Showing posts with label Mary Lazich. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mary Lazich. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

WI Voter Suppression Law Goes On Trial

The good people at One Wisconsin Now and Citizen Action of Wisconsin Education Fund filed a lawsuit a year ago against the State of Wisconsin regarding the newly enacted voter suppression law. The trial started on Monday with fireworks and the naming of names when former Republican staffer Todd Allbaugh testified against the law:
Todd Allbaugh, who served as chief of staff to then-Sen. Dale Schultz, R-Richland Center, when the state's voter ID law was passed in 2011, said there initially wasn't much enthusiasm among Senate Republicans to pass the bill.

Sen. Mary Lazich, R-New Berlin, argued on the bill's behalf to her colleagues in a closed caucus meeting, Allbaugh testified.

"She got up out of her chair and she hit her finger on the table and said, 'Hey, we've got to think about what this could mean for the neighborhoods around Milwaukee and the college campuses around the state,'" Allbaugh said.

Schultz, who did not seek re-election in 2014, voiced some opposition to the bill and what it might do to voting rights, Allbaugh said. His opposition was met by a spirited defense from then-Sen. Glenn Grothman, now a member of Congress.

"At that point, Sen. Grothman cut him off and said, 'What I’m concerned about is winning. You know as well as I do the Democrats would do this if they had power … so we better get this done while we have the opportunity,'" Allbaugh said.

Allbaugh said Sen. Leah Vukmir, R-Wauwatosa, and then-Sen. Randy Hopper, R-Fond du Lac, were "giddy" and "politically frothing at the mouth" over the bill.

He said several other senators — Neal Kedzie, who resigned in 2014, Robert Cowles, R-Green Bay, and Luther Olsen, R-Ripon — appeared "ashen faced."

Others, he said, didn't show any reaction.
Unsurprisingly, the senators named by Allbaugh have gone into hiding and are not responding to any reporters.

And as if there was any question as to the intent of the voter suppression law passed by these giddy Republicans, the lawyer for the plaintiffs put it as clear as can be:
"Restricting access to the ballot box was not simply a consequence, but the very purpose of these laws," lawyer Josh Kaul told the court, asking not only to have the laws struck down, but for a judge to find they were passed with discriminatory intent.

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Only In Wisconsin



BY Jeff Simpson


ONLY in Wisconsin could the #morefreedom #moreliberty #lessgovernment Republican party of Wisconsin, advocate for people to be able to bring cameras into polling places and video people as they vote. 


Wisconsin's election board rejected the request of Republican lawmakers on Monday and decided to keep in place a ban on using cameras at polling stations after the NAACP and others raised concerns about voter intimidation.
The Government Accountability Board, on a 4-2 vote, went along with other changes affecting election observers — including requiring them to show photo identification at the polls — and sent the proposed rule to the Legislature.
Republicans in control could choose to rewrite the rule, including allowing cameras, but it won't be done in time for the Aug. 12 primary or the Nov. 4 general election barring a special legislative session.
Republican co-chairs of the state Senate and Assembly elections committees had requested the changes, including allowing cameras. Messages left with those lawmakers — Sen. Mary Lazich of New Berlin, and Rep. Kathy Bernier of Lake Hallie — were not immediately returned.
At least cooler heads prevailed for the moment.  It is a sign of things to come though if we do not turn out and vote in November!   

Sunday, September 1, 2013

Caption This! The Trifecta

Yet another doozy for us to caption.  State Senator Mary Lazich, voted one of the worst legislators by her peers:


Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Koch Brothers Protection Plan

By Jeff Simpson

H/T Steven Elbow from The Cap Times:

Many of your politicians have pledged allegiance to serve.  The problem is, they have pledged allegiance NOT to the people of Wisconsin but to their out of state billionaire "daddies"!

Scott Walker and a host of other Wisconsin politicians have pledged their undying loyalty to the Koch Brothers irregardless of the people of WI!

 The pledge was devised by Americans for Prosperity, a tea party group founded by the Koch brothers and Koch Industries board member Richard Fink.
Who signed in WI:


 

 
Those newly elected Republicans helped push through funding cuts for the Environmental Protection Agency and tried to roll back the agency's regulatory powers, as well as being obstacles to enactment of laws to address climate change, the report says.

