Wisconsin's Snowflakes

Like many Republicans around the country, Wisconsin's Republicans have been doing their best to avoid their constituents and not have to listen to their anger or how they are not representing them. But since this is Wisconsin, our snowflakes tend to be bigger and uglier, even though we are going through an unseasonable warm spell.

Even Lyin' Paul Ryan is no exception.

Ryan's office stopped taking phone calls from his constituents. (Don't worry, he gave his personal phone number to all of his wealthy friends and benefactors - y'know, the people he truly represents.

So the people started a petition drive. But Ryan's office refused to accept the petitions.

So then the people set up a town hall meeting. Yep, you guessed it. Ryan didn't bother to show to meet his constituents:

Lining up behind microphones Sunday evening, a few hundred of Rep. Paul Ryan’s constituents directed their wrath and disapproval toward an empty chair.

“It says a lot to me that he’s not here,” said Lee Hansen of Racine, who served in the 82nd Airborne in the 1970s. “Maybe we should repeal and replace Paul Ryan.”

Forward Kenosha organizers scheduled the town hall meeting Sunday evening at a union hall to give residents of the 1st Congressional District a way to get their thoughts and opinions to the Janesville Republican.

Julia Kozel, a Forward Kenosha board member, said Ryan was invited to the event but didn’t respond. She said she found out he wasn’t coming through a story in the Kenosha News a few days earlier.

“I don’t think he appreciates hearing things contrary to his ideology,” said Kozel.

Word is that the empty chair was a better listener and its personality wasn't as wooden as Ryan's.

But Ryan is a practitioner of good government compared to our dumb senator, RoJo.

Oh, sure, RoJo had "town hall meetings." But they were in very select environments with hand-picked attendees. Not the regular riffraff one mind find at these types of events.

When the people of Wisconsin exercised their First Amendment right to petition the government for redress and grievances, RoJo responded by issuing them a Cease And Desist Letter, simply signed "Staff":

From Citizen Action of Wisconsin:

Dissent is patriotic, that's what we believe. That's why for months we've been showing up to Congressional offices, calling every day, writing letters/emails/postcards & more. And it's why our members took part in town halls and rallies across the state last week during the Congressional Recess, including a 500+ person rally in Greenfield and 150+ in Wausau. Complete with empty chairs for, and a large cardboard cutout of, Senator Ron Johnson.

And what do the people who come to our actions get? A "cease and desist" letter (click for full letter) from the Senator's office (signed "staff"). Senator Johnson is trying his best not to hear our concerns about the future of healthcare, about the future of our country and the fate our of families.

These two snowflakes must be afraid that they will melt under the heat of the wrath of their real constituents. Now it's time to turn the heat up higher. They really stepped in it with their myopic agenda and trying to ignore the Constitution isn't going to save them.

Campaigns should not be coordinating with dark money donors

By Jeff Simpson 

Cross Posted from JSonline:

Gov. Scott Walker was correct when he called the rash of news stories about the latest John Doe investigation a "media frenzy." The first John Doe resulted in six criminal prosecutions, and in the midst of the second John Doe, Appeals Court Judge Frank Easterbrook ordered the release of a small batch of documents related to the latest investigation.

The highlight of the document release was part of an email Walker had sent to Karl Rove, former top adviser to President George W. Bush. In the email, Walker tells Rove that his longtime campaign strategist, R.J. Johnson, would be coordinating between an unlimited number of right-wing groups to help make sure that they were going to be successful in the recall elections. There is not much question whether the Walker campaign coordinated with these different groups. However, there is doubt as to the legality of such coordination.

Do we as a society, in our constitutionally limited democratic republic, just wait until a current lifetime-appointed judge gives us his all-too-predictable ruling on the matter, or do we demand more out of our public servants?

There are two kinds of people who believe that money in politics is not a problem: the people receiving the money and the people who are not paying attention. The two major parties and their respective supporters spent as much as $60 million on the gubernatorial recall election in addition to spending almost $40 million in the 2010 gubernatorial election. Two men spent $100 million to battle for a job that pays $140,000 a year plus benefits. And we are supposed to trust these people with our state budget?

Do we continue to look the other way, while politicians spend massive amounts of money on ads (Walker is currently spending $245,000 on a TV ad campaign to run for over a week) while our children go hungry? In Wisconsin, the number of children on free and reduced-cost lunch has more than doubled in the last 10 years.

