WISGOP Founding Fathers of Fake News

By Jeff Simpson 

For some reason, The Jussie Smollett story is a story that the WISGOP can not seem to stop talking about. 

From Jimmy Wigderson, to hate talker Vicki Mckenna and the incomprehensible Dan O'Donnell has been obsessed with it.

Now that it is rather obvious that "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett paid two Nigerian-born brothers (one of whom was for a time his personal trainer) to help stage a hate crime hoax in Chicago, one must ask why so many in the media and Democratic Party fell for such a questionable story in the first place.
To paraphrase Agent Mulder in another popular FOX show, it was because they wanted to believe.
They wanted to believe that President Trump has fomented such a hateful environment that his supporters would attack a gay, black Trump critic simply for being a gay, black Trump critic. They wanted to believe that, as CNN anchor Brooke Baldwin put it, "this is America in 2019."
Only it isn't. It's the America that the political left and its media allies have invented. Sadly, hate crimes do occur, but they are dramatically outnumbered by the truly staggering number of hate crime hoaxes that generate similarly uncritical and sympathetic coverage.

They are acting like staging attacks for political point is a new thing.   That it is some deep conspiracy that "the left" has concocted to figure out a way to make The Donald look bad. 

Yes the Donald can make himself look bad all on his own, he needs no help for that. 

However I want to perform a public service and remind our friends on the right, that making up stories to score political points is something the WISGOP and the right has been doing for years now.   Let's jog their memory.

The all star of fake news is, of course, Christian Schneider.   Schneider, for reasons unknown to anyone,  had a column in the Journal Sentinel for years and helped break the story that Mark Pocan's husband attacked and beat Pocans opponent.  As with many things that Schneider wrote, there was not a lick of truth to his story, so he did what most unethical people do when caught in a lie.  Deleted the story like nothing ever happened.

Not to be outdone by the idiocy, irrelevant ex Senator Neil Kedzie's son got beat up at bartime in Whitewater for being an ass.  Instead of owning up that he raised a son who could not handle his liquor, Kedzie blamed it on Democrats and said that his son was beat up because he had a Romney/Ryan sign in his yard.  Kedzie even had his taxpayer funded staffers calling the Romney campaign trying to get national exposure.  We knew it was fake immediately, because supporting Paul Ryan is punishment enough, no need to throw salt in the wound and hit him also.

Then, that captain of telling fake stories, Scott Walker, even wrote a fake book about all of the times he was harassed on the campaign trail, but stood up to the bullies like the hero he likes to think he is.  The problem of course was the time he told his ghostwriter about that made the book, were all #fakenews.    Walker claimed many things from, protesters surrounding his car at Devils lake and shaking it to getting spit on at his local grocery store.

The one commonality of all of Scott Walker's "protest" stories is that they are never true.

Speaking of the Capitol protests, Matt Kittle from Maciver recently tweeted about the riots at the Capitol.

During the #Act10 riots, the @NewsMacIver gave the world a clear picture of what was really happening in Madison - like the time liberals told the disabled they would die if Act 10 passed. #WIright https://t.co/C2xEgRUnWA

— MacIver News Service (@NewsMacIver) February 15, 2019

As someone who not only was at the Capitol protesting almost daily, I took my 7 and 4 year old children at the time whenever I could.   There was nothing resembling a riot.   Three Pinocchios to Matt on that tweet. 

We see that our friends in the WISGOP are the Founding Fathers of fake news and are actual Republicans, yet not a peep from the hate talk/propaganda bloggers trolling through the internet. 

I would say that it seems like many in the WISGOP are auditioning to be guest stars on "Empire" but not sure that Robin Vos and Jim Steineke allow anyone of our African American brothers and sisters to watch! 



 

Small Government WISGOP Strikes Again

By Jeff Simpson

Everyone knows that we have appeased our African American brothers and sisters by declaring February(the shortest month of the year) as Black History month so we can appease them and get back to forgetting their history 11 other months a year. 

The Wisconsin Assembly Black Caucus, and specifically Rep. David Crowley, authored a Black History Month Resolution he wanted to get passed to honor the one month a year we have allowed Black History to be discussed. 

Then what in reality is no surprise whatsoever, the WISGOP stepped in to block and edit the resolution. 