In addition to Walker and Kleefisch, Wisconsin signers of the pledge, all Republicans, are U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, U.S. Reps. Jim Sensenbrenner, Sean Duffy and Reid Ribble, state Sens. Leah Vukmir, Alberta Darling, Glenn Grothman and Mary Lazich, and state Reps. Dale Kooyenga, Don Pridemore, Jim Ott and Bill Kramer.

Want some context?

 Since we're all fond of comparing Wisconsin with Minnesota, a demographically similar state that outperforms Wisconsin on several economic fronts, it merits noting that the only politicians from that state to sign the pledge are retiring U.S. Rep. Michelle Bachmann and Minnesota state Rep. Glenn Gruenhagen.
 

 





Thursday, June 13, 2013

Abortion: My Story

While the actions of Mike Ellis and Mary Lazich, in ramming the forced ultrasound bill through the state Senate, were disgusting, the true effect of this horrendous bill is even worse.   This will greatly affect women who have to come face to face with this choice and the roadblocks that the uneducated big Government republicans have put into place are helping no one.  

To bring us a woman's perspective, Heather Rayne has graciously chosen to share her deeply personal story with all of us. 

While this is Heather's personal story, this could be anyone's.  It could your friend, co-workers, sisters, cousins story also.  Let's keep that in mind before we judge those who have had to face this decision!  

Here are Heather's words, unedited:



I have been writing for many years now. And I have never been one to really hold back. I have written about anxiety, depression, legal issues, drug use - plenty of personal matters most would hide away and not speak about publicly. Those who read my stuff probably think they know pretty much everything about me. And while they know a lot - there are certain things I have left reticent. With much fear and hesitation, I am about to disclose one of them.

This week, our state lawmakers are furthering their draconian agenda by taking on the issue of abortion while voting on budget items. How whether or not a woman decides to proceed with a pregnancy is budget related is beyond me. And I just wish they would come out and say it: "Hey! The "people" who donate to our campaigns, help keep us elected and may be our future employers do not approve of abortion. So, we are going to dismantle these rights one quiet, sneaky step at a time so the general public doesn't even notice." These actions by our legislators have prompted me to speak out. SOMEone needs to be honest here.

I wasn't raped nor was I a victim of incest. My life was not in danger, not any more than the average woman anyway. And I was not merely a child. But I did have an abortion. 

I knew I was pregnant right away. I had the same sick feeling and constant vomiting that I had with each new birth control pill I had tried. Pack after pack - literally right down the toilet. I was petrified and uninsured. I went to Planned Parenthood for a pregnancy test. A fear I never before experienced suddenly became a reality. The test was positive.  I walked home in the dead heat of summer, throwing up on the way, in a complete haze. 

I was in a very unhealthy place. No money, a dysfunctional relationship and a number of bad habits all helped make up the pile of shit I called life. Even though I attempted to imagine adding a child to my world and as much as I had delusions that a baby could fix everything - I was ultimately smart enough to know better.

My boyfriend didn't seem to have much difficulty coming to his conclusion. "We can NOT have a baby right now," were the exact words. Even though I knew he was right, it was still a jagged knife cloaked in rejection and horror. He hated me, I just knew it. And he was afraid. I had the power to ruin the carefree life he so enjoyed. But believe me, it was not a power I would wish on anyone. 

I found out that I was only 4 weeks along and had to wait another week before scheduling the procedure. It may as well have been an eternity.  I was disgusted with myself. I was a smart, young woman and my irresponsibility was embarrassing. I was careless, period. It was my body and I could lay the blame on nobody else. The week was filled with sickness, shame and fear.

Typically, when a woman considers the option of abortion, she does not do so with a grain of salt. Even when there is complete certainty, what-ifs and doubts can weave in like a cancer. This is not a choice made lightly. And it is not a life moment simply forgotten. 

Senator Mary Lazich stated that in the 60’s, having an abortion was thee thing to do; that you almost HAD to have one to be a woman. Not only is this insulting but it is a flat out fairy tale. She couldn’t appear more disconnected if she tried.

I had been warned about protesters but never expected the mob that was there to greet me. Brochures, banners and signs with pictures of fetuses lined the sidewalk. Men, women and children were shouting and dramatically “praying”.

“Murderer! Murderer! Murderer!”  Was screamed into my face over and over until the clinic staff was able to safely help me inside. 

