Walker Gives budget Address To A Full House…

   …. but he is so damned popular that he had to bus in some supporters to make himself look good for television (FoxNews)?

DKos

Wed Mar 02, 2011

Suppressing Dissent: An Inside View of WI Governor Walker's Budget Address      by lil bird

This afternoon Governor Scott Walker gave his budget address, in which he presented his proposed budget for the next two years. This comes on the tail of the union-busting bill that has had hundreds of thousands of Wisconsinites out in the streets and occupying the Capitol for the past two weeks.

Walker seems to like to pick a fight with the people of Wisconsin, but like many tyrants he goes to great lengths to pretend that the public is on his side. I thought folks might be interested in the reports I heard from the few members of the general public let into the chamber where the address was given.

The Capitol has been on lockdown for the last few days, with very limited entry and exit and thousands of people outside trying to get in. Most of us on the inside have been here for days, and we're certainly not here because we are Scott Walker fans. So, to provide a friendly audience for his speech today Walker bussed in a crowd of right-wing supporters to pack the chamber.

The Governor apparently wanted to be able to claim that members of the general public were also allowed to attend, because he had officers hand-pick 20 clean-cut, mostly older individuals out of the crowd outside to receive special passes to watch his speech. These people were shepherded inside, in some cases without being told where they were being taken.

When they reached the chamber in which the governor's address was to be delivered, these individuals were not offered any of the regular seating already filled to capacity with nearly 200 right-wing activists. Instead they were put in a row of uncomfortable folding chairs behind the normal seating area, and surrounded by state troopers who watched them like hawks the entire time.

After the pledge of allegiance and a prayer, the Governor began his address. The rest of the audience cheered and applauded throughout the whole thing, but those in the back were told not to so much as make any expression in response to what the Governor was saying. One middle-aged woman I spoke with said she was very frustrated with being herded into the chamber and having to listen to the address without being permitted to react in any way, especially given the loud cheering allowed for everyone else.

Near the end of the speech everyone rose to their feet, with most of those in the chamber applauding wildly. One woman in the back stood up with the rest of the crowd but booed softly, at which point the state troopers surrounded her and told her she had to leave. The troopers also rounded up two other nearby individuals who had not been doing anything besides standing, and told them they would be escorted out as well.

One of these two asked whether the address was over, and when she was told that it was not, she said that she had a ticket and wanted to stay. The officer refused. She asked what she had done wrong, but rather than answer the trooper grabbed her, twisted her arm painfully behind her back and told her she was under arrest. He would not tell her why she was being detained, and when she asked if someone could bring her jacket along as she was led out, he refused. She and the others were escorted from the chamber, and then from the building.

Another person I spoke with was one of several who stood and turned their backs at the end of the speech in silent protest. They were also forcibly removed from the chamber by the state troopers, who roughly pushed one short woman because she was not moving fast enough.

That was the situation inside the chamber during the Governor's address today - members of the public being used as props for the Governor's speech but manhandled and arrested at the slightest sign of disagreement. However, despite the Governor's iron-fisted enforcement of approval within his audience, those of us inside the building, but shut out of the chamber, chanted and beat drums so loudly throughout the speech that we could be heard within it. So despite the Governor's best efforts, the voice of the people still made it to the Governor's ears - I only hope that it makes it into the media coverage as well.

    FoxNews will have a great spin on all of the public support that Walker had at this little charade, bet on it.

Technorati Tags: Wisconsin,Scott Walker,Unions,Workers Rights,Current Events

House Republicans Vote For Big-Oil Subsidies

Tue Mar 01, 2011

House GOP votes unanimously to protect big oil subsidies     by Joan McCarter for Daily Kos

So check this out.

That helps to explain this: 0: Number of Republicans Who Voted To Cut Taxpayer Subsidies for Big Oil.

With Big Oil raking in record profits, House Democrats offered a Motion to Recommit to the House Republican short-term spending bill this afternoon making a responsible cut to the budget: putting an end to taxpayer-funded subsidies to large oil companies. Repealing these subsidies would save taxpayers tens of billions over the next decade and even ex-Shell CEO John Hofmeister agrees saying “with high oil prices, such subsidies are not necessary.”

Rep. William Keating (D-MA) offered the motion on the House floor saying “let’s stop sending taxpayers’ money to the most profitable companies in the world.”

...Republicans voted unanimously against the motion, defeating it by a vote of 176-249.

That's your GOP. They're willing to cut that deficit on the backs of the poor, the elderly, women, the middle class, public employees . . . For all of us, it's "so be it" as jobs disappear. But they sure as hell won't endanger the massive profits of their Big Oil friends.

Technorati Tags: Oil,Tax Breaks,Republicans,The House,Finance,Current Events

David Koch: An Op-Ed Line Of Crap…

    ….which is always to be expected by this billionaire conservative moron who wishes to kill off what is left of the middle class and the poor, to an extent. He and his brother would still need the poor workers in America to keep their company going.

   Anyway, the asshat did an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal which is basically his instructions to the lesser equals in the land. His wish list of things that American companies should do with the help of the congress, GOP governors, and whatever.

   Anonymous had a few things to say about Koch’s number crunching and the sources which he used.

    First Koch:

Years of tremendous overspending by federal, state and local governments have brought us face-to-face with an economic crisis. Federal spending will total at least $3.8 trillion this year—double what it was 10 years ago. And unlike in 2001, when there was a small federal surplus, this year's projected budget deficit is more than $1.6 trillion.

   I take it that Koch does not care for the help that government provides for the retired and the poor of America. Let’s not forget the medically needy either.

For many years, I, my family and our company have contributed to a variety of intellectual and political causes working to solve these problems. Because of our activism, we've been vilified by various groups. Despite this criticism, we're determined to keep contributing and standing up for those politicians, like Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who are taking these challenges seriously.

    Koch’s way of saying that that his familia has done its best to keep the American worker down and that thanks to Republican governors like Scott Walker, the familia can march forward towards victory over the lesser classes. The Koch clan would be more than happy to roll workers rights back a hundred years or so. Of course, all of that sacrifice that the Koch ilk are always spouting off about will not apply to the rich and infamous, only to you and I.

