What’s an unpopular Strongman to do, when confronted with the prospect of losing his grip on power? Well, for Wisconsin Republican Governor Scott “Baseball Bat” Walker, rigging the rules seems to be the strategy!
Republicans try to rewrite recall rules
The goal: Give Gov. Walker a better chance at keeping his job
Ruth Conniff on Thursday 10/13/2011Now that state Republicans have weakened Wisconsin’s campaign finance and disclosure rules and made it harder for students, poor people and minorities to vote, they are turning their attention to another urgent matter: getting control over the recall process for Gov. Scott Walker.
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As Sun Prairie Democrat Gary Hebl pointed out during the Thursday hearing, the Republicans are trying to turn the GAB from a watchdog into a lapdog. First, they proposed an “emergency rule change” to address the GAB’s decision. That’s handy for them, because while they can’t reverse GAB decisions, they can kill a rule.Also handy: They just rejiggered the rule-making process so every administrative rule change has to go through the governor’s office, and the governor has full veto power.
In other words, the governor himself would have final say over the process for recalling him.
(more, here)
Can’t you just see ol’ Milhous Nixon smiling over THAT one??!?
So, why would ol’ “Baseball Bat” Walker need to rig the recall rules?
The Walker Recall: By The Numbers
Monday, October 24, 2011Just weeks before the official kickoff to the Recall Walker movement, things aren’t looking too good for the puppet governor of Corporate America. The Democrats have just released the numbers related to a survey of Wisconsinites regarding Walker and his job performance.
Walker must be reaching for the industrial-sized bottle of antacid whenever he sees these numbers.
And there’s little doubt ol’ “Baseball Bat” Walker will – WILL – be recalled; Milwaulkee’s AM620 WTMJ reports Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk and former US Rep. David Obey were there and both names are being floated as possible candidates to depose GOPer Strongman Scott Walker – and end their report with this line: “Organizers plan to start heading door to door with recall petitions on November 15th.”
As well they should; GOPer Walker is but one example of why I always say “Republicans run on the platform ‘Government doesn’t work!’ – and once elected, they prove it.”
Oh – and be sure to link here For A Campaign Message From The Governor’s Office.
# # #
Here are the previous Strongman Reports:
(Strongman Report – 11 August 2011)
(Strongman Report – 14 April 2011)
(Strongman Report – 14 April 2011)
(Strongman Report – 30 March 2011)
(Strongman Report – 20 March 2011)
(Strongman Report – 08 March 2011)
(Strongman Report – 05 March 2011)
Faux News asked Scott “Baseball Bat” Walker:
Steve Doocy asked the governor if he thought the recall vote was a referendum on him and his policies.
Walker responded saying,
“Well, there is no doubt voters last November wanted us to focus on jobs, and fixing our budget, and we’ve done that.”
He went on to say,
“I think they [voters] affirmed that on Tuesday, and they said along the way, they want us to figure out ways to work together to do even more for jobs because it’s not happening Washington.”
Here’s just one example of Walker’s idea of “focusing on jobs”…
“Senator’s girlfriend had help getting job”
Daniel Bice, Milwaulkee Jorunal-Sentinel, 20 March 2011Even though the state is supposedly broke, top officials in Gov. Scott Walker’s team were able to scrape together enough money to give a state job to the woman identified as Sen. Randy Hopper’s girlfriend.
Anything for a political ally.
Valerie Cass, a former Republican legislative staffer, was hired Feb. 7 as a communications specialist with the state Department of Regulation and Licensing. She is being paid $20.35 per hour. The job is considered a temporary post.
Cass previously had worked in the state Senate and for the GOP campaign consulting firm Persuasion Partners in Madison. She also was paid for campaign work for the state Republican Party and U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner before that.
(more, here)
The amazing thing, about that girl’s boytoy, GOPer State Senator, Randy Hopper?
GOPers voted for him in droves during last Tuesday’s recall election, and he dam near won.
Which just goes to show, once again: GOPers believe in the sanctity of marriage – by OTHERS.