The Wisconsin Legislature's Black Caucus, which is composed entirely of Democrats, drafted the annual resolution to honor dozens of prominent African-Americans from Wisconsin. An early draft included Kaepernick, the one-time San Francisco 49ers quarterback who started the movement of kneeling in protest during the national anthem at games.
The resolution draft credited Kaepernick, a Milwaukee native, as an athlete and political activist who "has sought to raise attention to racial injustice and systemic oppression."
But Republicans blocked the resolution until Democrats agreed to leave Kaepernick out. He does not appear in the updated text. A final version has not been approved.

Noted Historians Robin Vos and Jim Steineke, thinking of themselves as Livy and Tacitus, have decided that the Black Caucus was not qualified to decide which Black Americans to honor so in a move of unequaled arrogance, the two white privileged gerrymandered lawmakers offered up a counter-proposal to the Black Caucus original proposal that would be acceptable for the all white GOP gerrymandered caucus. 

Republicans on Tuesday introduced a different resolution with the same text as the black caucus' proposal, but replacing Kaepernick and Milwaukee Rev. Greg Lewis with Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes and former Wisconsin Secretary of State Vel Phillips.
Democrats objected, blocking a vote on the GOP proposal.
Because of their objection, Vos suggested black Democrats were trying to distract from the Assembly's planned vote on a middle-class tax cut plan.
"I know that because we are making headway on actually doing something that’s going to affect every middle-class Wisconsinite you’re trying to figure out any way to talk about something different," he said.   

Ok, we need to let that statement truly sink in.    This guy, who for some reason the Republicans have made their speaker, has decided that the Assembly Black Caucus can honor African Americans, during black history month BUT only as long as he approves of the African Americans that they would like to honor. 

This from a guy who received a whopping 18,711 votes in the last election(his opponent received 10,487 votes).   For contrast, Rep. David Crowley, running unopposed received 20,820 votes in 2018.   Vos, in earning his 18,711 votes has raised $300,000 (about $15.75 per vote).   

Rep. Steineke, was not scared to go on record:

But Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke of Kaukauna reportedly said Republicans wouldn’t support the resolution that included Kaepernick “for obvious reasons,” referring to the former quarterback’s protests during the National Anthem.

To still be upset about his protesting police brutality, two years ago is a simpleton reason to reject this Resolution.  Not only are the protests old news, but it is an issue that has more layers than an onion. 

That all aside, I would guess that no one in the Republican side of the legislature has any idea how much time and money that Kaepernick has been giving to charity since the protests started. 

This is the results of Republican Gerrymandering,   In Wisconsin with 5.8 million people, an insignificant unpopular childhood, could lead to a person deciding all major decisions and policies in Wisconsin because they received 8,224 (less than 1%) more votes than their opponent. 

8,224 votes have taken us down the far right rabbit hole in Wisconsin.    We are all worse off because of it.   

Republican Post Election Propaganda

By Jeff Simpson

Propaganda, coming from the Government, is something that has a long sordid past in our world.  The Holocaust Museum reminds us that the Nazis used it very effectively.

Propaganda. The word conjures up images of lies, manipulation, and brainwashing. Even in democratic societies with guarantees of freedom of expression, fears of mass manipulation by government, the media, and spin doctors are widespread. During the 1930s and 40s, the Nazi Party used posters, newspapers, rallies, and the new technologies of radio and film to sway millions both with their vision for a new Germany and with frightening images of state enemies.
Propagandists promoted indifference toward the persecution of neighbors, and tried to incite ordinary men to carry out mass violence. Ultimately Nazi Germany provoked a war that cost the lives of some 55 million people, including 6 million Jewish men, women, and children. The legacy of Nazi propaganda lives on in recent incitements to mass hatred and violence.

In America, we have used Government Propaganda to sway opinions, here and elsewhere,  as long as there have been wars.   

In the era of information, nothing has changed.  Especially in Wisconsin where we were gerrymandered into a far right takeover of the state.

Since Robin Vos and Scott Fitzgerald have picked their own voters, now they want to make sure that you believe what they tell you to believe. 

