Scott Walker _________ Tour

By Jeff Simpson


I need your help.  

While Scott Walker has been campaigning for President the last four years, he officially kicked off his campaign the morning after he won re-election.  Now he loads up on taxpayer money and heads to Iowa as often as possible.  

A quick check of his biggest donors and we see that Wisconsinites are not very well represented:

NAME	CITY	STATE	EMPLOYER	AMOUNT
Hendricks, Diane M	Beloit	WI	ABC Supply Co	$529,100.00
Perry, Bob J & Doylene	Houston	TX	Perry Homes	$500,000.00
Uihlein, Elizabeth & Richard	Lake Forest	IL	U-Line Corp	$279,500.00
DeVos, Richard M & Helen	Grand Rapids	MI	Alticor	$271,000.00
Adelson, Miriam & Sheldon	Las Vegas	NV	Las Vegas Sands/Adelson Clinic	$270,000.00
Humphreys, David C	Joplin	MO	TAMKO Building Products	$270,000.00
Atkins, Sarah	Arlington	VA	TAMKO Building Products	$260,000.00
Herzog, Stanley M	St Joseph	MO	Herzog Contracting Corp	$260,000.00
Kern, Patricia & Robert	Waukesha	WI	Generac Corp	$220,000.00
Kellner, Ted & Mary	Mequon	WI	Fiduciary Management	$163,905.83
Roberts, Batsheva & Richard	Lakewood	NJ	Mutual Pharmaceutical Co Inc	$135,000.00
Friess, Lynnette & Foster	Jackson	WY	Friess Associates Inc	$130,700.00
Ryan, Shirley & Patrick	Winnetka	IL	Ryan Specialty Group	$130,000.00
Kovner, Suzie & Bruce	New York	NY	Caxton Alternative Management LP	$120,000.00
Hertog, Roger & Susan	New York	NY	Retired	$120,000.00
Shannon, Mary Sue	Milwaukee	WI	Homemaker	$110,000.00
Stephens, Warren A	Little Rock	AR	Stephens Inc	$110,000.00
Ricketts, J Joe	Bondurant	WY	Ameritrade	$110,000.00
Nau, Barbara & John	Houston	TX	Silver Eagle Distributors LP	$110,000.00
Bacon, Louis M	New York	NY	Moore Capital Management	$110,000.00
Childs, John W	Waltham	MA	JW Childs Associates	$110,000.00
Pieper, Richard R	Mequon	WI	Pieper Electric	$107,110.00
Rees-Jones, Trevor D	Dallas	TX	Chief Oil & Gas LLC	$100,000.00

Dig a little further and we see that Mr. Walker truly does believe in pay to play.  With so many out of state millionaires funding his campaign, that means lots of out of state contracts

.   

Executives from three of the four construction companies that won a bid for a $197 million state office building project have contributed more than $58,000 to Republican Governor Scott Walker’s campaign.
The team chosen for the project is comprised of C.D. Smith Construction in Fond du Lac, Gilbane Inc. in Milwaukee, HGA in Minneapolis and SmithGroup JJR in Detroit.
Campaign finance records show executives of C.D. Smith contributed $57,000 to Walker between 2009 and 2014, led by the two Fond du Lac families that own the company. Thomas, Robert and Cindy Baker contributed a total of $26,000, and Gary, Justin and Patrick Smith gave $24,500 to Walker.

Wisconsinites do not need the work anyway.  I think everyone has given up thinking that jobs were ever a priority with Scott.   

So here is where I need your help.   Now that Mr. Walker is running for President and will only be making rare appearances in WI, what should we call his Presidential tour.  

The best I have now is

"The Scott Walker 50 State Presidential Tour"*  

*Alaska, Hawaii, Wisconsin excluded

I will be writing alot about Mr. Walkers Presidential tour the next year + so I need a name to call it.  

Thanks!  

PS:  I love that Mary Sue Shannon is just a lil ole homemaker and still able to give Scott Walker $110,000.   She must keep one hell of a home!   

Is Scott Walker Peaking Too Early?

