see here in the colonies.

Here's the opening:

"Scott Walker's real agenda in Wisconsin

"The Republican governor's budget plan would open the state up to a corporate asset-grab not seen since robber baron capitalism.

"Republican Governor Scott Walker's 'budget repair bill' would pave the way for wholesale privatisation of Wisconsin's state infrastructure. 

"On Wednesday evening, in a veritable Night of the Long Knives, Wisconsin's integrity was brutally murdered on the floor of the state Capitol in Madison."

And lest you say, ah, that's just the lefty Guardian - - Walker is getting raked over the coals in Forbes, which bills itself as "a leading source for reliable business news and financial information."

And for good measure, Forbes nails Scott Fitzgerald, too.

In Case You Missed It, Forbes Reposts Scott Fitzgerald's "Stupid" Political Fox News Confession

It was all over the Internet a few days ago, but just in case you missed it, a Forbes online columnist has commented on and reposted State Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald's confession to Fox News that the so-called budget-repair bill was aimed politically at Barack Obama. Every time this truth gets out, Walker - - and Alberta Darling (that recall effort has a website), David Prosser (see Facebook). and Jeff Stone, et al, lose support.

Walker: Wash My Hands Of State Capitol Oversight Task

He wants a special master to deal with the Capitol.

You break it, you own it, bud.

Wisconsin Is Open To Louisiana Business - - Not Local Companies

The PSC takes a Walker-friendly route to energy conservation management.

Scott Walker As Homer Simpson

"Stupid Poetry."

Homer hates poetry. Really.

Sarah Palin Poll Numbers In Scott Walker Territory, Or Is It Vice-Versa?

I guess all that fame isn't working out well for ya.

Walker's numbers are pretty bad, too.

As I have argued here, political celebrity can bite you, then turn to notoriety.

Walker's No Tax-Increase Budget? Calling PolitiFact...Hello?

It's been noted more than once on this blog (sample, here), and by The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and the Wisconsin State Journal that Scott Walker's budget includes changes in the way low-income working Wisconsinites can use a federal tax credit when filing their state income tax forms.

From the budget text, page 23:

"Reduce the percentages of the federal earned income tax credit that can be claimed for Wisconsin in line with national averages while still maintaining a focus on reducing child poverty to realize savings of $41.3 million over the biennium."

For some, the reduction in the amount of federal tax credit claimed will trigger a larger state income tax obligation.

Citing non-partisan state computations, the Journal Sentinel reported that 23% of Wisconsin residents eligible for the federal tax credit would see their state tax bill go up as a result of the Walker budget proposal.

Good that the paper tackled what is admittedly a complex matter - - so can Walker really claim a no-tax-increase budget?

Same question when it comes to tuition assessed by the UW system through state budgetary permission and policy.

The budget on page 11 calls for a "modest tuition increase."

While the percentage or dollar amount increase is not specified, an increase is an increase.

Can Walker claim with a straight face that state-imposed tuition is not a tax or an assessment of some kind on students? Or at least is a fee, which these days is often synonymous for tax, or a substitute, since all gather in revenue for services provided, regardless of the wording?

Tuition payment can be lowered or delayed through grants, or scholarships or loans, but complying with the bill is not voluntary. Sounds like a tax or fee to me.

We've seen Walker use such parsed revenue rhetoric elsewhere.

Remember when his support for new road tolls was not a violation of his long-standing opposition to tolls - - because the charges he said he'd support were just for motorists who wanted to drive in the fast lane.

So...some tolls aren't tolls.

And some tax increases...well...if they hit the poor, that doesn't count.

And mandated, added tuition, collected from tens of thousands of students and parents - - what is that? An academic, state-mandated-brain-training-revenue-enhancer?

But certainly not a tax increase, or anything that suggests it?

PolitiFact? Are you on it?

Budget-Repair Bill (sic) Signed. 73% Of Current Deficit Not Addressed

Still calling it the budget-repair bill? Stop!

What Walker signed quietly this morning leaves 72.7% of the current $137 million deficit - - $99.5 million - - in place.

Call it the Union Rights Wipeout bill. That was the goal all along, and is now the result.

Walker Administration Will Stop Publishing Some Air Quality Information

The politicization of the DNR is off the charts - - literally - - as Wisconsin is now open for air pollution less publicized.  One of two notification systems - - the "watch," akin to weather "watches" that precede storm warnings, is being ended, says the agency in an email - - so if you have asthma, for example, you won't know the air conditions are favorable to constrict your breathing until you are already on your way to your desination.

Surprise!

Remember that Pat Stevens, a lawyer who worked for the road-builders, home-builders and the Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce,  is now managing the agency's air quality section.