This ad recently showed up on Wisc.jobs:

Wisconsin Legislature Videographer

Job Announcement Code(s): 19-00062
County(ies): Dane
Classification Title: / JAC: 

Job Working Title: Unknown 19-00062     Videographer

Type of Employment:  Full Time (40 hrs/week)
Salary:
The salary range for this position is $37,128 - $68,064 per year. Starting salary is dependent upon experience and education. In addition, this position receives the same fringe benefits available to other State of Wisconsin employees. For more information related to benefits, please see: http://www.etf.wi.gov/careers/benefits.htm
Contact:
Assembly Republican Careers; Email: AssemblyRepublicanCareers@legis.wi.gov
Bargaining Unit: Non-Represented
Area of Competition: Open
Deadline to Apply:  1/14/2019

Position Summary: 
The Wisconsin State Legislature is currently hiring a Videographer to work for the Assembly Republican Caucus in Madison. Duties for the position include, but are not limited to:
• Creating stories, shooting footage, and editing videos to create a final product for caucus members;
• Assisting with the writing and production of videos for the caucus and individual members;
• Travelling to video shoot locations if necessary;
• Managing all television and radio production functions for Assembly Republicans;
• Maintaining a YouTube site; and,
• Live streaming press conferences.
(Equipment for the position is provided.)
Qualifications: 
Qualified individuals will possess the following skills, knowledge and abilities:
• Effective written and oral communication skills;
• Excellent organizational skills;
• Creativity in writing, reporting, and editing;
• Demonstrated storytelling abilities;
• Comfort with shooting on several types of cameras;
• In-depth knowledge of video production and editing;
• Working knowledge of video distribution and website development;
• Ability to stay up-to-date with industry standards and trends;
• Ability to perform multiple tasks with efficiency and accuracy within assigned deadlines;
• Ability to work both independently and cooperatively, while exercising professional judgment at all times;
• Experience using video to impact social media; and,
• Proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite.
How To Apply: 
Please send a resume, cover letter, and links to video creations demonstrating how you meet the qualifications of the position above to: AssemblyRepublicanCareers@legis.wi.gov

It is funny that it is billed as a "legislature" videographer but you have to apply to Robin Vos.   It is also not the least bit surprising, that the small government wonders, would create a non union position.


Be Ready Wisconsin, Robin Vos and Jim Steineke have hearts and minds to change before 2020, and what better way than taxpayer funded propaganda?   

The GOP Short Term Memory Loss

By Jeff Simpson 

The down time between election and inauguration has been way more exciting than it should have been.   First off, Robin Vos, the wanna be Whitey Bulger,  has decided since Walker went down in shame, to follow the age old adage  -  The King is Dead, Long Live the King Robin!  Doing as he was told by the boys at ALEC and Scott Jensen, Robin decided, since he has a gerrymandered legislature. to transfer as much power away from Tony Evers and into his lap as he could possibly get away with, then a little more. 

The problem is this is a new era in politics and the citizens of Wisconsin are paying attention and, all but the hardest core right wingers, are not having it.

    Republican state leaders have struggled to publicly explain laws they enacted in a recent lame-duck session, amid a national onslaught of criticism from Democrats, nonpartisan groups and even fellow Republicans.
The critics largely have offered a unified critique of the measures, signed by Gov. Scott Walker last week. They’ve called them an unprecedented power grab by Walker and legislative Republicans that defied the will of voters, who elected Democratic Gov.-elect Tony Evers and Attorney General-elect Josh Kaul. Both take office in January.

When something is unjustifiable, it is impossible to justify.  That is pretty simple and easy to understand. 

We are just beginning.   There are still a couple weeks before inauguration and the Republicans are having a full out assault on anytime Tony Evers Sneezes.   The attacks this week are going to come against every single person that Tony nominates to his cabinet. 

Its starting now.  Pro CAFO, and Oompa Loompa , who hasnt made a promise he intends to keep thinks that appointing someone from Madison and Milwaukee is unacceptable.

and Jim Steineke, couldnt see the crimes that Bill Kramer was committing right in front of his eyes, but can see how after four appointments that Tony Evers hates WI.

For those that may not be aware, there are good, qualified people outside of Milwaukee and Madison. Hopefully the rest of the state will eventually be represented in this administration. https://t.co/I1ao1ImT5P

— Jim Steineke (@jimsteineke) December 19, 2018

You get the idea, anyone who read the memo and does not want to upset Robin "Whitey Bulger " Vos will be in full attack and discredit mode. 

When there is an all out assault on the Democrats, expect @newsmaciver to get the call and they jumped into action...

But Evers’ lofty words of compromise and bipartisanship don’t seem to jibe with his opening appointments. The governor-elect has quietly assembled advisory committees packed with some of the most left-leaning people from some of the more left-wing organizations in the state. Nary a conservative to be found, of course, and even truly moderate Republicans are missing from the far left-heavy advisory committees.
The lineup includes big labor bosses, extreme environmentalists, social justice warriors, and espousers of socialism.
His liberal picks shouldn’t come as a huge surprise

What our friends on the right are hoping you do not remember is some of the appointments that Scott Walker originally made(all of whom they gladly voted for).

