Walker Gives Up, Refuses to Contest Recall

This quote sums up my opinion:

“It’s bordering on the absurd. He has had three times what is legally allowed to review them and he is claiming that we had an easier task collecting signatures in the snow than he did,” said Mike Tate, chairman of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. “And now, after months of hearing about supposed fraud, they can’t give us one — not one — fraudulent signature. I think the charade is up.”

Link: http://www.defendwisconsin.org/2012/02/27/walker-wont-file-challenges-to-recall-signatures/ 

Maddow Shreds PolitiFact

A well-done rebuke of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal's PolitiFact critique of her work.

Republican Wisconsin Assembly Rep. Caught on Video Voting for Someone Else

Joel Kleefisch, a Wisconsin Assembly Representative and husband of Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, was recently caught on tape voting on legislature for other Republicans who were not in the Assembly hall.  Ironically, the use of cell phones is also not permitted - but you can see by the look on Kleefisch's face that he knows he's busted.



Link:  http://www.todaystmj4.com/features/iteam/140096183.html

Why the Senate Hasn't Passed a Budget

It is not because the Democrat-controlled Senate doesn't want to, it's because they don't have enough votes to stop a Republican filibuster.

Link: http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2012/02/parliamentary-procedure

Scott Jensen Reviewed Redistricting Maps

As you may know, Scott Jensen is the disgraced former lawmaker from Wisconsin.  What the hell was he doing looking at these maps when Democratic lawmakers were not allowed to?

Link: http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/redistricting-maps-shared-with-former-assembly-speaker-jensen-mq482he-139527033.html

Leaked Right Wing Think Tank Documents Show Plan to Discredit Wisconsin Schools, Teachers

The documents, which were provided anonymously to ThinkProgress, a liberal website, include plans to discredit schools and teachers.  The documents are referred to as, "Breathtaking," by a Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction spokesperson.

Links:  http://thinkprogress.org/heartland-institute-documents/  and http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/leaked-documents-detail-operation-angry-badger-u447pp9-139483133.html

House Dems Walk Out on Religious Freedom Committee Hearing, Citing Sexism

Not one of the witnesses that Republicans called to testify were women, although the topic was about birth control - a specifically women-related issue.  When Democrats were blocked from introducing their own witness, a woman, they walked out of the hearing in protest.  Good for them!

Link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/16/contraception-hearing-house-democrats-walk-out_n_1281730.html?igoogle=1

3 Judge Panel in Wisconsin Slams Republican Confidentiality Claim

Why are Wisconsin's Republicans worried that their correspondence with a private law firm might get out to the public?  Not only is it an election year and they are trying to game voter turnout in key districts, but there may be some malfeasance going on in terms of their use of state funds for political work.

Link: http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/federal-judges-slam-gop-lawmakers-over-redistricting-secrecy-0l47pqm-139467038.html

Keith Olbermann Destroys Andrew Breitbart's Occupy Rape Defense After Meltdown

This has got to be one of the worst publicity stunts ever, if indeed that's what it is.  In case you haven't been following it, the conservative media hack Andrew Breitbart (who was behind the ACORN setups) completely melted down in front of Occupy protesters at the recent CPAC event in Washington DC.  Here's a video of him yelling, "Stop raping people," and, "Behave yourselves."



Later, he went on talk shows to defend his ranting by saying it was a only a political stunt intended to draw attention to his allegation that rape and other sexual crimes were occurring at Occupy demonstrations.  The next video is of journalist Keith Olbermann systematically and gracefully dismantling Breitbart's argument.  If it's true that Breitbart created this false defense, it's pretty demeaning to actual rape victims

Wisconsin Tenant Rights Under Attack by Republican Controlled Legislature

Bills under consideration propose the following:

• Eliminating double damages, court costs and reasonable attorney fees for failure to return security deposit or disclose repair issues—a tenant can only get single damages.
• Preventing tenants from reporting concerns to a building inspector or elected official until they notify the landlord in writing and give the landlord time to make repairs.
• Allowing landlords to use illegal contract provisions without consequences.
• Allowing the landlord take property left behind.
• Eliminating the right of local cities and counties to prohibit landlords from evicting under certain circumstances (i.e. over Christmas)
• Mandating double daily rent if a tenant stays past the end date of a 5 or 14 day notice or the end of the lease and allowing landlords to collect a tenant’s rent after they have fallen behind and still seek an eviction, even if the tenant is paid in full.

Link:  http://wisconsinalliancefortenantsrights.blogspot.com/2012/02/devastating-anti-tenant-bill-being-fast.html

Wisconsin Senate Republicans Vote to Rescind Wetlands Protections in Midnight Vote

Republicans could not even show the decency to allow this vote to see the light of day.

