Sunday, July 31, 2016

The Wauwatosa Hillbillies

By Jeff Simpson

You seriously can not make this stuff up.  Warning this not from the onion.

We have pointed out in the past, that while Scott Walker blew through over $7 million dollars, most of it drinking cheap beer(all while clocked in on the Wisconsin taxpayer dime).

Not to be swayed, Scott Walker has continued his drinking ways even at the Republican National Convention.



Now we know why Wisconsin taxpayers had to pay for 45 WI State Troopers to travel to Cleveland, to make sure Scott Walker did not drive drunk.  

Wisconsin, is officially the drunkest state in all measurable ways.   Not sure how good that is for tourism but it sure helps make us the butt of many jokes.   

I do not begrudge the Governor an occasional beer, but when you are pictured with one in almost every stop, all hours of the day and as often as you are, maybe its time to rethink your professionalism or habits.   

To make matters worse, Scott's son Alex, just turned 21.   What was the special gift that the Governor gave his son for this milestone?   

If you guessed Beer you would be correct.  

Pure Class!  



 22 hours ago22 hours agoWe got Alex 21 Wisconsin beers & a beer cap map for his 21st birthday. Happy Birthday Alex!!!

Saturday, July 30, 2016

Endorsement: LaTonya Johnson For SD 6

When State Senator Nikiya Harris Dodd made her unexpected announcement that she would not seek reelection, it left her seat open.

Shortly thereafter, State Representative LaTonya Johnson announced she was running to fill that seat and has been the front runner ever since, and with good reason.

Before entering politics, Johnson was an in-home childcare provider.  She went on to organize more than 400 other childcare providers to unionize and join AFSCME.  Johnson is still a member in good standing today.

After winning her seat in the state assembly, Johnson continued to be a strong advocate for Milwaukee, especially its children and its African American community.  She has also proven herself to be a champion of women's rights, workers' rights and voters' rights.

Because of her excellent record, Johnson has earned the support and endorsements of AFSCME, the Milwaukee Area Labor Council as well as several other unions.  Even more telling, she has received the full support and endorsement from Senator Dodd Harris.

Johnson does have two primary opponents - Michael Bonds and Thomas Harris.

Bonds is the former MPS board member who is basically looking for a job where he can get a lot of money without working very hard.  Bonds hasn't even bothered setting up a website so that voters could get to know him.  His only campaign promise has been to work with the Republicans.

Harris is the Abele Party candidate.  His experience includes working for City of Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, Milwaukee County Emperor Chris "Boss" Abele and the sellout senator, Lena Taylor.  To show you how bad Harris is, his only endorsement that I am aware of is Boss Abele, and that is only because Abele thinks Harris would be one of his puppets in Madison, like Lena Taylor and Joe Sanfelippo are.

It should also be noted that Harris doesn't even live in the district. How invested can he be in that community that he doesn't even live there?

Most noteworthy, Barrett decided to endorse Johnson over Harris.  When his former boss recommends someone else over him, that should tell the voters all they need to know.

So please, join me in supporting LaTonya Johnson for the 6th Senate District.  To learn more about Johnson and to show your support, you can check out her website and her Facebook page.

Federal Judge Overturns More Of Walker's Voter Restrictions


Earlier this week, a federal court struck down North Carolina's restrictive Voter ID law.

On Friday, democracy was partially restored in Wisconsin when a federal judge overturned several of Walker's voting suppression laws, including early and weekend voting:
Restrictions on early and weekend voting implemented by Wisconsin Republicans over the last five years are unconstitutional, a federal judge ruled Friday.

U.S. District Judge James Peterson found a series of other voting changes signed into law by Gov. Scott Walker to be unconstitutional, but did not overturn the state's photo identification requirement.

"Wisconsin’s strict version of voter ID law is a cure worse than the disease," Peterson wrote, before noting he is bound by earlier cases in Wisconsin and Indiana to reject the challenge to the law in its entirety.

[...]

Peterson — who was appointed to the bench by President Barack Obama in 2014 — also overturned laws that increased the residency requirement for voters from 10 days to 28 days, prohibited distributing absentee ballots by fax or email and required "dorm lists" used as proof of residence to include citizenship information.

The judge also overturned a provision of the voter ID law banning the use of expired but otherwise qualifying student IDs at the polls.

Also addressed in Peterson's ruling was the state's ID petition process, or IDPP — the system qualified voters use to obtain a free ID from the state. The lawsuit argued the IDPP is ineffective and has failed minority groups in particular.