Our politicians understand the importance of keeping money out of politics, as they wrote it into our state statutes: "When the true source of support or extent of support is not fully disclosed, or when a candidate becomes overly dependent upon large private contributors, the democratic process is subjected to a potential corrupting influence."

Abraham Lincoln warned us that if we enthrone corporations, "an era of corruption in high places will follow." There is no higher place than our statehouse.

We also need to look at the silly claims that Johnson and Eric O'Keefe, head of Wisconsin Club For Growth, among others, have made. They assert that their First Amendment rights were violated due to the John Doe investigation. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The First Amendment tells us that Congress shall make no law "abridging the freedom of speech." At no time have Johnson or O'Keefe lost their rights to free speech. They have the same rights that you and I do. What they have lost is the ability to collect unlimited amounts of anonymous money to use, with the collaboration of elected officials, to work together in coordination to get as many members of one party elected.

The question we have to ask is not whether Walker will face criminal charges. The question we need to ask as a society is: Do we want to outsource our elections and our politicians to a handful of multimillionaires? As Thomas Paine said, "a long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it a superficial appearance of being right."

No matter what the outcome of the second John Doe, it is wrong to have politicians collaborating with outside dark money groups. We need to start holding our elected representatives to a higher standard of ethics and personal responsibility.

Jeff Simpson of Cottage Grove is a small business owner, member of the Monona Grove School Board and Progressive blogger.

Wiggy Wobbles With The Truth

By Jeff Simpson

The Hypocrisy is Strong in this one*:    

August 12th 2013:

 Another day and another chance for the Solidarity Singers in Madison to get a permit. They won’t, and they will get arrested. Democratic legislators like State Senator Bob Jauch will lose all sense of perspective and compare the arrests to  various atrocities and the media will gloss over them.

But then this was never about free speech. This is about power. Notice the rhetoric of the Solidarity Singers and their supporters when another group takes out a permit. They allowed the permitted event to happen. They didn’t interfere with the wedding. They are allowing others to exercise their free speech rights.

That is not what democracy looks like. That’s fascism

fas·cism

noun \ˈfa-ˌshi-zəm also ˈfa-ˌsi-\

: a way of organizing a society in which a government ruled by a dictator controls the lives of the people and in which people are not allowed to disagree with the government

: very harsh control or authority

Full Definition of FASCISM

1

often capitalized :  a political philosophy, movement, or regime (as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition

2

:  a tendency toward or actual exercise of strong autocratic or dictatorial control <early instances of army fascism and brutality — J. W. Aldridge>

 May 8, 2014: 

 

 

The decision that will receive the most publicity is the one by Judge Rudy Randa, who shut down “John Doe 2.” It was an investigation into conservative organizations who spoke out during the recall elections, including Wisconsin Club for Growth.
Randa slapped down the investigators, even threatening them with contempt of court if they attempted to continue the investigation. Randa freed the organizations from any obligation to cooperate with the investigation and ordered the return of any property seized by the investigators.
Randa based his decision to end the John Doe probe on the effect it was having on the free speech rights of the investigated organizations. Because they were not engaged in express advocacy in the elections, their free speech was (and is) protected under the First Amendment and not subject to campaign finance laws.
Think what was happening. Organizations who were solely engaged in the practice of speaking about political issues were subject to police raids in the night, the seizure of computers and records, and then forbidden to speak publicly about it.
It is not an exaggeration to say what was happening in the John Doe investigation was just steps away from Solzhenitsyn’s description of the Black Marias of the state security police coming in the night.
Randa recognized that when he wrote, “It is a recognition that maximizing First Amendment freedom is a better way to deal with political corruption than allowing the seemingly corruptible to do so. As other histories tell us, attempts to purify the public square lead to places like the Guillotine and the Gulag.”

 

So first amendment rights do not apply to a handful of citizens who want to sing in a publicly held building but they are unlimited to billionaires who want to take a few million and work with the campaign of a politician to see the best way to spend their money?  

Dumb ass!  

*  picture from @jwigderson public twitter feed.    

Escape to Wisconsin

 

By Jeff Simpson

Scott Walker, in his never ending quest for less government yet one that works, as he told Morning Joe yesterday:

"That’s the difference between Washington and Republicans at the state level. We may as Republicans want less government, but we want the government we have to work.” - Gov. Scott Walker

Now Scott Walker and Mike Huebsch, after clearing the halls of 80 year old women who wear socks with sandals, have decided to start arresting public servants(and apparently yelling at everyone else).  

