Milwaukee Mass Shooting Sponsored By The NRA and GOP

On Wednesday, Milwaukee became the site of the latest mass shooting. Anthony Ferrill, a 51 year old electrician and long time employee at the Molson Coors brewery chose to bring two handguns - one equipped with a silencer - to his job site. He shot and killed five coworkers before turning one of the handguns on himself, committing suicide.

Authorities have not given an official motive, but it is known that Ferrill was a gun nut and was often seen going around the neighborhood carrying a gun. We also know that Ferrill had an ongoing dispute with one of the victims and felt that he was being discriminated against due to being African American. It also appeared that he had a dysfunctional thought process:

About a year ago, the co-worker said, Ferrill started saying he believed brewery workers were coming into his home, bugging his computer and moving chairs around.

"I was: 'Are you serious, Anthony? What?' We all kind of joked about it, saying we should maybe get him an aluminum hat. Things just started getting weird. But he was dead serious about it," the co-worker said.

The usual suspects on the right have started their normal litany of excuses including that Ferrill was evil, that it wasn't the right time to discuss guns, etc.

However, those are mere excuses to distract from the fact that Republicans have been willfully refusing to take any action to pass even the most common sense gun laws. Mitch McConnell has been sitting on such a bill for over a year now.

Likewise, Wisconsin Republicans, under the thrall of the NRA, have been even worse. They have systematically dismantled almost all the gun laws in the state. Not coincidentally, Wednesday's shooting was the eleventh mass shooting in the state since 2004.

But there's more. There's always more.

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers had called the legislation to a special session to pass two common sense gun laws - one to stop the loophole in background checks and a red flag law. In a poll, more than 80% of Wisconsinites supported these two bills.

Not only did the Republicans refuse to have an honest debate about these laws, but State Senate Majority Leader, Scott Fitzgerald, went beyond the pale to avoid any such debate, much less pass these two laws:

But it wasn’t until 8 p.m., after most of the activists had gone home, that Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, called the session to order with no other lawmakers in the room. He adjourned the session a few seconds later, avoiding debate or a vote on the gun control measures Democratic lawmakers had been advocating for throughout the day.

“I think if there are bills that would make sense to Republican legislators, that we would call ourselves into regular session or extraordinary session to take those up,” Fitzgerald said. “I think the governor knows the bills that he’s offered are not going to pass the Legislature … As they’ve been presented by the governor, there’s no momentum for them.”

You can almost see the NRA's hand sticking up his backside.

On Wednesday morning, Evers again implored the state legislature to review and reconsider the bills. About an hour before the shooting occurred, Fitzgerald again absolutely refused to even entertain the idea:

Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, early Wednesday afternoon made clear that the state's gun laws would not change under a Republican-controlled Legislature despite a call for a review from Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.

"We’re going to have that discussion about the Second Amendment forever," Fitzgerald told reporters in Franklin, about an hour before the shooting at the Molson Coors brewery. "A lot of the provisions that are in place already, people are satisfied with."

His comments came just after Evers again called on lawmakers to take up legislation aimed at keeping guns away from people who are dangerous, underscoring the deep divide between Evers, Democrats and Republicans on the issue of gun restrictions.

It should be noted that while most politicians on both sides of the aisle only offered the perfunctory thoughts and prayers, one politician showed that he truly gets it and has the courage to say it as it is. Shortly after the shooting, State Representative Jonathan Brostoff issued a statement that read in part:

“But in times like this, thoughts and prayers are not - and never have been - enough. In the past 16 years, Wisconsin communities have suffered ten mass shootings, and countless other fatal and near-fatal incidents involving firearms. Time and again, public opinion polling shows that Wisconsinites are in favor of common sense gun reform legislation. We have committed community groups like Moms Demand Action and the Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort who have organized their communities and continue to keep these issues at the forefront. We have a governor who specifically called a special session of the Legislature this session in order to address gun violence. And yet, time and again, bought-and-paid-for Republican politicians in this state do everything they possibly can to block simple and popular reform measures from making their way through the political process, all while more and more Wisconsinites die as a direct result of their antipathy and inaction. So today, I have one question for any politician who continues to block these life-saving reforms: how many NRA dollars are Wisconsin lives worth?”

It should also be noted that Fitzgerald is running for Congress, to replace the retiring James Sensenbrenner, which goes a long way to explain why he is so ready to bend over backwards for those NRA

Maciver Faces Reality

By Jeff Simpson 

(Matt "not a journalist" Kittle crying with Robin "bitter far right partisan" Vos that an adult introduced a budget in WI for the first time in 8 years).   

One thing that never fails to amaze me in modern day politics, is when someone does something stupid, their best defense is to pretend it never happened.  We saw Scott Walker master that with his perpetually sticking his foot in his mouth(wall off Canada, comparing peaceful protesters to ISIS, etc..) then pretend it never happened.    Luckily for them, the Wisconsin Press Corps is toothless and pandering and they never get called on it. 

Unlucky for them, Capper started a blog a few years ago and invited me to join him. 

The latest situation of faux outrage and terrible memories comes from our friends on the right - Maciver Institute.  Tony Evers refused access to their bloggers at a press briefing, and their feels got hurt. 