This is the email text sent Friday morning, and it comes on the heels of another cutback at the DNR to make business happy - - reducing OWI enforcement on snowmobilers in the North Woods:

From:

"Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources"

 

To:

As of March 15, 2011, the Wisconsin DNR will no longer issue Air Quality Watches for ozone and particle pollution due to limited staff resources and the potential increase in the number of air quality notices under proposed revisions to federal air standards.

In the past, an air quality watch was issued when conditions were favorable for pollutants to reach unhealthy levels.

Watches are also being eliminated due to their confusion with Air Quality Advisories which are issued when pollution concentrations actually reach unhealthy levels for sensitive groups.

Air quality notices are issued as a public service by the DNR in partnership with the National Weather Service. They are not mandated by rule or law.

The DNR will continue to issue Air Quality Advisories when ozone and particle pollution levels are over or expected to reach the federal air quality standard.

To receive Air Quality Advisory notices, sign up at: http://www.dnr.wi.gov/air/newsletters.

Forecast information for seven Wisconsin cities is available at: AirNow - Wisconsin Air Quality and through subscription service with EnviroFlash.
Current air quality information is available at: DNR Air Monitoring: Today's Air Quality , Wisconsin Statewide Air Quality Notices, and the Air Quality Hotline at 1-866-324-5924 (1-866-DAILY AIR).

If you have questions, please contact Anne Bogar by email at anne.bogar@wisconsin.gov or by phone at (608) 266-3725.

For Walker, Twitter Conveys Insincerity, And Always The Spin

GovWalker Governor Walker

The earthquake in japan puts r debate in perspective. R thoughts and prayers r with those effected

3 hours ago 

New TV Ad For Chris Abele Rightly Connects Jeff Stone With Scott Walker

In the race for Milwaukee County Executive, Scott Walker is Republican candidate Jeff Stone's Millstone.

The new Abele ad is good and fair comment.

Remember that Stone twice voted for the so-called budget-repair bill that strips away union collective bargaining rights.

In a Tweet about Walker's bill- - and note the spin he had at the ready - -  Stone said: 

"'I stand with @GovWalker and am in Madison waiting to vote for his fiscal responsibility bill.'"

Boycotts, Large And Small, Follow Walker's Union-Busting Offensive

Elections have consequences, and so do the actions of winning candidates who didn't level with the electorate on their way to victory.

Under consequences, file this under boycotts:

There are lists on Facebook and the Internet of businesses which in one way or another directed money or support to the Walker campaign, and now boycotts of some of these interests are sprouting up.

You can find some of the boycott sites in this Journal Sentinel story.

A Facebook page - - Boycott Scott Walker Contributors - - that the newspaper story said on Tuesday had more than 9,000 followers had more than 14,000 Thursday night.

Several unions said they planned on boycotting M & I Bank. 

Organized withdrawals at one Madison branch reportedly shut it down.

And then there are those concerned and motivated citizens that simply use their spending to make a statement - - like people who stopped buying BP gasoline after the Gulf spill.

Pressure against companies has led to hundreds agreeing to withhold advertising from Glenn Beck's television show, so consumers do have power.

So I noticed this comment from a reader in Virginia that was posted beneath a New York Times story online about Walker and Wisconsin: 

BWilmer

Arlington, VA

March 9th, 2011

10:11 pm

I for one intend to avoid buying Wisconsin products: Cheese, butter, beer, and anything else that is from Wisconsin. If Wisconsin doesn't want unions, they don't want me.

My father was a steelworker and union member his entire life. I believe that his employer would have cut his wages to the legal minimum had there been no union.

Recommended by 1236 Readers

How many people around the country with strong union sentiments, or a simple belief in fair play, for that matter, will decide this summer that Door County, or the North Woods, or Milwaukee's lakefront museums or Miller Park aren't going to be their destinations?

Under that comment, notice that more than 1,200 people registered their support by clicking "recommend."

Arizona's economy got clipped years ago when the state legislature there refused to approve a state holiday in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and a national boycott led to the cancellation of conventions.  Eventually, the holiday was recognized and the boycott was lifted.

I can see the same sentiment mounting nationally to punish Wisconsin for the actions of its political leaders. If we get stamped as the nation's most radical, anti-union state, look for people to spend their discretionary income elsewhere.

It would be a shame if charter fishing captains and hotel workers and Wisconsin Dells concessionaires paid the financial price for Scott Walker and Scott Fitzgerald's authoritarian power plays, but if they are serious about jobs in the state they can do something now to minimize the damage they unleashed.

Several Legal Challenges Filed To The Budget-Repair (Sic) Bill, As Approved (Sic)

A do-over in the light of day could be ordered, so Walker may see his hurried signature erased from the budget-repair bill written less about the budget and more about deleting union bargaining rights.