   Anonymous

I'm very concerned with numbers and economics, personally, so let's evaluate some of the claims half of the dynamic duo has put into his op-ed:

Koch: "Federal data indicate how urgently we need reform: The unfunded liabilities of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid already exceed $106 trillion."

I haven't the slightest what "federal data" indicates anything in the slightest. However, I do know of a National Center for Policy Analysis article claiming this:

NCPA: "The 2009 Social Security and Medicare Trustees Reports show the combined unfunded liability of these two programs has reached nearly $107 trillion in today's dollars!  That is about seven times the size of the U.S. economy and 10 times the size of the outstanding national debt." http://www.ncpa.org/pub/ba662

So, what does the 2009 Social Security and Medicare Trustees Report actually say? Well, it says the unfunded liability is only $5.3 trillion:

Trustees Report: "For the 75-year projection period, the actuarial deficit is 2.00 percent of taxable payroll, 0.30 percentage point larger than in last year’s report. The open group unfunded obligation for OASDI over the 75-year period is $5.3 trillion in present value, and is $0.9 trillion more than the measured level of a year ago."

Furthermore, the Trustees Report notes that even if you extend the horizon out to infinity, the deficit is only $15.1 trillion:

Trustees Report: "The values in table IV.B6 indicate that extending the calculations beyond 2083 adds $9.9 ($15.1 - $5.3) trillion in present value to the amount of the unfunded obligation estimated through 2083. That is, over the infinite horizon, the  OASDI open group unfunded obligation is projected to be $15.1 trillion."

And the final kicker? The report notes that the rather large jump in unfunded liability occurred largely because of the economic downturn:  more

Technorati Tags: Koch,David Koch,Scott Walker,Anonymous,Worker Rights,Unions,Wages,Republicans,Current Events

Voting In Tampa Today

    Today ( Tuesday ) some voters will be heading to the local voting booths to cast their votes for the next mayor of Tampa, Florida. They will also be voting for the next crew of crooks for city council.

    Voting in a democracy would be a great thing if one had some competent candidates to vote for. That is not necessarily the case here in Tampa.

     I will go out and vote. For mayor? None of the above. City Council? None of the above.

    There is also a vote on a tax break for new businesses or those that expand. My vote on that issue? Hell No! Businesses that do not pay hardly any tax at all, if any, do not need another “ free ride “ card. Tax breaks for any business is not going to help with jobs here in Tampa or anywhere else. Get over it!

       On the mayor issue. If the voters in Tampa are idiot enough to re-elect former asswipe Dick Greco as mayor once again, you deserve the screwing that you will be getting.  Maybe I will vote for one  of the other lesser of the evils.

Technorati Tags: Voting,Tampa,Florida,Elections,Current Events,Dick Greco

U.S. Budget Problems: View From The Chinese

  I bring this view from the Chinese about the upcoming United States budget cut battle only because the Chinese have a more honest look at the crisis than the Americans do.

Budgetary dead wood weighs down hard-hit US [ February 25 2011]

The struggle over the massive budget deficit and debt burden in the US is getting ugly.

US President Barack Obama has come up with a plan to start reining in the deficit, but the Republicans who now control the US Congress have raised the stakes by passing a more immediate package of cuts to government programs.

Top Republicans, some of whom are hoping to become the party's presidential candidate for the 2012 election, are trying to out-tough each other with their calls for bigger and bigger cuts.

If a compromise isn't reached in the US Congress, there could be a crisis as the government is only currently financed through March 4, and might be forced to shut down if the Republicans don't get what they want and play hardball in return by refusing to vote to extend funding.

Meanwhile, in states, cities and counties across the US the budget ax is also being sharpened. Hundreds of thousands of workers, from police officers to teachers and janitors, are set to lose their jobs as local governments seek to balance their budgets.

In Wisconsin, the Republican governor's decision not only to force the state's union workers to pay more for their pension and healthcare benefits but to restrict their union rights has led to days of mass protests and become a rallying point for the nation's battered labor unions.

Even in New York City, whose budget isn't in as bad shape as most, more than 6,000 jobs for teachers will disappear, the majority through firings. There will also be at least 100 senior citizen centers closed, 16,000 day care places for children will disappear, and a whole bunch of firehouses will be shut.

And yet, despite all this, just about anyone in the US who was brought up in China can't believe how generous the US government still is. Heavily subsidized housing, social security payments in retirement, virtually free healthcare for the old and the poor, and food stamps, are all available, especially in a city like New York. If you are at the right age and live in the right state you can still get a lot for free.

You see, despite all the noise from Washington and the state capitals, and the real pain that will be felt in some government programs, the parts of the budgets that are being slashed are unlikely to even begin to solve the country's deficit and debt problem.    read more

Technorati Tags: U.S.Budget,Budget Cuts,U.S.Congress,President Obama,Barack Obama,Republicans,State Budgets,Wisconsin,New York City,Current Events

 

Anonymous Targeting The Koch Brothers

     The group released a press statement this weekend saying that they are targeting the ultra-conservative Koch brothers because of their attempt to undermine democracy in the United States.

   Anonymous Press Release

www.scribd.com/doc/49513260/OpWisconsin
press Release: #OpWisconsin
Dear Citizens of the United States of America,
It has come to our attention that the brothers, David and Charles Koch--the billionaire owners of Koch Industries--have long attempted to usurp American Democracy. Their actions to undermine the legitimate political process in Wisconsin are the final straw. Starting today we fight back.
Koch Industries, and oligarchs like them, have most recently started to manipulate the political agenda in Wisconsin.Governor Walker's union-busting budget plan contains a clause that went nearly un-noticed. This clause would allow the sale of publicly owned utility plants in Wisconsin to private parties (specifically, Koch Industries) at any price, no matter how low, without a public bidding process. The Koch's have helped to fuel the unrest in Wisconsin and the drive behind the bill to eliminate the collective bargaining power of unions in a bid to gain a monopoly over the state's power supplies.
The Koch brothers have made a science of fabricating 'grassroots' organizations and advertising campaigns to support them inane attempt to sway voters based on their falsehoods. Americans for Prosperity, Club for Growth and Citizens United are just few of these organizations. In a world where corporate money has become the lifeblood of political influence, the labor unions are one of the few ways citizens have to fight against corporate greed. Anonymous cannot ignore the plight of the citizen-workers of Wisconsin, or the opportunity to fight for the people in America's broken political system. For these reasons, we feel that the Koch brothers threaten the United States democratic system and, by extension, all freedom-loving individuals everywhere. As such, we have no choice but to spread the word of the Koch brothers' political manipulation, their single-minded intent and the insidious truth of their actions in Wisconsin, for all to witness.
Anonymous hears the voice of the downtrodden American people, whose rights and liberties are being systematically removed one by one, even when their own government refuses to listen or worse - is complicit in these attacks.
We are actively seeking vulnerabilities, but in the mean time we are calling for all supporters of true Democracy, and Freedom of The People, to boycott all Koch Industries' paper products. We welcome unions across the globe to join us in this boycott
to show that you will not allow big business to dictate your freedom.
Anonymous.
We are Legion.
We do not forgive.
We do not forget.
Expect us.
Koch Industries Brands