 Gov. Tony Evers likes to talk a lot about transparency and accountability.
Those two noble words, after all, were in the first paragraph of the Democrat’s campaign agenda.
“For the past eight years, Wisconsin’s state government has been used to … undermine our state’s rich tradition of transparency and accountability,” the opening lines of the political document state.
But it appears the governor is suffering from selective transparency and accountability. He certainly doesn’t seem to have much time for conservative journalists and critics.
Evers administration made that clear — again — on Thursday afternoon, when his handlers barred MacIver News Service from attending a Capitol Press Corps budget preview powwow behind closed East Wing doors.
This, despite the fact that MacIver has long been a credentialed Capitol news organization in good standing. 

They are credentialed in "good standing" because Scott Fitzgerald and Robin Vos issue the credentials. Does anyone think that a dark money propaganda org, that will write whatever they are told to help the Dems look bad and the GOP look good would not be in good standing with the WISGOP? 

Even Robin Vos apparently felt the need to weigh in (Edit note: i just saw this on Macivers page, could not see it on my own as Robin Vos is currently illegally blocking me on twitter.  Hey Robo - my handle is JeffSimpson7, please follow the law and unblock me):

Robin Vos@repvos

Amazing that @wisgop allow liberals to attend but @GovEvers is afraid to let @MacIverWisc attend?MacIver Institute@MacIverWisc
And thus ends the Open Government Era of the Walker years ... @MacIverWisc not allowed to attend @GovEvers capitol press corps budget briefing this hour despite MacIver's multiple requests and its capitol credentials. MacIver turned away at the East Wing door #wiright #wipolitics

311:38 PM - Feb 28, 2019

Umm Robin, I know that no one ever accused you of being brilliant or even remotely non partisan, but you do not "allow" liberals to attend.  Let me refresh your memory:

It doesn’t appear Walker is interested in improving his own image among certain members of the press, however. In an effort to block access to independent journalists, the entire media group, which was already set up in a first floor conference room, was asked to move to a more secure room on the sixth floor of the building.
The move caused congestion with about twenty members of the press and all their equipment jammed up in the hall outside the elevator. State officials checked the press credentials for a second time before allowing people onto the elevators. Once on the sixth floor, several independent journalists, including Jenna Pope and Arthur Kohl-Riggs, were denied access to the room by four Capitol Police officers.
These enhanced security measures delayed the press conference by 45 minutes.
Once in the room, Scott Walker’s Communications Director and former Karl Rove associate Jocelyn Webster ejected a WCCA-credentialed photojournalist for not displaying her press credentials (even though she is well-known photographer in the Capitol), and scanned the room in hopes of targeting more non-preapproved reporters.  Members of the public who pay for the state-owned building and to whom the governor is accountable as a public servant, were also blocked from attending the press conference.

Almost word for word the other way.   I personally feel that both sides need to let in people with press passes of either persuasion.  I also feel that the politicians should not be deciding who gets a press pass and who does not.   The one thing though that I am certain of, is that no one at Maciver is a journalist, nor are they reporters, they especially are not investigative reporters.    They are in our category of political bloggers, they are in a subset though of the Political Propagandist Bloggers, since they have a nice budget from the Bradley Foundation, so really stand for nothing but a paycheck.   

I also applaud Tony Evers for keeping them out of his presser.   Unless, both sides want to get together and come up with a fair and impartial way to issue press passes, then the WISDEMS need to be playing the same game as the WISGOP.   

For too long they haven't been. 

As a blogger, I say let the bloggers in (I have occasionally had press passes), but I have never once called my self a reporter or a journalist, and if Matt Kittle and his cohorts, continue to do so, maybe they should talk to a therapist about delusions of grandeur, before they get their blogger press pass and are allowed out in public! 

2019 WisDems Party Chair Race

By Jeff Simpson 

The press release came through today that Martha Laning has decided not to run for re-election. 

MADISON -- Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Martha Laning, who has served in the role since being elected in 2015, has offered the following statement on her decision not to seek re-election in the Party’s June leadership race:
“Four years ago, I ran to become Chair because I knew that Wisconsin Democrats needed a strong party infrastructure, a robust and engaged grassroots network, and a clear vision for what it means to be a Democrat. Like so many people in our state, I was deeply concerned about how the policies of Scott Walker and Wisconsin Republicans were taking opportunity away from our kids, jeopardizing the future of our communities and turning Wisconsin into a state none of us recognized anymore. I wanted to do my part to help.
“Four years later, I am incredibly proud of the Party we have built. For the first time since 1982, Democrats hold all five constitutional state offices, lead by Governor Tony Evers who will put the people first as he champions our Wisconsin values. We re-elected our Senator Tammy Baldwin so she could continue her work improving the lives of Wisconsinites and protecting those that need it most.
“These victories didn’t happen by accident. We launched an unprecedented year-round, every-year organizing program to empower activists across our state to inspire, engage and turn-out Democratic voters. We bolstered our candidate services team to support down-ballot candidates and helped them run competitive campaigns. We ensured the Party had the financial resources to support our ambitious plans.
“Given these accomplishments and the bright future ahead for Wisconsin Democrats, I believe this is the perfect time for me to transition to my next challenge. I will not stand for reelection as DPW Chair this coming June and welcome the opportunity to support new leadership as they take the helm this summer. I remain committed to the Party and to our Democratic values, and I will continue to lead the Party with the same transparency and vigor as we prepare for the next Chair’s race and leadership transition following June’s election.
“It has been an honor to work with so many caring and passionate activists who give their time  to help make our vision a reality. I am humbled to work with a staff that doesn’t see the work just as a job, but as a calling to build a stronger Wisconsin. Chairing the Democratic Party of Wisconsin has been an incredible opportunity, and I couldn’t be prouder of the work we’ve done together to move Wisconsin forward.”