After spending tons of money, rewarding a right wing Hollywood director, to film a "tourism" commercial displaying Wisconsinites as bumbling dolts....The Capitol Police and the Dynamic Duo of Huebsch and Walker drive the point home:

The crackdown also focused press attention on the standoff between protesters and police. (Isthmus put together a storify and local activist and photographer Leslie Peterson captured good photos of the event.)

Meanwhile Erwin and his second-in-command have grabbed headlines with hefty raises, made legal through a bureaucratic shell game, prompting speculation that Erwin is being rewarded for arresting the state's most visible critics of Walker. The state Department of Administration denies the crackdown has anything to do with Erwin's pay raise.

Last week officers targeted the Raging Grannies singing troupe — comprised, you might have guessed, of elderly women — as well as a Madison alderman and a leftie journalist.

Capitol police is recent days appear to be making the point that anyone connected with the Solidarity Sing Along is game for arrest, with no exceptions for the young, the old, elected officials, journalists and now fellow protective services personnel.

As Madison Police Officer Brian Austin said: 

“I’ve been watching this with growing alarm,” says Austin, who is a leader with Cops for Labor. “This is unprecedented for a governor. I don’t recall anyone behaving like this and stifling free speech before. This is the most public of all places for dissent, and people of all political stripes should be outraged.”
He said this is “the ultimate in big government abuse,” adding that Walker is violating “the most sacred rights that make us Americans.”

2013 Wisconsin

Just a quick reminder

Thanks Dave!

 

By Jeff Simpson

Yesterday, Dave Blaska, part of the new era of "conservatives", felt that the best way to petition the government was ask for their permission to do so, THEN go where and when they were told, and sing their praises! Blaska, who the news shows could not give enough airtime too, was able to prove his points perfectly!  Unfortunately for Blaska, the point he proved was not the one he was going for!

Let's start with the arrest.



This unnamed man was arrested for SILENTLY holding a sign that read simply - "Article 1, Section 4." 
Not only was he alone holding the sign, the letters on the sign did not reach the 20 member threshhold.  Yet he was arrested and hauled away in handcuffs.  YEs - HAULED AWAY IN HANDCUFFS.   Proving that what gets you arrested is NOT  not getting a permit but instead saying something that the PArty Leader does not want to hear(or read).  

FYI:

Article 1 Section 4 of the Wisconsin State Constitution reads as follows: "The right of the people peaceably to assemble, to consult for the common good, and to petition the government, or any department thereof, shall never be abridged."

Secondly, Blaska  tried to have radio personality Sly Sylvester arrested for asking him a simple question!

Dave how do you like your state funded pension? 

See Dave Blaska is a former elected official and state worker.  You pay his pension.  YOU pay for him to be able to run around the state and do childish pranks in the name of Scott Walker.  YOU pay for him to have numerous forums to talk about how horrible it is that YOU one day will be getting a pension!   Dave has never offered to give a penny back on his state funded pension, see unlike YOU he earned his.

Apparently once you take out a permit you decide who can and can not be in the Capitol and what they will be doing.  An hour's worth of power must have been all consuming for Blaska!  It is nice that we have three police agencies spending time at the Capitol, its not like they have anything else they can be doing.    It is more important that we keep the police in Madison to make sure Scott Walker or Dave Blaska's feeling never get hurt!   It's only tax dollars, its not like they have to pay for it!

Unforrtunately, the one person NOT arrested was this republican thug!  

As is the theme for this blog, BUT wait there's more:  While never being overly creative, the right decided the best way to prove a point was to sing thinly veiledracist hateful silly songs (badly I might add):

But WAIT, There's more.   It appears that Mr. Blaska was giving out twinkies to participants!  I will give Dave the benefit of the doubt in that I am sure he was making a political statement and not judging his peers.

 Blaska’s event lasted about a half hour, after which he handed out Twinkies to celebrate “American resilience.”

 Lets take a look at what Twinkies "celebrates", which is everything that the republican party loves!  

*   Corporate greed

*   Unemployed Americans

*    Misperception and Lies from the right to push an agenda

*   Corporations giving you less for more money

*   Jobs outsourced 

*   Sh*t food! 

I always say that when people tell us who they are, we should listen!

Yesterday David Blaska and the modern day Wisconsin "conservatives(term used very loosely)" spoke volumes!   

PS: Want to know whats wrong with Wisconsin?  Today on WKOW Wake Up Wisconsin, Blaska received about 6-10 minutes an hour of TV time, Wisconsin Ride for Kids was afforded a whole two minutes!  

Nuff' Said!