       As an added note, some Koch Industries products.

Technorati Tags: Koch Brothers,Koch Industries,Conservatives,Republicans,Tea Party,Unions,Current Events

Teabagger Rick Scott: We Must Sacrifice…Except For Me?

  Many of you know how I often rag the citizens of the state of Florida for being stupid and/or ignorant. It is nice for me to see that I am not the only resident in the state who thinks that Florida voters are idiots.

2 FL Teabag Lawmakers Hire 60+ "assistants" at $100K+ each!!

by SemDem    Sun Feb 27, 2011 at 09:00

Note:  This is the Part VI of MY STUPID STATE, where I document what happens when a state full of Democrats elect a veto-proof right-wing legislature along with a teabag CRIMINAL governor to lead us. (Once again, yes--an actual bona-fide criminal who literally stole from seniors, who subsequently elected him.)  This is my documentation of my beloved but idiotic state of Florida's slow decent into chaos.

A few weeks ago, Teabag Goober Rick Scott released his budget, which guts children's healthcare and education, along with cuts in every state agency sans one--his own.  The bastard is requesting 420 staffers and a $343 million increase for his OWN budget.

Well of course, you say.  It's Rick Effin' Scott.  Shamelessly stealing from old people for years means its no big thing to kick kids in the teeth while simultaneously looking out for #1.

BUT it's just Rick right?

If only.  Our top two legislators:  the ethically-challenged FL Senate President Mike "Hair"idopolos and the power-hungry FL House Speaker Dean Cannon  where not to be outdone in douchebaggery.

These two teabaggers have backed up their man Rick Scott in every way...all the while crowing about cutting spending and lecturing Floridians on the need for painful sacrifice.

Of course, these lectures are only meant for the working class. You know, the freeloading teachers, firefighters, health-care workers, etc. I think we can all at least agree that we have way too many of these fat cats here in Florida.  And I for one am sick and tired of teachers always flaunting their wealth in my face.

Slash them all, I say.  And apparently they say as well.  (This, of  course, despite the fact that the Florida GOP has put the entire tax burden on the working class while the the super-rich and corporations get off "Scott" free thanks to loopholes and exemptions.  Spare the rich, gouge the workers... oh, and insult them while your doing it.  That's the teabagger way.)

Of course, to help them with all this fiscal belt-tightening, Dean and Mike obviously needed to hire a slew of highly-paid assistants.  These included 61 who are who are now paid over $100,000 each with taxpayer funds.

Naturally, the salaries went up across the board in this tea party legislature.  However, the top aides to Dean and Mike are now raking in $146K and $175K respectively.  In other words, 3.5 and 4 times respectively the amount Dean and Mike are paid!  (Cripes, if we really want to save money, Mike and Dean should quit and let these two "advisors" actually take over their damn jobs.  It would be a lot cheaper for us!)

The video above is laughable, but the money shot is when Cannon talks down to us simple-folk and explains that we obviously "don't understand the experience and qualifications" of the people who are getting these big six figure salaries.  Right--including his new highly-paid spokeswoman who apparently has NO prior experience.  (P.S., if she is the spokeswoman, why is she letting Dean defend her salary?  DAMMIT, Dean, what am I paying her for?) 

Hey Florida?

HAD ENOUGH?

It's our turn to get angry.  The Awake the State rallies are across the state on March 8!  Click the link to find the closest near you!

Technorati Tags: Rick Scott,Florida,Tea Party,Teabaggers,Republicans,Senior Citizens,Current Events,Labor,Dean Cannon,Mike Haridopolos

FoxNews Manipulating Poll Results…

    over whether or not Americans support “ union-busting.”

        The Real Poll

 

   61% of Americans oppose talking away collective bargaining rights and 33% are in favor it.

 FoxNews poll report

  FoxNews did issue an “ we’re sorry “ apology later, after they had already been busted. the network could have had an honest mistake with this, but I doubt it. This isn’t the first time that this sort of thing has happened at the network.

Technorati Tags: Unions,Collective Bargaining,Polls,FoxNews,Current Events

To You Anti-Union Republican Cry-Babies…

Original Article

Go Screw Yourself       Fri Feb 25, 2011

by chemsmith

I just want to say, if you're a Republican, please go screw yourself.

My girlfriend has been teaching in the Middletown Ohio school district nearly two decades. Thanks to the new Republican Governor, she has been told today that her school is closing and that she's out of a job next year. Maybe she'll keep her job yet, but even this threat is enough. Watching her cry makes me sick of anyone who voted Republican in Ohio. If you did, please go screw yourself.

Republicans in other states are trying to strip workers of rights. Wisconsin. Indiana. Iowa. If you voted for any of these Republicans, please go screw yourself.

You may find faults in unions, but they have done far more good than bad and continue to do so. Do you work weekends? If not, thank a union whether you belong to one or not. Do you have to work 70 hours per week for poverty pay? If not, thank a union. Is your workplace fairly safe? If so, thank a union. Got benefits? Thank a union. They are the ONLY powerful organized force against the likes of the super rich bastards like the Koch Brothers, or the megabanks, or the monster oil companies. And that's why Republicans want them gone. If you think unions are a problem, please go screw yourself. You will be screwed anyway without unions around you.

