Day Liberty Died! 3-11-14

Anti-voter legislation passed by the Republican majority in the State Senate this week included:

• SB 267 – adding new obstacles to voter registration • SB 324 – shortening the hours and days of in-person absentee voting • SB 655 – expanding the power of lobbyists to funnel campaign contributions to candidates by moving the date lobbyists may begin making contributions from June 1st to April 15th • AB 202 – establishing new guidelines for election observers, opening the door to voter intimidation • AB 396 – making it more challenging for municipal clerks to assist individuals in residential facilities with absentee voting

These votes come as Governor Scott Walker signaled Tuesday his plan to call for a rare special session of the State Legislature to take up Wisconsin’s unconstitutional photo ID law. The law, currently before the Wisconsin Supreme Court and a federal court, would require all voters in Wisconsin to provide a government-issued photo ID card to exercise their right to vote.

“At a time when our state is still struggling economically, why are Republicans in the State Senate spending the final days of the legislative session limiting our freedom by denying Wisconsin citizens the right to vote? Instead they should be focusing their efforts on creating jobs and putting Wisconsin back to work,” said Subeck. “This latest round of attacks on ballot access, coupled with the impending resurrection of the Wisconsin’s unconstitutional voter ID law leaves Wisconsinites wondering what Scott Walker and his Republicans allies won’t do to rig the November election in their favor.”

Passed in the middle of the night. As if no one is watching.

Where there is smoke

Image via Wikipedia

Where there is smoke there is fire. Corruption begets corruption.  Main hidden feature of Walker’s repair bill is no bid sale on WI’s assets. Strip mine the Northwoods for fracking sand and copper. Two and a half billion for 600 temporary jobs is not my idea for job creation. http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/exwalker-aide-fired-from-earlier-job-for-misusing-public-money-sf40b92-138341254.html

Walker aides arrested. It was Nixon that said “I am not a crook” Least we repeat history, Nero played the violin while Rome burned. Walker fundraises everywhere else but Wisconsin, the parallel is too close.

Related articles

• Democrats file 1 million signatures for Walker recall – JSOnline (civiccommentary.wordpress.com)
• Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker Faces More Problems As a New Scandal Arises (johnhively.wordpress.com)
• Could This Schmuck Bring Down Scott Walker? (esquire.com)
• 2 ex-Walker aides accused of illegal fundraising (goerie.com)

Top Ten Reasons For Recall Walker

Image via Wikipedia

2011 is quickly drawing to a close and what a year it has been here in Wisconsin. For many of us it is hard to recognize the state that we love since Republicans took control of the legislature and the governor’s mansion in January.

In looking back at the past year, I thought I would put together a list of Top 10 Highlights, or in this case, a Top Ten list of Lowlights for 2011.

10. Gov. Scott Walker tells fake “David Koch” caller that he thought about placing troublemakers into peaceful crowd of men, women and children protesting his so called “budget repair” bill.

9. A top republican staffer admits in federal court sworn deposition that GOP used ten years of election data to redraw legislative and congressional district lines but it was not meant to favor GOP in elections.

8. While saying that Wisconsin is broke, Republicans manage to scratch together $2.3 billion for tax giveaways to big corporations.

7. Still asserting their “no tax increase” pledge Republicans raise taxes on middle class families and seniors by nearly $70 million. (Shhh don’t tell Grover Norquist or maybe his pledge only matters if it involves the top 1%).

6. Republicans honor Veterans by giving $2 million for storage space at the Wisconsin Veterans Museum while cutting $2 million from low income and homeless veterans assistance programs.

5. Republican leaders decide that the state’s Open Meetings Law doesn’t apply to a hastily called dark of night meeting where they vote to end workers’ rights. Shockingly Justice Prosser and a GOP dominated Wisconsin Supreme Court decide that lawmakers don’t have to follow the law.

4. Governor Walker and majority of Republicans gleefully end 50 years of workers’ rights while chanting the state is broke. Please see #8.

3. Republicans claimed to have made education a priority. They cut nearly $2 billion from K-12 public schools and higher education while at the same time giving $40 million more to private voucher schools. Apparently they only made private education a priority.

2. Governor Walker decides to eliminate health insurance coverage for 50,000 to 65,000 men, women and children.

1. While Gov. Walker and the GOP focus like a laser on jobs, Wisconsin has the dubious honor in leading the nation in lost jobs in November, making it the fifth straight month of job losses.

Unfortunately with so many lowlights in the State of Wisconsin this year, it was hard to decide which ones should make the Top 10 list. This is especially true when it comes to the state’s strict new Voter ID law, new laws to favor powerful special interests over consumers in court and allowing a mining company to write a mining deregulation bill.