As is typical of past Chairs, taking credit for the wins and not discussing the losses, patting herself on the back as she walks out the door.   

It is great that we won all Constitutional offices, but with the strong winds blowing a blue wave we were pretty much stopped there. 

As Thomas Paine would say: "We have it in our power to begin the party over again.". 

It is time for new ideas, new people, someone who lives and breathes progressive principles.    It is time to take the fight to the Republicans instead of sitting back and allowing Robin Vos and Scott Fitzgerald the ability to guide the discourse. 

That being said, let me offer up a few names who I personally would like to see run.

1.  Bob Harlow - Regular readers here know. that I was team Harlow in the WI Governors race, as he was the first one in all the way until he dropped out.    Bob is personable, hard worker, enthusiastic and full of great ideas! 

2.  Robert Hansen - The Former chair of the Milwaukee County Democratic party, (of which that has tended to be one of the few places in the state that has had Democratic success.   Hansen, quit his job to work on the Campaign of Randy Bryce and worked part time with Senator Chris Larsen.   Not sure any one person in Wisconsin, who can bridge the gap between the insiders and progressives, between the members and the people who should be members, than Hansen.   In the aftermath of the election while ex aides and cronies were being recycled at an amazing rate, Hansen was left out.   If anyone can do the work and deserves a chance it is Robert Hansen. 

3.   Tim Burns - an unabashed Progressive but it seems like a big step down to run for Wisconsin Supreme Court to running the WISDEMS.   I like Tim, but think he should focus on bigger things (State Senate maybe?) .

4.   Kathleen Vinehout - Kathleen ran for Governor, giving up her seat and is now out of Government. Vinehout might not be ideal, but I always felt she was a solid Democratic Rep for Wisconsin.   I have had some problems with her positions, but not enough IMO to disqualify her.   One of her strengths is, since she has been in Madison for so long she knows who the vipers and snakes are and will do her best to make sure they are no longer relevant in the Party. 

5.  Angela Lang - Angela ran Black Leaders Organizing for Communities (BLOC) and in my mind, BLOC was the MVP of the 2018 election.   Let's let her take her vision of community and organizing abilities Statewide. 

2020 is an important election and we need a real leader as WISDEMs Party Chair.  We can not afford to have another two years of "Welcome to the new boss, same as the old boss.". 

Let the games begin. 

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!   

Robbin Robin

By Jeff Simpson

By now we all know the ridiculous temper tantrum power grab that the Republicans, led by Robin Vos and Scott Fitzgerald just pulled off to diminish the power of the election winners this last week.

I am not going to rehash that here, if you need to know more about it, or anything about it, there is not a person who covered this, better in the country than James Rowan at the Political Environment.  Go here and read up/catch up on it! 

Here is the account that was up on Madison.com. 

Republican lawmakers, after an all-night push made mostly behind closed doors, passed legislation Wednesday morning diminishing the powers of incoming Gov. Tony Evers and Attorney General Josh Kaul and curtailing the timeline for early voting.
A Senate amendment to the bill was made public shortly before 5 a.m. Wednesday, and senators passed it at about 6 a.m.
The vote was 17-16, with Sen. Rob Cowles, R-Green Bay, the lone GOP "no" vote and all Democrats opposed.

Thank you to Senator Cowles for his courage.   (608) 266-0484 / Sen.Cowles@legis.wisconsin.gov

 What I want to focus on here is the current face of the Republican Party - Robin Vos. 

I have been documenting his unethical exploits for ages.   From my time at Blogging Blue - Here, here, here, here etc... and of course here at CogDis.  Others have had plenty to say also like here and here. 

There is plenty of places to go to see the egregious things that Robin Vos has done, here, we will take a look at who Robin Vos is. 

Robin Vos is a 50 year old, UW-Whitewater graduate, who has roomed with Reince Priebus and Scott Suder. Vos is now the owner of 21 rental properties in Whitewater, WI under the unoriginal name of Whitewater College Rentals.  As one would expect, his history as a landlord is not a very good one, and he is not Better Business Bureau accredited.  I know housing is a major problem in America, but if you can avoid renting from Robin I would highly recommend it!

Vos also owns a popcorn business called RoJos Popcorn (if you were Robin Vos you would not use your name on your company either).   You can leave a yelp review here.   Like Vos has treated ethics in Wisconsin, he has let his website slide to non existent, so I can not guide you to that.    I hope you all make sure never to buy a single kernel of "Rojo's Popcorn". 