Our current economic mess is the result of four main factors:

1. Fiinancial deregulation and worship of huge companies, thanks mainly to Republicans and some enablers like Clinton. Clinton, you did some good, but go screw yourself. The deregulation has led to one huge disaster and bailout after another. So screw you Republicans and Democratic enablers for all the tax breaks your CEO buddies get. And for propping up the oil and coal industries so that alternative energies can't get going, so that we end up with environmental disasters and having to go to war for oil. And hey, screw you Obama for not breaking up the banks when you had a chance and for Timothy Geithner. Seriously, screw you.

2. Wars. That would be you, GWB. Please go screw yourself. That would be nearly all Republicans and too many Democrats. Screw all of you who think the Iraq War was something awesome. It just killed people, allowed Iran to run Iraq, and cost us trillions. Trillions that could have helped Americans. Obama? Screw you for taking the easy way out in Afghanistan.

3. Tax breaks for the rich. Go screw yourselves, Republicans. And you too John Kerry and a few others for voting for this crap.

4. Out of control health care costs (which is WHY Medicare and Medicaid become expensive). Screw you, Republicans, for doing nothing to reign them in, for constantly enabling the vulture insurance companies. Screw all of you who are against Obama's attempt to fix this. But don't hurt yourself while screwing yourself because your insurance company will probably just dump you.

Do you ever notice that Republicans preach sacrifice, but it never means for themselves? It means for the average working Joe. For unions. For immigrants. For brown people. In other words, for those who don't vote Republican. It's never for the rich, or for the huge corporations. If you vote Republican, go screw yourself.

Thirty years of Republican policies have made America worse. We now lag in most every way except gun crime. Hey, gun nuts? Go screw yourselves. Go find the data on salaries in constant dollars. You'll find that since Reagan, the super rich have seen their wealth go up a huge amount. The other 90%? It's actually went down. That's right. Your MOM and DAD were better off than you. Congrats , Republicans, on producing the first American generation worse off than their parents. And by the way, go screw yourselves.

For those of you who think teachers and teacher's unions are a problem, go screw yourselves. They are on the front lines every day, making modest pay, doing a multitude of jobs with all kinds of kids (some nearly impossible to teach or even control). They work tons of overtime 10 months of the year for no extra pay, yet you whine because they get summers off. They spend money from their own pockets to supply the classroom. Clueless politicians and anti-teacher jerks without one minute of actual teaching experience tell them how to teach and change their methods every two years, jamming these methods down the teachers' throats. They are threatened with loss of school money or even their jobs if they don't manage to get standardized test scores up. Nevermind that their kids enter the school wholly unprepared to learn, thanks to their family life or the poverty they live in. (For those of you doing nothing to alleviate poverty, mainly Republicans, go screw yourselves.) So much time is now spent on teaching for tests that teachers don't even get to have any fun with their students nor can they impart the joy of learning. It's all about the next standardized exam. Meanwhile, PE goes away. Art goes away. Extra-curricular activities go away. Fun goes away. Then people advocate for private schools who have the luxury of having relatively well-off kids with parents who want them to learn, and still they rarely ever do any better. To those of you who think public schools are a problem, go screw yourselves. You like taking money away from the schools? Go screw yourself. And screw President Obama for his absolutely horrible education policies, just more of the same Bush-like standardized testing and anti-teacher crap. Screw you, Obama.

Republican pundits and politicians like Rush Limbaugh and Newt Gingrich get married and divorced and married and divorced repeatedly, and they have affairs while married. Yet they are seen, by Republicans, as standard bearers of morality, deciding who should get married and who shouldn't. They don't want gays to marry because that will hurt man-woman marriage. Seriously? You can't stay married or faithful yourself, but gay marriage will cause a problem? Homophobes, mainly Republicans, can go screw themselves.

Screw all the lying jerks at Fox, promoting hatred against gays, against blacks, against immigrants, against the poor, against Muslims. Go screw yourselves. If you watch Fox or listen to Limbaugh, please go screw yourself.

CNN, ABC, CBS, MSNBC, the Washington Post, The New York Times, Sunday morning talk shows and everyone else in the media? Go screw yourselves. You spend so much time either parroting idiotic quotes from politicans (mainly "serious" Republicans) and trying to show "both sides of an issue" that you don't bother with facts. Global warming? Let's balance one of the 999 scientists who understand global warming with one of the three Republican-funded hacks who deny it as though there really some question about it all. Evolution? Do the same. Hey media, go screw yourself.

Seriously, I could go on and on. But basically, if you are a Republican, go screw yourself.

Technorati Tags: Unions,Ant-Union,Republicans,Education Spending,Health Care,Womens Rights,Workers Rights,Current Events

Saturday Satire ( Cartoons )

     

Cagle Cartoons

Copyright © 2011 Creators Syndicate

Copyright © 2011 Creators Syndicate

CartoonArts International

  

Technorati Tags: Comdey,Political Jokes,Humor,David Letterman,Bill Maher,Current Events

http://no-dictator-needed.blogspot.com

To Elected Officials: You Sacrifice First

Original Article

     by    Debbie Williams      Wed Feb 23, 2011

All over the country, budgets are supposedly being balanced on the backs of working people.  Not only is it wrong, it's a lie.  And if you don't know that, you haven't been paying attention.  OHbamaMama.

The one thing that is so very, very important for people to understand now, right now, is that government can help you. Because we the taxpayers are the government. I don't want a bridge to nowhere in Alaska, which Sarah Palin said she stopped. I don't think she stopped it, I think someone in Congress did because it was idiocy. I'd have to go back and look it up, but I don't think Palin stopped it because no one knew who she was then, and I wish to God we didn't know who she was now.

There are intelligent people in government, there always have been. There were even reasonable Republicans.  But unfortunately, this country has been overrun by the anti-government conspiracists who believe government is out to do them in. And now we have them in government! Just wait until the Republicans shut down the federal government in March and no checks are going out. If they want a revolution, they're going to have one, and it won't be the Tea Partiers, it will be every single one of us who have paid taxes, social security and medicare for years and expect to get something back for our money.