As much as I hate to admit it, Scott Walker has had a pretty decent start to his presidential campaign. He did well in wooing voters in Iowa and won a silly online poll at the Drudge Report.

But as much as Walker thinks he is king of the world right now, David Catanese wonders if Walker is setting himself up for failure.

Cananese points out three areas where Walker could trip himself up. He says that if Walker doesn't win in Iowa's caucus, people will wonder what happened to him.

Catanese also points out that Walker will be targeted from all sides and that he is rather vulnerable, as he demonstrated last Sunday when he couldn't find anything big and bold to do in Syria.

Thirdly, Catanese wonders how long Walker can keep his song and dance going, trying to appease his red-meat teahadist base and the big money, establishment donors.

As Catanese points out, Walker has to keep up his charade of being a viable candidate for a long, long time:

The problem is that he's risen so early, there's ample time to pick him apart from every angle.

This isn't the Rick Santorum surge a week ahead of the Iowa caucuses. There's a whole year left on the calendar and Walker just might've earned himself several beat reporters solely dedicated to him. If he begins to stumble, the chattering class will wonder: Did he peak too soon?

Walker's situation is not unlike one of a decent college football team that jumped to a surprising, early lead against a top-ranked opponent.

With nothing to lose, the team rolled big early, and its aggressiveness was duly rewarded.

But that top-ranked opponent always makes a move for a comeback in the second half.

There's too much time on the clock left to try to just run it out against such a wide array of talent. Walker's going to need to play top-seed ball for 12 months.

I would also point out that Walker has a tendency to overreach himself and get a bit too cocky. This could present Walker with problems, including the backlash he is getting from going after all levels of education.

And if - more likely when - Walker and company makes Wisconsin the latest victim of plantation economics (otherwise known as Right To Work), the protests he will have to deal with will make the ones four years ago look like a stroll in the park.

Two years is a long time for Walker to try to keep all the plates spinning and keep all of the smoke and mirrors up at the same time.

The Shorter Walker Budget

By Jeff Simpson

This says all you need to know about Scott Walker.

Inherent in this broad mission are methods of instruction, research, extended training and public service designed to educate people and improve the human condition. Basic to every purpose of the system is the search for truth.

Page 546 of his budget, check it out yourself.  

Jeff Smith

Dear Democrats,

I'm writing to let all of you know that I'm running to be the next chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. I made this decision because our party is in trouble and we need someone with the grit, determination, resolve and experience required to get us back on track. I strongly believe I'm that person and I'll tell you why.

I'm the only candidate for DPW Chair who has won a seat in the legislature against a long serving Republican in a republican leaning Assembly district. I did that in 2006 by running my own campaign, with my own local volunteers, raising my own money, developing my own messaging, and by talking with voters from dawn until dusk. I'll bring that kind of work ethic to my job as DPW Chair.

I've also served as a Regional Political Director for the DPW. I've seen firsthand what does and doesn’t work. There are changes we need to make in how the party functions and I know how to implement those changes.

The 2012 election results showed us that there are more democrats who vote in Wisconsin than there are republicans, but not all of those voters go to the polls in the mid-term elections. This has turned our state government to a deep red. How do we begin to turn that around?

Messaging. Our platform and resolutions contain bold policy ideas that resonate deeply with a broad swath of voters, but our candidates tend to rely on highly paid consultants for their messaging. This has to change. We need strong county parties that can educate voters about the policy positions grassroots democrats embrace, and that can influence our candidates to promote those policies. Strengthening our county party infrastructure is of the utmost importance and priority.

The outgoing chair campaigned for the job in past years by stating that we need year round organizing and a 72 county strategy; great ideas that never came to realization. I will make that a greater focus. One of our biggest problems is not in raising money but rather in how we're spending what money we have. I'll start by breaking down the budget to find the money we need to staff multiple field coordinator positions in key areas around the state. I will put my money where my mouth is by cutting the salary of the state chair position and use the savings to fund full-time field coordinators. These field coordinators will work with county party officials, activists and allies to develop outreach strategies to find, educate and engage new and sporadic voters on a year round basis.