*  Dennis Smith - Smith, the married man with 4 daughters from Washington DC, was appointed head of Department of Health Services by Scott Walker.   Smith who never met an uninsured person he was not proud of, used the job basically to bring his high school crush to WI and start an affair on our dime using our resources and then resigned and took off to DC abruptly after his affair came to light.    Smith now works for a global law firm in DC - Dentons. 

*  Michael Brickman - Brickman, a degree in political science and a member of "Friends of Scott Walker" that helped get Walker elected, was named Walker's top education policy advisor.   Brickman made a name for himself, by going to the bars in Milwaukee and getting intoxicated Democrats to say stupid things that they could run to the press with.   He "disguised" himself as "Rich in retail" when talking to people at the bars.  This experience made him qualified to set education policy in the far right world of fitzwalkerstan.   Now, to the surprise of no one, Mike "Rich in retail" Brickman works for Betsy DeVos. 

 *  Brian Deschane -  Deschane, the troubled son of Big walker donor Jerry Deschane, was appointed to an $81.500/yr job with the Commerce Department.  His qualifications, as one would expect from this administration were- no college degree, no work experience and 2 DUI's. 

* Ryan Murray - Murray, the son of another big Walker donor, Mike Murray,  was appointed original head of WEDC.  Murray, whose first audit of WEDC, found that while they had created no real jobs to speak of, had invested heavily in Wisconsin Badger tickets, vacations and iTunes gift cards( you can not make this stuff up).   This of course led to nothing but a pat on the back and told to continue on until WEDC actually ended up paying off a donors Maserati(that he named Nero).  It took competent people actually quitting, over Murray's incompetence to actually force change.   Murray currently works for the unimaginatively named "The Firm" consulting firm in Milwaukee.   

As our friends on right continue to criticize Governor Evers, remember they not only have no leg to stand on, their continual hiring of incompetents has cost our state millions!   

Right Wisconsin Throws Stones

By Jeff Simpson 

John 8:7 7When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her."

That did not stop Jimmy Wigderson over at RightWisconsin from standing in front of his glass house and throwing stones.  The Right Wing is up in arms that Gordon Hintz is in line for the Assembly minority leader position.  

Despite the character flaws of both major party candidates for president in 2016, character should matter when a political party chooses a leader. By choosing Hintz, the Assembly Democrats are also choosing to ignore their own stated principles as well as expected standards of conduct of elected officials.
If the Democratic Party will not hold its own accountable, then that responsibility falls to the Republican Party. It is not a failure of the two-party system to hold the Democrats accountable for the bad choices in leadership they make, but a responsibility of serious elected representatives to hold the leadership of both parties to a higher standard.
If Hintz’s constituents lack the judgment to choose good representation, that does not excuse the Democrats from their obligation to choose good leaders, nor does it excuse Republicans like Steineke from holding the Democrats accountable for their choices.

Wigderson, in one of his more memorable columns, wrote this a couple years ago when Wild Bill Kramer was elected majority leader, a short time before he was sent to prison:

Kramer’s style may not endear him to Madison liberals; it does represent the conservative nature of Waukesha County. As majority leader, Kramer can lend some much-needed spine to Republican leadership who are hoping to coast through the next elections without offending anyone.
If Kramer wins, it will be good for Waukesha as well. Being represented by legislators in leadership is good for a community.

The of course the good reporter that Wiggy is, he leaves out a big chunk of information regarding Steineke, the Republican "leader" has had a few hiccups on behavior in his prior life also.

 It is interesting that Wiggy expects more from the Democratic Party than the WISGOP.  


And we can not forget this:

Master Chief Petty Governor of Wisconsin - Scott Walker

By Jeff Simpson

The University of Wisconsin System has been holding no confidence votes in President Ray Cross and the Board of Regents.   Since Scott Walker has packed the Board of Regents with unqualified cronies, he took it personally.

That led Scott Walker to channel his inner 6th grader and write(have ghost written) an op-ed heavily criticizing, one of our finest public institutions in the state, that he laughingly titled

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Faculty Fuss Leaves Out Important Facts

“The facts speak for themselves,” Governor Walker said.  “The bottom line is UW System funding stands at an all-time high, spending per student at UW-M is up more than 40 percent since 2002-03, and faculty is spending less time in the classroom.   We want to preserve the world-renowned quality of the UW System while protecting students and taxpayers.”