Rojo's Popcorn 140 Long meadow DrBurlington, WI  53105 (262)763-9434 

Vos, also has problems in his personal life.  For all of you ladies out there, the thrice married Vos has described his turn ons as:

 His "turn-ons: Long hair, Skinny dipping, Flirting, Public displays of affection, Dancing, Power, Money, Brainiacs, Boldness/Assertiveness.

As the unmarried(but has a friend) Julainne Appling points out:

Julaine Appling, president of Wisconsin Family Council says, “Governor Walker’s proclamation rightly identifies the benefits of marriage and the costs of marital breakdown, not only for the men, women and children directly involved, but also for the entire state.” The proclamation reads in part, “Marriage breakdown takes a toll on the emotional, physical and financial well-being of the entire family, and increases the public cost for human service programs.”  

As Robin Vos has said in the past:

  Robin Vos, R-Burlington, who announced last week that he is a single guy and that, "Saying I am against birth control is to say I am against water." His profile says he does want two children, though.(edit note: he finally got his two kids, just took him three marriages to do it)

 The Ladies Man from Burlington, has a history of control issues also.  First he actually was with former married Rep. Michelle Litjens(while he was also married) and as Speaker of the Assembly, was technically Litjens boss.   Our friends at One Wisconsin Now also unearthed that Vos has kept Representative Samantha Kirkman on his payroll for the last 5 + years.  It is best to have the members beholding to you in as many ways as possible.

But WAIT there is more.  The best man(term used loosely) at Robin's third wedding was former House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger, a Republican from Ohio.  Cliffy is not a former Speaker of the House in Ohio because he had too much fun at the Vos/Litjen soiree.   Rosenberger is no longer House Speaker because he is dirty!  The FBI was looking into his travel and spending habits since he liked to take international trips paid for by lobbyists. 

Before you ask, Rosenberger traveled with more than just lobbyists, Robin Vos was his travel partner.   No need to worry though, what the Lobbyists did not pay for, the Wisconsin taxpayers did. 
We can assume that Vos makes for a good travel partner because he has no scruples, can be bought as easily as Rosenberger and likes to tell stories of his sexual exploits with Litjens(sorry if you were eating).

Then there is the latest power grab, while Vos is being criticized from Historians, pundits, politicians and citizens all over the country, Vos is desperately trying to stop the attacks.   Vos started with this:

The first act of every elected official is to take the oath of office and swear to uphold the law. So it’s troubling that after being elected governor of Wisconsin, Tony Evers’ first promise was to undermine a state law that requires welfare recipients to work.

Luckily, while the media is missing in many parts of our political atmosphere, people are stepping up and taking their place.  Here a Professor from Georgetown weighs in. 

Robin Vos, one of the architects of the WI Power grab has an op-ed in @USAtoday justifying his actions. If you know the history of WI politics, its an incredibly disingenuous piece of propaganda. So here is some context...1/https://t.co/gwFGcUcTEt

— Don Moynihan (@donmoyn) December 8, 2018

So Robin Vos was shown to be disingenious(who knew), so he tried again(with the same results). 

 The hyperbole has been excessive during the last week.

If anyone would know hyperbole it would be Robin Vos.    Like the time he said 1 in 4 public schools are failing, and was given a pants on fire rating.  The time when Robin Vos, attacking one of the leading research institutions of the world, UW-Madison, by saying their professors are preying on the taxpayers by wasting time studying "the ancient mating habits of whatever" .   or the time he called three WISGOP Senators "terrorists" because they negotiated a deal with Scott Walker on he budget and did not include him.    While far from the last, one of my personal favorites, was when he compared recall elections to cancer.  Apparently, depending on how the election goes, depends on if should listen to the voters or not. 

The guy who has, at great cost to taxpayers, gerrymandered our state to ensure he runs it from the Assembly, is never scared to bring full blown ignorancy or hyperbole to any debate, and now that he is caught and exposed for the power grab he is doing he is speaking up against what he has built his career on. 

Robin Vos should be ashamed. 

Let him know how you feel:

(888) 534-0063

rep.vos@legis.wisconsin.gov@repvos@speakervos 

Republicans Change the Rules

By Jeff Simpson

Courtesy of our friend Heather at the Wisconsin Public Education Network! 

Dear friends of Wisconsin public schools,

"Who is asking for this?" "This is not democracy."

We were there last night to bear witness on behalf of our children as the Joint Finance Committee (JFC) adjourned just after midnight, after hours of testimony during which only one person spoke in favor of any measure, Ironically, that one measure (changing the date of the spring 2020 election) was the only bill that did not advance last night. Not even the authors of the bills attended to speak in favor of this unprecedented power grab.

The Senate and Assembly will now take up the three bills that moved forward. THESE BILLS WILL HAVE LONG-TERM IMPACTS ON OUR STUDENTS AND SCHOOLS, and are widely opposed by members of both parties. Even the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel editorial team is taking a strong stand: Once again, it's time for Wisconsin citizens to let politicians know who's the boss. "If you think votes matter, if you think citizens should be in charge of their government, you can stop them by raising your voice."

