3/31 WI - Will SeniorCare really be saved - be skeptical?!

3/30 : Darling Hopper - Hypocrisy - SeniorCare - Budget Repair - Despair

Hypocrisy - insincerity by virtue of pretending to have qualities or beliefs that you do not really have!

Two influential members of the Joint Committee on Finance sent out a press release late Wednesday afternoon promising to preserve Wisconsin's popular prescription drug program.

Is it not interesting that 90,000 Seniors can persuade State Senators Darling and Hopper to leave SeniorCare alone and go against Governor Scott Walker.  Well, they better think about the "line item veto" and the "rule writing authority" given to the Governor (so they will not be accountable) that will be coming toward them like a "high speed train".  Or perhaps, cynically, they do not really care, and they will roll over later when the ""Medicare D(irty)" deed gets done anyway.  "We tried ... will be the claim!"

At the same time 100,000 people (a "conservative / libertarian" estimate) on the Madison Capitol Square had no ability to persuade these same Senators and other Republican legislators that the "budget repair" is an unreasonable attempt to destroy unions and collective bargaining.  Oh!  They probably did not know that Senator Fitzgerald and Representative Fitzgerald were going to use a "Conference Committee" on March 9th, 2011 - so they (these same Senators) would not have to vote again.  Anyway, you never learn anything about strategy in Republican Caucus meetings at the Capitol - hence the surprise!

Oh!  When did the Republican leaders know they were going to use a "Conference Committee" to pass a modified "Budget Repair" -- 2:30pm on March 9th.  Shhh!  Don't tell anybody until 4:10pm!!!

Thank you Assembly Minority Leader Representative Peter Barca for showing up early!

The "Conference Committee" was in the Fitzgerald playbook - evidence in  Judge Sumi's court hearing records on Tuesday!!!

This was inspired by Shawn Doherty's - CapTimes - Vital Signs : (click the TITLE)

Vital Signs: Influential Republicans break with Walker on SeniorCare; vow to save it from budget cuts

P.S.  I left out the comma on purpose - to emphasize it is such a sweetheart deal - and Hopper knows about sweethearts!

2/15/2011 : Budget Repair Bill Protest! Madison WI 2 15 2011 Students Arrive

I saw this happen live ... did not find the video until now ... more firsts / history for students! 2/15/2011.  This is just about as early in the process as it could begin ... 2/11 is when the news hit the papers (esp. WSJ).

The Title will take you to the video on YouTube - today 3/31 (23,000+) views.

#Walker WI 1848 Forward: 2/15/2011 : #Budget Repair Bill Protest! #Madison WI 2 15 2011 #Students Arrive #Capitol http://wi1848forward.blogspot.com/2011/03/2152011-budget-repair-bill-protest.html?spref=tw

3/31/11 - #JFC - Dan #Clancy - #WTCS President - Small World

Click on the link to see the WisPolitics.com  ... from that source JFC wraps up
... 1st two paragraphs ...

The JFC has concluded its questioning of Wisconsin Technical College System President Dan Clancy, and the committee has adjourned. The committee will be back on Monday at 10 a.m. to hear from the DATCP, DNR, and the Department of Transportation.

Before ending, Rep. Tamara Grigsby, D-Milwaukee, told Clancy she's hearing from tech school officials in her home area that the changes in employee compensation mandated in Gov. Scott Walker's budget repair bill don't make up for the amount of state aid cuts.

Small World:  I believe this is the "Dan Clancy" who worked at the Legislative Fiscal Bureau back in the 1980s - he came sooner and stayed longer than I did!

3/31: WSJ 11:15am - Walker administration will comply with judge's order halting collective bargaining law

At least they will comply for the next few hours ... will the Republicans call a vote again ... popular theory is they do not have the votes ... watch for a Republican Caucus meeting ... what surprises can the DOJ spring ... Sumi could still rule tomorrow or a little later to remove the TRO and have La Follette set a date for publication!  Click the Title to see WSJ article.

If we get Open Meetings upheld will we get Open Capitol upheld?

One young persons reaction to
Open Meetings meaning and an Open Capitol - MAYBE!

I would love to go the Capitol and see my legislators but I think it will be on lock down until Walker gets recalled ... it is truly a large inconvenience to the public to have to be wanded, go through metal detectors, empty your pockets, etc. - and they keep switching which doors you can use to enter!  What's that all about?

3/31: Tips - How to find "Neuman" in the blog!

Type "Neuman" in the Search Wide Box and  hit enter - this list will appear at the top of the blog entries for you chose from!

Click on that entry and the browser will jump to the entry! 
The entry has been abridged here!

What me worry!  Just VOTE Kloppenburg!

3/31 : Outside signs - Inside - JFC Day 3 - Tony Evers - Dept Public Instruction Testimony

The JFC is now into its Third Day.  UW-Madison and UW-System concluded ... listened for couple of hours -- back and forth on the "split" and flexibility!

2pm - It's a nice day in Madison ... there are a block and one-half on Ian's Pizza box lids protest signs and a good deal more people along the sidewalk ... but not large.

Earlier - News is that DOA will stop implementation of AB 10 (budget repair) - per Judge Sumi's order. Vos and Darling left the JFC about 1pm to go to Governor's Office - something just came up  ... Darlings words ... bet when I get back to Twitter there will have been a "Press Conference"!


JFC now ondeck: Superintendent Evers (elected) among many things has just pointed out that the Governor's budget singled out to cut one "environmental instructional" position in DPI -- curious?  Finished - questions now - Vos first.  Will be listening but not commenting!

Upd:   Seems a little contentious with Republican Legislators ... the Democrats (esp. Milwaukee) are interested about impacts on their areas.  Darling (R) encourages Evers to work with the Governor.  Earlier Evers explained why the "out-of-state" study done of schools is probably flawed.

WI 1848 Forward:3/31/11-Outside signs-Inside - #JFC Day 3-Tony #Evers - #DPI Dept Public Instruction- #WiUnion

WI - (Image) 8:30am - JudgeSumi - Act 10 -not published correctly - not in effect

This morning at 8:30am March 31st, 2011, Judge Sumi made additional findings ... see below!
Click to see larger version!

WI - 2011 mid-Feb - Fox News - Jacob Fiksel solves the Budget Repair problem

This video has been uploaded in many, many places on YouTube ... it looks to have been viewed at least 75,000 times ... by summing just a few of the YouTube counts from different uploads!

WI - 2011 mid-Feb - #Fox News - Jacob Fiksel solves the #Budget Repair problem - #BudgetRepair #FoxNews