I say laughingly, because Walker's press release where he fills in "important facts", was given a "pants on fire" rating by Walker friendly politifact.

It was not just Scott Walker either, Career criminal and GOP assembly majority leader Jim Steineke. warned the faculty about these no confidence votes that they had better shut up.

On Tuesday, Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke, R-Kaukauna, defended Cross and the Regents, described the changes to tenure as "minor" and criticized faculty for bringing the no confidence vote.
“This action ... shows an arrogance that doesn't serve the university or its students well," Steineke said. "It’s a clear example of the complete disconnect between UW-Madison faculty who seem to expect their job to come with a forever guarantee and the average Wisconsin family struggling just to make ends meet.”

A college dropout, who was part of an incredible unethical redistricting of Wisconsin to make sure that he has a job for life telling Phd level world renowned professors that the changes to tenure were minor.

If only we could mine irony.

These attacks on the UW system and Professors, went unanswered by the Administration but not by the Professors.

Ironically, it is Walker himself and the rest of the GOP who are preventing the University of Wisconsin from offering a competitive product in a global marketplace.
Let’s start with price. Businesses charge market rates for their products and services. Top-tier private colleges and universities right now are charging $44,000 or more in tuition each year, more than four times the rate of in-state tuition for an education at the UW-Madison,ranked in the top 50 universities around the world.
Why are prices so low? Because politicians have put a cap on tuition.
It’s like telling Toyota that they must charge a particular price for their cars, while letting Honda and General Motors and Hyundai sell the same — or inferior — vehicles to the same customers at four times the cost.

Unfortunately the Professors that are fighting back, are doing so as they are packing their cars to go to greener pastures.

I myself am now leaving the University of Wisconsin after 14 years. At my new university in another state, I will have stronger tenure protections than I now have here. I will earn about 50 percent more than my current salary for the same job. And I will be free from the strange crazy-making double-speak that on one hand demands that higher education deliver value like a business, and on the other hand, methodically prevents it from doing so.
Caroline Levine will be resigning from her job as professor and chair of the English department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison this summer.

These continued acts of telling the truth about whats happening in their workplace finally drew a response from the administration and sadly, it was directed at the faculty.

The adversarial relationship between the University of Wisconsin and Gov. Scott Walker is perilous, UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank told faculty Tuesday.
“It makes me really worried going into this budget round how we maintain a civil and useful conversation,” Blank said at a session of the campus Faculty Senate. Beyond that, a strained relationship with the governor jeopardizes the long-term prospects for investment in and future strategic growth of the university, she said.
And the kind of war of words in the media that emerged recently between the governor and UW faculty is “dangerous, should it continue,” Blank said.

Let me translate for you.

UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank told faculty that they need to stop telling the truth because Scott Walker and the GOP Legislature are a petty vindictive, childish bunch that will punish them in the next budget for daring to fight back.  

The attacks on the University of Wisconsin system have had real and long last effects.   The University of Wisconsin system is truly the engine that drives our economy and for someone in a position as Scott Walker to punish his perceived enemies, because they have a differing opinion while making the whole state suffer for years shows you exactly who Scott Walker and his allies are.

That an op-ed written by a Professor would have any effect on the UW-System funding in the next budget shows that they are not fit to be on a Junior High Student Council.

We need to show them in November that pettiness makes one unemployed!

Scott Walker - See Something, Say Something!

By Jeff Simpson

Scott Walker, held a press conference on the day of the latest mass shootings to tell Wisconsinites to be afraid, be very afraid this Holiday season,.




As with every one of the Governor's great  ideas, I am all on board.  

Although, Mr. Walker did not tell us who we are supposed to contact when we see things that are suspicious, so let me start here. 

In the last few years, I have not seen anything as suspicious as this pic.   A group of unscrupulous, morally bankrupt people with no checks and balances and who were up to no good gathered in one spot as this right here:

 

Please feel free to forward to the proper authorities.  

But wait!  There is more! 

While that may be the most suspicious, there is plenty more like these:

       

 



Ok have to stop here.  Getting nightmares.  

If this is not enough proof that we need to be vigilant and inform authorities when we see suspicious characters roaming the streets, I do not know what is!    