Once I had been extensively counseled and had everything explained to me, I went back to the waiting room for what seemed like an additional week. I couldn't believe it was happening. I couldn't believe I was there. Me. The last person I knew to even have sex. I waited until I was almost 19. I was by no means a "slut".  And I was with that boyfriend for 3 years. A couple of years later and there I was - a loser, a whore, a murderer.

My legs were in the stirrups and I was offered headphones to wear so that I didn't have to hear what was happening - as if that would be enough to throw me into denial. A nurse stood behind me and held my hand while I went through an intensely uncomfortable and heartbreaking procedure. 

On the drive home I felt as though I had just had a lobotomy. I stared out of the window and did not speak. I hated him for letting me go through with it. I hated myself for even being in that position. But that hate faded the more I realized that I had made the best decision possible at the time. You see, a person can have feelings of regret with even the best of decisions.

I had always been pro-choice. I wasn't raised religiously so I didn't have that brand of stigma. But I thought I was better than that. I was smarter. I wasn't like those other chics. Except…I was. 

I have read that about 40% of women have an abortion at some point in their lives. Even if it is only half of that - that is still a shit load of people who are told to hate themselves.
It is certainly not something of which to be proud. It is not a topic for the dinner table or drinks with friends. It is a personal, sensitive issue. But it does exist. It is indeed prevalent. And I do not want to perpetuate this punishment of shame by keeping silent and pretending it only happens to other women. 

Those who devote their lives to condemning people like me feel the need to punish and demean. And this new legislation mandating ultrasounds for abortion patients is yet one more lash on the back of the already wounded. And what is worse, it is being done under the pathetic guise of patient interest.

You see, you cannot punish a woman for this decision. If a woman cares enough to feel guilt, she already does. If punishment would mean anything, you can bet she is already punishing herself. And if she is one of those women to whom it really doesn't bother all that much - signs, blow-horns and ultrasounds will certainly not make an changing impression.
These anti-choice legislators want women in this position to see the fetus before going through with a termination. They want the technician to describe what is on the screen. They want to make sure that she will be disciplined with mental images for the rest of her life. At best, this is mean-spirited. At worst, this is evil. 

Senator Lazich says that women do not fully understand what they are doing without an ultrasound and full description of the “baby” in her womb. Boy she sure thinks we are idiots, doesn’t she? While this choice may come with subsequent guilt and sadness – I can assure you it does not come with confusion. Any woman going in for that procedure knows EXACTLY what the outcome will be.

The clinic did perform an ultrasound on me. However, the screen was turned away and not a word was spoken. I assume that was out of compassion and respect. I did not have to see any images. Yet, all of these years later, I still have moments of guilt and fear and shame. Had I seen the image, I cannot be sure it wouldn't have sent me into a complete downward spiral. Either way, the decision would have remained the same and I am absolutely positive it was the right thing to do, for me.

I am now a wife, a mother, a daughter, a friend, an aunt, a volunteer, an animal lover, a writer. I help whenever I can help. I love with all of my heart. Hell, I don't even kill spiders. I am just like your neighbor, your friend, your sister, your mother. Abortion is not reserved for the invisible or the criminal or the oddities of society. When you call a woman a murderer for having made this decision, you are likely also referring to someone you care about. 

Abortions are not to be celebrated. No one is PRO abortion. No woman wants to have one and no woman treats it like a trip to the mall. It is one of the most difficult decisions a person can make; a decision that should have NOTHING to do with government, policy or legality. It is one made with tears, difficulty and dare I say, bravery.

I had an abortion and I am no monster. And regardless of my choices in life, no one - NO ONE - has the right or reason to make any sort of mandate on my body.

There are many arguments as to why these anti-abortion bills are perverse. And there are plenty of smart people publishing stories, articles and blogs outlining those arguments. I am simply telling my story so that others know they do not deserve to be shamed for a choice they have made and that they have a voice just as loud as any other.

Having an abortion didn't take away our dignity or our humanity. And I will be damned if I will sit by quietly while the government tries to do just that. 