Journal Sentinel Editorial Breaks Through Walker's Dishonest Spin

This line in today's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel editorial on union-busting measures put forward by Scott Walker that both houses of the State Legislature have now approved, and which, barring successful challenges, Walker will soon sign into law:

"Walker never campaigned on disenfranchising public-employee unions. If he had, he would not have been elected."

Wisconsin Assembly - - With Jeff Stone Voting "Aye," Passes Fake "Budget-Repair," Union-Busting Bill

So the State Assembly this afternoon fell in line again with Scott Walker's phony budget-repair bill - - which is now little more than a union-busting measure masquerading as the fiscal emergency budget-repair fix that it was first misleadingly labeled.

What passed were all the so-called non-fiscal elements - - like the squashing of collective bargaining rights - - so why were they in the budget-repair bill in the first place?

Note, please, that State Rep. Jeff Stone, (R-Greendale), continued his water-carrying for Walker with an "aye" vote, further cementing Stone's identity as anti-union, and anti-Milwaukee.

Voters in the April election for Milwaukee County Executive should remember Stone's Assembly vote and cast their ballots against Stone and in favor of Chris Abele for the county exec position.

Call Stone the second "domino," a precursor to the recall dominos lined up for Republicans like State Sen. Alberta Darling, (R-River Hills).

Video: Mad Men On Trains

And, no, Scott Walker is not in this video.


He is starring in the biopic "Mad Men Who Kill Trains," now in pre-production.

Racine Online Poll: Walker In Lead Right Now

Weigh in.

Walker Phoniness Continuing On Jobs Front

You can see from Walker's smug Tweet that he will take credit for events and trends far from Wisconsin, or that are due to federal actions, and even those of former Gov. Jim Doyle:

GovWalker Governor Walker

WI added 10,000 private sector jobs in Jan. Unemployment rate dropped to 7.4%. Good news. We are on right track.

19 hours ago Favorite Retweet Reply

Capitulating To Tavern Owners, DNR Pulls Back Northwoods OWI Enforcement

Ah, now Wisconsin is wider open to drunken snowmobiling, thanks to a deliberate pull back by the DNR under pro-business Cathy Stepp - - Scott Walker's new DNR secretary.

From a Fox6 News report:

For many snowblowers, sledding from bar to bar is an accepted part of the culture. A 2009 FOX6 investigation found riders getting loaded with no fear of getting stopped.

---

---

"DNR Director Cathy Stepp says, "There's a feeling or perception in the area of over enforcement."

To supplement local law enforcement efforts, the DNR spends $125,000 a year in overtime to fund a special Snowmobile Accident Reduction Team(SART)...

...Stepp says she's been hearing from constituents up north that they don't like the extra patrols. "And the perception was, there's a lot of tax dollars going to pay for overtime, and for time in the woods. I mean that's the perception."

Stepp recently ordered the SART team to stop enforcing snowmobiling laws in the northwoods. She claims there is no controversy in this move. She says it's a money saving move.

"I'm charged with being frugal with the money we're given."

Instead of disbanding SART, she reassigned them to patrol trails south of highway 29. It's a line that extends from Green Bay to Shawano to Eau Claire. Stepp says there's more deaths south of highway 29.

Stepps statement is barely true. There have been six riders killed north of highway 29 compared to eight deaths in the south.

Over the past nine seasons 140 snowmobilers have died in the northern third of the state, compared to just 72 everywhere else. That's a margin of 2-1.

Stepp admits she was influenced by a stream of complaints from northwoods business owners, snowmobile club members, and at least one police chief in Minocqua.

What Scott Walker Achieved Last Night

In 49 other states:

Right-wing notoriety.

Karl Rove respect.

Koch Brothers love.

First domino status - - (Fake Koch: "You’re the first domino." Walker: "Yep.") - - but in Wisconsin, being the first domino means being flat on your face, exposed and ready to be recalled.

Wisconsin Highways Deteriorating Faster Than Expected

Here's a worrisome finding.

Tommy Thompson ramped up the spending - - now the bills for repairs are piling up.

And the road-builders benefit from the endless cycle.

Walker's Ag Secretary Calls Capitol Protests A "Holocaust"

Listen to the people running state government.

Michigan Studying Implications Of Failed Local Governments: Eye-Popping Options

This story from the Michigan Messenger is interesting because, in an era of stressed government finances, a leading Wisconsin law firm is listed among those helping along the planning in Michigan if local governing bodies there become insolvent.

Sections of the story:

"The Treasury Dept. is in the process of training potential Emergency Managers, so the Messenger asked for some details of the training in hopes of better understanding the motivations and priorities of the folks who may soon take over our schools and towns.