Pride in being a Democrat is essential. I want every progressive and liberal thinking person in Wisconsin to boast about being a Democrat. Just as I want laborers to be filled with pride in belonging to a union, I want the professionals in our classrooms to hold their head high and proclaim to be a teacher without having to feel that they should be ashamed. It is up to us as leaders of the Democratic Party to make that happen. First we restore trust, respect and fight, which will equate into pride in ourselves and in our party.

We all should be very grateful to our brothers and sisters in Dane and Milwaukee counties, but we can't take this state back with only democratic majorities in Dane and Milwaukee. We need a leader who understands the concerns and challenges rural Wisconsin people and voters face. We also need a leader who will take a bold and creative approach to strengthening our party in rural Wisconsin.

I am that leader. I've lived in the Chippewa Valley my entire life. I owned a small business for 25 years in the Eau Claire area and raised a family there, and as a Regional Political Director I've traveled across all of western, northwestern and central Wisconsin to hear from rural people about the issues that matter to them. It was a good mix of urban and rural voters that sent me to the legislature.

These are just a few of the ideas, strategies and leadership qualities that I'll bring to the job as your next Chair. As I travel the state in the next few months I look forward to hearing from all of you. Together we can start down the path that will return Wisconsin to its progressive roots. Let's do it.

Sincerely,

Jeff Smith

P.S. To better understand who I really am I suggest you visit my YouTube site from my legislative campaigns. https://www.youtube.com/user/jeffsmithforassembly

The Dumbing Down of America is Now Complete!

By Jeff Simpson

I can not even get one story written about the incompetence and idiocy of the current Republican party without a story coming out trumping the one I am writing.  

Case in point, I barely get done writing about Sean Duffy opting out of vaccines because of "family values" and then this story hits(h/t TPM)!

In a week packed with news over concerns for public health, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) described his own history of opposing certain health and hygiene regulations, including those that require employees to wash their hands after using the bathroom.

During a Q&A at the Bipartisan Policy Center on Monday, Tillis related a story from his time in the state legislature in 2010, complaining that the U.S. is "one of the most regulated nations in the history of the planet," video via C-SPAN shows.
“I was having a discussion with someone, and we were at a Starbucks in my district, and we were talking about certain regulations where I felt like ‘maybe you should allow businesses to opt out,'" the senator said.
Tillis said his interlocutor was in disbelief, and asked whether he thought businesses should be allowed to "opt out" of requiring employees to wash their hands after using the restroom.
The senator said he'd be fine with it, so long as businesses made this clear in "advertising" and "employment literature."
“I said: ‘I don’t have any problem with Starbucks if they choose to opt out of this policy as long as they post a sign that says “We don’t require our employees to wash their hands after leaving the restroom,” Tillis said.
“The market will take care of that," he added, to laughter from the audience.

Sean Duffy Values Deadly Diseases

BY Jeff Simpson

Sean Duffy who rode his dancing skills

and notoriety of being a reality TV star participant,

embarrasses WI yet again!

This time Sean uses his vast knowledge from his mail order law school to weigh in on the Vaccination debate:

Rep. Sean Duffy (R-WI) became the latest Republican on Tuesday to speak out against vaccine mandates, saying: "We should not have an oppressive state telling us what to do."
"I want that to be my choice as a parent," Duffy, a father of seven, said said during an appearance on MSNBC's "The Rundown With José Díaz-Balart." "I know my kids best. I know what morals and values are right for my children. I think we should not have an oppressive state telling us what to do."
Duffy's remarks came as an outbreak of measles — a potentially fatal disease thought to be eradicated from the U.S. just 15 years ago thanks to safe and effective vaccination — had sickened more than 100 Americans. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie(R) came under heavy criticism Monday for appearing to align themselves with the anti-vaccine movement.

And Duffy personally:

Duffy, a former attorney, said that he prefers to "pick and choose" which vaccines his children receive.
"I vaccinate my kids on most things, but then there are some things where I'm like, 'This may not work for me and my values and my family,'" he said

Who knew that welcoming certain deadly diseases(and plaid) was a family value?  