Every elected official can cut their taxpayer paid salaries and benefits before they ever touch the people who work for them and carry their asses. When they do that, then we'll chat about sacrifice for everyone else.

Idiots.

I have never been a member of a labor union, but I support their human and civil rights to have a voice through collective bargaining.  In Solidarity.

Technorati Tags: Deficits,Budget Cuts,Civil Rights,Ohio,Wisconsin,Unions,Scott Walker,Current Events

Madison WI Chief Of Police Wants Answers From Scott Walker…

   …over the comments which he made to a blogger passing himself off as David Koch, the conservative billionaire trouble maker well known for passing out sums of cash to his favorite “ conservative “ politicians, Walker included.

    Top cop Noble Wray has an issue with Walker saying that he and his criminal cohorts had thought of planting  “ troublemakers “ into the crowds of protesters in order to disrupt the peaceful gatherings by the pro-union supporters.

Wisconsin State Journal

... "I spent a good deal of time overnight thinking about Governor Walker's response, during his news conference yesterday (Wednesday), to the suggestion that his administration ‘thought about' planting troublemakers among those who are peacefully protesting his bill," Wray said in a statement issued this morning. "I would like to hear more of an explanation from Governor Walker as to what exactly was being considered, and to what degree it was discussed by his cabinet members.

"I find it very unsettling and troubling that anyone would consider creating safety risks for our citizens and law enforcement officers. Our department works hard dialoging with those who are exercising their First Amendment right, those from both sides of the issue, to make sure we are doing everything we can to ensure they can demonstrate safely.

    No need to tell you that Walker’s office referred to the news conference which Walker had on Wednesday when  he said:

"People have brought up all sorts of different options," Walker said. "As you saw if you've listened to the tape, we shot that down."

     As is noted here, the idea was shot down due to the fact that if implemented, it turn out to be a bad political move more Walker. There was no mention of the concern for the publics safety.

Technorati Tags: Wisconsin,Labor,Workers Rights,Collective Barganing,David Koch,Current Events,Noblr Wray,Scott Walker

Huckabee Thinks Romney Needs To Say “ Sorry “ For His Health Care Plan…

….and this would be the plan that Romney implemented when he was running Massachusetts which he now says is not good enough to be a nationwide health care plan. Romney’s  state plan had many of the same characteristics that President Obama’s healthcare plan has. Romney’s plan did include those mandatory insurance for everyone rules, as well as fines for those who did not comply. Those are now the issues which he has with Obama’s plan.

TBO

During his 2008 campaign, Romney said he would have structured the plan differently but said the Massachusetts plan worked because everyone had health coverage.

   As is natural for a Republican, Romney says that the plan isn’t working as envisioned by himself because the Democrats in the state legislature altered the plan and that the now governor ( Deval Patrick ) did not implement it correctly.

During his 2008 campaign, Romney said he would have structured the plan differently but said the Massachusetts plan worked because everyone had health coverage.

   So what is possible GOP Presidential candidate Huckabee’s take on  Romneycare?

"'We gave it our best shot and I'm proud we tried it because — in a world where we all agreed something needed to be done — we thought this might be a way to fix the crisis we had in health care. Our experiment did not turn out as we had hoped. It cost more, waiting times were higher, quality of care went down, people were greatly dissatisfied and it ended up having almost the polar opposite effect of what was intended.'"

Technorati Tags: Mitt Romney,Mike Huckabee,2012 Elections,Healthcare,Massachusettes,Current Events,Health Reform

Ring-Wing Gets Taken To Class

    Here comes an educational moment for right-wingers.

A word of advice to conservatives desperately trying to smear teachers and other public employees in Wisconsin: when trapped in a hole, first stop digging.  On Monday, the right-wing blogosphere made the mistake of complaining that Wisconsin received millions of dollars in federal education aid when solidly Republican red states get much, much more.  Now, the would-be Republican union busters are whining that Badger state students can't read.  As it turns out, Wisconsin students outperform their counterparts in those reddest of states where collective bargaining rights are few - or non-existent.

A day after he inadvertently drew attention to the persistent phenomenon of "red state socialism" (that is, the one-flow of federal tax dollars from Washington DC to heavily Republican states), Terence Jeffrey of CNS News protested that "two-thirds of Wisconsin eighth graders can't read proficiently."  The implication, of course, is that the unacceptable scores are the fault of overpaid, undeserving public school teachers:

Two-thirds of the eighth graders in Wisconsin public schools cannot read proficiently according to the U.S. Department of Education, despite the fact that Wisconsin spends more per pupil in its public schools than any other state in the Midwest.

In the National Assessment of Educational Progress tests administered by the U.S. Department of Education in 2009--the latest year available--only 32 percent of Wisconsin public-school eighth graders earned a "proficient" rating while another 2 percent earned an "advanced" rating. The other 66 percent of Wisconsin public-school eighth graders earned ratings below "proficient," including 44 percent who earned a rating of "basic" and 22 percent who earned a rating of "below basic."

Sadly for Jeffrey and his right-wing echo chamber, the data show that Wisconsin schoolchildren out-read the kids in states where Republicans poll best and public workers have the fewest collective bargaining rights.  Those know-nothing red states also happen to be where the federal government most heavily subsidizes the local education systems.

The numbers - and the electoral map - tell the tale.  According to the National Center for Education Statistics, Wisconsin does in fact spend more per student than some of its Midwestern neighbors even as its pupils score less well.  But with 34% of its eighth graders students at or above the target reading proficiency, Wisconsin far outperforms the Republicans' solid south (and the national average of 30%).  Only Kentucky, which receives substantially more money from DC can match Wisconsin's scores.

Just as telling, the woefully inadequate per student spending levels are propped up only by generous federal spending provided by blue state tax payers.  Meanwhile, the bluest of states in the Northeast spend more and get what they pay for.  In Connecticut, 43% of eighth graders are at or above reading proficiency.  The Nutmeg state spends $14,610 per pupil per year.  New Hampshire (39%, $11,951), Vermont (40%, $14,421) New Jersey (42%, $17,620), Pennsylvania (40%, $11,741) and Massachusetts (42%, $13,667) pay the price for better educational outcomes.