3/30 : Darling Hopper - Hypocrisy - SeniorCare - Budget Repair - Despair

A surprise ... this blog entry keeps getting read years after 2011 ... as I note now 2017/12/05

~~~~~~~~

State Senator Hopper

Hypocrisy - insincerity by virtue of pretending to have qualities or beliefs that you do not really have!

Two influential members of the Joint Committee on Finance sent out a press release late Wednesday afternoon promising to preserve Wisconsin's popular prescription drug program.

Is it not interesting that 90,000 Seniors can persuade State Senators Darling and Hopper to leave SeniorCare alone and go against Governor Scott Walker.  Well, they better think about the "line item veto" and the "rule writing authority" given to the Governor (so they will not be accountable) that will be coming toward them like a "high speed train".  Or perhaps, cynically, they do not really care, and they will roll over later when the ""Medicare D(irty)" deed gets done anyway.  "We tried ... will be the claim!"

At the same time 100,000 people (a "conservative / libertarian" estimate) on the Madison Capitol Square had no ability to persuade these same Senators and other Republican legislators that the "budget repair" is an unreasonable attempt to destroy unions and collective bargaining.  Oh!  They probably did not know that Senator Fitzgerald and Representative Fitzgerald were going to use a "Conference Committee" on March 9th, 2011 - so they (these same Senators) would not have to vote again.  Anyway, you never learn anything about strategy in Republican Caucus meetings at the Capitol - hence the surprise!

Oh!  When did the Republican leaders know they were going to use a "Conference Committee" to pass a modified "Budget Repair" -- 2:30pm on March 9th.  Shhh!  Don't tell anybody until 4:10pm!!!

Thank you Assembly Minority Leader Representative Peter Barca for showing up early!

The "Conference Committee" was in the Fitzgerald playbook - evidence in  Judge Sumi's court hearing records on Tuesday!!!

This was inspired by Shawn Doherty's - CapTimes - Vital Signs : (click the TITLE)

Vital Signs: Influential Republicans break with Walker on SeniorCare; vow to save it from budget cuts

P.S.  I left out the comma on purpose - to emphasize it is such a sweetheart deal - and Hopper knows about sweethearts!

3/30/11 : #Darling #Hopper - Hypocrisy - #SeniorCare - #Budget Repair - Despair --WI 1848 Forward:

3/30 Press Release : Darling (JFC), Hopper vow to preserve SeniorCare

Click Title for WisPolitics.com summary ... from the piece -

Darling and Hopper said in a press release this afternoon they want to keep the SeniorCare program "as-is."  Walker's 2011-13 budget proposal requires eligible seniors to enroll in Medicare Part D.

3/30 :Reviewing the Legal Battle Surrounding WI's Union-Busting Bill

There are other lawsuits proceeding by unions and by Dane County as well!

The Center for Media and Democacy's PR Watch ... click the Title and below from that source -

To recap, the union-busting bill ("Act 10") was passed by the Wisconsin Senate using a loophole that avoided quorum requirements and in a matter that may have violated Open Meetings laws. It then passed the House and was signed by Governor Walker on March 11. Wisconsin Statutes Section 35.095(3)(b) requires that Secretary of State Douglass LaFollette designate a date for publication not more than ten working days after the date a bill is enacted, and he designated March 25, the 10th day. Section 991.11 of the Wisconsin Statutes states that "every act ... shall take effect on the day after its date of publication as designated under [Section] 35.095 (3)(b)." 

3/30: JSOnline - Holperin recall group reports $6,100 in receipts

Where does the money really come from ... for all the groups ... would the real "journalists" stand up please ... for all the recall efforts ... let us see if there are any patterns?

From the article -

The report, which was posted online Wednesday by the Government [Account]Ability Board lists the Madison Majority Project PAC of Washington, D.C. as the biggest donor, with two gifts totalling $2,500. The recall campaign against Sen. Robert Wirch (D-Pleasant Prairie), which filed its report Tuesday, listed $2,500 in contributions from The Madison Project, which lists the same post office box as the one on the Holperin recall report.

3/30/11: DOA Monitoring? Open Meetings Decision

Ambiguous ambiguity ... do not implement means do not implement ... find out Friday when Judge Sumi hearing continues!  If the Legislature violated Open Meetings Law anything you do after that seems moot ... published or not??!  Click on Title to see document via TheWheelerReport.com .

Click on image works too (in most browsers) !

Law INDEX - Open Meetings and Records, FOIA, Academic Freedom

See the PAGE list top right!!

Blog Posts from Walker's Ash Wednesday Ambush most recent to oldest ... a little easier search if you want the thread or the background!  Dealing with issues of protest and legal challenges since 3/9/2011.

Click the TITLE to go to page!

Please share the link with your friends ... one of the purposes is to provide information to people who are too busy to get the background so as they think about these issues they have reasonable information ... sure there is some editorial content but there are also many links to the "mainstream journalists" and actual original source material.  We are all intelligent enough to know when we are being spun or we just have a different opinion!

3/30: April Fool may actually be a Republican - WI Press Release

3/30: The title (click) will take you to TheWheelerReport.com link to the press release!

This just did not seem real so I worked back from the tweet of a reporter to find out that it was listed on TheWheelerReport.com as of 6:30am this morning under Act 10/Court Hearing.  There have been no denials published.  It also does exist on the local website of the GOP and was similar to other press releases on the site - in style.  It is always possible they were hacked - so I wanted to be very cautious.  It could be an early April Fool's Day Joke - my first thought!

Here it is as an image (that you can click to make larger) if you do not want to click above -

WI - A Fall Election in the Spring ... see CapTimes article - Rev 4/1

A good history and interesting perspective ... Click the Title -

Drama at Capitol overshadows Madison mayor race, and it might also be deciding factor

from the article -

The Madison city clerk’s office has already put out a call for extra poll workers, predicting a turnout similar in numbers to fall elections, which usually draw double or nearly double the number of voters that spring elections do. 

If that happens, it would mean something on the order of 40,000 to 50,000 additional votes, a number dwarfing the 1,200 votes that separated Soglin, who finished first in February’s primary, from Cieslewicz. Figuring out who those additional voters will break for is the key to predicting the race, but it’s far from clear at this point.

... and Kloppenburg vs Prosser impact!

Wisconsin Supreme Court INDEX

Blog Posts from most recent to oldest ... a little easier search if you want the thread or the background!

Click the TITLE to go to page!

Please share the link with your friends ... one of the purposes is to provide information to people who are too busy to get the background so as they think about these issues they have reasonable information ... sure there is some editorial content but there are also many links to the "mainstream journalists" and actual original source material.  We are all intelligent enough to know when we are being spun or we just have a different opinion!

WI 3/29/11 - Capitol Rotunda - More Illegal Protests and Signs

From 3/29 Isthmus : The Daily Page -
New round of Wisconsin Capitol protests target sign and location rules

The Sargents aren't the only ones who have been ticketed. In the past week, protester Jeremy Ryan of Defending Wisconsin PAC has been given several tickets for holding signs on the first level of the Capitol (signs are permitted on the ground floor).

... But if the goal of the DOA in ticketing people has been to further discourage protests, on Tuesday it had the opposite affect.

Hundreds of protesters came out to show support -- the biggest rally inside in perhaps a week. Many of them held signs and wore white T-shirts, themselves protest signs, that read on the back, "Rise Up," and "Freedom of Speech" on the front.

 Brought back into focus ...