Jim Villa InAction

By Jeff Simpson 

 

Remember a few months back, when despite the strong opposition of the hiring committee, the University of Wisconsin hired Scott Walkers good friend, Jim Villa to be a political "strategist". Being so tight with Scott Walker, they even had to make Villa a Vice President and pay him over $200,000 taxpayer dollars a year.   

See not everyone struggles in Walker's Wisconsin.  

Even though Jim Villa was vastly unqualified for this job, and by hiring him it took some of the shine off our great University System, it was accepted because he could deliver results with his good friends at the Capitol.  

Now the University of Wisconsin has found out what so many others have, its not about competence its about cronyism.  

In Villa's first chance to lobby for the UW System, he delivered,  

An out of nowhere, massive $300 MILLION cut that will devastate Wisconsin's key economic driver and force layoffs, and campus closings.  

Good job Jimmy, as if the Bigotry wasn't enough!  

See the important thing is that people that actually "like" Scott Walker get paid for their efforts.   It is unfortunate that we have to pay so dearly for that reward.   

Competence in work is so last administration.   

At least UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank has recognized incompetence and moved on.   When looking for help in stopping these disastrous cuts, she no longer looks to the person being paid so handsomely to do so, she is going over his head!

UW-Madison will tap influential alumni and the parents of students in a campaign to convince state legislators that Gov. Scott Walker’s proposed $300 million budget cut to the University of Wisconsin System is too much to bear.

Since he is bad at his job, let's hope at the very least, that he is as big a hit at office parties as he is at ALEC conventions and that he used his taxpayer funded healthcare to get his personal problems cleaned up! 

The Walker Work Ethic

By Jeff Simpson

Scott Walker recently said his proposed massive budget cuts to the UW System, could be offset if only Professors would work harder.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, defending proposed budget cuts for higher education, took a swipe at university professors who he said could be “teaching more classes and doing more work.”
“Maybe it’s time for faculty and staff to start thinking about teaching more classes and doing more work and this authority frees up the [University of Wisconsin] administration to make those sorts of requests,” Walker (R)said Wednesday on Milwaukee radio station WTMJ.

The best leaders, lead by example, so our friends at One Wisconsin Now, wanted to see what kind of example that Scott Walker was leading:

According to a review of records obtained through the state open records law:

• Gov. Walker used a state car on at least 365 days to get to partisan political events between January 2011 and August 2014;

• Particularly heavy campaign reimbursements of $16,000 for use of state car between March and June 2012

• Total spending by Walker for using a state car for his personal political activity is over $66,000 through August of 2014.

Ross noted that while it was Gov. Walker’s divisive policies that triggered a recall election, his use of state resources to campaign in Wisconsin was also very heavy in the lead up to the 2012 Presidential election. Walker used a state car for political purposes 23 days in October 2012.

The travel records do not include out-of-state travel. According to a review of Gov. Walker’s campaign finance records by U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, Walker has spent nearly $1 million to charter jets to travel across the country to shake down donors from New York to California and everywhere in between to further his own political fortunes.

Now that Scott Walker has been re-elected to Governor and does not have to face a recall election, he can settle down and actually do the hard work of governing the great State of Wisconsin right?

And Scott Walker closed with a promise: "I'm going to come back(to Iowa) many more times in the future."

Well I guess, with today's technology, he can complain about how lazy Wisconsinites are from anywhere in the country.  

Revenge Of The Groundhogs

The Republicans have screwed up Wisconsin so much that even the varmints are ticked off.

On Monday, during the annual Groundhogs Day ceremony in Sun Prarie, Jimmy the Groundhog took his sweet revenge on Republican Mayor Jonathan Freund:



Hmm. I wonder what it means when the groundhog sees blood? Six weeks until the zombie apocalypse?

And typical of a Republican, Mayor Freund continued to screw up by the numbers:

Just as Sun Prairie Mayor Jonathan Freund, leaned in to hear Jimmy's prediction, he was bitten in the ear by the groundhog. He then declared Jimmy didn't see his shadow and there would be an early spring.