Capitol staffers tell us the Senate will be called into session at 10 am, and the Assembly at 1pm. IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE SO, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LAWMAKERS NOW. Find contact info for your legislators here: http://legis.wisconsin.gov

"The optics problem looks bad." - Senator Luther Olsen

The bills are most vulnerable in the Senate, where several members have expressed qualms over the sweeping measures. We also urge you to take a moment to make a call to the following Senators and ask them to put people before party politics:

Senator Howard L. Marklein, Spring Green - (608) 266-0703 - Sen.Marklein@legis.wi.gov

Senator Rob Cowles, Green Bay - (608) 266-0484 - Sen.Cowles@legis.wisconsin.gov

Senator Dan Feyen, Fond du Lac - (608) 266-5300 - Sen.Feyen@legis.wi.gov

Senator Luther Olsen, Ripon - (608) 266-0751 - Sen.Olsen@legis.wisconsin.gov

Senator Jerry Petrowski, Marathon - (608) 266-2502 - Sen.Petrowski@legis.wisconsin.gov

Senator Patrick Testin, Stevens Point - (608) 266-3123 - Sen.Testin@legis.wi.gov

Our message remains the same (and you're welcome to customize it as you see fit):

Stop playing politics, and stop playing games with democracy. Voters said in November that they are ready for a new era of civility and working together for what's best for our children and our communities. Let's respect that and get to work. Vote NO on each of these bills and take time now to start working on policy that ensures the success of our students, schools and communities.

These are the bills that moved forward:

AB1069 Relating to: state and local highway projects; expenditure of transportation moneys received from the federal government; determining a reduction in individual income tax rates; and election of pass-through entities to be taxed at the entity level.

https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/.../session/2017/REG/AB1069

AB1070 Relating to: legislative powers and duties, state agency and authority composition and operations, and administrative rule-making process.

https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/.../session/2017/REG/AB1070

AB1072 Relating to: federal government waivers and other requests for federal approval; public assistance programs; waivers from work search and registration requirements for certain unemployment insurance benefit claimants; granting rule-making authority; and making an appropriation.

https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/.../session/2017/REG/AB1072

Thank you for taking action to support strong schools and good government!

- Heather

Also for some fun reading, the world is watching Wisconsin again.

On CNN, they compared the WISGOP to Walter White.

Scott Fitzgerald doesn't trust Tony Evers.  Who knew gaining BIG Ftz's Trust was the final step to getting elected?   I guess we now have the new "voice of reason" in Wisconsin.  This guy:

The New York Times is covering the attack on democracy.

We might just be getting started.   

Even one of Scott Walker's bosses, is sick of him. 

WISGOP: Democracy Must Die!

At the end of 2017, Scott "Weasel" Walker appointed three Republican legislators to his administration. However, he called for only one special election instead of three, apparently to test the waters against the Blue Wave that has been sweeping the nation.

As he feared, a Democrat, Patty Schachtner, won the seat by 9 points. This was a district that Trump had won by 17 points and the previous incumbent Republican had won by 26 points, and thought to be safely Republican.

After that warning shot, Walker, being the cravenly and easily intimidated coward that he is, refused to call for the other two special elections, leaving those districts unrepresented for over a full year.

Enter former US Attorney General Eric Holder, who filed a lawsuit against Walker on behalf of the people in those two districts. The Honorable Josann Reynolds, whom Walker appointed to the bench in 2014, sided with democracy:

"To state the obvious, if the plaintiffs have a right to vote for their representatives, they must have an election to do so," said Reynolds

[...]

Walker aides contended Walker didn't need to hold special elections because the vacancies occurred not in 2018 — the election year — but in 2017.

The judge called that interpretation absurd because a seat that becomes vacant in 2017 remains empty longer than one that begins in 2018.

The judge took a shot at Walker for contending he didn't have to hold the election when the statutes are clear and he so often talks about the need for judges and others to follow the plain meaning of laws.

"I cannot reconcile the incongruity between Governor Walker's administration's very vocal and consistent policy advocating for strict constructionism and the position taken by the attorney general in this case involving the most basic constitutional guarantee," Reynolds said.

Judge Reynolds ordered Walker to call for the special elections by noon on Thursday, March 29, 2018.

This got the Republicans' undies all in a bundle.

Assembly Speaker Robin "The Rabid Rabbit" Vos practically pissed himself, calling the judge an "activist judge" and besmirching her reputation. It was so foul that the chief judged penned a letter to Vos demanding an apology. (Vos is keeping up his petulant, little boy routine by refusing to apologize.)

Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald took it one step further by calling for an extraordinary session of the legislature in order to pass a law negating the law for special elections. In other words, the Republicans want to kill democracy in order to preserve their death grip on the state rather than follow the law. Walker desperately agreed to this, saying he would also sign such a bill into law.

Fortunately, the Republicans are as inept as they are corrupt. The extraordinary session isn't until April 4, almost a full week past the deadline set by the Court.