Link:  http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/update-senate-passes-new-wetland-protocols-in-early-morning-session/article_5ef5add0-5752-11e1-98d8-0019bb2963f4.html

Wife of Dane County GOP Receives $27,000 Promotion in Division of Regulation and Licensing

Angie Herl, the wife of Dane County Republican Party leader Mike Herl, did not need to apply or compete for the promotion in which she will oversee a state division with 40 employees and will be responsible for the licensing of state professionals - 24,000 new credentials per year as well as 350,000 renewals.  She will receive a $27,000 raise for her efforts.

Link: http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/state-worker-married-to-gop-official-gets-promotion-27000-raise-dc46mkr-139301988.html

Teen Receives Death Threats for Objecting to High School "Our Heavenly Father" Motto

Interesting story on NPR about atheism and schools.

Link:  http://www.npr.org/2012/02/14/146538958/rhode-island-district-weighs-students-prayer-lawsuit

2 Wisconsin Legislative Aides Making $50,000+ Out of Law Office on Our Tax Dollars

Two of the Republican aides that are helping redraw electoral maps, among other things, are not actually working in a state office - they are instead working out of the Madison law offices of Michael Best & Friedrich.

Link: http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/aide-tells-constituent-kedzie-didnt-sign-agreement--when-he-had-j344s15-139034309.html

Mortgage Settlement Reached With Feds: Republicans Change Their Tune

Now that President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder have reached a $26 billion settlement with the nation's largest mortgage lenders, Republicans are lining up to try to take credit for it.  In Wisconsin, Governor Scott Walker and Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen seem to have been caught off guard, announcing that they are joining the settlement the day that the agreement was reached.  It's no wonder, since until now Republicans have been blaming the people who were foreclosed on rather than the banks for getting us into this mess.  At least now we're all on the same page of who's to blame - to the tune of $26 b-i-l-l-i-o-n. 

Link:  http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/10/business/states-negotiate-26-billion-agreement-for-homeowners.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hp

Wisconsin Senate Majority Leader Fitzgerald Challenges Recall Signatures

Sen. Fitzgerald says he plans to challenge 'enough' of the signatures to stop the recall against him.  Three other targeted senators also filed challenges against recall petitions today.

Link: http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/elections/senators-targeted-for-recall-to-submit-petition-signature-challenges/article_89ef9318-5322-11e1-ba28-001871e3ce6c.html

Public Hearing Today at the Capitol to Lift Family Care and IRIS Enrollment Caps

The Wisconsin Senate Committee on Health is holding a public forum today (Thursday, February 9, 2012) at 11 a.m. in Room 201 SE of the State Capitol to hear testimony from stakeholders about the need to remove enrollment caps in the Family Care and IRIS programs.  Please attend to support Senate Bill 380 by contacting your senator, the committee, or by attending and giving testimony in person.  You can follow the hearing on Twitter by following Lisa Pugh (@WisDisPolicy) from Disability Rights Wisconsin.  You also might be able to catch it on live video feed from http://wiseye.org.

Link:  http://www.dawninfo.org/news4/post.cfm/family-care-hearing-thursday

Milwaukee Journal Sentinal: Invalid Signatures Not Enough To Halt Walker Recall

"About 15% of the signatures in a random sample of the petitions seeking the recall of Republican Gov. Scott Walker could not be verified, according to an analysis by the Journal Sentinel. The review suggests that even if the number of unverifiable signatures turned out to be three times higher, Walker supporters - barring a new legal challenge - will have a difficult time striking enough of the 1 million signatures submitted to stop a recall election."

Link:  http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/analysis-invalid-signatures-likely-not-enough-to-halt-walker-recall-hu438e2-138895999.html

Indiana's Republican Secretary of State Convicted of Electoral Fraud

A jury has convicted Charlie White with multiple felonies related to electoral fraud.

Link:  http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/02/04/MNEN1N36QG.DTL

Gov. Walker to "Voluntarily" Meet with Investigators

I bet Walker's financial backers are wondering if the money they've been giving him is going to wasted.

Link: http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/walker04-4t42e6l-138686104.html

Wisconsin Republican Assembly Leader Packs Heat to Capitol Floor

Rep. Bill Kramer, an accountant and legislator from Waukesha, Wisconsin, has been legally carrying his Glock 26 pistol to the Capitol in Madison, as well as on to the House Floor since November, where he is speaker pro tem.  Rep. Kramer said that he felt compelled to carry the weapon to work due to hecklers and protesters of Republican policies.  He voted in favor of legalizing the concealed carrying of firearms during the past year throughout Wisconsin (as well as into the Assembly), while banning the use of video and still cameras.  Why would someone who is so in favor of the 2nd amendment not want to observe the 1st?

Link:  http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/state-assembly-leader-packing-on-floor/article_46f5c190-4ea4-11e1-a90e-0019bb2963f4.html

Should Walker Be Campaigning from the Governor's Desk?

In Walker's official Wisconsin Governor's E-Update today (2/3/11) he says, "I believe the Assembly Republicans took the right action by passing this bill and continuing to focus on the creation of jobs in Wisconsin."  I thought that using state resources to stump for political gain was illegal.