One of Jimmy's caretakers, Jerry Hahn, told News 3 the mayor may have misinterpreted Jimmy, and there would be six more weeks of winter. Hahn added this was Mayor Freund's first time participating, which could have added to the confusion.

The tradition of Groundhog Day states that if it is cloudy when the groundhog emerges from its burrow, spring will come early. If it’s sunny, the groundhog will see its shadow and retreat to its burrow, meaning winter will last six more weeks.

What adds to the hilarity is that if Freund had paid attention to the "liberal media," he would have known that Jimmy was a little edgy:

What are Jimmy's living quarters like on your farm?

He's got it better than most of the animals here. In fact right now he's in the living room. And then as soon as it warms up enough he's got a big, 8-by-16 pen that he roams around in. And I go in and I'll spend a fair amount of time every day with him, trying to domesticate him, to be honest with you. I've done a pretty good job, but not necessarily this Jimmy the 11th. He's got a little bit of an attitude. Jimmy the 9th and 10th were absolutely amazing. But then I've had some that were more or less man eaters.

So Jimmy the 11th is going to be a little unpredictable?

Very much so, yeah. And I haven't talked to the mayor yet, either. (Former Mayor) Joe Chase and I were very good friends, and Joe was a fantastic promoter of Jimmy the Groundhog. There was one time I had Jimmy up by his ear, and Jimmy had to relieve himself, and he did it on Joe. And he says, "You know, I've had a lot of people wanting to do this to me but I never thought it would be Jimmy."

On a more serious note, there is a three way race going on for mayor of Sun Prarie. Freund was never elected to the position and was appointed to that role some time ago.

The good news is for Sun Prairie is that there is a progressive, Paul Esser, in the race.

It's a chance for the people of Sun Prairie to do right by the angry badgers and the angrier groundhogs.

Promises, Promises...Why Do We Believe?

By Jeff Simpson

Remember this?

"Under the administration of Gov. Scott Walker, northern Wisconsin’s mining economy is moving forward and more people are getting good, high-paying jobs."
— Americans for Prosperity on Friday, October 3rd, 2014 in a direct mail flier

Or this?

 Gogebic Taconite, a unit of Florida-based Cline Resource and Development, pushed for changes in mining laws shortly after representatives of the company announced their plans in 2011 for an iron ore mine in Ashland and Iron counties. The mine would operate for at least 35 years and run for about four miles. Gogebic says the mine would generate 700 jobs, but all told would create more than 2,800 jobs in trucking, housing and other industries

Or this?

"On behalf of the unemployed skilled workers in our state who will benefit from the thousands of mining-related jobs over the next few years, I say thank you," Walker said in a statement.

Or this even?

At stake are more than the 700 jobs at the mine itself. The proposed mine could lead to thousands of jobs statewide, many involved in the manufacture of equipment for the proposed mine.

Why does reality never match Republican talking points?

Meanwhile, the company has cut its workforce to a half-dozen employees who are trying to redesign plans in light of an unexpected proliferation of wetlands that were found on the site last year, 

For those of you mathematically challenged, half dozen = 6.  6 is less than 700.  6 is also less than thousands!

Is Chris Kline an idiot? He really paid $700,000 for this?

One last thing, shouldn't a legit news organization be obligated to mention that Bill Williams is wanted in Spain for crimes committed?

Wisconsin's Race To The Bottom Not Fast Enough For Scott Fitzgerald

A few days ago, I pointed out how state Republicans thought that they had reached a compromise between Scott Walker's presidential aspirations and the greedy wants of their corporate masters by deciding to introduce a plantation economy in piecemeal fashion instead of one fell swoop.

Now, State Senator Scott Fitzgerald is again pushing to have a Rob The Workers bill passed in its entirety - at least when they are able to fill Glenn Grothman's seat.  I find it interesting that even though the Republicans hold the majority in the state senate, Fitzy isn't comfortable trying for it.  Obviously there is some dissension in the ranks.

Walker, who tried to delay any such bill, calling it a distraction, is now again voicing support for it.  Make no mistake about it, Walker has been for it all along, but he is worried about how the inevitable protests are going to hurt his image as he runs for president.