At their assault on union rights continues in Wisconsin, so too does conservatives' vile and baseless scapegoating of teachers there.  But sadly for the right-wingers trying to smash the unions in Madison, Americans have already seen the future with today's failure in Alabama, Mississippi, Alaska and the other states Republicans call home.

Technorati Tags: Wisconsin,Unions,Education Spending,CNS,Republican,Current Events

Wisconsin Anti-Union Ads Hit The Airwaves…

   … and some of those ads are being financed by those billionaire Koch brothers. This begs the question, who is Governor Walker really looking out for? The state of Wisconsin, or big business?

    Greg Sargent has a take on the ads.

Here's something else that will ratchet up the stakes in the Wisconsin standoff and fuel suspicions about the real goal behind the push to roll back public employee rights: The well-funded conservative group Americans for Prosperity is set to start running ads in Wisconsin, I'm told.

"We're planning to run TV and radio ads in Wisconsin starting tomorrow, as well as host a few events across the state later this week," Americans for Prosperity spokesperson Mary Ellen Burke emails. "Things are happening quickly as the news story in Wisconsin progresses."(…)

Americans for Prosperity, of course, was partly created and bankrolled by the secretive billionaire Koch brothers, who are also major financial backers of Governor Scott Walker.

    This looks more like Governor Walker is less concerned about balancing the Wisconsin state budget, and more concerned with making it even harder for employees to earn decent wages and benefits in not only his state, but in others which will follow along if Koch Walker gets his way. Only those states with Republican governors will try this shit.

Technorati Tags: Wisconsin,Scott Walker,Unions,Worker Rights,Koch Brothers,Red States,Right-Wingers,Current Events

House Democrats In Indiana Take Illinois Vacation…

    …and this looks as if this could be the beginning of a new trend for Democrats as a way to stop those union busting Republican governors from giving the axe to teachers unions all over America. I am glad that this is one time where government not doing anything is a good thing.

    The Indianapolis Star

House Democrats are leaving the state rather than vote on anti-union legislation, The Indianapolis Star has learned.

A source said Democrats are headed to Illinois, though it was possible some also might go to Kentucky. They need to go to a state with a Democratic governor to avoid being taken into police custody and returned to Indiana.

The House was came into session this morning, with only two of the 40 Democrats present. Those two were needed to make a motion, and a seconding motion, for any procedural steps Democrats would want to take to ensure Republicans don’t do anything official without quorum.
With only 58 legislators present, there was no quorum present to do business. The House needs 67 of its members to be present."

   You can expect this kind of action from most every state that has a Republican governor.

Technorati Tags: Wisconsin,Unions,Indiana,Republicans,Democrats,Current Events

Florida Gov. Scott’s Economic Plans…

    … are aimed more at giving gifts to business in the hope that they will relocate to the state. Of course, those already located in Florida have Christmas all year long thanks to the Republican lead legislature and former governors like Jeb Bush, for instance.  The Republican Party has been controlling the state of Florida for a very long time and this has brought the village down to 3rd world status. Under Governor Rick Scott, you can expect more of the same, even worse.

    This is where I tell you that the ignorant, uneducated citizens of the state deserve everything that Mr. Scott and the GOP is going to have done to them. The elderly will feel quite a bit of pain, and rightly so. They listened to the Republican lie and voted for it, not that there really was a good choice of candidates for governor to choose from. Even the Democrat candidate was weak.

    That being said.

    Scotts economic plans most surely favor business, as stated earlier. Under this bums plans, business will pay even less income tax than they do at present. Corporations pay a whopping 5.5% on profits, and Scott will lower that down to 3% beginning January 2012. By January of 2018, there would be no income tax on business. the real kicker in this crap is that less than 2% of businesses pay income tax to the state. Think about this, will you? The citizens of Florida pay no state income tax. The state has a  $3 billion deficit and tourism and construction revenue is not going to cover the states expenses. Hell man! With no one paying any taxes, how does this chump and his cohorts think that they can clear up a deficit, much less bring in any type of real revenue?

   Some stats.

Florida has around 2.1 million businesses, including for-profit corporations, limited liability companies and other entities, according to Florida Department of State figures. Even that figure excludes sole proprietorships.

However, only about 218,000 businesses filed state income tax returns last year, and only about 24,000 of those actually had any tax liability, Department of Revenue figures show. Florida's 5.5-percent tax rate is already lower than all but 12 other states.

   But wait! There’s more!

   Mr. Scott will also reduce the unemployment compensation tax rate, which was in the area of $25 per employee minimum. This is another gift because that rate jumps to around $72 this year. Merry Christmas mister businessman!

   Mr. Scott’s unemployment plan would also cut back the benefit weeks from up to 26 weeks down to 20 weeks maximum and getting the checks will become harder under Scott’s ideas.

   This dirtbag would also do away with some state branches of state government.

    Who makes these Republican calculators, because I’d like to send them an abacus to do their math on. Maybe then the GOP could figure out that less money in does not equal more money out to cover expenses. It also wouldn’t equal cutbacks on your citizens need social services.

Technorati Tags: Florida,Rick Scott,Governor,Economic Plans,Tax Cuts,Unemployment,Dirtbagger,Current Events

http://no-dictator-needed.blogspot.com

Republicans: Ignorance Rules On Public Healthcare

  You looking at me?

Okay, this one is funny. As you know, Dems and lefty groups have been loudly insisting that House Republicans in favor of repealing the Affordable Care Act should forego the "government run" insurance they enjoy as members of Congress.

One of those GOPers is Rep. Leonard Lance of New Jersey, a fiscal hawk who opposes the health reform law out of opposition to big government. He is in the crosshairs of an ad by Blue America PAC accusing him of enjoying taxpayer-funded insurance.

After that ad started running, Lance's office protested that he is not enrolled in the plan enjoyed by members of Congress, and successfully got the ad pulled. But in response, New Jersey's Courier-Post did some digging and found that as a retired state government official, he and his family do enjoy taxpayer-funded health care on the state level....

Whoops! Rep. Lance's chief of staff appears to realize that by protesting the ad attacking him, he's only created more problems. The aide told the Courier-Post: "I should have kept my mouth shut."

  Federal government funded healthcare no good.