Here are the previous Strongman Reports…
(Strongman Report – 14 April 2011)
(Strongman Report – 14 April 2011)
(Strongman Report – 30 March 2011)
(Strongman Report – 20 March 2011)
(Strongman Report – 08 March 2011)
(Strongman Report – 05 March 2011)
(Strongman Report – 01 March 2011)
( cross posted at MnProgressiveProject.com; comments welcome there)
While even a heart attack and hospitalization can’t keep Egyptian Investigators from looking into Mubarek’s alleged embezzlement of government funds and Nelly Furtado, Beyonce and even the London School of Economics are dumping tainted Gaddafi loot, PR Watch notes that ol’ “Baseball Bat” Walker is still hanging on to $7k in tainted money from convicted felonBill Gardner – CEO of the Wisconsin & Southern Railroad (WSOR).
Just a little more than 100 days into office, ol’ “Baseball Bat” Walker’s scandals are proving Walker as corrupt a Strongman as, well, let’s just say even Milhous “I am not a crook” Nixon might approve.
Ol’ Baseball Bat’s only “problem” is Wisconsin’s Government Accountability Board doesn’t approve of criminal behavior.
And just the other day: Scandal in Fitzwalkerstan: Top Donor Pleads Guilty in Money-Laundering Scheme to Aid Governor Walker.
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again, and ol” Baseball Bat – GOPer Governor Scott Walker demonstrates it: “Republicans run on the platform “Gov’t doesn’t work!” – once elected, they prove it.”
Previous Strongman Reports follow!
(Strongman Report – 14 April 2011)
(Strongman Report – 30 March 2011)
(Strongman Report – 20 March 2011)
(Strongman Report – 08 March 2011)
(Strongman Report – 05 March 2011)
(Strongman Report – 01 March 2011)
(cross posted at MnProgressiveProject.com; comments welcome there)
…”Brownie, You’re Doin’ A Heckuva Job!!!”
Republicans run on the platform “Gov’t doesn’t work!!!” – and once elected, they prove it.
One of the ways they prove it, is by appointing political hacks to jobs eminently unqualified for, such as a former Judges and Stewards Commissioner for the International Arabian Horse Association becoming Director of FEMA: Michael “Heckuva job!” Brown (who today, incidentally, is a radio talk show host in Denver).
Reasonable people understand parental patronage by Strongmen like Gaddafi – i.e., cushy jobs for the Dictator’s kids – but were outraged by Boy Blunder’s Plunderers political patronage pick of Brownie (and others like him) and Brownie’s subsequent (lack of) performance after Hurricane Katrina. Reasonable people understand the difference between a dictatorship and a democracy.
So it’s understandable reasonable people are outraged by Ol’ “Baseball Bat” Walker’s most recent political patronage pick, givin’ a “job” to the kid of a campaign donor. From the Milwaulkee Journal-Sentinel:
No degree, little experience pay off big
April 3, 2011Just in his mid-20s, Brian Deschane has no college degree, very little management experience and two drunken-driving convictions.
Yet he has landed an $81,500-per-year job in Gov. Scott Walker’s administration overseeing environmental and regulatory matters and dozens of employees at the Department of Commerce. Even though Walker says the state is broke and public employees are overpaid, Deschane already has earned a promotion and a 26% pay raise in just two months with the state.
How did Deschane score his plum assignment with the Walker team?
It’s all in the family.
His father is Jerry Deschane, executive vice president and longtime lobbyist for the Madison-based Wisconsin Builders Association, which bet big on Walker during last year’s governor’s race.
The group’s political action committee gave $29,000 to Walker and his running mate, Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, last year, making it one of the top five PAC donors to the governor’s successful campaign. Even more impressive, members of the trade group funneled more than $92,000 through its conduit to Walker’s campaign over the past two years.
Total donations: $121,652.
(more at JSOnline.com)
This story comes out just a few weeks after the Journal Sentinel reported Ol’ “Baseball Bat” Walker’s misAdministration gave a cushy state job to GOPer State Senator Randy Hopper’s mistress, Hopper’s wife, presumably, is not amused; she reportedly signed Hopper’s Recall Petition.
Not that Minnesota GOPers are immune from putting political hacks on the public payroll; I suggest (IMNSHO) that the biggest waste of taxpayer dough here on the semi-frozen tundra is GOPer Michael Brodkorb’s salary.
There’s a pattern here, Gentle Readers.
That pattern is Republicans run on the platform “Gov’t doesn’t work!!!” – and once elected, they prove it.