So why this revived push to send the state's economy completely over the cliff?

Aw, c'mon! We're talking Republicans so the answer is an easy one.

That's right! Money!

Fitzgerald’s latest comments came only hours after Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, the state’s largest business organization and a powerful influence on state spending and policy, released results of a poll it conducted that showed 69 percent of respondents supported a right-to-work law.

WMC’s steady drumbeat for passage of a right-to-work law is backed up by the group’s big spending to support Republican candidates in legislative and statewide elections. WMC has spent an estimated $18.4 million over the years mostly on negative ads to smear Democrats and support Republican candidates, including $700,000 to back Senate Republican incumbents and candidates in the 2011 and 2012 recall elections.

In addition to outside electioneering activities, WMC boasts a membership of 4,000 businesses from a wide range of special interest groups. Manufacturers and businesses contributed about $137,000 to Fitzgerald’s campaign between 2011 and July 2014.

During that time, Fitzgerald’s top individual contributors were Jere Fabick, Oconomowoc, owner of Fabco Engineering, $15,000; Paul Schierl, Green Bay, a retired paper industry executive and president of the Cornerstone Foundation, $6,000; and Daniel McKeithan, River Hills, chairman of Tamarack Petroleum, $5,250.

Well, the gentle reader knows that the Republicans' motivation is not to stimulate the economy or to help the citizens - and definitely not the workers, otherwise they wouldn't be pushing so hard for something that is known to be so detrimental:

However'[Dr. Robert] Bruno [a professor of labor and employment relations at the University of Illinois] said those who do have jobs under a “right-to-work” system typically are paid less, and that hurts the economy.
“There is a significant loss in income to the state – in the billions of dollars – as a result of right-to-work laws lowering wages,” he said. “Of course, when those workers, those citizens, have less money to spend, then it becomes a drag on the overall economy.

Bruno said “right-to-work” laws also make people more reliant on services from the government, which has less money, because workers are paying lower income taxes.

Emily Twarog, an assistant professor of labor and employment relations at the U of I, said the evidence is clear from studies the university has done that “right-to-work” laws are not beneficial to workers.
“There’s really been no evidence in any other state where there’s right-to-work that demonstrates that right-to-work is beneficial to workers,” she said.

Bruno said “right-to-work” laws are good at weakening labor unions, and their ability to negotiate better wages and benefits for workers, as such laws lead to lower unionization rates.

Ironically, Scott Walker and the Republicans might end up biting the hand that feeds them if they pursue their folly of plantation economics.

A group called the Wisconsin Contractor Coalition has formed. The Coalition already has nearly 400 contractor companies from around the state in it and it continues to grow rapidly.  The Coalition opposes the Republican push for plantation economics.

Besides using Walker's argument that it is a distraction and that the results of such laws are not good at all, the Coalition also argues that it is an example of big government interfering with a private contract between a company and the unions.

They also point out that it will cost taxpayers much more because they would have to foot the bill for training and certification that the unions currently cover themselves without any government assistance.

In other words, when and if the Republicans pass this piece of offal, it will take money out of our wallets twice.  Once through the lower wages and again with the higher taxes.

With so much negative aspects to it, one has to wonder about those that would support such a maleficent piece of legislation.

Charlie Sykes' Tweet Of Shame

Charlie Sykes, local radio squawker and right wing propagandist, shows his true colors in this tweet following the Superbowl game:

I can understand someone being upset by the bad play calling, but it is very telling when a person's first reaction is to want to lynch them. It shows his inherit racism.

I'd hate to see what Sykes would say about black people.

The Five Words That Ended Scott Walker's Presidential Ambitions

By Jeff Simpson 

Scott Walker has been feeling rather full of himself lately.  That has been known to happen to a career politician with three big wins under his belt.   

Mr. Walker, fresh off a "victory" in a recent Iowa extremist retreat, has taken the current pole position as driver of the clown car for the Iowa Caucuses.  

Scott Walker, apparently with no one to advise him, decided to step out of the comfort zone of Fox News and headed to meet with an actual reporter.  