Peterson found the system does not require "wholesale invalidation," but that it does not act as an effective safety net for qualified electors who struggle to obtain proper IDs.

"The IDPP is pretty much a disaster," Peterson wrote, later referring to it as a "wretched failure."
As the gentle reader could have guessed, the Republicans are beside themselves after the ruling, blaming "liberal activist judges" that don't care about the will of the people, yada, yada, yada....

What they are really angry about is that the ruling will allow more black people, especially in Milwaukee, a chance to vote. Judge Peterson pointed that much out in his ruling:
Laws that limited in-person absentee voting to one location, limited early voting hours and eliminated weekend voting are unconstitutional, Peterson ruled.

The 2013 law limiting hours for in-person absentee voting "intentionally discriminates on the basis of race," Peterson wrote in a 119-page decision.

"I reach this conclusion because I am persuaded that this law was specifically targeted to curtail voting in Milwaukee without any other legitimate purpose. The legislature’s immediate goal was to achieve a partisan objective, but the means of achieving that objective was to suppress the reliably Democratic vote of Milwaukee’s African Americans," Peterson wrote.
Of course, the gentle reader already knew that because, earlier this year, a former GOP staffer, testified that the Republicans were "giddy" with the prospect of suppressing the black voters.

Friday, July 29, 2016

Headlines Of The Damned

Owen Robinson at Loots and Slobbers really hates red judges...


...or maybe it's judges who wear make up.

Actually, he's just mad because black people in Milwaukee will get to vote.

The Four Keys to Taking Back our Democracy



By Matthew Van Grinsven

I would like to thank Bernie Sanders for initiating this political revolution.  I agree with most of his ideas, but his strategy is ultimately flawed.  He is attempting to reform the Democratic Party instead of getting our democracy back.


I don’t have enough time to engage why we are not a democracy now but I can quickly share a couple illustrations that display this; the approval rating of congress according to Gallup and the mainstream parties’ presidential nominee’s net favorability ratings.  When a democracy is supposed to be government by and for the people why would we so greatly disapprove of our representatives?



So, where do we go from here?  The four keys to taking back our democracy are:

1. Reverse the Citizens United decision by constitutional amendment. Corporations are not people and money does not equal speech. Money cannot drive our policy nor sway our politicians any longer. 
 
2. We must always vote and vote our conscience.  We cannot ever sit out an election and we must never vote based on fear.

3. Break up big media. Six corporations own 90% of the United States’ media.  They wield an enormous amount of influence in our media saturated world.  We likely are in the midst of a media oligopoly.  And on the horizon we have legislation further deregulating print and television media.  We must reduce the percentage of markets that large corporate media conglomerates may own local outlets in.  The FCC’s regulation of media ownership is for the public good and to make sure we don’t end up with a single new station and a single paper.  In this scope six is not much better than a monopoly

The leaks of the past week have proven how much collusion exists.  From a major online source, Politico, allowing the Democratic National Committee toedit stories to e-mails being exchanged by the DNC and NBC. (At this point I suggest they merge and just call themselves MSDNC.)

4. Install ranked choice/instant runoff system at the polls. The winner-take-all, two-party system needs to be decimated.  There is a common belief that we must change the Democrat party from within electing more progressives at local levels and slowly moving up the ranks.  This is an idea set forth BY the Democrat establishment.  Attempting to change one of the two mainstream parties is work that will take a generation.  And the establishment counts on people not staying focused long enough or caring for that long.  And they are right.  The establishment is more likely to change you, than you change the establishment. I’ve seen it happen time and time again.
Listen – EVEN IF we had two party system with everybody thinking at least one of the two parties was great, we would still be in this mess.  The inherent problem with a two party system is that we are stuck having ONLY two choices.  Most of us think one of the two mainstream parties is at least a bit better than the other so we feel a duty to whomever our party nominates.  When the party games the primary we don’t have a meaningful choice. No other viable choices exist.  And with a system dominated by only two entities – corporations only have two targets to influence and dominate.  Now if we were in a system where we thought the party we liked had been corrupted, we could all say, “Hey Debbie Wasserman Shultz GET BENT!” and go to a different party.  However, because we have a winner-take-all, two party system, when we don’t like what “our” party is doing we have the choice to not vote or vote for another party’s candidate, say Green, Libertarian, America Delta, Constitutional, Prohibition, Nutrition, or America’s Party – and yes, those are all parties with candidates for president of the United States – and if we do that we are told that you’re supporting the mainstream party we don’t like a.k.a. the eviler of two evils.  UGH!  Having the two party winner take all system changes the power dynamic of the party to member relationship to a system where the power resides with the party, instead of it coming from the people.