Here’s the list of previous Strongman Reports:
(Strongman Reort – 30 March 2011)
(Strongman Report – 20 March 2011)
(Strongman Report – 08 March 2011)
(Strongman Report – 05 March 2011)
(Strongman Report – 01 March 2011)
(cross posted at MnProgressiveProject; comments welcome there)
While Gaddafi went on Libya State TV (why not? He owns it) to channel the ghosts of Baghdad Bob and Tom Emmer, ol’ “Baseball Bat” Walker chose to go on Faux Noise Fox News (why not? The GOP owns it) to peddle similar camel dung: Sean insHanitty Interviews Walker: Walker Claims Credit for 10,000 New Jobs And Lower Unemployment
Hey – “Baseball Bat” Walker’s makin’ that claim all over! Like, just last week – in Hudson, WI:
MnPP: Walker Claims Credit for 10,000 New Jobs And Lower Unemployment
Speakin’ o’ other claims Ol’ Baseball Bat is makin’ that aren’t true:
Hey – who the (cheney) does Ol’ Baseball Bat think he is – former Gov. “TBag” Pawlenty??!?
TBag’s court cases don’t turn out so swell – for Timmy. Ol’ Baseball Bat’s only been in office for FAR too long since January, and already this:
The first installment of this Strongman Report series was subtitled …”Today’s Example of “Republicans run on the platform ‘Government doesn’t work!’ – and once elected, they prove it.”. Graphics and links for previous installments in this series follow!
(Strongman Report – 08 March 2011)
(Strongman Report – 05 March 2011)
(Strongman Report – 01 March 2011)
(cross posted at MnProgressiveProject.com; comments welcome there)
On Saturday, March 12th, there was an explosion at the double-whammied Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in Japan. On Sunday, a local RightWingNut Blogger that tells so many whoppers that a fellow progressive blogger created a tag just for him (“Gross Inaccuracies”) ripped Senator Klobuchar with this headline:
Sen. Klobuchar Picking Winners & Losers
Sen. Klobuchar has joined with Tim Johnson to co-sponsor legislation that picks economic winners and losers:
Mr. Gross Inaccuracies finishes his rant with:
Nuclear power plants, oil refineries and new oil rigs won’t get built because organizations like MCEA won’t let them get built.
If Sen. Klobuchar was interested in proven solutions, she needs to ignore these special interest groups when their agenda runs contrary to the needs of We The People.
Here’s what Mr. Gross Inaccuracies forgets: when, in 1957, Congress enacted the Price-Anderson Nuclear Industries Indemnity Act – Congress picked nuclear power to be a “winner”.
Yes, that same industry Mr. Gross Inaccuracies is championing now – nuclear power – is only around because over 50 years ago, Congress passed a law saying – in essence – that since nuclear power cannot (at ANY price) obtain liability insurance for it’s operation, if there’s an accident, the kind and generous and good ol’ USofA TaxPayers would pick up the cleanup tab.
No only is Mr. Gross Inaccuracies today’s example of “Those that forget the lessons of history tend to vote GOP” – he’s also a prime example of “Republicans are against federal handouts (except when they’re not).”
Handouts, such as 1957′s Price-Anderson Nuclear Industries Indemnity Act…
(cross posted at MnProgressiveProject.com; comments welcome there)
(With news that 2 of 3 (and 3rd might be next) of the reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi Plant in Japan, I thought it might be time to remind people that the only industry that I know of that does NOT have to provide liability insurance is Nuclear. In the case of a meltdown, Taxpayers pick up the cleanup tab. The USS Ronald Reagan is off the Japanese Coast for assistance operations and reportedly just got a dose of radiation; you know – KNOW – who’s going to pay for that. NOT the Nuclear Industry; it’s taxpayers – you and me. The following was originally posted on 26 January 2010)
I saw the link in Politics In Minnesota’s Morning Report; a story written by one of the mutts over at “Freedom Dogs”. Quite certain it was filled with typical republiCon bull(chips), I clicked on the link. I, of course, was correct – complete tripe, and simply another example of “Republicans are against federal handouts (except when they’re not)”
The issue this time, from the mutts, was nuclear power. Let’s look at just one line (I could rip more, but I’m really rather busy to waste too much time on these mutts):
“Nuclear power is safe, efficient, cost-effective, and it’s what the fast growth countries have been doing for years.”