  State funded healthcare: good

Technorati Tags: Healthcare,Federal Government,State Government,Public Health Care,Leonard Lance,Republicans,Current Events

A Message For Those Teachers Union Busters

  That would be you Governor Walker and the rest of you idiots.

Source

Only five states in the US do not allow collective bargaining for teachers by law:

South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Texas, and Virginia...
They rank in the same order, 50th, 49th, 48th, 47th, and 44th on ACT/SAT scores

Wisconsin's rank?   #2 (Google it)

The above comes from an email sent to the “ Morning Joe “ program on MSNBC.

Technorati Tags: Teachers Unions,Unions,Morning Joe,MSNBC,Current Events

Wisconsin Law Enforcement Association Sorry About Governor Walker

Original Article

Tracy Fuller, the Executive Board President of the  Wisconsin Law Enforcement Association has issued a statement on the organization's page.  Parts of it read as follows:

Please excuse the caps--this was how it was written

I am going to make an effort to speak for myself, and every member of the Wisconsin State Patrol when I say this.

Break*

I SPECIFICALLY REGRET THE ENDORSEMENT OF THE WISCONSIN TROOPER’S ASSOCIATION  FOR GOVERNOR SCOTT WALKER.             I REGRET THE GOVERNOR’S DECISION TO “ENDORSE” THE TROOPERS AND INSPECTORS OF THE WISCONSIN STATE PATROL. I REGRET BEING THE RECIPIENT OF ANY OF THE PERCEIVED BENEFITS PROVIDED BY THE GOVERNOR’S ANOINTING.

I THINK EVERYONE’S JOB AND CAREER IS JUST AS SIGNIFICANT AS THE OTHERS. EVERYONE'S FAMILY IS JUST AS VALUABLE AS MINE OR ANY OTHER PERSONS, ESPECIALLY MINE. EVERYONE'S NEEDS ARE JUST AS VALUABLE. WE ARE ALL GREAT PEOPLE!!

More:

I don’t believe that the Troopers Association could have possibly predicted, or comprehended the events that are unfolding in front of us at this time. I can agree that it was a tragic mistake for the Trooper’s Association to endorse the Governor, I can’t do anything about it, and they are reaping the benefits of their actions. I do believe they thought any benefits gained would be for all of the members of WLEA, after all, the PCO’s, Field Agents, Capitol Police, and U.W. Police are all in the same union.
            Who could have possibly thought that the Governor could pluck one local’s members from a union and identify it as being worthy of bargaining for a contract? Some of the comments and attitudes that have been made and displayed would have you believe that the Governor consulted with the board of the Trooper’s Association about what his plans were in all of this.

And further on, he gets to the meat of the argument:

This bill has some provisions that make no sense, unless the basic intent is to bust unions. One provision makes it illegal for public employers to collect dues for labor organizations. The employer can take deductions for the United Way, or other organizations, but they are prohibited from collecting union dues.

How does that repair the budget?

Another provision requires the WERC to conduct a representation election by December 1st each year, to determine if the employees still want the union to represent them. The WERC has to bill the union for the cost of the election. Currently, if a group petitions the WERC to do an election, the WERC covers the cost. Right now, the members have the right to request an election if the majority of the members want to change or eliminate representation. Why create unnecessarily processes?

Does that help repair the budget?

This is where Walker has failed.  This is where Republicans will ultimately fail.  When the people become EDUCATED and realize what having Republicans in charge actually means, then Republicans lose every time.

Technorati Tags: Wisconsin,Labor,Unions,Police,Current Events

A Service Sunday

   I am spending the day configuring what is now my triple-boot laptop, and installing software that I will need for the 2 newer operating systems.  I am also installing a newer, bigger desk in my home office,so, there will be no newer posting for some time today as you may have noticed.

   If you have been keeping up with the news about the HBGary fallout, then check this out. Since this story has a link to what the company wanted to do to some of its “targets” you may want to think about whether some of your “ friends “ at  Facebook could be a spy.  More on this later.

   Good day.

Technorati Tags: HBGary,Facebook,Social Networks,Spies,Anonymous,Current Events

'This Is What Democracy Looks Like' in Wisconsin, as Largest Crowd Yet -- 80,000 -- Opposes Union Busting

    The Nation          by    John Nichols

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker finished a bad week with a misstep that emphasized his inability to generate support for his attempt to strip the state’s public employees of collective bargaining rights.

First, the governor’s radical proposal went to such extremes in its anti-labor bias that it sparked a protest movement so large, so steady and so determined in its demands that it is now commonly compared with the protests that have rocked Egypt and other Middle Eastern countries.

Then, the man that badges worn by marchers describe as “The Mubarak of the Middle West” really blew it. Saturday was supposed to be the day when the governor pushed back against the movement that has challenged his radical power grab. The governor’s Tea Party allies attempted to grab the spotlight with a rally at the state Capital. Unfortunately, the much-hyped event, which national Tea Party groups had poured money and organizing energy into generating, drew an anemic crowd of several thousand. Even by the optimistic estimates of the Tea Partisans themselves, the pro-Walker turnout was one-tenth the size of the crowd that came to oppose the governor’s so-called “budget repair bill.”

The governor made things worse for himself by going on CNN and announcing that he had received 19,000 e-mails from the “quiet majority” of Wisconsinites since he made his proposal and claimed that most of them were supportive.

Dumb move. Really dumb move.

Within hours of making his claim, the streets of Madison were filled by what veteran political organizers described as the largest demonstration ever seen in the city. Former Mayor Paul Soglin, a key organizer of anti–Vietnam War protests, said, “We had some big demonstrations in the sixties, but this is bigger.”

Organizers of a 2004 rally featuring Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry and rocker Bruce Springsteen, where the crowd was estimated at 80,000, pointed out that Saturday’s protest against Walker’s budget filled a significantly larger space. And, they noted, thousands of addition opponents of the governor’s proposal packed the Capitol.

Mahlon Mitchell, the president of the Wisconsin Professional Firefighters Association, which has been a high-profile participant in the demonstrations, surveyed the crowd while recounting Walker’s boast about the 19,000 e-mails.

“I think I have 19,000 people behind me,” said Mitchell.

Pointing to one edge of the massive audience arrayed before him, he said: “And 20,000 there.”