 John Q. Public has been sold down river to work on the Corporate Plantation. This is no mere whining from Labor. Kick the poor into the gutter type politics that gives rise to facist governments. America must be protected from the pretenders to the Crown. Call to Arms!!!! Give till it hurts then digg deeper!

Related articles

• Under Scott Walker, Wisconsin now leads the nation in job losses! (dangerousminds.net)
• Scott Walker busted in new lie (dailykos.com)
• Recall of Scott Walker Begins in Wisconsin, Walker Exhausts Bag of Tricks Trying to Stop Grassroots Efforts (crooksandliars.com)
• Scott Walker A Hypocrite on Out-of-State Spending on Wisconsin Elections (crooksandliars.com)
• Recall of Wisconsin Governor Now Possible (theroot.com)
• Walker Recall Effort Plans To Hit Governor Where He Lives (huffingtonpost.com)

Victory In Large Measure

Image by Sue Peacock via Flickr

 

Here we are after the great massive protests in Wisconsin.After massive recall elections costing many times normal ones in terms of money.  The State Senate is in large under control by people at odds with Scott Walker. Still is not time to rest on Laurels. This is a short list of the damage done to our Wisconsin Life. On Forward to November, let us recall Walker himself. People usually vote to balance the excesses in their government. I challenge you to make your government your personal responsiblity.

Senator Chris Larson, in his weekly newsletter, listed some of his greater concerns of the things Walker and the Republicans did in their disregard for bipartisanship:

• Cut $1.6 billion in funding for public education, while also cutting funds for higher education
• Eliminated accountability and consolidated power through administrative rules
• Spent $2.3 billion on special interests, corporate giveaways and loopholes while raising taxes and fees on working families and seniors
• Eliminated worker’s rights
• Reduced job retraining opportunities
• Added a waiting period for unemployment compensation on workers who just lost their job
• Killed wind energy jobs across the state
• Locked out the public from the Capitol
• Landed the state government in court over open meetings violations
• Undermined local control by passing extreme legislation related to wetlands, redistricting, highways and sick-leave
• Rejected federal grants to support transportation and health care that then went to other states
• Defunded women’s health care programs
• Removed consumer protection by changing our victim protection laws

Related articles

• Scott Walker Reacts To Wisconsin Recall Election Results (VIDEO) (huffingtonpost.com)
• The Progressive Magazine: Scott Walker, Fitzgerald, Take Us for Fools (kaystreet.wordpress.com)
• Jim Worth: A Grass Root’s Win in Wisconsin (huffingtonpost.com)
• Recalling Scott Walker (hotair.com)
• Scott Walker Concedes Mistakes, Defends Policies (huffingtonpost.com)

Call To Arms

Image via Wikipedia

invariably it comes to pass that the every day citizen must ask the difficult question. Whose interest do you serve? Conservatism is the idea that what is best for everyone is the greater good. raising the Debt ceiling and paying our debts on time is the greater good. Paying taxes is a mark of honesty and a vertue of a good citizen. Paying taxes, paying attention and actively participating in our government is the ideal model of a citizen. Follow the money for the attack ads in Television. Those people who seek to continue their monopolistic practices fear the one vote that changes everything. I am here to tell you, you are that one vote. Your one vote is the same worth as the vote from anyone else. Your vote is equal to Bill Clinton‘s, it is equal to Mitt Romney‘s, it is equal period. To Bill Gates and the Rupert Murdock billionaires, still your vote, your voice is no less important. Your vote should never be bought. We have lived this past decade of broken promises. Lessen the taxes on the top job creating 1% surely that will do it. The fact that a strong well-funded government of the people creates a strong vibrant economy is lost to our national memory. Crystal clear reflective free transparent government is a 21st century reality. It takes only courage, the cheapest of all resources to attain. People easily feel hopeless like when the Dust Bowl settled across this great nation. It took a whole country to fix the conditions to stop the storms. We are the answer, the solution, and ultimately the ones to fix this world. Tell those fearful rich people they may line their pockets with politicians but we line ours with life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness with no fear.  We will have no king but ourselves and be better for it.

Related articles

• Two Things Mitt Romney Can’t Do (slog.thestranger.com)
• THE GREAT DROUGHT OF 2011 Is America’s Worst Since The Dust Bowl (businessinsider.com)
• Finance reports offer insight into GOP field (msnbc.msn.com)
• Texas-Sized Foreign Policy Satire (andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com)
• Tax policy in a global economy. (transremaxculver.wordpress.com)

Dark, Black Day for Wisconsin

300,000 Wisconsinites tried Valiantly to preserve a way of life. The way of a professional civil servant of the people. With this barest thread of majority, Laws lasting a century or more, were dumped out in the trash. I reverently bow my head in sorrow for all the unsung hero’s of our civilization. The sanitation worker, the teacher, the road crew, and all the public servants that make our way of life possible. The unions were the first go in Germany. Our Democracy is in peril. We must be vigilant to protect our rights. This is a failure of listening, of democratic discourse. It will take massive amounts of courage to win this future, this moment. Thomas Jefferson believed in the common man, the rugged individual, and the idea that compromise can create True Democracy. I now charge you to be stewards of our government, be responsible, take charge. Forever Forward.