This led Walker to approach the court and ask for a delay in the order until April 6 in order to give them time to kill off democracy.

On Tuesday afternoon, this request was heard by the Honorable Richard Niess, who was filling in for the vacationing Reynolds. Niess was full of disbelief as he heard the Republicans' arguments that holding the special elections now would cost too much money and be too confusing for the voters.

It didn't take long for Niess to get to the heart of the matter:

Judge Niess asks @WisDOJ: "Am I to presume that the legislature is going to pass a bill that immediately affects individuals in unrepresented districts who will have no vote on that bill, that’s going to deprive them of an election that has been ordered by Judge Reynolds?"

— Jessie Opoien (@jessieopie) March 27, 2018

Needless to say, Niess upheld the decision and reaffirmed that Walker has until noon on Thursday to call the special elections.

Walker doesn't have to call the special elections, but refusing to do so puts him at risk of being found in contempt of court.

The funny part of all this, if one can describe any of this as funny, is that Walker has been complaining that the special elections would be a waste of taxpayer money. But going to court twice and calling for an extraordinary session of the legislature for a law that will likely be challenged and found unconstitutional isn't?

The Creeper For President!

By Jeff Simpson

As we get closer to election day, I find myself just waiting for the pain to end.   It is the worst election cycle in my lifetime.   I am not a huge fan of Hillary Clinton at all, but I can not even fathom anyone voting for The Donald.   The fact that he is the Republican nominee, says everything you need to know about the state of the Republican party.   Under Reince Priebus the party has taken a HUGE turn to the far right!    They have practiced divide and conquer successful tactics and work very very hard to make anyone who is not far right the enemy.

That has led this moment in history where our children and grandchildren will look back upon us with disgust and shame and we will deserve it!

Think that many people on the right, and Scott Walker, Paul Ryan, Scott Fitzgerald, Robin Vos, Dale Kooyenga, Reince Priebus, Mike Gallagher, Sean Duffy etc ..all endorsed and will be voting for someone for President of the United States who they would NOT leave alone in a room with their wife or daughter.

Let that sink in for a bit.

This is who they are supporting:

This is the person they are going to give their vote too, which is one of the cornerstones of our democratic republic:




There is the married Donald, eyeing up a minor while declaring her hired for whatever job she wants and then doing his infamous kissing of her(which you can do if your a star).

Maybe to help reduce the Bush Deficit, we could have a pay per view where family values Republicans, sit their kids down and explain to them why they are voting for The Donald!

I know I would tune in!

Scott Jensen - Trump Crazy Before It Was Cool

By Jeff Simpson 

In the final Trump V Clinton debate, Donald Trump finished the debate, the way he began - pure craziness.

Cue the outrage, which started almost immediately.

Threatening to upend a fundamental pillar of American democracy, Donald Trump refused to say Wednesday night that he will accept the results of next month's election if he loses to Hillary Clinton. The Democratic nominee declared Trump's resistance "horrifying."
Trump had spent the days leading up to the third and final presidential debate warning voters that the election would be "rigged." Asked whether he would accept the outcome if Clinton emerges victorious, he said, "I will tell you at the time. I'll keep you in suspense."
Trump's assertions raise the prospect that millions of his supporters may not accept the results on Nov. 8 if he loses, thrusting the nation into uncharted territory. Free and fair elections, with the vanquished peacefully stepping aside for the victor, have been the underpinning of America's democratic tradition since the country's founding 240 years ago.
The Republican National Committee immediately disavowed Trump's statement. There is no evidence of widespread voter fraud, and election officials across the country have denied and denounced Trump's charges.

Apparently the national press corp, Hillary Clinton and members of the RNC have never been to Wisconsin.   Once again, we were Trump Crazy before it was cool.   Although instead of Scott Fitzgerald, this time it is his boss, formerly convicted felon Scott Jensen.

 * Republican insiders discussed ginning up concerns over voter fraud in the days after then-Supreme Court Justice David Prosser narrowly defeated challengerJoAnne Kloppenburg in April 2011."Do we need to start messaging 'widespread reports of election fraud' so we are positively set up for the recount regardless of the final number? I obviously think we should," wrote Steve Baas, a senior vice president with the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, to a group of conservative operatives on April 6, 2011, a day after the Prosser-Kloppenburg contest."Yes. Anything fishy should be highlighted," wrote former Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen, a Republican. "Stories should be solicited by talk show hosts."

We know with the benefit of hindsight, that when Scott Jensen said "jump", Vicki Mckenna said "how high".   While she knows what side her bread is buttered on, and needs to keep her bosses happy to keep her show on the air, the end result is the same.   They wanted to make sure that if by chance Judge Kloppenburg actually won the election after the recount that no one would accept her as legit.  

How is that different exactly?  

What Senator Shilling Should Say

By Jeff Simpson

Today on the Devils Advocate Radio show, Michael Crute played an interview with Democratic Senate Minority Leader Jen Shilling where she said she expected this election to go very well for the Democrats and they should pick up a Senate seat or two.  

