The Scott Walker Postal Stamp

Swiped from Facebook:

The US Postal Service designed a stamp with a picture of Governor Scott Walker on it. However, the stamp was not sticking to the envelopes.  This outraged the Governor and he demanded an immediate and full investigation into this. 

After a month of testing and research, a special legislative committee presented the following findings: 

1)  The stamp is in perfect order 

2)  There's nothing wrong with the applied adhesive. 

3)  People are spitting on the wrong non-adhesive side.

Sounds About Right

Genius Grant Or Political Payback?

Wonkette observes that the Bradley Foundation recently gave Jeb Bush a "genius grant" worth a cool $250,000.  The grant was allegedly for his work in destroying Florida's school system while he was governor there.  Wonkette expressed the opinion that this grant was done in order to keep him on the straight and narrow:

Writes Wonkette operative “Steven G.”:

Seriously, couldn’t they have given him a plaque and donated the prize money to some actual poor kids in Florida for their education? Oh, never mind.

Privatizing education is what’s important, not educating kids, silly!

The Bradley Foundation hopes the money will help Jeb Bush continue to be a guy who once did something they liked. It’s tough work and very expensive being somebody who once had an impact on public policy, so we’re sure Bush will put this money to good use. If there’s one thing his poor family needs, it’s handouts from a charity. And if they have to murder a few hundred thou to get it, who cares?

The Wonkette article also mention that it was Bradley Foundation president and CEO, Michael Grebe, who was singing Bush's praises.

But for the gentle reader and/or anyone who paid attention, they would also be aware of the fact that Grebe was also the campaign chair for Scott Walker's gubernatorial race.  

The reader may also recollect that during said gubernatorial race, Jeb Bush came to Wisconsin and endorsed Scott Walker.

Indubitably, Wonkette is correct that this money, at least in part, was meant to provide incentive to stay on their side.  But one has to wonder, given this administrations already abundantly clear message that there is no level too low for them to stoop in corrupted behaviors, including paying back campaign donors and other cronies in big ways.  But one has to wonder how much the money had to do with returning a favor for stumping with Walker during the election.

Koch Brothers Investment In Walker Pays Off...

...in phosphorous green.

Anatomy of a Republican Brain

Via Facebook

We Are One!

Doesn't matter if it's Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Florida or anywhere else, we are one:



Includes cameo of our own Koch puppet.

Walker's Not Against All Rights

He just signed the bill that allows us to become bankrupt when hit by an uninsured motorist.

Medicare Is The Problem?

If you pay attention to Congressman Paul Ryan, U.S. Representative to the part of the state with one of, if not, the highest unemployment rates, to fix the national fiscal situation, you apparently need to pull your poorly coifed hair out, scream "We're broke!" and through the elderly and the disabled out for the wolves to eat, by attacking Medicare.

To me, we'd be far better off by just stopping the big CEOs from defrauding the system.

Of course, I have a superior anterior cingulate cortex compared to Ryan's.

Baby, I've Got A Huge Anterior Cingulate Cortex!

A tip from an alert twitterati:

Using data from MRI scans, researchers at the University College London found that self-described liberals have a larger anterior cingulate cortex--a gray matter of the brain associated with understanding complexity. Meanwhile, self-described conservatives are more likely to have a larger amygdala, an almond-shaped area that is associated with fear and anxiety.

"Previously, some psychological traits were known to be predictive of an individual's political orientation," lead researcher Ryota Kanai writes of the study in the latest issue of Current Biology. "Our study now links personality traits with specific brain structure."

If you don't believe the part about conservatives being strong in fear and anxiety, just walk up to one and say, "Taxes."

Is Scott Walker About To Have A Very Bad Monday?

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is reporting that there will be a joint press conference between the Government Accountability Board and the Milwaukee County district attorney's office.

A lot of people have speculated that this might have to do with the Brookfield Blunder in last week's elections. This, however, makes no sense whatsoever, since the Milwaukee County DA's office would have nothing to do with it, unless brought in as a special prosecutor. But such an event would have made big news and it is really too early for something like that to happen, even if there was a reason to, which has not yet been ascertained to be the case.

It is far more likely that the announcement will have to do with the ongoing John Doe investigation into possible illegal campaigning and Scott Walker's gubernatorial campaign.

To refresh the reader's memory, there was quite the scandal last May, when Darlene Wink, who was one of Walker's aides as well as an officer in the Milwaukee County Republicans, was caught leaving comments on JSOnline during work hours.  She immediately resigned and has since lawyered up pretty heavily, from what I've been told.

Three months later, another Walker staffer, Tim Russell, had his office literally raided and rifled through by Milwaukee County Sheriff's Deputies. They took his computer, his cell phone and who knows what else.  Presumably this stemmed from a complaint by WISDEMS that Russell was helping Walker campaign on county time.  Russell has a long history of helping Walker on his campaigns, but had previously taken time off to do so, to the best of my knowledge.

By the end of the year, these events led to a formal John Doe investigation being conducted, presumably about these two people and their alleged activities.  I haven't heard much about Wink, but I have heard from a number of reliable sources that Russell could be in real big trouble.