WI 1848 Forward: WI 3/29/11 - #Capitol Rotunda - More Illegal #Protests and #Signs :#walker #Gop #Elites vs #47% #99%

WI - 3/29 Emails vs Protesters - How fast stories fade ... 3/21 !

There were definitely fewer (anti-Walker) out-of-state protesters and many more out-of-state (pro-Walker) emails during this the FitzWalkerStanChaos.  Quick let's change the subject!!!

From PolitiFact.com back in February about what he said to "David Koch" -

When it comes to protesters in Madison, "almost all" are now from outside of Wisconsin. Scott Walker on Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011 in a secretly-recorded prank telephone call

In his not-so-private phone call, Walker claimed protests were getting smaller and almost all of the protesters at the state Capitol were there from out of state. Certainly there are folks there from far and wide. But there’s no evidence the out-of-towners have taken over. All evidence points to this being -- and remaining -- a home grown effort.

We rate Walker’s statement False.

From the blog:  I was thinking of this article when I collected various clips about the emails, secured through Wisconsin's Open Records law, that were used to test the veracity of Walker's claims about support for his "Budget Repair". 
__________________________
From the blog:

WI - Out-of-State Protesters Outnumbered by Out-of-State Emails Maybe ;-} 3/21

 3/22 AP from WSJ --- A Time Line and Count!
 Emails to Walker initially favored union rights, review shows

The real point is as in Emily's (Mills) Post in the  Isthmus  ... Walker cleverly chose his words and his timing so as not to be incorrect but certainly manipulative!  Trick me once shame on you! Trick me twice shame on me!
_______________________________________________

It appears from a quick read that a sample reveals a very difficult counting problem - sort of like looking at shads/chads(?) in Florida!  Be sure to watch this note ... it will evolve as more becomes clear and more reporting gets done!!

The reason people are probably interested goes to the "bully pulpit" effect - the same reason AP and Isthmus used the Open Records Law to get the records - as this unfolds it suggests that statements were being made by Governor Walker that he did not know were true or false - or AP and Isthmus would not have to go to court to get the records.  If the statements were known to be true the Walker Administration would be more than willing to hand them over!

Analysis shows emails to Walker favored budget repair bill from WSJ 3/21

Please ... what does this mean??  Eight to nine percent or 89%

• Eight-nine percent of the emails against Walker came from Wisconsinites.

As clarified in the Isthmus 3/20:

When the Center looked only at emails from Wisconsin, the margin was much slimmer, with 55% favoring his bill and 42% opposed. And 89% of the emails against Walker came from Wisconsinites.

Still a little confusing ... I guess a large number of people were against Walker but did not mention the Budget Repair Bill ... is that what it means?  3/22 comment:  How can you have the word Wisconsin in the above two sentences and not be puzzled?  If there are 100 emails (all from Wisconsin) then 55 favor the bill and 42 oppose.  I think it might be clear - if you just used the sample numbers and then expressed the percentages relative to each number!

See also http://www.thedailypage.com/daily/article.php?article=32827 3/22 by Emily Mills

Emails obtained from Gov. Scott Walker show public wrote him in support of budget repair bill by  Dean Robbins on Sunday 03/20/2011

http://wi1848forward.blogspot.com/2011/03/wi-out-of-state-protesters-outnumbered.html

WI 3/29 Spotlight - American's for Prosperity in Wisconsin - CMD

Center for Media and Democracy's PR Watch shines some light ...

A CMD Special Report: Who Are the Headliners at Koch-Funded AFP Conventions? by Lisa Graves

 headliners at Koch-funded "Americans for Prosperity" (AFP) conventions in the state in the past two years. The events featured select candidates who were running for office, including gubernatorial candidate Scott Walker, Attorney General candidate J.B. Van Hollen, judicial candidate David T. Prosser, Jr., and Congressman James Sensenbrenner. 

American's for Prosperity ... it used to be so simple you generally knew whether a group was to left or right just by name ... this one still follows the rules!  If it has America or American in it's name it was to the right ... but unfortunately things are a lot harder now.  The "Flag" is used by everyone lately!

WI -JCF 3/29 - WisEye.org - Listening Now ... will comment as possible -

Senate Bill 27/Assembly Bill 40

Will not be listening to all ... more interested when LFB gets to the table ... but PR is easier to keep up with than numbers ... still recommend that you listen as much as you can but remember ... I'll just add to bottom as I have a chance or something to say.

From this blog yesterday -

In the end the "Budget" although including many things you like or do not like it is not nearly as important as Governor Walker acquiring "administrative rule writing authority" and his 35+ new positions he will be able to appoint.  The combination of the two will give him much more power and authority to affect programs, eligibility for programs and levels of expenditures in ways very difficult to imagine!

__________________________
Testimony Begins

Mike Huebsch - Secretary of Department of Administration ... opening statement as one would expect ... mostly PR but  this is when you appreciate "newsprint journalists" so you can think / read about it later!
He only took about 25 minutes ... now questions (~10:25)?

I know I'm mocking but on questions about doing away with Cost-Benefit-Analysis ... good business processes do not apply to the "new" government ... my words ... I think this all translates to we want to be able to give away state contracts faster w/o any review! 

Wispolitics.com
http://budget.wispolitics.com/2011/03/questions-for-huebsch.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Stepping Away 11am
Back 12noon

Secretary of Revenue - Richard G. Chandler - being questioned about tax changes ... Senator Jauch is making point that changes in tax implementation are going to cause some to be paying more taxes, given how thinks have been tweaked.  Jauch ... tax revenue has increased over estimates by 20% (source LFB).

WisPolitics.com
http://budget.wispolitics.com/2011/03/dems-question-chandler.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Rep Grigsby ... taking from the poor and giving to the rich ...

12:30pm
Supreme Court - Chief Justice Abrahamson with Aides - written remarks, planning brief discussion

Stepping Away
Back and been listening ... 2pm... Senator Jauch is questioning "Wisconsin Department of Tourism" - Secretary Stephanie Klett ... the Senator is questioning the deep cuts to the Arts Board - Rep Schilling ... also on the 73% cuts to Arts Board.

Bob Lang, Director of LFB is over in Judge Sumi's court ... can't be in two places at once!

Senator Darling and Senator Taylor tangle ... still on Tourism 2:25pm

Hearing over for today

#WI - #JCF 3/29 - #WisEye.org - Listening Now ... will comment as possible - #RuleWriting by #Governor #Walker Expanded

WI ~9:30am 3/29 - OpenMeetings includes Tweeting for Posterity - Lawsuits

Too funny not to share ... Ms. Arp is in Judge Sumi's Court ... and tweeting ...

@news3jessica Jessica Arp

My auto-correct wants to change Barman to "Batman" and Sumi to "sumo". Argh. This is going to be a long day.

WI 3/29pm Upd - Polling tight in Wisconsin Supreme Court campaign from Daily Kos

Another analysis from JSOnline :
Another "perfect storm": A state Supreme Court race in the grip of external forces 3/29
_______________________
Click on Title for article -

Almost more like a rumor but ... from the article ... 3/28

The sources are anonymous, the specific numbers are not released, and the author clearly has an agenda, so take this with a big helping of salt. Even so, it's a decent indication that the Wisconsin Supreme Court campaign will not be a cakewalk for former Republican state Assembly Leader David Prosser. That's pretty surprising, since Republicans swept the state just four month ago and since this is likely to be a very low turnout election.

National Review as also referenced in the article ...

Wisconsin Fight Goes to Court And Walker’s big win could ride on a single judicial election. 3/28