"It turns out the training itself was mostly outsourced to the law and accounting firms — Plante & Moran, Plunkett & Cooney, Miller Canfield, Foley & Lardner — already involved in emergency financial management of Michigan towns...

"Kevin Lucey of the Bloomfield Hills accounting firm O’Keefe and Associates, a member of the Michigan Chapter of the Turnaround Management Association, provided an agenda for the day and half long event which was held at MSU’s Henry Center for Executive Development on Feb. 9 and 10.


"About 60 people, mostly accountants, lawyers, former city managers, and “private sector turnaround specialists” attended the event which featured “war stories” by many current and former Emergency Financial Managers, Lucey said.

"Though the House had not yet finalized its bill to expand Emergency Manager powers at the time of the training many participants were excited about the tools it seemed ready to extend to them, Lucey said.

“The legislation as it previously was didn’t give you much of a sword, it did not really allow you to deal with the biggest items like pension and post retirement options,” Lucey said. “Going after the contracts is kind of what everyone has been waiting for.“

"Lucey said that attendees were also excited about a provision of the bill (removed in the House but slated for reconsideration in the Senate) that would ban elected officials in towns where financial emergency is declared from running for office for 10 years."

In Wisconsin, The Biggest Miscalculation Yet

The legislative sneak attack by Wisconsin Republican State Senators Wednesday night to instantly delete 50 years of public employee collective bargaining rights was a repulsive political outburst, a dictatorial exercise of illegitimate state authority, a self-inflicted partisan wound and an historic civic mistake.

Without proper notice, without debate, behind locked doors and in slavish obeisance to Scott Walker, these politically puny eighteen state legislators put an indelible ideological stain on the state's progressive reputation and their own careers.

Scott Walker has behaved since his 52-47% election victory in November as if he had a mandate gift-wrapped in a 70%-30% landslide.

Walker and his legislative allies and far-right, Big Business-driven cabinet clearly have been in a bubble since the election, speaking only to each other - - planning, scheming, politicking - - without the restraint of wiser, venerable Republicans whose moderation had been expelled from the party years ago by the harder-edged Walker, Scott Jensen, John Gard and the Fitzgerald brothers, and national funders using Wisconsin as "the first domino," as Walker famously and honestly told the fake David Koch in that recorded, prank call, to push an anti-union, one-party agenda.

So by hook-and-crook, and with the false claim that the anti-union measures were crucial to closing the state's deficit, then with another bogus assertion that their goals were "modest," Republicans finally admitted the anti-union measure was a pure power grab had no relationship to the budget, stripped it from the bill and made it into a stand-alone measure that:

*  Ended collective bargaining for 175,000 Wisconsin residents;

*  Diminished their professions and standard of living;

*  Used state power to dilute their opponents' political and union influences;

*  Eroded middle-class living across the state.

Too clever by half: Walker and the Senate Republicans have guaranteed that recalls against them will succeed.

Let's hope that the damage The Insignificant 18 and their tin-horned leader in the East Wing of the Capitol have done to Wisconsin is as short-lived as their tenure in office.

Dim Bulbs Flickering In DC, Too

Some Members of Congress are for more air pollution. How. They want their wasteful light bulbs back.

For Recalls, Set Aside Money, Now; Here's A Plan

I wrote this a few weeks ago, and meant it.

$10-$20-$50/month multiplied by tens of thousands of people, here and across the nation, raises $50 million.

I'll double my personal pledge to $100/month and have about $1,000 by the end of the year for the Recall Walker fund.

Care to join?

In Wisconsin Senate, A Significant Action By Politically Insignificant People

The Illegitimate 18.

Jeff Stone Is Finished As A Milwaukee County Executive Candidate

Having voted once as a Scott Walker ally for the budget-repair bill that ended public employee collective bargaining in Wisconsin - - and knowing he will vote a second time in favor this Thursday - - State Rep. Jeff Stone, (R-Greendale) definitely forfeits the race in April to replace Walker as Milwaukee County Executive.

Walker's Calculus: Take The Hit Now, Survive Next Year. Make A Promise To Prove Him Wrong

In ramming through the end of public employee collective bargaining with a quick move, Scott Walker figures things will cool down by the beginning of the recall calendar in ten months.

I predict he is wrong, and becomes a former Governor a few months after that  - - having won a battle and lost the war.

New Republican Party Motto In Wisconsin: We Make Law By Breaking It

We make law by breaking it - - We exercise our rights by taking away yours.