Related Articles

• It’s Time to Take a Stance in Ohio, And We’re Going to be There (tinfoilhatman45.wordpress.com)
• The Wisconsin 14: how to stand up for democracy by running away (fifp.wordpress.com)
• Madison, Indiana? (hotair.com)

Letter From MoveOn

Image by BlueRobot via Flickr

The struggle in Wisconsin is still ongoing, but MoveOn members like you have already played a pivotal role in fighting back against Governor Scott Walker‘s radical attack on workers’ rights.

Walker expected his budget bill to sail through, but instead, it’s sparked a national backlash and energized millions of people. And that’s thanks, in part, to you.

Since the fight began:

• Thousands of Wisconsin MoveOn members attended the massive demonstrations in Madison, made calls to their state legislators, and sent almost 10,000 messages to Governor Walker, which protesters plastered all over the walls outside Walker’s office when he refused to accept them.
• MoveOn members contributed more than $100,000 to the Wisconsin 14, the brave Democratic state senators who left the state to prevent Republicans from jamming through Walker’s proposal—providing them a huge boost to fight back against Republican attacks.
• MoveOn members sent more than 260,000 statements of support to the Wisconsin 14. We delivered the statements—all 5,700 pages of them—to State Senator Chris Larson. He was thrilled to share them with his colleagues and posted on Facebook: “Thank you for standing with us! (And yes, people actually do get paper copies of those forms you fill out online. Thank you MoveOn.org).”
• MoveOn members nationwide contributed more than $445,000 to support the efforts to recall the Republican state senators who refuse to negotiate. The folks running the recall report they’re off to an amazing start, beating their signature goal in the first weekend by 35%, and they’re hugely grateful for the early fundraising.
• MoveOn members held solidarity rallies in every state capital—our biggest in years, and on just four days’ notice—to say that we are all Wisconsin and we won’t stand by while Republicans try to kill the American Dream.

It’s an amazing and inspiring list. And this fight is far from over. Even if Governor Walker manages to push through his disastrous proposal, the recall efforts targeting Republicans are already off to an amazing start and several of those who support Walker could be thrown out of office as soon as June.

With similar fights happening across the country and in Washington, we’ve got a long way to go before we put the American Dream back in reach for all Americans. But Wisconsin has sparked a national uprising and given us the strength to fight back.

For the moment though, we just wanted to take the time to say thanks, for all you do.

–Daniel, Joan, Kat, Lenore, and the rest of the team

P.S. With Republicans in Washington pushing devastating federal budget cuts—to education, student loans, NPR, environmental protection, family planning, health and nutrition programs for pregnant women and small children, and more—we’re looking to highlight the stories of those who’d be affected by the cuts. If any of the Republican budget cuts would affect you or your family, please click here to share your story:

http://pol.moveon.org/budgetcutstories/?id=26435-18839031-J4qMzmx&t=6

Related Articles

• Recall elections in Wisconsin … (ynative77.wordpress.com)
• Wisconsin public union fight brings threats of layoffs, recalls – Christian Science Monitor (news.google.com)
• Wisconsin Solidarity Rallies Today in All 50 States (news.change.org)
• MoveOn (maxredline.typepad.com)

17 Second Roll Call-Subverting Democracy

Image via Wikipedia

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2011/03/01-0

Wisconsin known for our beer, cheese, bratwurst, sunny dispositions, our pleasant hello, and an American practical fairness. No matter what party you are from this should turn your stomach. In an age were democracy could reach it’s Ideal. We have the tech, innovation, and the will. We just need to add the dedication. Wisconsin has always been the place were the innovation happens and then spreads to the rest of the world. Modern agriculture was born here, as well as modern manufacturing. We have the solutions to win the future. It is time to put them in place. The mistakes made in the 1930’s were made by reacting too quickly contracting too fast prolonging the pain. capitalism is best run like a boxing match with rules and a bell ring, not like a back street brawl. Americans should not fall for the red scare tactics used by the Tea Party. Communists are on the retreat and show how that form of government fails. The last credible threat crumbled with the Berlin Wall. The rule of law is the foundation of our government. A Public Quake is happening in Wisconsin, Republicans should take notice that Wisconsinites drive the protest in Madison. To ignore it is certain political death. Politics is the art of the impossible, and the compromise. Walker should cut and run.