The Greater Wisconsin Committee, a leftist organizing group with deep union ties, has funneled $3 million into anti-Prosser advertising, taking relentlessly to the airwaves. “They are the Left’s biggest political player in the state,” says Brett Healy, the president of the MacIver Institute, a Wisconsin-based think tank. “They run the ads that no one else wants to run.

Indeed. The GWC is airing ads that tie Prosser to the budget bill. “Prosser equals Walker” is the usual theme.

The above quote is from NR by Daily Kos.  To be fair and balanced the MacIver Institute has been labeled by some as a right-wing think tank

WI 3/29/11 - New DPI data - Voucher Performance

DPI Press Releases - a place to begin looking to be informed!

Study under discussion 105 schools plan to participate in Milwaukee Parental Choice Program

CapTimes: Chalkboard: Test results show choice schools perform worse than public schools 1st paragraph

Great. Now Milwaukee has TWO failing taxpayer-financed school systems when it comes to educating low income kids (and that's 89 per cent of the total population of Milwaukee Public Schools).

WSJ - DPI: Students in Milwaukee voucher program didn't perform better in state tests

From this blog: WI - Education - 3/25 - Wait until Tues. - War on Public Education 

WI 1848 Forward:WI 3/29/11 -New #DPI data - School #Voucher Performance : #Charter #Walker #Evers #Public $$ for CEO

WI 3/29Rev - Joint Finance Comm. (JFC) - Schedule starts 3/29

Click on Title to see schedule per Wheeler Report.  Previously WisconsinEye said they would carry hearings live.  LFB analysis documents have been available since this morning.

In the end the "Budget" although including many things you like or do not like it is not nearly as important as Governor Walker acquiring "administrative rule writing authority" and his 35+ new positions he will be able to appoint.  The combination of the two will give him much more power and authority to affect programs, eligibility for programs and levels of expenditures in ways very difficult to imagine!
________________
 T 3/29: At least one Satellite TV truck is parked over by the Dane County Court House - waiting for the action this morning in Judge Sumi's Court --- competing with the JFC Hearings in the Capitol!

WI - 3/29am Rev - Legislative Council Update on FitzChaos - Budget Repair - DOJ chimes in

T 3/29: At least one Satellite TV truck is parked over by the Dane County Court House - waiting for the action this morning in Judge Sumi's Court --- competing with the JFC Hearings in the Capitol!
_____________________________
Click the Title to see latest Legislative Council Memo 3/28 from scribd.com -

[AND Just out  FROM WIS DOJ - asking TRO and Dane County DA Ozanne's lawsuit be vacated]

From WisPolitics.com ... summary of DA Ozanne's filings today (Monday)
Ozanne asks judge to declare collective bargaining changes not law

____________________________________________
 This is the final paragraph - the Courts will decide -Legislative Council Memo -

In the context of current laws on publication that define roles for both the LRB and the Secretary of State, the LRB’s action, the temporary restraining order against the Secretary of State, the lack of satisfaction of other statutory requirements, and the legal questions that are currently being litigated regarding the ability of a court to entertain challenges to an act prior to that act taking effect, it may be reasonable to conclude that a court would not apply the principles of  Stitt to permit the disregard of publication statutes when satisfaction of the public’s constitutional interest in notice is also in question.  Ultimately, given the circumstances listed above, the resolution of the question regarding the effective date of 2011 Wisconsin Act 10 appears to reside with the courts.  

From this blog previously -

WI - Upd 3/28 ~2:30pm - Laws have to be published in Official State Newspaper - WSJ

WI 3/28 upd pm - 20 percent turnout expected for state's April election - WisSJ

Click on Title for full WSJ article - here is the first paragraph!

MADISON - Even though there seems to be extra interest in the upcoming state Supreme Court race, the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board is predicting a typical level of voter turnout.

 ____________________________________
After reading that it seemed time to re-post the following from this blog - March 11, 2011
[If you use the "Search Wide" with "supreme" you will see other blog entries.]

Wisconsin April 5th 2011: Supreme Complacency?

The following article is just one of the best I have read and encourage you to read it as well -

Supremely Relevant: Prosser vs Kloppenburg by Bill Lueders, Isthmus

(my comments)

In 2006 there were 831,567 votes cast in the Supreme Court Election. In 2008 there were 827,899 votes cast (see WI GAB for all numbers mentioned plus my arithmetic) for the Supreme Court Election.
 
Michael Gableman got 425,101 votes and sitting Justice Louis Butler got 402,798 votes - 51.19% to 48.50%.  In the previous Governor's election the following numbers apply -

Wisconsin Voter Turnout 11/2010      49.56%    2,160,832    
VAP   4,330,695

(Source: WI GAB – VAP … Voting Age Population)

In the Presidential Election in 2008 -

         Wisconsin Voter Turnout 11/2008      69.20%    2,996,869    
         VAP  ~4,370,000 (Source: Wi GAB)

Need I say more?

 Why Vote - Redux!

WI - Alfred E Neuman - Video Upd - anyone see the resemblance - update 3/28

Forgive me - but it just sprang into my mind!  Click to see who on the TITLE!

It's an inside Wisconsin joke - you have to be supremely confident or sad!

Not who I had in mind but you see what you want?! The other guy is just as handsome!


#WI - Alfred E Neuman - Video - anyone see the resemblance - #WMC style #Politics

What me worry!  Just VOTE Kloppenburg!

Prosser = Walker

 Now do you see who Alfred looks like!

WI - 3/27/11 - Krugman and Cronon - NYTimes - what do you think?

Click on Title to see story!

from the Krugman piece -

If this action strikes you as no big deal, you’re missing the point. The hard right — which these days is more or less synonymous with the Republican Party — has a modus operandi when it comes to scholars expressing views it dislikes: never mind the substance, go for the smear. And that demand for copies of e-mails is obviously motivated by no more than a hope that it will provide something, anything, that can be used to subject Mr. Cronon to the usual treatment.

WI 1848 Forward: WI - 3/27/11 - #Krugman and #Cronon - #NYTimes - what do you think? : #NYT #FOIA #Madison #Walker 

Video - Upld 3/27 Capitol - Illegal Protest - Video of kids and nice policeman Stats 4/3

You should click on the link (TITLE or see below to start) and see the YouTube Video
[Title click will add to count - 3/30pm ~7800 - I first saw count at ~200]

4/3 ... added snapshot of stats from YouTube Viewers - watch voter turnout ! 
Look at the bottom to see who is doing the looking - Gender/Age!

... thanks to

@PortiaABoulger Chillicothe, Ohio 45601

All citizens should educate themselves about government at all levels and engage in grassroots efforts to empower ourselves and our communities. 

... for making me aware of this great statement about "This is what democracy looks like!"

Viewing Statistics 4/3/2011 ~Noon

Kids Protest - Madison Capitol Rotunda - Statistics 4/3/2011

WI 1848 Forward: Video  Upld 3/27 Capitol - Illegal Protest - Video of kids and nice policeman Stats 4/3 http://wi1848forward.blogspot.com/2011/03/wi-327-capitol-illegal-protest-video-of.html?spref=tw

WI - Another Judge - DA Ozanne's request - Sat - FitzWalkerChaos

The WheelerReport.com provides an insight into "Open Meetings Lawsuit" and LRB publication - Judge O'Brien's ruling.  Click Title for Judge's decision.

Previous Blog - WI - FitzWalkerChaos - Protest Goes On - 3/26 - Another Ambush

WI - Reprise from 3/17/11 - #NPR an Ideological Target! Why? - #ALEC #NRA - #Cronon

On March 17th when this note (my blog) was originally posted Professor Cronon (UW - Madison) had just posted his note (3/15) about how we should all be "educating" ourselves about how our democracy works.  I had visited his blog on 3/16 and was reminded of ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) but not much more.  ALEC had not yet in and of it self become a "hot topic" even with Professor Cronon's blog.  This seems to have changed with the FOIA request by the Wisconsin Republican Party of Professor Cronon's UW-Madison emails.