Senate Passes End To Collective Bargaining For Public Employes; Walker, Senators' Recalls Assured

Without Democrats present Wednesday night, and without meeting the 24-hour public notice rule, the 19 Republican members of the Senate stripped out from the budget-repair bill the controversial language virtually ending public employees' collective bargaining rights, created a separate bill with those provisions to restrict public employee unions and deny them the right to bargain on anything but wage increases up to a predetermined cost-of-living measure - - and passed it as a separate, stand-alone bill, 18-1.

The full repair bill had already passed the Assembly.

The Senate can vote on non-spending matters without a quorum of 20 members being present, though how removing collective bargaining rights from public employees can be said to have no fiscal impact is beyond me.

This is a power-play of unprecedented nature. I think Walker and Republican senators who slipped this bill through without notice or debate can and should be recalled.

Further comment.

Parliamentary Move In Wisconsin Legislature May Presage Budget-Repair Bill Compromises

I will update this with a separate post about what the Senate just did, without debate or public notice, to pass a bill ending most public employee collective bargaining. Events are moving quickly. Much of the post below had assumed some good faith by the Senate and GOP, which was my bad.

Even though the bill has yet to receive a State Senate vote because of a quorum-blocking boycott by Democrats, the Senate has moved the bill - - which did pass the Assembly - - to a conference committee of legislative leaders.

That's what would happen normally if both houses had passed different versions of a bill; in this case, the Senate has not passed anything.

Maybe this is the way that changes/compromise language can be added to the bill, or overtly ugly anti-union wording initiated by Gov. Walker gets removed - - but without Walker making an overt initiative that his hard-core supporters would call selling-out.

But still get him most of what he wants.

Interesting development. We'll see. It could be just another Scott Fitzgerald/Walker power play to pressure the Senate Dems.

Could also be a way for State Rep. Jeff Stone, (R-Greendale), to get a do-over, and to nudge his candidacy for Milwaukee County Executive as Scott Walker's replacement away from the outer fringes of the hard, anti-worker Right.

Major Climate-Related Changes Appear In Ocean Food Chain

I expect Drs. Limbaugh, McConnell and Romney to ignore this story.

Wisconsin Senate Majority Leader Fizgerald Flubs Talking Points During Fox News Freebie

Oopsie:

Winning a battle for control of the State Senate is not about a budget or a fiscal crisis in Wisconsin - - it's about keeping the state red in the next Presidential election, says Scott Fitzgerald, the not-too-quick State Senate Majority Leader.

On Fox News.

Scott Walker's "Unbelievable Moment[s] Of True Journalism" Was Based On A Mistake

The Capital Times' John Nichols tells a great story about a story that was too good to be true.

It goes back to a detail in Scott Walker's infamous taped, prank call from a person claiming to be David Koch, a major supporter of right-wing causes and of Walker's gubernatorial campaign, too.

To drive home to the fake David Koch that the Walker anti-union message had support even among union members, Walker gleefully cited a New York Times story of February 21st about a man who had worked at the now-shuttered General Motors vehicle plant in Janesville who loved Walker's attack on public employee union workers. The United Auto Workers represented workers at the plant.

Nichols gets into the matter:

"The subject of the Feb. 21 piece was a fellow the Times identified as “Rich Hahan (who) worked at the General Motors plant here until it closed about two years ago … a union man from a union town …'”

No wonder Walker was giddy about the story.

He told the fake David Koch it was "one of those unbelievable moments of true journalism..."

Nichols quotes extensively from the transcript:

"Walker: ...I don’t normally tell people to read the New York Times, but the front page of the New York Times has got a great story, one of these unbelievable moments of true journalism, what is supposed to be objective journalism. They got out of the capital and went down one county south of the capital to Janesville, to Rock County, that’s where the General Motors plant once was."

“Koch” caller:  Right, right.

"Walker: ...The lead on this story is about a guy who was laid off two years ago, uh, he’s been laid off twice by GM, who points out that, uh, everybody else in his town has had to sacrifice except for all these public employees and it’s about damn time they do, and he supports me. Um, and they had a bartender, they had, I mean, every stereotypical blue-collar worker type they interviewed, and the only ones that weren’t with us were people who were either a public employee or married to a public employee. It’s an unbelievable story. So I went through and called all these, uh, a handful, a dozen or so lawmakers I worry about each day and said, “Everyone, we should get that story printed out and send it to anyone giving you grief.”

True journalism?

Really?

Get that story reprinted?

Not really.

The Times a few days later, Nichols notes, ran this correction:

“A front-page article on Tuesday about reaction among private sector workers in Wisconsin to Gov. Scott Walker’s effort to cut benefits and collective bargaining rights for unionized public employees referred incorrectly to the work history of one person quoted, and also misspelled his surname. While the man, Rich Hahn (not Hahan) described himself to a reporter as a ‘union guy,’ he now says that he has worked at unionized factories, but was not himself a union member. (The Times contacted Mr. Hahn again to review his background after a United Auto Workers official said the union had no record of his membership.)