Yeah, “right”. It’s so (cheney)in’ safe, that Xcell Energy mailed out the following calendar to those in the immediate fall-out zone, in 2009:
MONTICELLO EMERGENCY PLANNING GUIDE AND CALENDAR 2009
Those beyond the immediate fall-out zone? Well, if you are it sucks to be you, but: “sucks to be you” really is the mantra in today’s GreedOverPrinciples party so no surprise there!
Here’s the part, that really, Really, REALLY tells me that nukes are safe:
In the unlikely event of a nuclear generating plant accident, how would you be notified?
If the public needs to take shelter or evacuate, warning sirens will sound.
Weather-alert radios will also activate and you will hear a message.
Listen for a steady siren tone lasting 3 minutes. In areas not served by sirens, slow-moving law enforcement vehicles or state helicopters will warn citizens using sirens and loudspeakers.
Now, no one ever accused those mutts at “Freedom Dogs” of bein’ none-too-bright. Lemmings? Yep. Bootlickers? Of course! Flat-out liars? Well, click on the link above, and judge for yourself.
Here’s the kicker: mutts like the Freedom Lemmings “Dogs” love – LOVE – to claim that they’re “free-marketeers” that hate – HATE – “government handouts.”
Folks, the simple fact is, there would be no – NONE – nuclear plants now in operation, had not the nuclear industry been given the federal handout known as the Price-Anderson Nuclear Industries Indemnity Act.
In a nutshell, The Price-Anderson Act says that if, as stated in the Excel Calendar above, there’s an “unlikely event of a nuclear generating plant accident” and there’s a whole bunch of damages, Excel isn’t on the hook for the damages – YOU are. Me, too. Well, EVERYONE is. That’s right; nuclear plants don’t have to buy no stinkin’ liability insurance; the nuclear industry instead will stick the taxpayers with the tab if there’s a meltdown.
“Too big to fail” ring a bell?
Here’s why the nuclear industry puts the cost of a (cheney)up meltdown on the American Taxpayers: it’s because no insurance company in their right mind would ever – EVER – insure a nuclear plant for liability. So, to make the buck, the nuclear industry has to put the good ol’ USofA taxpayers on the hook. If they had to buy liability insurance in the open market (“Hello, Allstate?”), and factor that cost into the end price customers paid, other technologies would suddenly look mighty cheap in comparison. You know, like solar? Hydro? Wind? Yada, yada, yada?
Price-Anderson, Gentle Readers, is a Federal Handout – something today’s alleged “conservatives” claim they are against.
Can anybody reading this, tell me one other industry that doesn’t have to provide liability insurance for their operations; one other industry that has to have – HAS TO HAVE – the American Taxpayers on the hook, in order to be economically viable?
As far as I know, nuclear is the only one that fits both of the above.
I’d bet the mutts over at Freedom Dogs never thought of that, before they decided to (once again) play bootlicker for the GOP’s benefactors (this time, the nuclear industry). And I’m certain they never figured out that although they claim (loudly and often) that they want LESS Government, expansion of nuclear power would require MORE government: more regulators/more inspectors/more fire/more police/more emergency responders/more yada, yada, yada.
Unless, of course, they’re advocating MORE nuclear power with LESS government regulations and oversight and evacuation plans, yada, yada, yada.
If they are (and don’t put anything beyond the realm of those mutts), I’m certain they’d have no problemo if said new nuclear plant were built upwind from them by a company run by, say, Ken Lay Jr., or, perhaps, a Charles Keating The Third, or say, the next Tom Petters?
At any rate, the whole sorry saga of alleged “conservatives” advocating for more nuclear power is also another example of:
“Hypocrisy, Thy Party Is GOP”
(cross posted at MnProgressiveProject.com; comments welcome there)
From the #YouCantMakeThisStuffUp Dept…. while Gaddafi declared a tax cut…
2:41pm Libyan state TV announces wide-ranging tax cuts. It says:
The general public committee has decided to reduce customs on basic commodities to zero per cent and to reduce customs on all other commodities to only five per cent. It also decided to remove all consumption and production taxes.
… Madison.com reports that “Walker’s budget slashes tax credits that aid poor:
Low-income taxpayers in Wisconsin would lose hundreds of dollars in tax credits a year under Gov. Scott Walker’s proposed budget — at the same time the governor wants tax cuts for businesses and investors to boost jobs.