Going back to 3/17:  Sometime later, again in following the news, the issue of public funding for NPR / PBS and "gotcha videos" became a hot topic.   I recalled that there had been some "news" about ALEC from NPR or PBS or both -  it seemed to me it was "video" but in my searching I stopped searching when I found the NPR (quite politely labeled) audio story below.

When I posted (3/17) the suggestion of why NPR might be an "ideological" target I knew that ALEC was the subject of the audio.  To me it was just an example how Republican's / conservatives have seemed to be able to organize and identify long-term objectives and strategies to work toward them.  I left another, personal example, on Professor Cronon's blog about David Keene and the American Conservative Union and how this classmate of mine (at the UW) knew he most wanted to be a "Republican" at the age of 18 or 19 - this is roughly 48 years ago.   

12/21/2012 - Just noticed that David Keene was/is President of the NRA

First, perhaps the rest of us think too short term or tactically and when we organize to support "collective bargaining" or some other cause we need to be more like a conservative.  

Second, we  need "journalists" to be vigilant and thoughtful and perhaps a little more strident about asking tough questions and not just "neutral" reporting of sound bites and platitudes.

Here is a good example of deeper thinking and reporting -

Vital Signs: State GOP health bills mirror model ALEC legislation by Shawn Doherty - CapTimes

from the article ... 

Republicans (WI) have proposed a pair of bills  that would allow insurance policies in Wisconsin to ingore state mandates requiring coverage for a broad variety of medical treatments and conditions, including autism, cochlear implants and mental health problems. One of these bills would allow out-of-state health insurers to offer plans in Wisconsin that do not conform to the state's mandates.

______________________

From 3/17 Blog:

NPR an Ideological Target! Why?

Click the title for NY Times link (3/14).       Because their audience is growing!

3/17/2011 ...and another kind of reason
Shaping State Laws With Little Scrutiny by Laura Sullivan

... as I recall some state legislators were "given" scholarships to attend ... it would be interesting to trace legislation back to Wisconsin and our Legislative Reference Bureau where it would be redrafted for introduction ... any students need a project?

WI 1848 Forward:Reprise 3/17/11 - #NPR an Ideological Target! Why? - #ALEC #NRA - #Cronon : David #Keene Pres #NRA

WI - Education - 3/25/11 - Wait until Tues. - War on Public Education

Perspective from Blog: Wisconsin: 1890 – Mess with education at your risk! Capitol Times  ~3/16

War on Public Education  

Some interesting numbers (below in the linked article) but it sometimes is really questionable how "performance" gets described as less expensive, low performing, same opportunity.  The judgments need to be tempered and adjusted for infrastructure costs, teacher attainment (or even teacher pay and benefits), class room hours, class size, student turnover, technical and vocational infrastructure and the abilities/disabilties inherent in the student population.  As noted below more data is out Tuesday - it may add some light but more likely just heat as proponents seek to discredit each other and their numbers in order to promote their own.  Seems as if it is really just an "ideological" argument with some preferring corporate / private / profit education to public education and the kids get lost in the shuffle.


The Second Front in the War on Public Education - 3/25
GOP seeks to expand school voucher program by Matthew DeFOUR

And state test scores to be released Tuesday, which for the first time include 10,600 Milwaukee voucher students, could suggest they are testing no better than poor students in the Milwaukee Public Schools.

The First Front in the War on Public Education - From the Blog :
WI - Education - Who needs local democracy - New State Bureaucracy Proposed
WI - Charter Schools - Listening now - Public on the Outside, Private on the Inside? - Senate Bill 22 Hearing 


WI 1848 Forward: 3/25/11 - Wait until Tues. - #Walker War on Public #Education #edu #wiUnion wivote #Vouchers

WI - FitzWalkerChaos - Protest Goes On - 3/26 - Another Ambush

Click Title to WSJ article - Another Walker Ambush - like Ash Wednesday Ambush by WI Senate / Assembly

Is it a law? Just a bill? Confusion reigns over collective bargaining legislation by Mary Spicuzza - WSJ 3/26/11

In the wake of the latest drama, hundreds of protesters descended on the state Capitol again Saturday. The crowd was smaller than those on recent Saturdays but included marchers holding a sign that read, "Latinos y Latinas en Madison: No a Walker & Corps," and a group of yellow cabs honking to the rhythm of the chant, "This is what democracy looks like." A small group of robed professors, who walked about 43 miles from their UW-Whitewater campus, also joined the demonstrations.

Not really any confusion just an excuse to make life complicated for unions - my opinion!

WI - Update 3/26 - Prof. William Cronon - 2 Million Blog hits in 24 hours

Well I was not too far off only low by 1,000,000 ... and I was thinking the total since controversy with GOP - 3/26 afternoon.

See the his blog 3/26 entry -

 

NYT Editorial and Other Coverage of Cronon Open Records Case  

WI - Upd.3/26 Sat - Prof. William Cronon - Academic Freedom vs FOIA (GOP request) - references the Original TalkingPoints entry

If Professor Cronon had 500,000 hits before he certainly has 1,000,000 by now ... are people intimidated or just better informed ;-}

NYTimes Editorial : A Shabby Crusade in Wisconsin Published: March 25, 2011

3/26 Update: CapTimes Editorial -  Republican Party of Wisconsin attacks UW professor's right to speak -- but can't spell his name right

Update: Chalkboard: GOP won't withdraw records request ... CapTimes
_____________________________________________
From Talking Points Memo website (click the title)

Abusing Open Records to Attack Academic Freedom from William Cronon blog

WI - Update 3/26/11 - Prof. William #Cronon - 2 Million #Blog hits in 24 hours #FIFA

WI - Another Lawsuit - Asserts Budget Repair has Fiscal Items

WSJ  3/25 - two unions file to have law declared null and void - no quorum!

Click on Title to see article!

AFL-CIO Laborers Local 236 and Firefighters Local 311 allege in a lawsuit filed in Dane County Circuit Court that despite claims to the contrary, the bill contains provisions that have fiscal impacts on the state and required a quorum of three-fifths of the Senate to vote on it.

WI - Big Money Blog - 9Million hits

From their website -
Wis Democracy Campaign - Big Biz's Non-Denial Denial

Boycott websites like this one and Facebook pages including one with nearly 23,000 followers as of today are directing people to our website to see who donated to Walker. Traffic to wisdc.org has spiked dramatically with nearly 9 million hits to the site in just the last six weeks. In 2009 we had 3.2 million hits the whole year, which was by far the most we'd ever seen in a odd-numbered year.

WI 1848 Forward: #WI - Big #Money Blog - 9Million hits - from #2011 http://wi1848forward.blogspot.com/2011/03/wi-big-money-blog-9million-hits.html?spref=tw

I - WI - It's an old POST and it can still SNOW in Madison -- but I'm feeling good

If it does SNOW I'm sure the Little People will be baaaaaack!

 

Wisconsin: The Little People Protest (image) .. update 3/23 - original 3/11

These people are so dispirited they will be gone soon from protesting at the Capitol!  The real Wisconsinites will be back Saturday!  Take heart!  The tractors are coming at 10am (Sat).

Taken Thursday afternoon 3/10/2011.  Click on the picture to see the sign!!!!  Follow @wmagates on Twitter.

Update for those who have not zoomed in on the idea yet!!!

See the message yet?

It's About Freedom!

WI - Upd 3/28 ~2:30pm - Laws have to be published in Official State Newspaper - WSJ

 3/28 ... it is now being reported the DOA will be going ahead on payroll changes as of April 21st, etc.

news3jessica Jessica Arp

Sec Huebsch: This is not desire of DOA Sec to go forward without clear direction, I believe I have clear direction as guided by the statutes.

________________________________________
Wheeler Report ... Legislative Council Letter to Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca

Click on Title to see it  ... Bargaining, etc. - assume Fitzgerald is trying to rattle cages!!  What he is likely to get is another 100K on the Capitol Square!