Monday, June 3, 2013

NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin Questions Senator Lazich’s Commitment to Local Control

From the inbox:
NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin Questions Senator Lazich’s Commitment to Local Control
“Sonya’s Law” would have politicians decide what is best for women

Madison, WI – Responding to Senator Mary Lazich’s cosponsorship memo for a law that would mandate women undergo an ultrasound prior to obtaining an abortion and have the physician give a politician-mandated description of the ultrasound, NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin questioned Senator Lazich’s purported commitment to local control.

Jenni Dye, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin, said Senator Lazich’s previous comments about her support for local control seem disingenuous in light of her new bill, which would add even more government interventions into personal decisions about whether to end a pregnancy. In a recent debate regarding local control over Milwaukee residency rules, Lazich had expressed her commitment to local control, saying, "The most local control is your home and what you do within your home and where you live."

“Senator Lazich claimed she believed in “local” decision making when it came to where to live. But what could possibly be more local than control over your own body and what medical procedures you undergo?” said Dye. “If Senator Lazich truly believes that individuals should be able to make their own decisions, free from government intervention, then she should be our greatest ally against the very bill she is proposing.”

“Lawmakers must stop these attempts to add unnecessary regulations to a very personal decision, and Senator Lazich should stop leading the charge if she truly believes personal decisions should be personal.”
Y'know, there is a reason that Lazich was named the worse legislator in 2009. I doubt she's given up that title nor will she give it up anytime soon.

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Fewer Lies Please!

For some reason, unbeknownst to any logical thinking person, Jim Wigderson writes a column for an actual newspaper.  The problem is Wigderson is just a paid hack for the Mcgyver Institute, a right wing shadow organization based in WI, that has deep ties with some not very good people!  

Allowing Wiggy column space really diminishes the quality of the overall product, and I would highly recommend NOT being a subscriber to that paper.   Jimmy's latest column was one that if you have come to expect lies propaganda and deceit, you would not be disappointed.

Wigderson attempts to try and diminish the craziness of the right of people like Republican elected officials Kapenga and Pridemore!     Of course whenever someone on the right pretends to object to republican insanity, they perpetually do it using false equivalency

in recent years, the theories have had a poisoning effect on politics. Many on the Democratic left and in the Libertarian Party believe that the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center were really controlled detonations by agents of the Bush administration.

Quick question, how many of your left leaning friends, family or acquaintances think that the Bush administration were behind 911?   Im guessing your number is the same as mine  - 0!  (FYI - for our friends on the right who are mathematically challenged, zero would NOT be many). 

Part of it is denial. If someone believes that Obama stole the election through fraud, they don’t have to believe that millions of Americans chose to re-elect the creator of Obamacare who presided over $6 trillion in new debt.

Some on the right, including a state legislator from Idaho, are even suggesting boycotting the Electoral College vote to force the election into the House of Representatives. It is a strange misreading of the Constitution by people who claim to be strict Constitutionalists.

Then there is the response. If Obama is somehow illegitimate, then his laws should have no force. So we have nine(republican) members of the Legislature who bizarrely believe that Wisconsin law enforcement should arrest any federal agent that attempts to implement Obamacare here.

Among the nine are local state Reps. Chris Kapenga and Rob Hutton, and state Sen. Mary Lazich.
They believe that states have the right to declare federal laws null and void (nullification) if the laws are unconstitutional. It was last tried in Wisconsin before the Civil War to thwart the federal fugitive slave law. However, even the supporters of nullification from that era did not arrest federal officials trying to enforce the law.

Wisconsin’s Supreme Court was overruled by the U.S. Supreme Court, and nullification has not been a credible idea in our state since.

If the failed idea of nullification isn’t strong enough, there is always secession. There are now secession petitions started in each of the 50 states.

Last I checked my history books, secession was effectively dealt with 1865. Some of you may have learned this at the movie theaters recently.
 Another point for our mathematically challenged friends on the right,  9 ELECTED republicans craziness does not equal ZERO democrats who supposedly believe the Bush Administration was behind 9/11.  

The rest of the article was so poorly written I dont have the time or inclination to correct, just say that I do NOT recommend reading it.  Wiggy REALLY needs and editor and a fact checker

This is the kind of BS yo u get from our friends on the right and also shows that our "media" is anything but liberal.   

I recommend contacting the Freeman and asking them for a higher quality product, one that is free of MacIver flunkies.  