Free Speech Crackdown - Day 3

By Jeff Simpson

Once again, Mike Huebsch and Scott Walker continue to show the state and the world what petty cowards they are.  They continue their crackdown on random singers.

Let's not forget, the first day they arrested an 80 year old lady, the second day they stomped all over the American flag while arresting a Vietnam Veteran, and now they have done it again by grabbing a mom/son combo:




Yes that takes true Courage.

Of course, nothing says "Open For Business" like arresting grandma and grandson and Vietnam Vets!  I bet companies just can not get here fast enough!

Once we get the 7 year and 80 year olds off the street, the business will be free to thrive!!!

Scott Walker's Wisconsin

By Jeff Simpson

"No disrespect should be shown to the flag of the United States of America." Section 8
"The flag represents a living country and is itself considered a living thing." Section 8j

This video shows Scott Walker's Wisconsin, and the contempt that the republican party have towards the people,  more than any other to date.....






A Vietnam Veteran, being arrested for standing QUIETLY in the middle of the People's house, who while being arrested, accidentally dropped his flag and the police officer who is arresting him for using his first amendment rights, stomps all over the American Flag.  

This is what Scott Walker has brought to WI!

 Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.^[1]

Is there anything besides money that the current Wisconsin republicans respect? 

Welcome to Oceania - 2013

FYI- Dem Party Here is your 2014 AD  Campaign

By Jeff Simpson

 By now you have heard that Mike Huebsch, Scott Walker and Chief Erwin made a show of force today and arrested some of the Solidarity singers for doing what they do daily ----- sing!

Two Democratic legislators denounced this crackdown by Scott Walker’s handpicked police chief, David Erwin.

“Chief Erwin and Governor Scott Walker’s militant handling of the daily peaceful singing has escalated this situation unnecessarily,” said Rep. Chris Taylor. “The Capitol rotunda would have been much safer today had Governor Walker given Chief Erwin a little red rubber ball to play with in the corner instead of control of the entire police force. . . . This is the kind of heavy-handed police government you would expect to see in a Third World country, not here in Wisconsin. It must stop.”

State Sen. Bob Jauch was equally indignant.

“It’s just so unnecessary,” he said. “There are more important issues in the state of Wisconsin than as to whether people are singing. Since when is that threatening? You can bring in a gun in the capitol if it’s concealed but you can’t come into your capitol if you’re singing?”

H/T Rebecca Kemble for the video and pics.  She Deserves a Pulitzer!

Apparently Scott Walker's plan is working!   He truly is "Unintimidated"! 

Scott Walker and his divisive, ALEC infused politics is SOLELY responsible for the huge divide in our state.  ONLY two people can stop this now and bring our state back together - 1;. Scott Walker himself(not likely) and 2.  The Voters in WI in 2014!  

This is not my Wisconsin.  

PS:  Now would be a good time for the Mary Burke's, Mark Harris's and anyone else considering a run for Governor,  to step up and weigh.  This is NOT a left/right issue it is a Common Sense issue!  

Tell Me Again About The Peaceful Right

By Jeff Simpson

H/T Raw Story for this gem of a responsible gun owner(who just happens to be Police Chief in Gilberton, Pennsylvania:

Kessler has uploaded several profanity-laced videos to YouTube. In one video, Kessler berates “libtards” and warns of an armed rebellion against the government.

“F*ck all you libtards out there, as a matter of fact, read my shirt,” he says, turning around to show a message on his back which read, “Liberals take it in the a**.”

“You take it in the ass and I don’t give a f*ck what you say so you can all just go f*ck yourselves. Period. I wont be going to D.C. and I don’t give a f*ck. If you f*cking maniacs want to turn this into an armed revolt, knock yourselves out. I’m not about that, so see you on the other side.”

In a video on basic pistol defense, Kessler repeatedly shoots a picture of a scary clown, which he says is Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). He calls Secretary of State John Kerry a “c*cksucker” in another video before firing off an automatic weapon.

Tuesday on his Facebook page, Kessler called for a massive rally to “show these tyrants we will not stand for any more violations on our constitution or our freedoms.”

“I’m calling on all true Americans , all militia members, all true oath keepers to assemble, be ready to march on a tyrannical county government right here in Schuylkill county Pennsylvania, democrats are the true enemy of our country, our freedoms, our constitution, along with liberal news agency’s , liberal news reporters, much like hitlers nazis , time we clean these antiamerican thugs from office,” he wrote.

Kessler is also a freshman member of the North Schuylkill School Board and founder of the Constitution Security Force, which lists the Southern Poverty Law Center as an “anti-American organization.”