_____________________________________________________
3/26 Update Integrated -  The above link to State Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca from Leg. Council is probably the answer - but it will drag out legally and the Walker Admin will act like it is the law - and what could they do!

Just a few easily thought of -

#  Stop withholding union dues from payroll

#  Start taking out more for healthcare

#  Start taking out more for retirement

#  Depending on schedule start changing/reducing payments to local governments / school districts

I trust that the Courts/Law provides remedies to those who are harmed - will Fitzgerald and others invoke their immunity again?!

Dane County DA: LRB's actions of no legal significance from WisPolitics.com - DA Ozanne - last night
__________________________________________________________

This links to earlier blog entries on the topic -

WI - Upd. - LRB vs State Secretary of State vs State Attorney General

WI - Upd. - LRB vs State Secretary of State vs State Attorney General

Click on the Title to see Secretaty of State La Follette's letter

Bargaining law published despite court order ... probably more lawsuits - footnote mentions TRO

http://thewheelerreport.com/releases/March11/0325/0325cosh.pdf  Wheeler Report on Wi DOJ letter

Barca - Open Records Request on the Issue 
http://www.scribd.com/doc/51567732/Open-Records-Request-Walker-Fitzgerald-Fitzgerald-Suder-and-Ellis

V - WI Rev3/29 - Oakland CA - Oakland California Musicians Perform -Madison-

3/25: Especially for my friends in California - 3/29 25,000+ views

Oakland California Musicians Perform "Madison" to Thank the Protesters in Madison, Wisconsin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTuf826MQQs&feature=player_embedded#at=59
(Use link too - so it gets counted)

WI - 3/26/11 - Prof. William Cronon - Academic Freedom vs FOIA (GOP request)

If Professor Cronon had 500,000 hits before he certainly has 1,000,000 by now ... are people intimidated or just better informed ;-}

NYTimes Editorial : A Shabby Crusade in Wisconsin Published: March 25, 2011

3/26 Update: CapTimes Editorial -  Republican Party of Wisconsin attacks UW professor's right to speak -- but can't spell his name right

Update: Chalkboard: GOP won't withdraw records request ... CapTimes
_____________________________________________
From Talking Points Memo website (click the title)

Abusing Open Records to Attack Academic Freedom from William Cronon blog

#WI - 3/26/11 - Prof. William #Cronon - Academic Freedom ( #tenure ) vs #FOIA (#GOP request)

WI - Tough Politicians, Tax Increases (labor - wish you had 41st Gov back)

Precedent ... not all politicians or Wisconsinites fear a tax increase ... from Legislative Fiscal Bureau - (click the Title for the LFB document).

Income Tax Surcharges

Between 1918 and 1962, Wisconsin had a series of individual income tax surcharges for a number of purposes including: soldiers' cash bonuses; education, retirement old-age assistance, and health purposes; and emergency relief. The level of the surtax rose to a maximum of 60% of the normal tax between 1935 and 1942, but was substantially lower during nonwar periods. In 1983, the state imposed a 10% surtax on 1983 calendar year tax liabilities to compensate for slower state revenue growth during a recession. Table 14 shows the type and level of the various surcharges adopted over time on the Wisconsin individual income tax.                                p31 Informational Paper January 2011

Now for the irony - from Wikipedia for the 41st Governor (who was next) ... names removed for fun -

However, 41st tenure as governor was a challenge from the start. By the time he took office, Wisconsin was marred by a budget deficit of nearly $1 billion and a 12% unemployment rate. 41st signed legislation making the 5% sales tax permanent and also added a 10% surtax on state income tax which was later reduced. Once the state was fiscally sound, 41st passed initiatives improving the environment, education, and equal opportunity. 41st appointed Doris Hanson, the state's first and only female to hold the office of secretary of the Department of Administration and Howard Fuller, the first African-American appointed to a cabinet position heading the Department of Employee Relations. Due to disagreements over healthcare reform, prison staffing, wage freezes and other matters, 41st relations with state labor soured and made his tenure as governor all the more complicated.

On a personal bio-note ... I worked in the LFB from 40th to 41st transition - I had forgotten these events - hope you are a better student of state politics than I am. 

Tough #Politicians, Tax Increases (labor - wish you had 41st Gov back) ExGov #Walker vs ExGov #Earl #wiUnion - WI 1848 Forward

WI - Open Meetings lawsuit, Prosser in a bind???

Click here to see Court rulings in PDF

March 24, 2011- Wisconsin Court of Appeals declines to rule on "Open Meetings" lawsuit - go to State Supreme Court

So when and which way will Prosser vote on "Open Meetings" - even sitting on his hands he probably loses - will the real justice stand up!!!

It  is  appropriate  to  certify  to  the  Supreme  Court  appeals  raising issues  which  that  court  might  otherwise  ultimately  consider  on  a  petition  for review, in order to reduce the burden and expense of the appellate process on both the parties and  the  judicial  system.   See Wisconsin Public Serv. Corp. v. Public Service Comm’n of Wis., 176 Wis. 2d 955, 958 n.1, 501 N.W.2d 36, 37 n.1 (1993) (Abrahamson, J., concurring).  Because this appeal presents significant issues, we believe that the Supreme Court is the proper forum for it.

In the blog: WI - Dane County latest filings on Open Meetings violations - Budget Repair from 3/22

WI - Update #2 : Budget Briefing - JFC - LFB - Mark Your Calendar

3/24 Late Afternoon: WisconsinEye will be covering Joint Finance Committee hearings next week!

If not already ... keep checking LFB site for their "evaluation" of the Budget Bill. 
________________________________________________
WI Senator Darling ... schedule being finalized for starting next week!

 Click on Title to see WisPolitics.com note! 3/24/2011

Wheeler Report: Joint Finance Committee. Agency budget briefings.

WI - upd 3/29 -Healthcare Choice - Picture Worth 1000 words

Extremist Singers  Walker Only

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBCfT2IXhaI

Walker & Neumann

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCZQTcwDLVI

#Walker WI - 3/29 - #Healthcare Choice - Picture Worth 1000 words 

WI - Healthcare - Adverse Selection - The Governor too!

Shawn Doherty's article in CapTimes is really worth reading - 3/24
Vital Signs: Secretary Smith vs. researcher Jon Peacock: why health plan for poor is failing

Adverse selection, death cycle, insurer's cherry picking ... learn all about it!?  More emergency room care, broke hospitals, higher rates for the insured, personal bankruptcies, homeless families, epidemics, learning disabilities ... what else?

#Obamacare WI 1848 Forward: WI - #Healthcare - Avoid Adverse Selection - radical #Walker too!

WI - Walker Policies - Good thing Babe the Blue Ox has moved Out-of-State

Just a few Oxes - my spear is getting blunt!

Budget Repair - It's only fiscal!
Voting - make it hard and make it expensive for the individual.
Jobs - If we recover I'll take the credit otherwise it's Obama's fault (probably because of health care)!
Environment - DNR rules make it too hard to pollute and fill in wetlands except for wind turbines.
Domestic Partners - No such thing.
Education - Do away with local control and oversight.
Medicaid - Cut it and make it more expensive.
Administration - I'll do the deciding - I'm a decider!
Shared Revenue - Cut it and impose local spending limits!
Public Employees - Tell them they make too much, but we love them!
Taxation - We are broke.
User Fees - What are you - a drugee?
Political Contributions - especially if you are not from Wisconsin.

Any others - I've been living under a rock and may have missed a few?

Sincerely,

WI 1848 Forward

WI 1848 Forward: #Walker Policies - Good thing #BabeTheBlueOx has moved Out-of-State - Where is Paul Bunyan? : #wivote

WI - Senator Ron Johnson ... Nominee #2 "Have You No Shame!" Award

Wall Street Journal 3/23/11 ... Senator Johnson's Opinion Piece ... it just is not the problem