He pointed to the other edge of the crowd: “And 20,000 there.”

Finally, he pointed down State Street, the thoroughfare that stretches from the Capitol to the University of Wisconsin campus, which was packed with students who have backed the unions: “And 20,000 there.”

Rallying with Mitchell was Wisconsin Education Association Council president Mary Bell, who picked up on the “this-is-what-democracy-looks-like” theme that has become so central to the marches, rallies and pickets that have swept not just Madison but a state where even small towns have seen protests against Walker’s bill.

“The power of government in this state does not come from this Capitol,” she said of the building that was surrounded by teachers, educational assistants, nurses, snow-plow drivers and state engineers, as well as their tens of thousands of backers. “The power comes from the people.”

And while Scott Walker may claim a “quiet majority” of 19,000 e-mails received by his office, a noisy majority of more than 80,000 Wisconsinites braved a winter day to tell the governor that the people have spoken: they’re with the unions.

                             Copyright © 2011 The Nation

Technorati Tags: Wisconsin,Pro Union,Worker Rights,Protests,Current Events,The Nation

Saturday Satire II: Tea Bagger Rally In Wisconsin

  So the Tea Party gathered together in Wisconsin to give some support to the idiot governor Scott Walker, and the group had maybe some 2,000 pro-Walker supporters that showed up. Contrast that with the 70,000 pro-union supporters who showed up to give those Republican asshates in government a piece of their minds. That is a ratio of 35-1. Teabag that crap, will you?

  Here is a little something from The Daily Page showing just how dim the Teabaggers can be.

Gov. Scott Walker's shock troops came to the state Capitol today to rally in support of his budget repair bill, which would extract unilateral concessions from state workers while stripping almost all public employees in Wisconsin of their collective bargaining rights.

The rally, organized by the Tea Party group Americans for Prosperity, was a bit underwhelming compared to the anti-Walker rallies this week, today included.

~SNIP~

Gregory, of Milwaukee (he declined to give his last name), took a somewhat broader analysis. "I'm for people, not the government," he said. "I think people should solve their own problems."

What does this mean in the context of a dispute over union rights? "I think they should be treated like the private sector," Gregory explained. "The state is broke. We can't pay for pensions when the state is broke – the same thing Scott Walker says."

Gregory added something about his fundamental beliefs: "I consider the Ten Commandments the definition and the responsibility of liberty," saying any great leader must take his direction from these. And, in a criticism inspired by Obama's health care reform bill, he offered a critique of legislation in general: "No law should have more words than the U.S. Constitution."

I thanked Gregory and moved on. Later, it occurred to me to look something up. Ah, yes, here we go: According to an online resource, the un-amended U.S. Constitution has 4,543 words, including signatures. According to my computer's word count of a cut-and-paste file, Senate Bill 11, Walker's budget repair bill, has 48,966.

Technorati Tags: Anti-Labor,Unions,Tea Party,TeaBaggers,Workers Rights,Current Events

“Fox Lies” Shout Wisconsin Workers

You can bet your butt that Fox News Channel on-air personalities will edit the video and then tell even more lies.

Technorati Tags: FNC,Fox News,Wisconsin,Current Events

Saturday Satire

   The better comments from the late night talk-show hosts.

Bill Maher:

"A Republican Congressman, Rep. Chris Lee, was caught flirting with a woman trolling for dates on Craigslist and sent her a shirtless photo of himself. He lied about his age and his marital status. He said he was 39 and divorced. He's 46 and married, though being a Republican congressman, I'm guessing he's really 60 and gay."

Jimmy Kimmel:

"President Obama delivered his 2012 budget to Congress yesterday, but it probably won't get much action, since they still haven't yet passed a budget for 2011. But to be fair, they have been busy posting shirtless photos of themselves on Craigslist."

Jimmy Fallon:

"Arkansas Congressman Steve Womack has proposed cutting funding for President Obama's teleprompter. Oh man, when Obama finds out he's going to be speechless."

"Borders Books has filed for bankruptcy and will close all 200 of its superstores. When Sarah Palin heard that she went, 'Finally, we're closing the borders.'"

Jay Leno:

"Forty years since the War on Drugs began. This makes Charlie Sheen our most decorated veteran."

"Watson the computer crushed its human opponents on 'Jeopardy.' This is the greatest victory of machine over man since the election of Arnold Schwarzenegger."

Technorati Tags: Politics,Political Humor,Political Jokes,Jay Leno,Bill Maher,Conan O'Brian,Current Events

Friday Funnies ( with cartoons )…

….since there has been so much bull coming from the Republicans and their sidekicks, the teabaggers. Then we also have the union uprising there in Wisconsin. Go UNIONS!

Copyright © 2011 Universal Press Syndicate

                      Copyright © 2011 Universal Press Syndicate

Copyright © 2011 Universal Press Syndicate

                             Copyright © 2011 Creators Syndicate

    

Technorati Tags: Political Humor,Humor,Political Cartoons,Glenn Beck,Current Events

Another Palin Chat…

    ….only this time it was with a group of business officials  on Long Island yesterday (Thur.) and of course, Ms. Palin had plenty of ignorant things to say.  Here are a few of them.

   When she got around to her ambitions to be in the White House, and to have a Republican in it either way, she said that a woman would be better qualified. She also had the gall to recite her resume, with all of her qualifications.

I am still thinking of leading this country. I am still thinking about it. I haven't made up my mind. We hired a chief of staff because Todd is getting tired of doing it for me."

When asked who else she might envision at the top of the GOP ticket Palin responded, "No one is more qualified to multi-tasking and doing all the things you need to do as a President than a woman."

"What I would look for in terms of character is someone who's been on the front lines, who understands how to administer, how to lead a team, how to run a business."

   Emphasis added by myself.

      My favorite quote was one she gave in regards to Michelle Obama’s push for women to breast-feed their babies.

“No wonder Michelle Obama is telling people to breast feed their babies, because the price of milk is rising so high."

     Sarah Palin brings the feeling of wanting to throw up every time I read her nonsense, so you can go HERE to read a little more.

Technorati Tags: Sarah Ralin,Republicans,Politics,2012 Elections,Current Events,Michelle Obama