Apparently the right wing extremists know as little about the first amendment as they do the second! 

Rep Taylor On First Amendment Victory

Representative Chris Taylor has always been at the forefront in the fight for our First Amendment rights in the state Capitol.  Here is what she had to say about the victory the ACLU had earlier this week in that struggle:

Victory for free speech in State Capitol
Unconstitutional Capitol access policies struck down

MADISON – On Monday, a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction in a lawsuit brought by the ACLU regarding the Walker administration’s crackdown on free speech in the State Capitol.  Federal Judge William Conley temporarily struck down the permitting requirement, stating that it was impermissibly content specific and that there was no basis for requiring as few as one person to have to obtain a permit for expressive activity in the state Capitol.

The judicial ruling cited the official nomination for the State Capitol’s designation as a National Historic Landmark, which was granted Jan. 3, 2001:  The application states about the rotunda:

“Whereas some statehouses are maintained apart from the urban fabric, the Wisconsin Capitol Rotunda functions, both literally and symbolically, as a city center and is fully utilized as a public place to which all have claim.”

“This is a huge victory for free speech. As I have been saying for months and as Judge Conley recognized, the Capitol rotunda is a public forum, where political speech should be encouraged, not stifled,” said Rep. Chris Taylor (D-Madison).  “Rather than working collaboratively with all interested parties in crafting a Capitol access policy that protects people’s right to free speech, the Walker administration imposed an unconstitutional policy and bullied individuals exercising their free speech rights with civil citations and monetary penalties.”

For the last year, Rep. Taylor has been urging the Walker administration to reconsider their unconstitutional approach adopted in their Capitol access policies.  Last fall, Capitol Police Chief David Erwin refused to answer Rep. Taylor’s most basic questions about the basis for arresting and citing individuals engaged in political expression and terminated their meeting.

“This ruling vindicates the right of each Wisconsinite to engage in expressive activity in the Capitol rotunda without having a permit” said Rep. Taylor.   “I am hoping the Walker administration will reconsider their approach and finally acknowledge the First Amendment rights of Wisconsin citizens.”

Rep. Taylor is the only legislator to appear on a Walker administration “Black list” that listed individuals targeted by the administration for expressing opposition to their regressive policies and crackdown on free speech.

Thank you to Rep. Taylor for all she has done for her constituents and the rest of the state.

Crackdown At The Capitol

By Jeff Simpson 

"We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty. When the loyal opposition dies, I think the soul of America dies with it." Edward R. Murrow

We know that the Solidarity Singers are still going strong.  We know that it pisses Scott Walker and the rest of the republican party off so much that he is willing to defy the Constitution.

The new rules will go into effect on April 16th!   

(Stephanie)Marquis said Wisconsin's rules, which include a permit process for those organizing protests or other events at the Capitol and other state properties, are constitutional and have been part of Wisconsin's administrative code since 1979. She said the code is in place to protect "the safety of the building and the public," and was simply being being clarified and updated.

One of the changes in the emergency rules is that a person would not need to receive a permit if he or she is holding "a sign that is not larger than 28 inches in length or width, or to any item of clothing worn by an individual."

It is so nice of the Big Government Walker administration to allow people to wear whatever they want to the Capitol without getting arrested.

The Amazing Chris Taylor recently took time out of her day to have a press conference(below) explaining the silliness of these anti American "rules" and calling for an end to them: 

But state Rep. Chris Taylor, D-Madison, and other civil liberties advocates said the rules are a continuation of the "crackdown" by the Walker administration on free speech at the Capitol.

"I want it to stop," Taylor said. "I think it makes a mockery out of our democracy, and it does not need to be this way."

 Especially since the tickets never stick when these protestors get in front of a non partisan judge! 

When a "tea partier" tells you they defend your right to protest as long as you get a permit, an angel loses her wings!  It is time for this sham of justice to end and its time that the republicans joined in  in telling the Walker administration to stop the insanity!  

Someone Call 911!

By Jeff Simpson

I think I hear.....singing!

The Walker Administration has let it be known that they will no longer put up with singing and comradery in the Capitol!!

 The DOA has been working with the Republican Attorney General's office since December, 2012 to alter the code. They plan to publish "Emergency" changes to that code on March 19th.

First Amendment to the Constitution:

 Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

And years of precedence be dammed, the republicans set the rules now!