I don't even want to think what might have happened if she had been born at a time and place where government defined the limits for most insurance policies and set precedents on what would be covered. Would the life-saving procedures that saved her have been deemed cost-effective by policy makers deciding where to spend increasingly scarce tax dollars?

Do not worry, another politician from Wisconsin, has the award all sewed up ... our Governor Scott Walker!

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704662604576202203050970010.html?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEADTop

Context :
Op-Ed Contributor: Wisconsin’s Radical Break By WILLIAM CRONON Published: March 21, 2011 Madison, Wis.

WI 1848 Forward: #Senator #RonJohnson ... Nominee #2 "Have You No Shame!" Award : #47% #99% #Medicare #Medicaid

WI - Walker ... Flexibility for me, Rigor Mortis for YOU!

3/23/2011 -

It is just so ironic, at the same time Governor Walker wants "block grants" or similar tools from the Federal Government (they pay 60% of the cost?) for managing Medicaid. The tools he has given towns, villages, cities, counties and schools has sent what seems like to many of them to be the undertaker.

He wants flexibility for the state and the ability to decide who and who does not get Medicaid services!  He does not find it "ideologically convenient" to allow locals to solve their problems at the same time he runs Wisconsin's Revenue Sharing over the cliff!

WI 1848 Forward: WI - #Walker ... Flexibility for me, Rigor Mortis for YOU! #Medicaid

2013 We're Back - 2011 Charter Schools - Listening now - Public on the Outside, Private on the Inside?

2013 Expect another run -  Conniff - Progressive Magazine    

3/23/2011 - Draft as of ~2:25pm (material may be added ... devoted much of the day listening)

Senate Bill 22 Hearing before Education Committee - Click on the Title to see the Bill in PDF format ... Legislative Reference Bureau provides some summary early on in the document.

Legislative Fiscal Bureau Informational Paper 30 (circa January 2011) -
Charter Schools (Informational Paper 30) LFB

This blog has the DPI testimony materials available (not DPI itself) -
Public Schools for the Public Good

Listening / watching (WisconsinEye) the testimony on Senate Bill 22 before the Senate Education Committee the first thing of note is that it appears the legislation was drafted by organizations supporting Charter Schools.  The second impression is that "the problem" in the eyes of some is the state of "education" in Milwaukee not the rest of the state.  The third impression is that the bill contains little or no language dealing with ethics and conflicts of interest.  Department of Public Instruction provided substantive, legal, fiscal, quantitative and policy testimony - too much to try and distill beyond impressions of the hearing already provided.

Great pains were taken in testimony to state that all the Charter Schools have to be non-profit.  Others took great pains to point out that there is nothing preventing the operations of the Charter Schools by for-profit entities.  The counter-point was the performance standards and teacher certification have to be maintained.  A  response was to please explain how a bifurcated educational system along with reduced state aides ($790M) and removing local school boards from the process enhances "educational opportunity".

Related: WI - Education - Who needs local democracy - New State Bureaucracy Proposed


WI 1848 Forward: 2013 We're Back-2011 #CharterSchools -Public on the Outside, Private on the Inside? $ 4 #Vouchers

#Walker Wars WI 1848 Forward: 2013 We're Back-2011 #CharterSchools -Public on the Outside, Private on the Inside?

WI - UPD 3/24 #2: Dane County latest filings on Open Meetings violations - Budget Repair

... WSJ says Prosser says ...
Prosser will not recuse in collective bargaining law appeal

On to the Supreme Court ...

WI - "Open Records" lawsuit, Prosser in a bind???

DA had until 4pm to file ... from the article in WSJ ...  Click on Title to see WSJ

          Dane County DA fires back at attorney general over budget bill appeal

If the attorney general's office had its way, no court could overturn a law even if everyone agrees that the state legislature violated every requirement of the states open meetings law, Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne wrote Tuesday.

See related in Blog: http://wi1848forward.blogspot.com/2011/03/wi-state-attorney-general-wants-open.html

WI - Summary of Study by COWS ... got to make you think - "drink milk"!

In this case COWS stands for Center On Wisconsin Strategy and the summary is of a study by EPI (Economic Policy Institute).  The latter has been tossed around like an old shoe by a playful dog. The WisSJ (last week, Sunday?) included a piece on their opinion page which tried to debunk the study.  The authors major strategy seemed to be to claim they were experts - they cited no references, provided only rough, back of the envelope figuring!

Click the Title above to see the COWS summary and thus links to the EPI study.  Nice to have this all accessible in one place!

One quote sure to raise blood pressure in some quarters (and repeated by others in many places):

Teachers
New data also show that public school teachers in Wisconsin are not over‐compensated. Public school teachers in Wisconsin earn 17.8% less in weekly wages than their private‐sector counterparts. Specifically, over the 2006‐10 period, the weekly wages of public school teachers were (in 2010 dollars) $1,015, while other comparably educated workers (with bachelor’s or master’s degrees) earned $1,235 per week. This wage gap is far greater than any possible benefits advantage a public school teacher might have, indicating that total weekly compensation of public school teachers is also less than that of their private‐sector counterparts.

It is important to continue the dialog / discussion / debate to really help people understand how to draw reasonable conclusions and also understand where their "self-interest" really lies.

Related: WI - Education - Who needs local democracy - New State Bureaucracy Proposed

WI - Upd3/26 - Supreme Politics - Kloppenburg vs Prosser 3/22 in Milwaukee

 3/26 Saturday Morning
There was a debate last night - anybody change their mind? 


There he goes again -

Prosser calls Kloppenburg an 'ideologue' from JSOnline 

‎Probably what he should have called Chief Justice Abrahamson instead of B****!
_____________________________________
3/25 : Another perspective Walker, budget television ads top $300,000

Written by Kathleen Foody  Wausau Daily

____________________________________________
WisPolitics.com - click the Title to see the atrticle!

Almost a comedy script ...  do you think JoAnne Kloppenburg can prevent someone of her Facebook friends from writing that Prosser or the Governor is a "turd"?  In the exercise of free speech how does that compare with him calling the Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice a "b**ch"!

Related ... WI - Justice is a five letter word ... Prosser VS Kloppenburg

From the source - at least it rhymes :

“It says, 'Stop the turd, vote Kloppenburg,'” he said. "Am I the turd or is the governor the turd?"

Kloppenburg defended the Facebook page, saying she was not responsible for what others post there.

 Another voice from the Isthmus:
Emily's Post: David Prosser's poor temperament, Scott Walker's blatant hypocrisy by Emily Mills 

Update: 3/23
Enraged by Walker, activists put Kloppenburg’s Supreme Court campaign on their shoulders

3/2011 - Education - Who needs local democracy - New State Bureaucracy Proposed

 2013 ... think this will come around again ?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This morning 3/22 by Susan Troller (CapTimes) Republican bill calls for a board of political appointees to authorize charter schools , no matter what you think of charter schools, is part of a flanking attack to fundamentally corporatize education.  Take away local control but make the "locals" pay for it!  From that article ... be sure and read it all! 

Under a Republican-sponsored bill, nine political appointees would get to authorize public charter schools while local school districts foot the bill. The creation of this state-wide charter school authorizing board — with members appointed by the governor and the leaders of the state Senate and Assembly — is a key provision of legislation authored by Sen. Alberta Darling of River Hills that will get a hearing on Wednesday at 10 a.m. at the Capitol before the Senate Education Committee. 

I wrote sometime ago ... (Click Title to full piece)