Well not sure if anyone told Ms. Shilling what is happening lately in WI but someone needs to clue her in.   First off the Democrats need to win three seats to retake the majority.  Secondly, Donald Trump, the racist, misogynist, sexist, petty, babied billionaire will be om the top of the ticket.  Third, the Walker administration and the WISGOP, have run our state into the ground with the largest debt and the most spending in our history(among other problems).

If the Democratic party can come out of this once in a lifetime election with only gaining one seat it might be the biggest colossal failure in electoral history  

As a "leader" (Ms. Shilling is not the first Democrat to talk about how few seats they are going to win) that is not very inspiring to the "troops",

Can you imagine how quickly Paul Chryst would be fired, if he pointed out that "because they are playing Ohio State, they should be able to get a first down or two. That it would be a great day if they only lost by two touchdowns"?  

I get it though, the Democrats have been getting a beat down since Mike Tate rose to prominence.   The party also has a a history of hiring professional political class consultants who are very good at increasing their bank accounts and decreasing the seats that Democrats hold.  

With such a long history of being down, I am going to offer some free advice.  

==============================================================

Q.  Senator Shilling, how do you see the election cycle going for your party in November?

A. Senator Shilling:   Very good question.  We are very excited this election cycle.  We have been out knocking on doors, meeting voters and Wisconsin citizens and they have been very receptive of our positive message.   

The voters know that our Governor has been so busy campaigning for President that he has greatly ignored our state   The voters are also aware that his allies in the Senate, like Senator Fitzgerald, have given him a blank check to run our state and he has written it for vast sums of money.  Our last budget was the biggest budget in state history and they have also burdened us with a record amount of debt that our children will bare the burden for.    

For example, in Senate District 14, we see that the King Nursing home is in the news often because it has been so incompetently run.   That is right in Luther Olson's back yard and he decided to go eat pies(literally) than take steps to solve the problem and treat our Veteran heroes with the respect and dignity they deserve.   The voters there are anxious to be represented by Brian Smith, a true public servant.  

In Senate District 18, our challenger Mark Harris so scares Senator Fitzgerald that they had to pass a bill that strictly targets Mr. Harris.   He is currently the Winnebago County Executive and Scott Fitzgerald playing petty politics, passed a bill that specifically said that County Executives can not also serve in the Senate.  Well there are mayors, school board members. county board members etc... that are serving in, or running for the State Senate.   However, there is only one county executive that fits that description - Mark Harris.   Mark will make a great Senator when the people in his district send him to Madison!   

in the 12th district, Incumbent Tom Tiffany has been a firebrand for the Republicans.  Not in a good way of course, but more so in a, this guy makes Donald Trump seem fair and open minded, kind of way.  

The Democratic challenger there is Bryan Van Stippen.   The people of the 12th district finally have someone that wants to represent the people of the 12th and not whatever company comes in and throws a few hundred dollars in his campaign fund.  Bryan Van Stippen is someone who wants to restore local control back to our communities and rebuilding Wisconsin.

I know I forgot a couple people off the top of my head but I am certain that November 8th will be a very good day for the Democrats in WI!


We have to start talking about winning before we can actually start winning!

Scott Fitzgerald - Trump Crazy Before It Was Cool

By Jeff Simpson 

Yes, the GOP Presidential nominee just threatened to put his opponent in prison.  Apparently Donald Trump wants to make America Great Again by bringing back the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798.  

No protesting the government? No immigrants allowed in? No freedom of the press. Lawmakers jailed? Is this the story of the Soviet Union during the Cold War?
No. It describes the United States in 1798 after the passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts.
The strong steps that Adams took in response to the French foreign threat also included severe repression of domestic protest. A series of laws known collectively as the ALIEN AND SEDITION ACTS were passed by the Federalist Congress in 1798 and signed into law by President Adams. These laws included new powers to DEPORT foreigners as well as making it harder for newIMMIGRANTS to vote. Previously a new immigrant would have to reside in the United States for five years before becoming eligible to vote, but a new law raised this to 14 years.

While John Adams, our second President was named a Federalist, he was truly more along the lines of modern day Republicans.    How fitting that the Republican party would come full circle., from the beginning of the GOP, where they arrested their political rivals.  Now the GOP is coming full circle, now in 2016 they are threatening to arrest their political rivals and trying to bring an end to the current Republican party.  

I know many of the right wing moon bats, cheer every time they think about Hillary heading to prison but then they do not truly understand our Constitutionally Limited Democratic Republic.   

From the Atlantic:

There are many sincere critics who wanted to see a more vigorous investigation into Clinton’s emails, and who were disappointed by the outcome of the FBI’s investigation. Congress hasn’t dropped the issue, and there are multiple lawsuits in the courts, forcing periodic divulgences of additional emails. Win or lose, the issue will continue to haunt Clinton.
None of that should undermine the appalling spectacle of a presidential candidate threatening to have his opponent investigated by a special prosecutor should he win. It amounts to an assault not just on Clinton, but on the rule of law itself. And even amid all the other invective on Sunday night, it stood out as a uniquely dangerous moment.