There is NO choice to leave in the mainstream party’s collective mind…..being all other choices have been rendered irrelevant.  And how about that fear based voting? Instead of voting FOR people and policies we support we are “forced” to always vote AGAINST a candidate or for the lesser of two evils.  Who is sick of doing that too much in their lives?  If you don’t like it, you want ranked choice /instant runoff voting.

This is the problem with Bernie Sanders’ most recent strategic system.  He’s told people to join the party.  He’s told people to vote for Hillary Clinton, even though the primary was rigged against him.  He’s told people to run for office…..and they have, as Democrats.  This has done nothing but REINFORCE the two party system.  It has BOLSTERED the leverage of the Democratic Party establishment.  Who says that this is the best way to change our political climate? Again, it has been initiated by the establishment. I say, let’s start fixing our political system immediately and get to the representative democracy we deserve.

Like the lands and grooves on a key, we will not take back our democracy in the United States until all four of these actions occur.  There is no magic bullet to singlehandedly serve our democracy on a platter to us.  In order to unlock democracy we must turn these four keys.

Thursday, July 28, 2016

The Cowardly Ryan


The biggest problem is the cowardly Ryan is currently the Ringmaster.   

By Jeff Simpson

Paul Ryan has had a rough 2016.   Ryan has went from mega rich under the radar career politician, to Speaker of the House for the Republicans, to being completely shamed by the Republican nominee for for President, Donald Trump.

The problem with Paul Ryan's year/career can be pointed out in one glowing example.

A.  After FBI Director James Comey, strangely, held a press conference to say, he would not be bringing charges against Hillary Clinton over her email problems.   Big Government Paul Ryan (R-Wall St.) has decided he has seen all of the evidence he needs (the D behind her name) and wrote a letter to the Director of National Intelligence and ask that Secretary Clinton's access to classified information be revoked.

The letter can be read here.

B.  Now fast forward to July 28 and we see a completely different Paul Ryan.  One who is not so interested in holding up the Constitution or Rule of Law when  certain other people (anyone with an R after their name) break it.

 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said he hoped Russian hackers would be able to find missing emails from competitor Hillary Clinton’s personal email server.Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you find the 33,000 emails that are missing. I think you’ll be rewarded mightily by our press!” Trump said during a news conference Wednesday.

Speaker Ryan recently called out Donald Trump for being a racist, but textbook racism did not seem to bother Mr. Ryan as he still strongly supports The Donald for President.

Surely, borderline treason will cause Paul Ryan to pause right?  Not so much!

Almost as soon as Mr. Trump spoke, other Republicans raced in to try to reframe his remarks and argue that Russia should be punished. A spokesman for Speaker Paul D. Ryan termed Russia “a global menace led by a devious thug.” The spokesman, Brendan Buck, added: “Putin should stay out of this election.”

A spokesman pointing a finger at Putin and completely ignoring The Donald's role in this is hardly courageous.  

In case you were wondering, The Donald will soon start receiving national security briefings.   I wonder if Mr. Ryan will call for an end to that(I am kidding, I know the answer)?

On this very day, Paul Ryan released a new campaign ad, laughingly called integrity. because he has a primary battle against a real conservative - Paul Nehlen.





The one real moment is where Mr. Ryan is praying.  Luckily at Cogdis we got an inside tip that Mr. Ryan is praying that people keep focused on the The Donald sideshow and not look at the incompetent circus he is running from the main stage!


Support Paul Nehlen August 9th!  


Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha, White Out

By Jeff Simpson


What a week it is turning out to be, and it is only Monday.   First off, Speaker Paul Ryan (R- Wall St.), Instagrammed this pic that he was so very proud of.  


While Paul Ryan (R-Wall St.) usually likes hanging out with Billionaires, this is even a bit much for the Dark Knight. 


While Bruce Wayne can not handle the White out, Republican Congressman Steve King sure can:




Iowa GOP Congressman Steve King (R-KKK) is sick of being questioned about white men, What have any other races but white males ever contributed to society(stop dont answer that. we do not have all day!).  

Capper himself even pointed out that Sean (Pay me more) Duffy has shown his love for Trump because it was about time that white men in America had a voice in our Government!

Let's here from their speechwriter.  



In Case You Were Wondering, if both sides were the same?  Here is a pic of the Democratic class of interns:




Now just in case this election season is not scary enough....let me seal the deal!


Sorry for your insomnia!