 Phil Paige - Group Publisher  262-387-4830  ppaige@conleynet.com

 Bill Yorth - Editor-In-Chief  262-513-2671  byorth@conleynet.com

Patricia Scheel - Prepress Manager  262-513-2690  pscheel@conleynet.com

For the record regarding my thoughts on 911 truthers:

As anyone who paid attention during the 8 years of the Bush Administration knows, that their unbelievable level of incompetence, would make them incapable of performing something like 9/11.   If  Bush/Cheney had planned 9/11, instead of  planes flying into buildings, it would have resulted in a couple guys running their ten speeds into a Dairy Queen in New Mexico.  



Sunday, November 25, 2012

Let the Crazy Begin!

A couple facts, we know that in Wisconsin, the democrats received approximately 193,000 more votes than republicans.  We also know that despite this, the republicans increased their majorities in both the State Assembly and the State Senate.  Redistricting anyone??  

We also know that, despite Wisconsin(and the country) being a center left state, with the election of Robin Vos and Scott Fitzgerald as the republican "leaders"(term used loosely), that the republican party of Wisconsin has doubled down on a FAR right agenda!  

Now after the election, all of the far right extremist groups are coming out of the woodwork to ask for their "gifts" for helping the republicans regain control of our state government.   The problem is, the republicans are very eager to grant them anything they wish(despite the fact it goes against everything they campaigned on, but we are used to that in WI)!  

First off is Wisconsin Right to Life.   Every candidate who spoke up about their extreme true feelings on abortion in the last election(with the exception of Paul Ryan) was easily defeated, but that does not stop WRTL.  They want their rewards!  

The state's largest anti-abortion group sees opportunities to place further regulations on abortion, including requiring women seeking the procedure to view an ultrasound of her fetus.

Wisconsin Right to Life is also proposing banning abortions that would cause pain to the fetus, barring abortions that are sought based on the sex of the fetus and prohibiting the ability of state employees to use their state health care plans to access abortions.
There of course is more:

Requiring ultrasounds and banning certain abortions based on fetal pain follow a wave of legislation around the country. Backers of abortion say if put into law in Wisconsin, they could prompt lawsuits.

"These bills represent much of what we're seeing across the country," said Elizabeth Nash, state issues manager for the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive health research group that supports abortion rights.

Abortion opponents were disappointed by President Barack Obama's re-election and the ability of Democrats to retain control of the U.S. Senate. But Wisconsin Right to Life noted in an email to supporters that the election also put all of Wisconsin's state government in the hands of Republicans.

"The silver lining in the November 6 elections is that Wisconsin has a right-to-life governor, Scott Walker, and strong right-to-life majorities in both houses of the Legislature!" the group's email newsletter said.

Walker has yet to weigh in on the specific proposals.

The usual suspects of the republican members of the legislature are all vying to get in front of the line to be the one who brings these proposals to law!   

 "I support all those measures and would gladly be a lead or co-sponsor on any of them," said Rep. Joel Kleefisch (R-Oconomowoc). "Any measure to protect life is of the utmost highest priority."
 Of course no where, can you find that Joel Kleefisch campaigned on any of these issues. It is also ironic that he points out he would be a lead or co-sponsor, which translates into if someone will write the bill for him he will introduce it as his.   Finally, I guess no one told Joel "Pro-life" Kleefisch, that E.Coli can be deadly!  

Fellow crazy lawmaker Glenn Grothman, once again embarrasses the state of WI and his district, with such ridiculousness that his comments speak for themselves:

Sen. Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend) said he particularly wants to advance the ban on sex-selection abortions because Democrats have accused Republicans in recent years of conducting a "war on women." He said there was nothing more pro-woman than preventing abortions that are sought because of a child's sex.

"I think as we get more immigrants from other countries we have to be particularly attuned to the abortion industry conniving with people to reduce the number of women in our society," Grothman said.
Pasch called Grothman's comment ridiculous.

"I don't know how to respond to such nonsense," Pasch said. "This isn't the first time Sen. Glenn Grothman has proposed or sponsored legislation based on nonsense."

Finally the most telling paragraph, while there has a been an extreme right wing takeover of many states in the country, as we have seen with the bills that the WI republicans have forced through in the last two years, they like to take the most extreme bills in the country and turn it up to 11!  