Usually, changes to Wisconsin's Administrative Code require public notice, hearings, and publication before they take effect. Exemptions are provided in cases where "preservation of the public peace, health, safety or welfare necessitates putting the rule into effect prior to the time it would take effect if the agency complied with the procedures."

It's hard to imagine how the DOA will justify that, after two years, the singing citizens suddenly pose an immediate threat to public safety, but the truth is they don't have to justify it. Their motives have nothing to do with public safety or the rule of law. They're simply embarrassed that people are in the building spotlighting their corruption every day. It makes the lobbyists uncomfortable and less likely to open their wallets.

It works much better if people only see Convicted Felon Scott Jensen and paid propagandist Bill Osmulski in the Capitol.  After all there is no place for dissent in America!

How bad are things in Wisconsin these days?  Even the Grinch had a more open mind than our gerrymandered elected republicans. 

Chief Erwin's Caricature

By Jeff Simpson

Capitol Police Chief Erwin has just become a cartoon caricature of himself and really needs to go.  Now he has proven that he has no interest in police work and only has interest in creating a spectacle.

Witness this, where the Big Chief sent 3 officers outside the city limits to issue a citation to someone who "they identified" as leader to the Solidarity Singers!  Taxpayer dollars hard at work!

H/T Daily Kos:

Chief Erwin, is so obsessed with the Solidarity Singers that he is keeping an eye on Representative Chris Taylor!    Well at least he has good taste, because I have also been keeping my eye on the award winning Representative Chris Taylor - who rocks! (Next governor perhaps)?

It is really sad, because there are so many policemen who are doing such an amazing, thankless job protecting and serving the public that these keystone kops really give the whole profession a bad name!   

It is time that Governor Walker retired Chief Erwin and put someone in this position who is mature enough to handle it and will take the 2 minutes needed to read the First Amendment to the Constitution!

 Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

By the way, how much is a ticket for singing these days?  Is it reduced if you just humm? lip sync? whistle? Also how would any republican in Wisconsin, know what leadership looks like?

Call to Duty

By Keith R. Schmitz

In terms of being a constitutional scholar, by far I'm no Ed Fallone. However I've got a feeling the video game makers have better legal standing than the assault weapons manufacturers and dealers.

The Wisconsin Press Should Be Ashamed

It turns out that the Wisconsin Press, taking advantage of Chief Erwin's crackdown on free speech, has had one of the full time protestors charged with harassment.

A Capitol police incident report indicates that the criminal charge against Jeremy Ryan, 23, stems from events in early July.

Gwyn Guenther, president of the Wisconsin Capitol Correspondents Association, told Capitol police that Ryan was repeatedly outside the Capitol press room, yelling and disrupting employees, according to the police report.

Guenther also told Capitol police that, at one point, Ryan sang a song mocking her late father, longtime political journalist Dick Wheeler, according to the report.

"I support everyone's First Amendment rights to do freedom of speech, but we have to look at some of the things that are happening here and how people are presenting this First Amendment," said Capitol Police Chief David Erwin.

WISC-TV contacted Guenther for comment but she declined

So Chief Erwin has decided that the first amendment only applies when it is convenient and Gwyn Guenther has decided as a reporter that she has nothing to say about a very important news story.  

Shameful and disgraceful. 

It is no wonder that the state of Wisconsin and politics is the mess it is when our media has so blatantly neglect their responsibilities!

A quick refresher course:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

 Before the righties get their panties in a bunch, this is not an endorsement of Jeremy Ryan.  Its ridiculous to sing a song about someones recently dead father, whoever it is.  However, there is no law on the books that says being a douchebag is illegal.   If there were, Robin Vos and paul ryan would be roommies in Gitmo.   There is also nothing that resembles a journalist in someone who gets a person arrested for what they have to say.  

Chief Erwin has proven himself to be head of the palace guard and disgraces the uniform he wears.  Gwyn Guenther has also proven that she is just there to take dictation and disgraces the profession of journalism.   236 years of people who have been actual independent journalists that have come before her are truning over in their graves at the way the press acts these days!  

Solidarity Singers Get A Back Up Chorus

Not being able to bear the thought that people might be exercising their constitutional rights, Scott Walker set out to bring in his own version of the Sheriff of Nottingham. Thus he installed Dave Erwin as commandant of the Capitol Police.

So far, Erwin's claim to fame is threatening innocent citizens and advising politicians to hit their constituents.

Commandant Erwin has set his eyes on the Solidarity Singers, a group of citizens who come to the Capitol every day at lunchtime and sing songs of solidarity. Obviously, these fiends must be stopped! After all, how are the Republicans supposed to go about systematically destroying the state if there are people running around exercising their First Amendment rights?!