Ann Coulter Makes Holocaust Reference About Bernie Sanders

We all know that Ann Coulter is an attention-seeking, vile, wretched excuse for a person.  But on Tuesday night, she went way over the line when she sent out this tweet regarding the Democratic National Convention:


This tweet would cross the line in anyone's book (except maybe a Republican's), but it goes way beyond the pale when one remembers that Sanders is Jewish.

Is it any wonder why she is such a big fan of Donald Trump? He's almost as disgusting as she is.

Sunday, July 24, 2016

Getting Real with State Senator Gary George

State Senator Gary George is not a dumb guy. He's held several leadership positions in state government and is held in high regard by people on both sides of the political aisle. He is challenging the much-beloved US Representative Gwen Moore in the upcoming election, but some of his answers at a recent Community Brainstorming session were just plain weird.

When asked why he is running in Rep. Moore's district, when running in another district without an elected representative who is African-American would broaden representation in a state governed mostly by white people, he said it was where his mother lived and where he grew up. Fair enough, but the guy's primary residence is in Grafton. It has been for 26 years.

His grand plans for reducing crime include building more prisons and jailing more Black people. How will this be accomplished? By bringing in US Marshals! Yes, that was his actual answer according to those in attendance.

Other strange comments included him taking credit for creating the School Choice program. He said he was THE founder. No matter how you feel about that topic, does anybody really consider him to be the founder of this program in Wisconsin? It was hard to take the guy seriously, according to the people in attendance.

Also, check out the Wiki page for him, where he's gone against the community more than once, sided with Republicans (sometimes in tie-breaking situations that ultimately hurt his district in a big way), and the countless ways he keeps getting involved in all kinds of weird stuff (like overthrowing the government of Laos in Southeastern Asia).  Just. Plain. Strange.  It seems like this run against Rep. Moore is one more instance where he's off base about "his" community. Then again, most folks in Grafton probably do think the answer is more incarceration and more law enforcement, so he's not alone there. Just uninformed like they are.

Those in attendance on Saturday saw Rep. Moore list her accomplishments and while some of it was procedural and more relatable on a federal level, she is present, she is responsive, and she doesn't shy away from the challenges of CD4. Let's keep someone with true presence in the district and a record of serving it in office.

Saturday, July 23, 2016

Sean Duffy: Trump Speaks For White Men



US Representative and former reality TV star Sean Duffy is all in for Donald Trump because Trump speaks for the underprivileged white man:
During a CNN interview this morning, Rep. Sean Duffy (R-WI) acknowledged the Trump phenomenon for what it is — identity politics for white men.

While opining about Trump’s RNC-closing speech, Duffy said, “There’s a viewpoint that says, ‘I can fight for minorities, and I can fight for women,’ and if you get that, you make up a vast majority of the voting block and you win. And white males have been left aside a little bit in the politics of who speaks to them.”

Duffy’s implication is that in Trump, white guys have finally found a candidate who speaks to their concerns.
The article goes on to point out just how underrepresented white men are in Washington, DC:
Whether or not they’re effectively communicating to white male voters, white men are certainly still well represented in Congress. When the 114th Congress was sworn in in January 2015, 80 percent of members were white males. By contrast, white guys only make up roughly 31 percent of the American population.
Oh, the horror!

And if anyone knows about being a poor, underprivileged white man, it's Duffy.

It was Duffy that pointed out how he is struggling to survive on only $174,000 a year. Duffy has it so bad that he had to drive a used minivan:
Displaying that delicate sense of empathy characteristic of conservatives, Duffy whined about his $174,000 congressional salary and his “used minivan.” When the man pointed out his salary was “three times what I make,” Duffy reassured him that “I have more debt than you.” “I’m not living high off the hog,” he added:
Constituent: But a hundred and seventy-four thousand, that’s three times — that’s three of my family’s — three times what I make.

Duffy: Well our budget…I moved to cut by 5 percent. I did. You know what, I have no problem..let’s have a movement afoot. I walked into this job 6 weeks ago..um that I worked incredibly hard for. And I can guarantee you or most of you, I guarantee that I have more debt than all of you.

With 6 kids, I still pay off my student loans. I still pay my mortgage. I drive a used minivan. If you think I’m living high off the hog, I’ve got one paycheck. So I..I struggle to meet my bills right now. Would it be easier for me if I get more paychecks? Maybe, but at this point I’m not living high off the hog.
Well, OK, it's $$174,000 plus an exorbitant mileage reimbursement, all the taxpayer money he can squander and all the graft he can carry in the back of his minivan, but still...the struggle is real!

H/T Scarce