Wisconsin State Journal Excerpt:
Password secrecy protections: Members on Tuesday defeated, 184-236, a bid to guard the secrecy of passwords for entering social media sites such as Facebook. A yes vote was to empower the FCC to bar companies it regulates from obtaining worker passwords as a condition of employment. (HR 3309)
PRWatch Excerpt:
The Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) filed a complaint today with the Government Accountability Board (GAB) based on newly discovered documents revealing that numerous Wisconsin legislators have received corporate-funded gifts through their connections to the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). Although ALEC describes itself as the largest membership group for legislators, over 98% of its $7 million budget is from corporations and sources other than legislative dues. Documents obtained via Wisconsin open records law and other sources show that ALEC corporations are funding lawmakers' out-of-state travel expenses to posh resorts for ALEC meetings with corporate lobbyists, in addition to gifts of entertainment and exclusive parties.
JS Online Excerpt:
State election administrators have determined there are more than 900,000 valid signatures to recall Gov. Scott Walker and more than 800,000 to recall Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch - well above the minimums needed.
Staff for the Government Accountability Board struck more than 30,000 signatures each for Walker and Kleefisch. That includes more than 4,000 duplicate signatures the board identified for each of them.
As citizens and voters, these newspaper media institutions are, of course, free to endorse politicians and attack the opposition or otherwise broadcast their partisan affiliations. But is doing so really a good idea? The deeper they wade into partisan politics, the more politicized - and partisan - their own institution becomes. Voters who traditionally have viewed newspapers as civic minded volunteers who have the best interests of the community at heart may instead begin to suspect they are simply partisan hacks. And such impressions - accurate or not - may undermine public trust in our most accessible democratic institutions.
Wikipeda:
A stand-your-ground law states that a person may use deadly force in self-defense when there is reasonable belief of a threat, without an obligation to retreat first. In some cases, a person may use deadly force in public areas without a duty to retreat. Under these legal concepts, a person is justified in using deadly force in certain situations and the "stand your ground" law would be a defense to criminal charges.
Paul Ryan is pushing his budget through Congress at an alarming rate. He isn’t getting the message that his ideas and budget are wrong for his constituents and the country.
It is time to Make Noise for Change!
Yesterday, I opened the mail and got a signed guitar from Joan Jett! Joan wrote on the guitar: “Thank you for supporting Rob Zerban and the U.S.A. Rock this sucker!” She knows what we all know - we need to defeat Paul Ryan!
I am asking all supporters to contribute again before our deadline on March 31. Five supporters will receive one-of-a-kind Rock-n-Roll items .... -- Rob Zerban
Wisconsin State Journal Excerpt:
Lovett acknowledged that as citizens, reporters have a right to hold opinions about political issues and to share those opinions with colleagues, friends or family. But she said journalists have an added responsibility to protect their news organization's credibility and impartiality.
Huff Post Excerpt
The shooting of Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman is a heartbreaking tragedy. But make no mistake, it is not a surprise that it happened in Florida, the NRA's closest thing to an armed utopia. In fact, much more so than any of the shills they had promoting their agenda in their big budget propaganda campaign, George Zimmerman is the embodiment of the gun lobby and its vision for America.
JG Excerpt:
Kedzie was out as a leader on the mining issue. Without his leadership, no mining bill passed and the mine withdrew its interest in Wisconsin.
JG Excerpt:
Kedzie, never one to publicly criticize his party or its leaders, accepted the demotion without comment.
Members of his committee and others, all Democrats, jumped to Kedzie's defense.
Down With Tyranny Excerpt:
For the last two weeks, the DCCC has urged candidates to found Ryan's anti-Medicare budget. That's fine. But do they do anything for Rob Zerban? Not that I've seen. And when I speak to DCCC-connected major donors, they tell me Steve Israel discourages them from donating to Zerban's campaign.
Huff post Excerpt:
"We have an excellent Democratic candidate named Rob Zerban who got into the race largely because he couldn't tolerate Paul Ryan's leadership on a plan to terminate Medicare, while funding tax cuts for big oil companies," DCCC Chair Steve Israel (D-N.Y.) told The Huffington Post in a late-night interview Tuesday. "So that's one district where the political landscape may change."
Comment From Hullabaloo:
No, it's not "one or the other." But the reason they don't want to fight Ryan is because they would rather keep him around to raise money for the surrender in the battle against privatising Medicare. Without Ryan, there is no one to force them to do what they want to do but what they don't want to be seen as wanting to do. -- yournamehere
CS Monitor Excerpt:
“Prices at the pump will drop when America’s largest refining region (the Gulf Coast) becomes less dependent on the world’s highest priced crude (OPEC),” he wrote. “Foreign importers will have to cut their prices if they want to compete with the cheaper Canadian crude.... We would argue the overall US price per barrel will drop as refiners pay less for foreign and domestic oil competing with a higher volume of cheap Canadian oil.”
Smart planet Excerpt:
... the United States has become a net exporter of fuel for the first time in almost two decades according to new data.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, America — the world’s largest consumer of oil — exported 54,000 barrels more of petroleum products each day in February than it purchased on the global market.
Wiscnews Excerpt:
So how about the deficit? On Jan. 11, Bob Lang, director of the Legislative Fiscal Bureau, sent a letter to Assemblyman Jon Richards, D-Milwaukee. Lang stated: “In the Budget in Brief that accompanied the Governor’s 2011-2013 budget message, the administration projected that the GAAP deficit for the state will be $2.99 billion in 2011-12 and $3.02 billion in 2012-13.”