Now, if the singers wanted to become the Solidarity Shooters and bring in handguns, that's perfectly fine. But singing? No way!

To deter the Solidarity Singers, and everyone else, of their rights, Erwin wants to strictly enforce the draconian permit requirements.

One could just imagine Walker, Mike Huebsch and the Fitzgerald boys rubbing their hands and snarling in delight of the prospect of getting those democracy addicts behind bars where they belong.

Only thing is there is something they forgot about. The law.

They also forgot about another thing - the ACLU.

The ACLU has fired a warning shot over Erwin's bow by challenging his ridiculousness:

Ultimately the ACLU of Wisconsin believes the new rules issued by the Wisconsin State Department of Administration, including the requirement for groups as few as four people to secure a permit for a “rally… for the purpose of actively promoting any cause,” are not reasonable. Particularly if the rules are applied to the Solidarity Sing Along which takes place at a reasonable time (the hours between noon and 1:00 p.m. are defined in the DOA’s rules as not being normal working hours) and place such as in the rotunda, where state of Wisconsin has long allowed the public to hold rallies of all sizes.

“Chief Erwin said the permit process has been in place for decades,” said ACLU of Wisconsin Communications Director Stacy Harbaugh. “However, I have been organizing volunteer legal observers to witness protests at the Capitol over the past six years and it has been my experience that Capitol Police have asked for voluntary compliance in filling out permits and in practice have only required permits for protests that require extra staffing, closed streets, access to building electricity and other logistical needs. There has typically been reasonable accommodation for protests large and small, planned or spontaneous.”

The Constitution allows “reasonable time, place and manner” regulations. But such restrictions on the use of space must be content-neutral. By requiring permits for “rallies” of four or more people, the DOA and Capitol Police must look at the content of the event to determine whether or not a group in the Capitol is a “rally” promoting a cause versus a gathering of four people who want to talk about where to get lunch.

In addition, any restriction must be narrowly tailored to serve a significant government interest. Chief Erwin suggests that permits are required for police to adequately accommodate public safety interests, but it is unreasonable to suggest that a group as small as four would overwhelm the police force. Further, the First Amendment requires and the DOA’s own rules allow for defined, spontaneous events. It is the responsibility of the Capitol Police to have staffing plans in place to have the flexibility to protect the safety of all announced and unannounced visitors to the building.

The participants of the Solidarity Sing Along have worked with the Capitol police and staff to accommodate multiple users of the Capitol rotunda. This relationship can and should continue to meet the needs of police to make narrowly tailored, content-neutral space management decisions.

As for the public safety concerns outlined in Erwin’s letter, we believe it is the responsibility of the Capitol Police to ensure that the Capitol building is both a safe place to work and for demonstrators to engage in peaceful speech activity in the rotunda. To threaten to enforce a permit requirement against peaceful, cooperative protesters on the basis of safety concerns arising from the alleged actions of a few individuals would punish those engaging in protected speech activity. If criminal harassment or intimidation is occurring against Capitol workers or singers alike, it is the responsibility of police to address it, not crackdown on peaceful protest.

Indeed, all Erwin - at the orders of Walker - is doing is trying to act as a jack-booted thug. Perhaps instead of threatening the singers, he should be looking at ways at protecting them from the real criminals.

Erwin might also want to try to help enforce the law by finding and confiscating Walker's secret router. That's what a real law enforcement officer would do.

Indomitable

Tuesday evening, after work, I went to a local hospital to visit a friend, Steven P. Senski (known as @spsenski on teh Twitter), a member of #wiunion and one of the wittiest of the Twitterati, who had a very serious medical event happen. It was one of those type of things that is almost always fatal and my friend is very fortunate to be alive, even though the doctors don't know the full extent of the damage or how much he'll be able to recover. However, my Steven refused to be dismayed and expressed confidence that with some hard work and good therapy, he would fully recover in time.

As I entered his room, it was obvious that I was not the only life he has touched as he had several red heart balloons and one of the rare Wisconsin palm trees in his room already.

We had an excellent visit filled with laughter and deep discussion of the events of Wisconsin's political climate, especially the recall.

After I left, it struck me how truly amazing my friend was. Not only did he survive what could have easily been a fatal medical event, but he was doing better than one could expect. On top of that, while he was completely honest with the challenges he is facing, he also expressed a strong level of optimism that he would get better.

I later tweeted that I was glad that I visited him and that like #wiunion, his spirit was indomitable.