Threats of Getting Bombed At The Capitol!

By Jeff Simpson

If you have not heard by now, The Capitol was closed for a while in the late afternoon thanks to a bomb threat.   This meant this time, the Capitol was evacuated and Mike Huebsch did not even have time to come up with an outrageous estimate of "damage done".

It also meant that it gave the Legislators, time to do what they do best, - Drink.


 

While this same group of people, who made it illegal to buy Ketchup or Shrimp, when you were buying groceries with food stamps, have no qualms at all about using their 133% raise for taxpayer subsidized per diems to buy alcohol.  They have become the dictionary definition of mind numbing hypocrisy.
 

Most good public workers, knowing they had a full shift ahead, would not be drinking away in broad daylight, but gerrymandered districts and unbridled arrogance have set that aside.   Plus when you have gotten your marching orders already, there is no real reason to have to think.

 

We also got a glimpse into second in command Republican Jim Steineke (R- Rap Sheet) and why he had the problems he had growing up.    Mr. Steineke, who has been arrested so many times in his life that one would think that he would probably refrain from drinking.  Again, reality suffers inside the Republican party of Wisconsin and he proudly drinks cheap beer on the job(emphasis mine).

 Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke, R-Kaukauna, reminded him everyone had seen him with the Spotted Cow bottle.
"Just for the record: Miller Lite," Steineke said of his own beverage. "Hashtag 'I Love Milwaukee.'

 Ummmm Jimmy, wasn't this you just a couple weeks ago?

MN also has a first class city that isn't a drain on the rest of the state. #DemLeadership #MKEinCrisis https://t.co/3S0hw4QDyohat

— Rep. Jim Steineke (@jimsteineke) June 18, 2015

Maybe it was the undiagnosed bipolar disease that caused James to get into so much trouble as a kid. Luckily, Mr. Steineke has Cadillac benefits that he can use to get the help he so badly needs!  

We are all pulling for you Jimmy. 

Finally, Kudos to Joel Kleefisch.  He decided to do the right thing a tnd drink soda.  To be fair though,  Wisconsin's version of Wile E Coyote, Joel "Dynamite" Kleefisch was just happy that there was talk of bombs to make his day.



Explosives were enough to get Joel high, no need to waste the natural buzz by adding alcohol. 

For once in his life, Joel was the smart, responsible one.

Good Job Joel! 




Photos courtesy of Jason Huberty.

Right To Some Honesty

BY Jeff Simpson

 While our neighbors to the West spend this time between elections deciding what to do with a $1 Billion surplus, the Republicans in Wisconsin keep finding ways to add to our $2.2 Billion deficit they created.   

Now, shortly after the election, Assemblyman Chris Kapenga says he has a "Right to Work" bill ready to go.  Of course Mr. Kapenga told us this in early December, forgetting to mention it during the election season that ended less than a month prior.   Not a single mention of "right-to-work" as part of his agenda on his campaign website.  

Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald tells us:

"It's my opinion it has to come up early" in the session that begins in January, Fitzgerald told reporters. "I don't know how we get through the session without having this debate.

Of course when Mr. Fitzgerald says "It has to come up early" he does not mean it should come up during the election season.  Now that he has faced the voters saying one thing, it is time to do something completely different.   In case you were wondering, the number of mentions by Senator Scott Fitzgerald of "right-to-work" laws on the campaign trail = 0! 
 

For those of you scoring at home, adding up the mentions of 'right-to-work" laws on the campaign trail ofSpeaker Robin Vos, Republican Majority Leader Jim Steineke, and Joint Finance Committee co-chairJohn Nygren also add up to zero!

The only time "right-to-work" was really mentioned in public, was in a private moment, with Scott Walker's kissing partner and biggest donor, which happened to be captured in an obscure documentary.    It is funny how a $500,000 donation, means you can get Scott Walker to actually talk about the issues.   

Spend months ducking the issues and spend millions muddying the waters, then when you are elected, claim a mandate and start talking about extremist legislation like it is why you won the election.   

Very convenient.   

No one will ever confuse our current group of elected reps for these guys! 

How long we will let OUR elected reps continue doing this to us?

Cross Posted at Purple Wisconsin 

Time To Wake Up

By Jeff Simpson

 I remain just one thing, and one thing only, and that is a clown. It places me on a far higher plane than any politician.

Charlie Chaplin

There has been a distrubing trend lately in Wisconsin and national politics.  We have been holding every other position in society to a higher standard than politicians.   