There's something additionally comedic about Walker waxing so boastfully on a taped call to an impostor, then citing a newspaper story later corrected on the very point that supported Walker's boasts.

You wonder if the same Walker staffers who were so anxious to put the David Koch impostor on the line had also stuck that New York Times on the boss's desk for super-duper talking point material when the call from the fake Koch brother came through?

Washington Post Rates Michele Bachmann's Allegation of Secret Obama Spending "A Whopper"

A $105 billion secret?

Manipulated by the President?

Really?

'Revealed' by Bachmann - - who is an actual Member of Congress from Minneapolis, not a candidate for freshman class treasurer - - on the nationally-televised NBC news program "Meet the Press?"

On a hand-held sign? (NBC Meet the Press photo)

Is this duplicity or stupidity?

What is it with these truth-challenged Republicans?

If there's a competition, Scott Walker is a front-runner.

Institute For Wisconsin's Future State Budget Meetings Begin Statewide Tonight, Continue

Here's the schedule, as distributed by the group:

Find out how the proposed budget will affect your community

• Wednesday, March 9: Oshkosh, 7 pm, UW-Oshkosh Center for Equality and Diversity, 717 Irving St.
•  
• Wednesday, March 9: LaCrosse, 7 pm, Hmong Cultural and Community Center, 1815 Ward Ave.
•  
• Thursday, March 10: Appleton, 7 pm, Madison Middle School, 2020 South Carpenter.
•  
• Thursday, March 10: Eau Claire, 7 pm, DeLong Middle School, 200 Vine St.
•  
• Thursday, March 10: Racine, 7 pm, Case High School Auditorium, 7345 Washington Ave.
•  
• Monday, March 14: Shorewood, 7 pm, Shorewood High School Auditorium
•  
• Monday, March 14: Richland Center, 7 pm, place to be determined.

How Right-Wing Talkers Mislead Their Audiences

As noon approached Wednesday, a fearful-sounding Vicki McKenna warned her WISN 1130-AM audience (her show originates in Madison) that the Wisconsin Senate Democrats who left the state had "hijacked the Republic."

She said national labor leaders were "laundering money" and funneling it to the absent Democratic 14 state senators Democrats. 

She also said Democrats would stuff ballot boxes in up coming recall elections.

And suggested that Senate Republican leaders raise the fines they'd already assessed against absent Democrats from $100 to $1,000-a-day.

In the Charlie Sheen-inspired vernacular of the day, there was no winning in her panicked tone, allegations and thinking.

Then we had Rush Limbaugh showing why he is the champion of misinformation and panic.

Around 12:45 p.m. today Limbaugh argued (sic) that the "Democrat" party had fueled "laziness and sloth" by funding unemployment compensation, how these "public trough" programs were "Democrat" plans to buy votes and keep people from reaching "their full potential."

And, if you cut off what he called these "entitlements" there would be "riots," which is what Democrats want.

When I turned of the radio, Limbaugh stated that we already having "mini-riots" in Wisconsin; more are on the way for Indiana and Ohio.

And there are large numbers of people who think these shows present news or accurate, valuable information.

Darling, Facing Sure Recall, Could Use Those Big Bucks She Gave Walker

$6,250 from her PAC.

More context about Scott Walker, Alberta clipper, here.

Milwaukee Wins "Smarter Cities" Grant From IBM

IBM has included the City of Milwaukee in the company's first round of "Smarter Cities" grant recipients, according to a news release by the company.

This means Milwaukee will receive technical assistance and other benefits from IBM in the range of $400,000 to improve municipal services.

This was a competitive grant award process, so congratulations to City Hall; more details later.

Wauwatosa Republican Senator Interferes In City Of Milwaukee Labor Policies

Suburban and out-state legislators love to lecture Milwaukee and interfere in its schools, labor and budgetary issues - - look at what Scott Walker and his allies want to do to Milwaukee schools through unlimited expansion with public funds of the private school choice program - - but here comes State Senator Leah Vukmir, (R-Wauwatosa), proposing state legislation to exempt Milwaukee police officers and fire-fighters from residency requirements that the city and unions involved have negotiated and agreed up for many years.

This is akin to earlier state legislation also created as political favors to the Milwaukee Police Association that required only the City of Milwaukee to continue to pay the salaries and benefits of police officers convicted of crimes - - but whose cases were still somewhere in an appeals' process - - and another Milwaukee-only state law also forced local taxpayers to cough up portions of top police union officials' salaries.