As Ezra Klein noted:

As bad as the recording of Trump bragging about sexual assault is, this is scarier — this is a major presidential candidate promising to violate our most basic democratic norms if elected.
 FollowJim Goldgeier @JimGoldgeier
When Trump said he'd throw her in jail my first thought went back to Putin doing that to Khodorkovsky.
9:51 PM - 9 Oct 2016     

This all sounds eerily familiar, almost deja-vu.   Now I remember! 

The Republican leader of the state Senate signed orders finding the 14 AWOL Democrats in contempt and allowing the chamber’s sergeant-at-arms to use police force to detain them

In Fitzwalkerstan, thanks to Scott Fitzgerald the WISGOP, were Trump crazy before Trump was wallowing around in his own filth for the world to see.   

Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald was repeatedly warned he would be stepping outside the law if he forcibly returned 14 Democratic senators who fled Wisconsin in February, according to internal emails.
Records obtained from the offices of Fitzgerald and Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Ted Blazel show Fitzgerald was told he was on shaky legal ground by attorneys from three state agencies. The memos and email correspondence were released in response to a public records request from the State Journal.
In an interview Friday, Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, said the flight of the senators and the resulting legislative stalemate were “uncharted territory” that no one knew how to navigate.
But he acknowledged the efforts to return the senators to Madison came off as “comical” and would have become a public relations “disaster” if any lawmakers had been hauled back to Madison in a squad car.
“The whole thing was a mess,” Fitzgerald said. “You just can’t compel a senator to come back to the chamber.”
He said the reality was brought home when police agencies refused to carry out his March 3 order to forcibly detain the senators. Among them was Rock County Sheriff Robert Spoden, who said his department would not honor any order to bring in Sen. Tim Cullen, D-Janesville.
Said Fitzgerald: “There was no cop in the state that would enforce it.”

The Republican Senate Majority leader of Wisconsin, issued illegal orders to try and bully and intimidate his duly elected opponents.  

Luckily for the citizens of Wisconsin, our law enforcement agents completely ignored him.

It is time to stop the bleeding, the lawlessness and bullying in WI!   Send our Representatives a message in November by making him the minority leader! 

The Trump Stain Will Never Come Out

By Jeff Simpson

Anyone not living under a rock has probably heard this video. 

“I’ve got to use some Tic Tacs, just in case I start kissing her,” Trump says. “You know I’m automatically attracted to beautiful — I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait.”
“And when you’re a star, they let you do it,” Trump says. “You can do anything.”
“Whatever you want,” says another voice, apparently Bush’s.
“Grab them by the p---y,” Trump says. “You can do anything.”

Of course the WISGOP are front and center in this situation, fully embarrassing Wisconsin.   

Rep Michael Schraa, who represents the 53rd Assembly District, and whose profile reads,   Hubby 2 an amazing gal. Dad to 3 awesome girls and then tweeted this in response to Trumps words: 

 

Patrick Marley‏@patrickdmarley

Here's Wisconsin state rep @MichaelSchraa's reaction to the @realDonaldTrump story, as shared on Facebook:

A State Rep. and father of three girls makes light of a 59 year old man talking about raping any woman he finds attractive.   Welcome to Wisconsin - 2016.

Luckily for Mr. Schraa, and unfortunately for the 53rd Assembly district, Mr. Shraa has no opponent to vote for.  Enjoy two more years of this Roger Rivard type of comedian.       Do not bother looking for the tweet, Captain Courageous deleted it.

But wait there is more.  

Until 8:00 PM tonight, Donald Trump was on his way for a lovefest with the Wisconsin Republican Party.  Scott Walker, Ron Johnson, Paul Ryan, Scott Fitzgerald et all had just bought new lipstick to kiss The Donalds butt.  

However, due to heavy pressure, Paul Ryan cancelled The Donalds appearance.   Paul Ryan was completely disgusted(emphasis mine).

"I am sickened by what I heard today," Ryan said in a statement issued late Friday. "Women are to be championed and revered, not objectified. I hope Mr. Trump treats this situation with the seriousness it deserves and works to demonstrate to the country that he has greater respect for women than this clip suggests. In the meantime, he is no longer attending tomorrow’s event in Wisconsin."

Apparently to Paul Ryan, calling a woman "Miss Piggy" and a Latina woman "Miss Housekeeping" is his way to champion and revere women.  With friends like that .....

But wait there is more!  

What will the Donald be doing now that he was uninvited from the Paul Ryan hugfest?  Hanging out with Reince Priebus of course.

But wait, let's throw one more fun fact in for good measure.

Republican Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald predicts that with the help of the WOW counties.  Granted they would still be sending us Wild Bill Kramer if he wasn't in prison, but really it is no surprise that Scott Fitzgerald would find no problem with The Donald's behavior.

"I’ve not only become a believer that he is the best candidate to be the next president, but it’s about unifying that message behind the Trump campaign," Fitzgerald said.

There will be lots of love, lots of how great the GOP is and no talk of Trump tomorrow in Walworth.  
Do not let them fool you.  Everyone on that stage will gladly walk in the voting booth and pull the lever for Trump.   Maybe when Trump wins in November, he will replace all of the Generals with the people on the stage tomorrow.

Sleep well thinking about that!