Scott Bessent Says Beef Prices Are High Because The FDA Is Trying To Keep Screw Worms Out Of The US

and it's not helping that immigrants are bringing their herds of cattle into the US further raising prices.

But too late on the screw worms...they have already been introduced to the Oval Office via RFK Jrs. brain.

GOP Governor Candidates Want To Freeze UW Tuition Again: The Cost of College Is Their Fault!

 

This article is behind a fire wall at JSOnline. I have an issue with that but that may be my next post. But here it is if you subscribe:

Governor candidates Tom Tiffany, Josh Schoemann call for changes to UW, including tuition freeze

This is follow up on my post about the GOP candidates for governor wanting to eliminate tenure in the UW system.

Another point of contention of course, and I am sure this is bipartisan, is that tuition in the UW system is too high. Granted, it is insane. But our GOP candidates want to revert to a Walker era solution: freeze tuition.  ??  Just like daily expenses for you and me, the basic costs of providing a college education continue to grow. So freezing tuition is just starving the system and not providing a real solution. And of course as revenues decline, the university has  to take shortcuts to hold down costs. But what does that do to the quality of education provided.

Want to hold down tuition gentlemen? Have the State of Wisconsin fund the UW system in the 21st Century at the same levels (% wise) as they did in the post World War II era. It has gotten to the point that state support has dwindled to a minority source of revenues. At this point does the state even have the right for 'naming rights'?

GOP Candidates Take Swing At University Professor Tenure: May I Suggest?

This article is behind a fire wall at JSOnline. I have an issue with that but that may be my next post. But here it is if you subscribe:

Governor candidates Tom Tiffany, Josh Schoemann call for changes to UW, including tuition freeze

One of their positions is to remove professorial tenure from the University of Wisconsin system. Tenure was originally designed to encourage talented professors to stay at the school offering them tenure and to protect them from political blow back and protect their rights to free speech and independent research. So of course GOP pols want to eliminate that so that they can continue their messing with UW and to implement Trump's intrusions into academia. 

BUT, Josh Schoemann and Tom Tiffany. Let's take the lead here and before you start dictating to the university, lets set term limits on elected officials. You know, like Wisconsin Assembly members and State Senators, and Governor. Put your money where your mouth is and lead by example.

BTW: there are fewer and fewer tenured professors in the UW system. Not because the university doesn't like the idea anymore, but because guys like Tiffany have slashed the UW budgets so badly over the years, the UW prefers to use part time adjuncts to save money. And if I remember, back in the day, their were complaints about paying all that tuition money only to be taught by TAs and adjuncts. What happened to that line of thinking. 

U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany

Which Side Will Milwaukee County Dems Choose?

Amy Donahue

The last couple of weeks has been rather historical in the world of politics, especially for the Democrats.  Not only did they win big in almost all of the elections, but the winners were very liberal - and a couple of socialists - and all were friends of Labor.

Sadly, that momentum and euphoria was short-lived when eight moderate to right Democratic Senators stupidly surrendered and let Trump and the Republicans off the hook.

So what does that have to do with Milwaukee County Dems? I'm glad you asked.

On Monday, the Democratic Party of Milwaukee County will be electing their new officers. While it will be damn difficult to find someone to step into the shoes of the outgoing chair, Christine Sinicki, I think Amy Donahue would be the best choice.

Amy is most definitely a progressive and a liberal. Scrolling through her timeline shows that she's taking all the right positions, espeically when it comes to Labor.  Having back to back chairs that are friendly with Labor is almost too much to hope for.

Donahue's opponent is Brett Timmerman. While Timmerman seems to be a nice enough fellow, he has taken an unusual approach of aligning up with candidates for the other positions. Apparently, their motto is: Why buy one when you can buy the whole set.  

That concept is rather disconcerting. It reeks of establishment candidates.  Furthermore, like a group project, you always run a strong chance of having a real stinker in the gorup.  In this case, the stinker is Brady Coulthard. 

Coulthard ran for the state assembly last year to represent the district I live in.  At the time, I noticed something very disturbing and wrong:

 Coulthard has struck me as a bit of a disappointment.  While he touts being pro-labor, it appears that is solely because he was on the Labor Caucus of the Democratic Party.  In other words, he is a politician but not union, per se.  He has also been misleading by showing a picture of him standing with CWA members, giving the impression that he was endorsed by them, which he admitted was not the case.  

And Coulthard is the only one to even mention unions in their bio.  

The choice is pretty simple to me. They could go along with the blue wave and elect Donahue or they can get swamped with the establishment set.

Trump's Limo Seen Driving Around With Its Trunk Open

plain as day and photographed by several news agencies. The Secret Service is being tight lipped about the reason but says the motorcade was not impacted by the fact. One media outlet reported this quote : "The president's protectors excused the mistake as no harm, no foul."

Well I am not seeing it that way. It would have to be wholly intentional in order to have occurred. So there is a reason and someone is hiding the reason and that's not a good look for POTUS. 

Now if it wasn't intentional, then we have a whole other problem of the Secret Service ignoring an issue with the president's limo. And that too is problematic. Everything around the movement of the president is carefully orchestrated and controlled...so if there is something amiss...why isn't it being attended to immediately? ?? and why the hush hush? Just admit the Trump wheel chair won't fit in the trunk?