Vukmir's scheme is another effort using state power to weaken the City of Milwaukee and its elected leaders politically while catering to unions that support Republican candidates.

Home rule? Local control? A fair use of legislative authority?

Hardly. It's Big Government, GOP-style.

Scott Walker Could Retire Alberta Darling

State Sen. Alberta Darling, (R-River Hills), could be collateral damage exhibit "A" in the Scott Walker-inspired spate of recall election petition drives underway statewide.

Scott Walker, Wisconsin's Alberta clipper (and major Darling donation recipient, too).

Sure, Darling has protection among Republicans in the silk stocking portion of her district, and into more conservative Waukesha, Ozaukee and Washington Counties, but she also faces surging, committed and probably unprecedented Democratic organizing in the more densely-populated Milwaukee County communities of Glendale, Brown Deer, Whitefish Bay, Shorewood and portions of the east side of Milwaukee.

She beat then-State Rep. Sheldon Wasserman, (D) in his 2008 challenge, but only by 52%-48%.

And that was before Walker "dropped the bomb" (his phrase, to the fake David Koch) on unions and the middle-class - - issues on which Darling, a co-chair of the legislature's Committee on Joint Finance, had raced out to defend Walker.

And for which Darling earned her very own PolitiFact false rating when she implied that public sector unions wouldn't miss bargaining on non-wage issues because unions usually don't bargain those issues, anyway.

This is a key section of that PolitFact scolding, as Darling had said:

"...The governor is proposing that we have collective bargaining deal only with wages which is how it is, for the most part, in the private sector."

"That didn’t sound right to us.

"Walker’s bill would rewrite the state Employment Relations Act -- a law covering state employees that is more than 50 years old and was last amended in 1971. But private sector unions are covered by a federal law and generally bargain on all sorts of things.

"We tried to reach Darling to ask for her backup, but she didn’t respond."

"So we turned to some experts who are involved in private sector labor relations. And we took a look at federal law, the National Labor Relations Act, which governs most private employers...

"The law gives workers the right to bargain collectively for a contract that sets wages, benefits, hours and other working conditions, the NLRA says.

"The law also requires workers and employers to "bargain in good faith about wages, hours, vacation time, insurance, safety practices and other mandatory subjects."

"That covers a lot more than wages.

You can bet that Darling is hoping the Senate Democrats come back from Illinois and make a deal, and fast - - but I keep hearing directly that people in Darling's district who are fed up being represented by a River Hills Republican already are reporting huge progress on recall petition signature collection.

Time will tell, but I'm thinking the requisite number of signatures will be collected well within the 60-day statutory period.

[Note: check out the posted comment from the recall organizer Kristopher Rowe. I don't know him, but he's got important first-hand information about how the effort is being run.]

Mayor Barrett, Victims' Families Want Better Gun Buyer Background Checks

Testimony and data reveal faulty background checks for some gun purchasers have caused unneeded deaths and suffering, according to a fine posting by Bill Christofferson.

A national "traveling campaign is in the state until Thursday," he writes.

"Details about the route and the campaign are at www.FixGunChecks.org  You can sign the petition and join the campaign there, too."

Desperado Takes His Desperate Measures

This 1986 high school photo of Scott Walker, a.k.a. "The Desperado," is circulating on the Internet.

 

Mark Belling Explains Why Democrats Should Not Return To State Senate

He said on his show this afternoon that Scott Walker's concessions offered to Senate Democrats were 6% of what he wanted, so Walker would be getting 94%.

Doesn't sound like a deal the Democrats should be taking.

Also read what Democratic State Sen. Bob Jauch has to say about what's really going on.

Where Walker's No-Tax-Increase/Fee-Increase Budget Has Some Tax And Fee Increases

Scott Walker has said repeatedly that his budget does not raise taxes or fees.

Told that to the Associated Press.

So let's get past the talking points to the facts.

The budget says on page 49:

"Provide for modest annual tuition increases at University of Wisconsin System institutions to keep resident undergraduate tuition affordable without sacrificing quality."

I have heard and reported that number might be 8% a year for two years, so 16%+.

And look out when you hear Walker say modest.

So tuition is a not a fee?

Stop the word games.

And though Walker spins that his budget cut to a federal tax credit for low-income working families is not a state tax increase, it will raise state income taxes for some recipients.

The bottom line, I guess: students and the working poor are not people.

Walker's Faith Excludes A Mission For The Poor

Deep faith, yes. 

(Hat tip, The Progressive.)

Concern for the poor?

Get working on those bootstraps.

Former GOP Capitol Aide Advises Incumbent GOP Legislators: Save Yourselves

Interesting advice offered to State Republicans legislators from a former staffer:

Don't follow the Wisconsin version of Sarah Palin and Walk(er) off the ledge.