Today the Republican politics may seem to be about teachers and public servants but I think it is a flanking attack on public education from kindergarten to college. Force school districts to lower their standards by reducing funding for teachers, increase class size, diminish special programs, sports, arts, music, libraries, etc. so that we all give up. Parents with the means will get their kids educated and the rest can fend for themselves. This is the real strategy … see it for what it really is!

It, in slightly different form appeared in the Capitol Times - Mailbag:  Bill Gates: GOP strategy is to do away with public education

http://wi1848forward.blogspot.com/

WI 1848 Forward:3/2011 WI - #Education -Who needs local #Schools democracy - New State Bureaucracy Proposed? #Walker

WI - Senior Care - Walker changes - Kohl Urges NO!

Click on Title to see great article 3/21

Vital Signs: Battle heats up to save state's popular SeniorCare drug program ... CapTimes

 

WI - State Attorney General - wants Open Meetings TRO appealed

Court case over bargaining law hinges on decades-old decision By Jason Stein of the Journal Sentinel   3/22

La Follette says he wasn't consulted before AG appealed on his behalf  by John Nichols ... CapTimes 3/21

 Court of Appeals wants briefs by 4pm 3/22 Tuesday  -Wheeler Report

Via the Wheeler Report : 3/21
Lift TRO and allow appeal ... Van Hollen

The thread - (there are a few blog entries omitted from this time line - still available)

Judge Sumi - TRO Budget Repair - in Blog

Open Meetings violation lawsuit - in Blog

L - Wisconsin - The Republican Budget Vote of Shame - in Blog

In Pictures - WI - Madison Capitol - 3/9 - Closed N. Hamilton Entrance Closed - in Blog

Wisconsin: Ash Wednesday Walker Ambush - It Begins... update! - in Blog

WI - Out-of-State Protesters Outnumbered by Out-of-State Emails Maybe ;-} 3/21

 3/22 AP from WSJ --- A Time Line and Count!
 Emails to Walker initially favored union rights, review shows

The real point is as in Emily's (Mills) Post in the  Isthmus  ... Walker cleverly chose his words and his timing so as not to be incorrect but certainly manipulative!  Trick me once shame on you! Trick me twice shame on me!
________________________________________________________________

It appears from a quick read that a sample reveals a very difficult counting problem - sort of like looking at shads/chads(?) in Florida!  Be sure to watch this note ... it will evolve as more becomes clear and more reporting gets done!!

The reason people are probably interested goes to the "bully pulpit" effect - the same reason AP and Isthmus used the Open Records Law to get the records - as this unfolds it suggests that statements were being made by Governor Walker that he did not know were true or false - or AP and Isthmus would not have to go to court to get the records.  If the statements were known to be true the Walker Administration would be more than willing to hand them over!

Analysis shows emails to Walker favored budget repair bill from WSJ 3/21

Please ... what does this mean??  Eight to nine percent or 89%

• Eight-nine percent of the emails against Walker came from Wisconsinites.

As clarified in the Isthmus 3/20:

When the Center looked only at emails from Wisconsin, the margin was much slimmer, with 55% favoring his bill and 42% opposed. And 89% of the emails against Walker came from Wisconsinites.

Still a little confusing ... I guess a large number of people were against Walker but did not mention the Budget Repair Bill ... is that what it means?  3/22 comment:  How can you have the word Wisconsin in the above two sentences and not be puzzled?  If there are 100 emails (all from Wisconsin) then 55 favor the bill and 42 oppose.  I think it might be clear - if you just used the sample numbers and then expressed the percentages relative to each number!

See also http://www.thedailypage.com/daily/article.php?article=32827 3/22 by Emily Mills

Emails obtained from Gov. Scott Walker show public wrote him in support of budget repair bill by  Dean Robbins on Sunday 03/20/2011

http://wi1848forward.blogspot.com/2011/03/wi-out-of-state-protesters-outnumbered.html

WI - Madison Capitol - 3/9/2011 - Closed N. Hamilton Entrance - Officers following orders

3/9/2011 ... The officers stepped outside the left entrance (of three) and the doors were closed behind them ... the officers proceeded to East Washington entrance while the rest of us went to King St.  This is the night the Republicans called a conference meeting and Barca claimed Open Meetings Law violations!!

One of officers who blocked the N Hamilton entrance 3/9

The two officers going into E. Washington entrance - we proceeded to King St.

Was it legal?  Time stamp on my image is 5:48.

Images just a little later in time - in blog

WI - Fewer employed but 10,100 more jobs in January than December???

This one has me puzzled - good news and bad news  ... in looking at the data in the report I kept adding and subtracting columns trying to figure out where the numbers come from -  the bad news was pretty clear but where does the 10,100 private sector jobs come from?  Honestly I made an effort to figure it out but it kind of reminded me of the math problems for which the answer in the back of the book just did not seem to agree with what I kept coming up with!

I will just assume I am wrong but if someone can answer where the 10,100 number came from I would appreciate the clarification - some other source??  I will update this note with the answer and next time be that much better at reading tables, etc.  Perhaps not "fewer employed" but "higher unemployment rates" would be more "correct" language on my part?

Thanks in advance
________________________________________________________

Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Secretary Manny Perez says in a report released March 16th, 2011:   (Click the title above to see the report)

“Wisconsin added 10,100 private sector jobs in January, giving us a head start on the hiring season,” Secretary Perez said. “We expect more job growth with Wisconsin’s new, business friendly image under Governor Walker. The time is right for the unemployed to redouble job search efforts and help meet employer needs, particularly manufacturers with increasing production orders.”

Later in the same report (about unemployment rates):

All 72 counties had higher rates in January than in December, but lower rates than in January 2010.

_______________________________________________________

My bias is that I would expect things to be getting better -

 250,000: When an employment promise is NOT a promise!

WI - Justice is a five letter word ... Prosser VS Abrahamson - Vote April 5th

Update: The February date was mistyped as 2011.

Almost missed this one ... incident 2/10/2010 reported 3/19/2011 in JSOnline.  Prosser thinks this is being released to embarrass him and hurt him politically!  Gee ... you think so!  Character / reserve / control / judgment all seem like relevant criteria for choosing a Supreme Court Justice!  See - did not even mention Prosser's real opponent ;-}


Click on the title (above) to find out which "four/five letter word" Prosser used in describing the Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court!

Wisconsin April 5th 2011: Supreme Complacency?

Even Assembly Minority Leader Representative Peter Barca was able to keep his cool when Republicans were ignoring Open Meetings Law!

I - Before 2/25 Ian's pizza lid protest - Inside WI Capitol 2/25/2011 or before

These pictures were taken on 2/25 in the evening at a time when you could get in and out of the Capitol with relative ease.  The signs probably existed from before that time ... box lids had been being used even before this but in a one-off fashion.  Pizzas would arrive, be consumed and a few boxes would be grabbed and used to make spontaneous signs.  They are not arranged in any particular order

I - WI Capitol - Madison - Along State Street ~2:30pm 3/19/2011

Budget and Budget Repair and Collective Bargaining, Health Care, Etc.

Anti-Walker Rally / Protest

Continuation ... at State ... Ian's Pizza ... group on the square as another is escorted (probably from Library Mall) - Latina / Hispanic Voices!

  Part - Modified Bucky Badger Fight Song!

Down State St

Up State St not far from Ian's Pizza

Ian's Pizza - building extends to left up State

Group Coming up State St

 It's fair to say that signs are still flowing up and down State St at 3:30pm from my vantage in the 400 block, having a coffee at Fair Trade Coffee House!