 

 

Senator Ron Johnson Didn't Get A Pardon?

Late Sunday night the White House pardoned a number of prominent Wisconsin Republicans who were involved with the attempts to overturn the 2020 Presidential election.  

"Trump pardoned most of the Republicans who signed paperwork falsely claiming to be electors for Trump when former President Joe Biden, a Democrat, was elected in Wisconsin instead.

The list posted by Trump's pardon attorney late Sunday night, includes: Carol Brunner, Mary Buestrin, Darryl Carlson, Andrew Hitt, Kelly Ruh, Bob Spindell and Pam Travis.

Also pardoned were attorneys Kenneth Chesebro and Jim Troupis...

Four more Republicans who signed the false paperwork are not on the list but the proclamation notes the list is not comprehensive of those who were pardoned."

Well, boot licker and bag man, Sen. Ron Johnson (R - WI) was not on the list.  But never fear, he apparently is still hoping for one:

"U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, who was involved in the effort to get the slate of Wisconsin Trump electors to Pence on Jan. 6, 2021, praised the pardons."

 

How Much Of The 10% Air Traffic Reduction Would We Attain IF:

the FAA grounded all private aircraft plus Air Force 1 and Air Force 2? 

Who's The Cat And Who's The Mouse?

As the Orange Sphincter goes on his retaliation tour, he has sent Sen Chuck Grassley and Rep Gym Jordan to go after Jack Smith, the former special counsel who was breathing down Trump's neck.  That's like sending Colonel Klink and Sargeant Schultz after Captain Amerca.

Grassley and Jordan want Smith to testify behind closed doors, so that they can say whatever they want afterwards.  Smith, who was not born yesterday or even the day before that, has said that he is more than willing to testify, but only publicy.

Trump, upset that people just aren't doing what he wants, has been trying to "influence" things.  Smith sent a well-aimed warning shot over the bow:

In a new letter sent Friday to Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), obtained by POLITICO, lawyers for Smith argue that politics had no influence over their client’s investigations into Trump and agreed it would be unacceptable for any occupant of the White House to leverage law enforcement against a perceived enemy

“Such political meddling in prosecutorial decision making undermines the credibility of the Justice Department and the integrity of any subsequent enforcement actions,” Lanny Breuer and Peter Koski, lawyers at the firm Covington & Burling, wrote to Grassley. “Political meddling in prosecutorial actions also risks turning impartial law enforcement agencies into partisan tools to protect the President’s allies and punish his perceived adversaries.”

It's a pretty safe bet that this isn't going anywhere The Republicans know damn well that Smith has the goods on Trump and definitely don't want that to get out at all.

Meanwhile, I'd advise you to stock up on popcorn. 

 

In the White House: Dr. Oz Is Explaining A Link Between Obesity And Dementia

 

From Social Media: Why Hasn't Trump Called For The Flags To Be At Half Mast For Dick Cheney

it's not like he wasn't the Vice President of the US for eight years or something.

Isn't Congress Supposed To Be Working On An ACTUAL Budget?

Of course all of the talk is the closed government and the continuing resolution that Congress can't get passed or past. 

But beyond that aren't they supposed to be working on an actual budget per their responsibilities assigned in the actual, you know, Constitution? 

So while the Senate remains in deadlock over the CR, why isn't the house working on a budget bill?

Autopen, Autopen, Who's Got The Autopen?

 

Has it occurred to anyone else that all of the Republicans' focus on Former President Joe Biden's alleged use of an autopen is to distract from the fact that Trump is President Stephen Miller's autopen?

Will They Be Able To Arrest Trump?

Image courtesy of DonkeyHotey

Wisconsin State Rep Amanda Nedweski and State Senator Jesse James sent out a press release boasting of a anti-grooming bill they introduced on Monday. If passed, the bill will:

Under LRB-5392/LRB-5397, grooming is defined as a “course of conduct, pattern of behavior, or series of acts intended to condition, seduce, or entice a child for the purpose of sexual activity or exploitation.” Examples include sexualized conversations, inappropriate physical contact, digital communications designed to lure a child, and efforts to isolate a child from family or peers.

The bill establishes a Class G felony as the base penalty for offenders convicted of grooming a child for sexual activity. Penalties increase if the offender holds a position of trust or authority over the child, if the victim has a disability, or if the offense involves multiple children. Those convicted would also be required to register as sex offenders under 301.45, Wis. Stats.

As a former child welfare worker, I can tell you that there are already state statutes with more severe penalities already in the books. But it's an election year and the Republicans have to look like they are doing something.

My only question about their proposed law is will that allow the authorities to finally arrest President Pedo?

He's Always Been A Bit Of A Wanker

 This is a real tweet from Rep Drunken Van Orden:

It's time for DVO to put down the booze bottle and the phone and actually do his job for a change, while he still has one.

All The Angst Around Rare Earths And I Think We Let Some Slip Through Our Fingers

Donald Trump is scouring the world for nations that he can brow beat into giving up their rare earth resources, while China plays their rare earth cards in the face of US tariffs on Chinese exports to the US.

But somewhere in the back of my mind, I remember some discussion about developing a rare earth industry in....Afghanistan. Yes, that's right. The US could be mining rare earths there while providing stable jobs and providing a stable cultural and economic country. hmmmm.....