Case in point, The highest ranking Republican in the Assembly,Robin Vos, recently pointed out that the Milwaukee Bucks will have a hard time getting any help legislatively because their owner, Marc Lasry, was seen greeting President Obama when he visited Milwaukee. Boss Vos has decided that the well being of Wisconsin, and especially 600,000 plus Milwaukeans, takes a back seat to filling his campaign coffers.    

The statement by Vos was borderline illegal, highly unethical, petty, childish and plain ignorant there will be no repercussions.   Except for some random columnists scolding Mr. Vos, there will be no suspensions, penalties, disorderly conduct, inquiries, investigations or even reprimands. For those scoring at home, this means that Mr. Lasry had better ante up.   

Former Republican Majority leader and current Representative of the 97th DIstrict(Waukesha) of Wisconsin, Bill Kramer was recently sentenced to five months in jail. Mr. Kramer was originally charged with two counts of sexual assault, was given a sweet plea deal by his good friend and our Republican Attorney General elect Brad Schimel's office, to be able to plead no contest to one charge of fourth degree sexual assault.  

Mr. Kramer was also apparently allowed to use his campaign funds to pay for his lawyers in this case despite that being against the law.  While the charges were ugly, the sentence was light. Mr. Kramer now will be paid handsomely by the taxpayers of Wisconsin, while he sits in jail and also will receive his Cadillac Benefits along with a full pension.  Look for Mr. Kramer to emerge from jail and join the ranks of "school choice" lobbyists in Madison.  

In yet another case of truth being stranger than fiction, the person that the Republicans chose to replace Mr. Kramer was Jim Steineke(R-Kaukana) to be the new Majority leader. While Mr. Steineke does not have sexual assault on his resume, it is about the only crime missing.   Steineke has a past filled with criminal trespass, obstructing police and too many driving citations to list.   To be fair, this former real estate agent and proponent of limited government, has not had multiple citations for breaking the law since 2010. However this resume has allowed him to be promoted to a position of leadership in the Republican party, and by his own words,  "he mentors new representatives and their staff". 

I guess if it works for Frank Abagnale, it can work for Jim Steineke.  

Even our very own Governor, who has not had a very good relationship with the truth, who leads all politicians in "false" politifact ratings,  telling us he was incredibly disappointed that Ryan Braun lied to his fans.  D'oh! 

Now contrast these stories to a Kindergarten teacher from Germantown.  At a county fair this summer, completely off the clock, destroyed a couple Scott Walker campaign signs.  This teacher was rightly charged with disorderly conduct and given a $169.00 ticket(which she has paid).   

This teacher, for the act of destroying a few cardboard signs, has been the subject ofnumerous stories a political witchhunt(For those scoring at home, number of stories said website did on this sign destroying incident - 7, number of stories about all incidences involving Vos, Kramer, Steineke listed above - 0)on Michael Grebe funded "investigative" websites since the incident happened.   By the way, the teacher involved is STILL SUSPENDED.   

Do we really think that Sexual asault or pay to play shakedowns by politicians are less important to the general populace than someone destroying political signs?  

As the late great Molly Ivins once wrote:

Oh, just that your life is at stake.

What stuns me most about contemporary politics is not even that the system has been so badly corrupted by money. It is that so few people get the connection between their lives and what the bozos do in Washington and our state capitols. "I'm just not interested in politics." "They're all crooks." "Nothing I can do about it, I'm just one person. I can't buy influence."

Politics is not a picture on a wall or a television sitcom you can decide you don't much care for. Is the person who prescribes your eyeglasses qualified to do so? How deep will you be buried when you die? What textbooks are your children learning from at school? What will happen if you become seriously ill? Is the meat you're eating tainted? Will you be able to afford to go to college or to send your kids? Would you like a vacation? Expect to retire before you die? Can you find a job? Drive a car? Afford insurance? Is your credit card company or your banker or your broker ripping you off? It's all politics, Bubba.

You don't get to opt out for lack of interest.

Maybe if we could see who these people truly are during non-election season, we would be in a hurry to make bacon out of the politicians and not be swayed by the millions of dollars of ads that the outside groups spend putting lipstick on their pigs!  

Nothing would scare the politicians and lobbyists in Madison more, than all of us paying attention.    

Cross posted @ Purple Wisconsin. 