~ Rep. Kelda Helen Roys: Facebook
"Earlier today, I shared that I had planned a response to today's upcoming battles in the War on Women here in the WI Assembly. I am pleased to share the first amendment I will be offering. My amendment will seek to add a rectal examination as a requirement for all men seeking a prescription for Viagra or other erectile disfunction drugs. Sure, it is not medically necessary, but if the legislature is going to impose medically superfluous requirements on women, it should do the same for men."
Reality Check Excerpt:
Although the rally may seemingly be coming too late, it is, as Lisa Subeck of NARAL Wisconsin calls it, “just a starting point.” According to Subeck and representatives from Planned Parenthood and other organizations speaking today, the next logical – and imperative step – is to get women out to vote and to get them into office.
Atkinson speaking again to the crowd aptly said, “The great thing about women is we don’t just get angry, we take action.”
JG Excerpt:
Police continued Wednesday to investigate who owned the pistol, Moore said. Wisconsin law prohibits Moore from saying whether Kromrey had a concealed carry permit, Moore said.
Post crescent Excerpt:
...making sure concealed carry permit holders are abiding the law isn't a job for the public. "That's the function of law enforcement," said Andrew Arulanandam, director of public affairs for the NRA. "There's no need for these people to have their privacy compromised. Anyone who makes any other argument is not being honest."
JG Excerpt:
Wynn said the problem was that unions could organize very effectively to elect the very boards or councils that they would later negotiate with, and that led to abuses.
Some workers were getting excessive benefits, Wynn said
Wisconsin State Journal Excerpt:
"I have repeatedly pledged my cooperation with that inquiry," Walker said. "To fulfill my commitment, I have today formed a legal fund to pay for the expenses incurred in cooperating with the inquiry."
JS Online Bice Blog Excerpt:
"If you create a legal defense fund, you are either being investigated, being charged with or have been convicted of a criminal violation of Chapter 11 or Chapter 12," said George Dunst, a retired state election lawyer.
But Walker spokeswoman Ciara Matthews said late Friday that the fund was set up "under the guidance of the GAB."
The Northwestern Excerpt:
(Titled: Walker's tax credits give away the farm)
In fact, under Walker's tax credit, after 2015 a farm or factory owning couple could earn up to about $625,000 a year before owing a single dime in state taxes. And they could earn about $796,000 before they owe that same $1,425 that you have to pay on your measly $50,000 – because with the tax credit, they'll owe only an additional $5 on each extra $600 in agricultural or manufacturing income they earn. more>>>
JG Excerpt:
Police are investigating what apparently is a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the Olde Towne Mall, 20 South Main Street, Janesville.
Witnesses said the male victim was found in the common area of the building outside Congressman Paul Ryan’s office at 4:17 p.m. A small caliber handgun was near the body.
Police reported that they were not aware of any connection to Ryan’s office. The congressman was not at the office.
JS Online Excerpt:
A Dane County judge has granted a temporary injunction against Wisconsin's new voter identification law.
Circuit Judge David Flanagan granted the injunction Tuesday, meaning the law would not apply for the April 3 presidential primary and local general election.
The NAACP's Milwaukee branch and immigration rights group Voces de la Frontera filed the lawsuit last year. A trial on whether to grant a permanent injunction is scheduled for April 16.
"It's not just about the people of Wisconsin - it's about America" -- Tea Party Moonbat
Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance Excerpt:
State-local governments here collected $25.9 billion in taxes and fees in fiscal year 2011, 5.4% more than the prior year. This year's tax burden was 11.9%, up from 11.7% in 2010. Individual income tax collections were $6.7 billion in 2011, up 10% from $6.1 billion in 2010. This year's increase was the largest one-year jump since 2000.
From Tax Hell To "All Screwed Up!"
If you hear 'Wisconsin' and a job transfer, part of your mind is going to say, 'Isn't that the place that's all screwed up?'
-- Todd Berry, WTA ...saying what others are thinking.
"I support Walker because he did exactly what he said he was going to do." -- Confused Wisconsin Voter or Willful Liar
Transcript excerpt from video:
Editorial Board Member: Before, we were talking about state employees contributing to their plan, paying their share of the pension plan. Collective bargaining come into that?
Walker: Yep (nodding yes)
Editorial Board Member: How do you get that negotiated and accepted by the state employee unions?
Walker: You still have to negotiate it. I did that at the county as well.
Uppity Wisconsin Excerpt:
Walker then goes on to say that he has used furloughs as a bargaining tool at the county level and that "we'd approach a similar strategy for the state," but said that he was open to compromise, saying "we're not locked into saying it has to be exactly the same" and that if unions could provide alternative routes to saving money he would be willing to explore those ideas.
Quote from Walker After the Election.
"If anyone doesn't know what's coming, they've been asleep for the past two years." -- Scott Walker. What he really meant to say is you had to be asleep - to believe him.
NPR Excerpt:
The conservative media publisher and activist who died Thursday was embraced by anti-tax, conservative tea partiers and reviled by liberals for his Internet investigations that brought down politicians and chastised mainstream journalism.
Breitbart, 43, was behind investigations that led to the resignations of former Rep. Anthony Weiner of New York and former U.S. Agriculture Department official Shirley Sherrod.
More >>>
Section 1. 48.982 (2) (g) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
48.982 (2) (g) 2. Promote statewide educational and public awareness campaigns and materials for the purpose of developing public awareness of the problems of child abuse and neglect. In promoting those campaigns and materials, the board shall emphasize nonmarital parenthood as a contributing factor to child abuse and neglect.
Section 2. 48.982 (2) (g) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:
48.982 (2) (g) 4. Disseminate information about the problems of and methods of preventing child abuse and neglect to the public and to organizations concerned with those problems. In disseminating that information, the board shall emphasize nonmarital parenthood as a contributing factor to child abuse and neglect.