Conservatives Say "Run Government Like A Business" - - Is This A Model?

At a major Wisconsin bank holding company - - there is this trifecta:

Big losses, big drop in stock price, big raise for the CEO.

Walker Tolerated Water Pollution As Milwaukee County Exec - - Plans Dirty Water Initiatives Statewide

Ron Seely at The State Journal does a great job in this piece explaining Scott Walker's plans to roll back rules and procedures designed to keep pollutants out of Wisconsin lakes and streams.

So Wisconsin will be open for water pollution - - by design. It's all part of Walker's goal to make Wisconsin more competitive.

Maybe for lake-weed chemical industries, or dead fish haulers.

There is precedent in his record for failing to prevent pollution to water under his control.

Scientists discovered a few years ago that bacteria-contaminated water was flowing across Bradford Beach - - the premier public Lake Michigan beach owned by Milwaukee County.

At the time, Walker had been Milwaukee County Executive for three years.

I wrote an account of the issue in 2005 before it hit the mainstream media.

The polluted water, including the bacteria E. coli., was running out of five Milwaukee County-owned storm water pipe openings, called "outflows," that drained Milwaukee County's Lake Park on the bluff above the beach.

Walker's response - - the County did not have money to do anything about it.

So others stepped in.

The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District provided funds so the beach's sandy areas could be groomed and cleaned.

Private donors contributed more clean-up funds so Bradford Beach could be reclaimed for sunbathers, swimmers and other visitors.

Rain gardens were installed above on the bluff, also with private support, so pollutants could be captured before flowing down to Lake Michigan, and more gardens were put in near the outflows to keep more of the pollutants out of the lake.

Milwaukee County eventually became a partner in these efforts, but Walker did not take the lead - -- even though these assets were under his jurisdiction.

There was a good account last year during the campaign for Governor of the Lake Par/Bradford Beach history, but never got a good airing.

Seely explains that Walker is now willing to tolerate pollution for our waterways equal to what neighboring states approve - - if and when they do - - so we will follow whatever is OK in Iowa or Illinois.

Governance by shoulder-shrug. As happened when Walker was Milwaukee County Exec.

When did that become the Wisconsin way?

Democrats: Let's Talk. Walker: They're Blocking Talks

Only in WalkerWorld is an offer to talk an effort to block talks.

Sensenbrenner Joins The No-Debate-Needed-Here-In-Wisconsin Club

Cong. Jim Sensenbrenner, (R), earned late night-night monologue fame a while ago for unplugging a Congressional hearing In Washington, D.C. and walking out when he didn't like the tenor of the testimony.

He did much the same at a Town Hall meeting in front of constituents last night.

Oh, way too much talk about fellow Republican's Scott Walker's budget/union-busting bills for the long-term Congressman/walking-billboard-for-term-limits, he.

So: early gavel. 

The pattern is clear - - from our no-negotiations Governor, to the Assembly Republicans who stifled testimony on the Walker budget-repair plan in Madison, to their senior caucus Congressman when he's got control of the gavel and microphone in DC or back home: Republicans abhor discussion and public input: it interferes with authoritarian behavior.

The John Birch Society - - 50's Throwback - - Is Alive And Well In Wisconsin

Decades ago, the John Birch Society was a discarded, far-right and conspiratorialist fringe group, but how many of you know that:

*  It moved to Appleton from Texas a few years ago, and is part and parcel of the national conservative movement.

*  Now has an Internet presence that is following events in Madison set off by Gov. Scott Walker's radical, right-wing and anti-union legislation - - which Birchers like.

*  The Koch brothers - - major Walker backers and super-wealthy national conservative financiers - - are sons of one of the Birch Society originals.

Maybe we should call Scott Walker a Bircher.

Not to be confused with Birther, though who knows?

Walker Dumps On Dems

Sen.Miller wants a meeting. Walker calls the idea "ridiculous." Where is the leadership?

(Sorry about the typos in this poriginal: blogging on a Droid phone - - an experiment - - is not for un-nimble.)

Major Energy Summit Upcoming At MATC

Register Online Now! Everyone can attend the Summit: STUDENTS register free of charge (but still must register); VOLUNTEERS register free for the day; Many DISCOUNT opportunities!

www.greenenergysummit.us

Sent By: Green Energy Summit 700 W. State Street Milwaukee WI 53233 U.S.A.

To view as a web page.

Walker Miscalculation # 3134

Threatening thousands of layoffs, in this economy,speaks to his arrogance and isolation. He is in over his head: our one year recall waiting period is saving his bacon but means a year of Hell awaits him.

Funny Posting About Walker

This is in the "wish I'd done that" category.