Wisconsin Right to Life has not spelled out its exact proposal, and the group's legislative director, Susan Armacost, did not return a call. But the brief description of the measure in its email newsletter indicated it would go further than any other state by requiring the woman seeking the abortion to view the ultrasound. In other states, women have the option of looking away.

Yes we have "small government conservatives" debating if a woman is forced to look at an ultrasound she does not want or if she has the ability to "look away".  

Think about that!   




Tuesday, April 19, 2011

The Recall Lazich Effort Needs Your Help

Received a press release from the group gathering signatures for the recall of  State Senator Mary Lazich. They report that they are well over halfway there, but need thousands of signatures yet and time is running out.  They are asking for our help:

Residents of the 28th State Senate District who desire to do so are advised to sign the recall petition as soon as possible to ensure that their voices are heard. Recall petitions are currently available at:--Kingstad Law Firm, 8081 W. Layton Avenue, Suite C, 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.--IBEW Local 494 Union Hall, 3303 S 103rd St, at the dead end behind the Knights of Columbus, 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.--Painters and Allied Trades Council, S68 W22665 National Avenue, Big Bend, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 
In addition, opportunities to sign at other locations throughout the district are kept up to date on the recall drive's website. For the latest information, please click on the "Events" tab at http://www.recalllazich.com.
If you need further incentive than the fact that she voted to take away your rights, remember that she is one of the worst legislators in the state, according to a Milwaukee Magazine poll done a couple of years ago, and was described by one GOP activist as being "totally nuts" and that "there may be no legislator taken less seriously."

Like the rest, she's got to go.

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Lazich's Arguments Are Unmoving

From Greg Kowalski, on State Senator Mary Lazich and mass transit:
It goes to show that if there is a will, there certainly can be a way. State Senator Lazich refuses to acknowledge the will, and automatically goes to the claim that there will never be a way due to “few riders” and the “failure to reduce congestion and pollution”. Indeed, senator. So in the meantime, Lazich and her pals in the legislature enjoyed spending $1.9 billion of your tax dollars to reconstruct and add two additional lanes on I-94 from the I-894 interchange to the Illinois State Line. Furthermore, the state plans to spend upwards of $1.1 billion of your tax dollars on highway improvements in the Fox Cities, as well as upwards of $1 billion of your tax dollars to reconstruct the Zoo Interchange. Also, don’t forget the $810 million

of your tax dollars already spent on reconstructing the Marquette Interchange downtown.

Add those numbers up, folks. $4.81 BILLION of your tax dollars spent on freeways, $3 BILLION of which is in the Milwaukee metropolitan area. In the meantime, Lazich is having a hoot over a regional transit authority collecting funds to construct a $300 million commuter rail line, and conservative talk radio hosts have a bird over a $50 million downtown streetcar system and $100 million in bus rapid transit ideas. If you put the KRM, the streetcar, and BOTH Walker’s and Barrett’s bus rapid transit ideas in action, it would be roughly $550 million - which would only be a little over 1/4 what the total cost is for the I-94 project currently underway.

That alone places doubt in Lazich’s anger and points, and raises questions as to the true motives of why other means of transportation aren’t wanted by some conservative leaders and talkers.

It does make one wonder how she was able to run unopposed last year.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

It Must Be Behind The Sendik's

State Senator Mary Lazich, one half of the dynamic duo in Madison, is a real camper. Or something like that.

The Chief parses her rationale for voting against the minimum wage increase:

Mary Lazich really must think that everyone who she represents and who reads her blog is retarded. That's the only explanation I can think of for what has to be considered one of the all time stupidest explanations for rejecting a piece of legislation:

You see, she voted against the raise in the state's minimum wage for the kids ... so they could go to camp:
I received several communications from a constituent very concerned about the impact on camps. The constituent correctly points out that the minimum wage increase bill contains a 24 percent increase for minor staff and an 11 percent increase for adult staff at camps. The increases that would go into effect this June would create an immediate $10,000 shortfall at the constituent’s camp. Camp directors do not want to see themselves put in the terrible position of contributing to increasing the unemployment numbers.

(emphasis added)
God forbid camp directors should be put in a position where they might not be able to hire a dozen 16 year-olds to play capture the flag, drink in the woods and try to score with the chicks at the girls camp across the lake!

Chief goes on to question where is the major campground in Franklin anyway. I think it is behind the new Sendik's. Or maybe in the Boomgaard district?