Quid Pro Quo

By Jeff Simpson

Quid pro quo ("something for something" in Latin^[1]) means an exchange of goods or services, where one transfer is contingent upon the other. English speakers often use the term to mean "a favour for a favour"; phrases with similar meaning include: "give and take", "tit for tat", and "you scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours."

More proof that evolution is real.  The Wisconsin republican contingent for years has been doing exactly what the lobbyists and ALEC tells them to do.  They finally wised up and want something in return besides money - their time.

When you govern to please your corporate masters, it does not inspire too many people to work hard to get you elected.   That means they need help with voter contact.  Rep. Jim Steineke was sick of trying to find actual people to help with his campaign so he came up with the idea to make the lobbyists actually work.   

 Republican leaders in the Assembly are urging lobbyists to help them knock on voters' doors in an effort to strengthen their majority.
They've dubbed the effort "Leggiepalooza."
Rep. Jim Steineke (R-Kaukauna) this summer has regularly emailed supporters to tell them when and where to meet for the door-knocking program, and already some lobbyists representing key industries are participating.
The push comes at a time when Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) has stepped up efforts to get lobbyists to personally give to candidates. In the past, legislative leaders had asked lobbyists to help raise money for candidates but had not coordinated a detailed program to get them to dip into their own wallets for the effort.
That changed two years ago, with Vos' push to have lobbyists give to the Majority GOP Conduit. That fund — which collects donations and then distributes them to candidates — helps candidates for both the Assembly and Senate.
The conduit is holding a Sept. 2 fundraiser with Gov. Scott Walker at the Madison Club. Republicans control the Assembly 60-39 and the Senate 17-15 with one vacancy.

 
Since the republican elected's  do whatever the lobbyists tell them to during the year, it is only fair that the lobbyists do whatever the elected's tell them to do once every two years!  

One last thing, if you see any of these people on your doorstep call the police they are extremely dangerous to the well being of middle class WI! 

In one recent email, Steineke thanked several people for the help they had already provided.

Among those he thanked were four lobbyists: Jason Johns, a former deputy veterans affairs secretary who frustrated Republicans last year as he lobbied for veterans against a bill curtailing asbestos lawsuits; Scott Meyer, who represents United Sportsmen of Wisconsin, a politically active group that lost a $500,000 grant last year after questions arose about its tax-exempt status; Tom Fonfara, who represents a number of clients, including the conservative activist group Americans for Prosperity and Gogebic Taconite, which hopes to site an iron mine in northern Wisconsin; and Steve Conway, who represents chiropractors, podiatrists and Aquila Resources, which wants to develop gold mines in Marathon and Taylor counties.


  Jason Johns




   Scott Meyer
    Tom Fonfara


The $64,000 question is, how many doors has Scott Tyre knocked on for the republican party?

Steineke - Witness to A Crime.

By Jeff Simpson

Capper did a great job of pointing out the deep rooted Misogyny that runs in the Wisconsin Republican party. 

“She’s innocuous, she has no record to beat him with and now that she’s had her makeover, she’s attractive, she’s a woman.” Kramer said on Jan. 31. “But maybe it doesn’t matter who she is. People already know what they think of Walker: love or hate.”

 Again, this is nothing surprising. Kramer has a well-known history of making misogynistic and sexist remarks.

Nor is this the first time that the right wing has gone after Burke for her appearance.

Which proves the theory that it is not WHAT Kramer did but WHO he did it to, that set Robin Vos off.  Some inappropriate comments  aimed at his mistress perhaps?     The above comments, by supposed republican "leadership" did not draw even a sneer amongst the party.

That is because this is who they are.   They see nothing wrong whatsoever with judging a woman strictly on her looks, its not like they consider women peers.  Besides if these guys aren't qualified to judge a woman's appearance, who is?

However, I will let their actions speak for themselves.  They do not feel that women are equals so if you feel the same way, then feel free to continue voting republican.

What I wanted to point out, was the last throw away line of Bice's article.

 One GOP lawmaker, Rep. Jim Steineke (R-Kaukauna) has come forward to say he witnessed the incidents

 

Has anyone asked Rep. Steineke if he alerted the authorities? Is it not also against the law to witness a crime and NOT report it?  If it was bad enough to get him to unanimously voted out of his role as party leader then shouldn't the authorities be informed of exactly what happened and then let the proper authorities decide if it was a criminal act?  If it was NOT a criminal act, why would he lose his position?

So many unanswered republican questions as we head into election season!