Related Articles

• Harvey J. Kaye: Report from Wisconsin: This is What Democracy Looks Like (huffingtonpost.com)
• The Tipping Point (coffeepartyatlanta.com)
• Thousands Crowd The Wisconsin State Capitol As Walker Tries To Close Building (crooksandliars.com)
• The heroes in the Wisconsin Story (iflizwerequeen.com)

State of Wiskochson

Image via Wikipedia

If Scott Walker‘s budget repair bill is passed. We are facing a no bid fire sale on state of Wisconsin assets. Right down to the marble steps in the capital and bronzes in the public square. The real economic jewels in the crown is Wisconsin Public Service‘ new Weston Power Plant and the Arrowhead Power Transmission line.

Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weston_Generating_Station

“Weston Generating Station is a base load, coal fired, electrical power station located in Rothschild, Wisconsin and Kronenwetter, Wisconsin in Marathon County.

This plant is connected to the power grid via numerous 138KV and 345Kv lines. Recently, the Arrowhead-Weston 345,000 volt transmission line was completed allowing more power to be imported from Minnesota to Wisconsin and vice versa.”

These assets are the Wisconsin Cheddar for the Rats (Koch Brothers). The whole budget scenario was cooked to provide cover for the fleecing of Wisconsin. Scott Walker is banking on the premise that wisconsinites are not smart enough to see the naked greed and can be easily distracted. Wake the dachshund and pull this badger pretender out of the hole.

Related Articles

• Caller Posing As David Koch Dupes Scott Walker (littlegreenfootballs.com)
• CREW requests investigation into Scott Walker’s use of Wisconsin State Patrol (dailykos.com)
• Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker Has a Choice: Union Buster or Real Leader? (politicsdaily.com)
• Koch Whore: Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (iflizwerequeen.com)
• Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker Gets “Punked” by a Blogger Pretending to be David Koch (themoderatevoice.com)
• Scott Walker vs. Wisconsin (maureenholland.wordpress.com)
• On Wisconsin … But not with Scott Walker in charge (thehill.com)
• Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker’s History of Union Busting VIDEO (nowpublic.com)

Corporate States of America: A New Common Sense

Image by mrbula via Flickr

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/22/us/22koch.html?pagewanted=2&ref=us&src=me

New York Times Article that ties Koch Brothers to Scott Walker.  Wisconsin voters have been duped by this well-funded Republican Pretender. This budget scenario has been cooked to provide a cover for real intentions. So the question begs to be asked “Does Scott Walker represent the people of Wisconsin or the Koch Brothers?”  Austerity measures designed to hurt the poor, the hungry, the sick, (Medicaid) and a full 2/5th’s of Wisconsin’s population. Fred Luber, chief executive of the Supersteel Products Corporation in Milwaukee a devoted Union Buster given 100% pay raise after busting the union at the corporation.  He encouraged a factory climate to slow down productivity and cost the corporation millions in order to bust the union. As a young twenty-something I was made to shred personnel files while on light duty in the HR department after an industrial accident. I shred for weeks, unknown to most I read incredibly fast. I quickly saw a pattern to the tons of shredding as many livelihoods were destroyed. As a young man needing a job, I felt powerless to machinations of this large corporation. We live in a time where corporations have the same rights as individuals but are immensely rich and immortal. Unions are the answer to counterbalance inequity and provide continuity throughout the ages. This process of creating emergency fiscal situations for the purpose of waging economic warfare is not new. I propose a new tactic. Do not give in, do not let up the pressure, shut down the government if need be, and plant a Victory Garden for Human (American) Rights. Democrats need to take the gloves off and push. Real Republicans fight for rights (Think Lincoln) whatever the cost not take them. This is not one nation under a corporate god. We are the people, government serves us not their own agenda. Public Quakes are happening all over our nation and indeed the world. People are beginning to want the right and responsibility to be involved in their government. Public discourse, public plebiscites are now possible with our level of technology. Time to enable the Egovernment Widget for your life. Get involved. 

Related Articles

• Billionaire Koch Brothers’ Money Plays Role In Wisconsin Fight Against Unions (huffingtonpost.com)
• “The Koch Brothers Have a Hand in Wisconsin’s Unrest” and related posts (nymag.com)
• Koch brothers behind anti-union attacks in Wisconsin (americablog.com)
• Koch brothers’ money fuels Wisconsin union fight (tech.mit.edu)
• Why Did The Koch Brothers Donate To To Scott Walker? (oliverwillis.com)
• Big Right-Wing Money Pours Into Wisconsin (alan.com)
• “Kochs Behind Wisconsin Union-Busting Effort” and related posts (prwatch.org)
• You: Billionaire Brothers’ Money Plays Role in Wisconsin Dispute (nytimes.com)