Just a few weeks after the John Doe was revealed, it was learned that a lot of high profile attorneys were being retained by various players and possible players. The lawyers include Steven Biskupic, Frank Gimbel and Paul Bucher.  The possible defendants which I've heard of include Wink, Russell, Walker's campaign itself and Tom Nardelli.

It would be interesting if Nardelli is indeed part of this, since Walker had taken him along to Madison with him.

Another aspect of the probe includes the illegal campaign donations from William E. Gardner, president and CEO of Wisconsin & Southern Railroad Co.

I've also heard rumor that the probe might have included Walker compliance, or lack thereof, with open records requests.

The timing of this press conference is interesting as well, coming so shortly after the election. It is entirely feasible that it was decided to hold off making any statements in order not to influence any of the elections being held.

I would also point out that the timing of this announcement also reinforces my suspicion that I may again become the target of a vicious smear campaign.

 Let's face it. If my suspicions are anywhere near accurate, even if it doesn't touch Walker directly, it will still be very damaging for him. Many people will wonder what Walker knew and when did he know about any of the investigated activities.

It would be very typical of Walker and his supporters to decide to take some sort of action in an effort to distract people, as they had already done last June by attacking me, right after the Wink news broke.  I certainly hope nothing like this happens again, but in case it does, whether it's an assault on me or someone else, it should be taken with a grand of salt and healthy dash of skepticism.

But no matter what, this is already shaping up to be another very interesting week.

Sacrilege

Regardless of one's philosophy, political leaning or theology, I would think that everyone can agree that one of the worst things a person could do is use a religion to commit horrible atrocities against other people.

Senator Shilling Has Such A Nice Ring To It

If the gentle reader remembers, State Senator Dan Kapanke was the first of the Republican Senators to have recall papers filed against them, beating out even Randy Randy "Bed" Hopper.

Today, Representative Jennifer Shilling announced that she will be running to fill that seat. From her press release:

“When the working families of the Coulee region needed Senator Kapanke the most, he turned his back on them," said Rep. Shilling. "Senator Kapanke stopped listening to the people he was elected to serve, and it's time to move in a new direction."

Shilling noted that the citizens of Western Wisconsin have clearly rejected Governor Walker's attack on the rights of workers as well as his attempt to slash millions in vital education and health care funding.  Despite this overwhelming opposition, she noted, Sen. Kapanke has continued to toe the party line.

"We don't need more politicians to stand with the Governor," Shilling concluded, "We need leaders to stand up to the Governor!"

If elected, Shilling said her number one goal will be creating good local jobs and putting Wisconsin's government back on the side of working families.

"I'm running because I want our children to grow up in a state that values good jobs, quality education, affordable health care, and respects working people and their families," concluded Shilling.  "Together, we can keep the Wisconsin dream alive, and put our government back on the side of the hardworking men and women who make this such a great place to live and raise a family."

Methinks that Shilling has more than a decent shot of winning this race, too. Not has she only shown herself to be courageous during the ordeal of the Fitzwalkerstan campaign against Wisconsin, but Kapanke is exceptionally vulnerable.

He won his last election for the state senate by 2800 votes, or only 3% of the total votes. The latest poll numbers I saw on him were pretty low and that was before they tried to illegally ram through the unethical and misnamed "Budget Repair Bill."

And I would be surprised if Shilling didn't bring up Kapanke's legal problems, when he was caught, not just once, but twice, for illegally using charity funds for personal gain.  There was also the violation of the open records law that he was found guilty of in 2009.  That one cost tax payers $38,000 to pay for his legal defense fund.  I can't imagine that one will sit well with either side.

You can get help taking our great state back by helping Shilling in her race by donating here.

Because The Revolution Was Only In Madison...

Scott Walker and his right winger apologists would have you think that the only reason that JoAnne Kloppenburg won Tuesday's election was because of those radicals in Madison.

Funny thing is, I always was led to believe that Madison was in Dane County.  Turns out, according to their skewed view of the world, Madison must really be in Outagamie County.

Congratulations to Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson.

Walker's Wisconsin: Redistricting Walker Style

From JSOnline:

"I think it’s pretty clear that you have two very different worlds in this state. You have a world driven by Madison and a world driven by everybody else in the state of Wisconsin," Walker said.

In other words, or to be more accurate, this is the way that Scott Walker sees Wisconsin:

 In addition, Walker is apparently trying to change the name of de Wisconsin River to De Nial, Walker game up with doozy of a quote:

Walker said that the results said nothing about looming recall elections of state senators stemming from the controversy over his recent union bargaining measure.

"Those Senate recall elections both on the Democrat and Republican side are not being held in Madison and not being held in Milwaukee. They’re being held in other parts of the state," Walker said.

Either Walker is the best liar in the state or he has gone utterly, stark-raving mad.

Kloppenburg Recount Volunteers Needed!

While David Prosser is out sucking up GOP and Koch Brother dollars for his "all-star" lawyer team, Team Kloppenburg needs some recount volunteers to keep the manipulative GOP suits honest.

To volunteer, you can either go to her facebook site or go to We Are Wisconsin's website.

Don't let the Republicans steal our state from us again!