Reflecting on that, I realized how true that was. Not just for him, but for all of #wiunion.

I already told you about Diane who, even though terminally ill, was still giving it her all to help bring the state back onto the path back to recovery.

There is BattiestGrrl who, even though having problems finding a job in Walker's dismal economy, has thrown herself fully into the recall process and became a representative of #wiunion to the world.

But the indomitable spirit of #wiunion as a whole has been present, and obviously so, for the ten months.

When Walker and his allies in the legislature started their wholesale assault on the good people of Wisconsin, #wiunion gathered by the tens of thousands to call foul on their misdeeds.

When they tried to prevent the people from entering the People's House, they still came in. And then refused to leave, sleeping there night after night, laying claim to what was theirs and letting the usurpers know that they wouldn't be able to take it without a fight.

When Walker and his cronies were finally able to force them out of the Capitol at night, they slept outside, on the ground, even though it was still the lingering end of winter and very cold.

During the summer recalls, even while the Republicans were trying to throw every dirty trick in the book, from running fake candidates to trying to change the rules, the people stay focused and got two of them out of office.

Even now, during the recall of Walker himself, he and his supporters, in their desperation, have resorted to physical violence, trying to disenfranchise petition signers and all other sorts of skulduggery, the people have done as they always have. They have maintained control of themselves, stayed on the high road and are getting the job done.

The most recent, and perhaps the best example of this indomitable spirit is the Solidarity Singers.

Walker tried to take away their First Amendment rights of free speech and to peacefully assemble. Why? Because the singers had the audacity to gather every day at lunch time and - brace yourself - sing!

Oh the nerve! Those thugs!

Anyway, on the first day that Walker's infringement of the people's rights were to occur, not only did the singers show up, they came in even larger numbers, without one of his stinking permits, in open defiance of Walker's latest attempt at tyranny.

And they sang beautifully.

And they sang beautifully, because like all of #wiunion, they are indomitable.

Quotable and Quotable Again

Bruce Murphy of Milwaukee Magazine hits things on the head twice in his column this week.

The first bullseye comes in his discussion about the state's job and jobless condition:

Some conservatives, I suspect, would reject the idea that you should measure all employment. But if slashing taxes and government jobs only results in enough private sector employment to offset the cuts in public jobs, it’s a completely ineffective way of lowering unemployment. It’s of no value to a voter to have lower taxes but no job. Nor are businesses likely to locate in a state where taxes are low but schools and universities are in decline. Surveys have long shown that well-trained workers, powerhouse universities, good transportation (from highways to rail) and other kinds of government-created infrastructure are more important to businesses than the relative tax level.

His second bullseye comes when he discusses Scott Walker's ill-advised attempt to curtail the First Amendment:

Beyond the policy question is one of politics, and I question the timing of Walker. Here is a governor who both parties predict will be subject to a recall election. This will be a duel over whose vision is more out of touch with average voters, and Walker decides to become the Grinch who stole the right to protest? This is just handing his opponents more ammunition and frankly may leave some moderates wondering whether Walker has gone off the deep end. Weren’t there any advisors to suggest the governor at least wait until after the election to pull this stunt?

When the man's on target, he's on target.

It's Not Being Pro-Second Amendment, It's Being Anti-First Amendment

There's a very interesting and insightful article at Salon.com regarding those nutters that feel the need to bring guns to a debate. The highlight of it:

These and other similar examples are accurately summarized with the same language federal law employs to describe domestic terrorism. Generating maximum media attention, the weapons-brandishing displays are "intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population." Yes, the gun has been transformed from a sport and self-defense device into a tool of mass bullying. Like the noose in the Jim Crow South, its symbolic message is clear: If you dare engage in the democratic process, you risk bodily harm.

With that implicit threat, the incessant arguments about gun ownership have been supplanted by a more significant debate over which should take precedence: The Constitution's First or Second Amendment?

Based on America's history, the Founders' answer to that question clearly lies in the Bill of Rights' deliberate sequencing.

The First Amendment ethos guarantees people -- whatever their politics -- a fundamental right to participate in their democracy without concern for physical retribution. It is the primary amendment because America was first and foremost created not as a gun-owners' haven, but as a place to shelter citizens from oppression.

These people are the same ones that are having a hard time accepting the reality that the majority have rejected their control over the last several elections. They also cannot present a logical, rational or compelling argument against health care reform, so they will try to bully us around to reach their goals.

It says more about them than the topic at hand.

Tip of the crown to James Rowen.