Scott Walker decided to sit down with Martha Raddatz, from ABC News and "answer" some questions.   The problem for Scott Walker is, he did not see what he was about to be hit with.   Ms. Raddatz, being an actual reporters, did something to Scott Walker that has never been done before.   

She asked a follow up question!  

Walker was stunned by this of course, since he has not had to answer any tough questions for at least five years.   

When someone had the temerity to ask "But what does that mean?..." .  

Scott Walker was flabbergasted. 

 He gave his best Sarah Palinesesque answer, but then in the end, advocated for more war and "boots on the ground".   

He might as well have answered "Umm .....you know all of them".  

Don't get me wrong, Scott Walker is not done campaigning for President after today. He will continue to travel the country, spend our taxpayer money and probably compete for the first few primaries with the craziest of the crazies.   Then he will slowly fade into oblivion in the other 49 states. 

One day when answering a trivia question about Scott Walkers failed Presidential bid, you can point to February 1st, 2015 as the beginning of the end.  

Ron Johnson To The Rescue!

US Senator Ron Johnson somehow connived his way to be the new chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs. If this filled the gentle reader with a sense of dread and foreboding, good. It should.

So far, RoJo's track record with homeland security is to release confidential information for the sole purpose of trying to score political points because Benghaaaaazi!

As the new chair, RoJo has laid out a couple of things he wants to focus on.

One of those things is immigration, something about which he readily admits he is clueless:

The first-term senator said he and the panel's top Democrat, Tom Carper of Delaware, are taking a trip to the Mexican border where they and others will meet with U.S. Border Patrol agents, local sheriffs, ranchers and individuals with firsthand knowledge of the problems.

"Do I know how to secure the border? No. But I know how to develop a process for getting it done," Johnson said. "We are going to take a very analytical approach, starting with the reality of the situation, trying to set achievable goals."

The senator said there is a need for double fencing in some sections of the border so that it's not so easy to rip a hole through the barrier from the Mexican side where U.S. law enforcement doesn't have jurisdiction.

"The way it is now, someone can cut a hole in the fence and we can't do anything about it," Johnson said.

What? Is the fence in Mexico? Or can't law enforcement arrest them when they come through the fence?

Or is this just a way to try to sabotage one of the Democrats' talking points?

Another thing RoJo is worried about are nuclear missiles destroying our electric grid:

In addition to addressing border security, he wants the committee to hold hearings on matters such as electromagnetic pulse threats to the nation's electrical grid.

An electromagnetic pulse (EMP) generated by a high altitude nuclear explosion has the potential to shut down a large portion of the grid instantaneously, so that a single missile with a warhead doesn't have to be very large to inflict great damage.

Knowing RoJo, he is probably picturing Kim Jong-Un crossing the Pacific Ocean on a raft armed with toy rockets to destroy us all.

But at least he isn't blaming everything on sunspots anymore.

Is it any surprise why RoJo is deemed the Senator most likely to lose his seat in 2016?

The good news is that it is looking more likely that Russ Feingold will return to claim his old seat back from this impostor.

Sharpless Quote of the Day!

By Jeff Simpson 

From WPR:

John Sharpless, a former Republican candidate for Congress and who teaches history at UW, voiced his frustration on Friday over the belief that professors aren't working hard enough. He said he arrives no later than 9 a.m. and leaves no earlier than 5 p.m.  During that time, he said he’s either teaching, preparing lectures, doing research, attending required committee meetings, advising students and managing teaching assistants. Sharpless added that he often spends his evenings reading and grading papers.
“None of this seems like work to a guy like Walker because he lives a different life,” he said.  “And I’m not going to make fun of what he does.  I’m sure being a governor is a lot of work.  He has to spend a lot of time in Iowa and South Carolina and North Carolina and courting other Republican big-wigs.  That taxes the man horribly.”

He suggested that to help with the budget shortfall, Walker should give back the money that he makes when he leaves Wisconsin to campaign for a possible presidential run in 2016.

“I think Scott should take a leave of absence and do this on his dime or the dime of the big corporate guys who pay his jet fare,” Sharpless added.