Thanks to the eagle-eyed and dedicated reader that sent that tip in!!!
In other news of note concerning Scott “Baseball Bat” Walker, who dreams of treating the least amongst him worse than Gadaffi:
Walker’s Latest Mea Nota Culpa, via the Wisconsin State Journal.
The Daily Page: “A former GOP aide to Senate Republicans: You can beat Walker”
Via the Green Bay Press-Gazette: “(GOP) Sen. Cowles: Republicans have to be “flexible” on collective bargaining negotiations”
Via DailyKos: “Wisconsin recall update: 15% of signature goal reached”
And finally, Faux Noise’s @MikeTobinFox still hasn’t posted a new tweet, ever since the news came out he’s a KochWhore SpokesTool “typical Fox Reporter”.
Send tips/suggestions for the next “Strongman Report” to: TwoPuttTommy@mnprogressiveproject.com …
(05 March 2011 Strongman Report, here)
(01 March 2011 Strongman Report, here)
(cross posted at MnProgressiveProject.com; comments welcome there)
Recommended Reading (and, in one case, viewing!):
WaPo:” Jon Stewart hosts Ravitch, rips critics of teachers in newest, funniest show”
The Daily Page: “Isthmus, Wisconsin Associated Press sue Gov. Scott Walker over access to emails”
Albert Lea Tribune: “Minnesota Watches Wisconsin”
MPP: “Canada prohibits Faux Noise broadcasting; Wisconsin Protests demonstrate why”
Strib: “Arne Carlson criticizes Wisconsin governor’s tactics”
Send tips/suggestions for the next “Strongman Report” to: TwoPuttTommy@mnprogressiveproject.com …
(01 March 2011 Strongman Report, here)
(cross posted at MnProgressiveProject.com; comments welcome there)
I’ve written about the GOP’s Small Tent Party; I’ve often said that Republicans are morally bankrupt, intellectually dishonest, and institutionally corrupt. And at the bottom of my comments, here on MPP, it always says “Those that forget the lessons of history tend to vote GOP.”
I bring this up today, because of a column the other day on Alternet.org:
10 Historical ‘Facts’ Only a Right-Winger Could Believe
Facts, including historical ones, are ‘biased’ against the right’s worldview.
By Roy Edroso February 11, 2011
Here’s a couple off the list:
10. The Robber Barons weren’t robbers — they were capitalist heroes.
7. The Founding Fathers really tried to end slavery.
4. Margaret Sanger was all about the eugenics.
1. FDR: History’s greatest monster.
And here’s how the author concludes his column:
Clearly the War on FDR is a proxy struggle with the (substantially less aggressive) current president — they seek to make activist government look foolish, in hopes of preventing it from being tried again. But then, in a way all their other historical revisions are also directed at their current enemies. They go through the ghost of Margaret Sanger to stymie feminists; through the shades of Galileo and Darwin to warn off scientists; through the late MLK to get at voters whose enthusiasm for a black president thwarts their own electoral ambitions, etc. For them, history, like everything else, is just politics by other means.
This column is all about “dividing and conquering” – the only way the GOP – The Small Tent Party – can achieve electoral victory.
Tell an untruth – a “lie” if you prefer – and splinter off a segment of the electorate (eithe through gaining their vote, or disgusting them to the point they stay home on election day) is how the GOP operates.
“I have been thinking that I would make a proposition to my Republican friends… that if they will stop telling lies about the Democrats, we will stop telling the truth about them.” ~ Adlai E. Stevenson
True then, true now, and it’ll be true tomorrow too – just as “Republicans are morally bankrupt, intellectually dishonest, and institutionally corrupt” is true.
The only way to stop the GOP’s Small Tent “divide and conquer” strategy is to band and stand together with people you simply will not always agree with, but agree with most of the time.
The “DFL” here in Minnesota is, by definition, a coalition. “Democrats, Farmers, and Labor.” By definition, the diverse members of this coalition have not/ do not/ will not always agree. And that’s ok. Just remember that while you’re arguing an issue with someone that generally agrees with you on other issues, they generally agree with you on other issues. Agree to disagree on that issue when the day is done, because being part of this coalition makes strength through numbers; strength to fight The Small Tent Party’s lies, deceit, revisionistic history – the GOP’s “divide and conquer strategy.”
(cross posted at MnProgressiveProject.com; comments welcome there).
